I just read a sad story about a veteran who died alone in a nursing home. If we are born again, even if we die in the wilderness without companions, we still never die alone.
I am so grateful that God goes through with us no matter what we go through and when we have no support from human beings. We always have the Lord with us just as the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the firely furnace.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Witless Humanitarian Aid
Matthew 24:43 ""But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into."
When people become prideful and foolish, lacking wisdom and discernment, they invite the enemy to their house thinking in their arrogance that they are doing an humanitarian good deed.
When people become prideful and foolish, lacking wisdom and discernment, they invite the enemy to their house thinking in their arrogance that they are doing an humanitarian good deed.
When good works become our focus over what Christ did on
the cross, we begin to think we are special adding Christ to all that we do
rather than seeking Him for His direction and wisdom.
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, in word or
deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him."
Bringing the enemy into our country knowing their
religion is one of war and carnage, is absolutely half-witted. The job of our
country's leaders is to first protect the citizens, not to rescue the entire
world while placing the populous in serious danger. We are not called to rescue
the very people who are hell bent on our demise.
Bringing into our nation those who are bent on destroying
us, while turning over to them our resources that citizens spent a lifetime
earning and building makes as much sense as sending all available monies to
other countries when our own bills are not paid.
Islam has made it clear that they intend to kill everyone
who will not submit to Islam while taking over the government in their host
country. Since the Koran instructs their people to lie, we cannot trust anyone
who claims to be a Muslim.
It is one thing to see an accident on the road, stop to
offer assistance to one family and quite another to allow thousands of them
into our country with no implementation of rules and standards they would be
required to obey.
When we become godless as a culture, all good sense flies
out the window, leaving us vulnerable to dictatorship.
Returning to Truth of the Bible
Two things that we have been taught all our lives in the
modern churches that are unbiblical and has destroyed loyalty to God, are that
we are to love everyone and secondly we are to forgive without repentance.
The Holy Scriptures do not teach this!!!!
God clearly states that He hates the evil doer and will
send to hell all those who reject Him.
Would anyone dare to say that sending someone to hell is an act of
"love"?
Leviticus 20:23: “And ye shall not walk in the manners of
the nations which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things,
and therefore I ABHORRED THEM.”
Deuteronomy 25:16: “...ALL THAT DO UNRIGHTEOUSLY ARE AN
ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD.”
Deuteronomy 32:16-20: “They provoked Him to jealousy with
strange gods, with abominations they provoked Him to ANGER... And when the Lord
saw it [people sacrificing to devils - v.17], HE ABHORRED THEM...”
Proverbs 16:5: “Every one that is proud in heart is an
ABOMINATION TO THE LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”
I Corinthians 16:22: “If any man love not the Lord Jesus
Christ, let him be ANATHEMA MARANATHA [which means ACCURSED, THE LORD COMETH].”
God never says anywhere in His word that we are to
forgive before or without repentance.
1 John 1:9 "9
IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Acts 3:19 "19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that
times of refreshing may come in the presence of the Lord,"
Luke 17:3 ""Be on your guard! IF your brother
sins, rebuke him; and IF he repents, forgive him."
Because the culture has taught these false doctrines,
there are many people who continue in sin believing that we and God have an
obligation to forgive them while they continue to sin without shame over it.
Because our culture has taught that everyone is basically
good and God loves everyone, few people are broken over their sinful behavior,
even defending it while shouting silliness such as "don't judge me, you
don't know my heart."
Matthew 15:19 ""For out of the heart come evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
slanders."
Our actions prove what is in the heart!!!!
God clearly states in His Word that we are to repent, we
are to forgive when there is repentance, those who will not repent are not
forgiven and God hates the evil doer.
These truths ought to frighten the unsaved to their knees in repentance,
but instead the apostate churches has lulled the sinner into a false sense of
security leading them to believe that God is a sort of Santa that keeps a list,
of who is naughty and nice, ignoring his list giving gifts to everyone anyway
no matter what they do.
Our culture believes they can spurn the principles of
God, malign His character, pretend He loves everyone no matter what they say or
think of Him, and He will usher them into heaven with a big hug and smiles just
like Santa.
The modern apostate church has lulled non-believers right
onto the wide path that leads to hell, while thinking they too are saved by
their friendliness to the world.
Matthew 7:13-14 "13 “Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there
are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow
that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
Sadly, many in the apostate church believe they are on
their way to heaven but have never been born again.
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.’"
When we see the world anxiously adopting the beliefs of
the apostate church, we can be sure what the apostate church has taught is not
only wrong but an abomination to the Lord.
Whatever the world accepts something, it is likely that what they
endorse is evil in the sight of God.
Every non-believer I know thinks that God will not punish
their sin that He loves everyone and there is no repentance required to be
forgiven. They believe they don't have to turn from sin, because after all, it
is just enough to think good thoughts, no need to actually be what we believe
about ourselves. We might say this mentality is a product of our cultural
attitudes of entitlement. So many people
believe they are entitled to everything they want along with praise for all
they do even without evidence that they are what they claim to be.
When we deviate from God's Word, while adopting the
standards of the world, we will spread a false gospel, while denying Christ by
our evil doctrine.
It is no wonder we have so many false converts and
arrogant church leaders, they think they are special and deserve salvation.
Pettiness Abounds Among Believers
Excellent!!! This suggests to me that things haven't changed as much as we might think!
Josh Slatton
3 hrs · Wow did I need to read this today....this is so good.
Avoid foolish questions. – Titus 3:9
Our days are few, and are far better spent in devoting ourselves to good works, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. Incessant discussion of subjects of no practical value, do a world of mischief. Our churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser! Therefore, the discussion no more promotes knowledge, than love! It is foolish to sow in so barren a field.
Questions upon . . . points wherein Scripture is silent; mysteries which belong to God alone; prophecies of doubtful interpretation; modes of observing mere human ceremonies, are all foolish! Wise men will avoid them! Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions but to avoid them altogether! If we observe the apostle’s precept to be careful to devote ourselves to good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings!
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly answer, such as these:
Am I growing in grace and Christ-likeness?
Does my life adorn the doctrine of my Savior?
What more can I do for Jesus?
Such inquiries as these, urgently demand our attention!
If we have been at all given to arguing and disputing, let us now turn to a service so much more profitable. Let us endeavor to lead others, both by our precept and example, to “avoid foolish questions.”
Charles Spurgeon's Morning Devotional
Josh Slatton
3 hrs · Wow did I need to read this today....this is so good.
Avoid foolish questions. – Titus 3:9
Our days are few, and are far better spent in devoting ourselves to good works, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. Incessant discussion of subjects of no practical value, do a world of mischief. Our churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser! Therefore, the discussion no more promotes knowledge, than love! It is foolish to sow in so barren a field.
Questions upon . . . points wherein Scripture is silent; mysteries which belong to God alone; prophecies of doubtful interpretation; modes of observing mere human ceremonies, are all foolish! Wise men will avoid them! Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions but to avoid them altogether! If we observe the apostle’s precept to be careful to devote ourselves to good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings!
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly answer, such as these:
Am I growing in grace and Christ-likeness?
Does my life adorn the doctrine of my Savior?
What more can I do for Jesus?
Such inquiries as these, urgently demand our attention!
If we have been at all given to arguing and disputing, let us now turn to a service so much more profitable. Let us endeavor to lead others, both by our precept and example, to “avoid foolish questions.”
Charles Spurgeon's Morning Devotional
Commanding Others to do Things Our Own Way
I have to laugh when I see people posting placards that command us to respond and share as if it were a demonstration of our allegiance to them. I see this nearly every day. What happens to me when I see it is the compulsion to deliberately not respond or share. Anyone can "like" and "repost" while meaning none of it, just to fit in, doing so doesn't mean we live what we expressed.
When we use intimidation to cause people to do what we want them to do to feel in control or elevated in the eyes of others, we have demonstrated a lack of love.
Love shares opinions, views and truth without any conditions placed on the reader. God can take something anywhere He wants it to go without our intimidation. It is not our job to coerce others to think as we do or to do as we do. We can have faith that God will work on hearts, His way without us! Unless of course they are delivering heresy or a false gospel then we have a responsibility to remove ourselves.
Intimidation and manipulation to get what we want, even if it's a good thing, is not love, but selfishness coupled with lack of faith. It is also one of the elements of narcissism, when we can't find love for someone unless they do things our way, even then it isn't God's love because we would love and appreciate others even when they don't see things exactly our way.
I attended a Pentecostal gathering once, where I was standing by myself pondering something in my heart. A man walked up to me introduced himself and then told me I should smile, "if you are a Christian" you should be happy." Sadly, this man assumed I was unhappy because I was not wildly smiling as he was. He associated the joy of the Lord with a continual plastic smile to show off to others.
I asked him, "Why do you want me to smile?" He continued to act in animated fashion, while sharing that if we have the joy of the Lord we will be smiling. I asked for scripture to support his view and he suddenly had something else to do, bounding off, smiling at everyone passing by to demonstrate his joy. He made a false judgment that I was not spiritual because I was not smiling while attempting to cause bad feelings of failure in me for not doing as he did.
The situation would have been comical if it were not so sad. The purpose of the encounter was not for the man to encourage me to have joy, I already had that, rather the purpose was to cause others in the gathering to focus on him, he worked to manufacture a false superficial and self-elevating persona of joy.
God never told us to "smile", in fact just the opposite will occur when we walk closely with Christ.
Ecclesiastes 1:18 "Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain."
God never told us to be happy, everywhere we see the word "happy" in the modern versions, the original uses a word for "blessed." Being blessed is far different from happiness. Happiness is more associated with feelings based on circumstances rather than the ever present joy a believer has even in times of trial.
James 1:2-8
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
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.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The word "happy" came from the 1300's meaning "happenstance", referring to "good fortune." This word is based on circumstances and feelings, not on peace or joy that comes from deep within the soul.
The word "happy" has replaced the word "blessed" in the modern translation.
Proverbs 3:13 "Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding." KJV
Proverbs 3:13 "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding." NASB
The Word blessed in the Greek means: adulation, praise, blessing, gift.
What I notice about this is that happiness is based on feelings, while blessing is based on an inner soul experience that resides even when there is sadness, trials or intense difficulty.
That's why God says; ""2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."
Joy is based on a steadfast assurance of God's protection for our soul even while we are being tortured, beheaded or in our culture, merely the maligning of our character when it is undeserved.
We should not be seeking to be happy or feeling less spiritual when we are sad. Focusing on superficial emotions and even judging others who don't have a show of intense adulation, is someone who is entrenched in a worldly view of life.
There are many times I feel happiness and laugh at something amusing, but that is not an indication of my spirituality. An indication that we possess the joy of the Lord is our response to all aspects of life even hardship.
It is not love to pressure someone to smile when they are experiencing hardship, it is sin to judge someone as lacking joy just because their outer appearance is not what we think it ought to be.
Love of the brethren is caring enough to ask what someone is experiencing to be able to help them, or join in their joy. Assuming things without understanding of the details is arrogant. Believing we know the plight of someone by mere superficial observance is to act like God, knowing all things without having to engage with those we judge.
Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
Love does not seek to elevate self through phony appearances, but rather seeks to know the brethren at the deepest level.
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.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away."
1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;"
We must remember too, that we can never make a proper judgment of another human being merely from the testimony of others. Often triangulation is going on, especially in families. Triangulation is the practice of repeating matters we have heard, while acting toward the victim as though what we heard was absolutely true.
Even when we have observed something someone has done, we cannot judge it without first speaking to the person and listening to all the details. Gossip is when we pass on information when we don't know all the details.
When we use intimidation to cause people to do what we want them to do to feel in control or elevated in the eyes of others, we have demonstrated a lack of love.
Love shares opinions, views and truth without any conditions placed on the reader. God can take something anywhere He wants it to go without our intimidation. It is not our job to coerce others to think as we do or to do as we do. We can have faith that God will work on hearts, His way without us! Unless of course they are delivering heresy or a false gospel then we have a responsibility to remove ourselves.
Intimidation and manipulation to get what we want, even if it's a good thing, is not love, but selfishness coupled with lack of faith. It is also one of the elements of narcissism, when we can't find love for someone unless they do things our way, even then it isn't God's love because we would love and appreciate others even when they don't see things exactly our way.
I attended a Pentecostal gathering once, where I was standing by myself pondering something in my heart. A man walked up to me introduced himself and then told me I should smile, "if you are a Christian" you should be happy." Sadly, this man assumed I was unhappy because I was not wildly smiling as he was. He associated the joy of the Lord with a continual plastic smile to show off to others.
I asked him, "Why do you want me to smile?" He continued to act in animated fashion, while sharing that if we have the joy of the Lord we will be smiling. I asked for scripture to support his view and he suddenly had something else to do, bounding off, smiling at everyone passing by to demonstrate his joy. He made a false judgment that I was not spiritual because I was not smiling while attempting to cause bad feelings of failure in me for not doing as he did.
The situation would have been comical if it were not so sad. The purpose of the encounter was not for the man to encourage me to have joy, I already had that, rather the purpose was to cause others in the gathering to focus on him, he worked to manufacture a false superficial and self-elevating persona of joy.
God never told us to "smile", in fact just the opposite will occur when we walk closely with Christ.
Ecclesiastes 1:18 "Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain."
God never told us to be happy, everywhere we see the word "happy" in the modern versions, the original uses a word for "blessed." Being blessed is far different from happiness. Happiness is more associated with feelings based on circumstances rather than the ever present joy a believer has even in times of trial.
James 1:2-8
"2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
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.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The word "happy" came from the 1300's meaning "happenstance", referring to "good fortune." This word is based on circumstances and feelings, not on peace or joy that comes from deep within the soul.
The word "happy" has replaced the word "blessed" in the modern translation.
Proverbs 3:13 "Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding." KJV
Proverbs 3:13 "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding." NASB
The Word blessed in the Greek means: adulation, praise, blessing, gift.
What I notice about this is that happiness is based on feelings, while blessing is based on an inner soul experience that resides even when there is sadness, trials or intense difficulty.
That's why God says; ""2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."
Joy is based on a steadfast assurance of God's protection for our soul even while we are being tortured, beheaded or in our culture, merely the maligning of our character when it is undeserved.
We should not be seeking to be happy or feeling less spiritual when we are sad. Focusing on superficial emotions and even judging others who don't have a show of intense adulation, is someone who is entrenched in a worldly view of life.
There are many times I feel happiness and laugh at something amusing, but that is not an indication of my spirituality. An indication that we possess the joy of the Lord is our response to all aspects of life even hardship.
It is not love to pressure someone to smile when they are experiencing hardship, it is sin to judge someone as lacking joy just because their outer appearance is not what we think it ought to be.
Love of the brethren is caring enough to ask what someone is experiencing to be able to help them, or join in their joy. Assuming things without understanding of the details is arrogant. Believing we know the plight of someone by mere superficial observance is to act like God, knowing all things without having to engage with those we judge.
Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
Love does not seek to elevate self through phony appearances, but rather seeks to know the brethren at the deepest level.
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.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away."
1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;"
We must remember too, that we can never make a proper judgment of another human being merely from the testimony of others. Often triangulation is going on, especially in families. Triangulation is the practice of repeating matters we have heard, while acting toward the victim as though what we heard was absolutely true.
Even when we have observed something someone has done, we cannot judge it without first speaking to the person and listening to all the details. Gossip is when we pass on information when we don't know all the details.
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