From Judy Rominger:
Let this sink in a minute.
There are 32 NFL Teams.
53 Players per team. For a total of 1696 Players.
871 Convicted Felons playing currently in the NFL.
That leaves 825 Players that don't have a criminal record.
You truly think the hate for police is still about suppression of black people?
***Shared from another***
Friday, September 29, 2017
Believing God
There are those who will be jealous of the new us when we become born again. They will try to convince us we didn't deserve it and haven't really changed. Those accusers are speaking about themselves, they have rejected Christ, refuse to believe God and are lost because of it.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Discernment in Prayers
When we have developed discernment, we are not impressed because a public official "prays."
It matters who we pray to or that we belong to the One Who can answer prayer. So many believers have bought into the lie that if we just wish for something hard enough or if we proclaim that we have it, then that is enough for our desires to come to pass. The word "prayer" no longer means to pray to the One Father in heaven in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather it means "the power of the mind" to make things occur through shear intense desire, after which the one praying goes out to make it happen, thereby proclaiming that God answered their prayer when all that happened was they worked so hard to get their desire that they got what they wanted.
We are not to go to God demanding that He give us our desire, we are to appeal to Him as we seek His desire for us. I have prayed many times for things to occur that were desires of mine. God answered some of them but others He has not. The key is to tell God our desire, pray that we see His will in whatever He will do for His glory.
When someone has not been born again, has no interest in the Son of God, then their prayers fall to the ground unheard by the One True God.
1 John 5:14-15
"14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."
Notice the phrase; "if we ask anything according to His Will."
James 4
"4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. "
When God refers to someone as an "adulteress" in verse 4, He is telling them that they have placed other things and people above Him. Everyone has done this from time to time, the consequences ought to teach us to more fully trust Christ and seek His desires for us.
Psalm 66:18
"18 If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;"
Someone can pray until they are blue in the face, but if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, they will not be heard. God hears the prayers of His children, as long as they pray seeking His Will.
James 4
"You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.…"
It matters who we pray to or that we belong to the One Who can answer prayer. So many believers have bought into the lie that if we just wish for something hard enough or if we proclaim that we have it, then that is enough for our desires to come to pass. The word "prayer" no longer means to pray to the One Father in heaven in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather it means "the power of the mind" to make things occur through shear intense desire, after which the one praying goes out to make it happen, thereby proclaiming that God answered their prayer when all that happened was they worked so hard to get their desire that they got what they wanted.
We are not to go to God demanding that He give us our desire, we are to appeal to Him as we seek His desire for us. I have prayed many times for things to occur that were desires of mine. God answered some of them but others He has not. The key is to tell God our desire, pray that we see His will in whatever He will do for His glory.
When someone has not been born again, has no interest in the Son of God, then their prayers fall to the ground unheard by the One True God.
1 John 5:14-15
"14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."
Notice the phrase; "if we ask anything according to His Will."
James 4
"4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. "
When God refers to someone as an "adulteress" in verse 4, He is telling them that they have placed other things and people above Him. Everyone has done this from time to time, the consequences ought to teach us to more fully trust Christ and seek His desires for us.
Psalm 66:18
"18 If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;"
Someone can pray until they are blue in the face, but if they do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, they will not be heard. God hears the prayers of His children, as long as they pray seeking His Will.
James 4
"You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.…"
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The Shock of David
David was so angry about that terrible man in the story Nathan told him, only to find out that man was David.
Those who judge others so harshly for "perceived" sins, often have worse in their own hearts that no one else can see. There is no one who can claim they were so sinless, that they didn't deserve to be rebuked or disciplined. There are those who are willing to judge others about things they know nothing about, while hiding their own devilish attitudes. Perhaps judging others takes the focus off of themselves.
Judging righteously does not include guessing what we think might be going on and basing our actions toward that person on what we want to believe.
Psalm 51:10
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Jeremiah 17:10
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Those who judge others so harshly for "perceived" sins, often have worse in their own hearts that no one else can see. There is no one who can claim they were so sinless, that they didn't deserve to be rebuked or disciplined. There are those who are willing to judge others about things they know nothing about, while hiding their own devilish attitudes. Perhaps judging others takes the focus off of themselves.
Judging righteously does not include guessing what we think might be going on and basing our actions toward that person on what we want to believe.
Psalm 51:10
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Jeremiah 17:10
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Look at Them Lord
Interesting how we can be so angry at someone else for their sin, while ignoring our own.
2 Samuel 12:1-16
"12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,
“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.
6 He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.
8 I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!
9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12 Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’”
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.
14 However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”
15 So Nathan went to his house."
2 Samuel 12:1-16
"12 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,
“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.
6 He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.
8 I also gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!
9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12 Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’”
13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.
14 However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”
15 So Nathan went to his house."
Beware of Those Who Probe
Beware of those who probe you for information, they may be using it to gossip.
A gossip will attempt to "pull" information out of you if you decline to answer. Instead of taking a hint that you are not comfortable sharing information with them, they will ask the question over and over again until you have to tell them straight out, that the information is not anything you wish to share. Then they will use that comment to judge that you must have something to hide.
Only one encounter like this warns me enough to avoid that person.
I cannot count the number of times I have encountered this with gossips. They will ask lots of personal questions, about your family, about your finances and about your plans for the future, disguising it as interest in you, only to have something to say about you to others. They love to take the information, no matter how innocent it is, embellish it to be able to judge your life and spin it in a way that makes us look bad in the eyes of their hearers.
Beware of the gossips that ask a lot of questions but will tell you nothing about themselves except generalities that make their life look good. Those who do not share openly and honestly, while probing you for information, do not have your welfare in mind.
Ephesians 4:29 "29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Proverbs 20:19
"He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip."
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
Proverbs 16:28
"A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends."
Titus 3:2
"to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men."
Exodus 23:1
"You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness."
Remember the narcissists will accuse us of doing what the narcissist is doing to throw others off the track. If you have been maligned in this way, the solution is quite simple, remove yourselves from the narcissist, never give him any information about your life and that goes for their flying monkeys too. Anyone who listens to the narcissist is not your friend, they are the enemy.
Psalm 101:5
"Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure."
A gossip will attempt to "pull" information out of you if you decline to answer. Instead of taking a hint that you are not comfortable sharing information with them, they will ask the question over and over again until you have to tell them straight out, that the information is not anything you wish to share. Then they will use that comment to judge that you must have something to hide.
Only one encounter like this warns me enough to avoid that person.
I cannot count the number of times I have encountered this with gossips. They will ask lots of personal questions, about your family, about your finances and about your plans for the future, disguising it as interest in you, only to have something to say about you to others. They love to take the information, no matter how innocent it is, embellish it to be able to judge your life and spin it in a way that makes us look bad in the eyes of their hearers.
Beware of the gossips that ask a lot of questions but will tell you nothing about themselves except generalities that make their life look good. Those who do not share openly and honestly, while probing you for information, do not have your welfare in mind.
Ephesians 4:29 "29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Proverbs 20:19
"He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip."
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
Proverbs 16:28
"A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends."
Titus 3:2
"to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men."
Exodus 23:1
"You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness."
Remember the narcissists will accuse us of doing what the narcissist is doing to throw others off the track. If you have been maligned in this way, the solution is quite simple, remove yourselves from the narcissist, never give him any information about your life and that goes for their flying monkeys too. Anyone who listens to the narcissist is not your friend, they are the enemy.
Psalm 101:5
"Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure."
Too Long Too Late
Authentic believers are ashamed when they do something bad or mean. When we encounter those who defend their sin, even justifying it, we are probably looking at a non-believer. Someone who was never born again and does not have the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 32:3
"When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long."
2 Kings 22:19
"because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD."
Those who sin, refuse to admit they have and continue to justify it, could not possibly have the Holy Spirit. These people remain dead in their sins, without help from God, their only recourse over the years is to either become born again or grow deeper and deeper into rebellion.
When the heart resists the Lord, eventually it becomes hardened, even so far gone that it cannot do anything else.
Jeremiah 18:12
"But they will say, 'It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'"
Eventually God takes action to make it impossible for the stubborn heart to see truth.
Isaiah 6:10
"Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed."
Psalm 32:3
"When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long."
2 Kings 22:19
"because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD."
Those who sin, refuse to admit they have and continue to justify it, could not possibly have the Holy Spirit. These people remain dead in their sins, without help from God, their only recourse over the years is to either become born again or grow deeper and deeper into rebellion.
When the heart resists the Lord, eventually it becomes hardened, even so far gone that it cannot do anything else.
Jeremiah 18:12
"But they will say, 'It's hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'"
Eventually God takes action to make it impossible for the stubborn heart to see truth.
Isaiah 6:10
"Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed."
Is God Really First in our Nation?
In my humble opinion, the flag and the freedom have become idols above God these days. Having said that, I understand that those who disrespect the flag and the country are showing their angst toward authority and their ungratefulness to God for His provision. It's really not about the flag or the freedom, it's about the ungratefulness.
If those protesters took time to be thankful for all that God has given them, they wouldn't have time to whine over the things they think they want.
The protesters have all the food they need, a place to live and all their electronics and trinkets that they indulge in, as we all do. Being thankful leaves no room for petty squabbling over things that really aren't important or are not real issues.
The protesters now days are whining about the petty and silly things, when they could be winning the hearts of those around them through kind and loving acts. Who wants to be around a whinny baby who has a tantrum when he doesn't get his candy.
There are injustices everywhere all the time for everyone. No one has a bigger issue than someone else in this country. Those men are on the football field earning millions of dollars, they go where they want, the say what they want, they eat what they want and live where they want, as do most people in our country.
This whole issue with "taking a knee", is bogus, silly and childish.
Frankly, I am convinced that the best thing our president could have done is to completely ignore these whinny babies, as thought they were an non-entity. As it was, he fueled the flames of angst by referring to them at all. Narcissists always get worse when you pay attention to them. We honor someone's foolishness by answering them.
Proverbs 26:6-8
"He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool."
If those protesters took time to be thankful for all that God has given them, they wouldn't have time to whine over the things they think they want.
The protesters have all the food they need, a place to live and all their electronics and trinkets that they indulge in, as we all do. Being thankful leaves no room for petty squabbling over things that really aren't important or are not real issues.
The protesters now days are whining about the petty and silly things, when they could be winning the hearts of those around them through kind and loving acts. Who wants to be around a whinny baby who has a tantrum when he doesn't get his candy.
There are injustices everywhere all the time for everyone. No one has a bigger issue than someone else in this country. Those men are on the football field earning millions of dollars, they go where they want, the say what they want, they eat what they want and live where they want, as do most people in our country.
This whole issue with "taking a knee", is bogus, silly and childish.
Frankly, I am convinced that the best thing our president could have done is to completely ignore these whinny babies, as thought they were an non-entity. As it was, he fueled the flames of angst by referring to them at all. Narcissists always get worse when you pay attention to them. We honor someone's foolishness by answering them.
Proverbs 26:6-8
"He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool."
From Such Turn Away
Many years ago when I was a new believer there were those who attempted to indoctrinate me into the status quo of nominal and superficial Christianity, with all it's traditions of men, while they claimed they were Bible believing.
These pleasure and popularity seekers wanted me to accept their form of Christianity, it sounded good but something did not set right with me.
The Lord warned me early on about many things that the modern church accepts. As I began to question each thing, using the Bible as the standard, I realized that the "Evangelical church", had as much wrong in it as the Catholic church does. Yes, they have the "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" right. But the way they acted made me think they really didn't believe what they say.
When I discovered that most Evangelicals believe in divorce and remarriage on some level, they misunderstood entirely the nature of the gathering of believers, they had done away completely with the head covering and they had their favored "cliques", mostly made up of those who were adhering to pleasure gatherings and false pet doctrines, I realized I could no longer fit into those gatherings any more than I could the Catholic church.
When it ends up being a fight with a "fellow believer" about the sanctify of marriage, the head covering and the nature of the gathering according to the Word of God, then I know there can be no fellowship with them. It is one thing to engage in a disagreement about these things, it is quite another for those who do not adhere to the Word, to fight and argue in anger when they are shown in the Word their own error.
When we encounter rage over a disagreement, we must assume that the person who rages is convicted but stubborn. Defending that which is popular to believe but in error, is always a clue, they may not have been born again, or they are living in disobedience as believers. Often these days it is difficult to tell who is born again and who is not .
From time to time I have disagreements with brothers and sisters on facebook, but it does not lead to rage, mocking or demeaning. When the discussion degenerates into this sort of "attack" mentality, we know there is a stubborn and rebellious heart involved.
Loving, kind and empathetic people do not rage at others. They seek to understand and to share, but they do not treat with contempt a fellow brother or sister in disagreement.
When we see this raging and contempt emanating from the mouth of someone, we know there is no love, nor is there an attempt to seek truth, only winning is the objective of these types. Winning is far more important to those who rage than truth is, truth only matters if it helps them win.
Proverbs 29:10-12 "…10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. 11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked.…"
God warns us about fools so that we will not engage with them. It is an exercise in futility to bother with them. They more we answer rationally with them the worse they get. These people love to fight and argue. Agreeing is not very interesting or desirable to them, they prefer the fight, in an effort to win at all costs they believe it elevates them as superior.
I have had several people in my life just like this over the years. They cannot validate me or anyone who disagrees with them on any level. Every conversation is entered into for the purpose of proving us inept and stupid. Many years ago when I was more insecure, I was hurt continually by these mean spirited people. As I grew in the strength of the Lord, confident of my position with Him, the contemptuous people became comical to me, the rages and the demeaning were so silly they couldn't possibly be taken seriously.
When I encounter these people I feel sorry for them, but also want to exit quickly, because there is no purpose to that sort of bantering, it is foolish and meaningless.
God desires that we love His truth, so much so that we are willing to admit when we have been wrong. Everyone who has any sense understands this principle. Winning important to the truth seeker, being elevated in the eyes of others means little to those who love God's truth.
Truth itself is the objective for those who love Christ. When we find ourselves to be wrong because of further study, it is easy to give up what was wrong to embrace the truth.
However, when God has shown us the truth we are not moved by "good sounding" arguments of the world. Our understanding has been full and we do not capitulate to the arguments of those who have obtained their ideas and wisdom from the world.
The confident and born again believers who loves truth, is hated by most people, because they are convinced of what God has told them, they have no need to force anyone else to believe it, they just know it, proclaim it and leave those others to the Lord.
Narcissists can never allow anyone else to think differently from them. They must mock, demean and intimidate others into submitting to them, always leading to a fight.
2 Timothy 3:5 "from such people get away."
These pleasure and popularity seekers wanted me to accept their form of Christianity, it sounded good but something did not set right with me.
The Lord warned me early on about many things that the modern church accepts. As I began to question each thing, using the Bible as the standard, I realized that the "Evangelical church", had as much wrong in it as the Catholic church does. Yes, they have the "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" right. But the way they acted made me think they really didn't believe what they say.
When I discovered that most Evangelicals believe in divorce and remarriage on some level, they misunderstood entirely the nature of the gathering of believers, they had done away completely with the head covering and they had their favored "cliques", mostly made up of those who were adhering to pleasure gatherings and false pet doctrines, I realized I could no longer fit into those gatherings any more than I could the Catholic church.
When it ends up being a fight with a "fellow believer" about the sanctify of marriage, the head covering and the nature of the gathering according to the Word of God, then I know there can be no fellowship with them. It is one thing to engage in a disagreement about these things, it is quite another for those who do not adhere to the Word, to fight and argue in anger when they are shown in the Word their own error.
When we encounter rage over a disagreement, we must assume that the person who rages is convicted but stubborn. Defending that which is popular to believe but in error, is always a clue, they may not have been born again, or they are living in disobedience as believers. Often these days it is difficult to tell who is born again and who is not .
From time to time I have disagreements with brothers and sisters on facebook, but it does not lead to rage, mocking or demeaning. When the discussion degenerates into this sort of "attack" mentality, we know there is a stubborn and rebellious heart involved.
Loving, kind and empathetic people do not rage at others. They seek to understand and to share, but they do not treat with contempt a fellow brother or sister in disagreement.
When we see this raging and contempt emanating from the mouth of someone, we know there is no love, nor is there an attempt to seek truth, only winning is the objective of these types. Winning is far more important to those who rage than truth is, truth only matters if it helps them win.
Proverbs 29:10-12 "…10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. 11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked.…"
God warns us about fools so that we will not engage with them. It is an exercise in futility to bother with them. They more we answer rationally with them the worse they get. These people love to fight and argue. Agreeing is not very interesting or desirable to them, they prefer the fight, in an effort to win at all costs they believe it elevates them as superior.
I have had several people in my life just like this over the years. They cannot validate me or anyone who disagrees with them on any level. Every conversation is entered into for the purpose of proving us inept and stupid. Many years ago when I was more insecure, I was hurt continually by these mean spirited people. As I grew in the strength of the Lord, confident of my position with Him, the contemptuous people became comical to me, the rages and the demeaning were so silly they couldn't possibly be taken seriously.
When I encounter these people I feel sorry for them, but also want to exit quickly, because there is no purpose to that sort of bantering, it is foolish and meaningless.
God desires that we love His truth, so much so that we are willing to admit when we have been wrong. Everyone who has any sense understands this principle. Winning important to the truth seeker, being elevated in the eyes of others means little to those who love God's truth.
Truth itself is the objective for those who love Christ. When we find ourselves to be wrong because of further study, it is easy to give up what was wrong to embrace the truth.
However, when God has shown us the truth we are not moved by "good sounding" arguments of the world. Our understanding has been full and we do not capitulate to the arguments of those who have obtained their ideas and wisdom from the world.
The confident and born again believers who loves truth, is hated by most people, because they are convinced of what God has told them, they have no need to force anyone else to believe it, they just know it, proclaim it and leave those others to the Lord.
Narcissists can never allow anyone else to think differently from them. They must mock, demean and intimidate others into submitting to them, always leading to a fight.
2 Timothy 3:5 "from such people get away."
Monday, September 25, 2017
Water Feeds the Fire This Time
If we are on fire for the Lord, there will be others who come and try to throw water on our fire.
LOL, for the believer the water only serves to increase the fire.
James 1:2-3 " 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.…"
LOL, for the believer the water only serves to increase the fire.
James 1:2-3 " 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.…"
The Children are not Entitled!
Our adult children are not "entitled" to our things, our time or our resources.
If we have something to offer them then it is a gift and completely our decision to give it. If we choose not to give, that too is our choice. Please remember that we are not bad parents or evil people if we choose not to indulge the whims of our adult children.
Selfish and entitled adult children will attempt to manipulate and intimidate us into capitulating to their way, we can simply decide that if we have to give into their demands and put up with their insults to keep them, they are not our friends, nor are they acting like real children, they relinquish their family membership when they treat their parents with contempt.
It is a very serious matter to treat parents spitefully, so serious that this is what God said about it;
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 "18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
Because we live in an age of grace now we no longer stone rebellious children, however the rebellion remains just as serious in God's eyes.
There are so many adult children now who think they have a right to demand things from their parents or boss them as though they had authority over their parents. This is not Biblical nor does it remotely resemble love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;"
God commanded children, young and adults alike to "honor their father and mother." No where in the Word of God do we see God commanding the parents to take care of their adult children. Just the opposite is true, the adult children are commanded to see to the needs of their aging parents.
Ephesians 6:1-3 "1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3“that it may go well with you and that you may be long-lived on the earth.”…"
Mark 7:8-13
"8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to [d]be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, [e]given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”"
The modern tradition in recent years has been to intimidate aging parents into taking care of adult children who should be taking care of themselves as well as their aging parents.
It's no wonder that we find so many aging parents experiencing "elder abuse" as well as abandonment on the part of their adult children. The new term for the modern abandonment of aging parents tells all, these neglected parents are called "elder orphans." It isn't bad enough that the adult children are treating their parents like "piggy banks", but they marry people who are also just as demanding and rude. If the aging parents do not praise their children and their spouses or give them whatever they want, the children verbally and physically abuse their elders.
Many aging parents today are deciding to "go no contact" with adult children because of the monstrous disrespect they are so tired of enduring.
This kind of evil hatred is a part of the end times realities.
2 Timothy 3 told us it would be this way. Most of us didn't believe it would necessarily be in our lifetime, but there it is and here we are.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 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."
Parents often provide too much for their children, giving them the idea that the children have a right to that which they did not earn. This mentality leads to monstrous ungratefulness.
We are seeing the results of the "self esteem" teaching heaped on our children in the government schools, the apostate churches and the society in general as the concept spread throughout the movies and every other venue.
Now we watch in the television shows and movies, the model that has been portrayed, the insubordinate and disrespectful responses of children toward their parents as the children instruct their parents and the parents whine as the children control the family.
Isaiah 3:11-13 "…11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. 12 O My people! Their oppressors are children, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray And confuse the direction of your paths. 13 The LORD arises to contend, And stands to judge the people.…"
When the children learn they are little gods that every parent should bow to, then the nation is in real trouble, sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but we are there now. The children rule everything from kindergarten to NFL football.
Notice please that the age of maturity is climbing into middle age, if at all. Many people in our children's generation never matured past age six, others made it to age twelve, but most never find maturity, they flounder about in insecurity and rebellion without direction and without resolve about anything except their momentary pleasures.
As we move toward the end of the age, the age of the church, we will find it difficult to meet loving, kind and mature individuals who grow into responsible and reasonable adults. We don't have to allow this fact to devastate us, we can be bold and resolute about the truth and move on when these self proclaimed gods will not listen.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Keep going saints and do not allow yourselves to be too deeply connected to those who would seek to ruin us. Love these people from afar, even pray for them, but do not allow them to control your lives or your mission.
When adult children obey God in honoring us, then they may have a place at our table, if they choose to dishonor us, they may not sit at our table.
Isaiah 26:10 " 10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. "
If we have something to offer them then it is a gift and completely our decision to give it. If we choose not to give, that too is our choice. Please remember that we are not bad parents or evil people if we choose not to indulge the whims of our adult children.
Selfish and entitled adult children will attempt to manipulate and intimidate us into capitulating to their way, we can simply decide that if we have to give into their demands and put up with their insults to keep them, they are not our friends, nor are they acting like real children, they relinquish their family membership when they treat their parents with contempt.
It is a very serious matter to treat parents spitefully, so serious that this is what God said about it;
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 "18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
Because we live in an age of grace now we no longer stone rebellious children, however the rebellion remains just as serious in God's eyes.
There are so many adult children now who think they have a right to demand things from their parents or boss them as though they had authority over their parents. This is not Biblical nor does it remotely resemble love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;"
God commanded children, young and adults alike to "honor their father and mother." No where in the Word of God do we see God commanding the parents to take care of their adult children. Just the opposite is true, the adult children are commanded to see to the needs of their aging parents.
Ephesians 6:1-3 "1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3“that it may go well with you and that you may be long-lived on the earth.”…"
Mark 7:8-13
"8 Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to [d]be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, [e]given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”"
The modern tradition in recent years has been to intimidate aging parents into taking care of adult children who should be taking care of themselves as well as their aging parents.
It's no wonder that we find so many aging parents experiencing "elder abuse" as well as abandonment on the part of their adult children. The new term for the modern abandonment of aging parents tells all, these neglected parents are called "elder orphans." It isn't bad enough that the adult children are treating their parents like "piggy banks", but they marry people who are also just as demanding and rude. If the aging parents do not praise their children and their spouses or give them whatever they want, the children verbally and physically abuse their elders.
Many aging parents today are deciding to "go no contact" with adult children because of the monstrous disrespect they are so tired of enduring.
This kind of evil hatred is a part of the end times realities.
2 Timothy 3 told us it would be this way. Most of us didn't believe it would necessarily be in our lifetime, but there it is and here we are.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 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."
Parents often provide too much for their children, giving them the idea that the children have a right to that which they did not earn. This mentality leads to monstrous ungratefulness.
We are seeing the results of the "self esteem" teaching heaped on our children in the government schools, the apostate churches and the society in general as the concept spread throughout the movies and every other venue.
Now we watch in the television shows and movies, the model that has been portrayed, the insubordinate and disrespectful responses of children toward their parents as the children instruct their parents and the parents whine as the children control the family.
Isaiah 3:11-13 "…11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. 12 O My people! Their oppressors are children, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who guide you lead you astray And confuse the direction of your paths. 13 The LORD arises to contend, And stands to judge the people.…"
When the children learn they are little gods that every parent should bow to, then the nation is in real trouble, sorry to be the bearer of bad news folks, but we are there now. The children rule everything from kindergarten to NFL football.
Notice please that the age of maturity is climbing into middle age, if at all. Many people in our children's generation never matured past age six, others made it to age twelve, but most never find maturity, they flounder about in insecurity and rebellion without direction and without resolve about anything except their momentary pleasures.
As we move toward the end of the age, the age of the church, we will find it difficult to meet loving, kind and mature individuals who grow into responsible and reasonable adults. We don't have to allow this fact to devastate us, we can be bold and resolute about the truth and move on when these self proclaimed gods will not listen.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Keep going saints and do not allow yourselves to be too deeply connected to those who would seek to ruin us. Love these people from afar, even pray for them, but do not allow them to control your lives or your mission.
When adult children obey God in honoring us, then they may have a place at our table, if they choose to dishonor us, they may not sit at our table.
Isaiah 26:10 " 10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. "
Ignore the Wicked on the Sidelines
There is a typical tactic of the devil in our world today, "bad will be good and good will be bad." Those that are doing good will be told they are bad people, while the bad people are praised for their evil deeds.
We should not be surprised by this dynamic in the world today. The use of manipulation and intimidation against believers is increasing and intensifying.
When we do a good deed, even so small as cleaning our homes, the narcissist will accuse us of being overly concerned about cleanliness.
When we set a nice table, the narcissist will say they don't like fancy things, even though the kindness was done for them.
When we refuse to indulge in a particular ritual, such as particular holidays, we will be accuse of being "goody two shoes", those who think we are better than others.
I had a friend many years ago whose family decided to throw away the television from their house. They felt it was a distraction from family life and godly principles, so they pitched it. One day the relatives of this family stopped by for a visit. They noticed the television was gone, inquiring why it was gone, they were told we thought it was a distraction and worked against our family values. The relative became angry and accused them of thinking they were better than others.
Fascinating, they were not telling anyone else to get rid of their television, they were merely following the dictates of their own hearts in their own home.
Narcissists hate it when we make decisions differently from them, often because our decisions bring us closer to Christ while their decisions prevent spiritual growth, even promoting sin.
The narcissists attempt to get us both coming and going. No matter what we do, they will judge it as wrong. While accusing us of judging merely by following our own heart, they will judge us as something we are not , but the narcissist is. Often what the narcissist accuses us of, is the very thing we are not doing but they are doing.
The day the Lord made it clear that I don't have to follow the dictates of the culture around me, that I had the freedom to think for myself in terms of the principles of Christ, was the freest day of my life. When God shows us this, we are free indeed, not free to sin, but free to follow Him fully without any false guilt from the wicked and rebellious culture around us.
Deuteronomy 32:5
"They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation."
Proverbs 30:12
"There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness."
It is this generation that loves to come against the principles of God, so much so that those who choose to do so, will be mocked, demeaned and maligned for their commitment to God.
Luke 9:57-62
"57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
As those along our path, mock and sneer at us, never leave the path, keep going, as we leave behind those lost and rebellious people, we will experience the peace of Christ, even if no one else go with us.
We should not be surprised by this dynamic in the world today. The use of manipulation and intimidation against believers is increasing and intensifying.
When we do a good deed, even so small as cleaning our homes, the narcissist will accuse us of being overly concerned about cleanliness.
When we set a nice table, the narcissist will say they don't like fancy things, even though the kindness was done for them.
When we refuse to indulge in a particular ritual, such as particular holidays, we will be accuse of being "goody two shoes", those who think we are better than others.
I had a friend many years ago whose family decided to throw away the television from their house. They felt it was a distraction from family life and godly principles, so they pitched it. One day the relatives of this family stopped by for a visit. They noticed the television was gone, inquiring why it was gone, they were told we thought it was a distraction and worked against our family values. The relative became angry and accused them of thinking they were better than others.
Fascinating, they were not telling anyone else to get rid of their television, they were merely following the dictates of their own hearts in their own home.
Narcissists hate it when we make decisions differently from them, often because our decisions bring us closer to Christ while their decisions prevent spiritual growth, even promoting sin.
The narcissists attempt to get us both coming and going. No matter what we do, they will judge it as wrong. While accusing us of judging merely by following our own heart, they will judge us as something we are not , but the narcissist is. Often what the narcissist accuses us of, is the very thing we are not doing but they are doing.
The day the Lord made it clear that I don't have to follow the dictates of the culture around me, that I had the freedom to think for myself in terms of the principles of Christ, was the freest day of my life. When God shows us this, we are free indeed, not free to sin, but free to follow Him fully without any false guilt from the wicked and rebellious culture around us.
Deuteronomy 32:5
"They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation."
Proverbs 30:12
"There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness."
It is this generation that loves to come against the principles of God, so much so that those who choose to do so, will be mocked, demeaned and maligned for their commitment to God.
Luke 9:57-62
"57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
As those along our path, mock and sneer at us, never leave the path, keep going, as we leave behind those lost and rebellious people, we will experience the peace of Christ, even if no one else go with us.
Trust in the Christ Alone
For all those people who are intrigued with "future telling" and miracles that make them feel special, I am here to tell you that people like Jonathan Cahn are laughing all the way to the bank as they bring many false teachings while those that elevate them are lapping up all his books and videos.
Sadly Cahn is doing exactly the same things as all the other prosperity preachers, teaching that believers are "little gods", that looking into the future through cryptic and vague visions are perfectly alright with God.
God abhors future telling, has forbidden it and is not giving message to people like Cahn as he claims, they are merely ploys of the devil to focus believers on the future and events rather than on Christ Himself.
Leviticus 20:6
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people."
God made it very clear that we were not to seek visions and dreams. The Jews will experience authentic dreams of Christ, but not of future telling. There is no need for future telling when God gave us everything we need to know in the Bible.
If we have a need for anything other than what Christ, the Word, gave us in the Bible, then we lack faith, needing to be propped up all the time to maintain our fervor for Christ, we ultimately end up following man rather than our Savior.
There are Muslims who are becoming saved because Christ has appeared to them with the gospel....you see, they don't have the Bible where they are, nor do they have missionaries, because of this the Lord is coming Himself. However, He is not coming to give them future events, He is coming to speak of Himself and their salvation through Him, if they trust Him.
Leviticus 20:27
“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
1 Corinthians 4:6 "6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over another. "
Did we get this "do not go beyond what is written. We have no need, when we walk by faith, to see any future events for anyone or for the nation. All we need is to trust the Bible and what is written there.
If we trust the Holy Spirit He will give us personal specifics when the time is needed. If we cannot trust the Holy Spirit, feeling a need to look to men and their false visions, then we lack faith and will be drawn into foolishness, unprofitable to us and anyone else watching us.
The bottom line is this: When we trust Christ for salvation, we must then learn to trust Him for each day. All His principles that are needed are in the Bible, right there for all to read, no need to go anywhere else.
Psalm 34:1-22
"34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned."
Sadly Cahn is doing exactly the same things as all the other prosperity preachers, teaching that believers are "little gods", that looking into the future through cryptic and vague visions are perfectly alright with God.
God abhors future telling, has forbidden it and is not giving message to people like Cahn as he claims, they are merely ploys of the devil to focus believers on the future and events rather than on Christ Himself.
Leviticus 20:6
“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people."
God made it very clear that we were not to seek visions and dreams. The Jews will experience authentic dreams of Christ, but not of future telling. There is no need for future telling when God gave us everything we need to know in the Bible.
If we have a need for anything other than what Christ, the Word, gave us in the Bible, then we lack faith, needing to be propped up all the time to maintain our fervor for Christ, we ultimately end up following man rather than our Savior.
There are Muslims who are becoming saved because Christ has appeared to them with the gospel....you see, they don't have the Bible where they are, nor do they have missionaries, because of this the Lord is coming Himself. However, He is not coming to give them future events, He is coming to speak of Himself and their salvation through Him, if they trust Him.
Leviticus 20:27
“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
1 Corinthians 4:6 "6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over another. "
Did we get this "do not go beyond what is written. We have no need, when we walk by faith, to see any future events for anyone or for the nation. All we need is to trust the Bible and what is written there.
If we trust the Holy Spirit He will give us personal specifics when the time is needed. If we cannot trust the Holy Spirit, feeling a need to look to men and their false visions, then we lack faith and will be drawn into foolishness, unprofitable to us and anyone else watching us.
The bottom line is this: When we trust Christ for salvation, we must then learn to trust Him for each day. All His principles that are needed are in the Bible, right there for all to read, no need to go anywhere else.
Psalm 34:1-22
"34 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned."
It's Happening Now
If anyone is confused by what is going on all around them every day of the week? The answer is in the Word!
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"1 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."
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"1 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."
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Watch Out For the Wolves
The closer we get to the end of the church age, those you thought were friends will come against us. They will shock us in whom they follow and love, human beings rather than Christ. They will not listen to counsel from the Word, but will listen to the popular ones that bring exciting but dangerous doctrines and dreams.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
These false believers will choose to follow human beings with good sounding titles and false miracles, these days in the form of visions, claiming to have seen something from God, that will contradict the Word of God.
Our measure for truth in anyone claiming to be a prophet of God, is whether or not their actions and words match up with the Bible. If they go beyond the Bible, violate the Bible in any way, then we know they are not from God.
1 Corinthians 4:6 " 6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written.”
Unfortunately too many people don't pray for discernment and do not know their Bibles, so they fall into these good sounding traps. Once they have accepted them, they do not let go of them. Their pride will not allow them to listen to those who have discerned the falsehoods, they become locked in to defending a man or woman. Sadly we do not see these same people defending Christ and His Word.
Once a person has bought into lies to awaken their senses for excitement, it is nearly impossible to convince them of truth. God can reach them but only if at some point, they begin to listen to the Holy Spirit, if in fact they have Him.
1 John 4:1
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
These false believers will choose to follow human beings with good sounding titles and false miracles, these days in the form of visions, claiming to have seen something from God, that will contradict the Word of God.
Our measure for truth in anyone claiming to be a prophet of God, is whether or not their actions and words match up with the Bible. If they go beyond the Bible, violate the Bible in any way, then we know they are not from God.
1 Corinthians 4:6 " 6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written.”
Unfortunately too many people don't pray for discernment and do not know their Bibles, so they fall into these good sounding traps. Once they have accepted them, they do not let go of them. Their pride will not allow them to listen to those who have discerned the falsehoods, they become locked in to defending a man or woman. Sadly we do not see these same people defending Christ and His Word.
Once a person has bought into lies to awaken their senses for excitement, it is nearly impossible to convince them of truth. God can reach them but only if at some point, they begin to listen to the Holy Spirit, if in fact they have Him.
1 John 4:1
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Superficial Christianity
The Dangers of Superfical Faith by Scott Colvin
What causes superficial faith?
Fear Mark 5:36
Wanting praise from people John 5:44
Not putting the work into our faith John 6:29
Deceit John 8:44-47
Not being able to hear God’s voice John 10:26-27
Having a hard heart John 12:37-40
Doubt John 20:24-27
Read Romans 4-5. It provides a great guide on how to develop deep and lasting faith.
Facing Facts Romans 4:18
Not wavering from God’s promise Romans 4:20
The secret to righteousness Romans 4:22
Why we can rejoice with suffering Romans 5:3
Why we need to endure Romans 5:4
How we develop real hope Romans 5:5
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. Psalm 103:7
What causes superficial faith?
Fear Mark 5:36
Wanting praise from people John 5:44
Not putting the work into our faith John 6:29
Deceit John 8:44-47
Not being able to hear God’s voice John 10:26-27
Having a hard heart John 12:37-40
Doubt John 20:24-27
Read Romans 4-5. It provides a great guide on how to develop deep and lasting faith.
Facing Facts Romans 4:18
Not wavering from God’s promise Romans 4:20
The secret to righteousness Romans 4:22
Why we can rejoice with suffering Romans 5:3
Why we need to endure Romans 5:4
How we develop real hope Romans 5:5
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. Psalm 103:7
Won't Be Falling Out of Heaven
Yep, if we could lose our salvation we would have to fall right out of heaven.
Melanie A. Adams said this:
"Identity in Christ"
"I am a citizen of heaven":
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."
Philippians 3 : 20
Melanie A. Adams said this:
"Identity in Christ"
"I am a citizen of heaven":
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."
Philippians 3 : 20
The Natural Man
1 Corinthians 2 : 14 -16
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
'For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ."
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
'For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ."
Next Year the Rapture, or Anytime in Between
Yes, the Jews used to have a saying as a greeting. Before Israel was a state, upon leaving one another's presence they would say, "next year in Jerusalem."
I am impressed with this because their faith in the OT promises was so great that each year they hoped it would happen. That's how I feel about the rapture. Next year at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Jews no longer say that to one another, because in 1948 their hope was fulfilled, now a greater hope is coming to believers in the rapture and the Jews when they become saved during the tribulation.
I am impressed with this because their faith in the OT promises was so great that each year they hoped it would happen. That's how I feel about the rapture. Next year at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Jews no longer say that to one another, because in 1948 their hope was fulfilled, now a greater hope is coming to believers in the rapture and the Jews when they become saved during the tribulation.
The False Gospel of Works
Sadly there are those who are preaching a gospel of works or steps to gain salvation. There is only one way to become born again, that is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:30-31 "…30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” "
After that, He does all the work in us!
Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Acts 16:30-31 "…30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.” "
After that, He does all the work in us!
Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
He Disciplines Those Who Are His
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, then He comes to live in us and begins the lifelong process of cleansing us from our sins. He opens our eyes to truth while giving us experiences to see the sin that needs to be confessed.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Hebrews 12:8 "… 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. "
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Hebrews 12:8 "… 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. "
Friday, September 22, 2017
Corinthian Believers Were Carnal
Nick Bevilacqua said this, it made good sense:
"Corinthian believers who spoke in tongues more than any other church were said to be CARNAL, being guilty of fornication, drunkeness, envyings, lyings ,thefts,coveteousness, back biters and a host of other sins. Speaking in tongues were at that time definetly NOT a sign of holiness or moral superiority."
"Corinthian believers who spoke in tongues more than any other church were said to be CARNAL, being guilty of fornication, drunkeness, envyings, lyings ,thefts,coveteousness, back biters and a host of other sins. Speaking in tongues were at that time definetly NOT a sign of holiness or moral superiority."
Only the Fruit is Evidence
For those who think speaking in tongues is evidence of salvation!
God doesn't need any evidence, He already knows who is saved and who is not. And, many believers have judged others as saved who spoke in silly gibberish to appear so for those who demand it. There are no verses that say one must speak in tongues to be identified as a born again believer.
The only evidence God speaks of for the believer is His fruit.
Matthew 7:15-20
You Will Know Them by Their Fruit
"15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit are the character qualities of Christ.
God doesn't need any evidence, He already knows who is saved and who is not. And, many believers have judged others as saved who spoke in silly gibberish to appear so for those who demand it. There are no verses that say one must speak in tongues to be identified as a born again believer.
The only evidence God speaks of for the believer is His fruit.
Matthew 7:15-20
You Will Know Them by Their Fruit
"15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit are the character qualities of Christ.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Hurting People Don't Hurt People, Evil People Do
The modern idea that we should forgo justice when dealing with criminals was started by the psychological community, based on evolution and human wisdom.
Many Christians have fashioned their life after the psychology of "just be nice to them and they will like Jesus" or more accurately "hurting people hurt people", not realizing that it is not only unbiblical it works against God, His justice and the means through which criminals and naughty people get the idea that they don't have to confess or repent, they can get away with anything and still have the honor of the community.
When we do not punish those who are unrepentant, it demeans and devalues their victims.
Since there are few consequences for sin in our culture, the evil is growing, the violence has increased and wicked attitudes continue to escalate.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. "
The wicked do not get better when we coddle them, they get worse.
Many Christians have fashioned their life after the psychology of "just be nice to them and they will like Jesus" or more accurately "hurting people hurt people", not realizing that it is not only unbiblical it works against God, His justice and the means through which criminals and naughty people get the idea that they don't have to confess or repent, they can get away with anything and still have the honor of the community.
When we do not punish those who are unrepentant, it demeans and devalues their victims.
Since there are few consequences for sin in our culture, the evil is growing, the violence has increased and wicked attitudes continue to escalate.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. "
The wicked do not get better when we coddle them, they get worse.
Feelings or Rational Thinking?
In another post about falling in love and affairs that are not God honoring, there was mention of the feelings involved, here was my take on this matter.
We can stop feelings for the wrong person by praying and reading the word. Most "in love" experiences are based on physical attraction or attention given, those feelings leave when we realize they are inappropriate.
There was a time many years ago, before my husband became born again, when I felt I had "fallen out of love" with him because of the way he was acting. I was born again then and he was not so there was a continual anger toward me because of my new found faith.
When I went to the Lord about it, He focused me on my duty to treat my husband with love no matter how I felt. As I began to treat him in loving ways, the feelings returned. But the act of love came first before the feelings.
When we are determined to live for Christ no matter what, we can develop feelings of love as we act in loving ways. So many people make the mistake of depending on their feelings to sustain them, but there is no way feelings can remain positive, the hard stuff comes and the feelings go, but the act of love can continue anyway.
When we act in loving ways toward others, we will not have to regret how we treated someone else, even if they do not honor and love us. We don't have to keep consistently unkind people in our lives, unless they are spouses, but when we encounter them, we can do our part and leave them to the Lord.
Many marriage problems are diminished if one party is not fighting while continuing their resolve to act Christlike no matter the response of the other party.
Luke 6:27-28 "27 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. "
We can stop feelings for the wrong person by praying and reading the word. Most "in love" experiences are based on physical attraction or attention given, those feelings leave when we realize they are inappropriate.
There was a time many years ago, before my husband became born again, when I felt I had "fallen out of love" with him because of the way he was acting. I was born again then and he was not so there was a continual anger toward me because of my new found faith.
When I went to the Lord about it, He focused me on my duty to treat my husband with love no matter how I felt. As I began to treat him in loving ways, the feelings returned. But the act of love came first before the feelings.
When we are determined to live for Christ no matter what, we can develop feelings of love as we act in loving ways. So many people make the mistake of depending on their feelings to sustain them, but there is no way feelings can remain positive, the hard stuff comes and the feelings go, but the act of love can continue anyway.
When we act in loving ways toward others, we will not have to regret how we treated someone else, even if they do not honor and love us. We don't have to keep consistently unkind people in our lives, unless they are spouses, but when we encounter them, we can do our part and leave them to the Lord.
Many marriage problems are diminished if one party is not fighting while continuing their resolve to act Christlike no matter the response of the other party.
Luke 6:27-28 "27 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. "
Admitting the Feelings Promotes Growth
As adults we should be learning to admit our feelings and then evaluate them in terms of the Bible. Often our feelings deceive us, they tell us things are good when they are bad and they are bad when they are good. We must not operate according to our feelings, however admitting them brings them out into the open to see the condition of our heart.
We are to train ourselves to think with the mind of Christ by rightly dividing the word of God. When we know God's principles well, then we can quickly dismiss any feelings that do not reflect the ways of God.
Those who are not trained in the Word or neglect seeking the Holy Spirit, will base most of what they do no their feelings, often destroying relationships because of the inaccurate assessment of situations. Many people will tell lies to justify their feelings, rather than evaluating them to discern truth.
It is very difficult to restore a relationship when feelings are the bench mark for everything. Acknowledging our feelings helps us to assess our spiritual and emotional condition. We should never deny them, but we should not live according to them.
Of course in order to accurately assess our feelings we must have two very important elements present in our thinking, these are honesty and humility, an arrogant individual can never to what is needed to live a Christlike life.
We are to train ourselves to think with the mind of Christ by rightly dividing the word of God. When we know God's principles well, then we can quickly dismiss any feelings that do not reflect the ways of God.
Those who are not trained in the Word or neglect seeking the Holy Spirit, will base most of what they do no their feelings, often destroying relationships because of the inaccurate assessment of situations. Many people will tell lies to justify their feelings, rather than evaluating them to discern truth.
It is very difficult to restore a relationship when feelings are the bench mark for everything. Acknowledging our feelings helps us to assess our spiritual and emotional condition. We should never deny them, but we should not live according to them.
Of course in order to accurately assess our feelings we must have two very important elements present in our thinking, these are honesty and humility, an arrogant individual can never to what is needed to live a Christlike life.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Rebelliousness and Stubborness Brings Destruction
Rebellious and stubborn people cause immense stress and heartbreak for family and community.
Psalm 106:24-25
"Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word, But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD."
Ezekiel 20:8
"But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt."
Zechariah 7:11
"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing."
Daniel 9:5
"we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances."
When we see how America has gone in the past 40 years, we realize how close we are to God's wrath against us. The storms that have been pummeling our country are a minor warning from God that we must understand His power and His wrath before it is too late. And, there is a point at which God says, enough is enough, no more chances no more instruction, but only destruction awaits the stubborn hearts.
Psalm 106:24-25
"Then they despised the pleasant land; They did not believe in His word, But grumbled in their tents; They did not listen to the voice of the LORD."
Ezekiel 20:8
"But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt."
Zechariah 7:11
"But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing."
Daniel 9:5
"we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances."
When we see how America has gone in the past 40 years, we realize how close we are to God's wrath against us. The storms that have been pummeling our country are a minor warning from God that we must understand His power and His wrath before it is too late. And, there is a point at which God says, enough is enough, no more chances no more instruction, but only destruction awaits the stubborn hearts.
September 23 or 22, Which?
I notice that those who said the Lord is coming on the 23rd of September, is that the entire world will not be in the 23rd at the same time. That's one of the reasons God never gave a day or hour. Right now we are in September 20th where I am, but in other parts of the world it is the 21st. Also, on the 19th, it will be the 20th some places in the world.
There is never a time when the whole world is in the 23rd at the same time and yet the Lord said that some would be sleeping in their beds, meaning it would be night time for those people, and other would be working in the field during the day while others are sleeping in their beds at night.
Just something to think about!
There is never a time when the whole world is in the 23rd at the same time and yet the Lord said that some would be sleeping in their beds, meaning it would be night time for those people, and other would be working in the field during the day while others are sleeping in their beds at night.
Just something to think about!
Prosperity Preachers are Liars
Proof that the prosperity preachers are teaching a false gospel lies in the pages of the Scriptures. They lie and say we must be sinning because we are having physical problems or that people hate us. The truth is that the harder we follow after Christ the more problems we will experience.
Those problems do not destroy us, they strengthen us. Training is essential for the warrior to be able to "fight the good fight." What is the fight? The fight is to continue as led by the Holy Spirit no matter who comes against us. It is also to remain faithful to our calling and beliefs when we lose others because we will not give into the pressure of the culture around us.
2 Corinthians 11:25-27
"…25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, 27 in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure."
Matthew 10:35-37 "…35 For I have come to turn ‘A man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;…"
Luke 6:25-26
"…25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way."
When we know who the enemy is, that is the devil, we don't have to take seriously any attacks by man against us, they are only pawns in the hands of Satan.
Those problems do not destroy us, they strengthen us. Training is essential for the warrior to be able to "fight the good fight." What is the fight? The fight is to continue as led by the Holy Spirit no matter who comes against us. It is also to remain faithful to our calling and beliefs when we lose others because we will not give into the pressure of the culture around us.
2 Corinthians 11:25-27
"…25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers, 27 in labor and toil and often without sleep, in hunger and thirst and often without food, in cold and exposure."
Matthew 10:35-37 "…35 For I have come to turn ‘A man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;…"
Luke 6:25-26
"…25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way."
When we know who the enemy is, that is the devil, we don't have to take seriously any attacks by man against us, they are only pawns in the hands of Satan.
Galatians 2:11-21
"11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!
18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
12 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
13 The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
15 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!
18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.
19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
When Jealousy Turns to Hatred
Jealousy is a dangerous thing it is full of contempt, the very nature of jealousy causes people to desire to destroy the one they are jealous of, Cain killed Able, because of his jealousy that turned into hate.
Yes, jealousy leads to hatred and God calls hatred murder.
2 John 4:20 "20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. "
1 John 3:15 "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
Yes, jealousy leads to hatred and God calls hatred murder.
2 John 4:20 "20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. "
1 John 3:15 "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
We Are His Workmanship
Those who became born again never continue a "lifestyle of sin", when they repent, (change their mind), God is the One Who begins a work in them. They do not work on themselves to be better, Christ changes their heart so they no longer want the sin they used to love.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Those who flippantly continue in sin after claiming to become a Christian, were never born again, they remain deeply connected to their life of sin because they were never changed into a new creation by Christ. These people made an emotional profession but had no desire for Christ.
The church is full of these pretenders, we know them by their lack of fruit.
Matthew 7:17-20 " 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits."
When we see someone who remains prideful and self willed all through their life without spiritual growth, we may very well be experiencing someone who was never born again.
One way to know is their resistance to any form of correction or rebuke. A born again believer is ashamed of their sin, wants cleansing and will eventually be so burdened by it, that they will confess to be cleansed.
Those who cannot confess their sin, are walking in pride, lacking the fruit of repentance.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit we should see in believers are the character qualities of Christ which produce right actions and attitudes. If these things are absent on a continual basis then we might be looking at an unsaved one who never trusted Christ. When we encounter this, as we are led by the Holy Spirit, we might want to challenge them, to check with God to see if they have ever been born again.
2 Corinthians 13:4-6 "…4 For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you — unless you actually fail the test? 6 And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.…"
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Those who flippantly continue in sin after claiming to become a Christian, were never born again, they remain deeply connected to their life of sin because they were never changed into a new creation by Christ. These people made an emotional profession but had no desire for Christ.
The church is full of these pretenders, we know them by their lack of fruit.
Matthew 7:17-20 " 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits."
When we see someone who remains prideful and self willed all through their life without spiritual growth, we may very well be experiencing someone who was never born again.
One way to know is their resistance to any form of correction or rebuke. A born again believer is ashamed of their sin, wants cleansing and will eventually be so burdened by it, that they will confess to be cleansed.
Those who cannot confess their sin, are walking in pride, lacking the fruit of repentance.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit we should see in believers are the character qualities of Christ which produce right actions and attitudes. If these things are absent on a continual basis then we might be looking at an unsaved one who never trusted Christ. When we encounter this, as we are led by the Holy Spirit, we might want to challenge them, to check with God to see if they have ever been born again.
2 Corinthians 13:4-6 "…4 For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you — unless you actually fail the test? 6 And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.…"
He Will Come in His Timing
September 23 is coming up fast now, the day predicted for the rapture by those who think they have figured out the language of the Bible.
I have a hard time believing God would tell us we would not know the day or the hour, and then proceed to tell us the day and the hour, through cryptic and convoluted tidbits, leaving us to put the puzzle together.
Matthew 25:13 "…12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
Saints, what are you going to tell people when the day comes and goes and nothing happens?
I more than anyone, would love to go home on that day, I have been waiting to go home since I became a born again believer many years ago. I placed my trust in Christ, that He will come and get me, it wasn't very important when that would happen, just that it would and the timing would be perfect.
If God wanted us to know the day or the hour He would have simply said, "on this day at this time", but instead He said; "no one knows the day or the hour."
Down through the years there have been many people who have undermined the faith of others by predicting things that never came about, causing people to distrust anything about God.
Sadly these people were placing their trust in men and their own desires rather than Christ. When we trust Christ we have no need to know anything more about the future than what He gave us in His Word.
Matthew 16:4 "4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away. "
Walking by faith shows us just how fragile we are, when the faith wains a little, we begin to try to figure things out for ourselves, always defying God's Word and trusting in our own imaginations.
2 Corinthians 10:5
"5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"
If you desire more than what God wrote in His Word, then you lack faith, have sinned against God and must repent from it.
Those of you who believe the September prediction, have you left your house to go and sit on a hill to wait, stopped shopping for food a week in advance because you won't be here to eat it? Have you stopped working at a job or ceased preparing for anything else? My guess is that you have not stopped all your normal activities because in your heart of hearts you really don't believe it either.
God told us to continue doing what we have always done as though He is not coming, because we would not "know the day or the hour."
1 Corinthians 4:6
"Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us NOT TO GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
To set a date for the rapture is to add to the Holy Word of God, expressly forbidden by God.
I have a hard time believing God would tell us we would not know the day or the hour, and then proceed to tell us the day and the hour, through cryptic and convoluted tidbits, leaving us to put the puzzle together.
Matthew 25:13 "…12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."
Saints, what are you going to tell people when the day comes and goes and nothing happens?
I more than anyone, would love to go home on that day, I have been waiting to go home since I became a born again believer many years ago. I placed my trust in Christ, that He will come and get me, it wasn't very important when that would happen, just that it would and the timing would be perfect.
If God wanted us to know the day or the hour He would have simply said, "on this day at this time", but instead He said; "no one knows the day or the hour."
Down through the years there have been many people who have undermined the faith of others by predicting things that never came about, causing people to distrust anything about God.
Sadly these people were placing their trust in men and their own desires rather than Christ. When we trust Christ we have no need to know anything more about the future than what He gave us in His Word.
Matthew 16:4 "4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away. "
Walking by faith shows us just how fragile we are, when the faith wains a little, we begin to try to figure things out for ourselves, always defying God's Word and trusting in our own imaginations.
2 Corinthians 10:5
"5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"
If you desire more than what God wrote in His Word, then you lack faith, have sinned against God and must repent from it.
Those of you who believe the September prediction, have you left your house to go and sit on a hill to wait, stopped shopping for food a week in advance because you won't be here to eat it? Have you stopped working at a job or ceased preparing for anything else? My guess is that you have not stopped all your normal activities because in your heart of hearts you really don't believe it either.
God told us to continue doing what we have always done as though He is not coming, because we would not "know the day or the hour."
1 Corinthians 4:6
"Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us NOT TO GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
To set a date for the rapture is to add to the Holy Word of God, expressly forbidden by God.
Narcissists are Everywhere Now
I have been seeing this in family members all my life, I am sure there are others who have encountered this too, it's not about you, those who do these things are deeply flawed. Please be encouraged that God sees all that you have endured and will protect us from these kind of people. Even if it means removing them from your lives to remain in peace, it will be worth the change.
Follow the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntU1N9saKbQ&feature=em-subs_digest
Follow the Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntU1N9saKbQ&feature=em-subs_digest
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Lukewarmness A Blight On American Christianity
Do we weep over our lukewarmness?
I'm sick to death of the so-called Christianity of our day. What's supernatural about it? When do people come out of the sanctuary awed and can't speak for an hour because God has been in glory there? Dear God, as soon as they get out, they're talking football, or sports or something or there's going to be a big sale downtown or somewhere. We are not caught up into eternity!
Leonard Ravenhill
I'm sick to death of the so-called Christianity of our day. What's supernatural about it? When do people come out of the sanctuary awed and can't speak for an hour because God has been in glory there? Dear God, as soon as they get out, they're talking football, or sports or something or there's going to be a big sale downtown or somewhere. We are not caught up into eternity!
Leonard Ravenhill
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