Friday, December 7, 2018
Bullies Need Not Have Power Over You
There are some who "accuse" us of attempting to get a message to them by our posts about God.
Guess what! YES, I am trying to get a message across to anyone who will listen. I find myself saying things very few others are saying.
Those who are speaking truth are being chewed up and spit out as though they did something wrong.
I am here to tell you that if you spoke the truth and someone became angry then that anger is on them. All their excuses that we didn't say it the right way is nothing more than a way to put the blame on you for their own anger and resistance to truth.
Don't make excuses or justify your boldness, just do it and be blessed that you did. Do not allow the rage of others to intimidate you into silence. Do not allow the bullies to manipulate you.
There, I've said it and I'm sticking to it!!!
Guess what! YES, I am trying to get a message across to anyone who will listen. I find myself saying things very few others are saying.
Those who are speaking truth are being chewed up and spit out as though they did something wrong.
I am here to tell you that if you spoke the truth and someone became angry then that anger is on them. All their excuses that we didn't say it the right way is nothing more than a way to put the blame on you for their own anger and resistance to truth.
Don't make excuses or justify your boldness, just do it and be blessed that you did. Do not allow the rage of others to intimidate you into silence. Do not allow the bullies to manipulate you.
There, I've said it and I'm sticking to it!!!
Pretend or Authentic?
As I was out and about in town today I had an opportunity to witness Christ to a Vietnamese gentleman. He shared with me that he was a Buddhist, that he believed in Jesus Christ but that there were many ways to heaven and every way was alright.
I explained to him that Christ was the only way. I encouraged him to read the Bible that he said he had in his home. He had a Bible because he was living with the mother of his children even though they were not married. The wife was Catholic, the reason there was a Bible that was never cracked.
Do we see the problem? The entire culture has been radically indoctrinated to believe that all ways can get someone to heaven. They believe that as long as they are a good person, according to their own idea of good, then they will make heaven. Most of the culture has been indoctrinated also that no one should judge anyone else. They believe that a man who acts wickedly on the outside can be good on the inside in spite of his actions.
The culture believes as long as they do the best they can and sincerely believe they are good, they will make it to heaven.
This mentality of all ways to heaven and every one is basically good, has actually increased the hostility toward anyone who corrects another person.
Since it is viewed as mean spirited to tell someone they are wrong, even though we share a better and true way that saves them for eternity and brings great spiritual blessing in this life, we are called the attacker.
Sadly this all inclusive mentality has tainted the modern Christian's thinking. Even if they say there is only one way, they walk in fear of speaking truth to anyone else in the culture fearful that they will be rejected. It is my opinion that most people in our Christian culture are not sure of what they believe, leaving them unequipped for conversations about Christ and salvation.
There are not very many Christians today who can walk head on into the fire no matter whether or not they will be burned. There are few Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegos, left in the world, there were not many in their time either. Daniel 3:16-28
When personal appearances, safety and preserving friends is more important than sharing the gospel with one who is headed toward the fire, then I have to wonder who their gods really are.
There are Christians who would say there is only one way to the Father through Jesus Christ, to another Christian, but would never contradict the unsaved who would say otherwise. They are too busy using their excuse of lifestyle evangelism, walking on egg shells hoping their unsaved friend will ask them, but really embarrassed if they do actually ask.
When someone does dare to enter into conversation about God they are often accused of "giving unwanted advice." Our culture has actually intimidated godly people into silence because of mantras like this one that are clearly designed to intimidate and manipulate.
It is interesting that most opposition to me when I speak about Christ has come from those who claim to be Christian. The non-believers do not become angry at me, only the "believers."
Perhaps this is because many believers are arrogant, proud of what they think they are for being Christian so they are aggravated by correction. Most people today who claim to be Christian are not interested in Spiritual matters so they use the excuse that doctrine doesn't matter. They lie and say we should ignore doctrine to be unified.
What they don't understand is that our unity as believers has nothing to do with compromise, it has to do with truth. We are unified when we seek Christ together for the answers. When someone will not see the truth on important matters then we must remove ourselves to be with those who do agree.
It is hard for me to understand a believer who is very proud of themselves for their goodness, since coming to Christ authentically would have caused deep sorrow over their own sinfulness. How could pride remain in one who was broken in response to the knowledge of their own wicked heart.
Perhaps the answer lies in the false conversions we see today. Many people have come to Christ to make themselves a part of the group. They meet someone they like that happens to go to a church building. They like all the fun stuff going on there so they hop right in, learning all the standard verbiage to fit in, they are accepted and even extolled as "Christians" but in fact were never born again. These unrepentant sinners are counted as born again's because they attend church. Even though their words are not enthusiastically Christian, their behavior hasn't changed and they believe many erroneous things about God, they are still counted as members of the churches because they attend.
This is the state of most conversions today. They are based on a better life, lots of fun and friends, however Christ is not the reason for their desire to be in the gathering.
Matthew 7:21-23
"21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"
Judas was a false convert. He followed Christ around hoping to suck off of the glory from the movement. Because he was not dedicated to Christ himself, he began to lose interest in following Christ being easily persuaded by unbelievers to betray Him.
The other apostles didn't know that Judas was an impostor until he had betrayed Christ.
Judas had enough conscience to be sorry he had betrayed Christ and hung himself, but he was never a follower of Christ even though he spend much time with the group pretending to be like them.
This is also the state of our church gatherings today. Most who attend have no interest in the Bible, truth or even Christ. Self exaltation and safety is the goal of most professing Christians today.
Some people enjoy learning facts about the Bible but have no interest in learning about their own attitudes and behaviors that dishonor God. Learning about ourselves takes self reflection and Biblical knowledge about what a Christlike character looks like. Unless we read the Bible to learn to be like Him, we are reading for knowledge alone. Knowledge by itself only builds pride, knowledge and wisdom together develops character.
Romans 5:3-5 "…3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
When our focus is self glorification we will pile up knowledge to impress others while neglecting character building, in which God is much more interested.
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2 " Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.…"
Those who are proud of how much they think they know are usually those who know only what they have desired to study and little else.
When we are challenged to look into a matter, rather than kicking against the goad in anger, there ought to be a desire to delve into the Bible a little more while praying for wisdom from the Holy Spirit.
God will not change the heart of someone who does not think they need changing. He will not force anyone to think like Him, they must want the wisdom, they must want to be changed by Him.
Bottom line: There are probably more pretenders in the modern church today than there are authentic born again believers who love the Word of God.
I explained to him that Christ was the only way. I encouraged him to read the Bible that he said he had in his home. He had a Bible because he was living with the mother of his children even though they were not married. The wife was Catholic, the reason there was a Bible that was never cracked.
Do we see the problem? The entire culture has been radically indoctrinated to believe that all ways can get someone to heaven. They believe that as long as they are a good person, according to their own idea of good, then they will make heaven. Most of the culture has been indoctrinated also that no one should judge anyone else. They believe that a man who acts wickedly on the outside can be good on the inside in spite of his actions.
The culture believes as long as they do the best they can and sincerely believe they are good, they will make it to heaven.
This mentality of all ways to heaven and every one is basically good, has actually increased the hostility toward anyone who corrects another person.
Since it is viewed as mean spirited to tell someone they are wrong, even though we share a better and true way that saves them for eternity and brings great spiritual blessing in this life, we are called the attacker.
Sadly this all inclusive mentality has tainted the modern Christian's thinking. Even if they say there is only one way, they walk in fear of speaking truth to anyone else in the culture fearful that they will be rejected. It is my opinion that most people in our Christian culture are not sure of what they believe, leaving them unequipped for conversations about Christ and salvation.
There are not very many Christians today who can walk head on into the fire no matter whether or not they will be burned. There are few Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegos, left in the world, there were not many in their time either. Daniel 3:16-28
When personal appearances, safety and preserving friends is more important than sharing the gospel with one who is headed toward the fire, then I have to wonder who their gods really are.
There are Christians who would say there is only one way to the Father through Jesus Christ, to another Christian, but would never contradict the unsaved who would say otherwise. They are too busy using their excuse of lifestyle evangelism, walking on egg shells hoping their unsaved friend will ask them, but really embarrassed if they do actually ask.
When someone does dare to enter into conversation about God they are often accused of "giving unwanted advice." Our culture has actually intimidated godly people into silence because of mantras like this one that are clearly designed to intimidate and manipulate.
It is interesting that most opposition to me when I speak about Christ has come from those who claim to be Christian. The non-believers do not become angry at me, only the "believers."
Perhaps this is because many believers are arrogant, proud of what they think they are for being Christian so they are aggravated by correction. Most people today who claim to be Christian are not interested in Spiritual matters so they use the excuse that doctrine doesn't matter. They lie and say we should ignore doctrine to be unified.
What they don't understand is that our unity as believers has nothing to do with compromise, it has to do with truth. We are unified when we seek Christ together for the answers. When someone will not see the truth on important matters then we must remove ourselves to be with those who do agree.
It is hard for me to understand a believer who is very proud of themselves for their goodness, since coming to Christ authentically would have caused deep sorrow over their own sinfulness. How could pride remain in one who was broken in response to the knowledge of their own wicked heart.
Perhaps the answer lies in the false conversions we see today. Many people have come to Christ to make themselves a part of the group. They meet someone they like that happens to go to a church building. They like all the fun stuff going on there so they hop right in, learning all the standard verbiage to fit in, they are accepted and even extolled as "Christians" but in fact were never born again. These unrepentant sinners are counted as born again's because they attend church. Even though their words are not enthusiastically Christian, their behavior hasn't changed and they believe many erroneous things about God, they are still counted as members of the churches because they attend.
This is the state of most conversions today. They are based on a better life, lots of fun and friends, however Christ is not the reason for their desire to be in the gathering.
Matthew 7:21-23
"21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"
Judas was a false convert. He followed Christ around hoping to suck off of the glory from the movement. Because he was not dedicated to Christ himself, he began to lose interest in following Christ being easily persuaded by unbelievers to betray Him.
The other apostles didn't know that Judas was an impostor until he had betrayed Christ.
Judas had enough conscience to be sorry he had betrayed Christ and hung himself, but he was never a follower of Christ even though he spend much time with the group pretending to be like them.
This is also the state of our church gatherings today. Most who attend have no interest in the Bible, truth or even Christ. Self exaltation and safety is the goal of most professing Christians today.
Some people enjoy learning facts about the Bible but have no interest in learning about their own attitudes and behaviors that dishonor God. Learning about ourselves takes self reflection and Biblical knowledge about what a Christlike character looks like. Unless we read the Bible to learn to be like Him, we are reading for knowledge alone. Knowledge by itself only builds pride, knowledge and wisdom together develops character.
Romans 5:3-5 "…3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
When our focus is self glorification we will pile up knowledge to impress others while neglecting character building, in which God is much more interested.
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2 " Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.…"
Those who are proud of how much they think they know are usually those who know only what they have desired to study and little else.
When we are challenged to look into a matter, rather than kicking against the goad in anger, there ought to be a desire to delve into the Bible a little more while praying for wisdom from the Holy Spirit.
God will not change the heart of someone who does not think they need changing. He will not force anyone to think like Him, they must want the wisdom, they must want to be changed by Him.
Bottom line: There are probably more pretenders in the modern church today than there are authentic born again believers who love the Word of God.
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