I would like to share this because there are so many children who are being bullied at school and different places who feel sad and unloved. Some are even bullied at home as I was and even beyond into adult hood, the bullying persists.
I wrote a response to someone who was concerned about the bullying that has been going on. I want to encourage all those who have been bullied and even are being bullied now.
The world is full of bullies, more than ever before. Our response to them can make all the difference in our emotional and spiritual growth.
Those who leave others out when they think you are not "cool enough", have little to no character. They are locked into being manipulated and controlled by others.
It is a joy when we are able to enjoy life even when we are not surrounded by others. The need to continually impress others is bondage. If we are not accepted for ourselves then there is no joy in pretending for others.
I feel the pain of those children who are rejected, mocked and excluded, this has been my experience for most of my life. Those who bully like to make it appear as though it is our own fault. But in reality it often has nothing to do with us. Their inability to accept us the way we are made, is the problem.
We do not dress the way they do, we don't do the things they do or like the same things they do, making us a target for abuse.
Here was my response to the post about the bullied child:
"I praise God for this difficulty. Those that are popular usually turn out badly. I was rejected and all the people I know who were rejected are more free to develop their own character apart from pressure from the group. I know it hurts now, but it may be a blessing in disguise. Besides that, who wants to be friends with snobs who think they are better." (Unquote)
I remember an Andy Griffith show many years ago that brought this concept home. Andy had placed someone in jail, but didn't want to offend the prisoner because of something he wanted out of him Opie, the child was angry at the way the prisoner disrespected his father so he walked up to the bars and kicked the prisoners shin through the bars.
Andy quickly apologized to the prisoner for what Opie did and explained to Opie that he should do that, it might make the prisoner not like us.
The classic and unforgettable response never left my mind in all these years, Opie asked the question quite adamantly, "why would we want a criminal to like us?"
It is interesting that so many Christians work so hard to make the unsaved like them, while the unsaved are in the middle of hating God. This is not loyalty to God, this is loyalty to the unsaved.
We are not told to get people to like us or God, we are told to bring the gospel in words that show them their need for salvation through Christ and the cleansing of their sin available to them through faith in Christ.
When our focus is to get people to like us, we come in bondage to their whims and manipulations. When we preach truth whether or not anyone will like us, then we have freedom to tell the truth without fear.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Saturday, December 29, 2018
The Emotionalism of Pentecostalism
I am grieved every time a Pentecostal declares their sin was a blessing from God.
Since much of Pentecostalism is based on emotionalism, experience take priority over truth.
I see this all the time, those who want to do something that God condemns, they proclaim loudly that God gave it to them.
Yes, God may have given them what they wanted because of their stubbornness, not for their good but for their chastisement.
When an action violates the Word of God in the Scriptures then it is not from God. God does not bless disobedience toward Him. One may believe they are being blessed because they got what they wanted, however as time progresses the trials from those choices come, but those in them tend to deny or ignore the chastisement as being from God.
I think there are far too many people who don't understand that Jesus Christ is the Word, the Bible is that Word written down for our learning and obedience. I'll say it again, Jesus Christ is the essence of His Word written down in the Scriptures. He meant every Word He said.
When we dismiss the scriptures as nothing more than a book of good suggestions we are diminishing Jesus Christ Himself. There are those who would say they are Bible believing, but they do not go to the Word to find His truth, they go there to find loop holes and reasons they don't have to obey.
John 14:14-16 "14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
In John God says "if you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it", however, most people stop there and don't read the condition for this to happen, that is "if you love me you will keep my commandments."
When we say we love the Lord but are not interested in His principles or commands, then we are lying.
When a "Christian" rages because we have attempted to bring the Scriptures into the conversation, that is our clue that the one who rages is not interested in obedience, but only in getting their own way and being elevated in stature as a "good person."
If being elevated was not important then there would be no raging. If Christ were the focus then Scripture brought to bear would be seen as a blessing.
Psalm 119:104-106 "104 From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106 I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
Pretty strong words there in God's Word: "I hate every false way."
Think about it!
Since much of Pentecostalism is based on emotionalism, experience take priority over truth.
I see this all the time, those who want to do something that God condemns, they proclaim loudly that God gave it to them.
Yes, God may have given them what they wanted because of their stubbornness, not for their good but for their chastisement.
When an action violates the Word of God in the Scriptures then it is not from God. God does not bless disobedience toward Him. One may believe they are being blessed because they got what they wanted, however as time progresses the trials from those choices come, but those in them tend to deny or ignore the chastisement as being from God.
I think there are far too many people who don't understand that Jesus Christ is the Word, the Bible is that Word written down for our learning and obedience. I'll say it again, Jesus Christ is the essence of His Word written down in the Scriptures. He meant every Word He said.
When we dismiss the scriptures as nothing more than a book of good suggestions we are diminishing Jesus Christ Himself. There are those who would say they are Bible believing, but they do not go to the Word to find His truth, they go there to find loop holes and reasons they don't have to obey.
John 14:14-16 "14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
In John God says "if you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it", however, most people stop there and don't read the condition for this to happen, that is "if you love me you will keep my commandments."
When we say we love the Lord but are not interested in His principles or commands, then we are lying.
When a "Christian" rages because we have attempted to bring the Scriptures into the conversation, that is our clue that the one who rages is not interested in obedience, but only in getting their own way and being elevated in stature as a "good person."
If being elevated was not important then there would be no raging. If Christ were the focus then Scripture brought to bear would be seen as a blessing.
Psalm 119:104-106 "104 From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
106 I have sworn and I will confirm it,
That I will keep Your righteous ordinances.
Pretty strong words there in God's Word: "I hate every false way."
Think about it!
Things We Hate
We run from that which we hate. WE do not continue things we hate to do!
Psalm 97:10
"O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked."
Romans 12:9
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
Psalm 97:10
"O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked."
Romans 12:9
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
Isaiah 41:10-13
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
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