I see this pretense all the time. Someone says the words but nothing changes about the person saying them. Everything is just as it was before the words were said. There is no fervor, no excitement for the Word and no mention of God from their lips. Growing wearier by the day!!!!!
Alan Brayshaw said this:
" The Deadly Type "A" Personality " So often growing up in an Old Yankee Home and attending a dead Church from Birth Church quickly becomes the Good thing You do each week and for an Hour each week everyone gets together and puts on a Show of how Good they can appear. At an early age these Parents Run You through the Sinner's prayer so that They can Cross all their "T's" and dot all their "i;s" We all now have a College education, big house, plenty of money in the bank, we have all said the sinners Prayer. Everything appears Perfect. Except no One Knows JESUS,.! and JESUS does not Know them. "
" Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
Monday, December 17, 2018
Where is the Love?
In the culture in which I grew up we were raised with certain rules that fostered a sense of good hospitality.
One of those rules was followed by the entire culture. Those that didn't follow these rules were considered rude and crass without manners.
One rule was that whenever anyone came to the door for a visit whether they were expected or not, they were offered a drink and a snack if one was available.
If someone arrived unexpectedly while we were napping we quickly put our shoes on to greet them at the door. It was considered rude to greet anyone in ones bare or stocking feet. One was not dressed if there were no shoes on their feet. If a man had no shirt on he would rush to put on a shirt. Being undressed was considered rude.
When a guest entered the home of the host they never ever complained about the food or the table decor. We received the hospitality of the host with gratefulness and graciousness.
The host took care to prepare a table for the guests in her style and personality. Any comment that demeaned or mocked what the host had done was the height of rudeness and that guest would not have been invited back.
Standards for hospitality have been lost in a culture whose greatest goal is to be superior to others.
When we visit someone's home and receive with gratefulness whatever they are offering, we are deferring to them. When we are the host preparing a good snack, meal or drink for our guests we are deferring to our guest
Narcissists hate manners because a display of manners is a deference toward others. We have become subordinate to the one we serve. Narcissists cannot see themselves as serving or deferring to anyone, the very reason the culture has become more narcissistic.
People in our culture want to be served, but they do not want to serve and they lack gratefulness and graciousness to be able to bow to anyone else.
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than himself."
When self esteem has been deeply ingrained in the culture there is no room for hospitality, unless that hospitality is done to gain favor or self elevation.
Yes, I will say it, as a whole this culture is ugly, mean and lacking in manners. Thinking of others is not important to most these days, self aggrandizement is the goal of most people today.
One of those rules was followed by the entire culture. Those that didn't follow these rules were considered rude and crass without manners.
One rule was that whenever anyone came to the door for a visit whether they were expected or not, they were offered a drink and a snack if one was available.
If someone arrived unexpectedly while we were napping we quickly put our shoes on to greet them at the door. It was considered rude to greet anyone in ones bare or stocking feet. One was not dressed if there were no shoes on their feet. If a man had no shirt on he would rush to put on a shirt. Being undressed was considered rude.
When a guest entered the home of the host they never ever complained about the food or the table decor. We received the hospitality of the host with gratefulness and graciousness.
The host took care to prepare a table for the guests in her style and personality. Any comment that demeaned or mocked what the host had done was the height of rudeness and that guest would not have been invited back.
Standards for hospitality have been lost in a culture whose greatest goal is to be superior to others.
When we visit someone's home and receive with gratefulness whatever they are offering, we are deferring to them. When we are the host preparing a good snack, meal or drink for our guests we are deferring to our guest
Narcissists hate manners because a display of manners is a deference toward others. We have become subordinate to the one we serve. Narcissists cannot see themselves as serving or deferring to anyone, the very reason the culture has become more narcissistic.
People in our culture want to be served, but they do not want to serve and they lack gratefulness and graciousness to be able to bow to anyone else.
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than himself."
When self esteem has been deeply ingrained in the culture there is no room for hospitality, unless that hospitality is done to gain favor or self elevation.
Yes, I will say it, as a whole this culture is ugly, mean and lacking in manners. Thinking of others is not important to most these days, self aggrandizement is the goal of most people today.
Infantile Thinking
Here is the good news for those who have had to stretch into maturity!
Yes, this is true! The good news is that someone who has been diminished by narcissists over a period of many years, actually grows stronger than those who are continually praised and lauded for their superiority.
When someone has to stretch their muscles every day in weight lifting, their muscles break down, but when they rebuild they are stronger than they were before the breaking.
Think about it, when we are continually bombarded with nonsense to demean us we must think deeply to discern what is happening. Our thoughts are deeper and often wiser than those who have been elevated with accolades their entire life.
Superficial thinking leads to infanticital, my new word. These are people who have not grown past toddlerhood. They never grow, they never stretch spiritual or emotional muscles to be able to live among those who might confront them.
Those who are praised, having built up pride all their lives do not have the ability to handle a criticism calmly, they melt like a snowflake at the prospect of being seen as imperfect. They have no emotional or spiritual muscles.
James 1:2-8
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.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The insecure praised up individual has little strength to stand alone, this is why they rage when told they might be wrong.
Narcissists hate correction because they are not strong. Those who are strong are not intimidated by correction or even rejection. Strong people stand firm no matter what is coming against them, they do it with dignity and grace.
The narcissist has no dignity or grace, they have only their fragile elevated view of their own self importance. This fragile self comes from trusting in self rather than Christ.
Those who have trusted Christ have a supernatural advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, we have no need to hide who we are or to rage when confronted with difficulty.
Hallelujah!!!!
Yes, this is true! The good news is that someone who has been diminished by narcissists over a period of many years, actually grows stronger than those who are continually praised and lauded for their superiority.
When someone has to stretch their muscles every day in weight lifting, their muscles break down, but when they rebuild they are stronger than they were before the breaking.
Think about it, when we are continually bombarded with nonsense to demean us we must think deeply to discern what is happening. Our thoughts are deeper and often wiser than those who have been elevated with accolades their entire life.
Superficial thinking leads to infanticital, my new word. These are people who have not grown past toddlerhood. They never grow, they never stretch spiritual or emotional muscles to be able to live among those who might confront them.
Those who are praised, having built up pride all their lives do not have the ability to handle a criticism calmly, they melt like a snowflake at the prospect of being seen as imperfect. They have no emotional or spiritual muscles.
James 1:2-8
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.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
The insecure praised up individual has little strength to stand alone, this is why they rage when told they might be wrong.
Narcissists hate correction because they are not strong. Those who are strong are not intimidated by correction or even rejection. Strong people stand firm no matter what is coming against them, they do it with dignity and grace.
The narcissist has no dignity or grace, they have only their fragile elevated view of their own self importance. This fragile self comes from trusting in self rather than Christ.
Those who have trusted Christ have a supernatural advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ, we have no need to hide who we are or to rage when confronted with difficulty.
Hallelujah!!!!
A Form of Religion
Many people in our country today have a "form of religion" but have no desire to be Christ like. They take on a pretense of Christianity because it gains them something personally.
These people lack the love of Christ and accuse others of lacking it when the others show a hatred of sin.
Just recently a "Christian" took exception to the expression that we should hate sin. This person proclaimed loudly that we shouldn't hate anything or anyone. I wonder which Bible she is reading....oh wait....perhaps she is not reading any Bible.
God clearly commands us to hate sin.
Romans 12:9 l
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
If we are not hating sin we are promoting it.
Proverbs 6:16-19
"16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies,
And one who [b]spreads strife among brothers."
We are to hate what God hates always!
These people lack the love of Christ and accuse others of lacking it when the others show a hatred of sin.
Just recently a "Christian" took exception to the expression that we should hate sin. This person proclaimed loudly that we shouldn't hate anything or anyone. I wonder which Bible she is reading....oh wait....perhaps she is not reading any Bible.
God clearly commands us to hate sin.
Romans 12:9 l
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
If we are not hating sin we are promoting it.
Proverbs 6:16-19
"16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies,
And one who [b]spreads strife among brothers."
We are to hate what God hates always!
The Cold Heart of the Hypocrite
If someone decides to become a Christian by the pressure of others and nothing changes dramatically in their thinking, then they were never born again. When someone has become a Christian but have nothing to offer in conversation about things of the Lord, these are clues.
I have known many people who go to church but act embarrassed at the mention of things of the Lord. These same people still believe in evolution, they have no desire to be holy nor is there any excitement about the new them.
There are many pretenders in the church who think they are saved because they joined the club and are now a member of the organization."
These people enjoy their status as a member of the club but have no desire to please God or speak of Him to others.
When they are in company with others they never have a testimony to share or a passage they love to talk about.
It is not possible to be changed into a new creation by Christ and remain "dead pan", as though nothing has changed except our attendance at church.
We are seeing a dramatic rise in "Christians" who attend gatherings but are hostile when corrected with Scripture. When we become born again we love the Word of God. We are ravenous for as much of it as we can get.
When we witness someone who has no interest in reading the word unless it is with others, they have no spirituality of their own, but depend on others to drag them along, then there is a concern they have not been born again.
Yes there are those in the baby stages of their walk with Christ, but these people do not act hostile when corrected or chastised. Those who are hostile at a challenge are often pretenders.
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:…"
John 3:1-8 "3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
A pretender cannot keep up the false persona forever, eventually they will revert back to their real selves when challenged or when they tire of having to pretend.
James 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Titus 1:16 "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work."
The cold heart of the hypocrite:
Matthew 15: 7-9 "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
I have known many people who go to church but act embarrassed at the mention of things of the Lord. These same people still believe in evolution, they have no desire to be holy nor is there any excitement about the new them.
There are many pretenders in the church who think they are saved because they joined the club and are now a member of the organization."
These people enjoy their status as a member of the club but have no desire to please God or speak of Him to others.
When they are in company with others they never have a testimony to share or a passage they love to talk about.
It is not possible to be changed into a new creation by Christ and remain "dead pan", as though nothing has changed except our attendance at church.
We are seeing a dramatic rise in "Christians" who attend gatherings but are hostile when corrected with Scripture. When we become born again we love the Word of God. We are ravenous for as much of it as we can get.
When we witness someone who has no interest in reading the word unless it is with others, they have no spirituality of their own, but depend on others to drag them along, then there is a concern they have not been born again.
Yes there are those in the baby stages of their walk with Christ, but these people do not act hostile when corrected or chastised. Those who are hostile at a challenge are often pretenders.
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:…"
John 3:1-8 "3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
A pretender cannot keep up the false persona forever, eventually they will revert back to their real selves when challenged or when they tire of having to pretend.
James 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
Titus 1:16 "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work."
The cold heart of the hypocrite:
Matthew 15: 7-9 "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
We Become Changed
Amen!!! A sure sign of an authentic salvation experience is a completely changed life. When we are born again our entire perspective is changed. We no longer like the same things we used to like. In fact the things we used to value become ugly to us as our desires are replaced with the mind of Christ.
Alan Brayshaw
"JESUS Did not die on the Cross so You can Say the Sinner's Prayer and love the World."
Alan Brayshaw
"JESUS Did not die on the Cross so You can Say the Sinner's Prayer and love the World."
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