The Lord has answered a prayer. I have been wanting to write a book for some time. Having written a lot on the subject of narcissism over the past couple of years, I had all the material needed to complete the book.
The book is in publication right now and will be ready in six to eight months.
My hope is that the Lord will guide the process as it is being edited as well as allow it to end up in the hands of those He wants to have it.
As soon as the promotional video is ready I will post a link here for those who are interested.
Friday, June 8, 2018
Satan Doesn't Bother with the Unbelievers
Satan doesn't have to bother going after the unsaved, he already has them. His attacks are going to be toward the Christians to diminish their ability to share the gospel and to cause others to be against them.
Sometimes its more painful for believers to lose family members than anything else. They are more likely to remain silent or the family leaves them so there is no witness in their lives.
Sometimes the Christian family member remains silent in the presence of unsaved family because they know the rage that will ensue if they say anything.
God clearly told us to move on when someone will not hear and to move on from family who reject Christ. They know where to find us if they decide to follow Christ.
Matthew 10:13-15 "…13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."
Luke 14:26-27 "26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.…"
In the context of "hate father and mother", it is important to remember that God wanted us to be so dedicated to Him that those who do not follow Him, have no place in our lives, even and especially family members.
Family has more influence over us than any other group of people. If we remain with them they will intimidate us into silence when we should be bold.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 "14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?…"
Proverbs 18:1-3 "1 He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment. 2 A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions. 3 With a wicked man comes contempt as well, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.…"
Proverbs 12:1-2 "1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 2 The good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a man who devises evil.…"
Sometimes its more painful for believers to lose family members than anything else. They are more likely to remain silent or the family leaves them so there is no witness in their lives.
Sometimes the Christian family member remains silent in the presence of unsaved family because they know the rage that will ensue if they say anything.
God clearly told us to move on when someone will not hear and to move on from family who reject Christ. They know where to find us if they decide to follow Christ.
Matthew 10:13-15 "…13 If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."
Luke 14:26-27 "26“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.…"
In the context of "hate father and mother", it is important to remember that God wanted us to be so dedicated to Him that those who do not follow Him, have no place in our lives, even and especially family members.
Family has more influence over us than any other group of people. If we remain with them they will intimidate us into silence when we should be bold.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-15 "14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?…"
Proverbs 18:1-3 "1 He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment. 2 A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions. 3 With a wicked man comes contempt as well, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.…"
Proverbs 12:1-2 "1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 2 The good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a man who devises evil.…"
The Organized Church is Corrupted
The reason this abuse has been allowed to occur is the unbiblical leadership system. When the pastors and the leaders are made to seem elevated above everyone else, those who are the peons will be frightened to expose what has been done against them.
I have been spiritually, although not physically, abused by church leaders who think they are above the law in a sense. When challenged about bad doctrine they either rage or gossip against the one who challenged them to intimidate them into silence. These are the personalities who are full of pride and capable of others forms of abuse.
I am not at all surprised by this since I have seen monstrous arrogance in the church leadership in most churches today.
Too much power without accountability corrupts!
I have been spiritually, although not physically, abused by church leaders who think they are above the law in a sense. When challenged about bad doctrine they either rage or gossip against the one who challenged them to intimidate them into silence. These are the personalities who are full of pride and capable of others forms of abuse.
I am not at all surprised by this since I have seen monstrous arrogance in the church leadership in most churches today.
Too much power without accountability corrupts!
Follow the Link:
Three Corrupted Generations
When I was in college I came against the professors in my Child development classes. The teachings in those classes defied good old fashioned horse sense, as well as any Biblical teaching. I didn't get high grades in those classes, since getting high marks was determined by my compliance to their belief system.
I was not born again at the time, but knew the liberal teachings about child rearing were silly. It made no sense to me that we should allow a child to color on the wall to express himself, it seemed destructive to me, besides teaching the child to do whatever he darn well pleased without consideration for others.
When asked by my child development professor to explain my objections to the wall coloring I said: "that's destructive, how about if I express myself on his bottom so he won't ruin my wall." The room laughed but then agreed with the professor.
After becoming born again after I was married I realized that my good old fashioned horse sense agreed with the Bible in child discipline.
When we married, my husband was an evolutionist because of his college education. He was Catholic and raised to believe the Bible was a history book with some good suggestions.
After he became born again, about ten years later than I did, he became a "creationist" and rejected all that he had been taught in Catholic schools and much of what he was taught in college.
Colleges were corrupt then and worse now. Seminaries are going the same way, Bible colleges are not Biblical and many have gone the way of the world to fit into the culture.
We can believe the Bible, that alone will put us in the outs with most other people, many in the churches today.
Some statistics say as few as 24% of the Christians today actually believe the Bible is the inspired literal Word of God.
Of those people very few actually obey what is in the Bible. They violate more than they obey and become angry when it is revealed that they are violating it.
When the generation who are growing old now were raised in the liberal evolution teaching environment from the first day they entered school until the last day they left, we can see what happened to the faith of this nation.
We were taught manners and respect in school, but we were also taught evolution, the system that denied the Creator. It is no wonder why so few people of my generation or any living generation has lost their faith in Christ or in truth.
Our country has been raised on fantasy for 70 years. It is hard to undo an indoctrination of an entire culture over three generations.
I was not born again at the time, but knew the liberal teachings about child rearing were silly. It made no sense to me that we should allow a child to color on the wall to express himself, it seemed destructive to me, besides teaching the child to do whatever he darn well pleased without consideration for others.
When asked by my child development professor to explain my objections to the wall coloring I said: "that's destructive, how about if I express myself on his bottom so he won't ruin my wall." The room laughed but then agreed with the professor.
After becoming born again after I was married I realized that my good old fashioned horse sense agreed with the Bible in child discipline.
When we married, my husband was an evolutionist because of his college education. He was Catholic and raised to believe the Bible was a history book with some good suggestions.
After he became born again, about ten years later than I did, he became a "creationist" and rejected all that he had been taught in Catholic schools and much of what he was taught in college.
Colleges were corrupt then and worse now. Seminaries are going the same way, Bible colleges are not Biblical and many have gone the way of the world to fit into the culture.
We can believe the Bible, that alone will put us in the outs with most other people, many in the churches today.
Some statistics say as few as 24% of the Christians today actually believe the Bible is the inspired literal Word of God.
Of those people very few actually obey what is in the Bible. They violate more than they obey and become angry when it is revealed that they are violating it.
When the generation who are growing old now were raised in the liberal evolution teaching environment from the first day they entered school until the last day they left, we can see what happened to the faith of this nation.
We were taught manners and respect in school, but we were also taught evolution, the system that denied the Creator. It is no wonder why so few people of my generation or any living generation has lost their faith in Christ or in truth.
Our country has been raised on fantasy for 70 years. It is hard to undo an indoctrination of an entire culture over three generations.
The Outward Sin Merely Reveals What has been in the Heart all Along
Adultery is a sin, even one that believers do. Some of them have the adultery in the heart as they lust but do not act. All that is necessary for something to be sin is the desire to do it, even without the act.
Matthew 5:27-29 "27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.…"
The point of this discussion is that adultery is not merely an act, it is the expression of a heart before the act occurs. Every sin we do was a thought before it became an act. Many people have sins that are not forgiven because they will not confess them as sins. They believe if no one sees them, they don't count. Every thought that is sin remains sin even if we never commit the act.
Many people lust after others when no one else knows about it. Some examples of lusting is the adulation over movie stars, ball players and work associates.
Even if someone does not commit the act of adultery, they can be guilty of it, just by thinking about it, the same as someone who carries it out .
Even a contemptuous attitude toward others that manifest itself in raging over a disagreement or mocking to demean, is contempt for the person at which it is directed. Contempt is hatred and hatred is spoken of by God as murder. To hate someone so much as to attempt to harm them or their reputation in some way is considered murder by God.
This is why self righteousness in the believer is hypocrisy. Everyone has had sinful thoughts or desires that they didn't tell anyone about. There are those who think just because no one knows about it or that they didn't do the sin in the flesh, then they count themselves as more righteous than others.
Sin is in the heart, even if it never fleshes out. No one can claim they have never had a lustful thought or a desire to hurt someone else.
Those who cannot confess their sinfulness cannot be born again. God only accepts those who admit they have no goodness in them and who want to be cleansed by Him.
If we confess our sins He will cleanse us from the sin we confess. We will not be cleansed if we refuse to admit we have sin.
Do you want to grow in holiness? The only way to do that is to confess the sins God reveals to you, every one every time. If we are confronted about sin by others, then we must listen, go to prayer and if it is true, confess to be cleansed.
1 John 1:5-10 "5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."
Far too many people think God is obligated to cleanse us or absolve us of sin. They are stubborn and remain infants spiritually if they are born again at all.
Matthew 5:27-29 "27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.…"
The point of this discussion is that adultery is not merely an act, it is the expression of a heart before the act occurs. Every sin we do was a thought before it became an act. Many people have sins that are not forgiven because they will not confess them as sins. They believe if no one sees them, they don't count. Every thought that is sin remains sin even if we never commit the act.
Many people lust after others when no one else knows about it. Some examples of lusting is the adulation over movie stars, ball players and work associates.
Even if someone does not commit the act of adultery, they can be guilty of it, just by thinking about it, the same as someone who carries it out .
Even a contemptuous attitude toward others that manifest itself in raging over a disagreement or mocking to demean, is contempt for the person at which it is directed. Contempt is hatred and hatred is spoken of by God as murder. To hate someone so much as to attempt to harm them or their reputation in some way is considered murder by God.
This is why self righteousness in the believer is hypocrisy. Everyone has had sinful thoughts or desires that they didn't tell anyone about. There are those who think just because no one knows about it or that they didn't do the sin in the flesh, then they count themselves as more righteous than others.
Sin is in the heart, even if it never fleshes out. No one can claim they have never had a lustful thought or a desire to hurt someone else.
Those who cannot confess their sinfulness cannot be born again. God only accepts those who admit they have no goodness in them and who want to be cleansed by Him.
If we confess our sins He will cleanse us from the sin we confess. We will not be cleansed if we refuse to admit we have sin.
Do you want to grow in holiness? The only way to do that is to confess the sins God reveals to you, every one every time. If we are confronted about sin by others, then we must listen, go to prayer and if it is true, confess to be cleansed.
1 John 1:5-10 "5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us."
Far too many people think God is obligated to cleanse us or absolve us of sin. They are stubborn and remain infants spiritually if they are born again at all.
No One is Sinless
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?…"
God never says what sins Christians commit, because they commit all of them. Some will barely make it into heaven because they were disobedient, but they will still make it.
I have no need to make sure someone gets to heaven by frightening them into not sinning. Any believer who has the Holy Spirit will be convicted of their sin. It is not my business who goes to heaven or hell, I don't have to figure that out. However, it is my business to tell a sinning brother or sister to confess and turn from their sin. We grow in holiness in direct proportion to our obedience. Those who do not obey God become stagnated, even regressing. Stagnation will lead to regression if not confessed.
I could guilt others into not sinning, but that is not evidence that they were born again. Anyone can stop sinning to fit into the expectations of a group of people, but that does not mean they have been washed in the blood.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as one being snatched from the fire. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…"
No one is sinless! Born again believers will not be sinless until their body has been transformed. Our spirit has been changed to the Spirit of God, but our body is still weak. We should be experiencing less sin in our lives as God takes us through lessons that show us our sin, then the confession moves us forward in holiness.
One who believes they never sin after salvation are sinning in proclaiming that. These people never grow in holiness, how could they, they will not confess their sin and often are defensive when others attempt to correct them.
Matthew 26:41 " 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”"
God never says what sins Christians commit, because they commit all of them. Some will barely make it into heaven because they were disobedient, but they will still make it.
I have no need to make sure someone gets to heaven by frightening them into not sinning. Any believer who has the Holy Spirit will be convicted of their sin. It is not my business who goes to heaven or hell, I don't have to figure that out. However, it is my business to tell a sinning brother or sister to confess and turn from their sin. We grow in holiness in direct proportion to our obedience. Those who do not obey God become stagnated, even regressing. Stagnation will lead to regression if not confessed.
I could guilt others into not sinning, but that is not evidence that they were born again. Anyone can stop sinning to fit into the expectations of a group of people, but that does not mean they have been washed in the blood.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as one being snatched from the fire. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…"
No one is sinless! Born again believers will not be sinless until their body has been transformed. Our spirit has been changed to the Spirit of God, but our body is still weak. We should be experiencing less sin in our lives as God takes us through lessons that show us our sin, then the confession moves us forward in holiness.
One who believes they never sin after salvation are sinning in proclaiming that. These people never grow in holiness, how could they, they will not confess their sin and often are defensive when others attempt to correct them.
Matthew 26:41 " 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”"
First the Salvation then the Sanctification
There are no little sins, all sins, even the ones we consider the smallest are enough to cast us into hell. God can have NO sin in His presence. That's why Christ died and shed His blood that the blood would cover our sins. NO one can be sin free as long as they live on this earth, trapped in this body of flesh.
When God forgives our sinfulness after we have trusted in Christ, He no longer sees us, He sees His son in us. Do you know how I know?
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
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?…"
God does not throw a believe who has trusted Him into hell for any sin. He disciplines them. There are many trials in remarriage, the broken child relationships is only one consequence.
There are many who claim to be Christians who have never been born again. They will go to hell if they do not trust Christ. Saying one is a Christian does not make it so. Having trusted in Christ in faith through His grace is the only way to salvation.
After this has happened then He changes us into a new creation. He gives us what we want, and that is to be made into His righteousness. The salvation is instantaneous but the sanctification, the cleansing is for the entire rest of our lives.
God does not expose our sinfulness to us all at once, He shows us one thing, works us through it and then moves on to the next thing. If we are not changing and growing we are not born again, or we are disobedient believers who will be chastised as well as losing rewards in heaven if we persist in that disobedience.
When God forgives our sinfulness after we have trusted in Christ, He no longer sees us, He sees His son in us. Do you know how I know?
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
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?…"
God does not throw a believe who has trusted Him into hell for any sin. He disciplines them. There are many trials in remarriage, the broken child relationships is only one consequence.
There are many who claim to be Christians who have never been born again. They will go to hell if they do not trust Christ. Saying one is a Christian does not make it so. Having trusted in Christ in faith through His grace is the only way to salvation.
After this has happened then He changes us into a new creation. He gives us what we want, and that is to be made into His righteousness. The salvation is instantaneous but the sanctification, the cleansing is for the entire rest of our lives.
God does not expose our sinfulness to us all at once, He shows us one thing, works us through it and then moves on to the next thing. If we are not changing and growing we are not born again, or we are disobedient believers who will be chastised as well as losing rewards in heaven if we persist in that disobedience.
The Authentic Person
The devil uses flattery to gain control over others. We saw this in the garden as he conversed with Eve. He convinced her she could be like God, knowing everything He knows.
There are modern deceptions, namely electronics, similar to the account in the garden that are being employed right now without the user realizing it.
There is a device I am sure all of you have heard about, perhaps even some of you have them in your homes. That device is called "Echo" and its name is "Alexis."
Alexis will do the bidding of their owner. All the owner has to do is command the robot-like device to find information for them and then answer their questions. She speaks with a pleasant, soft and obedient voice.
This device has the ability to monitor conversations in the room in which it resides. It is always on, hearing everything that goes on in the room, but only responding when addressed directly.
Since the device does not speak until commanded by the owner, the people using it believes they are in control of the device, when in fact the device is covertly in control of them. The device gathers information for purposes of targeted advertising.
Manipulation is an often used and a very effective tactic of the devil. When people flatter those around them to gain their confidence, they are disarming their prey. People are more likely to do what we want when we schmooze them up good first.
Sadly the devil uses flattery to get people to believe things that defy, even mock God without realizing it . When levity is used in the preaching at the church gathering, it is designed to place the hearers in a state of euphoria that often causes them to accept whatever is being said without evaluating it. If the preacher can get people to like him, they will place him on a pedestal, as one who can do no wrong, after all "he's such a friendly guy", is their thinking.
Just as the device in the room is making people think they are getting what they want and in complete control of the device, they have been flattered, feeling powerful they leave the device on all the time for it to be at their beckon call.
In our generation many people despise seriousness and truth that causes introspection. Because they are addicted to jokes, happiness and fantasy, as well as control over others, they are ready and willing to accept anything that makes them feel good, especially if it makes them feel good about themselves.
Just recently I was in a conversation with someone who thought that continual joking was the way to win people. He is right, it does win people, but we have to ask what does it win them too?
Joking constantly disarms people just as flattery does. An honest and spontaneous joke that comes up because of circumstances is enjoyable. However those who deliberately seek to make people laugh all the time, are using manipulation to gain the admiration of others to themselves. Even though the claim is to make others happy, even making them like God, the real intent is to get others to like them.
One way to test this is to ask the jester a serious question, they often will squirm as though they don't know what to do with it. Then they will make a joke about the question to deflect any attempt to move into authentic, earnest and thoughtful reflection or evaluation.
It is nearly impossible to reason with someone who will not engage in conversation to answer questions or resolve arguments.
What I find interesting is that when a jester is asked a serious question they can not answer, they turn into a ravenous wolf.
Suddenly without warning they become angry, accusatory and vengeful. Oops, the real them slithered out of hiding. The joking had been manipulation all along. No one suddenly erupts into rage when questioned unless the joking was a manipulation, a dishonest and cunning display of fraud.
We have seen an increase in this form of manipulation in our day. Many people are hiding inside, they know their inner man is not what it should be so they display on the outside what they think is expected of them until they are challenged. In other words the inner heart has been exposed, they have been discovered, then is when we see the eruption.
"Duplicity" is a good word, it describes the condition of the person who is deeply entrenched in hypocrisy. Displaying on the outside what is not true about them on the inside.
Matthew 23:26-28 "…26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28 In the same way, you appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
The person who is authentically themselves, will not be different on the outside than they are on the inside. There are no hidden agendas or secret motives. They tell the truth and act the way they speak. There are no sudden explosions of anger, because the inside is not angry. The authentic person is confident and forthright. They feel no need to hide because they live what they believe.
The authentic person is not concerned with impressing others, truth means more to them than the acceptance of others. God means more to them than anyone on earth. If they had to be alone to honor God, they would happily do that.
Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but will not testify. 25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
There are modern deceptions, namely electronics, similar to the account in the garden that are being employed right now without the user realizing it.
There is a device I am sure all of you have heard about, perhaps even some of you have them in your homes. That device is called "Echo" and its name is "Alexis."
Alexis will do the bidding of their owner. All the owner has to do is command the robot-like device to find information for them and then answer their questions. She speaks with a pleasant, soft and obedient voice.
This device has the ability to monitor conversations in the room in which it resides. It is always on, hearing everything that goes on in the room, but only responding when addressed directly.
Since the device does not speak until commanded by the owner, the people using it believes they are in control of the device, when in fact the device is covertly in control of them. The device gathers information for purposes of targeted advertising.
Manipulation is an often used and a very effective tactic of the devil. When people flatter those around them to gain their confidence, they are disarming their prey. People are more likely to do what we want when we schmooze them up good first.
Sadly the devil uses flattery to get people to believe things that defy, even mock God without realizing it . When levity is used in the preaching at the church gathering, it is designed to place the hearers in a state of euphoria that often causes them to accept whatever is being said without evaluating it. If the preacher can get people to like him, they will place him on a pedestal, as one who can do no wrong, after all "he's such a friendly guy", is their thinking.
Just as the device in the room is making people think they are getting what they want and in complete control of the device, they have been flattered, feeling powerful they leave the device on all the time for it to be at their beckon call.
In our generation many people despise seriousness and truth that causes introspection. Because they are addicted to jokes, happiness and fantasy, as well as control over others, they are ready and willing to accept anything that makes them feel good, especially if it makes them feel good about themselves.
Just recently I was in a conversation with someone who thought that continual joking was the way to win people. He is right, it does win people, but we have to ask what does it win them too?
Joking constantly disarms people just as flattery does. An honest and spontaneous joke that comes up because of circumstances is enjoyable. However those who deliberately seek to make people laugh all the time, are using manipulation to gain the admiration of others to themselves. Even though the claim is to make others happy, even making them like God, the real intent is to get others to like them.
One way to test this is to ask the jester a serious question, they often will squirm as though they don't know what to do with it. Then they will make a joke about the question to deflect any attempt to move into authentic, earnest and thoughtful reflection or evaluation.
It is nearly impossible to reason with someone who will not engage in conversation to answer questions or resolve arguments.
What I find interesting is that when a jester is asked a serious question they can not answer, they turn into a ravenous wolf.
Suddenly without warning they become angry, accusatory and vengeful. Oops, the real them slithered out of hiding. The joking had been manipulation all along. No one suddenly erupts into rage when questioned unless the joking was a manipulation, a dishonest and cunning display of fraud.
We have seen an increase in this form of manipulation in our day. Many people are hiding inside, they know their inner man is not what it should be so they display on the outside what they think is expected of them until they are challenged. In other words the inner heart has been exposed, they have been discovered, then is when we see the eruption.
"Duplicity" is a good word, it describes the condition of the person who is deeply entrenched in hypocrisy. Displaying on the outside what is not true about them on the inside.
Matthew 23:26-28 "…26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28 In the same way, you appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
The person who is authentically themselves, will not be different on the outside than they are on the inside. There are no hidden agendas or secret motives. They tell the truth and act the way they speak. There are no sudden explosions of anger, because the inside is not angry. The authentic person is confident and forthright. They feel no need to hide because they live what they believe.
The authentic person is not concerned with impressing others, truth means more to them than the acceptance of others. God means more to them than anyone on earth. If they had to be alone to honor God, they would happily do that.
Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but will not testify. 25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
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