There was a question on another status as to whether or not death bed conversions were legitimate. I thought it was a good question, so I answered it this way with the following statements:
My response;
I don't think we can really know, it is God that looks into the heart. If the person repents at the end, there are no clues to see a changed life, so judging it makes no sense. Also, isn't the death bed repentance what we saw with the thief on the cross? He knew he was dying, confessed Christ as the Son of God. He also said, "this man has done nothing wrong, we deserve this but this man did not." That was his way of confessing that Christ is God and did not deserve the punishment. Christ told him that the very day he said that the thief would be in heaven with Him. Hallelujah.
It is unnecessary to decide about anyone's salvation on their death bed. Perhaps the best thing to say to loved ones is "he is where God wants him to be."
So often people think they have to know where everyone went at death, but we really can't know for sure because of Matthew 7:21-23.
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.’"
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Ask the Holy Spirit!
All English translations are fallible! It is only the Holy Spirit that can sort it all out for us.
Do not place your trust in a translation, place your trust in Christ alone and He will show you truth.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
No where in the Word of God does He say any particular translation will lead you into all truth! God says that the Holy Spirit will do that, Him alone.
Do not place your trust in a translation, place your trust in Christ alone and He will show you truth.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
No where in the Word of God does He say any particular translation will lead you into all truth! God says that the Holy Spirit will do that, Him alone.
I Hate His Words
Jeremiah 15:16-18
"…16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, Nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, For You filled me with indignation.
18 Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?…
19 Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them.
20 “Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze;
And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you;
For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the Lord.
21 “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.”
"…16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, Nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, For You filled me with indignation.
18 Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?…
19 Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them.
20 “Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze;
And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you;
For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the Lord.
21 “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.”
God is on the Side of Israel
God is on the side of Israel, always has been always will be.
Zechariah 8:22-23 "…22'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.' 23"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"
Zechariah 8:22-23 "…22'So many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.' 23"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"
I Have Been Paid For By His Blood
Fred B. Banner Jr said: "I know where I'm going, who bought the ticket and exactly what He paid for it."
Christ shed His blood for my sin, that was the price He paid. Because of that act I have received eternal life, having believed in Him, I am saved and I am saved forever.
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."
Christ shed His blood for my sin, that was the price He paid. Because of that act I have received eternal life, having believed in Him, I am saved and I am saved forever.
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."
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
The Simple Gospel
Here is the Gospel:
Romans 10:8-10 "…8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.…"
Romans 10:8-10 "…8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.…"
Gospel is Veiled to the Parishing
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Cultural Christianity is Without Christ
We have been engaged in a "cultural Christianity" in the United States for generations now. Following the rules became more important than following Christ, AND many of the rules were not even Biblical, they were man made to keep people under the control of the leaders. It was not Christ Who was leading individuals, but man oppressing other men.
No where in the Bible will you see anything resembling leaders forcing, intimidating or using covertly oppressive tricks to keep people under their thumbs. Husbands are not to act this way either.
1 Peter 5:2-4 "…2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.…"
Because the church has implemented man's rules rather than God's principles, they have gone so far off the mark that it is a corrupted gathering in most cases.
No where in the Bible will you see anything resembling leaders forcing, intimidating or using covertly oppressive tricks to keep people under their thumbs. Husbands are not to act this way either.
1 Peter 5:2-4 "…2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.…"
Because the church has implemented man's rules rather than God's principles, they have gone so far off the mark that it is a corrupted gathering in most cases.
Lying Against the Truth
Many in the church gatherings today claim to be "Christian" but in their attitudes and actions they lie against the truth.
Psalm 10:4
"The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him All his thoughts are, "There is no God.""
Psalm 10:4
"The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him All his thoughts are, "There is no God.""
The Lying Lips
Isaiah 29:13-14
"13 Then the Lord said,
“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;
And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,
And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”
"13 Then the Lord said,
“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;
And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,
And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”
Bringing a Gatling Gun to a Knife Fight
All you have to do to the narcissist is to point out one weak spot in their armor to help them learn to do better, and they see it as an all out assault on their being, worthy of complete contempt toward us.
We come with a butter knife to scrape off the sin or flaw that needs attention and they return with a Gatling gun to blow you away as though you had done a terrible thing, when all you were doing was scrapping away the sin to help.
Not only do they bring their Gatling gun to devastate you, they bring their friends with their bayonets to wipe the floor with you through their gossip and over exaggerations about your behavior.
The narcissist never takes a look at their own behavior, which is why they never apologize for anything, even when they are confronted with exactly what they did, they refuse to admit they did it or they claim they had a good reason.
One of my all time favorites, that I have been blessed to have experienced, is for them to say, "I don't know" when asked why they did something. Or, my second favorite is to claim they didn't do something you know they did. Absolute denial of their bad behavior to maintain their false image is continual with a narcissist.
When we know all these things it is a blessing, because now we know where it is coming from and from whom it is coming, meaning the devil himself. He works to infect and twist the mind of the narcissist to choose to believe things about themselves and others that are not true.
Just like Eve in the garden of Eden, the serpent made Eve doubt God's Word. Then he enticed her to believe she could be a god herself. This was the first demonstration of the tactics of the devil to build self will and pride in Eve. Adam was no better, he was easily manipulated to partake with Eve, without challenge, even though he was created to be her protector, he made no attempt to protect her, she was on her own and neither of them trusted God.
Had they trusted God they would have understood that when God spoke a command He knew what He was doing and why. They didn't trust God, they trusted the evil one because their sinful hearts wanted to be what the devil promised they could be, but it was a lie and led to the loss of everything they knew as well as a much harder life and now a death that never had to be if they had only trusted God.
Genesis chapter 3 tells us all about it.
More Scripture in context shows us that mankind has been rejecting and mocking God all along, continually attempting to elevate themselves above God as well as any other authority in their lives.
Deuteronomy 32:5
"They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation."
Romans 1:29
"being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,"
Psalm 14:1
"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God " They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good."
Acts 7:51
"You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did."
Romans 3:11
"THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;"
2 Timothy 3:8
"Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith."
Psalm 62:4
"They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah."
Sadly, many people who darken the doors of the church buildings are full of this pride and arrogance that destroys love toward the people who meet together. They have ruined families and communities and governments with this monstrous desire to be like gods.
Psalm 10:2-4
"In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him All his thoughts are, "There is no God.""
Notice in the Psalm 10 passage it says that "the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted", the challenge of the wicked is to continually bludgeon those they perceive as weak. To the wicked a weak person is one who has love, empathy and righteousness, one who cries for those in peril, will be hated by those who lack the love of Christ. One who loves truth will be the target of the "SELF righteous." They will mock, demean, gossip against and treat with contempt, anyone who will not succumb to their tactics.
The goal of the narcissist is to treat the righteous with such contempt that they become consumed with defending themselves, giving into the narc to become just like him.
We cannot allow our flesh to get in the way of our dealings with narcissists. We must seek the Holy Spirit to speak through us and work on our behalf to avoid falling into the trap of the narcissist, whose goal is to cause us to fall into fleshly reactions.
How do we recognize the narcissist? 2 Timothy 3 tells us all we need to know. God tells us to avoid them, to prevent ourselves from becoming like them.
1 Corinthians 15:33 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
The goal of the devil is to use narcissists, as described in 2 Timothy 3, to cause the righteous to falter and to fall into sin. We must resist the devil by knowing God's Word and through trusting that Christ in us will work through us.
James 4:7
"7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
How do we resist the devil? The answer is by submitting to Christ. Christ in us will give us the details and particulars as we move through our encounters.
We come with a butter knife to scrape off the sin or flaw that needs attention and they return with a Gatling gun to blow you away as though you had done a terrible thing, when all you were doing was scrapping away the sin to help.
Not only do they bring their Gatling gun to devastate you, they bring their friends with their bayonets to wipe the floor with you through their gossip and over exaggerations about your behavior.
The narcissist never takes a look at their own behavior, which is why they never apologize for anything, even when they are confronted with exactly what they did, they refuse to admit they did it or they claim they had a good reason.
One of my all time favorites, that I have been blessed to have experienced, is for them to say, "I don't know" when asked why they did something. Or, my second favorite is to claim they didn't do something you know they did. Absolute denial of their bad behavior to maintain their false image is continual with a narcissist.
When we know all these things it is a blessing, because now we know where it is coming from and from whom it is coming, meaning the devil himself. He works to infect and twist the mind of the narcissist to choose to believe things about themselves and others that are not true.
Just like Eve in the garden of Eden, the serpent made Eve doubt God's Word. Then he enticed her to believe she could be a god herself. This was the first demonstration of the tactics of the devil to build self will and pride in Eve. Adam was no better, he was easily manipulated to partake with Eve, without challenge, even though he was created to be her protector, he made no attempt to protect her, she was on her own and neither of them trusted God.
Had they trusted God they would have understood that when God spoke a command He knew what He was doing and why. They didn't trust God, they trusted the evil one because their sinful hearts wanted to be what the devil promised they could be, but it was a lie and led to the loss of everything they knew as well as a much harder life and now a death that never had to be if they had only trusted God.
Genesis chapter 3 tells us all about it.
More Scripture in context shows us that mankind has been rejecting and mocking God all along, continually attempting to elevate themselves above God as well as any other authority in their lives.
Deuteronomy 32:5
"They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation."
Romans 1:29
"being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,"
Psalm 14:1
"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God " They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good."
Acts 7:51
"You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did."
Romans 3:11
"THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;"
2 Timothy 3:8
"Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith."
Psalm 62:4
"They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position; They delight in falsehood; They bless with their mouth, But inwardly they curse. Selah."
Sadly, many people who darken the doors of the church buildings are full of this pride and arrogance that destroys love toward the people who meet together. They have ruined families and communities and governments with this monstrous desire to be like gods.
Psalm 10:2-4
"In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him All his thoughts are, "There is no God.""
Notice in the Psalm 10 passage it says that "the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted", the challenge of the wicked is to continually bludgeon those they perceive as weak. To the wicked a weak person is one who has love, empathy and righteousness, one who cries for those in peril, will be hated by those who lack the love of Christ. One who loves truth will be the target of the "SELF righteous." They will mock, demean, gossip against and treat with contempt, anyone who will not succumb to their tactics.
The goal of the narcissist is to treat the righteous with such contempt that they become consumed with defending themselves, giving into the narc to become just like him.
We cannot allow our flesh to get in the way of our dealings with narcissists. We must seek the Holy Spirit to speak through us and work on our behalf to avoid falling into the trap of the narcissist, whose goal is to cause us to fall into fleshly reactions.
How do we recognize the narcissist? 2 Timothy 3 tells us all we need to know. God tells us to avoid them, to prevent ourselves from becoming like them.
1 Corinthians 15:33 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
The goal of the devil is to use narcissists, as described in 2 Timothy 3, to cause the righteous to falter and to fall into sin. We must resist the devil by knowing God's Word and through trusting that Christ in us will work through us.
James 4:7
"7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
How do we resist the devil? The answer is by submitting to Christ. Christ in us will give us the details and particulars as we move through our encounters.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Always Learning But Lacking Wisdom
2 Timothy 3:7 "7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Welcome to our culture!
Inheritance is a Reward not a Right
Only those who love Christ will have an inheritance from Him. Those who have trusted Christ have an amazing inheritance.
Remember His example as we are growing old. The earthly goods we accumulated over the years should go to those who respected and honored us, not to those who spurned, rejected and abandoned us.
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
If our love was not enough in life, our care for them when they were young and our teaching about Christ was spurned all through our lives, what makes us think that will change just because in our death they received our stuff?
Giving material possessions and money to a contemptuous adult child does not change their heart toward us or toward God.
The greatest blessing we can leave rebellious adult children is the Bible and our written testimony to what we knew was important. Salvation through Christ is the example we leave, no material gifts or money will match that gift.
If a child becomes hateful because we didn't leave them everything they wanted, then their heart had no love for us in it nor have they any concern about a life with Christ.
We live in an age when adult children are not satisfied with honoring us or the wisdom we have gained, they just want our stuff. If this is the mentality then it is better to withhold the material goods and allow their hidden attitude of the heart to emerge for all to see.
Our "stuff" will not save our children from hell, it may only leave them gleeful that there were no consequences for their disrespect and dishonor.
Proverbs 13:22
"A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous."
Proverbs 20:21
"An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end."
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
God does not bless rebellion and neither should we, let life teach those who expect to get what they want just because they want it. Let the rebellious learn their ways do not gain them anything.
Remember His example as we are growing old. The earthly goods we accumulated over the years should go to those who respected and honored us, not to those who spurned, rejected and abandoned us.
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
If our love was not enough in life, our care for them when they were young and our teaching about Christ was spurned all through our lives, what makes us think that will change just because in our death they received our stuff?
Giving material possessions and money to a contemptuous adult child does not change their heart toward us or toward God.
The greatest blessing we can leave rebellious adult children is the Bible and our written testimony to what we knew was important. Salvation through Christ is the example we leave, no material gifts or money will match that gift.
If a child becomes hateful because we didn't leave them everything they wanted, then their heart had no love for us in it nor have they any concern about a life with Christ.
We live in an age when adult children are not satisfied with honoring us or the wisdom we have gained, they just want our stuff. If this is the mentality then it is better to withhold the material goods and allow their hidden attitude of the heart to emerge for all to see.
Our "stuff" will not save our children from hell, it may only leave them gleeful that there were no consequences for their disrespect and dishonor.
Proverbs 13:22
"A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous."
Proverbs 20:21
"An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end."
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
God does not bless rebellion and neither should we, let life teach those who expect to get what they want just because they want it. Let the rebellious learn their ways do not gain them anything.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
The Rebellious Hate Authority
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity;
Righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the [a]naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
The words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction
And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
And do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head
And [b]ornaments about your neck.
And [b]ornaments about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you,
Do not consent.
Do not consent.
11 If they say, “Come with us,
Let us lie in wait for blood,
Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
Let us lie in wait for blood,
Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol,
Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth,
We will fill our houses with spoil;
We will fill our houses with spoil;
14 Throw in your lot [c]with us,
We shall all have one purse,”
We shall all have one purse,”
15 My son, do not walk in the way with them.
Keep your feet from their path,
Keep your feet from their path,
16 For their feet run to evil
And they hasten to shed blood.
And they hasten to shed blood.
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood;
They ambush their own lives.
They ambush their own lives.
19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence;
It takes away the life of its possessors.
It takes away the life of its possessors.
Roaches Scatter When the Light goes On
I just heard an interesting analogy from a Christian sister, comparing narcissists to roaches, it was appropriate in my estimation.
"Roaches scatter when the light is turned on."
While they are among other roaches they are in a colony feeding with one another in the darkness, but when that light goes on and they are discovered, they scatter every which direction to get away from the light.
John 3:19-21 "…19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be clearly seen that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”…"
If you feel left out of things among family members who are not born again and have no interest in you because you belong to God, remember it isn't you they are afraid of, but rather it is Christ in you that makes them scatter.
"Roaches scatter when the light is turned on."
While they are among other roaches they are in a colony feeding with one another in the darkness, but when that light goes on and they are discovered, they scatter every which direction to get away from the light.
John 3:19-21 "…19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be clearly seen that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”…"
If you feel left out of things among family members who are not born again and have no interest in you because you belong to God, remember it isn't you they are afraid of, but rather it is Christ in you that makes them scatter.
End Times Traits
The most prominent trait I am seeing in these end times that stand out boldly in our culture is that of "insolent pride" as described in the Bible.
Proverbs 21:24 "24"Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names, Who acts with insolent pride."
The secular word for this trait is "narcissism", taken from Greek mythology describing a young man named "Narcissus", who looked into a pool of water, seeing his reflection, he fell in love with himself. While I do not look to Greek mythology to justify a belief in something, in this case it describes the heart of the secular man without Christ, with the same traits God presents in the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Back in the 1970's I had arguments with narcissists who were deeply invested in the teaching of "self esteem", and sadly these self esteem advocates were those who referred to themselves as "Evangelical Christians."
I was a new believer back then, reading my Bible as though my life depended on it, and so it did. It was the Bible that taught me that love of self was a problem not a virtue. So the question arises, "why did so many Evangelicals believe self esteem was important." Perhaps the answer lies in their own attitude, perhaps they wanted to love themselves above others. Personal promotion was a dominant trait among those I had contact with often. The "Evangelicals" wanted to fit in with what the schools were teaching, so they ignored the Bible they were reading to follow after man's wisdom. The Catholic church did this many times down through the centuries, incorporating paganism into their dogma to be inclusive. Somehow I think this same thing happened to the "Evangelicals", and they don't know it.
1 Corinthians 1:25 "25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."
1 Corinthians 3:19 "19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
It wasn't until years later I realized what was going on, that is that, most Christians back in the day were never born again, deeply involved in loving themselves, interested only in appearing superior to others, they brought a false gospel of self love to the Evangelical church. We can no longer trust "Evagelicalism", it has become synonymous with self exaltation.
Now we have a full blown epidemic of self love permeating the church gatherings, causing false doctrine to become the norm while the truth of the gospel is spurned as mean spirited because of it's tendency to make people feel convicted and sad.
I heard in past years, a phrase that came out of the Bible colleges and seminaries, which is "we must say things in a way that they will be received." If this were true then Christ and the apostles must have done something wrong, they were all persecuted by those who refused to hear. This is the very thinking that has destroyed the gospel in the churches. We do not do things so people will like us, we know the Word of God and speak as led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been left out of things in the "Evangelical" church in favor of man's devices.
We do not say and do things so people will like us, we say and do things as led by the Spirit of God and leave the results to Him. If someone rages at us, they are raging at Christ in us. Their rebellion against Him is their problem. Whether or not they like us is irrelevant.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 "…5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. 6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.…"
If our goal is to be liked by the world then we are a part of the world. If our goal is to be appreciated and elevated by others, then we will water down the gospel to please the hearer, it will not be the gospel at all but a false gospel.
Mark 13:12-13 "…12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved."
John 15:18-20 "18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.…"
Let me tell you, the gospel is suppose to make people sad, if they do not become saddened over their own sin, so much so that they want to be changed by Christ into a new creation, then they will and most have become Christians in title only.
It is only brokenness over our sinfulness that will cause God to save us from ourselves and hell. Without that brokenness and confession of sin, joining a Christian gathering only serves to bring arrogance and pride to the soul of the unregenerate, causing self promotion and personal aggrandizement.
Those who join a gathering when they have not been changed into a new creation, intensify their pride and self righteousness. I have seen more of this in my lifetime than I have seen genuine love for Christ and for the brethren.
It is common for narcissists to become proud of themselves for "not doing" or "not being" something, when the reality is that they are the things they claim they are not. They are committed to saying they are the very thing they are not. They are also committed to saying they are not the very thing they are. Words, in their mind are enough, the actual living out of what they say does not have to happen as long as they can convince others through words.
John 7:24 "24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”"
We know these people well when they are challenged, even in the mildest forms, to evaluate something about themselves, they argue and rage to defend themselves. This is not the response of a godly humble believer. A person who loves the Lord more than life itself, will evaluate a challenge, respond to it in gentleness and even admit openly and honestly their own failings.
I have been blessed to have known a few tried and true genuine born again believers since my transformation in the 70's, but sadly, few. It breaks my heart as I watch those around me glory in their own self exaltation in order to appear on the outside, something that does not exist on the inside.
If there is no brokenness over sin there is no salvation, it's just that simple. We know when there has been brokenness because of the fruit of the Spirit that will be present continually, not a coming and going or display of righteousness from time to time, there will be a steady living out of the fruit continually. If there is a slight that others bring to their attention, the born again believer feels badly and apologizes. The full blown narcissist can never do this. If a born again believer is falsely accused, they speak the truth to correct the problem and remain steady and calm.
Those who are given to rage and arguing are demonstrating their guilty conscience, if not over the thing they have been challenged about, at least something else in their lives.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
There are many people who would tell you themselves that they possess this fruit, but at closer inspection, they are not present in their lives.
Narcissists have a tendency to claim bad things about others they they themselves possess. The devil is the one behind this, in order to demolish the soul of the one who loves Christ, He will use the narcissist to cause doubt in the believer, removing their boldness, diminishing the godly traits by causing the target to become more like the narcissist out of frustration. We must resist all attempts on the part of the narc to cause us to falter in our faith.
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"
Another trait present in the lives of born again believers is a deep love of the brethren. There can not be this love when there is brutal and constant demonstration of competition to appear holier than others. Often this manifests itself in the form of demeaning others who do not elevate the narcissist and who do not adhere to their humanistic rules. Many people in the church pridefully make rules for others to follow that Christ never commanded, thinking this appearance of self righteousness is enough, actual righteousness in Christ is not very important, as long as these self appointed judges appear to be outwardly righteous.
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…"
Those who are deeply controlled by insolent pride, do not love the brethren, they merely want to be elevated by the brethren. When the brethren does not elevate their status to "special", then those who do not, will be demeaned, dismissed, ignored and even gossiped about to destroy them. There are many narcissists in the pulpits of America, they love the control, the adulation and adoration of their underlings so much so that they are resistant to any form of correction or discipline on the part of those whom they see as beneath them.
So often when this verse in John 7 is used, it is used to describe those who judge clothing, but in fact it has to do with the outward displays of righteousness that are not present in the inner soul of a man. As believers we need to stop judging others as wonderful and righteous simply because they do all the right things we think they should do, or the things they say, but watch their life overall. There must also be the ceasing of judging others merely because they "appear" to lack something we think they should have", that is not even mentioned in the Word.
If everything is evaluated by the Word of God, there will not be this competition to be better than others.
We love all the brethren, we treat with honor and respect all of the brethren, but no one is more special than someone else. Everyone has the gifts given to them by Christ, the glory goes to Christ not the person to whom He gave them.
Romans 3:10-11 "10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands; no one who seeks God.…"
A true born again believer will be uncomfortable with "special" status or superficial praise. A true born again believer is satisfied with fellowship with others around the Word of God and agreement on the principles of Christ. Not only is there no need to be seen as special, there is an aversion to it.
Never be embarrassed to speak the principles of Christ openly, no matter who is present or what you believe the response might be. If the Holy Spirit moves us to say or do something, then He alone is the One we are accountable to, no other.
Let us keep in mind that all this narcissism in the church is from the father of lies, who is controlling the hearts and minds of pretenders in the church today. Many pretenders are in the pulpits, loving their elevated status, even willing to defend it to the harm of those in the body. These types are Pharisees amongst us.
James 4:7
"7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Proverbs 21:24 "24"Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names, Who acts with insolent pride."
The secular word for this trait is "narcissism", taken from Greek mythology describing a young man named "Narcissus", who looked into a pool of water, seeing his reflection, he fell in love with himself. While I do not look to Greek mythology to justify a belief in something, in this case it describes the heart of the secular man without Christ, with the same traits God presents in the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Back in the 1970's I had arguments with narcissists who were deeply invested in the teaching of "self esteem", and sadly these self esteem advocates were those who referred to themselves as "Evangelical Christians."
I was a new believer back then, reading my Bible as though my life depended on it, and so it did. It was the Bible that taught me that love of self was a problem not a virtue. So the question arises, "why did so many Evangelicals believe self esteem was important." Perhaps the answer lies in their own attitude, perhaps they wanted to love themselves above others. Personal promotion was a dominant trait among those I had contact with often. The "Evangelicals" wanted to fit in with what the schools were teaching, so they ignored the Bible they were reading to follow after man's wisdom. The Catholic church did this many times down through the centuries, incorporating paganism into their dogma to be inclusive. Somehow I think this same thing happened to the "Evangelicals", and they don't know it.
1 Corinthians 1:25 "25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."
1 Corinthians 3:19 "19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
It wasn't until years later I realized what was going on, that is that, most Christians back in the day were never born again, deeply involved in loving themselves, interested only in appearing superior to others, they brought a false gospel of self love to the Evangelical church. We can no longer trust "Evagelicalism", it has become synonymous with self exaltation.
Now we have a full blown epidemic of self love permeating the church gatherings, causing false doctrine to become the norm while the truth of the gospel is spurned as mean spirited because of it's tendency to make people feel convicted and sad.
I heard in past years, a phrase that came out of the Bible colleges and seminaries, which is "we must say things in a way that they will be received." If this were true then Christ and the apostles must have done something wrong, they were all persecuted by those who refused to hear. This is the very thinking that has destroyed the gospel in the churches. We do not do things so people will like us, we know the Word of God and speak as led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been left out of things in the "Evangelical" church in favor of man's devices.
We do not say and do things so people will like us, we say and do things as led by the Spirit of God and leave the results to Him. If someone rages at us, they are raging at Christ in us. Their rebellion against Him is their problem. Whether or not they like us is irrelevant.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 "…5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. 6 I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.…"
If our goal is to be liked by the world then we are a part of the world. If our goal is to be appreciated and elevated by others, then we will water down the gospel to please the hearer, it will not be the gospel at all but a false gospel.
Mark 13:12-13 "…12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved."
John 15:18-20 "18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.…"
Let me tell you, the gospel is suppose to make people sad, if they do not become saddened over their own sin, so much so that they want to be changed by Christ into a new creation, then they will and most have become Christians in title only.
It is only brokenness over our sinfulness that will cause God to save us from ourselves and hell. Without that brokenness and confession of sin, joining a Christian gathering only serves to bring arrogance and pride to the soul of the unregenerate, causing self promotion and personal aggrandizement.
Those who join a gathering when they have not been changed into a new creation, intensify their pride and self righteousness. I have seen more of this in my lifetime than I have seen genuine love for Christ and for the brethren.
It is common for narcissists to become proud of themselves for "not doing" or "not being" something, when the reality is that they are the things they claim they are not. They are committed to saying they are the very thing they are not. They are also committed to saying they are not the very thing they are. Words, in their mind are enough, the actual living out of what they say does not have to happen as long as they can convince others through words.
John 7:24 "24 Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”"
We know these people well when they are challenged, even in the mildest forms, to evaluate something about themselves, they argue and rage to defend themselves. This is not the response of a godly humble believer. A person who loves the Lord more than life itself, will evaluate a challenge, respond to it in gentleness and even admit openly and honestly their own failings.
I have been blessed to have known a few tried and true genuine born again believers since my transformation in the 70's, but sadly, few. It breaks my heart as I watch those around me glory in their own self exaltation in order to appear on the outside, something that does not exist on the inside.
If there is no brokenness over sin there is no salvation, it's just that simple. We know when there has been brokenness because of the fruit of the Spirit that will be present continually, not a coming and going or display of righteousness from time to time, there will be a steady living out of the fruit continually. If there is a slight that others bring to their attention, the born again believer feels badly and apologizes. The full blown narcissist can never do this. If a born again believer is falsely accused, they speak the truth to correct the problem and remain steady and calm.
Those who are given to rage and arguing are demonstrating their guilty conscience, if not over the thing they have been challenged about, at least something else in their lives.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
There are many people who would tell you themselves that they possess this fruit, but at closer inspection, they are not present in their lives.
Narcissists have a tendency to claim bad things about others they they themselves possess. The devil is the one behind this, in order to demolish the soul of the one who loves Christ, He will use the narcissist to cause doubt in the believer, removing their boldness, diminishing the godly traits by causing the target to become more like the narcissist out of frustration. We must resist all attempts on the part of the narc to cause us to falter in our faith.
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"
Another trait present in the lives of born again believers is a deep love of the brethren. There can not be this love when there is brutal and constant demonstration of competition to appear holier than others. Often this manifests itself in the form of demeaning others who do not elevate the narcissist and who do not adhere to their humanistic rules. Many people in the church pridefully make rules for others to follow that Christ never commanded, thinking this appearance of self righteousness is enough, actual righteousness in Christ is not very important, as long as these self appointed judges appear to be outwardly righteous.
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…"
Those who are deeply controlled by insolent pride, do not love the brethren, they merely want to be elevated by the brethren. When the brethren does not elevate their status to "special", then those who do not, will be demeaned, dismissed, ignored and even gossiped about to destroy them. There are many narcissists in the pulpits of America, they love the control, the adulation and adoration of their underlings so much so that they are resistant to any form of correction or discipline on the part of those whom they see as beneath them.
So often when this verse in John 7 is used, it is used to describe those who judge clothing, but in fact it has to do with the outward displays of righteousness that are not present in the inner soul of a man. As believers we need to stop judging others as wonderful and righteous simply because they do all the right things we think they should do, or the things they say, but watch their life overall. There must also be the ceasing of judging others merely because they "appear" to lack something we think they should have", that is not even mentioned in the Word.
If everything is evaluated by the Word of God, there will not be this competition to be better than others.
We love all the brethren, we treat with honor and respect all of the brethren, but no one is more special than someone else. Everyone has the gifts given to them by Christ, the glory goes to Christ not the person to whom He gave them.
Romans 3:10-11 "10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands; no one who seeks God.…"
A true born again believer will be uncomfortable with "special" status or superficial praise. A true born again believer is satisfied with fellowship with others around the Word of God and agreement on the principles of Christ. Not only is there no need to be seen as special, there is an aversion to it.
Never be embarrassed to speak the principles of Christ openly, no matter who is present or what you believe the response might be. If the Holy Spirit moves us to say or do something, then He alone is the One we are accountable to, no other.
Let us keep in mind that all this narcissism in the church is from the father of lies, who is controlling the hearts and minds of pretenders in the church today. Many pretenders are in the pulpits, loving their elevated status, even willing to defend it to the harm of those in the body. These types are Pharisees amongst us.
James 4:7
"7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Parents are God's Appointment
Our attitudes toward our parents, one or both parents, is a reflection or our attitude toward God.
We cannot honor God we cannot see when we practice dishonor toward our parents whom we can see.
We cannot honor God we cannot see when we practice dishonor toward our parents whom we can see.
Christ's Love For Mankind
This is just how much Christ loved mankind and each and every person.
I understand this, because, even though our children may have rejected us as an authority and object of their love in their lives, we still love them, we still grieve over their rejection of us. Christ is like this too, He grieves over those He has to send to hell, those He knows would have a wonderful eternity if they would only trust in Him.
Christ removes His help and His love when someone rejects Him. He remains available until a person dies, but once the choice has been made against Him, it is over, their fate is sealed and they find themselves in the lake of fire one day.
Christ extended His love to all mankind, but many, even most, will reject His love in favor of following their own foolishness.
1 Timothy 2:3-5 "…3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,…"
I am convinced that every person's name is in the book of life because Christ wanted all to be saved, but those who reject Christ have their names "blotted out." God does not say he writes the new names of believers, He says he blots out of the book of life those who reject Him. So...I believe all names are in there from the beginning and the ones who reject Christ are erased.
That's just how much Christ wanted everyone to be saved, His plan that all mankind would be, so He put their names in, until they extend the final rejection.
Psalm 69:28 "…27 Add iniquity to their iniquity, And may they not come into Your righteousness. 28 May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous."
Revelation 3:4-6 "…4 But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. 5 Like them, the one who is victorious will be clothed in white garments. And I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.…"
I understand this, because, even though our children may have rejected us as an authority and object of their love in their lives, we still love them, we still grieve over their rejection of us. Christ is like this too, He grieves over those He has to send to hell, those He knows would have a wonderful eternity if they would only trust in Him.
Christ removes His help and His love when someone rejects Him. He remains available until a person dies, but once the choice has been made against Him, it is over, their fate is sealed and they find themselves in the lake of fire one day.
Christ extended His love to all mankind, but many, even most, will reject His love in favor of following their own foolishness.
1 Timothy 2:3-5 "…3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,…"
I am convinced that every person's name is in the book of life because Christ wanted all to be saved, but those who reject Christ have their names "blotted out." God does not say he writes the new names of believers, He says he blots out of the book of life those who reject Him. So...I believe all names are in there from the beginning and the ones who reject Christ are erased.
That's just how much Christ wanted everyone to be saved, His plan that all mankind would be, so He put their names in, until they extend the final rejection.
Psalm 69:28 "…27 Add iniquity to their iniquity, And may they not come into Your righteousness. 28 May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous."
Revelation 3:4-6 "…4 But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. 5 Like them, the one who is victorious will be clothed in white garments. And I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.…"
Contempt for Parents Shows Lack of Salvation
God shows us just how serious it is to dishonor parents on any level. When in law children dishonor their in law parents, it is the same as dishonoring their own parents, they will be judged for their rebellion.
To dishonor in law parents is refusing to acknowledge the love of a spouse for his/her own parents. To dishonor the parents of our spouse is to show an absence of love for that spouse.
Many in law children are turning their spouses away from their parents, simply out of spiteful drama, to dominate their spouse. This is evil and worthy of God's wrath.
When we marry we are expected by God to honor the parents of our spouse the same way we should honor our own parents. God told us to leave and cleave in forming our own families, but He never removed His command to continue to honor parents in their old age.
When children show contempt for their parents or the parents of their spouse, they are showing their contempt for God. It is strong if not conclusive evidence that the grown children do not belong to Christ, they are most likely have never been born again.
Leviticus 20:9
"For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him."
Colossians 3:20
"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
Exodus 21:15
“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death."
Ephesians 6:1
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."
Proverbs 30:17
"The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures."
To dishonor in law parents is refusing to acknowledge the love of a spouse for his/her own parents. To dishonor the parents of our spouse is to show an absence of love for that spouse.
Many in law children are turning their spouses away from their parents, simply out of spiteful drama, to dominate their spouse. This is evil and worthy of God's wrath.
When we marry we are expected by God to honor the parents of our spouse the same way we should honor our own parents. God told us to leave and cleave in forming our own families, but He never removed His command to continue to honor parents in their old age.
When children show contempt for their parents or the parents of their spouse, they are showing their contempt for God. It is strong if not conclusive evidence that the grown children do not belong to Christ, they are most likely have never been born again.
Leviticus 20:9
"For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him."
Colossians 3:20
"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear."
Exodus 21:15
“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death."
Ephesians 6:1
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."
Proverbs 30:17
"The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures."
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
The Sin is Greater Than You Think
Things are becoming irrational, we have transgender, people are claiming to be mixed up about their gender.
We have the flat earth people who have thrown real science out the window to embrace something ridiculous.
Then there is the massive holocaust with abortion.
The divorce and remarriage is off the charts as well as shacking up as though it is normal.
Let's add to that the welfare state where illegals are getting free money and housing as a reward for being criminals. We have a enabler mentality, helping people to stay in their sin, in their poverty and anything else they wish to do.
We have Christians being called mean spirited because we think it is a bad idea to give out "clean needles" to drug addicts instead of getting them off their drugs.
The liberals are against guns except when their body guards carry them.
Hollywood is putting out blasphemous movies continually while "Christian" parents are refusing to restrict their children from seeing them.
The culture as a whole is embracing witchcraft at Halloween, Harry Potter and even in the Christian community we have a form of it in the C.S. Lewis books.
And, with all this going on, even in the churches, there are those who remain silent to "just love them", as though love means allowing without challenge anything that anyone wants to do no matter how destructive it is to them and others.
God's love warns people of evil, the consequences of it and will not support it in any fashion. The worlds love says to accept everything so everyone does what ever they want, happy while doing it. Any challenge to their behavior would make them unhappy so we should remain silent and allow them to destroy their lives without showing them where the real help comes from, that is God.
Our culture is more likely to "help" the perpetrator of sin and crime than it is the victims of these people.
This list is short compared to all that is going on, how can anyone believe anything is getting better or will get better. When we have trained two generations of people to love themselves above anyone else, who is right in front of them, how can we expect that generation to ever love God Whom they cannot even see!!!!
We are living in an age of insanity, on every level all around us. OH by the way, the world has seen this once before:
In Noah's Day!
Genesis 6:5-8 "5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."
In Lot's Day!
Genesis 13:13 " 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD."
Matthew 24:3-14
"3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
We have become so accustomed to sin right in front of us that we forget just how wicked it is and what God did before in dealing with it.
We have the flat earth people who have thrown real science out the window to embrace something ridiculous.
Then there is the massive holocaust with abortion.
The divorce and remarriage is off the charts as well as shacking up as though it is normal.
Let's add to that the welfare state where illegals are getting free money and housing as a reward for being criminals. We have a enabler mentality, helping people to stay in their sin, in their poverty and anything else they wish to do.
We have Christians being called mean spirited because we think it is a bad idea to give out "clean needles" to drug addicts instead of getting them off their drugs.
The liberals are against guns except when their body guards carry them.
Hollywood is putting out blasphemous movies continually while "Christian" parents are refusing to restrict their children from seeing them.
The culture as a whole is embracing witchcraft at Halloween, Harry Potter and even in the Christian community we have a form of it in the C.S. Lewis books.
And, with all this going on, even in the churches, there are those who remain silent to "just love them", as though love means allowing without challenge anything that anyone wants to do no matter how destructive it is to them and others.
God's love warns people of evil, the consequences of it and will not support it in any fashion. The worlds love says to accept everything so everyone does what ever they want, happy while doing it. Any challenge to their behavior would make them unhappy so we should remain silent and allow them to destroy their lives without showing them where the real help comes from, that is God.
Our culture is more likely to "help" the perpetrator of sin and crime than it is the victims of these people.
This list is short compared to all that is going on, how can anyone believe anything is getting better or will get better. When we have trained two generations of people to love themselves above anyone else, who is right in front of them, how can we expect that generation to ever love God Whom they cannot even see!!!!
We are living in an age of insanity, on every level all around us. OH by the way, the world has seen this once before:
In Noah's Day!
Genesis 6:5-8 "5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."
In Lot's Day!
Genesis 13:13 " 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD."
Matthew 24:3-14
"3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
We have become so accustomed to sin right in front of us that we forget just how wicked it is and what God did before in dealing with it.
The Pews Would Empty
If the leaders in the organized churches would preach a hard and convicting gospel the pews would empty out. That's why they don't do it.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.
4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
They Can't Penetrate the Armor
We cannot change another person, but we can change, through the power of Christ in us. Those who have trusted Christ can have strength through the Holy Spirit that they would not otherwise have.
I speak truth to others and leave their response to the Lord. Any negative or hateful response does not get into my soul, it bounces off like a rubber ball. It didn't use to be that way for me. I succumbed to the nasty tactics because I was weak in my faith. I believed them when they attempted to take me down and undermine my resolve to follow Christ.
When our focus is people rather than Christ we live on a roller coaster ride of drama from those who try to be god by controlling us. When our focus is Christ then it is He alone Who controls us, the narcissist has no effect, no matter how terrible they get, they cannot penetrate our armor.
Ephesians 6:10-20 "10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
My goal is not to change others, but for the Lord to give me strength to be what He wants no matter what others are doing.
I speak truth to others and leave their response to the Lord. Any negative or hateful response does not get into my soul, it bounces off like a rubber ball. It didn't use to be that way for me. I succumbed to the nasty tactics because I was weak in my faith. I believed them when they attempted to take me down and undermine my resolve to follow Christ.
When our focus is people rather than Christ we live on a roller coaster ride of drama from those who try to be god by controlling us. When our focus is Christ then it is He alone Who controls us, the narcissist has no effect, no matter how terrible they get, they cannot penetrate our armor.
Ephesians 6:10-20 "10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."
My goal is not to change others, but for the Lord to give me strength to be what He wants no matter what others are doing.
The Devil Goes After the Mind
The devil goes after the mind of people, if he can control the mind he can control everything else in a person's life.
Believers don't have to be controlled by the devil, we can be controlled by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "…15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Acts 10:9-11 "…9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas 10 and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.…"
Does this passage in Acts encourage you? It sure does me, because Saul who became Paul, hated God's people, he was self righteous and demonstrated an attitude of superiority over the people of God. Does any of this sound familiar?
When I see what God did with Paul before he was born again, I get excited, thinking that he did it with me and can do it with my narcissists who need to become born again.
Believers don't have to be controlled by the devil, we can be controlled by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "…15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Acts 10:9-11 "…9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas 10 and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.…"
Does this passage in Acts encourage you? It sure does me, because Saul who became Paul, hated God's people, he was self righteous and demonstrated an attitude of superiority over the people of God. Does any of this sound familiar?
When I see what God did with Paul before he was born again, I get excited, thinking that he did it with me and can do it with my narcissists who need to become born again.
Narcissists Wear Us Out
The narcissists never stops to consider that their antics will wear out a reasonably intelligent person, eventually causing them to escape.
Because the narcissist believes that people need them as desperately as they need others, they fail to understand that without confession of wrongs against the reasonable person, that person knows how silly it is to remain as the punching bag.
Hitler was a narcissist, believing he would never get caught brutally silencing, mocking and murdering the people who will not worship him, he attempted to expunge them from the earth.
Many wicked leaders around the world have used these tactics to control those who managed to think for themselves. If they could not control them, they would recruit others to work on his targets to hate them.
When we see this happening in our lives on a personal level, remember that it is not new and the author of it is the devil.
John 10:10
"10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and [a]have it abundantly."
The devil wants to destroy everything that God loves, that is God's people and righteousness.
When we love God we love people and His principles.
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…"
Because the narcissist believes that people need them as desperately as they need others, they fail to understand that without confession of wrongs against the reasonable person, that person knows how silly it is to remain as the punching bag.
Hitler was a narcissist, believing he would never get caught brutally silencing, mocking and murdering the people who will not worship him, he attempted to expunge them from the earth.
Many wicked leaders around the world have used these tactics to control those who managed to think for themselves. If they could not control them, they would recruit others to work on his targets to hate them.
When we see this happening in our lives on a personal level, remember that it is not new and the author of it is the devil.
John 10:10
"10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and [a]have it abundantly."
The devil wants to destroy everything that God loves, that is God's people and righteousness.
When we love God we love people and His principles.
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…"
Our Activities Tell on Us
We tend to hang out with those we would enjoy being accepted by and become like.
There is an old saying, "if you got caught up in a bad crowd, you are the bad crowd.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Many people who claim to be Christians enjoy the company of superficial Christians much more than those who are deeply invested in the Word of God and truth.
When we become devoted to the word of God, measuring everything we say and do according to that, we will attract friends who love Christ in a much more real way.
An appearance of righteousness is the most important to those who enjoy superficiality, happiness and an elevated status among the superior crowd. This crowd never speaks about Christ but show up at every church event to enjoy the antics there.
A born again believer sold out to Christ will never fit into those cliques that seem to dominate the average church in the communities.
If you love the Lord and don't seem to fit in anywhere, then you are right where Christ wants you. We are not called to become like the world or be liked by the world, we are "called out ones."
John 15:18-25 "18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.
25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’"
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Our friends are clues about our hearts. What we love is demonstrated day to day in our lives. What we speak about, who we spend time with and what we enjoy, tells a lot about us.
There is an old saying, "if you got caught up in a bad crowd, you are the bad crowd.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Many people who claim to be Christians enjoy the company of superficial Christians much more than those who are deeply invested in the Word of God and truth.
When we become devoted to the word of God, measuring everything we say and do according to that, we will attract friends who love Christ in a much more real way.
An appearance of righteousness is the most important to those who enjoy superficiality, happiness and an elevated status among the superior crowd. This crowd never speaks about Christ but show up at every church event to enjoy the antics there.
A born again believer sold out to Christ will never fit into those cliques that seem to dominate the average church in the communities.
If you love the Lord and don't seem to fit in anywhere, then you are right where Christ wants you. We are not called to become like the world or be liked by the world, we are "called out ones."
John 15:18-25 "18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.
25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’"
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"
Our friends are clues about our hearts. What we love is demonstrated day to day in our lives. What we speak about, who we spend time with and what we enjoy, tells a lot about us.
Christ Addresses Satan
Mark 8:33
"33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Notice that Christ did not address Peter in His rebuke, He addressed Satan. The devil was using Peter's mouth and affecting his mind to influence Christ against what Christ knew was His purpose on earth.
It is clear to me now more than ever that the devil and his minions are busy twisting the minds of many people to do harm to and intimidate believers.
As believers we can "resist the devil", by using the word of God as Christ did when Satan tempted Him.
Matthew 4:1-7 "4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He [a]then became hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command His angels concerning You’;
and
‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “[b]On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
It was the devil using Peter's mouth and it was the devil who tempted Christ in the desert. Christ used a tactic with him that we should be using regularly with those who are doing the same things to us. When someone is attempting to cause us to sin by their tricks, or trying to influence us in a way that God does not want us to go, or to influence us to go against what God is telling us to do, then we know who is behind it all....the devil and lean on the Scriptures to guide us.
The tactics of the devil are intimidation, mocking, lying and gaslighting. Gaslighting is the attempt to make us think we didn't see things the way the really are, that we need to do things and believe things the devil wants us to do and believe. The devil will even get us to question if God really said something by twisting the scriptures to fit his agenda.
One cannot reason with the devil, the only recourse we have and the best one is to repeat scripture to those who are being used by him and then walk away. When the devil is using the mouths of willing participants in his lies, we must resist him with God's word. It is also good to know the other scriptures that tell us to ignore the lies, do not respond to the evil done against us and keep these monstrous people out of our lives whenever possible.
James 4:6-8 "6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.…"
The devil attacks the mind of his target, if he cannot control the mind of a believer he goes after their friends to work against his target. If he can get the friends to apply pressure on the target, he might be able to influence them to act against God's will.
The devil who uses narcissists, are covert and sneaky, they poke at you continually in small ways until we lose our composure, however it doesn't have to work. When we know what the devil is doing through someone, we never have to react. Reacting is what Satan is trying to get us to do. Any reaction at all is validation for the narcissist to continue their attacks, even feeling justified in their abuse.
The only reaction I recommend to the narcissist is Scripture if there is going to be one. Most of the time nothing will work with these demonically controlled minds, the only recourse is to walk away without response, leaving them to God.
Narcissists are murderers in their heart. God said that if a man even so much as hates his brother, it's the same as having murdered him. When a narc has such contempt for a target that they work to harm them, it is hate and murder.
1 John 3:14-16 "…14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. 16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.…"
It is my contention that narcissists cannot be born again believers. The Holy Spirit convicts believers of sin to redirect their hearts. However, the narcissists has no conscience, no remorse and never apologizes, they only have manipulative tricks to control others emotions, these are strong indicators that the Holy Spirit does not live in such people.
Narcissists become worse when they are exposed because they have such hatred in their hearts that any challenge to them at all is unthinkable to them. 2 Timothy 3 describes them vividly and instructs us what to do in verse 5.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
"33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
Notice that Christ did not address Peter in His rebuke, He addressed Satan. The devil was using Peter's mouth and affecting his mind to influence Christ against what Christ knew was His purpose on earth.
It is clear to me now more than ever that the devil and his minions are busy twisting the minds of many people to do harm to and intimidate believers.
As believers we can "resist the devil", by using the word of God as Christ did when Satan tempted Him.
Matthew 4:1-7 "4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He [a]then became hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command His angels concerning You’;
and
‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “[b]On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
It was the devil using Peter's mouth and it was the devil who tempted Christ in the desert. Christ used a tactic with him that we should be using regularly with those who are doing the same things to us. When someone is attempting to cause us to sin by their tricks, or trying to influence us in a way that God does not want us to go, or to influence us to go against what God is telling us to do, then we know who is behind it all....the devil and lean on the Scriptures to guide us.
The tactics of the devil are intimidation, mocking, lying and gaslighting. Gaslighting is the attempt to make us think we didn't see things the way the really are, that we need to do things and believe things the devil wants us to do and believe. The devil will even get us to question if God really said something by twisting the scriptures to fit his agenda.
One cannot reason with the devil, the only recourse we have and the best one is to repeat scripture to those who are being used by him and then walk away. When the devil is using the mouths of willing participants in his lies, we must resist him with God's word. It is also good to know the other scriptures that tell us to ignore the lies, do not respond to the evil done against us and keep these monstrous people out of our lives whenever possible.
James 4:6-8 "6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.…"
The devil attacks the mind of his target, if he cannot control the mind of a believer he goes after their friends to work against his target. If he can get the friends to apply pressure on the target, he might be able to influence them to act against God's will.
The devil who uses narcissists, are covert and sneaky, they poke at you continually in small ways until we lose our composure, however it doesn't have to work. When we know what the devil is doing through someone, we never have to react. Reacting is what Satan is trying to get us to do. Any reaction at all is validation for the narcissist to continue their attacks, even feeling justified in their abuse.
The only reaction I recommend to the narcissist is Scripture if there is going to be one. Most of the time nothing will work with these demonically controlled minds, the only recourse is to walk away without response, leaving them to God.
Narcissists are murderers in their heart. God said that if a man even so much as hates his brother, it's the same as having murdered him. When a narc has such contempt for a target that they work to harm them, it is hate and murder.
1 John 3:14-16 "…14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer. 16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.…"
It is my contention that narcissists cannot be born again believers. The Holy Spirit convicts believers of sin to redirect their hearts. However, the narcissists has no conscience, no remorse and never apologizes, they only have manipulative tricks to control others emotions, these are strong indicators that the Holy Spirit does not live in such people.
Narcissists become worse when they are exposed because they have such hatred in their hearts that any challenge to them at all is unthinkable to them. 2 Timothy 3 describes them vividly and instructs us what to do in verse 5.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Monday, April 17, 2017
The Devil Hates God
The devil is against everything that God loves. He hates believers, families, babies, toddlers and everything else in between.
He especially hates truth and righteousness!
If he can destroy a family through greed and selfishness, then he can effectively destroy the country.
And, here we are! More than half the families in our country and our churches have been torn asunder by narcissistic self worshipers just to be number one in their own hearts.
When we break down all sense of righteousness God's way in any culture, that is the death nil for any civilization. I no longer think of us as a civilized country any more, sophisticated perhaps but not civilized, crude yes, lacking manners and kindness, yes, but no longer civilized.
Narcissism is growing exponentially through one simple tactic, that is the teaching of self esteem in the schools, then it was adopted by the churches and seminaries, thus, here we are with a mess and the tactic that was used to get us here is still being taught, perhaps even more vigorously than it ever was before.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
He especially hates truth and righteousness!
If he can destroy a family through greed and selfishness, then he can effectively destroy the country.
And, here we are! More than half the families in our country and our churches have been torn asunder by narcissistic self worshipers just to be number one in their own hearts.
When we break down all sense of righteousness God's way in any culture, that is the death nil for any civilization. I no longer think of us as a civilized country any more, sophisticated perhaps but not civilized, crude yes, lacking manners and kindness, yes, but no longer civilized.
Narcissism is growing exponentially through one simple tactic, that is the teaching of self esteem in the schools, then it was adopted by the churches and seminaries, thus, here we are with a mess and the tactic that was used to get us here is still being taught, perhaps even more vigorously than it ever was before.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Working Hard to Resist Sin?
How do we get rid of the sin in our lives after being born again. Don't worry about it, you will no longer want it.
One does not have to "turn away",or "trying real hard" not to do what they would like to do, actually, we lose the desire to do these things, they are distasteful to us that's why they drop off. We may go one more time after being born again, but it feels so bad and wrong that we don't keep doing it. We are changed when we are born again, all the old desires leave us and are replaced with knew desires for righteousness.
If someones desire to sin is not gone, they still enjoy it, then they never became born again.
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
One does not have to "turn away",or "trying real hard" not to do what they would like to do, actually, we lose the desire to do these things, they are distasteful to us that's why they drop off. We may go one more time after being born again, but it feels so bad and wrong that we don't keep doing it. We are changed when we are born again, all the old desires leave us and are replaced with knew desires for righteousness.
If someones desire to sin is not gone, they still enjoy it, then they never became born again.
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
Saturday, April 15, 2017
By Faith!!!!
Hebrews 11 "11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not [m]ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”
19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;
36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect."
2 For by it the men of old gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;
10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not [m]ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.”
19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;
36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.
37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect."
The Holy Spirit Teaches Us
Worship is not what we have seen most of our lives.
There are many people worshiping other people, clamoring to know those people, reading all their writings, fawning over them in the gathering while elevating them more than they elevate Christ.
When we pretend that any person is worthy of continual praise, we are worshiping that person. When we cannot see anything but what we think is the good in someone, that person is the object of our worship.
Only God the Father and Jesus Christ deserve this kind of adulation.
Sadly so many people spend more time talking about their favorite writers, their human heroes, than they speak about Christ and His Word.
There are many people I have met who will not listen to those who are not degreed, they believe that no one can know the truth of God's word if they have not been formally trained in seminaries and Bible colleges. They arrogantly give titles to these "ordained by men", calling them "Pastor" with a capitol P when God never gave anyone a title. The word pastor describes a calling not a position or title. Many men in one gathering can be a pastor as led by God not ordained of man.
God clearly said that EVERY believer has the Holy Spirit and that no one who has Him, need to have a teacher. What teacher could be greater than the author of the Bible, Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
Could it be that most Christians today do not have the faith to believe Christ when He said the following?
1 John 2:27-28 " 27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. 28 And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.…"
I was once told I could not know the truths of the Bible because I had not gone to seminary. I laughed a little and asked the question; "Oh, you mean the Holy Spirit only goes to seminary?"
How silly to think that the Holy Spirit only hangs out in Seminaries or Bible colleges. Did you know that when Christ was on earth He never established one Bible college or seminary? The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer, not in a seminary or Bible College.
Yes, that's right, not once did He command or instruct His apostles to establish these institutions. They began by men with good intentions but slowly over time those that ran these places began to place their trust in the instructors they chose rather than Christ.
None of the Apostles were taught by anyone but Christ in the beginning, perhaps we should return to the first century church way of operating. When those men who are filled with the Spirit, called by Christ do the teaching and each other man evaluate and interject as necessary, also filled with the Holy Spirit, that no one man or group of men have more authority than any other man.
Women are gifted too, since the Holy Spirit dwells in them as well as the men, we too have gifts that God gave to us to use. We are not to lead over men in the gathering, but we can interject into conversations, witness to unbelievers and teach women and children, as well as individual men such as was the case with Timothy, having been instructed by His mother and grandmother.
2 Timothy 1:5 " 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.…"
Timothy's father was a Greek and did not believe but his mother and grandmother did and so they taught him as a young man.
Acts 16:1-3 "1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brothers that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek."
The gist of this matter is, it's time that the church stop placing their trust in titles, degrees and human training and begin to trust in the Holy Spirit that lives in every believer.
There are many people worshiping other people, clamoring to know those people, reading all their writings, fawning over them in the gathering while elevating them more than they elevate Christ.
When we pretend that any person is worthy of continual praise, we are worshiping that person. When we cannot see anything but what we think is the good in someone, that person is the object of our worship.
Only God the Father and Jesus Christ deserve this kind of adulation.
Sadly so many people spend more time talking about their favorite writers, their human heroes, than they speak about Christ and His Word.
There are many people I have met who will not listen to those who are not degreed, they believe that no one can know the truth of God's word if they have not been formally trained in seminaries and Bible colleges. They arrogantly give titles to these "ordained by men", calling them "Pastor" with a capitol P when God never gave anyone a title. The word pastor describes a calling not a position or title. Many men in one gathering can be a pastor as led by God not ordained of man.
God clearly said that EVERY believer has the Holy Spirit and that no one who has Him, need to have a teacher. What teacher could be greater than the author of the Bible, Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
Could it be that most Christians today do not have the faith to believe Christ when He said the following?
1 John 2:27-28 " 27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught. 28 And now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.…"
I was once told I could not know the truths of the Bible because I had not gone to seminary. I laughed a little and asked the question; "Oh, you mean the Holy Spirit only goes to seminary?"
How silly to think that the Holy Spirit only hangs out in Seminaries or Bible colleges. Did you know that when Christ was on earth He never established one Bible college or seminary? The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer, not in a seminary or Bible College.
Yes, that's right, not once did He command or instruct His apostles to establish these institutions. They began by men with good intentions but slowly over time those that ran these places began to place their trust in the instructors they chose rather than Christ.
None of the Apostles were taught by anyone but Christ in the beginning, perhaps we should return to the first century church way of operating. When those men who are filled with the Spirit, called by Christ do the teaching and each other man evaluate and interject as necessary, also filled with the Holy Spirit, that no one man or group of men have more authority than any other man.
Women are gifted too, since the Holy Spirit dwells in them as well as the men, we too have gifts that God gave to us to use. We are not to lead over men in the gathering, but we can interject into conversations, witness to unbelievers and teach women and children, as well as individual men such as was the case with Timothy, having been instructed by His mother and grandmother.
2 Timothy 1:5 " 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.…"
Timothy's father was a Greek and did not believe but his mother and grandmother did and so they taught him as a young man.
Acts 16:1-3 "1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brothers that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek."
The gist of this matter is, it's time that the church stop placing their trust in titles, degrees and human training and begin to trust in the Holy Spirit that lives in every believer.
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