Friday, April 3, 2020
Growing Narcissism in Our Day
Nearly the entire world and all the people are narcissistic now. There are varying degrees of it, but most remain sold out to their own sinful hearts.
Judges 21-25 " 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
Judges 17:6 " 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. "
We have leaders in our day but they are so corrupt that the nations are in chaos. The lack of leadership in the way of righteousness is driving the rebellion against God in the cultures.
Many people who say they are Christians or who don't say it but attend gatherings every week, believe they are good people but defy more of God's Word than they obey while claiming to be "Bible-believing."
So many people think all they have to do is claim something and that makes it so. Believing leads to obeying. Those who say they believe but don't obey do not believe.
Rebellious church attendees are calling obedience to God's word "legalism" while having no sense of shame over sin in the body. If the rebellious church attendee doesn't want to obey God they say it is legalism to obey Him.
God said: John 14:15 " 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Legalism is adding rules to God's word that He never gave. Obedience is obeying what God told us to do. The difference is really quite simple to understand.
One of the biggest ploys in our day is to pretend acceptance of sin is love when it is really hatred. When we care about our brothers and sisters we speak truth to them so they can progress in holiness. We grow when we learn to admit our failings causing a closeness to one another and to God greater than if we did not confess to be cleansed.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
We will not grow or be cleansed unless we confess.
Judges 21-25 " 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
Judges 17:6 " 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. "
We have leaders in our day but they are so corrupt that the nations are in chaos. The lack of leadership in the way of righteousness is driving the rebellion against God in the cultures.
Many people who say they are Christians or who don't say it but attend gatherings every week, believe they are good people but defy more of God's Word than they obey while claiming to be "Bible-believing."
So many people think all they have to do is claim something and that makes it so. Believing leads to obeying. Those who say they believe but don't obey do not believe.
Rebellious church attendees are calling obedience to God's word "legalism" while having no sense of shame over sin in the body. If the rebellious church attendee doesn't want to obey God they say it is legalism to obey Him.
God said: John 14:15 " 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Legalism is adding rules to God's word that He never gave. Obedience is obeying what God told us to do. The difference is really quite simple to understand.
One of the biggest ploys in our day is to pretend acceptance of sin is love when it is really hatred. When we care about our brothers and sisters we speak truth to them so they can progress in holiness. We grow when we learn to admit our failings causing a closeness to one another and to God greater than if we did not confess to be cleansed.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
We will not grow or be cleansed unless we confess.
Wicked Will Mock
If they mock you for saying you hear from God, then they could not be hearing from Him. It's a dead giveaway! Those who hear from God know what you are saying because they hear from Him too.
Everything they hear agrees with the Bible. When they ask God for specifics about their life, they are compelled to go a certain way, without a doubt they know it was God.
Many people claim to hear from God but we know they don't because they are disobeying the Word to get their prayer answered. They must work really hard to make things happen the way they want them to happen. It is being managed in the flesh and not in the will of the Father.
When God tells us to go a certain way it will be glorifying to Him and often not as we had planned or thought would happen. But we know it is Him speaking!
There is no way to express a formula to anyone what the promptings of the Holy Spirit "feel" like. It is not something we can compare to figuring things out rationally or feelings oriented.
When Christ speaks in us the sense is so strong and different from anything else that we cannot express it to anyone. Only those who have heard from God will understand this.
John 10:27
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
John 8:47
"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Isaiah 30:21
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."
John 16:13
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."
Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Those who are not born again often hear the promptings of God convicting them of sin. Their neighbor who stands in front of them has the Holy Spirit Who emanates from them. They think it's their neighbor making them "feel bad" but it is an unseen force, the God of the universe who shows them the Law that dwells in the believer is convicting them of their sinfulness.
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Romans 8:14
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
John 16:7-9
…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
Unbelievers can sense the Holy Spirit, it makes them wince with guilt.
The Believer is joyful at the presence of someone who is born again indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Everything they hear agrees with the Bible. When they ask God for specifics about their life, they are compelled to go a certain way, without a doubt they know it was God.
Many people claim to hear from God but we know they don't because they are disobeying the Word to get their prayer answered. They must work really hard to make things happen the way they want them to happen. It is being managed in the flesh and not in the will of the Father.
When God tells us to go a certain way it will be glorifying to Him and often not as we had planned or thought would happen. But we know it is Him speaking!
There is no way to express a formula to anyone what the promptings of the Holy Spirit "feel" like. It is not something we can compare to figuring things out rationally or feelings oriented.
When Christ speaks in us the sense is so strong and different from anything else that we cannot express it to anyone. Only those who have heard from God will understand this.
John 10:27
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
John 8:47
"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Isaiah 30:21
"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."
John 16:13
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."
Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Those who are not born again often hear the promptings of God convicting them of sin. Their neighbor who stands in front of them has the Holy Spirit Who emanates from them. They think it's their neighbor making them "feel bad" but it is an unseen force, the God of the universe who shows them the Law that dwells in the believer is convicting them of their sinfulness.
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Romans 8:14
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
John 16:7-9
…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
Unbelievers can sense the Holy Spirit, it makes them wince with guilt.
The Believer is joyful at the presence of someone who is born again indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit Convicts of Sin
John 16:7-9
…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
How does the Holy Spirit convict the world of sin?
Christ in us convicts others who come in contact with us. Even when we say nothing they sense the judgment of God on them.
They know subconsciously that something is making them feel unclean but they think it is the person standing in front of them.
The most hypersensitive people are those who know in their soul that they do not measure up but want to believe they do. Instead of turning to Christ, believing in Him for salvation, they concoct ways to feel better about themselves or blame others for their bad feelings.
It is common for a narcissist to feel guilt about the ways they treat people but instead of repenting to be cleansed, they make up a reason why those who make them feel guilty are at fault.
A little boy was treating a little girl badly on the playground. The little boy was confronted by the parent of the little girl to stop bullying the little girl. The little boy said to the parent, "you made my feelings cry." Instead of being sorry for bad behavior the child attempted to make the parent feel bad for doing what was right and corrective.
Notice the focus of the child who was chastised? Rather than being sorry for acting badly, the little boy blamed the parent for his bad feelings. This was a fictional story to show how the narcissist thinks and the tricks they use to make their sinful actions about the person who pointed it out rather than facing his own bad behavior. In other words, a narcissist operates from the level of a bratty six-year-old.
We are living in a world today that is full of the tactics of the narcissists. If we do not recognize it we might end up apologizing for telling the truth while the narcissist walks away having a sense of victory that their bad behavior was alright, because they managed to make the one who disciplines them feel bad about doing what was right.
When we have developed in our confidence we do not feel shame or frustration when these narcissistic tactics are played on us, we simply shrug our shoulders (an attitude of "oh well") and continue to do what is right.
James 4:17
"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."
The world works to make righteous people feel shame and guilt over our stands for righteousness. When we are strong and confident we have no need to fight back, win an argument or make someone understand what they are refusing to hear.
Galatians 6:7-16
"7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have an opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
I like to save my discussions for those who are interested and who will listen. If we depend on the Holy Spirit for our actions and reactions we will be saying things the right way at the right time.
Luke 21:15
"15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute."
Luke 12:11-12 "…11 When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. 12 For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
How does the Holy Spirit convict the world of sin?
Christ in us convicts others who come in contact with us. Even when we say nothing they sense the judgment of God on them.
They know subconsciously that something is making them feel unclean but they think it is the person standing in front of them.
The most hypersensitive people are those who know in their soul that they do not measure up but want to believe they do. Instead of turning to Christ, believing in Him for salvation, they concoct ways to feel better about themselves or blame others for their bad feelings.
It is common for a narcissist to feel guilt about the ways they treat people but instead of repenting to be cleansed, they make up a reason why those who make them feel guilty are at fault.
A little boy was treating a little girl badly on the playground. The little boy was confronted by the parent of the little girl to stop bullying the little girl. The little boy said to the parent, "you made my feelings cry." Instead of being sorry for bad behavior the child attempted to make the parent feel bad for doing what was right and corrective.
Notice the focus of the child who was chastised? Rather than being sorry for acting badly, the little boy blamed the parent for his bad feelings. This was a fictional story to show how the narcissist thinks and the tricks they use to make their sinful actions about the person who pointed it out rather than facing his own bad behavior. In other words, a narcissist operates from the level of a bratty six-year-old.
We are living in a world today that is full of the tactics of the narcissists. If we do not recognize it we might end up apologizing for telling the truth while the narcissist walks away having a sense of victory that their bad behavior was alright, because they managed to make the one who disciplines them feel bad about doing what was right.
When we have developed in our confidence we do not feel shame or frustration when these narcissistic tactics are played on us, we simply shrug our shoulders (an attitude of "oh well") and continue to do what is right.
James 4:17
"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."
The world works to make righteous people feel shame and guilt over our stands for righteousness. When we are strong and confident we have no need to fight back, win an argument or make someone understand what they are refusing to hear.
Galatians 6:7-16
"7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have an opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
I like to save my discussions for those who are interested and who will listen. If we depend on the Holy Spirit for our actions and reactions we will be saying things the right way at the right time.
Luke 21:15
"15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute."
Luke 12:11-12 "…11 When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. 12 For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Conversations with Appliances
We know we have been inside a long time when we begin to speak to our appliances.
Brenda Zaleski-Lopez is feeling silly.
·
"We All Need To Laugh
Just be careful because people are going crazy from being in lockdown! Actually, I've just been talking about this with the microwave and toaster while drinking coffee and we all agreed that things are getting worse. I didn't mention anything to the washing machine as she puts a different spin on everything. Certainly not to the fridge as he is acting cold and distant. In the end, the iron straightened me out as she said everything will be fine, no situation is too pressing. The vacuum was very unsympathetic... told me to just suck it up, but the fan was more optimistic and hoped it would all soon blow over! The toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and didn’t say anything but the doorknob told me to get a grip. The front door said I was unhinged and so the curtains told me to ........yes, you guessed it .....pull myself together"
Brenda Zaleski-Lopez is feeling silly.
·
"We All Need To Laugh
Just be careful because people are going crazy from being in lockdown! Actually, I've just been talking about this with the microwave and toaster while drinking coffee and we all agreed that things are getting worse. I didn't mention anything to the washing machine as she puts a different spin on everything. Certainly not to the fridge as he is acting cold and distant. In the end, the iron straightened me out as she said everything will be fine, no situation is too pressing. The vacuum was very unsympathetic... told me to just suck it up, but the fan was more optimistic and hoped it would all soon blow over! The toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and didn’t say anything but the doorknob told me to get a grip. The front door said I was unhinged and so the curtains told me to ........yes, you guessed it .....pull myself together"
Examples of a Drunken Sailor?
The use of profanity on the part of "Christians" is a clue that they are either not born again or they have been watching too much television that is influencing their speech.
1 Corinthians 15:33 ” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Bad company does not have to be people, it can be television shows, movies, and plays.
Also, remember that the more we remain with unbelievers as our close friends the more we begin to think the way they think. We are not just affected by their speech, our heart draws closer to their WAY of processing information.
If we are with unbelievers and are faithful to Christ in our speech then the unbelievers will become annoyed at us. Their discomfort with us increases merely because we don't express ourselves the way they express themselves. This will be enough to bring them to a place of uneasiness.
We can discern when someone is spending more time with unbelievers than with godly born again people by the things they enjoy and the expressions that come from their mouths.
Ephesians 4:29-32
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
And, look at that passage, our unsavory speech grieves the Holy Spirit Who lives in us. When we express ourselves like drunken sailors we are sending a message to the world that we don't even respect our own God.
Think about it!!!!
After all, shouldn't we be the example others would follow instead of following unbelievers?
1 Corinthians 15:33 ” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Bad company does not have to be people, it can be television shows, movies, and plays.
Also, remember that the more we remain with unbelievers as our close friends the more we begin to think the way they think. We are not just affected by their speech, our heart draws closer to their WAY of processing information.
If we are with unbelievers and are faithful to Christ in our speech then the unbelievers will become annoyed at us. Their discomfort with us increases merely because we don't express ourselves the way they express themselves. This will be enough to bring them to a place of uneasiness.
We can discern when someone is spending more time with unbelievers than with godly born again people by the things they enjoy and the expressions that come from their mouths.
Ephesians 4:29-32
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
And, look at that passage, our unsavory speech grieves the Holy Spirit Who lives in us. When we express ourselves like drunken sailors we are sending a message to the world that we don't even respect our own God.
Think about it!!!!
After all, shouldn't we be the example others would follow instead of following unbelievers?
Jesus Christ the Only Way
Acts 4:12
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
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