Recently as I was pondering the injustice in our culture today, I reflected on the fact that we tend to lean mightily in the direction of the perpetrators of sin while throwing those who speak truth under the bus to avoid hurt feelings.
When feelings become more important than truth, we have lost our moral compass. When "feeling positive" and "affirmed" take precedence over righteousness and justice we have moved into the realm of fantasy.
Personal pleasure, self elevation and promotion has hijacked our culture so much so that most people have been intimidated into silence, allowing evil to control everything.
To protect and defend selfishness, feelings and pleasure is to negate the principles of God, placing self on the throne. Our god is ourselves and our bellies.
Proverbs 12:19 "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment."
Proverbs 28:13 "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."
Psalm 5:6 "You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man."
Ephesians 4:25 "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another."
John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
Galatians 4:16 "Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?"
Jeremiah 13:25 "This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies."
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Paris Needs Christ
Somehow, I am missing something in all these emotional affirmations of France and their plight with Islam. I do feel badly for those who have lost family members and for the born again believers that are living under the constant threat of Islamic Jihad.
But I have a problem, many people are coming along side France to console and defend them as though they are completely guiltless in this matter of ungodly terror. Yes, they were the victims who were attacked but can we actually say they have no responsibility in their own turmoil?
But I have a problem, many people are coming along side France to console and defend them as though they are completely guiltless in this matter of ungodly terror. Yes, they were the victims who were attacked but can we actually say they have no responsibility in their own turmoil?
In one sense of course they are the victim, however have we forgotten that France kicked God to the curb a long time ago. The concert that the victims of the carnage were attending, was a concert that celebrated the promotion of demonic forces. The pictures of the people in the concert hall revealed satanic hand symbols and lyrics to a song to which they were gyrating, were far from innocent and wholesome.
The name of the band playing that night was "Eagles of Death Metal." The lyrics of their songs were devilish at best, celebrating sin and wickedness. The lyrics to the song that the band was playing at the time of the masacer were as follows:
"Kiss The Devil"
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll song his song?...
Who will love the devil and his song?...
I'll love the devil!...
I'll sing his song!...
I will love the devil and his song!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll kiss his tongue?...
Who will kiss the devil on his tongue?...
I'll love the devil!...
I'll kiss his tongue!...
I will kiss the devil on his tongue!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll sing his song?...
I will love the devil and his song!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll kiss his tongue?...
I will kiss the devil on his tongue!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll sing his song?...
I WILL LOVE THE DEVIL AND SING HIS SONG!”
God has often used evil armies to come against those that mocked Him. While we can feel a sense of sadness for those who lost family members, perhaps we should direct that sadness more toward those who attended such a concert and very likely died without Christ.
Our prayer might be that this devastating event will drive relatives and the entire city of Paris to their knees in repentance.
The name of the band playing that night was "Eagles of Death Metal." The lyrics of their songs were devilish at best, celebrating sin and wickedness. The lyrics to the song that the band was playing at the time of the masacer were as follows:
"Kiss The Devil"
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll song his song?...
Who will love the devil and his song?...
I'll love the devil!...
I'll sing his song!...
I will love the devil and his song!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll kiss his tongue?...
Who will kiss the devil on his tongue?...
I'll love the devil!...
I'll kiss his tongue!...
I will kiss the devil on his tongue!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll sing his song?...
I will love the devil and his song!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll kiss his tongue?...
I will kiss the devil on his tongue!...
Who'll love the devil?...
Who'll sing his song?...
I WILL LOVE THE DEVIL AND SING HIS SONG!”
God has often used evil armies to come against those that mocked Him. While we can feel a sense of sadness for those who lost family members, perhaps we should direct that sadness more toward those who attended such a concert and very likely died without Christ.
Our prayer might be that this devastating event will drive relatives and the entire city of Paris to their knees in repentance.
Faith and Spiritual Growth are the Goal
Folks if we love the Lord Jesus Christ and desire to grow in holiness, we must have trials, we must encounter difficult situations and people. Those who preach that we lack faith because we are having obstacles over which to hurl, are unknowingly attempting to rob us of the joy that comes from going through a trial coming out the other side stronger, more spiritual while possessing more faith.
Faith is not increased by avoiding difficulties or seeing miracles. Faith is gained by learning the lessons obtained through experience. It is easy to have faith when we see something with our eyes and hear with our ears. True faith is exercised when we remain faithful, encouraged and calm in the middle of a life calamity.
James 1:2-8
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The greatest lessons I have learned were because of things I had to work though, some very difficult and potentially devastating. The more we seek God through the trials, the greater our wisdom.
Our culture as a whole has worked to avoid or bail out of things that would have gained them wisdom. Pleasure has replaced wisdom to such a degree that those who love pleasure and flattery, will rage at those who bring good sense to every matter.
2 Timothy 2:22 "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. "
As a society we have spurned wisdom chasing after pleasure negating that which is most valuable in favor of that which has no value.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
"1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.
2 I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.
4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;
6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves and I had home born slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.
8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.
10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.
11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun."
The modern day prosperity preachers say the opposite of what God says. They tell us to chase after money, position and grandiose living, that it is their measure for faith to acquire these things. God tells us through the testimony of Solomon, that all this clamoring after wealth and health, is worldliness, "chasing after the wind", having no value.
Next time someone attempts to convince you that God does not want you to be poor, sick, or persecuted, repeat these Scriptures to them:
Hebrews 11:35 "Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Hebrews 11:36 Still others had trial of mocking’s and scourging’s, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
Hebrews11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--
Hebrews11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth.
Hebrews11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
Hebrews11:40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from "
Matthew 6:19 ""Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;"
Mat 6:20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Mat 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
2 Corinthians 11:23 "Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I [am] more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
2Cr 11:24 From the Jews five times I received forty [stripes] minus one.
2Cr 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Cr 11:26 [in] journeys often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils of [my own] countrymen, [in] perils of the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;
2Cr 11:27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness--
2Cr 11:28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
2Cr 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn [with indignation]?
2Cr 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
2Cr 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
2Cr 11:32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
2Cr 11:33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands"
Luke 21:14 ""Therefore settle [it] in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
Luke 21:15 "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
Luke 21:16 "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put [some] of you to death.
Luke 21:17 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake"
Hmmm!!! Christ was our example and He did not escape poverty and persecution, what would make us think we would. Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn and others spit in the face of God when they write a books encouraging materialism and self focus.
This may be the best life now for those who are refusing Christ and ultimately will end up in a fiery hell. But for the believer, nothing on this earth should take us captive, not wealth, not health nor the love of all the people that surround us. Our best life is to come when we go before the Savior and hear His Words, "Well done good and faithful servant."
We as believers yearn for our heavenly home and our husband that dwells in us now and will one day take us home.
Our goal should be to honor God in all our ways while gaining wisdom until He takes us home. Our mission is to become what we should be and spread the Gospel to others.
Faith is not increased by avoiding difficulties or seeing miracles. Faith is gained by learning the lessons obtained through experience. It is easy to have faith when we see something with our eyes and hear with our ears. True faith is exercised when we remain faithful, encouraged and calm in the middle of a life calamity.
James 1:2-8
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The greatest lessons I have learned were because of things I had to work though, some very difficult and potentially devastating. The more we seek God through the trials, the greater our wisdom.
Our culture as a whole has worked to avoid or bail out of things that would have gained them wisdom. Pleasure has replaced wisdom to such a degree that those who love pleasure and flattery, will rage at those who bring good sense to every matter.
2 Timothy 2:22 "So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. "
As a society we have spurned wisdom chasing after pleasure negating that which is most valuable in favor of that which has no value.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
"1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility.
2 I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives.
4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;
6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.
7 I bought male and female slaves and I had home born slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.
8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.
10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.
11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun."
The modern day prosperity preachers say the opposite of what God says. They tell us to chase after money, position and grandiose living, that it is their measure for faith to acquire these things. God tells us through the testimony of Solomon, that all this clamoring after wealth and health, is worldliness, "chasing after the wind", having no value.
Next time someone attempts to convince you that God does not want you to be poor, sick, or persecuted, repeat these Scriptures to them:
Hebrews 11:35 "Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
Hebrews 11:36 Still others had trial of mocking’s and scourging’s, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
Hebrews11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--
Hebrews11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth.
Hebrews11:39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
Hebrews11:40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from "
Matthew 6:19 ""Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;"
Mat 6:20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Mat 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
2 Corinthians 11:23 "Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I [am] more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
2Cr 11:24 From the Jews five times I received forty [stripes] minus one.
2Cr 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Cr 11:26 [in] journeys often, [in] perils of waters, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils of [my own] countrymen, [in] perils of the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren;
2Cr 11:27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness--
2Cr 11:28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
2Cr 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn [with indignation]?
2Cr 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.
2Cr 11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
2Cr 11:32 In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me;
2Cr 11:33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands"
Luke 21:14 ""Therefore settle [it] in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
Luke 21:15 "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.
Luke 21:16 "You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put [some] of you to death.
Luke 21:17 "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake"
Hmmm!!! Christ was our example and He did not escape poverty and persecution, what would make us think we would. Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn and others spit in the face of God when they write a books encouraging materialism and self focus.
This may be the best life now for those who are refusing Christ and ultimately will end up in a fiery hell. But for the believer, nothing on this earth should take us captive, not wealth, not health nor the love of all the people that surround us. Our best life is to come when we go before the Savior and hear His Words, "Well done good and faithful servant."
We as believers yearn for our heavenly home and our husband that dwells in us now and will one day take us home.
Our goal should be to honor God in all our ways while gaining wisdom until He takes us home. Our mission is to become what we should be and spread the Gospel to others.
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