Tony Duckworth Says:
"If you are not experiencing some kind of opposition or spiritual battle. You are not carrying your Cross. When you start changing for God and becoming a better you. You will be at war with yourself. Emotionally and mentally. Then you will be at war with the world. Because Satan will target you. Make no mistake you will feel the weight of the Cross. But don’t be discouraged. The Lord Jesus sent you the Holy Spirit to help and comfort you. The battle is not yours. It’s the Lords. And He already won. Amen"
Monday, January 15, 2018
Discernment Goes a Long Way to Protect
It is very important that believers pray before acting. Pray about everything all the time and make no moves until the Lord gives a clear answer.
The devil can make things look very good and even making them look like it is God doing it.
We need to pray that God reveal anything that might be wrong or dangerous. There are women and men looking on line for partners, they believe everything these people tell them.
Narcissists are people who can look absolutely perfect, so perfect they are too good to be true, no one is that perfect. When someone is the poster child for the perfect spouse, then don't believe it.
If you meet someone like this, test them, challenge them about something, question their beliefs before revealing your own. There will be clues that they are fakers, learn the language of fakers so that you will be discerning.
When we pray God reveals secrets about others that they think they are hiding, simply through the way they express themselves and the words they use.
If a person rages at a mild challenge or chastises you for wanting to know their lifestyle, then they are to be avoided, in fact run as fast as you can.
If you are not willing to do the homework in getting to know someone, and this takes time, then you are open to all kinds of deception and trouble.
In our day we cannot and should not take someone at their word. Words come cheap these days and everyone knows what you want to hear, so they frame things just that way. There is more deception going on all the time than we realize.
Hebrews 4:12 "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
1 Corinthians 2:14 "14 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."
Speak the things of the Bible to a new friend and watch their reaction to it, do they understand, do they want to hear, do they change the subject, does their face turn red, there are clues that someone doesn't like hearing us talk about the Word of God. They may even laugh at us or call us names such as "Bible Thumper" or "Goody Two-shoes", there are things they say and do that reveal their heart, they cannot help it, it will come out when the Word is spoken or when they are asked to give an account about something.
Philippians 1:10 "10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Hosea 14:9 "9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."
Proverbs 3:21-23 "21 My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble."
Not everyone who shows you attention has your welfare in mind. Many people want someone to elevate them, treat them special and fawn all over them, they have no interest in being a a loving and supportive person for you.
Far too many people get married because they want a good spouse, they do not marry to BE a good spouse themselves.
The devil can make things look very good and even making them look like it is God doing it.
We need to pray that God reveal anything that might be wrong or dangerous. There are women and men looking on line for partners, they believe everything these people tell them.
Narcissists are people who can look absolutely perfect, so perfect they are too good to be true, no one is that perfect. When someone is the poster child for the perfect spouse, then don't believe it.
If you meet someone like this, test them, challenge them about something, question their beliefs before revealing your own. There will be clues that they are fakers, learn the language of fakers so that you will be discerning.
When we pray God reveals secrets about others that they think they are hiding, simply through the way they express themselves and the words they use.
If a person rages at a mild challenge or chastises you for wanting to know their lifestyle, then they are to be avoided, in fact run as fast as you can.
If you are not willing to do the homework in getting to know someone, and this takes time, then you are open to all kinds of deception and trouble.
In our day we cannot and should not take someone at their word. Words come cheap these days and everyone knows what you want to hear, so they frame things just that way. There is more deception going on all the time than we realize.
Hebrews 4:12 "12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
1 Corinthians 2:14 "14 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."
Speak the things of the Bible to a new friend and watch their reaction to it, do they understand, do they want to hear, do they change the subject, does their face turn red, there are clues that someone doesn't like hearing us talk about the Word of God. They may even laugh at us or call us names such as "Bible Thumper" or "Goody Two-shoes", there are things they say and do that reveal their heart, they cannot help it, it will come out when the Word is spoken or when they are asked to give an account about something.
Philippians 1:10 "10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Hosea 14:9 "9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them."
Proverbs 3:21-23 "21 My son, do not lose sight of these—
keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble."
Not everyone who shows you attention has your welfare in mind. Many people want someone to elevate them, treat them special and fawn all over them, they have no interest in being a a loving and supportive person for you.
Far too many people get married because they want a good spouse, they do not marry to BE a good spouse themselves.
Celebrating in the Sins of Others
I am am sorry that sometimes I have to be blunt and to the point at times when everyone is having a good happy moment.
When I see people on facebook posting announcements about a boyfriend/girlfriend they met on line saying that the Lord brought them a new person to marry, I get real nervous, since I don't really know the couple. Remarriage is so common among believers these days that I don't feel I can congratulate a couple unless I know if it is not a remarriage after divorce.
I cannot participate in celebrating sin, no matter how happy everyone is about it. I notice that nearly everyone on these threads feel comfortable congratulating couples that have been through a divorce and are remarrying.
They fawn all over the pretty wedding dress, the cake and the handsome guy, without ever stopping to ask if this is a sinful union. If one is remarrying after a divorce, then it is adultery and sin. Believers are not to encourage or participate in the sin of others by approving of it.
Romans 1:32 "32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them."
I love it when two people are not divorced, perhaps never married before or a spouse has died and there is a union of two believers, this is to be celebrated, this is approved of God.
When I see people on facebook posting announcements about a boyfriend/girlfriend they met on line saying that the Lord brought them a new person to marry, I get real nervous, since I don't really know the couple. Remarriage is so common among believers these days that I don't feel I can congratulate a couple unless I know if it is not a remarriage after divorce.
I cannot participate in celebrating sin, no matter how happy everyone is about it. I notice that nearly everyone on these threads feel comfortable congratulating couples that have been through a divorce and are remarrying.
They fawn all over the pretty wedding dress, the cake and the handsome guy, without ever stopping to ask if this is a sinful union. If one is remarrying after a divorce, then it is adultery and sin. Believers are not to encourage or participate in the sin of others by approving of it.
Romans 1:32 "32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them."
I love it when two people are not divorced, perhaps never married before or a spouse has died and there is a union of two believers, this is to be celebrated, this is approved of God.
One Mediator that is Christ
Think about it a little!
Nick Bevilacqua said this: A Roman Catholic's desperate reasoning when trapped. Jesus said, 'WHEN you pray. pray TO your Father which is in heaven'.(Matthew 6: 6). (Luke 11: 2). This Roman Catholic answered and said, WE do not pray to Mary; we just ask her to pray for us'. Amazing.
Gwendolyn Wehage said this: Same difference, prayer is just talking to God, but they talk to Mary instead of God that makes her the mediator between God and man instead of Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5
"5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
Nick Bevilacqua said this: A Roman Catholic's desperate reasoning when trapped. Jesus said, 'WHEN you pray. pray TO your Father which is in heaven'.(Matthew 6: 6). (Luke 11: 2). This Roman Catholic answered and said, WE do not pray to Mary; we just ask her to pray for us'. Amazing.
Gwendolyn Wehage said this: Same difference, prayer is just talking to God, but they talk to Mary instead of God that makes her the mediator between God and man instead of Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5
"5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
Confessing to be Cleansed
We will not be completely free of sin as long as we remain in this body. We know that because God told us in 1 John 1:9, that believers are to confess their sins to be cleansed.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
If anyone thinks they never sin again after salvation, this person will not grow in holiness, their salvation experience is in question. If someone can never admit their sins, no matter how small, then they deal with a Jezebel spirit, one that is in rebellion against God.
We should be growing and changing all the time and the very big sins ought to fall away quickly as the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and leads us to righteousness.
One who remains in monster sins, even defending them without a desire to be delivered cannot be born again, the rebellion in their heart remains, they have never been changed into a new creation. Believers do sin, but they hate it, they confess it and go one to improve in their walk with Christ.
If someone has been a "Christian" their entire lives for many years and are still indulging in obvious sin, then chances are good they were or are pretenders. That obvious sin can be as small as an inability to empathize with others or admit their own failings.
I meet them all the time, people who go to church and will argue with us that it's alright to shack up with a lover their not married to, after all they say, "God knows my heart." Many will not admit pride and arrogance.
Yes, God knows their heart, He knows they have no desire to please Him, they don't love Him and they were never born again.
There are believers who struggle with sin, the key word here is "struggle", if they are struggling with their sin then they are being trained by the Holy Spirit, eventually they will leave behind their arrogance and be humbled by God through circumstances.
Unsaved people do not struggle with their sin, they deny it or defend it, we have all met people like this, no amount of information or Biblical evidence will convince them, they are hell bent.
Exodus 7:13-14 "13 Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go."
A hardened heart cannot be reached by man, one must walk away from them and pray that God will do His work.
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts."
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
If anyone thinks they never sin again after salvation, this person will not grow in holiness, their salvation experience is in question. If someone can never admit their sins, no matter how small, then they deal with a Jezebel spirit, one that is in rebellion against God.
We should be growing and changing all the time and the very big sins ought to fall away quickly as the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and leads us to righteousness.
One who remains in monster sins, even defending them without a desire to be delivered cannot be born again, the rebellion in their heart remains, they have never been changed into a new creation. Believers do sin, but they hate it, they confess it and go one to improve in their walk with Christ.
If someone has been a "Christian" their entire lives for many years and are still indulging in obvious sin, then chances are good they were or are pretenders. That obvious sin can be as small as an inability to empathize with others or admit their own failings.
I meet them all the time, people who go to church and will argue with us that it's alright to shack up with a lover their not married to, after all they say, "God knows my heart." Many will not admit pride and arrogance.
Yes, God knows their heart, He knows they have no desire to please Him, they don't love Him and they were never born again.
There are believers who struggle with sin, the key word here is "struggle", if they are struggling with their sin then they are being trained by the Holy Spirit, eventually they will leave behind their arrogance and be humbled by God through circumstances.
Unsaved people do not struggle with their sin, they deny it or defend it, we have all met people like this, no amount of information or Biblical evidence will convince them, they are hell bent.
Exodus 7:13-14 "13 Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go."
A hardened heart cannot be reached by man, one must walk away from them and pray that God will do His work.
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts."
A Feelings Driven Culture
We live in a culture that believes we must soften everything so feelings won't get hurt, the problem with that is it does not allow the Holy Spirit to work on the hearts of people.
When the truth is told, no matter how softely spoken, it will offend those who are in rebellion.
When our culture is all about feelings over truth, then feelings oriented people, will base their judgments on how someone made them feel, when it was the message that did that, the focus is on the feelings not truth or accuracy.
Believers are often accused of things that are not true because the listener rejected the person based on their own feelings instead of the message. Feelings oriented judgments lead us into sin and wrong judgments.
Feelings are not accurate, sometimes a person can "feel bad", if they are jealous of someone else. They will feel in competition with their target, but it s unjustified and selfish. Rather than enjoying the blessings of others, the jealous one feels bad, even rejecting the one who is blessed to diminish their joy while elevating themselves.
I sure am glad that engineers use fewer feelings and more reason, or their bridges and buildings might be falling down all the time. Those who base all their responses on their feelings often destroy relationships that could otherwise be good, just as the engineer who ignores accuracy would build faulty structures that will not stand up to use.
It is important for the believer to continually be evaluating their feelings in light of the truth of the Bible. When we find ourselves leaning into our feelings, in the process violating the principles of Scripture to indulge feelings, then we need to repent and begin again to obey Christ.
2 Timothy 2:15
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
No one can find even one verse in the Scriptures that says "follow your feelings", every passage is filled with instruction to obey the commands of God, to evaluate everything on the basis of truth.
Of course it makes sense that a wicked and rebellious generation would make feelings the focus in defiance of God.
John 17:17
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
2 Corinthians 4:4
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Those who say "follow your feelings" are speaking against the Word of God. Our flesh is deeply invested in feelings, while the Spirit of Christ in us evaluates truth. We must fight the flesh, we must fight the temptation to allow our feelings to guide us or even motivate our actions.
When a believer is continually messing up, having to continually say "sorry" to others, they are probably indulging their feelings.
When the truth is told, no matter how softely spoken, it will offend those who are in rebellion.
When our culture is all about feelings over truth, then feelings oriented people, will base their judgments on how someone made them feel, when it was the message that did that, the focus is on the feelings not truth or accuracy.
Believers are often accused of things that are not true because the listener rejected the person based on their own feelings instead of the message. Feelings oriented judgments lead us into sin and wrong judgments.
Feelings are not accurate, sometimes a person can "feel bad", if they are jealous of someone else. They will feel in competition with their target, but it s unjustified and selfish. Rather than enjoying the blessings of others, the jealous one feels bad, even rejecting the one who is blessed to diminish their joy while elevating themselves.
I sure am glad that engineers use fewer feelings and more reason, or their bridges and buildings might be falling down all the time. Those who base all their responses on their feelings often destroy relationships that could otherwise be good, just as the engineer who ignores accuracy would build faulty structures that will not stand up to use.
It is important for the believer to continually be evaluating their feelings in light of the truth of the Bible. When we find ourselves leaning into our feelings, in the process violating the principles of Scripture to indulge feelings, then we need to repent and begin again to obey Christ.
2 Timothy 2:15
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
No one can find even one verse in the Scriptures that says "follow your feelings", every passage is filled with instruction to obey the commands of God, to evaluate everything on the basis of truth.
Of course it makes sense that a wicked and rebellious generation would make feelings the focus in defiance of God.
John 17:17
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
2 Corinthians 4:4
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Those who say "follow your feelings" are speaking against the Word of God. Our flesh is deeply invested in feelings, while the Spirit of Christ in us evaluates truth. We must fight the flesh, we must fight the temptation to allow our feelings to guide us or even motivate our actions.
When a believer is continually messing up, having to continually say "sorry" to others, they are probably indulging their feelings.
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