Our feelings are not our substance.
Feelings come and go, they are not reality often. When we operate from knowledge and commitment, we will feel good about that, but it will be a real change in our heart, greater than feelings.
Change most often comes when we have to face what we are and admit it. When we ignore the bad attitudes but do good works, that serves only to build pride and pretend to dissipate the wrong we do to others.
It is best to confess what we are, what we have been and ask the Lord to change us. Then our good works will mean something real.
When we see people rocking between the "sweet mean cycle" constantly, we are watching those who base all they do on how it makes them feel rather than on substance and commitment.
Proverbs 18:15
"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."
Hosea 4:6-7
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame."
The Hosea passage describes a people much like ours in this country and even around the world today.
Most holiday gatherings are for personal pleasure, a time of boasting and bragging about accomplishments and material wealth, forgetting the things of the Lord, that are just a "fly in the ointment" of holiday cheer.
Just call me Granny Grinch, the woman who places the fly in the ointment, without a hearer to hear or a listener to listen, I speak of things of which most people want no part.
Proverbs 15:14
"The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly."
Proverbs 8:10
"Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,"
Monday, December 4, 2017
Character First Then The Works
The fruit of the Spirit are character qualities, not works, out of these qualities will come works. I just love that thought, the heart is first where it should be and then comes the proper actions and attitudes in response to these qualities.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 2:9-10 "
…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life"
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 2:9-10 "
…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life"
Welcome to the End Times
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
How many of you have encountered what I have among family members? The hardest place to live out our faith is with those who we think should love us, they have a superficial love based on us being whatever they want us to be. As soon as we speak our own mind or the mind of Christ, we are then an enemy to them.
Galatians 4:16
"16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"
The narcissists will preach loving, loving, loving as though we are not that, as they rage at us calling us names. Where is that "loving" they claim to have for others, it is not for us, those who are confidently speaking truth. This superficial love is only for those who agree with them, elevate them and never challenge them to think in terms of Christ and His principles.
I was attacked spiritually and emotionally by my brother at Thanksgiving dinner at his home. We got into a discussion about how we should relate to others. I mentioned that God has many ways through the Holy Spirit in how we should deal with people. That we should be led by the Holy Spirit, I barely got the words out of my mouth when my brother mocked me, laughed at me and shut me down so that I could say no more.
My brother called me all the things he was being, mean spirited, aggressive and other things, while I sat quietly waiting for the tirade to be finished. And, this person is a "Christian"?
This is why I know so much about narcissism, I was raised in a family that showed continual contempt for those who were "too radical" in their Christianity. They all go to church as my parents did when they were alive, but have always been embarrassed at the mention of anything from the Bible. They were great friends with one another but mocked, dismissed and ignored me at every opportunity. This last encounter proved to me that nothing has changed, I pray for them, but must keep my distance. Of what value is it when I can't finish a sentence to explain my views, that are from the Bible? There was clear embarrassment at the mention of particular Bible passages.
When we find ourselves in a situation in which our faith is attacked for the mere speaking of it, we must understand that it is not us being attacked but Christ Who lives in us.
Remember that Christ and the apostles were attacked, and for what? For sharing a way to be saved from sin and hell. This is the same mentality that we encounter in a country where they will not kill you, they will use mocking, raging and intimidation verbally hoping to cause fear in us, to ever speak of it again to them. The attacks are to cause silence, the only acceptable communication in these groups is joking, playing games and affirming those that praise and fawn all over one another.
The principles of the Bible are not important to these people, they love their sin, their disobedience and their sense of superiority, they will never listen and if they don't like what we say they either rage or are completely unresponsive.
May the Lord give us strength to stop responding to the attempts to cause sin in us. The objective is to get us to fight with them so that their contempt for us will be justified in their own minds. I admit I have less tolerance for believers who rage and mock than I do for non-believers who do the same thing. Believers should know better, but in many cases the love of Christ does not dwell in these people, only arrogance and superiority, superficiality and self righteousness dwell deeply in their hearts.
James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
1 Peter 5:8-9
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."
Ephesians 6:11-17
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. .."
When we obey the Word, speak it boldly without apology and walk it, be sure we will be a target for pretenders, sometimes even more so than those who confess unbelief.
"3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Galatians 4:16
"16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"
The narcissists will preach loving, loving, loving as though we are not that, as they rage at us calling us names. Where is that "loving" they claim to have for others, it is not for us, those who are confidently speaking truth. This superficial love is only for those who agree with them, elevate them and never challenge them to think in terms of Christ and His principles.
I was attacked spiritually and emotionally by my brother at Thanksgiving dinner at his home. We got into a discussion about how we should relate to others. I mentioned that God has many ways through the Holy Spirit in how we should deal with people. That we should be led by the Holy Spirit, I barely got the words out of my mouth when my brother mocked me, laughed at me and shut me down so that I could say no more.
My brother called me all the things he was being, mean spirited, aggressive and other things, while I sat quietly waiting for the tirade to be finished. And, this person is a "Christian"?
This is why I know so much about narcissism, I was raised in a family that showed continual contempt for those who were "too radical" in their Christianity. They all go to church as my parents did when they were alive, but have always been embarrassed at the mention of anything from the Bible. They were great friends with one another but mocked, dismissed and ignored me at every opportunity. This last encounter proved to me that nothing has changed, I pray for them, but must keep my distance. Of what value is it when I can't finish a sentence to explain my views, that are from the Bible? There was clear embarrassment at the mention of particular Bible passages.
When we find ourselves in a situation in which our faith is attacked for the mere speaking of it, we must understand that it is not us being attacked but Christ Who lives in us.
Remember that Christ and the apostles were attacked, and for what? For sharing a way to be saved from sin and hell. This is the same mentality that we encounter in a country where they will not kill you, they will use mocking, raging and intimidation verbally hoping to cause fear in us, to ever speak of it again to them. The attacks are to cause silence, the only acceptable communication in these groups is joking, playing games and affirming those that praise and fawn all over one another.
The principles of the Bible are not important to these people, they love their sin, their disobedience and their sense of superiority, they will never listen and if they don't like what we say they either rage or are completely unresponsive.
May the Lord give us strength to stop responding to the attempts to cause sin in us. The objective is to get us to fight with them so that their contempt for us will be justified in their own minds. I admit I have less tolerance for believers who rage and mock than I do for non-believers who do the same thing. Believers should know better, but in many cases the love of Christ does not dwell in these people, only arrogance and superiority, superficiality and self righteousness dwell deeply in their hearts.
James 4:7
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
1 Peter 5:8-9
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."
Ephesians 6:11-17
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. .."
When we obey the Word, speak it boldly without apology and walk it, be sure we will be a target for pretenders, sometimes even more so than those who confess unbelief.
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