Our salvation is not based on our deeds, it is based on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. However, we do hate sin when we fall, we confess and then He will pick us up.
Christ will not pick up those who refuse to confess, He will leave them in the pig pen until they tire of the mess they are in, admit their sin through open confession, then He will pick them up.
God wrote this to believers:
1 John 1:9 "1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Douglas Slay: said this!
John 13:35 tells of an important benefit: Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Since unconditional godly love is uncommon in our world, people will notice.
Treating others as we want to be treated is what builds the deep, satisfying connections that all people desire. Without significant relationships, life lacks meaning, regardless of how many possessions or acquaintances we have. So think about the people you come in contact with throughout the day. Are you treating them the way that Jesus modeled?
Brothers and Sisters, do not be intimidated by accusations of the unregenerate narcissist. Their tactics are common and easily identified if we educate ourselves.
The devil loves to keep us in a state of turmoil and confusion, we don't have to be, we can know truth and that truth will set us free from the wiles of the evil one.
The favored tactic of the devil is to accuse the brethren.
Revelation 12:10-11
"10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them day and night before our God.
11 They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.…"
When we are accused, it is best to evaluate what actually happened, pray for the understanding and move on. If we find ourselves to be guilty then we need to confess it and praise God that He cleanses us.
If we have found ourselves to be innocent of the accusation, then we can be at peace. When others choose to believe the accusation, even without speaking to us to clarify, then we can count that person as an enemy, one who loves their gossip.
Often family members and co-workers will enjoy the false belief, treating us disrespectfully with contempt for something that was relayed to them but untrue. When this happens we can walk away without guilt and avoid those who would enjoy their gossip.
Until our accusers repent and confess openly we are instructed to avoid them. Praying and leaving it with God is the best way to handle these situations and the people who create them.
The world is full, more than ever now in the end times, of mean spirited and cold hearted people who are toys in the hands of the devil. The following passage shows us what they look like and what God wants us to do about them.
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."
Gossipers work to destroy relationships between those they despise and their friends and family. They are never satisfied to torment us with their hateful actions and attitudes, they must turn others against us. We saw this with Christ and the apostles. If we love the Lord, stand firm for Him and His principles, we will be targets for these kind of people.
Narcissists as described in 2 Timothy 3 hate passionately those who love to obey the Bible. They will pick at them with tenacity while making sure others do the same.
If you feel isolated, ignored, rejected and treated as though you are invisible, welcome to the world of the believer!
John 15:18-20 "18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.…"
Here is what God instructs us to do;
James 1:2-8
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Hallelujah, we don't have to allow the devil's minions make us bitter, we can grow stronger and more joyful through all the trials by trusting Christ!
The apostles had no use for wealth, even though some believers are wealthy, they do not place their trust in wealth and do good works of the Holy Spirit with their wealth. However, it is interesting to note that the apostles were not wealthy and even preached what happens when we work to gain this worlds goods.
Matthew 19:24-26 "…23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”…"
If you have great wealth and are serving Christ with it, no one can judge you, however, it is important to evaluate weather or not you have trusted more in your money than in Christ.
It is interesting to me that our president not only has great wealth but prides himself for having it. He has surrounded himself with the prosperity preachers who love their wealth more than they love the truth. Becoming the leader of the free most prosperous nation in the world is the ultimate gain for someone like our president.
I can see how a world that clamors after wealth would be enamored with someone who enjoys a wildly opulent lifestyle.
God's blessings have little to do with wealth, but has to do with Spiritual blessings of wisdom and steadfastness. When we have the Lord Jesus Christ, material wealth is not the goal of the sold out born again believer, wisdom and obedience because of our love for Him is our desire.
1 John 2:15-17 "15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.…"
Matthew 19:20-22 "…20 “All these I have kept,” said the young man. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.…"
God knew the heart of the rich man in Matthew 19, this man had placed his trust in his wealth and could not let go of it. This is the condition of the prosperity preachers. They love their wealth, convince and trick people into giving them so much money that they can live like kings off of the backs of unsuspecting and gullible followers. "You shall know them by their fruit."
Ecclesiastes 5:10
"10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity."
James 5:1-6
"1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you."
If you have a ministry in which you are hoping for and working toward riches, under the guise of "doing a good work", then perhaps you need to go and ask God to reveal your own heart.
I encounter people all the time, those who say they have a ministry while asking for donations and support. These people wish to become wealthy and supported by others in that goal. They wear their good deeds as a badge of honor while begging others for money to do what they say God has called them to do.
There are wonderful ministries that are doing good works, they do not ask for money, they pray, people find out about what they are doing and support them, but they do not live in wealth, nor do they desire to do so. Their thrust is that Christ will be preached and many will become saved.
Often missionaries live in poverty, working many years in an area without seeing one convert, but they remain faithful. In a couple of cases I have heard about the missionaries died before seeing any fruit, but those who followed them experienced the fruit of the former missionaries. Those who died not knowing if their many years of service did anything, never saw how God was working, but remained faithful anyway. There was fruit later, someone planted for many years and others came along and saw the growth and the harvest.
Wealth is not a measure of success, in fact it is often a sign that there is a false gospel being preached and ears being tickled. Beware of strangers bearing gifts, it almost never turns out well.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
"3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
So many people in our day may say they are not on the side of the prosperity preacher and yet live as though they think their wealth is a sign of blessing from God.
Did you know that wealth may be a sign that one's heart is bent toward materialism and appearances more than holiness and righteousness?
The wealth an authentic Christian desires is not material, it is Spiritual. Wisdom and knowledge of truth is far greater to the born again, sold out follower of Christ than material wealth.
Proverbs 16:15-17 "…15 In the light of a king's face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain. 16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. 17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life.…"
