James 2:18-20 "…18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and shudder! 20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?…"
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Bible Believer? Then Obey It
So many "Christians" say they are "Bible believers" but don't believe or obey very much of it. I guess they think just knowing about it is enough.
James 2:18-20 "…18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and shudder! 20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?…"
James 2:18-20 "…18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that God is one. Good for you! Even the demons believe that, and shudder! 20 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?…"
Truth is the Foundation
The foundation of love is God's truth! Without God's truth all other forms of love built on humanistic foundations are not real love.
They Isolate You
Galatians 4:16-17 "16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you will be zealous for them.…"
There are those who isolate you, leave you out of things for the purpose of causing you to be jealous for them. If they can get you to feel lonely, perhaps you will desire them so much that you will drop all your convictions and become just like them.
The purpose of the devil in his use of narcissists is to 1. Isolate us from them to cause jealousy and 2. Isolate us from others so we will have no godly support.
The narcissist is so full of self that they actually believe we cannot live in peace and happiness without them. With Christ we have all the love and joy necessary to live our lives in full peace.
I marvel at the wonderful way in which the Lord provides companionship and the peace we have at the times we do not have it temporarily.
Praise the Lord for His provision in a these apostate times of rebellion.
2 Timothy 3
There are those who isolate you, leave you out of things for the purpose of causing you to be jealous for them. If they can get you to feel lonely, perhaps you will desire them so much that you will drop all your convictions and become just like them.
The purpose of the devil in his use of narcissists is to 1. Isolate us from them to cause jealousy and 2. Isolate us from others so we will have no godly support.
The narcissist is so full of self that they actually believe we cannot live in peace and happiness without them. With Christ we have all the love and joy necessary to live our lives in full peace.
I marvel at the wonderful way in which the Lord provides companionship and the peace we have at the times we do not have it temporarily.
Praise the Lord for His provision in a these apostate times of rebellion.
2 Timothy 3
Narcissists are Easily Threatened
Narcissists see our advise as a threat and competition. The attacks come when we express an opinion, in their mind they are so perfectly right about everything, they take it as a personal attack when we disagree with them or correct something they say.
It is impossible to reason with such a person, who regards you as insignificant or stupid. We cannot wait for a time to express our concerns or reasons, it will never be received, this is why God told us to walk away from those who will not listen or rationally discuss something. It's not that we are always right, but that we desire to have an honest and loving exchange of ideas to come to a common agreement. The narcissist is not interested in this at all, their only aim it to win at all costs, even if it means the dissolution of a relationship. They would rather lose a friend than admit they may be imperfect.
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."
Because we are living in the end times and a greater number of people have been raised on self esteem, believing they are worthy of praise continually, there will be far less tolerance of any form of correction or disagreement.
Truth is not very important to most people today, the Word of God is more of an irritant than a book of instructions for life. Often any mention of the Bible brings on a staunchness of stubbornness and excuses as to why we no longer have to listen to the Bible, which really translates into "we don't have to listen to God."
The excuse "it's about love" is the mantra often heard from superficial disobedient Christians. The base their form of love on feelings rather than truth. Those who say "it's about love", don't understand that love has everything to do with seeking the Lord for His will and therefore His blessing. Their form of love accepts sin as a normal course as long as everyone "feels" good about themselves.
When asked what "love " is, there is an anger that emerges as though we did something wrong in asking the question. A refusal to discover from God's Word what His Love looks like is met with intense opposition.
Two believers ought to be so excited about discovering God's will, that they can go to the Bible together in their discussion, but in most cases they shut the discussion down with mocking, intimidation and elevated voices before the Bible is opened. They don't want to open God's Word for His answers, they merely want to be seen as right and superficially loving.
It is interesting to me that those who love the humanistic superficial love will rage at the one who challenges it. Why is this person, who questions their actions or attitudes not worthy of the same love they claim they give to everyone else, a total acceptance of whatever they want to believe. This false love never extends to the truth teller, the one who seeks Christ, because obedience to Christ is not the objective of the superficial narcissist.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."
The superficial narcissist only has love for those who elevate them, validating everything they do and think, they never grow because most people will be this way toward them. The friendships they have that challenge them to grow do not last, they are quickly discarded and maligned for their attempts at making a deeper walk with Christ.
When we have been discarded we can expect the narcissist to no longer be satisfied that they have chased us away, they must draw others into the mess with them, devaluing us with others who also love their narcissism.
It has been my experience that narcissists are never satisfied with hurting us they must also get others to do it with them. They often will attempt to reach those who love us, hoping to turn them against us too. Sadly, far too often, this works leaving the target isolated.
However this does not have to be devastating for the believer following hard after Christ, we love our alone time with Christ. The narcissist only does us a favor by leaving us out of their nonsense.
Also remember that God replaces the icky and horrid relationships with others, even if only just one other person who understands and loves us the way Christ loves us. It is not true that the measure of a man's character is demonstrated in how many friends they have. This is a lie from ungodly sources. The measure of our character is in how closely we walk with Christ, sometimes that will mean few friends even if none.
John 14:18
"18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
If Jesus Christ is all we have then He is all we need! Hallelujah!!!!
It is impossible to reason with such a person, who regards you as insignificant or stupid. We cannot wait for a time to express our concerns or reasons, it will never be received, this is why God told us to walk away from those who will not listen or rationally discuss something. It's not that we are always right, but that we desire to have an honest and loving exchange of ideas to come to a common agreement. The narcissist is not interested in this at all, their only aim it to win at all costs, even if it means the dissolution of a relationship. They would rather lose a friend than admit they may be imperfect.
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."
Because we are living in the end times and a greater number of people have been raised on self esteem, believing they are worthy of praise continually, there will be far less tolerance of any form of correction or disagreement.
Truth is not very important to most people today, the Word of God is more of an irritant than a book of instructions for life. Often any mention of the Bible brings on a staunchness of stubbornness and excuses as to why we no longer have to listen to the Bible, which really translates into "we don't have to listen to God."
The excuse "it's about love" is the mantra often heard from superficial disobedient Christians. The base their form of love on feelings rather than truth. Those who say "it's about love", don't understand that love has everything to do with seeking the Lord for His will and therefore His blessing. Their form of love accepts sin as a normal course as long as everyone "feels" good about themselves.
When asked what "love " is, there is an anger that emerges as though we did something wrong in asking the question. A refusal to discover from God's Word what His Love looks like is met with intense opposition.
Two believers ought to be so excited about discovering God's will, that they can go to the Bible together in their discussion, but in most cases they shut the discussion down with mocking, intimidation and elevated voices before the Bible is opened. They don't want to open God's Word for His answers, they merely want to be seen as right and superficially loving.
It is interesting to me that those who love the humanistic superficial love will rage at the one who challenges it. Why is this person, who questions their actions or attitudes not worthy of the same love they claim they give to everyone else, a total acceptance of whatever they want to believe. This false love never extends to the truth teller, the one who seeks Christ, because obedience to Christ is not the objective of the superficial narcissist.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."
The superficial narcissist only has love for those who elevate them, validating everything they do and think, they never grow because most people will be this way toward them. The friendships they have that challenge them to grow do not last, they are quickly discarded and maligned for their attempts at making a deeper walk with Christ.
When we have been discarded we can expect the narcissist to no longer be satisfied that they have chased us away, they must draw others into the mess with them, devaluing us with others who also love their narcissism.
It has been my experience that narcissists are never satisfied with hurting us they must also get others to do it with them. They often will attempt to reach those who love us, hoping to turn them against us too. Sadly, far too often, this works leaving the target isolated.
However this does not have to be devastating for the believer following hard after Christ, we love our alone time with Christ. The narcissist only does us a favor by leaving us out of their nonsense.
Also remember that God replaces the icky and horrid relationships with others, even if only just one other person who understands and loves us the way Christ loves us. It is not true that the measure of a man's character is demonstrated in how many friends they have. This is a lie from ungodly sources. The measure of our character is in how closely we walk with Christ, sometimes that will mean few friends even if none.
John 14:18
"18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
If Jesus Christ is all we have then He is all we need! Hallelujah!!!!
Saves, Keeps and Home
For those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit of God! He saves us, He keeps us and then He takes us Home.
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."
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."
No More Mediators
1 Corinthians 4:6 "6 Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
All those who are born again have the Holy Spirit living in them. They have no need of someone else giving them future predictions. God tells us each what to do when He wants us to do it. There are no more mediators between God and man, only Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 "5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, "
All those who are born again have the Holy Spirit living in them. They have no need of someone else giving them future predictions. God tells us each what to do when He wants us to do it. There are no more mediators between God and man, only Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:5 "5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, "
God's Word Is Important
There are so very many "Christians" who think of God's word as nothing more than principles that were followed "back then", as though God changed His mind and we no longer have to endure His commands and principles. It is a common occurrence to run into a "Christian" who is angry when we quote the Scriptures after which they say, "it'a about love and you are mean spirited."
Interesting that often when we quote Scriptures to "Christians" they do not equate them to God, but to us merely lording it over them.
I have had more anger expressed at me when I quote the Bible than if I were to just speak my own opinion. This seems like a clue to me. Why does God's words make them more angry than my words.
Perhaps it is God's Words that are authoritative and mine are just another opinion. Many people can deal much more calmly with opinions of people far better than when they hear God's Words.
God's words anger people because they cannot stand the thought of being accountable to a much higher being and they cannot fight with God. Those who negate God would rather fight with us, they know in their heart of hearts that fighting with God is not only dangerous but futile. Sadly they are in competition with God for their own power, but place their anger on the human being in front of them that makes them think in terms of God. Rather than facing what God says, they merely negate Him as unimportant. Since they have no honor or respect for God, they will feel the same about anyone who brings God's Word.
When we encounter someone who becomes angry at our quotes from the Word, then it is time to exit and move on to the next person who wants to hear. If someone thinks about what we said and wants to discuss it further, they will return with a humble and teachable heart, then we can resume with them. If they do not ever come back, that's alright, God will send others as He sees fit.
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.…"
Interesting that often when we quote Scriptures to "Christians" they do not equate them to God, but to us merely lording it over them.
I have had more anger expressed at me when I quote the Bible than if I were to just speak my own opinion. This seems like a clue to me. Why does God's words make them more angry than my words.
Perhaps it is God's Words that are authoritative and mine are just another opinion. Many people can deal much more calmly with opinions of people far better than when they hear God's Words.
God's words anger people because they cannot stand the thought of being accountable to a much higher being and they cannot fight with God. Those who negate God would rather fight with us, they know in their heart of hearts that fighting with God is not only dangerous but futile. Sadly they are in competition with God for their own power, but place their anger on the human being in front of them that makes them think in terms of God. Rather than facing what God says, they merely negate Him as unimportant. Since they have no honor or respect for God, they will feel the same about anyone who brings God's Word.
When we encounter someone who becomes angry at our quotes from the Word, then it is time to exit and move on to the next person who wants to hear. If someone thinks about what we said and wants to discuss it further, they will return with a humble and teachable heart, then we can resume with them. If they do not ever come back, that's alright, God will send others as He sees fit.
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.…"
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