If difficulty caused a person to act in mean spirited ways to others who are innocent, they were not shaped by the difficulty, their heart was revealed by it.
The Lord sends trials to show us our own heart. If we respond with civility to others, we will be kind whether or not we have difficulties.
If we are hiding a mean spirit, then it will come out at the first test or trial.
We cannot hide our inner heart very long before it will be revealed, either a humble loving spirit or a vindictive rebellious one.
Trials do not make us what we are, they merely reveal it.
Matthew 15:19 "…18 "But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."
Monday, April 4, 2016
Our Reborn Family
It is such a blessing to have a family that loves the Lord, those who are brothers and sisters by spiritual rebirth!!!
When we know that our family are not by blood but rather by the Spirit, we enjoy the fellowship with them, even across the country and the world.
It is wonderful when our physical family is also a part of the Spiritual family too. There are many people I know who do not have physical family that belong to the family of God, they have been rejected, maligned and demeaned by physical family because of their born again status.
Those who feel isolated and rejected by physical family, know the sense of loneliness they feel, thankfully it does not have to overtake them, they have that inner joy and strength always.
When we know Who we belong to and He Who never abandons us, we can rejoice in His love.
Never allow the unsaved to rob you of your joy, they have no power over us, no matter what they do, they cannot control our soul, Christ is in charge of that.
John 1:5 "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
When we know that Christ came to live in us, sealed us with His Holy Spirit and we are on our way to heaven to receive our inheritance, we can focus on that and those who are going that way too.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 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. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.…"
We can feel pity and pray for those who are lost in their sin on their way to hell. Why on earth would we take seriously the opinion of those who are not a child of the King, who will end up in hell, if they do not repent? Pray for them, pity them and obey the Holy Spirit in dealing with them, but never allow them to manipulate our choices or our emotions.
Seek Christ always not the world!
When we know that our family are not by blood but rather by the Spirit, we enjoy the fellowship with them, even across the country and the world.
It is wonderful when our physical family is also a part of the Spiritual family too. There are many people I know who do not have physical family that belong to the family of God, they have been rejected, maligned and demeaned by physical family because of their born again status.
Those who feel isolated and rejected by physical family, know the sense of loneliness they feel, thankfully it does not have to overtake them, they have that inner joy and strength always.
When we know Who we belong to and He Who never abandons us, we can rejoice in His love.
Never allow the unsaved to rob you of your joy, they have no power over us, no matter what they do, they cannot control our soul, Christ is in charge of that.
John 1:5 "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
When we know that Christ came to live in us, sealed us with His Holy Spirit and we are on our way to heaven to receive our inheritance, we can focus on that and those who are going that way too.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 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. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.…"
We can feel pity and pray for those who are lost in their sin on their way to hell. Why on earth would we take seriously the opinion of those who are not a child of the King, who will end up in hell, if they do not repent? Pray for them, pity them and obey the Holy Spirit in dealing with them, but never allow them to manipulate our choices or our emotions.
Seek Christ always not the world!
Sin is Growing Exponentially
Is it any wonder why things are getting worse? No one makes a move to question their own sinfulness when everyone in the culture accepts their behavior. The more we "tolerate" sinfulness without challenge the bigger it grows.
Has anyone noticed as I have, that correction and instruction are the new evil. If we disagree with or attempt to explain further a truth, those hearing often become angry that we didn't completely validate what ever they want to believe. The culture is so full of themselves that any hint of instruction or correction differing from their own desires is met with hostility.
We are living in evil times, as the Bible explains, there will be total anarchy, rebellion, lack of kindness and empathy in the world.
Matthew 24:37-39King James Version (KJV)
"37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
Luke 17:26-30 King James Version (KJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."
We are now in these last days when everyone does what is right in their own eyes and refuses to listen to instruction. As long as they like it, it is expected that everyone else validate it or there is a price to pay for thinking with the mind of Christ or daring to question everything. That price is deliberate, open or covert meanness, to devalue the one who attempted to bring God's sense to a situation.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 "…20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil."
I probably can't count the number of times I have heard, "you are judging", or "it is not your business", by those whom the Lord instructed me to speak to about their walk or behavior.
When I am told that I have no business instructing others, I remove myself from those people. I notice too that these same people will feel free to judge our lives without restraint, but cannot tolerate anyone else challenging their behavior. As the saying goes, "they can dish it out but they cannot take it."
Hypocrisy is one of the signs of a person in rebellion. Our culture is full of insidious hypocrisy, it takes many forms, often disguised as intellect and righteousness, full of Scripture twisting.
The only defense against this rejection is continual prayer and Scripture reading. When we are led by the Lord we need to obey Him no matter what the consequences, in our country the very least of those is the rejection of others. In other countries around the world this rejection takes the form of hideous persecution, even death.
If we cannot die to self in a culture as free and easy as this one, we will never be able to die when we are faced with death.
Has anyone noticed as I have, that correction and instruction are the new evil. If we disagree with or attempt to explain further a truth, those hearing often become angry that we didn't completely validate what ever they want to believe. The culture is so full of themselves that any hint of instruction or correction differing from their own desires is met with hostility.
We are living in evil times, as the Bible explains, there will be total anarchy, rebellion, lack of kindness and empathy in the world.
Matthew 24:37-39King James Version (KJV)
"37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
Luke 17:26-30 King James Version (KJV)
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."
We are now in these last days when everyone does what is right in their own eyes and refuses to listen to instruction. As long as they like it, it is expected that everyone else validate it or there is a price to pay for thinking with the mind of Christ or daring to question everything. That price is deliberate, open or covert meanness, to devalue the one who attempted to bring God's sense to a situation.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 "…20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil."
I probably can't count the number of times I have heard, "you are judging", or "it is not your business", by those whom the Lord instructed me to speak to about their walk or behavior.
When I am told that I have no business instructing others, I remove myself from those people. I notice too that these same people will feel free to judge our lives without restraint, but cannot tolerate anyone else challenging their behavior. As the saying goes, "they can dish it out but they cannot take it."
Hypocrisy is one of the signs of a person in rebellion. Our culture is full of insidious hypocrisy, it takes many forms, often disguised as intellect and righteousness, full of Scripture twisting.
The only defense against this rejection is continual prayer and Scripture reading. When we are led by the Lord we need to obey Him no matter what the consequences, in our country the very least of those is the rejection of others. In other countries around the world this rejection takes the form of hideous persecution, even death.
If we cannot die to self in a culture as free and easy as this one, we will never be able to die when we are faced with death.
Proverbs 29:11 "…10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. 11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 12 If a ruler pays attention to falsehood, All his ministers become wicked."
I notice something about the statement in Proverbs 29:11 "but the upright are concerned for his life." Does it actually mean that the upright are concerned about the lives of the men of bloodshed? Could it mean that even though they hate us, our concern is for their eternal state.
The reason I question this is because the righteous are not concerned about their life, they leave it in God's hands. They are secure in Christ, whether or not their life is taken from them, but the man of bloodshed is the one on the way to hell, he is the one to be concerned about. Just a thought!
I notice something about the statement in Proverbs 29:11 "but the upright are concerned for his life." Does it actually mean that the upright are concerned about the lives of the men of bloodshed? Could it mean that even though they hate us, our concern is for their eternal state.
The reason I question this is because the righteous are not concerned about their life, they leave it in God's hands. They are secure in Christ, whether or not their life is taken from them, but the man of bloodshed is the one on the way to hell, he is the one to be concerned about. Just a thought!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)