The reason we have such hair sensitive people today who refuse to learn and refuse to be corrected is because they have all been raised on self esteem. No better way to ruin a culture than to make everyone hypersensitive to criticism, so they cannot learn and will start fights because of their pride.
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,"
Friday, February 20, 2015
Hell is no Joking Matter
My husband was at work one day and an old man came to our booth to visit with him.
The man began telling my husband all about his wicked exploits over the years. My husband was disgusted and asked the man where he thought he would go when he died to heave or hell.
The man said this: "heaven or hell it doesn't matter, I have friends in both places."
Then the man turned to my husband and asked him where my husband thought he was going, my husband's response was "well, hell of course, judging from your life and that you are not repentant over it."
The man became very angry and walked quickly away.
Now, why would he be angry if my husband thought he was going to hell, when he said he had friends in both places and it didn't matter where he went?
Obviously, he knew about hell and didn't really want to go there, but in rebellion, rather than repenting he just got mad.
The man began telling my husband all about his wicked exploits over the years. My husband was disgusted and asked the man where he thought he would go when he died to heave or hell.
The man said this: "heaven or hell it doesn't matter, I have friends in both places."
Then the man turned to my husband and asked him where my husband thought he was going, my husband's response was "well, hell of course, judging from your life and that you are not repentant over it."
The man became very angry and walked quickly away.
Now, why would he be angry if my husband thought he was going to hell, when he said he had friends in both places and it didn't matter where he went?
Obviously, he knew about hell and didn't really want to go there, but in rebellion, rather than repenting he just got mad.
Is Your Hair Sensitive?
The reason we have such hair sensitive people today who refuse to learn and refuse to be corrected is because they have all been raised on self esteem. No better way to ruin a culture than to make everyone hypersensitive to criticism, so they cannot learn and will start fights because of their pride.
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,"
Want to know if you still have pride, take note of your reaction the next time someone corrects you even harshly. If you are immediately defensive, then you still have pride.
A humble person hangs their head desiring to know if what the other person said was true.
A prideful person immediately reacts in anger assuming they did not deserve the rebuke.
Think about it!
1 Peter 5:6 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,"
Want to know if you still have pride, take note of your reaction the next time someone corrects you even harshly. If you are immediately defensive, then you still have pride.
A humble person hangs their head desiring to know if what the other person said was true.
A prideful person immediately reacts in anger assuming they did not deserve the rebuke.
Think about it!
Popularity Will Ruin You
My husband and I were discussing the matter of popularity in school. Children and young adults seem to think that the more friends you have the better person you are. This thinking is based on appearance, hair, clothing, activities such as football, cheerleading and other involvements that are elevated in the eyes of the world.
This discussion came up because my husband had heard a newscast about a study that was done, showing what happens to school children and young adults, who have enjoyed popularity.
In the study they found that those who tended to be popular in school were less successful in life. They had a higher rate of divorce, were involved in more crime, took no interest in spiritual matters even being hostile toward such things, or any other activity that did not elevate them in some way.
The popular people tended to be satisfied with popularity, feeling no need to develop character or work hard at any job. They excelled in only one thing and that was knowing how to gain the approval of the world around them. They surrounded themselves with those who enjoyed fun, often bragging about how many people they knew. They spent a lot of time impressing people with cars, boats and material possessions, while neglecting character qualities.
I believe we are seeing these "popular people" on chats and phones more now than ever before. Not too much of value is said or exchanged on these mediums.
When popularity is our goal, it will be impossible to develop godly character. We are taught in God's word that the world will hate those who love Christ. We have to ask why they do, the answer is because Christ does not elevate man, but shows us our wickedness, humbles us and stips away all pride and self righteousness.
I believe the study because of my own experience in school. I was never one to have a lot of friends, but I seemed to always have one very special friend. When we moved from elementary school to high school, we were separated and I would develop a different friend, but always only one.
I noticed the popular people in high school spent a lot of time mocking those they thought were less than they, they drove their own cars paid for by their parents, always had wonderful clothes and went out drinking on the weekends. These people counted themselves superior to those of us who were "wall flowers."
I was not attracted to the popular people, I guess I didn't expect to be accepted by them so I stayed in my own niche. I was one that was angry when they mocked others and generally reached out to the ones they treated this way. I was a more fortunate one, they ignored me completely.
On my 40th high school reunion, I thought I would go to see if any of the popular people ever grew up. I expected everyone to be more mature, with stable families, after all we were from a country school and we had 40 years to mature. What I found was astonishing.
Most of the attendees were those who had been popular, many were divorced, some more than once, they still told dirty jokes, got drunk and ignored the unpopular people. I felt sorry for them, they were stuck in their high school pattern and now it was too late to come out of it.
When it came time to ask people how long they had been married, I was the longest married with the most children and grandchildren. They mocked it, while joking about how many divorces were in the group. Those who had been divorced many times got the claps, while the ones who remained married with stable families were ignored. For the first time in my life I realized that many people never grow up, never evaluate self and are satisfied with foolishness their entire lives. I remembered the scripture that says "come out from among them and be ye separate."
Without Christ, this is what it is like to be in the world, it was very sad. It was bad enough that most, if not all the people there were like this, but then they openly mocked righteousness while elevating wickedness.
Mark 13:13 "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Matthew 5:11-12 "10"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Next time a young person complains that they are not popular, show them the devastating effects of popularity while pointing out the blessings of genuine friends, who are not fake and foolish.
This discussion came up because my husband had heard a newscast about a study that was done, showing what happens to school children and young adults, who have enjoyed popularity.
In the study they found that those who tended to be popular in school were less successful in life. They had a higher rate of divorce, were involved in more crime, took no interest in spiritual matters even being hostile toward such things, or any other activity that did not elevate them in some way.
The popular people tended to be satisfied with popularity, feeling no need to develop character or work hard at any job. They excelled in only one thing and that was knowing how to gain the approval of the world around them. They surrounded themselves with those who enjoyed fun, often bragging about how many people they knew. They spent a lot of time impressing people with cars, boats and material possessions, while neglecting character qualities.
I believe we are seeing these "popular people" on chats and phones more now than ever before. Not too much of value is said or exchanged on these mediums.
When popularity is our goal, it will be impossible to develop godly character. We are taught in God's word that the world will hate those who love Christ. We have to ask why they do, the answer is because Christ does not elevate man, but shows us our wickedness, humbles us and stips away all pride and self righteousness.
I believe the study because of my own experience in school. I was never one to have a lot of friends, but I seemed to always have one very special friend. When we moved from elementary school to high school, we were separated and I would develop a different friend, but always only one.
I noticed the popular people in high school spent a lot of time mocking those they thought were less than they, they drove their own cars paid for by their parents, always had wonderful clothes and went out drinking on the weekends. These people counted themselves superior to those of us who were "wall flowers."
I was not attracted to the popular people, I guess I didn't expect to be accepted by them so I stayed in my own niche. I was one that was angry when they mocked others and generally reached out to the ones they treated this way. I was a more fortunate one, they ignored me completely.
On my 40th high school reunion, I thought I would go to see if any of the popular people ever grew up. I expected everyone to be more mature, with stable families, after all we were from a country school and we had 40 years to mature. What I found was astonishing.
Most of the attendees were those who had been popular, many were divorced, some more than once, they still told dirty jokes, got drunk and ignored the unpopular people. I felt sorry for them, they were stuck in their high school pattern and now it was too late to come out of it.
When it came time to ask people how long they had been married, I was the longest married with the most children and grandchildren. They mocked it, while joking about how many divorces were in the group. Those who had been divorced many times got the claps, while the ones who remained married with stable families were ignored. For the first time in my life I realized that many people never grow up, never evaluate self and are satisfied with foolishness their entire lives. I remembered the scripture that says "come out from among them and be ye separate."
Without Christ, this is what it is like to be in the world, it was very sad. It was bad enough that most, if not all the people there were like this, but then they openly mocked righteousness while elevating wickedness.
Mark 13:13 "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."
Matthew 5:11-12 "10"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Next time a young person complains that they are not popular, show them the devastating effects of popularity while pointing out the blessings of genuine friends, who are not fake and foolish.
God Knows Those Who Are His
Malachi 3:16-18
"16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNZL6039Yms
"16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNZL6039Yms
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