If we are godly on the inside it will show on the outside. The inside comes first. So often ritualistic people attempt to clean up someone's outside before there is a heart change. Only managing to cover up the darkness that is inside, leaving everyone believing everything is alright. When we cover up the darkness on the inside to please others, we are walking in hypocrisy.
When Christ makes a change in someone, then that change will be permanent and real. When someone tries to pretend on the outside without a heart change, then it does not last and those watching become shocked that the one who looked so good returned to their vomit eventually.
Man cannot keep up pretenses, eventually they will fall back to the old unregenerate self for all to see.
When Christ does the cleaning we are changed never to return to what we were in the past. Hallelujah!!!!
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:…"
1 John 1:8-10 "…8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us."
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Mark 3 Enlightens Us
Mark 3: read it to learn how you will be treated when you seek to follow Christ.
Mark 3 is a perfect example of the lengths to which rebellious people will go to silence those who uphold righteousness.
The Pharisees were hell bent on making Jesus Christ look like the bad guy when all He did was good His entire life.
When He healed the sick, they criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath and assigned to Him the power of the devil in casting out demons. I suspect that they were jealous that He healed at all, they had no power to do it, so they undermined His reputation through their accusations and gossip.
This is what we can expect as believers. We will do good things and be accused of evil motives or faulty thinking, when actually we obeyed God.
If you set a nice table for guests you will be accused of putting on heirs. If we choose to avoid wicked family gatherings we will be accused of snobbery. When we choose not to attend the wedding of divorced and remarried people we will be criticized, even called hateful and judgmental. Notice they are judging that we are judging. Irrational and controlling people are never consistent because everything they do is based on emotion rather than reasonable facts.
All one has to do as a born again believer is obey Christ and you find yourself under attack.
I recall the time a friend's family decided not to have a television anymore. They found it distracting to the family time and school work, not to mention all the evil that the children thought they wanted to watch.
After the decision to throw out the television, without telling anyone else about it, the relatives came to their home, noticed it was gone, asking why. After receiving the answer the relatives called the parents self righteous, even saying they thought they were better than everyone else.
Sometimes I am astonished that believers will judge someone over the removal of a television but those same people will become enraged if anyone else calls them to account over real and damaging sin in their lives.
Was removing the television from their home a wicked or self-righteous thing? NO, it was a personal choice for the family that pertained to them alone, and yet they were "judged" for their own choice in their own home.
When extended family feel free to judge non-sin issues merely to appear superior, that is when it is time to remove the family from those who would undermine our personal choices in order to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is convicting to those who love their rebellion. Those who want to be free from conviction of any kind will rage at us for our own personal choices.
I noticed too over the years that those who judge on non-sin issues, usually about home decorating or clothing styles, have little depth when it comes to spiritual matters, even though they claim to be "Christian."
Those who love to act superior over us based on our own personal choices for our life that are not sin, are themselves self-righteous. These people hate that we are moving forward in spiritual growth, leaving behind all the bondages of the superficial life style.
Narcissists always want us to be inferior to them and they are enraged when we do not follow their way. The anger builds inside of them, this is why they rage at the silliest things, they are releasing their anger, sort of like a relief valve. They cannot hold in the contempt very long, it must be released for them to "feel" better, but only for that one time, it will have to be released again, the next time we make our own choices.
Proverbs 29:9 "If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest."
The purpose of these little essays? Its simple, when we understand the enemy we are not in bondage to their tricks. When we are confident that we are obeying Christ, the enemy has no power over our decisions and we do not live in fear of the reactions of others over our own personal choices.
Hallelujah!!!!
Mark 3 is a perfect example of the lengths to which rebellious people will go to silence those who uphold righteousness.
The Pharisees were hell bent on making Jesus Christ look like the bad guy when all He did was good His entire life.
When He healed the sick, they criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath and assigned to Him the power of the devil in casting out demons. I suspect that they were jealous that He healed at all, they had no power to do it, so they undermined His reputation through their accusations and gossip.
This is what we can expect as believers. We will do good things and be accused of evil motives or faulty thinking, when actually we obeyed God.
If you set a nice table for guests you will be accused of putting on heirs. If we choose to avoid wicked family gatherings we will be accused of snobbery. When we choose not to attend the wedding of divorced and remarried people we will be criticized, even called hateful and judgmental. Notice they are judging that we are judging. Irrational and controlling people are never consistent because everything they do is based on emotion rather than reasonable facts.
All one has to do as a born again believer is obey Christ and you find yourself under attack.
I recall the time a friend's family decided not to have a television anymore. They found it distracting to the family time and school work, not to mention all the evil that the children thought they wanted to watch.
After the decision to throw out the television, without telling anyone else about it, the relatives came to their home, noticed it was gone, asking why. After receiving the answer the relatives called the parents self righteous, even saying they thought they were better than everyone else.
Sometimes I am astonished that believers will judge someone over the removal of a television but those same people will become enraged if anyone else calls them to account over real and damaging sin in their lives.
Was removing the television from their home a wicked or self-righteous thing? NO, it was a personal choice for the family that pertained to them alone, and yet they were "judged" for their own choice in their own home.
When extended family feel free to judge non-sin issues merely to appear superior, that is when it is time to remove the family from those who would undermine our personal choices in order to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is convicting to those who love their rebellion. Those who want to be free from conviction of any kind will rage at us for our own personal choices.
I noticed too over the years that those who judge on non-sin issues, usually about home decorating or clothing styles, have little depth when it comes to spiritual matters, even though they claim to be "Christian."
Those who love to act superior over us based on our own personal choices for our life that are not sin, are themselves self-righteous. These people hate that we are moving forward in spiritual growth, leaving behind all the bondages of the superficial life style.
Narcissists always want us to be inferior to them and they are enraged when we do not follow their way. The anger builds inside of them, this is why they rage at the silliest things, they are releasing their anger, sort of like a relief valve. They cannot hold in the contempt very long, it must be released for them to "feel" better, but only for that one time, it will have to be released again, the next time we make our own choices.
Proverbs 29:9 "If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest."
The purpose of these little essays? Its simple, when we understand the enemy we are not in bondage to their tricks. When we are confident that we are obeying Christ, the enemy has no power over our decisions and we do not live in fear of the reactions of others over our own personal choices.
Hallelujah!!!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
They Must Worship Themselves
Anyone who thinks they never sin after salvation must worship themselves. Just blocked another "sinless perfection" advocate, who actually had the gall to tell me he never sins. My answer: He sins by believing he never sins.
1 John 1:9-10…9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.
It must be awful being married to someone who believes they never sin, there must never be any apologies or confessions and that means no cleansing. Oops!
If we never sinned after salvation then there would be no need for Christ's blood to pay for or cover our sins.
1 John 1:9-10…9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.
It must be awful being married to someone who believes they never sin, there must never be any apologies or confessions and that means no cleansing. Oops!
If we never sinned after salvation then there would be no need for Christ's blood to pay for or cover our sins.
Go Into the Closet
I became ravenous soon after I became born again. Sad though, as I grew in the Lord, all those other Christians that I elevated seemed superficial, they were no help at all and even became jealous at my new life.
The closer I became to the Lord over the years the fewer believers I had for friends. I though this; "now that I am born again I will be close to the Christian family members", just the opposite happened.
Those that saw my new fanaticism to actually obey the Scriptures were irritated, even jealous when I would correct their wrong thinking with Scripture.
There was a lady that wanted to impress me. She had gone to a "prayer seminar" on how to pray. This lady told me she wanted to be a better prayer, or "prayer warrior", as she put it.
I looked at the notebook from her seminar with exhaustion, it was many pages on how to pray. Included in it was the "prayer walk", praying over the bridges as one walked around town. Then it taught how to walk the neighborhood and pray for the people. There was no need to actually speak to the neighbors unless the Lord led, just walk through and pray.
I was so overwhelmed with this ritual that I finally said, "if I thought praying was that hard I would just give up." I had read the prayer the Lord gave us, the principles in it in a short paragraph, that's all I needed.
I saw no scriptural basis for the "prayer walk", just the same kind of ritual that I came out of when I left the Catholic church.
Of course I was treated as though I were just ignorant about prayer, after all, I wasn't as spiritual as the other family members so they paid me no mind.
There were many instances like this in which the superficial and ritualistic protestant church goers were practicing that I could not enjoy or join with them. It wasn't very long before I found myself being avoided, ignored and even mocked at times for not fawning all over their rituals and superiority.
I was relieved as I grew in the Lord that living the Christ like walk was very simple, the prayer was heart felt and in my own words according to the model Christ gave us. I don't walk bridges, but I do pray for the neighborhood. I don't light candles or use mantras, I just speak my thoughts to God all the time throughout the day. As He speaks to me I rejoice that He actually spoke to ME, little ole nothing me, that's just how much He loves me.
He is not looking for fancy ways to pray or mantras, He is looking for a heart that wants to communicate with Him.
Giving human formulas does not help people, it just overwhelms those who just want to love their Lord.
My advice is just to get rid of all the human formulas, the fancy seminars to fit in, just read the word, talk to God and love His fellowship.
Matthew 6:6-8 "…6 But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.…"
Did we get this? God never said to go over the bridges and neighborhoods to pray, He said to go into your room alone where no one can see you. Hmmm!!!!! That ought to tell us something about the neighborhood prayer ritual.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]"
There it is, God's direction in our prayers!!!! Nothing more than this is needed.
The closer I became to the Lord over the years the fewer believers I had for friends. I though this; "now that I am born again I will be close to the Christian family members", just the opposite happened.
Those that saw my new fanaticism to actually obey the Scriptures were irritated, even jealous when I would correct their wrong thinking with Scripture.
There was a lady that wanted to impress me. She had gone to a "prayer seminar" on how to pray. This lady told me she wanted to be a better prayer, or "prayer warrior", as she put it.
I looked at the notebook from her seminar with exhaustion, it was many pages on how to pray. Included in it was the "prayer walk", praying over the bridges as one walked around town. Then it taught how to walk the neighborhood and pray for the people. There was no need to actually speak to the neighbors unless the Lord led, just walk through and pray.
I was so overwhelmed with this ritual that I finally said, "if I thought praying was that hard I would just give up." I had read the prayer the Lord gave us, the principles in it in a short paragraph, that's all I needed.
I saw no scriptural basis for the "prayer walk", just the same kind of ritual that I came out of when I left the Catholic church.
Of course I was treated as though I were just ignorant about prayer, after all, I wasn't as spiritual as the other family members so they paid me no mind.
There were many instances like this in which the superficial and ritualistic protestant church goers were practicing that I could not enjoy or join with them. It wasn't very long before I found myself being avoided, ignored and even mocked at times for not fawning all over their rituals and superiority.
I was relieved as I grew in the Lord that living the Christ like walk was very simple, the prayer was heart felt and in my own words according to the model Christ gave us. I don't walk bridges, but I do pray for the neighborhood. I don't light candles or use mantras, I just speak my thoughts to God all the time throughout the day. As He speaks to me I rejoice that He actually spoke to ME, little ole nothing me, that's just how much He loves me.
He is not looking for fancy ways to pray or mantras, He is looking for a heart that wants to communicate with Him.
Giving human formulas does not help people, it just overwhelms those who just want to love their Lord.
My advice is just to get rid of all the human formulas, the fancy seminars to fit in, just read the word, talk to God and love His fellowship.
Matthew 6:6-8 "…6 But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.…"
Did we get this? God never said to go over the bridges and neighborhoods to pray, He said to go into your room alone where no one can see you. Hmmm!!!!! That ought to tell us something about the neighborhood prayer ritual.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]"
There it is, God's direction in our prayers!!!! Nothing more than this is needed.
Only Christ is Good
Those who love Christ also love doing what is right. If someone still struggles with doing right they might not be born again. When we fail God we hate it and want to confess, start again and do better.
Those who find it impossible to admit their flaws, who hide to protect their false persona, are living fleshly.
It should come easy for the born again believer to tell the truth about themselves, good, bad and ugly.
2 Timothy 4:1-22
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ..."
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who find it impossible to admit their flaws, who hide to protect their false persona, are living fleshly.
It should come easy for the born again believer to tell the truth about themselves, good, bad and ugly.
2 Timothy 4:1-22
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ..."
1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Monday, May 28, 2018
Stubbornness Impedes Growth
Trials do not make the man, they reveal the man! God wants us to learn what is really inside to confess and be cleansed. Without confession there is no cleansing or growing. Many people remain spiritual infants because they are too stubborn to learn.
What Comes Out is the Real Us!
Trials don't make the man, they reveal what is already inside. No one makes someone rage they choose that reaction when they are controlled by their emotion.
Those who are calm and joyful on the inside never feel a need to rage, they know God is in control.
When a person's initial reaction is to rage at a challenge, we know there is anger that dwells in the heart all the time.
No man of God keeps anger festering continually ready to emerge at the slightest provocation. Those who lose control easily, often accuse others of causing them to do it. Or lie and say the others are the one's who are angry. A strange phenomena but I have seen this for myself.
The truth is, nothing ruffles the godly man, they see a purpose in everything, even a challenge can do them good. When we are challenged we can rethink our belief or we can further solidify it by revisiting our reasons for it.
Proverbs 22:24 "24 Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself."
Those who are calm and joyful on the inside never feel a need to rage, they know God is in control.
When a person's initial reaction is to rage at a challenge, we know there is anger that dwells in the heart all the time.
No man of God keeps anger festering continually ready to emerge at the slightest provocation. Those who lose control easily, often accuse others of causing them to do it. Or lie and say the others are the one's who are angry. A strange phenomena but I have seen this for myself.
The truth is, nothing ruffles the godly man, they see a purpose in everything, even a challenge can do them good. When we are challenged we can rethink our belief or we can further solidify it by revisiting our reasons for it.
Proverbs 22:24 "24 Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself."
"Trials Don't Make a Man, They Reveal Him"
Luke 8:24-25
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"
In the case of Job, God allowed the devil to harm him, the devil could not do it without God's permission. When the devil does harm to it, then God has allowed it for our training and sometimes discipline.
Next time we are tempted to blame the devil for our trials, its sort of like saying God had no control over it.
James 1:2-8
Profiting from Trials
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
As someone once said, I don't remember who; "trials don't make a man, they reveal him."
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?"
In the case of Job, God allowed the devil to harm him, the devil could not do it without God's permission. When the devil does harm to it, then God has allowed it for our training and sometimes discipline.
Next time we are tempted to blame the devil for our trials, its sort of like saying God had no control over it.
James 1:2-8
Profiting from Trials
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
As someone once said, I don't remember who; "trials don't make a man, they reveal him."
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Consider it all Joy!
The most godly people I have met have been those who had lifelong illnesses. God uses illness to make us stronger, those who are never ill or never have problems may be illegitimate children.
Hebrews 12:8
"If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."
James 1:2-4 "2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Hebrews 12:8
"If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."
James 1:2-4 "2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Dominance or Discovery?
Many people take a disagreement as a personal attack. When I discuss things with people I try to address the topic not judging the person's character.
Sadly there are many people who judge others so they assume others are judging them whenever there is a disagreement.
When we hear the mantra "your judging me", its very likely that person judges others.
It is reasonable in conversation to disagree even telling someone they are wrong about something with the explanation why. The problem comes when someone equates "your wrong" with "your bad or evil."
Everyone is wrong sometimes, no one is right all the time. Therefore we can go into a disagreement without judging someone as evil for not agreeing with us and we can assume that the one who disagrees with us does not think we are evil, until they begin to say things like; "I don't respect you."
I have actually been told this before by those who have serious character flaws. Its as though they wanted to intimidate me into believing I was a bad person to take the focus off of their own flaws.
It is when a discussion degrades into character assassination and mocking that we discover the discussion was not about discovering truth, but more about winning to appear superior. If the only way to win is to intimidate the other one into silence, hoping they will think less of themselves at the end of it, then we have witnessed the actions of a narcissist.
Loving, honest and kind people are all about truth, they love to discuss a matter to come to common ground, their purpose is not to win but to see all sides of things, understand where the other person is coming from while in the process ultimately developing a close relationship with the other person.
Narcissists are not interested in a relationship, their only and paramount aim is to dominate over others.
Proverbs 18:2
"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Sadly there are many people who judge others so they assume others are judging them whenever there is a disagreement.
When we hear the mantra "your judging me", its very likely that person judges others.
It is reasonable in conversation to disagree even telling someone they are wrong about something with the explanation why. The problem comes when someone equates "your wrong" with "your bad or evil."
Everyone is wrong sometimes, no one is right all the time. Therefore we can go into a disagreement without judging someone as evil for not agreeing with us and we can assume that the one who disagrees with us does not think we are evil, until they begin to say things like; "I don't respect you."
I have actually been told this before by those who have serious character flaws. Its as though they wanted to intimidate me into believing I was a bad person to take the focus off of their own flaws.
It is when a discussion degrades into character assassination and mocking that we discover the discussion was not about discovering truth, but more about winning to appear superior. If the only way to win is to intimidate the other one into silence, hoping they will think less of themselves at the end of it, then we have witnessed the actions of a narcissist.
Loving, honest and kind people are all about truth, they love to discuss a matter to come to common ground, their purpose is not to win but to see all sides of things, understand where the other person is coming from while in the process ultimately developing a close relationship with the other person.
Narcissists are not interested in a relationship, their only and paramount aim is to dominate over others.
Proverbs 18:2
"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion."
Friday, May 25, 2018
Forgiveness without Repentance is not Biblical
There is no preaching of repentance in the modern apostate church because of the lie that one does not have to confess or repent to be forgiven. This is one of the psychological mantras that is not Biblical and yet most people believe it.
They expect to be forgiven even if they are not sorry and others pressure brothers and sisters to forgive the unrepentant. This goes against everything God taught in His Word. We are to forgive the way Christ did, that is with the condition that the offender is sorry. When an offender re-offends constantly it is clear they believe what they are doing is right, therefore they must not be given a pass, they must be held accountable.
So many people beat up on the victim, requiring them to forgive the offender who is not sorry, this only empowers the perpetrator to continue their evil knowing they will be coddled and defended. Absolutely sickening.
Isaiah 26:10-11 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. 11 O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.…"
They expect to be forgiven even if they are not sorry and others pressure brothers and sisters to forgive the unrepentant. This goes against everything God taught in His Word. We are to forgive the way Christ did, that is with the condition that the offender is sorry. When an offender re-offends constantly it is clear they believe what they are doing is right, therefore they must not be given a pass, they must be held accountable.
So many people beat up on the victim, requiring them to forgive the offender who is not sorry, this only empowers the perpetrator to continue their evil knowing they will be coddled and defended. Absolutely sickening.
Isaiah 26:10-11 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. 11 O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.…"
Our Friends Around the World
I am convinced that the internet is God's blessing for these end times when anyone can go all over the world with the gospel and teaching without leaving their home.
Not only can we go around the world from our homes, we can take our computers and go anywhere within our town, with this device, the library, the park, the coffee shop as we connect with people from every people group. Hallelujah!!!
Not only can we do this but we can also connect with others who love the Lord and who become our cherished friends. This is no different from the letters the apostles sent to the churches, only much faster. Again....Hallelujah!!!!
I have been blessed with friends from facebook, that I have never met, even better some I have been able to meet in person. The encounter in person is just as sweet as the internet interaction with them.
Proverbs 27:9 "Ointment and perfume make the heart rejoice; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by counsel from the heart."
Not only can we go around the world from our homes, we can take our computers and go anywhere within our town, with this device, the library, the park, the coffee shop as we connect with people from every people group. Hallelujah!!!
Not only can we do this but we can also connect with others who love the Lord and who become our cherished friends. This is no different from the letters the apostles sent to the churches, only much faster. Again....Hallelujah!!!!
I have been blessed with friends from facebook, that I have never met, even better some I have been able to meet in person. The encounter in person is just as sweet as the internet interaction with them.
Proverbs 27:9 "Ointment and perfume make the heart rejoice; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by counsel from the heart."
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
The Devil Whispers Again
Many Christians today have a devil whispering things in their ear just like he did to Eve in the garden. Because they are not reading their Bibles and praying, they believe the lies the devil is telling.
Since so many are basing their beliefs on emotions, their feelings are dictating their actions, rather than reason, rational thinking and truth.
Since so many are basing their beliefs on emotions, their feelings are dictating their actions, rather than reason, rational thinking and truth.
Growing is the Goal
"I will not stay silent so that you can remain comfortable in your sin."
It fascinates me that toxic people are allowed to be as mean spirited and superior as they choose but the one who calls them out on their behavior, is chastised or rebuked as the trouble maker.
This is the world we live in, we see it in the media and in politics. The ones who are criticized the most are those who call sin what it is.
Yes, with narcissists the best course of action is to stay away from them once we discover what they are, however there are some rational people out there who will benefit from a mild rebuke or instruction, these are the people with whom we can be honest and open.
Our goal is not to dominate or control as it is with the narcissist, our goal is to help people learn something as much as we should want to learn things from others.
Without correction and chastisement no one grows and changes into better human beings. Those who take offense at correction remain spiritual and emotional infants. Until they can learn to accept a criticism, they will remain such.
2 Timothy 4:2-3 "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.…"
It fascinates me that toxic people are allowed to be as mean spirited and superior as they choose but the one who calls them out on their behavior, is chastised or rebuked as the trouble maker.
This is the world we live in, we see it in the media and in politics. The ones who are criticized the most are those who call sin what it is.
Yes, with narcissists the best course of action is to stay away from them once we discover what they are, however there are some rational people out there who will benefit from a mild rebuke or instruction, these are the people with whom we can be honest and open.
Our goal is not to dominate or control as it is with the narcissist, our goal is to help people learn something as much as we should want to learn things from others.
Without correction and chastisement no one grows and changes into better human beings. Those who take offense at correction remain spiritual and emotional infants. Until they can learn to accept a criticism, they will remain such.
2 Timothy 4:2-3 "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.…"
Rage is the New Normal
Winston Churchill
"You can measure a man's character by the choices he makes under pressure."
We can also measure a man's character by his responses to the mildest challenges.
How many times have we experienced someone who explodes over the slightest disagreement or a perceived slight. It has been many in my lifetime.
We live in a region of the country that is deeply narcissistic, manners are few here and often nonexistent in entire families.
Disagreement is the new evil, the culture that elevates personal choices based on feelings above rational thinking, will be easily angered and often enraged.
When we find ourselves walking on egg shells to avoid fights, we can be sure we have encountered narcissism. The culture as a whole has learned through the self esteem teaching that to disagree or tell someone "no", is equivalent to abuse and must be squashed immediately.
We also encounter those who accuse us of making them walk on egg shells when it is they, through their responses that intimidate others into silence. More than anything else the narcissist fears being seen as wrong. They don't care if they are right or wrong, only that others see them as always right.
Rage has become the new normal in our region, as long as someone does not like something they are allowed to go off the rails without challenge. The one who defends themselves from the rage is the one who is the bad one.
If you ever say to a narcissist, "no, I think that's wrong", or "I don't agree", the rage emerges and no one defends the challenger, even if they are right, the one who is defended is the one who rages. SO!!!, the rage and disrespect grows throughout the culture.
Agitators are those who use intimidation to silence anyone who might cause them to appear wrong.
I am reminded of the account in Sodom and Gomorrah when the Sodomites demanded to have the angel that came to Lot's house. Lot even offered his daughters to them to protect the angels, but they would not have it, they wanted the angels they thought were men.
Notice something in that account in Sodom, even after the perverted Sodomites began to rage, the angels who came to Lot, struck them blind because of their wickedness, but they continued to grope for the door to get in to ravage the angels.
Genesis 19:10-12 "…10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. 12 Then the two men said to Lot, "Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place;…"
The point of this is that there is no reasoning with those who are deeply wicked and given to rage. When we see this happening we know any explanation or reason will be ignored while the "feelings" of being wrong are elevated to highly important status.
Narcissists cannot ignore feelings to do what is right, they believe their feelings are right and will lean into them rather than seeking an answer based on truth.
John 8:31-32 "31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”"
There is great bondage in depending on changing feelings. It is only truth that sets us free from that bondage. The devil manipulates feelings, his purpose is to keep those who elevate feelings above facts, in complete bondage. The more we are in bondage to feelings the more tormented we become.
2 Timothy 2:26
"and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."
"You can measure a man's character by the choices he makes under pressure."
We can also measure a man's character by his responses to the mildest challenges.
How many times have we experienced someone who explodes over the slightest disagreement or a perceived slight. It has been many in my lifetime.
We live in a region of the country that is deeply narcissistic, manners are few here and often nonexistent in entire families.
Disagreement is the new evil, the culture that elevates personal choices based on feelings above rational thinking, will be easily angered and often enraged.
When we find ourselves walking on egg shells to avoid fights, we can be sure we have encountered narcissism. The culture as a whole has learned through the self esteem teaching that to disagree or tell someone "no", is equivalent to abuse and must be squashed immediately.
We also encounter those who accuse us of making them walk on egg shells when it is they, through their responses that intimidate others into silence. More than anything else the narcissist fears being seen as wrong. They don't care if they are right or wrong, only that others see them as always right.
Rage has become the new normal in our region, as long as someone does not like something they are allowed to go off the rails without challenge. The one who defends themselves from the rage is the one who is the bad one.
If you ever say to a narcissist, "no, I think that's wrong", or "I don't agree", the rage emerges and no one defends the challenger, even if they are right, the one who is defended is the one who rages. SO!!!, the rage and disrespect grows throughout the culture.
Agitators are those who use intimidation to silence anyone who might cause them to appear wrong.
I am reminded of the account in Sodom and Gomorrah when the Sodomites demanded to have the angel that came to Lot's house. Lot even offered his daughters to them to protect the angels, but they would not have it, they wanted the angels they thought were men.
Notice something in that account in Sodom, even after the perverted Sodomites began to rage, the angels who came to Lot, struck them blind because of their wickedness, but they continued to grope for the door to get in to ravage the angels.
Genesis 19:10-12 "…10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. 12 Then the two men said to Lot, "Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place;…"
The point of this is that there is no reasoning with those who are deeply wicked and given to rage. When we see this happening we know any explanation or reason will be ignored while the "feelings" of being wrong are elevated to highly important status.
Narcissists cannot ignore feelings to do what is right, they believe their feelings are right and will lean into them rather than seeking an answer based on truth.
John 8:31-32 "31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”"
There is great bondage in depending on changing feelings. It is only truth that sets us free from that bondage. The devil manipulates feelings, his purpose is to keep those who elevate feelings above facts, in complete bondage. The more we are in bondage to feelings the more tormented we become.
2 Timothy 2:26
"and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Jesus Christ is the Word and He is God
Jesus Christ is the WORD, He gave us the Bible so that we can know His mind and His heart.
John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
Rational Thinking Requires that we Ignore Feelings
Feelings are not facts, we must ignore them to go with truth. A culture that bases their decisions on feelings will always make the wrong decisions, they will be wrong more times than they are right.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
The Royal Mess
The royal wedding was a demonstration of the rebellion of the world against God. A single man married a divorced woman, this is sin against God and disregard for the witness they showed the world.
One must confess their sin to be forgiven, if they do not then they are not forgiven. If she had repented she would have obeyed God and remained alone.
1 Corinthians 7:10 "…10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. "
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"If you confess" and if one does not turn from that sin they are demonstrating that they are not repentant. Confession without turning from sin is nothing, its merely words without actions to back it up.
God wants our obedience not our mere words that fly into the air and fall to the ground.
One must confess their sin to be forgiven, if they do not then they are not forgiven. If she had repented she would have obeyed God and remained alone.
1 Corinthians 7:10 "…10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. "
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"If you confess" and if one does not turn from that sin they are demonstrating that they are not repentant. Confession without turning from sin is nothing, its merely words without actions to back it up.
God wants our obedience not our mere words that fly into the air and fall to the ground.
The Last Days Mess
Agreed!!! There is one more thing I have noticed and that is the incredible fighting among family members over nothing, absolutely nothing that matters. Petty, greedy, angry over nothing!!!
It is my belief that the devil is messing with people's minds through thoughts and false visions. There are those who believe they have been abducted by aliens from outer space in the same way LSD users thought there were spiders crawling all over them while they were having a bad trip. ...See More
Alan Brayshaw
"We are living in the Last Days. We see so much beginning to come to pass"
- The Prophecy Against Damascus ( Isaiah 17 )
- The formation of the Ezekiel 38/39 Prophecy
- The Nations Against Jerusalem ( Zechariah 12 )
- Increase In Threats Of Nuclear War..Distress Of Nations
- Increase In Diverse Significant Earthquakes
- People Calling Evil Good and Good Evil
- Signs In The Sun, Moon, And Stars ( Luke 21:25 )
- The Stage beeing set for the Antichrist and False Prophet to come on to the world scene. "
It is my belief that the devil is messing with people's minds through thoughts and false visions. There are those who believe they have been abducted by aliens from outer space in the same way LSD users thought there were spiders crawling all over them while they were having a bad trip. ...See More
Alan Brayshaw
"We are living in the Last Days. We see so much beginning to come to pass"
- The Prophecy Against Damascus ( Isaiah 17 )
- The formation of the Ezekiel 38/39 Prophecy
- The Nations Against Jerusalem ( Zechariah 12 )
- Increase In Threats Of Nuclear War..Distress Of Nations
- Increase In Diverse Significant Earthquakes
- People Calling Evil Good and Good Evil
- Signs In The Sun, Moon, And Stars ( Luke 21:25 )
- The Stage beeing set for the Antichrist and False Prophet to come on to the world scene. "
The Holy Spirit in Us Convicts Them
Unbelievers are very uncomfortable around born again believers even when we say nothing. They can sense the Holy Spirit in us and think something is wrong about us, even if they don't know what it is. Often they concoct reasons to dislike us or speak against us because they have to have a reason they can see.
John 16:7-9 "…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
John 16:7-9 "…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;"
One Paid Man is not God's Way
The one man pastor leader is not Biblical, it all began with those who wanted to pay someone else to be their spirituality for them. Just like the Jews wanted a king like the other nations, instead of God as their leader, God gave it to them and look what happened. The Holy Spirit wanted to lead our gatherings through all the men in the gathering, but the people wanted to be lazy and let "an educated and trained" by man leader. The Holy Spirit was not good enough, they couldn't see Him, they couldn't manipulate Him. So they decided to have a man who would say the things they like to hear and make them feel comfortable in the pew. Sad but true.
Romans 5:12-15
"12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned
13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many."
What are You Proud of?
Everyone, every single person, is guilty before God.
Romans 3:9-10
"9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written,"
“There is none righteous, not even one;"
Romans 3:25
"25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;"
Romans 3:9-10
"9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written,"
“There is none righteous, not even one;"
Romans 3:25
"25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;"
Acts 4:10-12
"10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Those Who Love Christ Love His Principles ALL OF THEM
When someone says their is a God, even claiming to be "Christian" but acts as though they care nothing about His principles or cherry picks them to suit their own desires, if really denying Christ.
The modern apostate church violates more of God's principles than they follow because deeply in their heart they do not care what He thinks. They care only about personal "feelings" of safety and prosperity than they care about the very heart of God.
When we use people to gain something for ourselves, then we are also predisposed to using God for our own benefit.
Ever wonder why you prayed and prayed and prayed for something you want but never seem to see that prayer answered? Perhaps you are praying in your own will and not the will of God. Perhaps there is ungratefulness in your heart that causes you to see God as some sort of puppet, you pull the string and He gives you what you want. OR, perhaps you become angry when God doesn't hear your selfish prayers further hardening your heart to His will.
There was a saying in recent years that has become a psychological mantra, full of abomination, that is "it is alright to be angry with God." This is a mantra from hell, how dare anyone think they have a right to be angry with God as though God did something wrong.
Hebrews 10:30-32 "…30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember the early days that you were in the light, when you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering."
Hebrews 12:28-29 "…28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire."
It is sin to be angry with God and it is sin to fall in love with oneself. If we love ourselves, then we accept the sin that is within us. We must love God, accept His judgement and pray for humility to be able to forget about ourselves.
Every human being is born loving themselves far too much, that comes naturally to mankind. The true faith in Christ focuses on Him not self.
The sin nature always has its eyes firmly fixed upon self, it is the Spiritual man who has their eyes fixed on Christ, denying self to serve God.
Hebrews 16:23-25 "23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
Those who have been teaching love of self above all else for the past 40 years have been a stumbling block to the culture and specifically to Christians. Those who have preached prosperity for self gratification will be judged for their promotion of self.
The modern apostate church violates more of God's principles than they follow because deeply in their heart they do not care what He thinks. They care only about personal "feelings" of safety and prosperity than they care about the very heart of God.
When we use people to gain something for ourselves, then we are also predisposed to using God for our own benefit.
Ever wonder why you prayed and prayed and prayed for something you want but never seem to see that prayer answered? Perhaps you are praying in your own will and not the will of God. Perhaps there is ungratefulness in your heart that causes you to see God as some sort of puppet, you pull the string and He gives you what you want. OR, perhaps you become angry when God doesn't hear your selfish prayers further hardening your heart to His will.
There was a saying in recent years that has become a psychological mantra, full of abomination, that is "it is alright to be angry with God." This is a mantra from hell, how dare anyone think they have a right to be angry with God as though God did something wrong.
Hebrews 10:30-32 "…30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember the early days that you were in the light, when you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering."
Hebrews 12:28-29 "…28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire."
It is sin to be angry with God and it is sin to fall in love with oneself. If we love ourselves, then we accept the sin that is within us. We must love God, accept His judgement and pray for humility to be able to forget about ourselves.
Every human being is born loving themselves far too much, that comes naturally to mankind. The true faith in Christ focuses on Him not self.
The sin nature always has its eyes firmly fixed upon self, it is the Spiritual man who has their eyes fixed on Christ, denying self to serve God.
Hebrews 16:23-25 "23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
Those who have been teaching love of self above all else for the past 40 years have been a stumbling block to the culture and specifically to Christians. Those who have preached prosperity for self gratification will be judged for their promotion of self.
The Place of No Return is Frightening!
The most frightening place for anyone to be is in the state of hardened heart. When someone continually resists God and His principles, eventually the Lord will blind them to believe the foolishness they want to believe.
At first we choose to believe things, after continually choosing to believe what we know is merely justification for our sinful stubbornness, then after some period of time we actually begin to believe what we knew was wrong before.
When someone choose to continually believe lies and then is hardened, God then further hardens the heart to the place of no return.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 "…10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11 For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 in order that judgment will come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness."
Refusing the love of the truth is a choice that can lead to never being able to know the truth again. Frightening!!!!
At first we choose to believe things, after continually choosing to believe what we know is merely justification for our sinful stubbornness, then after some period of time we actually begin to believe what we knew was wrong before.
When someone choose to continually believe lies and then is hardened, God then further hardens the heart to the place of no return.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 "…10 and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. 11 For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 in order that judgment will come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness."
Refusing the love of the truth is a choice that can lead to never being able to know the truth again. Frightening!!!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
The Land Belongs to Israel
Let's be clear about the "two state solution" that the world is talking about.
There never has been a "Palestinian state", its a myth. Before Israel was given their land back, the Arabs were offered that land and refused it, they had no interest in that land. After it was returned to Israel some 2000 years after their exile, all of a sudden the Arabs, now known as Palestinians want the land claiming it belonged to them.
God gave the land to Israel, it is theirs, God gave it back to them and He will keep His promise that it will be theirs forever.
The boundaries of the Promised Land, that is the land given to Israel is far bigger than the border in which they live now and it will become that big again one day soon.
“You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
[Ezekiel 36:28]
“... the Sovereign Lord says: O My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, My people, will know that I am the Lord ... I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”
[Ezekiel 37:12-14]
“... the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.”
[Ezekiel 37:21]
“They will live in the land I gave to My servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever ...”
[Ezekiel 37:25]
“This land will be his possession in Israel. And My princes will no longer oppress My people but will allow the house of Israel to possess the land ...”
[Ezekiel 45:8]
“... Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will become your inheritance.”
[Ezekiel 47:14]
“I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
[Amos 9:15]
“He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his seed after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.”
[Acts 7:5]
“... He overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to His people as their inheritance.”
[Acts 13:19]
There never has been a "Palestinian state", its a myth. Before Israel was given their land back, the Arabs were offered that land and refused it, they had no interest in that land. After it was returned to Israel some 2000 years after their exile, all of a sudden the Arabs, now known as Palestinians want the land claiming it belonged to them.
God gave the land to Israel, it is theirs, God gave it back to them and He will keep His promise that it will be theirs forever.
The boundaries of the Promised Land, that is the land given to Israel is far bigger than the border in which they live now and it will become that big again one day soon.
“You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
[Ezekiel 36:28]
“... the Sovereign Lord says: O My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, My people, will know that I am the Lord ... I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”
[Ezekiel 37:12-14]
“... the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.”
[Ezekiel 37:21]
“They will live in the land I gave to My servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever ...”
[Ezekiel 37:25]
“This land will be his possession in Israel. And My princes will no longer oppress My people but will allow the house of Israel to possess the land ...”
[Ezekiel 45:8]
“... Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will become your inheritance.”
[Ezekiel 47:14]
“I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
[Amos 9:15]
“He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his seed after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.”
[Acts 7:5]
“... He overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to His people as their inheritance.”
[Acts 13:19]
Monday, May 14, 2018
Liberalism is Irrational
Liberalism is not rational, it is based merely on feelings rather than intelligent thinking! There is not one rational or good reason for the indulgence of the baser qualities of man.
Why do liberals love the freedom to divorce, commit abortion and use pornography? Its quite simple, "just because they want it."
Those of us who believe God's way is best could write pages and pages on the problems with indulging the sinful nature. Its easy to show the devastation when one follows their "feelings" rather than noble intentions.
Many years ago as a young and new believer I was mocked by "Church goers" for my disapproval of divorce and remarriage, for my stance against women working outside the home when they had children, as well as the declaration that teaching children to love themselves was a monstrous mistake and much more.
One didn't have to be a student of the Bible to understand these things didn't make sense, even though the Bible showed us they were wrong on so many levels. Somehow I knew these things were not right even before I read the Bible, it was only after I began to read it that I realized God had put it in my heart even before I had proved it through the study of Scripture.
It didn't make sense to me to ruin families by divorce or teach children to ruminate on the love of self, as well as the neglect of families through working mothers.
Yes, there was a day before my time when everyone agreed on these things! Because of the intimidation of the "don't judge" mantra, people began to indulge themselves knowing no one would dare challenge their view of life, since the culture had been deeply brainwashed that everyone should do as they please while everyone else had to accept their decisions without inquiry or dispute.
The mentality of individualism made it a sin to speak truth to those in the body of Christ, after all they should mind their own business. And yet, the Bible clearly told us to admonish one another to greater holiness and judge those in the body for the purpose of helping one another live out the Christian life according to the Scriptures.
Matthew 8:15-16 "15 If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’…"
Galatians 6:1-2 "1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ."
When we confront one who is in sin we are to do it with a spirit of helping them back to the right path, not accepting the sin or indulging them through words of flattery that only make them feel good about their sin.
James 5:19-20 " 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.…"
Our culture has been so indoctrinated into the idea that we should never confront another person about their lifestyle of sin, that even the believers have bought into this. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been told "don't judge." As though stating the truth and attempting to bring a believer back to truth, was the unkind thing to do.
When we have the love of God we are grieved when a fellow believer is making a serious error in their walk, justifying sin to bring themselves pleasure or relieve emotional pain.
We have all done this from time to time, confessed it and got back on the path again, but now brothers and sisters are encouraged to stay on the ruinous path merely for the sake of temporary feelings. The Church needs to repent from their disobedience in favor of psychological bent and begin to seek God in His Word for their answers.
Eventually "our sins will find us out", those that refuse to confess their sin and return to obedience, will see God's discipline.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Why do liberals love the freedom to divorce, commit abortion and use pornography? Its quite simple, "just because they want it."
Those of us who believe God's way is best could write pages and pages on the problems with indulging the sinful nature. Its easy to show the devastation when one follows their "feelings" rather than noble intentions.
Many years ago as a young and new believer I was mocked by "Church goers" for my disapproval of divorce and remarriage, for my stance against women working outside the home when they had children, as well as the declaration that teaching children to love themselves was a monstrous mistake and much more.
One didn't have to be a student of the Bible to understand these things didn't make sense, even though the Bible showed us they were wrong on so many levels. Somehow I knew these things were not right even before I read the Bible, it was only after I began to read it that I realized God had put it in my heart even before I had proved it through the study of Scripture.
It didn't make sense to me to ruin families by divorce or teach children to ruminate on the love of self, as well as the neglect of families through working mothers.
Yes, there was a day before my time when everyone agreed on these things! Because of the intimidation of the "don't judge" mantra, people began to indulge themselves knowing no one would dare challenge their view of life, since the culture had been deeply brainwashed that everyone should do as they please while everyone else had to accept their decisions without inquiry or dispute.
The mentality of individualism made it a sin to speak truth to those in the body of Christ, after all they should mind their own business. And yet, the Bible clearly told us to admonish one another to greater holiness and judge those in the body for the purpose of helping one another live out the Christian life according to the Scriptures.
Matthew 8:15-16 "15 If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’…"
Galatians 6:1-2 "1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ."
When we confront one who is in sin we are to do it with a spirit of helping them back to the right path, not accepting the sin or indulging them through words of flattery that only make them feel good about their sin.
James 5:19-20 " 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.…"
Our culture has been so indoctrinated into the idea that we should never confront another person about their lifestyle of sin, that even the believers have bought into this. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been told "don't judge." As though stating the truth and attempting to bring a believer back to truth, was the unkind thing to do.
When we have the love of God we are grieved when a fellow believer is making a serious error in their walk, justifying sin to bring themselves pleasure or relieve emotional pain.
We have all done this from time to time, confessed it and got back on the path again, but now brothers and sisters are encouraged to stay on the ruinous path merely for the sake of temporary feelings. The Church needs to repent from their disobedience in favor of psychological bent and begin to seek God in His Word for their answers.
Eventually "our sins will find us out", those that refuse to confess their sin and return to obedience, will see God's discipline.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Marital Unfaithfulness Takes Many Forms
Marital unfaithfulness does not end a marriage, those who want to think so are choosing to believe a lie.
Marital unfaithfulness can be in the heart even if it never happens in the flesh. The heart is just as dirty as the act. Everyone could divorce if unfaithfulness were allowance for divorce. Also, God would throw all of us away for adultery against Him if unfaithfulness were the reason to throw a spouse away.
2 Timothy 2:13 "13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself."
We are not faithful to God regularly, we have wrong thoughts and are disrespectful at times, when we get tired or lazy. We still remain His children just as these actions do not toss God away from us, we are not to toss our spouses away from us for their sins. We might discipline them to bring them back to God, but we don't throw them away, we would have to throw ourselves away for imperfections.
Unfaithfulness not only comes in the form of adultery of the heart, it also comes through a resistance to understand our spouse, lacking support to them. When a couple lives in the same house but maintains a life of separateness, that is a form of unfaithfulness. We are to be supportive of one another, seeking to understand and defend one another.
Marital unfaithfulness can be in the heart even if it never happens in the flesh. The heart is just as dirty as the act. Everyone could divorce if unfaithfulness were allowance for divorce. Also, God would throw all of us away for adultery against Him if unfaithfulness were the reason to throw a spouse away.
2 Timothy 2:13 "13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself."
We are not faithful to God regularly, we have wrong thoughts and are disrespectful at times, when we get tired or lazy. We still remain His children just as these actions do not toss God away from us, we are not to toss our spouses away from us for their sins. We might discipline them to bring them back to God, but we don't throw them away, we would have to throw ourselves away for imperfections.
Unfaithfulness not only comes in the form of adultery of the heart, it also comes through a resistance to understand our spouse, lacking support to them. When a couple lives in the same house but maintains a life of separateness, that is a form of unfaithfulness. We are to be supportive of one another, seeking to understand and defend one another.
Sharing Truth Brings Persecution
If you are not being persecuted in some way, you are probably not sharing truth.
There are those who think they are more spiritual when everyone loves them. Christ tells us the opposite.
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. "
There are those in the church that think if we tell the truth and someone gets mad, we must have done something wrong. Perhaps we didn't say something the right way or we had a bad attitude. When we see that Christ was rejected and still is by most people, then we can easily refute the accusations that we were doing something wrong. It is the Holy Spirit Who guides us as we walk with Him. We have not need to walk on egg shells wondering if we did or said something the right way.
2 Timothy 4:2-3 " 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.…"
I have known people who joke continually, they do it to get people to like them. They love the adulation of those happy slaps on the back. It's one thing to have a personality who views life as sort of funny, some people are naturally this way. But there are also those who work real hard at being jesters to keep attention on themselves.
We know these people because it is impossible to have a serious conversation about anything that matters with them.
I have known people like this, they are constantly joking and laughing, as soon as someone become serious there is a negative sort of rage that emerges from them. They act as though they hate seriousness, it makes them think, it makes them have to stop the actions that gain them personal attention.
When we encounter this "court jester" mentality we do not need to feel intimidated, merely speak as led by the Holy Spirit and ignore any negative responses to intimidate.
There are those who think they are more spiritual when everyone loves them. Christ tells us the opposite.
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. "
There are those in the church that think if we tell the truth and someone gets mad, we must have done something wrong. Perhaps we didn't say something the right way or we had a bad attitude. When we see that Christ was rejected and still is by most people, then we can easily refute the accusations that we were doing something wrong. It is the Holy Spirit Who guides us as we walk with Him. We have not need to walk on egg shells wondering if we did or said something the right way.
2 Timothy 4:2-3 " 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.…"
I have known people who joke continually, they do it to get people to like them. They love the adulation of those happy slaps on the back. It's one thing to have a personality who views life as sort of funny, some people are naturally this way. But there are also those who work real hard at being jesters to keep attention on themselves.
We know these people because it is impossible to have a serious conversation about anything that matters with them.
I have known people like this, they are constantly joking and laughing, as soon as someone become serious there is a negative sort of rage that emerges from them. They act as though they hate seriousness, it makes them think, it makes them have to stop the actions that gain them personal attention.
When we encounter this "court jester" mentality we do not need to feel intimidated, merely speak as led by the Holy Spirit and ignore any negative responses to intimidate.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Don't Scare the People?
"One guy said yesterday, "Don't scare people about hell. Preach on love". Telling truth IS being loving! Hell is horrific! Repent!" Dawn Martin
How silly is that thinking! If we love someone who is running toward a bridge that is out, not able to see that it is out, we warn them so they will not be harmed. This mentality that people will only accept truth if it makes them happy is the biggest lie in our modern times. That's why believers who tell the truth to help others turn from error are pressured, mocked and demeaned for telling truth. The devil loves this, it makes onlookers afraid to speak truth, they fear the mocking more than they love the truth.
Just in the last few months I heard the mantra that "we should get them to like us first so they will accept the message of the gospel", there is no model of this in the Word of God, its based on the false principles of psychology.
I reject the notion that we must all walk on egg shells worried about saying things the "right way." All we need is the Holy Spirit, He knows which way is needed for each individual or crowd.
Matthew 10:18-20 "…18 On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.…"
Those who worry about how something is said lack faith and often accuse others of a wrong delivery, when it was not true. They assume since someone got mad the speaker must have done something wrong.
They hated Christ and the apostles, even murdering them, what wrong way did they deliver the message of salvation, with the words of the Holy Spirit.
Ignore ignorant men and do what God tells you to do!
How silly is that thinking! If we love someone who is running toward a bridge that is out, not able to see that it is out, we warn them so they will not be harmed. This mentality that people will only accept truth if it makes them happy is the biggest lie in our modern times. That's why believers who tell the truth to help others turn from error are pressured, mocked and demeaned for telling truth. The devil loves this, it makes onlookers afraid to speak truth, they fear the mocking more than they love the truth.
Just in the last few months I heard the mantra that "we should get them to like us first so they will accept the message of the gospel", there is no model of this in the Word of God, its based on the false principles of psychology.
I reject the notion that we must all walk on egg shells worried about saying things the "right way." All we need is the Holy Spirit, He knows which way is needed for each individual or crowd.
Matthew 10:18-20 "…18 On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.…"
Those who worry about how something is said lack faith and often accuse others of a wrong delivery, when it was not true. They assume since someone got mad the speaker must have done something wrong.
They hated Christ and the apostles, even murdering them, what wrong way did they deliver the message of salvation, with the words of the Holy Spirit.
Ignore ignorant men and do what God tells you to do!
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Focus on What's Coming, Leave the Rest at a Distance
As believers we can be sad and full of joy at the same time. I laughed at a joke the doctor made during labor with our first child.
I was hurting but joyful at what I knew was coming. The pain didn't make me depressed because the focus was on the coming blessing!
I feel that way now about my walk with Christ. I might cry in sadness over things once in a while but the joy never leaves me and I know the sadness is very temporary as I place my focus back on the coming blessing, the Lord of lords coming in the clouds for His Bride.
I was hurting but joyful at what I knew was coming. The pain didn't make me depressed because the focus was on the coming blessing!
I feel that way now about my walk with Christ. I might cry in sadness over things once in a while but the joy never leaves me and I know the sadness is very temporary as I place my focus back on the coming blessing, the Lord of lords coming in the clouds for His Bride.
Friday, May 11, 2018
Keeping Unspotted
It is important to "observe and not absorb" as one counselor put it, the rantings and irrational responses of heathens. They are growing worse in their nasty comments and responses to simple and even unimportant matters, as though intimidation will force us to become like them. Their personal validation takes priority over everything, they cannot love those they cannot control.
The reason so many people use mocking and intimidation more than reasonable and rational conversation, is because they are dedicated to forcing others to think and act like they do. Those who operate in this vain cannot survive without validation from others, they are predisposed to crowd following because they cannot endure being different from the existing norm.
It is notable that the news media skews their information to include insults to make others feel silly about believing certain things. They operate the same way a malignant narcissist operates, using mocking, insults and demeaning with anyone who does not obey their particular agenda.
For instance, I watched a secular news show in which the commentator said, "unlike irrational people, I think", implying that if someone didn't agree with that commentator, they were assigned the title of "irrational." When we hear language like this we are watching the tactic of a manipulator.
This is a hot topic these days because many people are beginning to see these things, why? The tactics of the narcissist used to be much more covert because it was not socially acceptable. Fewer people were mean compared to now, at least in our country. However we are now living in times when it has become more acceptable to be selfish, even taught in school by psychologists to think of ourselves first.
The self esteem teaching has brought about a crisis of intolerant and mean spirited rudeness greater than we saw in the past.
God told us in 2 Timothy 3 that this would be the case, our job as believers is to learn how to live around it without it soaking into our souls. Our mandate from God is to keep ourselves from becoming like those who act in these ungodly and mean spirited ways through prayer and knowing His Word intimately. So intimately that our first thoughts go to Scripture when faced with anything.
James 1:27 "27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
The drama and foolishness of the world can distract us from doing the things God told us to do as well as possibly discouraging us from His ways.
We have a sewer in our neighborhood, it is there, has to be maintained but we do not walk in it.
The reason so many people use mocking and intimidation more than reasonable and rational conversation, is because they are dedicated to forcing others to think and act like they do. Those who operate in this vain cannot survive without validation from others, they are predisposed to crowd following because they cannot endure being different from the existing norm.
It is notable that the news media skews their information to include insults to make others feel silly about believing certain things. They operate the same way a malignant narcissist operates, using mocking, insults and demeaning with anyone who does not obey their particular agenda.
For instance, I watched a secular news show in which the commentator said, "unlike irrational people, I think", implying that if someone didn't agree with that commentator, they were assigned the title of "irrational." When we hear language like this we are watching the tactic of a manipulator.
This is a hot topic these days because many people are beginning to see these things, why? The tactics of the narcissist used to be much more covert because it was not socially acceptable. Fewer people were mean compared to now, at least in our country. However we are now living in times when it has become more acceptable to be selfish, even taught in school by psychologists to think of ourselves first.
The self esteem teaching has brought about a crisis of intolerant and mean spirited rudeness greater than we saw in the past.
God told us in 2 Timothy 3 that this would be the case, our job as believers is to learn how to live around it without it soaking into our souls. Our mandate from God is to keep ourselves from becoming like those who act in these ungodly and mean spirited ways through prayer and knowing His Word intimately. So intimately that our first thoughts go to Scripture when faced with anything.
James 1:27 "27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
The drama and foolishness of the world can distract us from doing the things God told us to do as well as possibly discouraging us from His ways.
We have a sewer in our neighborhood, it is there, has to be maintained but we do not walk in it.
Holy Spirit Conviction
I have stories that demonstrate the principle of Holy Spirit influence without words or actions, well. We used to work the fairs selling our ice cream when we were in that business. When I was behind the counter many scantily clad women would come to the booth to buy.
I never reacted to their clothing because I was used to it, in the world that's just the way it is. On more than one occasion a young woman in immodest clothing would stand before me deciding her choices of ice cream.
I was my normal jovial happy self, greeting with "Hi, how are you, what can I get for you?" The women would begin to pull at their sweater to cover up as though embarrassed. I never addressed their clothing or had any look but smiles.
That seemed odd to me until I realized they were probably sensing the Holy Spirit in me. I was dressed modestly but so were lots of other people at the fairs, I deduced that it was the Holy Spirit because they didn't cover when it was someone else who was modestly dressed.
I have also experienced someone telling me I was judgmental when I had said nothing at all. LOL, that's a little weird. That too was another clue that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, even when we say or do nothing at all.
For many years I could not understand why relatives acted uncomfortable around me, they seemed stand offish as though something was wrong, but I had said or done nothing, except to be friendly.
This is why I am convinced the "just be friendly to win people to the Lord" is not rational. No matter how friendly we are, the Holy Spirit in us is going to make them irritated and uncomfortable when they are in rebellion.
Have you ever gone to a gathering and felt as though most people there were avoiding you, but you had said or done nothing yet, just by walking in the room there seemed like a coldness, an aloofness that could not be explained?
Welcome to the Pacific Northwest, there is a demonic oppression here that makes many people fear the presence of the Holy Spirit. Narcissism is rampant here, if you act differently from others you are perceived as a threat. Not everyone is this way, but it is becoming more common than I have ever seen it.
Never fear dear brothers and sisters, we are in the best place when we are walking with Christ. We can pray for those who are intimidated by Him. They are in the saddest place anyone can be, that is left to their own devices to muddle through life without joy, only able to obtain some happiness when they are getting what they want. The happiness leaves them as soon as they have to encounter something they don't like, and the joy is never present.
The devil hates joyful and contented people, he works to destroy that, but he cannot so he engages others to do it for him against the born again believer.
It is best to stay close to Christ in us, then, although we love people we do not NEED them to be joyful, He, Christ is our joy always and no matter who else loves or likes us we are contented in Him.
Philippians 4:10-12 "10 Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. 12 I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need."
I never reacted to their clothing because I was used to it, in the world that's just the way it is. On more than one occasion a young woman in immodest clothing would stand before me deciding her choices of ice cream.
I was my normal jovial happy self, greeting with "Hi, how are you, what can I get for you?" The women would begin to pull at their sweater to cover up as though embarrassed. I never addressed their clothing or had any look but smiles.
That seemed odd to me until I realized they were probably sensing the Holy Spirit in me. I was dressed modestly but so were lots of other people at the fairs, I deduced that it was the Holy Spirit because they didn't cover when it was someone else who was modestly dressed.
I have also experienced someone telling me I was judgmental when I had said nothing at all. LOL, that's a little weird. That too was another clue that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, even when we say or do nothing at all.
For many years I could not understand why relatives acted uncomfortable around me, they seemed stand offish as though something was wrong, but I had said or done nothing, except to be friendly.
This is why I am convinced the "just be friendly to win people to the Lord" is not rational. No matter how friendly we are, the Holy Spirit in us is going to make them irritated and uncomfortable when they are in rebellion.
Have you ever gone to a gathering and felt as though most people there were avoiding you, but you had said or done nothing yet, just by walking in the room there seemed like a coldness, an aloofness that could not be explained?
Welcome to the Pacific Northwest, there is a demonic oppression here that makes many people fear the presence of the Holy Spirit. Narcissism is rampant here, if you act differently from others you are perceived as a threat. Not everyone is this way, but it is becoming more common than I have ever seen it.
Never fear dear brothers and sisters, we are in the best place when we are walking with Christ. We can pray for those who are intimidated by Him. They are in the saddest place anyone can be, that is left to their own devices to muddle through life without joy, only able to obtain some happiness when they are getting what they want. The happiness leaves them as soon as they have to encounter something they don't like, and the joy is never present.
The devil hates joyful and contented people, he works to destroy that, but he cannot so he engages others to do it for him against the born again believer.
It is best to stay close to Christ in us, then, although we love people we do not NEED them to be joyful, He, Christ is our joy always and no matter who else loves or likes us we are contented in Him.
Philippians 4:10-12 "10 Now I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. 12 I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation—to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need."
Kindness Embarrasses the Narcissist
Narcissists are embarrassed by kindness and love, that's why they despise those who demonstrate it in very real ways.
It is easy to see where this mentality of hatred and contempt comes from, the devil.
Love is of God and the devil hates God, he is the opposite of everything God would want on purpose. Those who love Christ have a far different form of love than the world has.
Those in the world love those who offer them something they want while discarding them when we do not bow to their every whim. However, the Love of God is demonstrated in Christians by their love for God first and then others.
The love for others is not based on feelings but rather it is based on enhancing the character qualities of those we love, warnings, sharing truth and encouragement to keep on seeking God.
The world says, "seek self for everything", Christians say, "seek God for everything in us."
The devil is busy working to convince hearts, influencing them to hate others while God influences believers to love others, deeply and consistently.
1 John 4:20
"20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen."
1 John 3:14
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
Romans 12:10
"10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; [a]give preference to one another in honor;"
Ephesians 4:2
"2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,"
1 John 3:14-19
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
John 8:44
"44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
The devil will always lie and he will always do the speak the opposite of what God speaks. By opposite I mean, he often uses a little bit of truth to deceive but when it is mixed with his lies, it becomes all lies.
It is easy to see where this mentality of hatred and contempt comes from, the devil.
Love is of God and the devil hates God, he is the opposite of everything God would want on purpose. Those who love Christ have a far different form of love than the world has.
Those in the world love those who offer them something they want while discarding them when we do not bow to their every whim. However, the Love of God is demonstrated in Christians by their love for God first and then others.
The love for others is not based on feelings but rather it is based on enhancing the character qualities of those we love, warnings, sharing truth and encouragement to keep on seeking God.
The world says, "seek self for everything", Christians say, "seek God for everything in us."
The devil is busy working to convince hearts, influencing them to hate others while God influences believers to love others, deeply and consistently.
1 John 4:20
"20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen."
1 John 3:14
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death."
Romans 12:10
"10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; [a]give preference to one another in honor;"
Ephesians 4:2
"2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,"
1 John 3:14-19
"14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
John 8:44
"44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
The devil will always lie and he will always do the speak the opposite of what God speaks. By opposite I mean, he often uses a little bit of truth to deceive but when it is mixed with his lies, it becomes all lies.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Silence Speaks
Psalm 50:21
"These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes."
Sometimes our silence allows evil men to feel empowered. When we should not speak because they will not listen, the best course of action is to remove ourselves, that silence can speak volumes.
"These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes."
Sometimes our silence allows evil men to feel empowered. When we should not speak because they will not listen, the best course of action is to remove ourselves, that silence can speak volumes.
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
The Can Feel Him, Christ in Us
Even if believers don't say much, the Holy Spirit in them is evident to others around them.
John 16:7-9 "…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;…"
Where is the Holy Spirit? He is in every believer, that's why when rebellious people are in our presence they feel uncomfortable. They think its something about us, but it is really the Holy Spirit in us.
John 16:7-9 "…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;…"
Where is the Holy Spirit? He is in every believer, that's why when rebellious people are in our presence they feel uncomfortable. They think its something about us, but it is really the Holy Spirit in us.
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