Has anyone wondered as I have, how many more people are going to slip into the abyss of human depravity in the coming months?
How many families will be ruined by selfish, arrogant and entitled adult children?
How many more babies will die in the abortion mills?
How many more versions of debauchery will emerge from the masses of chuckleheaded liberal "free thinkers"?
What legislation will be proposed that further devalues the morals of America?
How many marriages will be destroyed in the name of personal unaccountability?
How many more church gatherings will inculcate into their services paganistic practices while elevating self to godlike status?
How many more believers will be maligned and persecuted for speaking truth?
How many good people will be chastised for doing what is right while evil people will be elevated and rewarded for their wickedness?
This list could fill volumes, how is it possible to increase in evil, without completely destroying a society beyond all recognition, never to be reclaimed or rescued again.
There are still many of us left who saw a very different America than our children saw. We stand in shock of the evil that our children and grandchildren think is normal.
I am here to tell the young folks, it wasn't like this 50 years ago. Children were careful how they spoke to their parents even into adult hood, they knew better than to chastise or mock them as they moved into their elder years. Now this practice of demeaning aging parents is common, all respect and honor is gone, at least in the part of the country I live in.
The government disallowed nearly all the sins that we have raised up as rights and privileges that would have made the founding fathers cringe at even a mention of them.
I am being told by others all over the world that it isn't just where I live, they too are experiencing this disappearance of honor and respect for authority. The authorities are no longer decent law abiding citizens who have integrity, but rather those who are rebelliously out of control who gain prominence.
Proverbs 16:31-32 "…30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. 31 A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness. 32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.…"
We are moving into the end of the end times. The worst of the worst is coming upon the entire world, there is no turning back. The good news is that born again believers see this as a nearing the end of their stint on this earth, closing in on the last chapter as we look toward our heavenly home, the marriage supper of the Lamb and that amazing and glorious return of Christ to earth as a conquering King with US, His army.
Evil will be destroyed, God will make the earth new again and there will be peace and righteousness for the next 1000 years as we rule with Him.
The more we see these things come to pass the more excited I become. Yes, I grieve from time to time at what I see, but when I regain perspective over what I experience, I realize that my focus is often on the ills against me rather than God's provision and protection of me. How silly for us to be overly concerned about what man will do to us when we have the King of the Universe living in us. His promises to us are soon to be fulfilled, everything else pales in comparison to this.
May we keep our eyes on Christ and His promises much more than the slight irritation of wicked people for a season.
Romans 8:17-19 "17 And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.…"
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
No Confession, No Change
We cannot change a behavior when we refuse to admit we need to do so.
Confessing sin is the beginning of change!
1 John 1:8-10 "…8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.…"
Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"
Without consequences to motivate us, more than likely there will be no confession and no change.
Stubborn hearts must have serious consequences before their will is broken enough to get to the point of confession.
2 Kings 17:14
"However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God."
Jeremiah 7:24 ""Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward."
Hebrews 10:26 "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,"
Titus 2:11-15
"11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all [d]authority. Let no one disregard you."
Galatians 6:6-8 "7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Psalm 9:16
"The LORD has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. Higgaion Selah."
Proverbs 29:6 "By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices."
Proverbs 5:22 "His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin."
Confessing sin is the beginning of change!
1 John 1:8-10 "…8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.…"
Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"
Without consequences to motivate us, more than likely there will be no confession and no change.
Stubborn hearts must have serious consequences before their will is broken enough to get to the point of confession.
2 Kings 17:14
"However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God."
Jeremiah 7:24 ""Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward."
Hebrews 10:26 "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,"
Titus 2:11-15
"11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all [d]authority. Let no one disregard you."
Galatians 6:6-8 "7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Psalm 9:16
"The LORD has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. Higgaion Selah."
Proverbs 29:6 "By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices."
Proverbs 5:22 "His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin."
Confession and Self Reflection: The Hard Work
Love is unconditional, we can love someone who doesn't love us back, but forgiveness is conditional upon repentance and confession.
So many people cannot wrap their mind around this. Often people confuse unconditional love with unconditional forgiveness. The two concepts are not equal.
We can love whether or not we have to discipline, but we cannot forgive without confession, even though forgiveness dwells in our hearts ready to be passed to the repentant heart....
Christ loved His creation and died for us while we were still sinful, but in order to acquire His forgiveness we must repent (change our mind) and confess our sinfulness to become born again. Those who confess desire to be cleansed.
Those who refuse to confess have no desire for cleansing because they see no need to be changed, nor do they see God as holy, unable to accept sin in His presence.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
James 5:16
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Proverbs 28:13
"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."
Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"
The best message we can give to unbelievers is to share with them that they cannot be forgiven unless they see their own sinfulness. Nor can relationships be restored when someone will not confess their behavior.
God will not change someone who doesn't want to be changed. He will not bring them into the family of God while they remain rebellious against Him.
If we love someone, we desire reconciliation God's way. Is it possible we are so self focused and lazy that we do not want to engage in the difficult task of working through a problem? As a culture we would rather do the easy thing, just say something, even though it produces nothing, rather than walking through the process of confronting someone to help them learn the need for confessing.
Any relationship that will be ruined by an attempt to make things right, never was a friendship to begin with. True friendships don't break up so easily. We live in a culture that throws people away when the going gets rough instead of doing the hard work of dialogue and self reflection.
So many people cannot wrap their mind around this. Often people confuse unconditional love with unconditional forgiveness. The two concepts are not equal.
We can love whether or not we have to discipline, but we cannot forgive without confession, even though forgiveness dwells in our hearts ready to be passed to the repentant heart....
Christ loved His creation and died for us while we were still sinful, but in order to acquire His forgiveness we must repent (change our mind) and confess our sinfulness to become born again. Those who confess desire to be cleansed.
Those who refuse to confess have no desire for cleansing because they see no need to be changed, nor do they see God as holy, unable to accept sin in His presence.
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
James 5:16
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Proverbs 28:13
"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."
Psalm 32:5 "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah"
The best message we can give to unbelievers is to share with them that they cannot be forgiven unless they see their own sinfulness. Nor can relationships be restored when someone will not confess their behavior.
God will not change someone who doesn't want to be changed. He will not bring them into the family of God while they remain rebellious against Him.
If we love someone, we desire reconciliation God's way. Is it possible we are so self focused and lazy that we do not want to engage in the difficult task of working through a problem? As a culture we would rather do the easy thing, just say something, even though it produces nothing, rather than walking through the process of confronting someone to help them learn the need for confessing.
Any relationship that will be ruined by an attempt to make things right, never was a friendship to begin with. True friendships don't break up so easily. We live in a culture that throws people away when the going gets rough instead of doing the hard work of dialogue and self reflection.
It is Our Life not our Speech Alone
Philippians 1:27 "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;"
The word in the Greek here "conversation" really means "life", not speech. If we say "conversation" to someone today, they think we are talking about our speech, but that negates the context of the passage, relegating it to merely what we say, when the meaning reflects an entire lifestyle witness of Godliness.
We live in a culture that thinks it is enough just to say something and that makes it true. When God spoke of our dedication to Him and our life witness, it is clear that our words are very little, it is our life that says more than our words.
I know many people who have wonderful words, but act in ways that prove their words to be false. One of the character traits of the 2 Timothy 3:1-5 group is to be hypocrites that say a lot of things and mean none of it.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Many people will say; "I'm a good person", while living in sin with someone they are not married to. They will say "I am an honest person", while cheating on their taxes, keeping something they borrowed without returning it. I have met many people in our culture whose words mean very little.
It is only when our life proves our words that they can be relied upon. We can say anything we like, that's the easy part, the authentic value of our words is proven by the demonstration of our life.
The word in the Greek here "conversation" really means "life", not speech. If we say "conversation" to someone today, they think we are talking about our speech, but that negates the context of the passage, relegating it to merely what we say, when the meaning reflects an entire lifestyle witness of Godliness.
We live in a culture that thinks it is enough just to say something and that makes it true. When God spoke of our dedication to Him and our life witness, it is clear that our words are very little, it is our life that says more than our words.
I know many people who have wonderful words, but act in ways that prove their words to be false. One of the character traits of the 2 Timothy 3:1-5 group is to be hypocrites that say a lot of things and mean none of it.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Many people will say; "I'm a good person", while living in sin with someone they are not married to. They will say "I am an honest person", while cheating on their taxes, keeping something they borrowed without returning it. I have met many people in our culture whose words mean very little.
It is only when our life proves our words that they can be relied upon. We can say anything we like, that's the easy part, the authentic value of our words is proven by the demonstration of our life.
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