Experiences Can Be Decieving

When we rely on "experience" alone to teach us, we are not discerning about many things.

It is best to learn the wisdom of God by believing the Bible, it will give us discernment when it is needed. 

Discernment: The ability to rightly judge a matter by the clues. 

We develop discernment through knowing the Word of God.  When we know what a good person looks like according to the Word, we will see the clues, when we know what an evil man looks like according to the Word will see those clues when encountering an evil man. 

Our experiences are not accurate, often they give us good feelings when underneath the superficial experience is hiding an insidious monster waiting to emerge when our guard is down. 

When we live superficially, we will be caught in the devil's traps and lies.  If we resist learning to be discerning long enough, we will be dragged into all kinds of false teaching, we will believe the lies of deceivers even learning to exercise deceit to get what we want.

Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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."

Do you want to be able to discern important matters and even subtle things, then know the Bible.  If you are not sure what the Bible says about a matter ask the Holy Spirit to show you truth.

When the culture seems to be saying the opposite of what you believe to be true, go to the Word of God, seek it while praying for wisdom. God will not ignore anyone who wants to be taught by Him.

James 1:5 "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

 

 

Punish the Bully

The most used tactic of the devil is to accuse the good people of what the evil people are doing but the good people are not. This method of intimidation to cause frustration, is increasing among organizations and individuals.

 

We need to be aware of these overt and covert tactics in order to remain strong, while not reacting out of emotion.

 

Those who intimidate through manipulation want us to become frustrated to cause us to respond in anger. Their aim is to make us look bad, discrediting us while they act innocent in their covert maneuvering attacks.

 

I have seen in many times in my life, the person who picks, picks and picks at someone, finally the victim can't stand it any longer and becomes angry, after which the perpetrator point their bony finger saying, "see how you are, look at you, you're angry."

 

I have grown weary of the lack of justice I am hearing about in school settings. The bully pick, pick, picks at the victim, the victim attempts to make it stop and when the fight breaks out both the bully and the victim are punished, as though both are guilty. I don't call this justice, it is merely a teacher not wanting to take the time to interview the parties involved and witnesses to come to a knowledge of the truth.

I do not believe that if there is a fight, both parties are at fault. 

Perhaps the fighting is wrong, but the bully was the cause and needs to take the brunt of the punishment. I also believe that children now feel a sense of futility about going to the authorities because often justice is not done.

Isaiah 59:14 "Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter."

Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow."

Have You Seen the Face of the Devil?

"Thinking" and "pondering" anything is becoming rare in these last days of rebellion. When we attempt to get someone to think through something, often we are met with contempt, anger and open hostility. When we encounter this we know we have seen the face of the devil.

Run From the Evil Man

Any man who would treat a woman like property or ask her to do something that harms her dignity is an evil man......run from him. The best way to avoid a bad marriage is to pray that the Lord will reveal the spirit of a man before engaging with him. 

 God can give us important clues and inklings that we may not see for ourselves. Trust Him, He knows the man's heart, we only see the persona them man wants us to see, there are hidden things of the heart that are only known to God.

Ask God Before It's Too Late

I am convinced that the time of the Lord's return is right around the corner, even at the door. The fear I have is that so many who think they will be going to heaven, have never known Christ. They have spent their life after proclaiming to be Christian, attempting to get as much out of Him as they can while living a lifestyle that mocks and dishonors Him.

Romans 10:3 "For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God."

Because these people are proud of their own righteousness, they do not display the true love of God but merely pretended to love, while demonstrating hatred.

Luke 18:9 "And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:"

Proverbs 20:9 "Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin"?"

Proverbs 16:2 "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives."

Ezekiel 28:2 ""Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because your heart is lifted up And you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods In the heart of the seas'; Yet you are a man and not God, Although you make your heart like the heart of God-- "

1 John 1:5-6 "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;"

Now is the time to spend some time in prayer, asking the Lord if you have trusted Christ or are merely pretending. God already knows, but anyone who has not demonstrated a lifestyle of loving God and the brethren, needs to ask God if they ever became born again, if God says no, then there is a need to repent, begin to trust Christ for salvation desiring to be changed by Him into a new creation.
God will show the truth to everyone who wants to know.

Better Ask God If You Are Saved

Revelation 3:17 "'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,"

Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

Enabling the Lazy

There are many takers in our culture now. Young people who feel a sense of entitlement to the money and things of others.

Notice too that those who demand to have our money, don't give to others and become angry when we begin to make them accountable.

Imagine that, being angry that someone else will not give them what they refuse to earn for themselves. Often those who are in financial trouble, have managed very badly the monies God did give them, wanting to be bailed out to continue business as usual.

They have no desire to listen to a plan that would help them develop skills making them wiser with money in the future. I have encountered those over the years who ask for help in the form of money, but when the offer of help came, to teach them how to manage what they do get, they become angry as though the offer was mean and selfish. When given the money, most often these people waste it on play things and pleasure, needing more later to pay the legitimate bills.

I am sure that many people reading this have experienced people like this, only to realize that those who wanted their money and their things, never wanted them.

When the request for help was revised to show them how to live without wasting, it was met with deep hostility, there never was love, respect or concern for us. When we encounter this we can count ourselves as "off the hook." Helping rebellious and lazy people to continue their lifestyle of wanton avarice while diminishing our own resources to do it, is in my estimation sin.

Psalm 37:21 "The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives."

1 Peter 4:4 "In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;"

As believers we are commanded to give freely, however that does not mean to those who waste and will not learn. We are to give needs and not necessarily desires. Giving a desire to a frugal person is a joy and encourages their frugality. However giving desires to wasteful people will only encourage further wastefulness.

I never have guilt when I offer to teach someone how to earn their own way or how to manage what they have, when they spurn teaching and training. I am a firm believer in promoting dignity through hard work and diligence in spending. I don't care about what anyone buys, as long as they use their own money, can afford it and are not in debt.

Proverbs 19:19 "A man of great anger will bear the penalty,
For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again."

When we rescue lazy, rebellious and disrespectful people, we enable their sin, which makes us a party to their lifestyle.

Ephesians 5:6-7
"…6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;