There is a technique I have noticed, that many from other countries use to seduce little old ladies like myself into giving money to them. Beware of these wolves, here are some of their tactics.
1. They begin their chat or conversation with you privately. In that private chat they ask you what you do, then they ask you to tell them all about yourself. This opens the door for them to tell you all about themselves.
2. In the process of telling you all about them, they share that they are either going to school and don't have enough money to go OR they tell you they have a family that rescues children from the street, which they call an orphanage. They need money for the children.
3. They commend you for your life, if you tell them something they can praise, then they ask if they can call you "Mom" or "Mummy."
4. The next thing they do is flatter you with language like, "beautiful sister" or "gracious woman of God."
5. After all this they begin to beg for money. They usually send a few pictures of the children they are supporting, interestingly enough, these children are dressed in fine clothing looking clean and well fed.
6. When you bring up anything about the Lord, they say "that's good" or some other word or phrase to make you think they are interested, but have no response of their own about the Lord.
7. When asked questions about their walk with Christ, they will tell you they love the Lord, but have nothing else to say, no wisdom, no Bible verses and no interest. Their words revert back to their orphanage or college need as soon as they can maneuver the conversation back to it.
8. If you stall long enough they will come right out and ask you if you could help them with money. When you respond to them by saying you will pray for them, they thank you and ask for money again.
I have made a policy never to give to foreign missions that have not been introduced to me by someone I have personally known, someone who has actually seen the operation.
If the Lord is leading you to give to missions it will be without them asking for it.
I am the "George Muller" sort of Christian, I am convinced that if we have a need we should remain silent and just ask God. Then when the help comes, we would know it was from Him.
Begging for money shows a lack of faith. Telling a believer close to you a need for prayer is one thing, and very different, but contacting strangers to give to a ministry they know nothing about is obnoxious at best.
God never told us to foot the bill for ministries simply because they ask. We are to be discerning and prayerful about those to whom we donate. God can warn us if we ask Him, whether or not a ministry is a real ministry or just a scam.
The internet is a breeding ground for all kinds of vermin. Those who are not doing what they claim, but have found a way to bilk kind hearted people out of their funds that are designated to God for real ministries.
May the Lord bless you with wisdom and discernment before handing over money to strangers.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Truth Brings Repentance, Feelings Bring Lies
Did you know that "tolerance" is actually prideful? To tolerate something that is sin, is a way of saying, "look how kind and friendly I am." God does not "tolerate" sin, He exposes it and condemns it. If we love our brothers and sisters we seek for their best not their wants.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
"1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.
2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves."
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
"1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.
2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?
7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
8 Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;
10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.
11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?
13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves."
The Animals Can Teach Us
My husband has a bumper sticker for his car that says, "Lord let me be the person my dog thinks I am."
I would like a bumper sticker for my car that says, "Lord let me love You, the way my Dog loves me."
Our dog and cat, when sitting in our lap, are constantly looking backward into our face. They cannot take their eyes off of us.
I once heard a teacher of the Word say that the word for worship in its original language, had the connotation of the way a dog looks at his master.
When we have to spank a naughty pet, they do not fight back, nor do they hold a grudge, they usually crawl back in submission to win us again, then we love them up and all is fine.
If we could be this dedicated to God first and then our Christian brothers and sisters, we would grow in holiness and have wonderful relationships with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
When all pride is removed, we can see more clearly our need and the needs of others. Pride destroys all chance of growth in holiness. It prevents relationships from reconciling, and even escalates a problem, since pride in someone, causes them to refuse to hear a matter before answering, while demeaning their target. Pride thinks only of self first, negating the plight of others, even lacking empathy and kindness.
Pride prevents honesty and spiritual discernment. When we walk in pride we interpret things wrongly, believing we are right when we may be wrong. Pride will not allow us to see truth.
The best thing to do when we are feeling a sense of pride is to confess it immediately, asking God to help us see the truth of a matter before making any decisions, asking him to open our eyes to anything we are unable to see.
The less pride we have in us the better! We cannot possess love, kindness, empathy and giving, genuinely, as long as pride exists in us. All our good deeds will be for self glorification and will foster more pride in our hearts and even anger when others don't validate our good deeds.
A person who is humble will take criticism to prayer, answer honestly when the truth is discovered and even be grateful for the correction. When we have been accused falsely, we may speak of it but there is no sense that we need to win in a discussion over the false accusation, we can leave that to the Lord.
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."
Proverbs 11:2 "2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom."
Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished."
Proverbs 29:23 "A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling."
Galatians 6:3 "3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips."
Proverb s 26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
James 4:6 "6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Jeremiah 9:23 "23 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;"
Philippians 2:3 "3 Do nothing [a]from [b]selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;"
1 John 2:16 "16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
Romans 12:16 "16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."
2 Timothy 3:2, 1 Corinthians 10:31,13:4, Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 30:12, Romans 11:17-21, Romans 12:2, Proverbs 25-27, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 5:5, Romans 12:3, 2 Corinthians 10:5,18, Matthew 23:10-12.
There are too many passages to list here, God has spoken clearly and loudly on the matters of pride and humility. All we have to do is read His Word to be cleansed of any sin of pride that He might work humility in us.
I would like a bumper sticker for my car that says, "Lord let me love You, the way my Dog loves me."
Our dog and cat, when sitting in our lap, are constantly looking backward into our face. They cannot take their eyes off of us.
I once heard a teacher of the Word say that the word for worship in its original language, had the connotation of the way a dog looks at his master.
When we have to spank a naughty pet, they do not fight back, nor do they hold a grudge, they usually crawl back in submission to win us again, then we love them up and all is fine.
If we could be this dedicated to God first and then our Christian brothers and sisters, we would grow in holiness and have wonderful relationships with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
When all pride is removed, we can see more clearly our need and the needs of others. Pride destroys all chance of growth in holiness. It prevents relationships from reconciling, and even escalates a problem, since pride in someone, causes them to refuse to hear a matter before answering, while demeaning their target. Pride thinks only of self first, negating the plight of others, even lacking empathy and kindness.
Pride prevents honesty and spiritual discernment. When we walk in pride we interpret things wrongly, believing we are right when we may be wrong. Pride will not allow us to see truth.
The best thing to do when we are feeling a sense of pride is to confess it immediately, asking God to help us see the truth of a matter before making any decisions, asking him to open our eyes to anything we are unable to see.
The less pride we have in us the better! We cannot possess love, kindness, empathy and giving, genuinely, as long as pride exists in us. All our good deeds will be for self glorification and will foster more pride in our hearts and even anger when others don't validate our good deeds.
A person who is humble will take criticism to prayer, answer honestly when the truth is discovered and even be grateful for the correction. When we have been accused falsely, we may speak of it but there is no sense that we need to win in a discussion over the false accusation, we can leave that to the Lord.
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom."
Proverbs 11:2 "2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom."
Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished."
Proverbs 29:23 "A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor."
Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling."
Galatians 6:3 "3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips."
Proverb s 26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
James 4:6 "6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Jeremiah 9:23 "23 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;"
Philippians 2:3 "3 Do nothing [a]from [b]selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;"
1 John 2:16 "16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
Romans 12:16 "16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."
2 Timothy 3:2, 1 Corinthians 10:31,13:4, Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 30:12, Romans 11:17-21, Romans 12:2, Proverbs 25-27, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 5:5, Romans 12:3, 2 Corinthians 10:5,18, Matthew 23:10-12.
There are too many passages to list here, God has spoken clearly and loudly on the matters of pride and humility. All we have to do is read His Word to be cleansed of any sin of pride that He might work humility in us.
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