There are those who have an entitlement mentality. They think they have a right to decide what we write on our own facebook page. Why else would they become angry at what we write unless they thought they were in charge over us.
I am always flabbergasted when someone comes to my facebook page angry at what I post here. They must think that we don't have a right to our own thoughts, ideas and convictions.
It is almost amusing that so many people read a post in which their names are not mentioned and become angry that we "wrote about them." Do they not understand that if their name is not mentioned it is probably not about them?
Perhaps they identified in some way with what was written and assumed it must have been about them even though their names were not mentioned. Perhaps people like this think everything is about them all the time.
It is true that most people know their own character this is why they hide as they do when challenged. Or in the case of healthy people they read with enjoyment and take or leave what is said without emotion.
Many people who are narcissists accuse others of doing what they are doing but the others are not. They believe everyone does what they do, that is become angry and hateful when someone disagrees with them.
Rational, reasonable and emotionally healthy people do not become enraged when there is a disagreement. The healthy ones might even see the humor in the ridiculous ideas of those who rage over nothing.
Emotionally healthy people allow others to have their opinions without the need to bludgeon them into submission. These healthy types evaluate things for themselves without the need for support from anyone else, they form their opinions on facts and intelligence rather than popular opinion or cultural trends.
1 John 2:15-17
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Those who live for Christ have no need of validation from others, they have their confidence in Christ Who lives in them.
Those who need people to agree with them to feel validated are the sorriest of individuals twisting in the wind ready to explode every time someone comes along to think for themselves outside of the cultural box.
Monday, September 30, 2019
Sneaking a Peak
We have no way of knowing who is still sneaking a peak every so often without ever revealing themselves. I had one woman tell me she was watching me for a couple of years before asking to be my friend, I never knew it.
We have lost lots of friends but there are brothers and sisters out there we do not know about who might be encouraged.
God can take what we write to the ends of the earth and we might never know it.
Never be discouraged by losing friends on Facebook or lack of lots of response.
God does not call us to monitor results, only to be obedient then all that happens is a miracle at His hand.
1 Corinthians 3:8 "…6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.…"
We are not judged by God on our results, but rather on our obedience.
We have lost lots of friends but there are brothers and sisters out there we do not know about who might be encouraged.
God can take what we write to the ends of the earth and we might never know it.
Never be discouraged by losing friends on Facebook or lack of lots of response.
God does not call us to monitor results, only to be obedient then all that happens is a miracle at His hand.
1 Corinthians 3:8 "…6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.…"
We are not judged by God on our results, but rather on our obedience.
What is Our Focus if we are Born Again?
I am convinced that we spend the most time writing about that which is the most important to us. When our focus is heaven our thoughts and speech reflect that most of the time.
Nearly everything we think and do is measured against what would please God.
Since we are living in the end times our continual bent will be toward the will and purpose of God.
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Nearly everything we think and do is measured against what would please God.
Since we are living in the end times our continual bent will be toward the will and purpose of God.
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
The Modern Christian
They watch filth on television and become angry when you rebuke them for it. You see, in their mind the filth is not so bad after all they are under grace and God knows they sin, or so they justify in their own minds that God is not displeased with it.
I am always astonished when a believer is rebuked for coming against sin, by other believers.
Today's Christians divorce and remarry as often as they change their clothes or their cars and become angry when you rebuke them for it. Those who do not divorce even defend those who do it.
The modern Christian watches their finances diligently to be able to have enough money into their old age and for their pleasures but have little to no concern about filth that enters their home.
When you rebuke the modern Christian for sin in their lives they defend it claiming they are under grace appearing to have no conscience concerning the very things that deeply offend God.
These are very difficult times for authentic born again believers who dwell in households full of ungodly "Christians" who never seem to be angry with sin but are always angry with the believers that dwell there for standing against that sin.
I know many people in this state, the state of continual grief about the goings on in their homes while everyone around them judge them as mean spirited or too staunch because of their hatred of that sin. Sin is serious with God, even if man is not concerned about it.
Psalm 5:4-6
"4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.
6 You destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit."
It is common for there to be a household of several believers, none of whom are defending righteousness except that one who is the odd man out. The one others judges as usurping and harsh. The sin is never judged as evil but the believer is judged as so merely for standing against the sin.
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
Luke 12:50-54
"51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
We expect the non-believers to come against the believers for rebuking their sin, but in our day we have "Christians" coming against other Christians. Those being maligned and rebuked in the harshest ways are the ones who stand against sin and by their own brethren.
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. "
The wicked man who does not concern themselves with God's heart will gossip against those who care deeply about the heart of God.
Those who gossip will make judgments about things they know nothing about passing these fantasies onto others who will believe them. The gossiper often is the one accusing others of gossip.
It is not gossip to share a story with a close friend of something that happened to us personally. It is however gossip to see something from a distance, make a determination about what we think it might mean and pass it on to others as fact.
The rebellious Christian always has lots of gossip to pass on about those who love Christ. Because they cannot tolerate the one who desires to live for Christ they will interpret things about them in ways that are not true at all. They are justified in their own minds in doing this wicked thing because they choose to convince themselves the person they despise is evil.
I know many of you have encountered these false accusations. When you consider the nature of the gossip you can trace it back to certain people who have a mindset to destroy you. These people are being used of the devil to harm your witness and to destroy your faith.
These people do not have to affect our walk. We can treat them with the respect and kindness they never showed us to destroy the works of the devil.
Luke 6:27-36
27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
We are never to seek revenge on our enemies, however there is no sin in asking God to defend and avenge you.
Romans 12:18-19 "…18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” "
When we have to be in company with someone who treats us disrespectfully we must never become like them in our responses. However, if we have opportunity to remove ourselves and avoid them we have God's permission to do so.
Proverbs 4:13-15…13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.…"
Psalm 1:1
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers."
Proverbs 1:20-33
"20 Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools hate knowledge?
23 “Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 “Because I called and you refused,
I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you neglected all my counsel
And did not want my reproof;
26 I will also laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 “They would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 “So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way
And be satiated with their own devices.
32 “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 “But he who listens to me shall live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
God defends and upholds those who love Him, also He does not turn a blind eye to those who mock believers for their desire to live for Christ.
Never be discouraged by the attacks of the enemy, that is the devil. God has a purpose, that purpose is to strengthen us in His ways while helping us resist the temptation to respond in ways that are vengeful.
I am always astonished when a believer is rebuked for coming against sin, by other believers.
Today's Christians divorce and remarry as often as they change their clothes or their cars and become angry when you rebuke them for it. Those who do not divorce even defend those who do it.
The modern Christian watches their finances diligently to be able to have enough money into their old age and for their pleasures but have little to no concern about filth that enters their home.
When you rebuke the modern Christian for sin in their lives they defend it claiming they are under grace appearing to have no conscience concerning the very things that deeply offend God.
These are very difficult times for authentic born again believers who dwell in households full of ungodly "Christians" who never seem to be angry with sin but are always angry with the believers that dwell there for standing against that sin.
I know many people in this state, the state of continual grief about the goings on in their homes while everyone around them judge them as mean spirited or too staunch because of their hatred of that sin. Sin is serious with God, even if man is not concerned about it.
Psalm 5:4-6
"4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.
6 You destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit."
It is common for there to be a household of several believers, none of whom are defending righteousness except that one who is the odd man out. The one others judges as usurping and harsh. The sin is never judged as evil but the believer is judged as so merely for standing against the sin.
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
Luke 12:50-54
"51 Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
We expect the non-believers to come against the believers for rebuking their sin, but in our day we have "Christians" coming against other Christians. Those being maligned and rebuked in the harshest ways are the ones who stand against sin and by their own brethren.
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. "
The wicked man who does not concern themselves with God's heart will gossip against those who care deeply about the heart of God.
Those who gossip will make judgments about things they know nothing about passing these fantasies onto others who will believe them. The gossiper often is the one accusing others of gossip.
It is not gossip to share a story with a close friend of something that happened to us personally. It is however gossip to see something from a distance, make a determination about what we think it might mean and pass it on to others as fact.
The rebellious Christian always has lots of gossip to pass on about those who love Christ. Because they cannot tolerate the one who desires to live for Christ they will interpret things about them in ways that are not true at all. They are justified in their own minds in doing this wicked thing because they choose to convince themselves the person they despise is evil.
I know many of you have encountered these false accusations. When you consider the nature of the gossip you can trace it back to certain people who have a mindset to destroy you. These people are being used of the devil to harm your witness and to destroy your faith.
These people do not have to affect our walk. We can treat them with the respect and kindness they never showed us to destroy the works of the devil.
Luke 6:27-36
27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
We are never to seek revenge on our enemies, however there is no sin in asking God to defend and avenge you.
Romans 12:18-19 "…18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” "
When we have to be in company with someone who treats us disrespectfully we must never become like them in our responses. However, if we have opportunity to remove ourselves and avoid them we have God's permission to do so.
Proverbs 4:13-15…13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life. 14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.…"
Psalm 1:1
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers."
Proverbs 1:20-33
"20 Wisdom shouts in the street,
She lifts her voice in the square;
21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings:
22 “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?
And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing
And fools hate knowledge?
23 “Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 “Because I called and you refused,
I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention;
25 And you neglected all my counsel
And did not want my reproof;
26 I will also laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your dread comes,
27 When your dread comes like a storm
And your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,
29 Because they hated knowledge
And did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 “They would not accept my counsel,
They spurned all my reproof.
31 “So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way
And be satiated with their own devices.
32 “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them,
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 “But he who listens to me shall live securely
And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
God defends and upholds those who love Him, also He does not turn a blind eye to those who mock believers for their desire to live for Christ.
Never be discouraged by the attacks of the enemy, that is the devil. God has a purpose, that purpose is to strengthen us in His ways while helping us resist the temptation to respond in ways that are vengeful.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
The 2 Timothy Three Culture
Most of our culture today hates to be corrected. The pride is so great they cannot evaluate themselves especially if someone else chastises them.
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.…"
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "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.
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.…"
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "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.
Psalm 50:16-23
16 "But to the wicked God says,
“What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?
17 “For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.
18 “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.
19 “You let your mouth loose in evil
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 “You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 “These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God.”
“What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?
17 “For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.
18 “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.
19 “You let your mouth loose in evil
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 “You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 “These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God.”
Christ or Self not Both
Saturday, September 28, 2019
No Grander or Nobler Way To Live
When I see someone proposing to their bride in grandiose public ways I have to believe the proposal and the marriage is more about attention and thrills than it is about God or commitment to the person they are marrying.
Its amazing how many people think these "show off" activities are cute and happy when they actually show a level of immaturity toward God and the institution of marriage.
If someone is going to show off in front of others to propose it is likely they will be showing off their entire lives. Often these kind of people are difficult to live with in private because its attention they seek rather than dedication to the person they have committed themselves.
Thrill seekers who must be noticed by others will make the worst spouses. Their idea of marriage in not a life struggle to come along side their spouse in every circumstance in life. Their idea of marriage is fun, happiness and thrills continually. These people will not be good companions when the going gets rough, and the going will get rough, whether it be illness, loss or dedication to Christ that separates them from those who love their pleasure.
Marriage is full of everything, their is happiness often but there is also hardship and for some very intense hardship. How will the pleasure seekers act when they have lost all their stuff in a flood or their house is taken away by a tornado?
When a spouse is taken ill with a life long disease that brings hardship, the pleasure seeker does not rise to their task of caring for their spouse, they will cut and run to save themselves in an effort to preserve their fantasy life.
The only spouse who will be dedicated to the one they marry will be those who are dedicated to Christ. They will be the ones there for the one they love, through thick and thin in all kinds of trials. Those who get through trials together will be stronger and more joyful having gone through together.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
"Love each other as I have loved you" How did God love? He sent His only Son to die for the world He loved.
Spouses should be willing to die for their spouse. There is no grander and noble way to live than this.
Its amazing how many people think these "show off" activities are cute and happy when they actually show a level of immaturity toward God and the institution of marriage.
If someone is going to show off in front of others to propose it is likely they will be showing off their entire lives. Often these kind of people are difficult to live with in private because its attention they seek rather than dedication to the person they have committed themselves.
Thrill seekers who must be noticed by others will make the worst spouses. Their idea of marriage in not a life struggle to come along side their spouse in every circumstance in life. Their idea of marriage is fun, happiness and thrills continually. These people will not be good companions when the going gets rough, and the going will get rough, whether it be illness, loss or dedication to Christ that separates them from those who love their pleasure.
Marriage is full of everything, their is happiness often but there is also hardship and for some very intense hardship. How will the pleasure seekers act when they have lost all their stuff in a flood or their house is taken away by a tornado?
When a spouse is taken ill with a life long disease that brings hardship, the pleasure seeker does not rise to their task of caring for their spouse, they will cut and run to save themselves in an effort to preserve their fantasy life.
The only spouse who will be dedicated to the one they marry will be those who are dedicated to Christ. They will be the ones there for the one they love, through thick and thin in all kinds of trials. Those who get through trials together will be stronger and more joyful having gone through together.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."
John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
"Love each other as I have loved you" How did God love? He sent His only Son to die for the world He loved.
Spouses should be willing to die for their spouse. There is no grander and noble way to live than this.
Devils Mating With Humans is a Farce
Next time someone tries to convince you that angels mated with human beings show them all the heresies in the book of Enoch from which this "Nephilim" idea came.
People who are teaching this farce of devils mating with humans don't even know where it comes from.
The book of Enoch glorifies angels which explains why the book assigns the ability of angels to impregnate a human by a spirit being the same way God did with Mary. Its blasphemy!
God never speaks of devils as being "sons of God." The sons of God were godly men who married "the daughters of men" that is pagan women.
People who are teaching this farce of devils mating with humans don't even know where it comes from.
The book of Enoch glorifies angels which explains why the book assigns the ability of angels to impregnate a human by a spirit being the same way God did with Mary. Its blasphemy!
God never speaks of devils as being "sons of God." The sons of God were godly men who married "the daughters of men" that is pagan women.
Friday, September 27, 2019
The Opened Eyes
When God has opened the eyes of those who wish to know His truth, those eyes can never be closed again.
Luke 24:30-32 "…30 While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus— and He disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”…"
There are many people who have chosen to follow a religion but their eyes remain blinded. They follow rules, they follow rituals but it is men they follow and not Christ.
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
Jeremiah 17:5
"Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord."
Psalm 118:8-9
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Those who trust their preachers, their husband, their wife and even others will remain blind until they trust in Christ alone.
John 15:4
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
In these last days of apostasy and spiritual rebellion there will be more people who are wrong than who are right. When we find those who love the Lord with all their heart they will be treasures to cherish. These are the people who will encourage us to keep on trusting in Christ.
Matthew 7:14
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
Colossians 3:23
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,"
Luke 24:30-32 "…30 While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus— and He disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”…"
There are many people who have chosen to follow a religion but their eyes remain blinded. They follow rules, they follow rituals but it is men they follow and not Christ.
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
Jeremiah 17:5
"Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord."
Psalm 118:8-9
"It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
Those who trust their preachers, their husband, their wife and even others will remain blind until they trust in Christ alone.
John 15:4
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
In these last days of apostasy and spiritual rebellion there will be more people who are wrong than who are right. When we find those who love the Lord with all their heart they will be treasures to cherish. These are the people who will encourage us to keep on trusting in Christ.
Matthew 7:14
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
Colossians 3:23
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,"
Thursday, September 26, 2019
If All You Have is Words You Have Nothing
Words seem to be enough in our culture, actions are not very important as long as they impress someone momentarily.
It has been a long time since I have been impressed by words. I have seen far too many people proclaiming themselves as good people while living lives that demonstrate the opposite.
Proverbs 27:2 " 2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth— a stranger, and not your own lips."
We live in a culture that thinks its good to say; "I'm a good person", but little do these people realize that someone who has good character does not have to speak it, their life will be the evidence.
Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
If our lives truly are good and godly then it will be Christ Who is glorified and not ourselves.
Romans 13:13
"Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy."
God is no impressed with our own proclamations of our goodness, rather He condemns it.
Philippians 2:1-30
"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ..."
If we are in love with Jesus Christ it will be evident that we obey the first two most important commandments given by Christ.
Matthew 22:36-40
"36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"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; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
It has been a long time since I have been impressed by words. I have seen far too many people proclaiming themselves as good people while living lives that demonstrate the opposite.
Proverbs 27:2 " 2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth— a stranger, and not your own lips."
We live in a culture that thinks its good to say; "I'm a good person", but little do these people realize that someone who has good character does not have to speak it, their life will be the evidence.
Matthew 5:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
If our lives truly are good and godly then it will be Christ Who is glorified and not ourselves.
Romans 13:13
"Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy."
God is no impressed with our own proclamations of our goodness, rather He condemns it.
Philippians 2:1-30
"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ..."
If we are in love with Jesus Christ it will be evident that we obey the first two most important commandments given by Christ.
Matthew 22:36-40
"36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"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; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Turning our Cheek
Matthew 5:38-39
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."
In this passage God was not endorsing the allowance for personal abuse from others. He was merely telling us not to take revenge on those who abuse us.
If someone continues in abusive behavior we have the right and permission to remove ourselves from these people.
There is no scripture that commands us to remain with abusive unrepentant individuals.
1 Corinthians 5:13 "13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Proverbs 14:6-8 "…6 A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. 7 Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.…"
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."
In this passage God was not endorsing the allowance for personal abuse from others. He was merely telling us not to take revenge on those who abuse us.
If someone continues in abusive behavior we have the right and permission to remove ourselves from these people.
There is no scripture that commands us to remain with abusive unrepentant individuals.
1 Corinthians 5:13 "13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Proverbs 14:6-8 "…6 A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning. 7 Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.…"
False Professions Abound
There are many false professions of faith in our day. Now is the time to ask God if you have been born again or if you are a pretender going through the motions to be able to feel good about yourselves.
Romans 8:9
"9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."
Mark 1:15
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Romans 8:9
"9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."
Mark 1:15
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
The Facts Are Not Enough
There are many people who are satisfied with knowing facts about God who do not have a relationship with Him.
You might say: "but I believe in God and know things about Him", and I would say; "so does the devil."
Just knowing facts about God and facts about the history of the Bible does not make a Christian. Unless you have a relationship with Him there can be no salvation.
What is a relationships with God? First we have to confess our sinfulness, then we desire to be changed into a new creation by Him. No one will be changed into a new creation who does not think they need changing.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
"Therefore" is an important word because it qualifies why we become a new creation.
The previous verses in 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 "14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
When we love to hear from Him through the reading of His word and prayer desiring that He teach us His own heart, then we have a relationship with Him.
Learning His principles just to be able to feel superior to others is not a relationship with Him. We can know a lot about someone else, where they live, who they know, their job, even their likes and dislikes without knowing their heart.
Those who are focused on their own superiority using religion as a means to elevate self are not able to confess their sinfulness to be born again. Some may even mouth the words but they are hollow words designed to pretend something is true that is not.
Proverbs 30:15 "knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth, and the needy from among men. 15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”: 16 Sheol, the barren womb, land that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough!”…"
2 Peter 2:18-19
"18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved."
Psalm 20:4 "4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel!"
When we have God's desires for us in mind then He will grant us those things that are His will. His will is best for us even if it doesn't feel like it. The more we focus on learning God's heart for our lives the less we will be determined to get our own way. The less we desire the praise of men.
John 12:42-44 "42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me."
Psalm 51:10
"10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me."
Jeremiah 29:13
"13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."
To pray "give me give me" all the time is disrespectful and self willed. It is when we seek God for His will mentioning our desires but willing to let go of them if they do not match with God's will then we are truly wanting to worship and please God.
You might say: "but I believe in God and know things about Him", and I would say; "so does the devil."
Just knowing facts about God and facts about the history of the Bible does not make a Christian. Unless you have a relationship with Him there can be no salvation.
What is a relationships with God? First we have to confess our sinfulness, then we desire to be changed into a new creation by Him. No one will be changed into a new creation who does not think they need changing.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
"Therefore" is an important word because it qualifies why we become a new creation.
The previous verses in 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 "14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
When we love to hear from Him through the reading of His word and prayer desiring that He teach us His own heart, then we have a relationship with Him.
Learning His principles just to be able to feel superior to others is not a relationship with Him. We can know a lot about someone else, where they live, who they know, their job, even their likes and dislikes without knowing their heart.
Those who are focused on their own superiority using religion as a means to elevate self are not able to confess their sinfulness to be born again. Some may even mouth the words but they are hollow words designed to pretend something is true that is not.
Proverbs 30:15 "knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth, and the needy from among men. 15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”: 16 Sheol, the barren womb, land that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, “Enough!”…"
2 Peter 2:18-19
"18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved."
Psalm 20:4 "4 May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel!"
When we have God's desires for us in mind then He will grant us those things that are His will. His will is best for us even if it doesn't feel like it. The more we focus on learning God's heart for our lives the less we will be determined to get our own way. The less we desire the praise of men.
John 12:42-44 "42 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. 44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me."
Psalm 51:10
"10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me."
Jeremiah 29:13
"13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Proverbs 3:5-6
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight."
To pray "give me give me" all the time is disrespectful and self willed. It is when we seek God for His will mentioning our desires but willing to let go of them if they do not match with God's will then we are truly wanting to worship and please God.
Our Companions Matter
We are affected deeply by those we spend a lot of time with, this is why it is important to choose our close friends wisely.
Born again believers have a desire to live for Christ, to learn His principles and to follow His commands, therefore they must be diligent to spend a lot of time with those who have the same goals.
It has been my observation that those who are superficial in their walk with God have little interest in discussing the things of the Lord or even interested in seeking Him to be obedient to His principles.
Whether we like to admit it or not we are influenced by those we spend the most time with. If we spend time with unbeleivers more than believers we will tend to quench our desires to speak of the Lord, even doing things the unbelievers does to maintain a relationship with them.
No one is immune to being influenced by those they are with frequently.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Proverbs 13:20-21 "20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous."
If our only choice is to spend time with unbelievers then it is better to be alone with God than to continually be influenced by unbelievers.
Of course we must obey God in witnessing to unbelievers, that's the calling of every born again believer. Witnessing to unbelievers is far different from making them our close and constant companions.
When our goal is to promote and enhance the ways of God in ourselves and others, then we must choose our companions with this in mind.
There is constant conflict when in the company of those who do not share our goals and desires. We do not fight with them but they will attempt to fight with us, causing continual egg shell walking and frustration in our souls.
A non-believer hates righteousness and loves the ways of the world they are not connected to our Spirit so they have nothing to offer us in companionship.
If we love people we will witness Christ to them if they are unsaved and then move on from them if they refuse our message.
Mark 6:11
"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them."
Matthew 10:40,41
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me…"
Born again believers have a desire to live for Christ, to learn His principles and to follow His commands, therefore they must be diligent to spend a lot of time with those who have the same goals.
It has been my observation that those who are superficial in their walk with God have little interest in discussing the things of the Lord or even interested in seeking Him to be obedient to His principles.
Whether we like to admit it or not we are influenced by those we spend the most time with. If we spend time with unbeleivers more than believers we will tend to quench our desires to speak of the Lord, even doing things the unbelievers does to maintain a relationship with them.
No one is immune to being influenced by those they are with frequently.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Proverbs 13:20-21 "20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous."
If our only choice is to spend time with unbelievers then it is better to be alone with God than to continually be influenced by unbelievers.
Of course we must obey God in witnessing to unbelievers, that's the calling of every born again believer. Witnessing to unbelievers is far different from making them our close and constant companions.
When our goal is to promote and enhance the ways of God in ourselves and others, then we must choose our companions with this in mind.
There is constant conflict when in the company of those who do not share our goals and desires. We do not fight with them but they will attempt to fight with us, causing continual egg shell walking and frustration in our souls.
A non-believer hates righteousness and loves the ways of the world they are not connected to our Spirit so they have nothing to offer us in companionship.
If we love people we will witness Christ to them if they are unsaved and then move on from them if they refuse our message.
Mark 6:11
"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them."
Matthew 10:40,41
"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me…"
The Blasphemy of the Nephilim Doctrine
Only God who is spirit could make a woman pregnant. To say that demons could do the same thing is blasphemy.
Demons do not have a seed to be able to do this since they do not procreate. They are spirit and we are human,
God made each to procreate after its own kind. An elephant cannot mate with a dog and demons which are spirit cannot mate with man. This ridiculous idea of demons mating with humans comes from the false book of Enoch.
If you believe the book of Enoch then you would read in there that these "Nephilim" would be 450 feet tall, no human woman would be able to produce a baby that grows that big. This pure nonsense.
Nephilim belief is a Distraction to Rob God of His Glory
This really is not an unimportant matter, the disagreement about the Nephilim. It is a distraction to ruin our view of God's power and glory. Devils do not have the same ability to do what God did with Mary.
The devil is a counterfeiter for the purpose of negating God. God is the only One Who can supernaturally impregnate a woman as with Mary and Christ. The devil wants to make people believe that it was not a miracle of God the Father with Mary, that devils can do the same thing. The devil has been attempting to steal God's glory from their beginning.
Matthew 22:30
"Jesus answered and said to them, 'You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God."
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven."
Mark 12:25
"For when they rise from the dead, the neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven."
Angels were created by God without the ability to pro-create.
God created man to pro-create Genesis 1:28 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The angels were not given this charge to pro-create, isn't it obvious that they would not posses the necessary plumbing to impregnate a human.
"The Sons of God", were those who worshiped God and the "daughters of men" were pagan women.
If we were to believe that angels could impregnate a human woman then why would we assume that their children would be giants? Why couldn't we assume the children of a union like this would be a spirit being or tiny invisible people, or with wings and the ability to disappear at will.
Many people have taken the leap, that because there were giants in the land, then they must have been some weird concoction of human and angel. The Bible just does not support this, there have to be many Scriptures taken out of context in order to come up with this silliness.
There will always be those who love to think of themselves as having special new knowledge that wow's everyone.
Unfortunately there are many who will follow weird teachings to feel as though they know something that others do not know.
We must remember that the devil will come up with more and more strange ideas to take our focus off of Christ and place it on false knowledge.
1 Corinthians 8:1 "Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."
Next time you hear a resurrected forgotten knowledge, please go to prayer and serious Bible study to know the truth. More of these things will be coming down from the father of lies, to distract us from the important matters.
Nephilim!!!! Really?????
One of the lies of the devil, that angels mated with humans, absolute silliness.
Genesis 1:24 "24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures AFTER THEIR KIND: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth AFTER THEIR KIND"; and it was so."
Did we get that; "AFTER THEIR OWN KIND"
The book of Enoch is where the doctrine of the "Nephilim" comes from in which it states that angels had sex with humans. This is patently ridiculous. Angels do not procreate, they are a completely different spirit species from us, they do not have the equipment to mate with man, any more than a bird can mate with a man to create a bird man. Demons are spirit beings they cannot mate with flesh.
When the daughters of men, meaning pagan women mated with the "men of God", which were godly men, they didn't necessarily produce giants. The giants were in the land but they were not necessarily produced by these pagan and godly people, they were just there. NO where in the Bible does it say that the union of these men and women produce giants. The giants were merely a different race of people.
No where in the Word of God does He call demons "men of God."
This doctrine is blasphemy, it goes against the creation of God, each one being created after "it's own kind." Devils cannot mate with humans.
Once again the devil has twisted the minds of people to believe a distraction from truth and a very weird and sex oriented one at that.
One does not have to think very hard when they know the scripture to discern that this doctrine of "Nephilim" being giant babies from angels is utterly ridiculous.
Demons do not have a seed to be able to do this since they do not procreate. They are spirit and we are human,
God made each to procreate after its own kind. An elephant cannot mate with a dog and demons which are spirit cannot mate with man. This ridiculous idea of demons mating with humans comes from the false book of Enoch.
If you believe the book of Enoch then you would read in there that these "Nephilim" would be 450 feet tall, no human woman would be able to produce a baby that grows that big. This pure nonsense.
Nephilim belief is a Distraction to Rob God of His Glory
This really is not an unimportant matter, the disagreement about the Nephilim. It is a distraction to ruin our view of God's power and glory. Devils do not have the same ability to do what God did with Mary.
The devil is a counterfeiter for the purpose of negating God. God is the only One Who can supernaturally impregnate a woman as with Mary and Christ. The devil wants to make people believe that it was not a miracle of God the Father with Mary, that devils can do the same thing. The devil has been attempting to steal God's glory from their beginning.
Matthew 22:30
"Jesus answered and said to them, 'You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God."
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven."
Mark 12:25
"For when they rise from the dead, the neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven."
Angels were created by God without the ability to pro-create.
God created man to pro-create Genesis 1:28 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The angels were not given this charge to pro-create, isn't it obvious that they would not posses the necessary plumbing to impregnate a human.
"The Sons of God", were those who worshiped God and the "daughters of men" were pagan women.
If we were to believe that angels could impregnate a human woman then why would we assume that their children would be giants? Why couldn't we assume the children of a union like this would be a spirit being or tiny invisible people, or with wings and the ability to disappear at will.
Many people have taken the leap, that because there were giants in the land, then they must have been some weird concoction of human and angel. The Bible just does not support this, there have to be many Scriptures taken out of context in order to come up with this silliness.
There will always be those who love to think of themselves as having special new knowledge that wow's everyone.
Unfortunately there are many who will follow weird teachings to feel as though they know something that others do not know.
We must remember that the devil will come up with more and more strange ideas to take our focus off of Christ and place it on false knowledge.
1 Corinthians 8:1 "Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."
Next time you hear a resurrected forgotten knowledge, please go to prayer and serious Bible study to know the truth. More of these things will be coming down from the father of lies, to distract us from the important matters.
Nephilim!!!! Really?????
One of the lies of the devil, that angels mated with humans, absolute silliness.
Genesis 1:24 "24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures AFTER THEIR KIND: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth AFTER THEIR KIND"; and it was so."
Did we get that; "AFTER THEIR OWN KIND"
The book of Enoch is where the doctrine of the "Nephilim" comes from in which it states that angels had sex with humans. This is patently ridiculous. Angels do not procreate, they are a completely different spirit species from us, they do not have the equipment to mate with man, any more than a bird can mate with a man to create a bird man. Demons are spirit beings they cannot mate with flesh.
When the daughters of men, meaning pagan women mated with the "men of God", which were godly men, they didn't necessarily produce giants. The giants were in the land but they were not necessarily produced by these pagan and godly people, they were just there. NO where in the Bible does it say that the union of these men and women produce giants. The giants were merely a different race of people.
No where in the Word of God does He call demons "men of God."
This doctrine is blasphemy, it goes against the creation of God, each one being created after "it's own kind." Devils cannot mate with humans.
Once again the devil has twisted the minds of people to believe a distraction from truth and a very weird and sex oriented one at that.
One does not have to think very hard when they know the scripture to discern that this doctrine of "Nephilim" being giant babies from angels is utterly ridiculous.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
The Democrat Party the Face of Narcissism
Democrats are died in the wool narcissists. Narcissists act like bratty six year olds having a tantrum when they don't get what they want.
This is not to say that Republicans are much better its just more blatantly displayed among the Democrats. At least the Republicans have the rationale to show a little decorum in public, something the Democrats have nearly completely lost.
They lie and don't care that they lied. They rage at nothing and claim they have a reason.
They start trouble and blame the trouble on the one they attacked when the victim won't put up with it.
The Democrats idea of good is to allow evil to grow while persecuting law abiding citizens.
The democrats are ragingly insane following the pattern of 2 Timothy 3 end times attitudes while living as though they have a right to be this way. Well they do, the problem is that their right to "swing their fist ends at the tip of another man's nose", as Lincoln put it, but they don't think they have to end their right at the end of someone else's right. They will mock, intimidate and malign the character of innocent people to make them mind their will.
We could say these things for any system that dominates and intimidates others to do what they want. There are families like this too, the strong one in the family sees the problem and exits as quickly as they can to avoid the continual pressure to be like the rest of the narcissists.
It is hard for me to believe that any one who remains a Democrat in our day is a decent person. One only has to read the Democratic platform and watch the antics of the people they must vote for to see what tattered and shredded morals these types have, for them to determine that reasonable people could not associate themselves with such angst.
While not perfect at least the Republicans have learned to some degree to hold their wrong attitudes in check to be able to work with others. The Democrats have no desire to work with anyone, their only aim is to kill anyone who will not bow to them.
We know they have a murderous mentality because of the blatant and open threats they make against our president and others who are officials not of their stripe.
These childish and mean spirited people will follow their opponents to restaurants taunting and mocking them as though they do not have a right to their own opinions and boundaries.
What kind of a fool in office stands up in public before the media and proclaims they wish someone would kill our president. Yes elected officials have done this and no punishment came to them. It is a crime to threaten even with words a sitting president, and yet these low lives got away with it without even a chastisement from their own party.
This folks is the 2 Timothy three raging insane times we are living in, when full grown adults can act like bratty children and get away with it.
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."
I don't normally spend a lot of time on politics, I am not a citizen of this world but of heaven but remain responsible to speak the truth while I am here on earth.
Perhaps a Democrat will think about their own behavior and those they support, to realize how ugly it all is and choose to be changed into a new creation by Christ to become loving and kind to others around them.
It does not matter what party one belongs to when they vote, however, might it be prudent to choose a party that reflects loving kindness and goodness for the country as a whole.
Just saying!
This is not to say that Republicans are much better its just more blatantly displayed among the Democrats. At least the Republicans have the rationale to show a little decorum in public, something the Democrats have nearly completely lost.
They lie and don't care that they lied. They rage at nothing and claim they have a reason.
They start trouble and blame the trouble on the one they attacked when the victim won't put up with it.
The Democrats idea of good is to allow evil to grow while persecuting law abiding citizens.
The democrats are ragingly insane following the pattern of 2 Timothy 3 end times attitudes while living as though they have a right to be this way. Well they do, the problem is that their right to "swing their fist ends at the tip of another man's nose", as Lincoln put it, but they don't think they have to end their right at the end of someone else's right. They will mock, intimidate and malign the character of innocent people to make them mind their will.
We could say these things for any system that dominates and intimidates others to do what they want. There are families like this too, the strong one in the family sees the problem and exits as quickly as they can to avoid the continual pressure to be like the rest of the narcissists.
It is hard for me to believe that any one who remains a Democrat in our day is a decent person. One only has to read the Democratic platform and watch the antics of the people they must vote for to see what tattered and shredded morals these types have, for them to determine that reasonable people could not associate themselves with such angst.
While not perfect at least the Republicans have learned to some degree to hold their wrong attitudes in check to be able to work with others. The Democrats have no desire to work with anyone, their only aim is to kill anyone who will not bow to them.
We know they have a murderous mentality because of the blatant and open threats they make against our president and others who are officials not of their stripe.
These childish and mean spirited people will follow their opponents to restaurants taunting and mocking them as though they do not have a right to their own opinions and boundaries.
What kind of a fool in office stands up in public before the media and proclaims they wish someone would kill our president. Yes elected officials have done this and no punishment came to them. It is a crime to threaten even with words a sitting president, and yet these low lives got away with it without even a chastisement from their own party.
This folks is the 2 Timothy three raging insane times we are living in, when full grown adults can act like bratty children and get away with it.
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."
I don't normally spend a lot of time on politics, I am not a citizen of this world but of heaven but remain responsible to speak the truth while I am here on earth.
Perhaps a Democrat will think about their own behavior and those they support, to realize how ugly it all is and choose to be changed into a new creation by Christ to become loving and kind to others around them.
It does not matter what party one belongs to when they vote, however, might it be prudent to choose a party that reflects loving kindness and goodness for the country as a whole.
Just saying!
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
What is and is not Legalism?
Narcissists in the Church
I have met many people who are narcissists who go to church, however they act as though He is subject to them.
They change His word to say what they want it to mean rather than humbly seeking Him to learn His heart and mind. These people are always fighters and arguers who always have an excuse or good reason to defy the principles of God.
They fight bitterly to defend their sin even when it is proven that they are offending God. Narcissists love to pretend they love God only to elevate themselves but never to submit to Him or anyone else. Submission is anathema to the narcissist. They fight and argue to defend the sin they engage in while always pointing their finger at others for not adhering to their legalistic rules that are not in the Bible.
These people have false man made morals and standards that God never commanded, their goal is to appear superior to others.
The goal and aim of the narcissist is to prop up their false sense of superiority.
When a narcissists cannot adhere to the truths of the Bible it is strong evidence that they have a god in their own image according to their own desires.
These people are dedicated to outward rituals to appear religious.
Matthew 23:24-26 "…24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.…"
1 John 4:20 "20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."
1 Peter 2:16 "16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves."
Galatians 6:3 "3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves."
Luke 6:46 "46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?"
Mark 7:6 "6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Yes, sadly there are my hypocrites and narcissists in the church. The reason is quite simple, we are living in the last days of 2 Timothy 3. Men will become worse and worse as time passes, moving toward the rapture of the church.
This is our great hope as born again believers, soon we will be out of here, God's wrath will be on those who are rebellious and at the end of it we will come back with Christ when He will rid the world of the evil upon it.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,
12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."
Revelation 16:1
Six Bowls of Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior now is the time to ask forgiveness and confess your sinfulness and trust in Christ Who paid the price for your sin. No one can be saved unless they have confessed to be forgiven.
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."
They change His word to say what they want it to mean rather than humbly seeking Him to learn His heart and mind. These people are always fighters and arguers who always have an excuse or good reason to defy the principles of God.
They fight bitterly to defend their sin even when it is proven that they are offending God. Narcissists love to pretend they love God only to elevate themselves but never to submit to Him or anyone else. Submission is anathema to the narcissist. They fight and argue to defend the sin they engage in while always pointing their finger at others for not adhering to their legalistic rules that are not in the Bible.
These people have false man made morals and standards that God never commanded, their goal is to appear superior to others.
The goal and aim of the narcissist is to prop up their false sense of superiority.
When a narcissists cannot adhere to the truths of the Bible it is strong evidence that they have a god in their own image according to their own desires.
These people are dedicated to outward rituals to appear religious.
Matthew 23:24-26 "…24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.…"
1 John 4:20 "20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."
1 Peter 2:16 "16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves."
Galatians 6:3 "3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves."
Luke 6:46 "46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?"
Mark 7:6 "6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Yes, sadly there are my hypocrites and narcissists in the church. The reason is quite simple, we are living in the last days of 2 Timothy 3. Men will become worse and worse as time passes, moving toward the rapture of the church.
This is our great hope as born again believers, soon we will be out of here, God's wrath will be on those who are rebellious and at the end of it we will come back with Christ when He will rid the world of the evil upon it.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,
12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness."
Revelation 16:1
Six Bowls of Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior now is the time to ask forgiveness and confess your sinfulness and trust in Christ Who paid the price for your sin. No one can be saved unless they have confessed to be forgiven.
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."
The Liberals are Wearisome
I am weary of liberals making the determination that a child born in poverty will automatically stay in poverty when they grow up to make their own choices.
Nearly all the children of immigrants end up doing better than their parents. My grandparents were poor when they came to this country, but their children ended up making more money than their parents, as is common. We had more opportunities than our parents and did better financially than they did. As if money is the measure of all things anyway, its not!
Liberals are narcissists, they think they know everything and its all based on their mindset not on reality.
Liberals are like little children who make up stories in their heads based on little to no information and pass it all off as truth.
Liberals isolate themselves because they think they know better than everyone else. They refuse to entertain the ideas of those far wiser than they are, leaving them in a state of infancy emotionally and educationally all their lives.
They allow others to tell them how to think rather than evaluating things according to truth and evidence. They also evaluate things in terms of what they want to happen but not on the numbers or the facts.
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.…"
Abortion is a shame on this culture, the liberals hail it as a right and a reasonable choice as though killing babies should be a choice at all, this is just how irrational are these feeble minded ones.
Homosexuality and transgenderism are irrational to anyone who has learned the science of anatomy in high school 50 years ago. The liberals proclaim "feelings" as more important than truth, even if those feelings make no sense at all.
In order to force society to accept their depraved lifestyle they must attempt to make others believe their irrational and immoral choices are reasonable and acceptable. They are like a bratty child who screams loudly, "But I want to" as their arms and legs flail about in protest.
Sadly though we are living in a culture now that is caving to the intimidation of these insane ones as though because they make strange choices everyone else must endorse their choices. They are having a tantrum it must be important, is the thinking of simple minded people.
Another irrational aspect of these lifestyles and the intimidation to accept them is that just because they can make people fearful to speak against their choices this will cause the people to accept them. They know something for sure, when the society as a whole has become fearful of retaliation if they speak against a lifestyle, the society will cave and remain silent.
When a society remains silent the people will eventually endorse through capitulation. We will soon see family members attending same sex weddings just as we see so many family members attending and endorsing divorce and remarriage which also used to be considered a sin against God.
Why would anyone think that the culture would not cave to the homosexual agenda when it has already caved to shack up couples and remarriage after divorce?
Many things that were considered sins to be avoided by most people in the culture are being accepted today followed by every excuse in the book as to why we should not be mean spirited enough to speak against them.
Those who speak against sin are treated with contempt as though they are the ones doing something wrong.
If you are rational, thoughtful and do your own thinking based on the Bible you are the rare and reasonable person.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Proverbs 1:7 "7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Nearly all the children of immigrants end up doing better than their parents. My grandparents were poor when they came to this country, but their children ended up making more money than their parents, as is common. We had more opportunities than our parents and did better financially than they did. As if money is the measure of all things anyway, its not!
Liberals are narcissists, they think they know everything and its all based on their mindset not on reality.
Liberals are like little children who make up stories in their heads based on little to no information and pass it all off as truth.
Liberals isolate themselves because they think they know better than everyone else. They refuse to entertain the ideas of those far wiser than they are, leaving them in a state of infancy emotionally and educationally all their lives.
They allow others to tell them how to think rather than evaluating things according to truth and evidence. They also evaluate things in terms of what they want to happen but not on the numbers or the facts.
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.…"
Abortion is a shame on this culture, the liberals hail it as a right and a reasonable choice as though killing babies should be a choice at all, this is just how irrational are these feeble minded ones.
Homosexuality and transgenderism are irrational to anyone who has learned the science of anatomy in high school 50 years ago. The liberals proclaim "feelings" as more important than truth, even if those feelings make no sense at all.
In order to force society to accept their depraved lifestyle they must attempt to make others believe their irrational and immoral choices are reasonable and acceptable. They are like a bratty child who screams loudly, "But I want to" as their arms and legs flail about in protest.
Sadly though we are living in a culture now that is caving to the intimidation of these insane ones as though because they make strange choices everyone else must endorse their choices. They are having a tantrum it must be important, is the thinking of simple minded people.
Another irrational aspect of these lifestyles and the intimidation to accept them is that just because they can make people fearful to speak against their choices this will cause the people to accept them. They know something for sure, when the society as a whole has become fearful of retaliation if they speak against a lifestyle, the society will cave and remain silent.
When a society remains silent the people will eventually endorse through capitulation. We will soon see family members attending same sex weddings just as we see so many family members attending and endorsing divorce and remarriage which also used to be considered a sin against God.
Why would anyone think that the culture would not cave to the homosexual agenda when it has already caved to shack up couples and remarriage after divorce?
Many things that were considered sins to be avoided by most people in the culture are being accepted today followed by every excuse in the book as to why we should not be mean spirited enough to speak against them.
Those who speak against sin are treated with contempt as though they are the ones doing something wrong.
If you are rational, thoughtful and do your own thinking based on the Bible you are the rare and reasonable person.
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Proverbs 1:7 "7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
The Bully Who Wanted to be Superior
If a parent over emphasizes their own appearance the child will become obsessed with their appearance while neglecting to develop their character.
"More is caught than taught" is an old saying that attests that children will be more influenced by the behavior of their parents than they are by their words.
Our actions must match our words. Children seem to be able to recognize a hypocrite. Another old saying I heard growing up; "you actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying." Children tend to emulate what they see their authorities are modeling every day.
If there is a narcissistic parent in the family who flatters too much or focuses on outer appearance or personal accomplishments more than character then the children will make these things more important than character.
When the child is trained to be accomplished and look good on the outside while neglecting their inner character the child will not see character as important.
The parent who is attempting to teach character qualities will be ineffective if the narcissistic parent continually ignores the good teaching while dominating in the area of fun, games and praise.
Sisters and brothers it is important that you choose a spouse who understands the value of building character in a child over and above any personal accomplishment or flattery.
Psalm 12:2-3
They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things;
Psalm 55:20-21
He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has violated his covenant. His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
Proverbs 28:23
He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.
There is a difference between flattery that builds pride and encouragement that helps build character. Encouragement includes training, instruction and correction to lead in the right direction. Flattery does nothing more than disarm someone to focus on self and superficial vain glory, rather than their growth and improvement.
It is good to tell a child they did a good job if they really did. It is good to tell a child they could have done better when you knew they were capable of more but were acting lazy. Both of these things are encouragement. One says, "that's good, keep going", the other says, "begin again that wasn't your best."
Flattery is not encouragement nor is praising a child who was lazy just for getting a job done when it was not done right. God will not give rewards in heaven just for participation in life.
Flattery is condemned by God, it brings ruin rather than improvement.
Our goal in raising children ought to help them with the skills that will build their character to get along in this life with integrity.
Never, never, never praise a child for doing better than someone else. Encourage a child for doing his best but never in comparison to someone else.
I have known many people who were raised to glory in how much better than someone else did in sports or some other competition. These people transferred their competitive spirit to being better than others in every area of their lives. They compared themselves, bragged about themselves and even treated contemptuously those they considered to be beneath them because they were not as proficient in something as the one who was competitive.
Competition with oneself can be productive, competition with someone else builds arrogance and destroys relationships.
Do your best at whatever you do while paying little attention to comparing yourself with someone else.
2 Corinthians 10:12 "12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance."
Competing with someone else is the same as hoping that other person loses so that you can win or be superior. We see a lot of this in our culture today.
Sadly so many children are taught these days to focus on being better than others rather than on just being better themselves today than they were yesterday, this brings improvement and personal growth.
As a child I remember a young man who beat up a "bully" on the bus on the way home. His family praised that young man for being stronger and bigger and able to beat up the bully.
Sadly the family assumed the young man was telling the truth that the other guy was a bully. The truth was that the young man was working his mouth in disparaging ways that upset the "bully" so this person who was called a bully was provoked into a fight by the young man and was not the real bully at all.
The young man bullied with his mouth and provoked a fight. But because the family did not have the sense to realize the young man framed the whole thing as the fault of the other person they automatically took the word of the favored son encouraging him to believe his wicked words were alright as long as he didn't throw the first punch. Golden children are always enabled to be bullies by their narcissistic parents.
God never tells us in His word to be better than someone else, He instructs us to grow in holiness ourselves and leave the others to God.
When Christ is our focus we can hardly think we are good or better than anyone. When we compare ourselves to Christ we see the need for continual improvement. When we compare ourselves with others we will always find others we perceive as less than us, not necessarily true but our perception is powerful, it drives us to focus on diminishing others to elevate self.
It is good to do our best and get a prize for it. It is also good to hope that others do their best and also get a prize too. Prizes are not for those who lose in competition, but the graciousness of the winner will show their compassion and love for their opponent. Losing motivates us to improve ourselves not to hope that the other person fail in some way so we can win.
This is the motivation of the narcissist, they desire the failure of their target to be able to be superior rather than evaluating themselves to improve on their own character.
Guard against the lies of this culture that we should strive to be better than others and go on to focus on Christ to become more like Him as we confess needed changes in ourselves.
"More is caught than taught" is an old saying that attests that children will be more influenced by the behavior of their parents than they are by their words.
Our actions must match our words. Children seem to be able to recognize a hypocrite. Another old saying I heard growing up; "you actions speak so loud I can't hear a word you are saying." Children tend to emulate what they see their authorities are modeling every day.
If there is a narcissistic parent in the family who flatters too much or focuses on outer appearance or personal accomplishments more than character then the children will make these things more important than character.
When the child is trained to be accomplished and look good on the outside while neglecting their inner character the child will not see character as important.
The parent who is attempting to teach character qualities will be ineffective if the narcissistic parent continually ignores the good teaching while dominating in the area of fun, games and praise.
Sisters and brothers it is important that you choose a spouse who understands the value of building character in a child over and above any personal accomplishment or flattery.
Psalm 12:2-3
They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things;
Psalm 55:20-21
He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has violated his covenant. His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
Proverbs 28:23
He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.
There is a difference between flattery that builds pride and encouragement that helps build character. Encouragement includes training, instruction and correction to lead in the right direction. Flattery does nothing more than disarm someone to focus on self and superficial vain glory, rather than their growth and improvement.
It is good to tell a child they did a good job if they really did. It is good to tell a child they could have done better when you knew they were capable of more but were acting lazy. Both of these things are encouragement. One says, "that's good, keep going", the other says, "begin again that wasn't your best."
Flattery is not encouragement nor is praising a child who was lazy just for getting a job done when it was not done right. God will not give rewards in heaven just for participation in life.
Flattery is condemned by God, it brings ruin rather than improvement.
Our goal in raising children ought to help them with the skills that will build their character to get along in this life with integrity.
Never, never, never praise a child for doing better than someone else. Encourage a child for doing his best but never in comparison to someone else.
I have known many people who were raised to glory in how much better than someone else did in sports or some other competition. These people transferred their competitive spirit to being better than others in every area of their lives. They compared themselves, bragged about themselves and even treated contemptuously those they considered to be beneath them because they were not as proficient in something as the one who was competitive.
Competition with oneself can be productive, competition with someone else builds arrogance and destroys relationships.
Do your best at whatever you do while paying little attention to comparing yourself with someone else.
2 Corinthians 10:12 "12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance."
Competing with someone else is the same as hoping that other person loses so that you can win or be superior. We see a lot of this in our culture today.
Sadly so many children are taught these days to focus on being better than others rather than on just being better themselves today than they were yesterday, this brings improvement and personal growth.
As a child I remember a young man who beat up a "bully" on the bus on the way home. His family praised that young man for being stronger and bigger and able to beat up the bully.
Sadly the family assumed the young man was telling the truth that the other guy was a bully. The truth was that the young man was working his mouth in disparaging ways that upset the "bully" so this person who was called a bully was provoked into a fight by the young man and was not the real bully at all.
The young man bullied with his mouth and provoked a fight. But because the family did not have the sense to realize the young man framed the whole thing as the fault of the other person they automatically took the word of the favored son encouraging him to believe his wicked words were alright as long as he didn't throw the first punch. Golden children are always enabled to be bullies by their narcissistic parents.
God never tells us in His word to be better than someone else, He instructs us to grow in holiness ourselves and leave the others to God.
When Christ is our focus we can hardly think we are good or better than anyone. When we compare ourselves to Christ we see the need for continual improvement. When we compare ourselves with others we will always find others we perceive as less than us, not necessarily true but our perception is powerful, it drives us to focus on diminishing others to elevate self.
It is good to do our best and get a prize for it. It is also good to hope that others do their best and also get a prize too. Prizes are not for those who lose in competition, but the graciousness of the winner will show their compassion and love for their opponent. Losing motivates us to improve ourselves not to hope that the other person fail in some way so we can win.
This is the motivation of the narcissist, they desire the failure of their target to be able to be superior rather than evaluating themselves to improve on their own character.
Guard against the lies of this culture that we should strive to be better than others and go on to focus on Christ to become more like Him as we confess needed changes in ourselves.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Mercy is for the Repentant Heart not the Rebellious!
Narcissists cry not for you or anyone else but because they have lost something or not able to control another person. In the middle of their tears they are accusing their target of wrong doing for pointing out their mean behavior.
They cry the loudest at funerals because it is a source of attention for them. They show emotion when its all about them, but never at the pain of someone else.
We are living in a culture right now that is more likely to coddle and pamper the perpetrator than they are the victim .
We see this all the time when a murderer is given life in prison for the mass murder of many people as though their murders didn't devalue the lives of those they took.
This mentality is backward, God declares life so important that a person who takes someone's life is required in payment for that life they took. But a coddling enabling culture pampers those who should be punished severely while requiring the victims families to be big hearted and forgive the perp.
Personally I am appalled at how often I see compassion shown the wicked person while no compassion is shown the victims of the wicked.
Deuteronomy 19:21
"Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
Deuteronomy 25:12
"then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity."
Ezekiel 9:5
"But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare."
Proverbs 21:13
"Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer."
Mercy is for the repentant heart not for the rebellious wicked person who will not turn from his evil ways.
Psalm 51:16-17 "…16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
They cry the loudest at funerals because it is a source of attention for them. They show emotion when its all about them, but never at the pain of someone else.
We are living in a culture right now that is more likely to coddle and pamper the perpetrator than they are the victim .
We see this all the time when a murderer is given life in prison for the mass murder of many people as though their murders didn't devalue the lives of those they took.
This mentality is backward, God declares life so important that a person who takes someone's life is required in payment for that life they took. But a coddling enabling culture pampers those who should be punished severely while requiring the victims families to be big hearted and forgive the perp.
Personally I am appalled at how often I see compassion shown the wicked person while no compassion is shown the victims of the wicked.
Deuteronomy 19:21
"Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."
Deuteronomy 25:12
"then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity."
Ezekiel 9:5
"But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare."
Proverbs 21:13
"Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer."
Mercy is for the repentant heart not for the rebellious wicked person who will not turn from his evil ways.
Psalm 51:16-17 "…16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
The Devil's Thoughts
The devil places thought in the minds of people to cause all kinds of trouble. The same tricks he used in the garden of Eden he is using today. He uses these tactics to ruin relationships and to prevent a relationship with God and His people.
The serpent, (Satan) worked to cause Eve to distrust God. Even depended on her own senses instead of what God said, a problem with many believers today. Satan uses the mouths of those without faith to say; "God didn't really say that" as they excuse their sin by their personal rationalizations.
Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”
4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!
5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings."
Satan's favorite tactic is to make people believe God didn't say or mean what He said. If the devil can get people to believe their disobedience doesn't matter or that God winks at it, he can cause a broken relationship between God and His people. By broken I mean the devil's attempt to cause the people of God to silence the Holy Spirit because of their disobedience.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 "19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt,…"
Often born again believers have been influenced to sin by family members through their pressure of adherence to false doctrine or family traditions.
One of the tactics of the devil is to isolate born again believers from their sources of encouragement by the pressure to keep unsaved or false Christian family members constantly in their lives. Christ made it clear that our family are those who love Him. We are not to make our constant companions those who reject His truth even if they claim to be Christians.
In these last days we cannot trust the wisdom of someone who says they are a Christian, we must test what they say with the Bible and follow the Bible rather than the person.
There are many "Christians" in our culture today who do not know the Bible, they are more likely to follow the culture and family traditions than they are Christ.
When we follow Christ alone we will be rejected for coming against false teachings. We will be maligned through gossip and even rejected by those who want to follow their own way instead of Christ.
We cannot allow others to dictate our walk with Christ, only He must guide us!
The serpent, (Satan) worked to cause Eve to distrust God. Even depended on her own senses instead of what God said, a problem with many believers today. Satan uses the mouths of those without faith to say; "God didn't really say that" as they excuse their sin by their personal rationalizations.
Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”
4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!
5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings."
Satan's favorite tactic is to make people believe God didn't say or mean what He said. If the devil can get people to believe their disobedience doesn't matter or that God winks at it, he can cause a broken relationship between God and His people. By broken I mean the devil's attempt to cause the people of God to silence the Holy Spirit because of their disobedience.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 "19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt,…"
Often born again believers have been influenced to sin by family members through their pressure of adherence to false doctrine or family traditions.
One of the tactics of the devil is to isolate born again believers from their sources of encouragement by the pressure to keep unsaved or false Christian family members constantly in their lives. Christ made it clear that our family are those who love Him. We are not to make our constant companions those who reject His truth even if they claim to be Christians.
In these last days we cannot trust the wisdom of someone who says they are a Christian, we must test what they say with the Bible and follow the Bible rather than the person.
There are many "Christians" in our culture today who do not know the Bible, they are more likely to follow the culture and family traditions than they are Christ.
When we follow Christ alone we will be rejected for coming against false teachings. We will be maligned through gossip and even rejected by those who want to follow their own way instead of Christ.
We cannot allow others to dictate our walk with Christ, only He must guide us!
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