Sunday, September 23, 2018
The Wicked Love Their Darkness
Wicked people don't want to believe we have been completely changed, they desire to remember us the way we used to be before Christ changed us. The reason is simple, if they see the change in us they must face their own sinfulness. The light shines on the darkness and those who love themselves above all else hate the light. The darkness is far more comfortable for those who must maintain that false persona of goodness.
Flattery is Condemned by God
The false love of the world has to do with friendliness to be like by the one they manipulate with kindness and flattery.
The real love of God points people to their flaws, their needs and encourages them to seek Christ.
The love of the world leaves people comfortable in their sin and infancy, while the love of God spurs others to greater holiness and life of wonder and awe of Christ.
Those who love the world hate those who love Christ. They manipulate, demean, mock, intimidate and exclude those who will bring the real love of Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:6
"Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
When we stay within the principles of God in His Word for instruction then we are loving the hearer.
Proverbs 27:5
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
Flatter is of no value, it brings nothing but further error as the person hearing it is solidified in their own pride from the hearing of it.
Proverbs 29:5 ""A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet". Spreads a net for his feet - Beware of a flatterer; he does not flatter merely to please you, but to deceive you and profit himself."
Those who flatter us do it to gain advantage over us. They love to remove our defenses more willing to fall into their ways if we are too flattered to see the errors.
Complimenting someone in genuineness is different from flattery. Flattery serves to disarm us from our senses to take over our soul.
The real love of God points people to their flaws, their needs and encourages them to seek Christ.
The love of the world leaves people comfortable in their sin and infancy, while the love of God spurs others to greater holiness and life of wonder and awe of Christ.
Those who love the world hate those who love Christ. They manipulate, demean, mock, intimidate and exclude those who will bring the real love of Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:6
"Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over another."
When we stay within the principles of God in His Word for instruction then we are loving the hearer.
Proverbs 27:5
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
Flatter is of no value, it brings nothing but further error as the person hearing it is solidified in their own pride from the hearing of it.
Proverbs 29:5 ""A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet". Spreads a net for his feet - Beware of a flatterer; he does not flatter merely to please you, but to deceive you and profit himself."
Those who flatter us do it to gain advantage over us. They love to remove our defenses more willing to fall into their ways if we are too flattered to see the errors.
Complimenting someone in genuineness is different from flattery. Flattery serves to disarm us from our senses to take over our soul.
As in the Days of Noah
It is becoming harder to relate to most people in this culture of apostasy. Even in Christian gatherings we are the fringe crazies when we speak against the ways of the world and for the ways of God. The Bible is not the bench mark for everything, in fact many things the modern believer defends with their life are against the ways of God.
Those who speak boldly the Bible are summarily dismissed, mocked and even treated with disdain.
The rebuke, admonition, correction and proper teaching is missing from the Christian churches of our day. Correction is seen as rude while disrespect is justified.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
"1 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:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 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,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
Those who speak boldly the Bible are summarily dismissed, mocked and even treated with disdain.
The rebuke, admonition, correction and proper teaching is missing from the Christian churches of our day. Correction is seen as rude while disrespect is justified.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
"1 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:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
3 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,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."
Our Friends Shape us!
If our constant companions are those who think more in worldly ways than in the wisdom of God, then we will be convinced of the worldly ways.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
Youth Need to Stop Talking and Start Listening
1 Timothy 4:…11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.…
This verse is often used by charismatics to say that Timothy should be revered in his youthfulness. That he should never allow others to judge him based on his youth. It is used to justify very young people in ministry leadership positions.
At closer inspection it seems more likely that God is telling Timothy not to be disrespectful or do anything that might foster a reason for people to refuse to listen to him.
I understand it this way because over my lifetime I have seen arrogant youth who think they no longer have to listen to others who are older and wiser. They elevate themselves to the same level as those who should be honored by the youth.
When young people refuse to acknowledge the wisdom of the elders they are displaying disrespect and superiority over their elders. It is dishonoring and repugnant to the elder to be treated as an equal or even inferior to the youth. It is less likely that the elders will listen to this arrogant and superior demonstration from the youth who attempt to dominate over their elders.
Young people need to be spending far more time listening than they do speaking. In these last days of 2 Timothy 3 we live in a world that elevates youth above elders and wisdom.
The youth of today tend to think if they have a thought in their head it equates to wisdom, just merely having the thought should bring them praise and adulation. Sort of like the ball youth sports that people attend in which every child gets a prize even if they lose. The youth of today expect to be praised, elevated and treated as princes and princesses without having to earn anything.
It takes many years for wise people to become wise. It takes many real life experience, and I do not mean play and travel, for them to develop the wisdom to be able to think in the correct manner.
There is nothing more agonizing to be in the same room with arrogant self righteous know it alls who believe they are equal to and above those who have lived much longer than they.
“If you fear nothing, then you are not brave. You are merely too foolish to be afraid.” Author Unknown
"The fool wonders, the wise man asks". - Benjamin Disraeli
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." - Psalm 14:1
"The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way." - Josh Billings
- 1 Corinthians 1:20
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? "
When we attempt to speak wisdom to a foolish person they will claim that we are the fools. The more we try to convince them of the wisdom from God, the more they will kick against it. Why, we ask ourselves do they do this? The reason is simple, the fool must be seen as right no matter how silly their argument. They don't care that they are wrong, they only care that they assert themselves. Many fools even know they are wrong but will fight to defend their way in spite of it.
You see, a fool is more interested in winning an argument than they are in discovering truth.
This is the world we live in now, it is not easy, the disrespect and lack of good old fashioned horse sense is nearly gone and there are few that will listen.
Many believers hold on to the foolishness of psychology and the ways of the world when they could humble themselves, ask God for wisdom and proceed to grow in holiness and the wisdom they so desperately need.
Galatians 3:3
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"
Proverbs 13:20
"Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. - Proverbs 13:20"
If our constant companions are those who think more in worldly ways than in the wisdom of God, then we will be convinced of the worldly ways.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
This verse is often used by charismatics to say that Timothy should be revered in his youthfulness. That he should never allow others to judge him based on his youth. It is used to justify very young people in ministry leadership positions.
At closer inspection it seems more likely that God is telling Timothy not to be disrespectful or do anything that might foster a reason for people to refuse to listen to him.
I understand it this way because over my lifetime I have seen arrogant youth who think they no longer have to listen to others who are older and wiser. They elevate themselves to the same level as those who should be honored by the youth.
When young people refuse to acknowledge the wisdom of the elders they are displaying disrespect and superiority over their elders. It is dishonoring and repugnant to the elder to be treated as an equal or even inferior to the youth. It is less likely that the elders will listen to this arrogant and superior demonstration from the youth who attempt to dominate over their elders.
Young people need to be spending far more time listening than they do speaking. In these last days of 2 Timothy 3 we live in a world that elevates youth above elders and wisdom.
The youth of today tend to think if they have a thought in their head it equates to wisdom, just merely having the thought should bring them praise and adulation. Sort of like the ball youth sports that people attend in which every child gets a prize even if they lose. The youth of today expect to be praised, elevated and treated as princes and princesses without having to earn anything.
It takes many years for wise people to become wise. It takes many real life experience, and I do not mean play and travel, for them to develop the wisdom to be able to think in the correct manner.
There is nothing more agonizing to be in the same room with arrogant self righteous know it alls who believe they are equal to and above those who have lived much longer than they.
“If you fear nothing, then you are not brave. You are merely too foolish to be afraid.” Author Unknown
"The fool wonders, the wise man asks". - Benjamin Disraeli
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." - Psalm 14:1
"The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his own way." - Josh Billings
- 1 Corinthians 1:20
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? "
When we attempt to speak wisdom to a foolish person they will claim that we are the fools. The more we try to convince them of the wisdom from God, the more they will kick against it. Why, we ask ourselves do they do this? The reason is simple, the fool must be seen as right no matter how silly their argument. They don't care that they are wrong, they only care that they assert themselves. Many fools even know they are wrong but will fight to defend their way in spite of it.
You see, a fool is more interested in winning an argument than they are in discovering truth.
This is the world we live in now, it is not easy, the disrespect and lack of good old fashioned horse sense is nearly gone and there are few that will listen.
Many believers hold on to the foolishness of psychology and the ways of the world when they could humble themselves, ask God for wisdom and proceed to grow in holiness and the wisdom they so desperately need.
Galatians 3:3
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"
Proverbs 13:20
"Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. - Proverbs 13:20"
If our constant companions are those who think more in worldly ways than in the wisdom of God, then we will be convinced of the worldly ways.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
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