We had some children who did not recognize love when they encountered it. They refused to cry when spanked because they knew we wanted them to be repentant and submit to our authority. When we spoke to them they refused to listen.
2 Timothy 3 is a description of these defiant types. They are evidence when seen on mass of the end times mentality of most people.
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
We adopted four older children who were so defiant that everything we tried to teach them was resisted. They would do exactly opposite of what they knew we wanted, even if what we wanted would give them a better more productive happy life.
Sadly, I don't think these children ever figured out how much we loved them. They did not see instruction, discipline and hugs as love. Since they were deeply manipulative they saw any attempts at helping them to be a better person as manipulation. They evaluated everything we did in negative terms because they were raised in foster homes where the parents there were the enemy, complicit in removing them from their natural parent. Of course the new parents didn't remove them, they only provided a place when the state removed them. To these children the state and the new parents were one and the same.
Some of those foster homes were the enemy to these children because they were abused in them.
The incredible thing about those with stubborn hearts is that they will be resistant to any help to their own destruction. They see "help" as being an allowance to do and be anything they wish without any instruction or guidance. When rules or standards come into play they see it as a threat to be resisted.
When I asked one of our adopted children after he was grown, how it felt when he came to our home he replied honestly; "I thought of it as just another foster home." I asked him if it made a difference that we were intending to adopt him and after one year as the rule was for the state we finally gave him our name so that he was considered one of our family by the state. His reply was the same, it made no difference at all that we wanted him enough to adopt him.
This is an example of how early children are deeply influenced by their formative years. I believe those early years, even as early as a year old, there is an anger and emptiness inside that could only be resolved by interaction with the natural parent. Even though the natural parent was bad for them, even abusive, they wanted what belonged to them, that DNA, that voice of the familiar parent.
It is interesting that all children love their parents no matter how bad the parents are or how neglectful. I explain it this way, there is an invisible umbilical cord that stretches from a child to his parent that can never be severed. The connection to natural parents is so strong that even with new parents who love them and would do better for them, they can never fill that emptiness that is inside from the missing natural parent. Also we see a fantasy in the young child about their natural parent that is not commensurate with reality while with those parents.
It is only Christ Who can break that bond between wicked natural parents and a natural child. This is true too even in family structures in which the abused child remains with their parents. As long as the parent is alive the children must see their loving adoptive parents as the bad guys while their real parents are the ones who loved them. It is inaccurate in most cases but this is the way the adopted children view their new families.
Many adoptive children seek out their natural parent no matter how wonderful their adoptive parents were to them. We hear these stories all the time, the heartbreak of the adoptive parents who gave their all for these children only to be rebuffed and rejected. The adoptive parents are often broken-hearted even though they still have a hope that one day the adoptive child will find Christ and come back to love them.
The adoptive parents have no desire to create animosity in their adoptive children toward their bio parents, but as all narcissists do they assign all the bad of the bio parent to the adoptive parents to justify their sense of anger and loss.
In the cases where there was no animosity toward the adoptive parents were those situations in which the natural parents were killed and the home was a loving place. The children were well adjusted from the example of the natural parent so the adoptive children were grateful for their new home and recognized love in it because they had seen the face of love in their bio parents.
In the cases where the children were removed for abuse or neglect the children learned the anger and hate from their bio parents. As early as one year old a child's perspective about love and live are shaped by their bio parents.
When the anger of a bio parent is inculcated into the soul of their toddler, there is no removing it until that child becomes born again. The angry habit of attitude is formed as a permanent fixture in the child. Yes, lots of love and attention can cause behavior modification in the early years but if Christ does not dwell in the heart of that child the teen years are when we see what has been hiding inside all along.
This is also why the school system has been working to get control over our children at younger and younger ages, they want the children to bond to the teachers and the school system in place of their own bio parents.
When a child spends more time with the teachers at school and then the coaches in sports on the weekend, they will bond more readily to those influences than they do to their own parents.
Have you wondered why the society as a whole has become resistant to God's Word, instruction and correction? The reason is simple, the teachers, the churches, the coaches and everyone else the children interacts with all week long are steeped in humanism and permissiveness. These entities are training our children to look to them for their guidance while teaching them the wicked ways of devils. They inadvertently and by example turn the children against their parents.
We have more rebellion against parents now than we have ever seen in our culture in past years. The 2 Timothy 3 scenario is playing out before our eyes and we can expect it to become worse.
Why are the children accepting the authority of the humanists in other places than home. Simple, we are handing them over to these authorities, in the minds of the children we have given them away to others to raise. With the endorsement of the parents they live with, they are handed over.
Deuteronomy 6:6-8 "…6 These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.…"
I see nothing in any verse of the Bible instructing us to hand our children over to others outside the family to teach and train them.
This is not a warning not to adopt children, it is a warning to know what you are getting into and to be sure God is telling you to do it. There are many lessons to be learned about human nature and love from stretching ourselves in adopting children, missionaries do this all the time.
AND, this is a big "and", our adopted children are all still alive, as long as they remain alive there is a chance they might remember what they heard and and saw in our home and become born again because of those memories.
We are not in control of anyone, we are merely the messengers, God is the One Who must work in the hearts of everyone.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8
"6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor."
Bottom line: Never place your trust in what you perceive as "results", these can be deceiving. Place your trust in Christ alone, then we will never be worried or disappointed. Our job is to obey, that's all!!!!
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
There if Forgiveness for the Repentant
Ezekiel 33:8-9 "… 8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life."
The transgender surgeries are so intense that they can never be reversed if someone changes their mind. They are the most invasive and traumatic surgeries that leaves emotional and spiritual scars forever.
There is a rise in suicide among transgender people since these transitions have became more frequent.
The attempts at suicide are not because of bullying but because those who choose this route are going against everything in their DNA to become something completely unnatural to them.
The parents or teachers are talking young children to want to change their gender at an age when their hormones have not yet developed. When those hormones kick in these children become depressed and suicidal at the prospect of never fulfilling their natural desire for the opposite gender.
No young child comes up with this foolishness of transgender all by themselves. Those who speak about it and encourage it are child abusers. It is the devil using the minds of evil adults to encourage mutilation of the bodies of children too young to resist.
It is demonically inspired in the mind! When the demon places irrational thoughts in the mind making the people believe they want this operation, then removes the thoughts for the transgender to return to normal thinking they are left with what they have done and a deep regret knowing they can never go back to their natural self.
Its bad enough when a full grown adult chooses this for themselves, but absolutely monstrous when adults are influencing children to do this mutilation, knowing it can never be reversed.
It is not natural to want to be the gender we were not born to when all that we are, our whole being is tied to that which God made us.
Devils are busy twisting the minds of foolish adults and those foolish adults are preying on vulnerable children and young people until they are able to get them to do what the devil knows will destroy them.
God says in His word that men and woman are not to pretend to be each other through using one another's clothing, how much worse and devastating is the mutilation of the body.
We are living in monstrous times in which warnings must be issued continually but few will listen to the warnings.
Those few who control the rest of the population are leading us down the most wicked and morale debasing road possible. Sadly though, most of the culture doesn't really care as long as they get to do anything they wish to do. Those who care only about doing what they want will eventually endorse it in others even if they would not do it themselves.
There are few left to give good counsel to confused people. Nearly all counsel that is given will have only one things to say; "do what ever you want", without any thought to the future consequences.
Those who accept any and all actions never think about consequences or the dynamics of things, they simply walk around saying' "duh whatever", while those they support ruin their lives even kill themselves. There is no love in the hearts of those who do not warn about possible pitfalls. Nor are these people around to help pick up the pieces when someone has lost all hope.
Shame, shame on this wicked and perverse generation who does not want to be bothered doing the hard work of warning.
Ezekiel 33:8-9 "… 8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life."
If you have became a transgender and regret it, there is forgiveness in Christ. You will not be able to return to what you were before but God will save your soul and you will see the blessing in heaven when you will be made whole again with a new body. God cleanses us from all sin when we believe in Him.
The transgender surgeries are so intense that they can never be reversed if someone changes their mind. They are the most invasive and traumatic surgeries that leaves emotional and spiritual scars forever.
There is a rise in suicide among transgender people since these transitions have became more frequent.
The attempts at suicide are not because of bullying but because those who choose this route are going against everything in their DNA to become something completely unnatural to them.
The parents or teachers are talking young children to want to change their gender at an age when their hormones have not yet developed. When those hormones kick in these children become depressed and suicidal at the prospect of never fulfilling their natural desire for the opposite gender.
No young child comes up with this foolishness of transgender all by themselves. Those who speak about it and encourage it are child abusers. It is the devil using the minds of evil adults to encourage mutilation of the bodies of children too young to resist.
It is demonically inspired in the mind! When the demon places irrational thoughts in the mind making the people believe they want this operation, then removes the thoughts for the transgender to return to normal thinking they are left with what they have done and a deep regret knowing they can never go back to their natural self.
Its bad enough when a full grown adult chooses this for themselves, but absolutely monstrous when adults are influencing children to do this mutilation, knowing it can never be reversed.
It is not natural to want to be the gender we were not born to when all that we are, our whole being is tied to that which God made us.
Devils are busy twisting the minds of foolish adults and those foolish adults are preying on vulnerable children and young people until they are able to get them to do what the devil knows will destroy them.
God says in His word that men and woman are not to pretend to be each other through using one another's clothing, how much worse and devastating is the mutilation of the body.
We are living in monstrous times in which warnings must be issued continually but few will listen to the warnings.
Those few who control the rest of the population are leading us down the most wicked and morale debasing road possible. Sadly though, most of the culture doesn't really care as long as they get to do anything they wish to do. Those who care only about doing what they want will eventually endorse it in others even if they would not do it themselves.
There are few left to give good counsel to confused people. Nearly all counsel that is given will have only one things to say; "do what ever you want", without any thought to the future consequences.
Those who accept any and all actions never think about consequences or the dynamics of things, they simply walk around saying' "duh whatever", while those they support ruin their lives even kill themselves. There is no love in the hearts of those who do not warn about possible pitfalls. Nor are these people around to help pick up the pieces when someone has lost all hope.
Shame, shame on this wicked and perverse generation who does not want to be bothered doing the hard work of warning.
Ezekiel 33:8-9 "… 8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9 But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from it, he will die in his iniquity, but you will have saved your life."
If you have became a transgender and regret it, there is forgiveness in Christ. You will not be able to return to what you were before but God will save your soul and you will see the blessing in heaven when you will be made whole again with a new body. God cleanses us from all sin when we believe in Him.
The Life of the Blind
Walk Away and Give Them to God
One Must Confess to be Cleansed
Each act of confession to God of a sin no matter how small is another step toward holiness and less sin in our lives.
We are not sinless when we become born again but we do sin less.
As we grow older having confessed to be cleansed every time we fail, we become wiser and more intolerant of sin in ourselves.
Those who do not confess sin in themselves remain spiritual babies, perhaps even never having been born again.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
We are not sinless when we become born again but we do sin less.
As we grow older having confessed to be cleansed every time we fail, we become wiser and more intolerant of sin in ourselves.
Those who do not confess sin in themselves remain spiritual babies, perhaps even never having been born again.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Varnish or Solid Wood?
We can change our tactics but if our character is not changed then the evil will merely morph into something slightly different but the intent is the same.
Ezekiel 11:19
"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,"
If Christ is not changing the heart through our faith in Him, then the heart remains as it is, fallen, secretive and dirty.
2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
When Christ changes our heart into a new one, we no longer operate the way we used to, we don't think the same way anymore.
The pretender remains dirty on the inside while acting on the outside.
The born again believer is cleaned up, they are on the outside what they are on the inside. If they fall out of weakness they are deeply sorrowful, confess it to be cleansed and carry on a little better than before.
The changing never stops with the born again believer, every new step is a permanent heart change.
1 John 1:9
Ezekiel 11:19
"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,"
If Christ is not changing the heart through our faith in Him, then the heart remains as it is, fallen, secretive and dirty.
2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
When Christ changes our heart into a new one, we no longer operate the way we used to, we don't think the same way anymore.
The pretender remains dirty on the inside while acting on the outside.
The born again believer is cleaned up, they are on the outside what they are on the inside. If they fall out of weakness they are deeply sorrowful, confess it to be cleansed and carry on a little better than before.
The changing never stops with the born again believer, every new step is a permanent heart change.
1 John 1:9
No Pain No Growth
I have heard it said today that "we must hurt in order to heal", this is exactly right. In the life of a believer we cannot expect to gain wisdom through all happy fun times. In fact very little is learned during these pleasurable times.
Most important lessons are learned through very difficult times that require a stretching of our emotions and spirit. We cannot learn to ignore feelings to do what is right if we never have those feelings.
Those who seek a life of pleasure cannot grow into mature human beings.
Facing life's challenges is the "no pain no gain" that strengthens us.
James 1:2-4
Testing of Your Faith
"2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
A narcissist does not wish to become mature or grow internally, they only desire to be "seen" as though they have done this.
The mindset behind the behaviors of the narcissist is so ingrained and dominant that they cannot allow themselves to think any differently from self promotion and self protection.
Often the narcissist will change up the way they operate to hide their real selves, they do this by changing one manipulative behavior for another. There is no change in their heart at all, it only appears that way because the manipulation is new.
The narcissist will hear what you say in your encounters with your friends and immediately go and tell those you spoke about. Only the information from the narcissist is nothing like what was really said. These selfish and problematic narcissists love to stir up trouble between people when there was nothing offensive occurring.
Since the narcissist is hypersensitive to criticism they will take the smallest comment and turn it into evil by changing up a few words, making it appear something that it was not at all.
One lady once mentioned to a friend while in conversation about her job, that she loved an organized home as well as an organized office.
The conversation was nothing about the hearers home or anything to do with anything the hearer was doing, but because her home was not organized she took offense. Then later the organized lady heard back from others that the hearer had claimed she had been rude in mentioning her disorganized home.
The truth was that the conversation was not anything about the home of the hearer, it was a casual benign comment about her own preferences in managing a home and office.
Sometimes when conviction hits someone they will be offended by those who are doing what is right even if those doing right say nothing or do nothing to the one who is convicted.
This is the reason I am convinced that unsaved people are convicted by the presence of born again believers even if the believers say and do nothing at all except live their life the way they believe they should.
Sometimes too, those who are unsaved will be offended that we do not go the places they go or do the things they do. Just the mere living of our lives the way we believe is enough to anger those who want us to be like them. I call it the "pack mentality" in which the entire family, school or office system requires everyone to say and do all the same things in order to be treated decently by the others.
Saying "no" to a narcissist is like dangling meat in front of a hungry lion, they will go after you as though you must be stopped from living your own life differently from them. We are seeing this in politics right now in the vitriol coming from the left who are not content to do as they please they must stop everyone else who thinks differently from even expressing themselves.
This devilish control over others exists everywhere now, in families, in churches, in schools, in government and every where else. The mentality of control over others while disallowing anyone to think for themselves under the threat of punishment and banishment is common and even dominant in our culture.
Count yourself greatly blessed if you have the leading of the Holy Spirit so intensely that no one can intimidate you to act and think the way they do.
We listen to the opinions of others, express ours and go off to think about everything and in prayer to determine truth. No one controls us, this is what makes the devil and those controlled by him so angry.
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"
Most important lessons are learned through very difficult times that require a stretching of our emotions and spirit. We cannot learn to ignore feelings to do what is right if we never have those feelings.
Those who seek a life of pleasure cannot grow into mature human beings.
Facing life's challenges is the "no pain no gain" that strengthens us.
James 1:2-4
Testing of Your Faith
"2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
A narcissist does not wish to become mature or grow internally, they only desire to be "seen" as though they have done this.
The mindset behind the behaviors of the narcissist is so ingrained and dominant that they cannot allow themselves to think any differently from self promotion and self protection.
Often the narcissist will change up the way they operate to hide their real selves, they do this by changing one manipulative behavior for another. There is no change in their heart at all, it only appears that way because the manipulation is new.
The narcissist will hear what you say in your encounters with your friends and immediately go and tell those you spoke about. Only the information from the narcissist is nothing like what was really said. These selfish and problematic narcissists love to stir up trouble between people when there was nothing offensive occurring.
Since the narcissist is hypersensitive to criticism they will take the smallest comment and turn it into evil by changing up a few words, making it appear something that it was not at all.
One lady once mentioned to a friend while in conversation about her job, that she loved an organized home as well as an organized office.
The conversation was nothing about the hearers home or anything to do with anything the hearer was doing, but because her home was not organized she took offense. Then later the organized lady heard back from others that the hearer had claimed she had been rude in mentioning her disorganized home.
The truth was that the conversation was not anything about the home of the hearer, it was a casual benign comment about her own preferences in managing a home and office.
Sometimes when conviction hits someone they will be offended by those who are doing what is right even if those doing right say nothing or do nothing to the one who is convicted.
This is the reason I am convinced that unsaved people are convicted by the presence of born again believers even if the believers say and do nothing at all except live their life the way they believe they should.
Sometimes too, those who are unsaved will be offended that we do not go the places they go or do the things they do. Just the mere living of our lives the way we believe is enough to anger those who want us to be like them. I call it the "pack mentality" in which the entire family, school or office system requires everyone to say and do all the same things in order to be treated decently by the others.
Saying "no" to a narcissist is like dangling meat in front of a hungry lion, they will go after you as though you must be stopped from living your own life differently from them. We are seeing this in politics right now in the vitriol coming from the left who are not content to do as they please they must stop everyone else who thinks differently from even expressing themselves.
This devilish control over others exists everywhere now, in families, in churches, in schools, in government and every where else. The mentality of control over others while disallowing anyone to think for themselves under the threat of punishment and banishment is common and even dominant in our culture.
Count yourself greatly blessed if you have the leading of the Holy Spirit so intensely that no one can intimidate you to act and think the way they do.
We listen to the opinions of others, express ours and go off to think about everything and in prayer to determine truth. No one controls us, this is what makes the devil and those controlled by him so angry.
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"
God's Wrath
Romans 1:18-20
"18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
"18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The Last Chance is Soon Here
God has given us one last chance to trust in Christ as this world marches toward worse depravity. If anyone cannot see evil for what it is right now then eyes have been blinded and they will not see what is right in front of them.
Those who look right at a sin will not recognize it as sin because their heart has been darkened, they do not have the ability to reason and discern the simplest things.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
When someone denies truth long enough pretty soon they lose the ability to eve recognize it when it is clear.
Jeremiah 6:14-16 "…14 They have dressed the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. 15 Were they ashamed of the abomination they committed? No, they were not at all ashamed. They did not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD. 16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’…"
There are many authentic born again believers now who are warning constantly of the judgement to come, just as Noah did. Sadly most people refuse to listen, they hate the one who warns them, they do not want to hear the pleas for confession and repentance.
Just as Noah pleaded with the people to head the warning, only eight people walked into that ark and were saved as all the rest drown in the flood of watery judgment. No doubt many of those people in the water who rejected Noah's message were his family members.
We are living in the times similar to that of Noah. We warn, warn and keep warning but few are listening. Those who are listening are fellow believers who already agree with us.
Family members are mocking, contemptuous and disrespectful of our warnings, but they sincerely believe they are right and we are insane.
Soon it will be too late, as in the days of Noah God shut the door of the ark as He will shut the door of the heavens when He snatches His church away and begins His wrath upon the earth.
The time is so very short now, there is no sense within me to preserve relationships by remaining silent. Those who do not want to hear need to hear it the most.
Those who look right at a sin will not recognize it as sin because their heart has been darkened, they do not have the ability to reason and discern the simplest things.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
When someone denies truth long enough pretty soon they lose the ability to eve recognize it when it is clear.
Jeremiah 6:14-16 "…14 They have dressed the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all. 15 Were they ashamed of the abomination they committed? No, they were not at all ashamed. They did not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says the LORD. 16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’…"
There are many authentic born again believers now who are warning constantly of the judgement to come, just as Noah did. Sadly most people refuse to listen, they hate the one who warns them, they do not want to hear the pleas for confession and repentance.
Just as Noah pleaded with the people to head the warning, only eight people walked into that ark and were saved as all the rest drown in the flood of watery judgment. No doubt many of those people in the water who rejected Noah's message were his family members.
We are living in the times similar to that of Noah. We warn, warn and keep warning but few are listening. Those who are listening are fellow believers who already agree with us.
Family members are mocking, contemptuous and disrespectful of our warnings, but they sincerely believe they are right and we are insane.
Soon it will be too late, as in the days of Noah God shut the door of the ark as He will shut the door of the heavens when He snatches His church away and begins His wrath upon the earth.
The time is so very short now, there is no sense within me to preserve relationships by remaining silent. Those who do not want to hear need to hear it the most.
Ragingly Insane Times!
Things are becoming so wicked that every thing that is bad is being promoted as good and everything good is promoted as bad. We are living in "ragingly insane" times, nothing is as it seems and all good is being attacked. These are times of great deception and irrational hatred toward the ways of God.
People are becoming petty and cruel without proper reasoning or any desire to discern truth.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "2
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "2
"1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times (meaning ragingly insane) shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
The Key is in the Longing!
2 Timothy 4:8 "8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing."
Do you long for His appearing?
Do you long for His appearing?
Do I seem negative in my postings?
I do sometimes seem negative to those who are convicted by the posts. Because we have so much evil around us now in these last days we must recognize it to remain strong against it.
Those who are angry at my posts are not directing their anger at me but at me the message and the message comes from God.
Ultimately they are angry with God, only choosing to beat up God's messenger instead of daring to go after God. They deceive themselves into thinking they can influence the messenger to come to their side through intimidation. This is the same tactic of the devil.
Ultimately they are angry with God, only choosing to beat up God's messenger instead of daring to go after God. They deceive themselves into thinking they can influence the messenger to come to their side through intimidation. This is the same tactic of the devil.
The good news is that we have abundant strength and joy because no matter what goes on around us we have Christ, the Law Giver, the Protector and the Truth living inside of us. We have no need of validation by man to remain joyful and productive. Those who would attempt to thwart what God is doing in us will have no effect, God really does have our back. Pay special attention to the very last verse of this post, therein lies the victory and the blessing.
2 Timothy 3:2
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
2 Timothy 4:1-8 "4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing."
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing."
The Narcissist Loves Their Hate
Psalm 52:3-5 "
…3 You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah
4 You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.
5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah…
…3 You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah
4 You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.
5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah…
The Effect of Evil Friends!
A born again believer will not be going to hell when in contact with evil friends, but they sure can be tormented whenever they are around. The goal of the narcissist is to cause us to fall, it makes them feel superior. We must not allow them to affect our walk with Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:18 "18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”…"
The tactic of the narcissist:
Psalm 52:2 "2 Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah…"
Romans 12:18 "18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”…"
The tactic of the narcissist:
Psalm 52:2 "2 Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. 3 You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. Selah…"
Choose Your Friends Wisely
Why does God tell us to be careful to choose our friends wisely?
The answer is simple, every human being takes on the traits of those they spend the most time with and they will capitulate to the standards of the group to avoid being labeled a trouble maker.
When we have friends that love Jesus Christ our friends will be open, honest and seeking Christ right along with us. These people will encourage godliness, kindness and all the other fruit of the Spirit by their own example and by correction if anyone slips off the rails.
Those who love Christ care more about helping their fellow believers to progress toward holiness than they are concerned about being liked by them.
In our modern church system holiness and righteousness has been replaced with superficial friendliness. Those who desire to help others move forward in their walk with Christ are the ones who are demoralized and excluded from the pack.
All of the following verses are ignored by most of the modern church today. In obedience to God we will see stubborn and rebellious people becoming worse as they resist the truth. They will refuse to listen as well as working to accuse of wrong doing those who expose their sin .
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Hebrews 3:12-13 "12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."
Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
Proverbs 27:5
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
Titus 2:15
"Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."
James 5:20
"Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Proverbs 9:8-9
"Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning."
Because we are living as in the times of Noah most people will be angry and resistant to truth.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Anyone who accuses others of mean spiritedness simply for stating the truth is one who walks on crooked paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
May many more born again believers stand strong and may many more believers who are on the crooked path begin to pray for humility to receive instruction from those around them.
The answer is simple, every human being takes on the traits of those they spend the most time with and they will capitulate to the standards of the group to avoid being labeled a trouble maker.
When we have friends that love Jesus Christ our friends will be open, honest and seeking Christ right along with us. These people will encourage godliness, kindness and all the other fruit of the Spirit by their own example and by correction if anyone slips off the rails.
Those who love Christ care more about helping their fellow believers to progress toward holiness than they are concerned about being liked by them.
In our modern church system holiness and righteousness has been replaced with superficial friendliness. Those who desire to help others move forward in their walk with Christ are the ones who are demoralized and excluded from the pack.
All of the following verses are ignored by most of the modern church today. In obedience to God we will see stubborn and rebellious people becoming worse as they resist the truth. They will refuse to listen as well as working to accuse of wrong doing those who expose their sin .
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Hebrews 3:12-13 "12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness."
Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
Proverbs 27:5
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
Titus 2:15
"Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."
James 5:20
"Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Proverbs 9:8-9
"Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning."
Because we are living as in the times of Noah most people will be angry and resistant to truth.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Anyone who accuses others of mean spiritedness simply for stating the truth is one who walks on crooked paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
May many more born again believers stand strong and may many more believers who are on the crooked path begin to pray for humility to receive instruction from those around them.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Ragingly Irrational Times in Which We are Living
I hope someone will make a list of all the doctors who do transgender operations. I want to know who to avoid. There cannot possibly be any decency in a doctor who would mutilate a human being in defiance of God.
It makes no sense at all to mutilate a child who has not reach puberty yet only to have them on unnatural hormones the rest of their life to pretend what they are not.
There has been a rise in serious depression and suicide on the part of those who have mutilated their bodies to pretend to be a different gender than that with which they were born.
When a child is convinced by adults to allow this mutilation they do not understand that the hormones will naturally kick in about age 12 and they will very likely change their mind, but it will be too late.
Doing these operations does not change the gender or there would be no need for artificially infusing hormones for the rest of their lives. They can disfigure their bodies but they remain genetically the gender they were born with only with more problems.
The doctors are creating an illness much like diabetes when they are assigning a drug to someone who would not have otherwise needed one, for their entire life.
We really are living in irrationally insane times full of lies.
It makes no sense at all to mutilate a child who has not reach puberty yet only to have them on unnatural hormones the rest of their life to pretend what they are not.
There has been a rise in serious depression and suicide on the part of those who have mutilated their bodies to pretend to be a different gender than that with which they were born.
When a child is convinced by adults to allow this mutilation they do not understand that the hormones will naturally kick in about age 12 and they will very likely change their mind, but it will be too late.
Doing these operations does not change the gender or there would be no need for artificially infusing hormones for the rest of their lives. They can disfigure their bodies but they remain genetically the gender they were born with only with more problems.
The doctors are creating an illness much like diabetes when they are assigning a drug to someone who would not have otherwise needed one, for their entire life.
We really are living in irrationally insane times full of lies.
~ Proverbs 29:1
Separating Feelings From Reality
Narcissists cannot separate their feelings from reality. They interpret everything in terms of how they feel rather than in actual evidence.
If something "feels" real then it is real in the mind of the narcissist.
When the narcissist sees an action they interpret it by what they wish to believe about someone rather than the evidence about that person.
Rational people can separate their feelings from reality to be able to evaluate whether or not their feelings fit with the facts. Then the rational person can adjust their beliefs to fit the facts while ignoring their feelings. Also, when a rational person realizes their feelings do not fit with the facts the feelings begin to dissipate because reality does not support them.
One example of this might be when a narcissist thinks someone ought to do something for them. The person they ask politely declines because they have a full schedule and do not have the time to help out.
Because the narcissist feels bad they were turned down they assume the person turned them down because they are mad at them or because they don't like them. See how the feelings drive the interpretation?
If the narcissist took the decline at face value without the involvement of their emotions as a rational person would do, they would accept the decline as nothing more than business that did not allow the person to be able to help.
Entitled people always become angry when they are declined. They believe they deserve whatever they ask for, so like little children they have a tantrum when they are declined as though the person declining did something evil to them.
We see this all the time when a narcissist is jealous of someone. They will declare everything their target does as mean or bad because they hate the accomplishments of their target. There is an intense desire to see the object of their jealousy fail in everything.
This is when the jealous person begins their smear campaign and covert meanness to defame the one for whom they are jealous.
One example of this was the young woman whose husband had secured a good job and was becoming more financially stable. The young woman expressed to her mother that she was excited at the promotion of her husband and thought they would be able to buy a house soon. Sharing the desire of her heart with her mother that she wished to live in a particular neighborhood that was very pretty, the mother declared without hesitation that "I couldn't come and visit you if you lived there."
The jealousy of the mother was so intense that she could not join in the joy of her daughter's desires and possible blessings. She had to do something to ruin the blessing and conversation about her hopes and dreams.
The mother having taken this route with everything the daughter expressed to her mother just could not validate or be happy for her because of her deep abiding jealousy of the daughter.
1 Corinthians "13:4 - Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant."
Philippians 2:3 - "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
James "3:14-15 - But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."
Psalm 37:1-3 - "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness."
Notice in the passage James 3, in which God says that jealousy is "demonic."
Nurturing and coddling feelings of jealousy is from the devil. It is one of the feelings the devil uses to motivate people to treat others hatefully.
James 3:16 - "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."
Proverbs 14:30 - "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."
Reasonable rational people evaluate their feelings in favor of truth, narcissists do not evaluate anything, they simply follow their feelings and camp right there permanently.
Nothing can be resolved with these people, any attempt to explain things according to reason will be met with more outrageous feeling oriented tirade based on lies. Don't even try, just walk away while wishing them a good day and avoid them whenever possible.
If something "feels" real then it is real in the mind of the narcissist.
When the narcissist sees an action they interpret it by what they wish to believe about someone rather than the evidence about that person.
Rational people can separate their feelings from reality to be able to evaluate whether or not their feelings fit with the facts. Then the rational person can adjust their beliefs to fit the facts while ignoring their feelings. Also, when a rational person realizes their feelings do not fit with the facts the feelings begin to dissipate because reality does not support them.
One example of this might be when a narcissist thinks someone ought to do something for them. The person they ask politely declines because they have a full schedule and do not have the time to help out.
Because the narcissist feels bad they were turned down they assume the person turned them down because they are mad at them or because they don't like them. See how the feelings drive the interpretation?
If the narcissist took the decline at face value without the involvement of their emotions as a rational person would do, they would accept the decline as nothing more than business that did not allow the person to be able to help.
Entitled people always become angry when they are declined. They believe they deserve whatever they ask for, so like little children they have a tantrum when they are declined as though the person declining did something evil to them.
We see this all the time when a narcissist is jealous of someone. They will declare everything their target does as mean or bad because they hate the accomplishments of their target. There is an intense desire to see the object of their jealousy fail in everything.
This is when the jealous person begins their smear campaign and covert meanness to defame the one for whom they are jealous.
One example of this was the young woman whose husband had secured a good job and was becoming more financially stable. The young woman expressed to her mother that she was excited at the promotion of her husband and thought they would be able to buy a house soon. Sharing the desire of her heart with her mother that she wished to live in a particular neighborhood that was very pretty, the mother declared without hesitation that "I couldn't come and visit you if you lived there."
The jealousy of the mother was so intense that she could not join in the joy of her daughter's desires and possible blessings. She had to do something to ruin the blessing and conversation about her hopes and dreams.
The mother having taken this route with everything the daughter expressed to her mother just could not validate or be happy for her because of her deep abiding jealousy of the daughter.
1 Corinthians "13:4 - Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant."
Philippians 2:3 - "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
James "3:14-15 - But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."
Psalm 37:1-3 - "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness."
Notice in the passage James 3, in which God says that jealousy is "demonic."
Nurturing and coddling feelings of jealousy is from the devil. It is one of the feelings the devil uses to motivate people to treat others hatefully.
James 3:16 - "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."
Proverbs 14:30 - "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot."
Reasonable rational people evaluate their feelings in favor of truth, narcissists do not evaluate anything, they simply follow their feelings and camp right there permanently.
Nothing can be resolved with these people, any attempt to explain things according to reason will be met with more outrageous feeling oriented tirade based on lies. Don't even try, just walk away while wishing them a good day and avoid them whenever possible.
Marry to the Glory of God
For those who are thinking they want to marry. It is vitally important that you agree on what righteousness is and the direction you wish to take in your life before committing to someone.
When one person in the marriage is not concerned about godliness, the children from that union are going to align themselves with the ungodly one.
The reason this is true is because the ungodly one will tend to be lenient and accepting of sin, even not recognizing something as sinful when the children want to participate in things that do not honor God.
When the righteous one says no to the children the unrighteous one will demand that they be allowed, often in front of the children so they learn to despise the righteous one.
When this happens the unrighteous one will frame the demand in terms that negate the righteous one. The unrighteous one might say; "you can't do that because your mother/father says no." This paints the righteous parent as the mean one to be ignored and avoided. The children then remain angry at the parent who sets boundaries while loving the one who is permissive. This tactic of negating a spouse in front of the children turns the children against their righteous parent. It is a tactic of the devil and it is deliberate to be liked by the children.
It is human nature for the children to gravitate toward the permissive parent. It is good sense to realize that children will love those who allow them to do whatever they want, even when it is bad for them. They perceive the permissiveness as love when actually its lack of love and lack concern for the children.
The righteous one cares deeply about the training of the children to learn the ways of God so they have an informed choice about right and wrong when they are the age of accountability.
Permissiveness is not love! Boundaries, guidance and training is love and commanded by God.
Proverbs 22:6
"6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 23:13-14
"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol."
Proverbs 13:24
"Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him."
Children are trained by lack of training. Lack of training encourages them to think they should have everything they want the way they want it. It is training by lack of training.
God's training is teaching them God's principles while disciplining to show the importance of obedience. Children learn to obey God through learning to obey their parents.
If parents are not in agreement in training children God's way then the children will go the way of the world. If only one parent wants to follow Christ, then their training will have little effect.
Proverbs 6:20-21
"My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck."
When two godly people are training their children in sync with one another, each parent will uphold the mandates of the other. There will be little disagreement in the household and the children will see the parents in solidarity, it strengthens the bond between both children and mother and father. Father and mother will be loved and respected equally by the children.
When one person in the marriage is not concerned about godliness, the children from that union are going to align themselves with the ungodly one.
The reason this is true is because the ungodly one will tend to be lenient and accepting of sin, even not recognizing something as sinful when the children want to participate in things that do not honor God.
When the righteous one says no to the children the unrighteous one will demand that they be allowed, often in front of the children so they learn to despise the righteous one.
When this happens the unrighteous one will frame the demand in terms that negate the righteous one. The unrighteous one might say; "you can't do that because your mother/father says no." This paints the righteous parent as the mean one to be ignored and avoided. The children then remain angry at the parent who sets boundaries while loving the one who is permissive. This tactic of negating a spouse in front of the children turns the children against their righteous parent. It is a tactic of the devil and it is deliberate to be liked by the children.
It is human nature for the children to gravitate toward the permissive parent. It is good sense to realize that children will love those who allow them to do whatever they want, even when it is bad for them. They perceive the permissiveness as love when actually its lack of love and lack concern for the children.
The righteous one cares deeply about the training of the children to learn the ways of God so they have an informed choice about right and wrong when they are the age of accountability.
Permissiveness is not love! Boundaries, guidance and training is love and commanded by God.
Proverbs 22:6
"6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 23:13-14
"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol."
Proverbs 13:24
"Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him."
Children are trained by lack of training. Lack of training encourages them to think they should have everything they want the way they want it. It is training by lack of training.
God's training is teaching them God's principles while disciplining to show the importance of obedience. Children learn to obey God through learning to obey their parents.
If parents are not in agreement in training children God's way then the children will go the way of the world. If only one parent wants to follow Christ, then their training will have little effect.
Proverbs 6:20-21
"My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck."
When two godly people are training their children in sync with one another, each parent will uphold the mandates of the other. There will be little disagreement in the household and the children will see the parents in solidarity, it strengthens the bond between both children and mother and father. Father and mother will be loved and respected equally by the children.
Beware of Angry People
Beware of believing the testimony of any angry person. When someone is jealous, angry and contemptuous toward another person it is very likely they will not have a true testimony of the events they relay.
Those who are bitter and angry tell lots of lies. Everything they speak against others is colored by their own need to be elevated above others.
Proverbs 22:24
"Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,"
Jealous and angry people are always on the verge of an explosion, allowing their rage to take over when they feel they have lost control through the exposure of their own hate and sinful behavior.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
"Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools."
Anger is not something that arises quickly, it is something that lives in the heart of an angry person all the time, looming beneath the surface ready for emerging rage at the slightest provocation. Even if the there was no provocation mere disagreement will cause the anger to gush forth.
Proverbs 15:18
"A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention."
It has been my observation that narcissists rarely smile unless they are getting what they want. It is because there is no depth of joy in them.
Those who are joyful do not rage at disagreements. They do not look sad in their countenance all the time as do those who have no joy.
Narcissists spend most of their time judging others for small minor things, blowing them into mountains in order to elevate themselves above those for whom they have contempt.
They also judge the righteous for standing for their own principles and boundaries. With every excuse they twist the Bible, using it as a battering ram as they lie against the word of God in their attempt to control others who rebuke them.
There was a woman who was told by family members that they were all going to watch a movie she could not watch. In order to watch this movie she would be violating her own principles and sensibilities.
The family wanted her to watch it with them, she didn't want to but was pressured so she sat in the room with them. Every time the Lord's name was taken in vain she would speak up and say; "that is wicked to take the Lord's name in vain." She felt justified in speaking up each time because she could not stand to hear it and the people in the room claimed to be Christians. The Lord's name in vain was only one of the words, there were several other filthy words in that film. In the minds of these narcissists who claimed to be Christian, she had ruined their good time by pointing out blasphemy.
The husband of this woman said nothing, to be accepted by the others in the room. They all watched, they all ignored the anguished comments of the mother and later gave her the silent treatment for not allowing them to watch the movie without judgement.
Later this poor woman was chastised by her foolish daughter on the need to let the husband be the leader even when he chose to pressure her to do something that violated her conscience.
You see, they all wanted to watch that evil movie and they wanted the mother to validate their sinful act. Because the mother would not indulge by remaining silent they punished her with removing love from her. The husband was lavished with kindness and love for his acceptance of them while the mother was treated contemptuously for standing for God's principles.
This was a constant treatment of this woman all her life from these so called "Christians" for daring to keep God's principles and her own boundaries.
This is the state of our modern Christianity. The evil is enjoyed and the righteous is punished. We see this all the time, the parents that are accepting of every kind of evil in their children's lives are loved and appreciated while the parents that stand for Christ are treated shamefully for their convictions and standards according to the word of God.
Proverbs 29:22
"A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression."
When you are treated shamefully for your convictions do not allow it to control you in any way. Keep obeying God and let Him handle those who persecute you.
James 1:2-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
"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."
Our life is not dependent on the love of others, it is dependent on the love of Christ Who lives in us.
Christ loves our obedience to Him, it matters not what anyone else thinks of us.
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.…"
Those who are bitter and angry tell lots of lies. Everything they speak against others is colored by their own need to be elevated above others.
Proverbs 22:24
"Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,"
Jealous and angry people are always on the verge of an explosion, allowing their rage to take over when they feel they have lost control through the exposure of their own hate and sinful behavior.
Ecclesiastes 7:9
"Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools."
Anger is not something that arises quickly, it is something that lives in the heart of an angry person all the time, looming beneath the surface ready for emerging rage at the slightest provocation. Even if the there was no provocation mere disagreement will cause the anger to gush forth.
Proverbs 15:18
"A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention."
It has been my observation that narcissists rarely smile unless they are getting what they want. It is because there is no depth of joy in them.
Those who are joyful do not rage at disagreements. They do not look sad in their countenance all the time as do those who have no joy.
Narcissists spend most of their time judging others for small minor things, blowing them into mountains in order to elevate themselves above those for whom they have contempt.
They also judge the righteous for standing for their own principles and boundaries. With every excuse they twist the Bible, using it as a battering ram as they lie against the word of God in their attempt to control others who rebuke them.
There was a woman who was told by family members that they were all going to watch a movie she could not watch. In order to watch this movie she would be violating her own principles and sensibilities.
The family wanted her to watch it with them, she didn't want to but was pressured so she sat in the room with them. Every time the Lord's name was taken in vain she would speak up and say; "that is wicked to take the Lord's name in vain." She felt justified in speaking up each time because she could not stand to hear it and the people in the room claimed to be Christians. The Lord's name in vain was only one of the words, there were several other filthy words in that film. In the minds of these narcissists who claimed to be Christian, she had ruined their good time by pointing out blasphemy.
The husband of this woman said nothing, to be accepted by the others in the room. They all watched, they all ignored the anguished comments of the mother and later gave her the silent treatment for not allowing them to watch the movie without judgement.
Later this poor woman was chastised by her foolish daughter on the need to let the husband be the leader even when he chose to pressure her to do something that violated her conscience.
You see, they all wanted to watch that evil movie and they wanted the mother to validate their sinful act. Because the mother would not indulge by remaining silent they punished her with removing love from her. The husband was lavished with kindness and love for his acceptance of them while the mother was treated contemptuously for standing for God's principles.
This was a constant treatment of this woman all her life from these so called "Christians" for daring to keep God's principles and her own boundaries.
This is the state of our modern Christianity. The evil is enjoyed and the righteous is punished. We see this all the time, the parents that are accepting of every kind of evil in their children's lives are loved and appreciated while the parents that stand for Christ are treated shamefully for their convictions and standards according to the word of God.
Proverbs 29:22
"A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression."
When you are treated shamefully for your convictions do not allow it to control you in any way. Keep obeying God and let Him handle those who persecute you.
James 1:2-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
"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."
Our life is not dependent on the love of others, it is dependent on the love of Christ Who lives in us.
Christ loves our obedience to Him, it matters not what anyone else thinks of us.
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.…"
Woman and Her Calling!
Many years ago the Lord showed me what the duties of the wife were, I took them very seriously with great joy at the sense of purpose and accomplishment. I loved my job!
Yes, for 48 years of marriage God showed me from the very beginning that my job was the home front and my husband's was the work place. If my job is done correctly then it will be finished for the day when he arrives home so that he does not have to do anything that I am capable of doing myself.
Proverbs 31:10-31 "An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."
Not every woman will do exactly the things I did but if she takes care of the needs of her husband the food and the household she will be fulfilling this passage.
Yes, for 48 years of marriage God showed me from the very beginning that my job was the home front and my husband's was the work place. If my job is done correctly then it will be finished for the day when he arrives home so that he does not have to do anything that I am capable of doing myself.
I also believed in having a meal on the table ready to eat so that he didn't have to wait. I didn't want my husband to have the burden of home as wells a the work place too.
I believed in this so strongly that I did yard work, and even painting rooms and the outside of our houses. The other reason is that I hated unfinished projects and loved the challenge of making things stay nice.
My husband was always grateful that he could come and relax without more home work to do. He also enjoyed sitting down to a meal without having to wait for it. He never demanded anything of me, but was was happy that I did things this way.
Not every woman will do the painting and the yard work but if they do the household chores as well as food preparation they are obeying God.
Not every woman will do the painting and the yard work but if they do the household chores as well as food preparation they are obeying God.
The woman even provides the clothes for her husband as well as the clothes for the entire household. The woman's job in the home is varied and busy, she is creative as well as knowledgeable in the things of the Lord to be able to instruct others. She has no time for silliness and drama.
There were meals to be planned so that there was always a menu for the month. Every month there was the shopping for the items on the menu. Organization was a big part of the homemaking job.
Often I made decisions for the household without consulting my husband, he didn't want to have to make these decisions as well as not having time to spend doing it.
There were times when my husband needed help with his volunteer activities and even when he sat in the city gates (that is the legislature) he enlisted me to help with mailings, deliveries and speeches on his behalf.
It would be wrong to instruct younger woman to do this job if I had not already done it for myself for many years. We should never speak about what others should do if we have not done what we are teaching others, that would be hypocrisy.
Today we live in a world full of younger people who are deeply angry when they are instructed or corrected. They believe they know about things they have never experienced or completed themselves.
There are those who believe they can instruct others about marriage who never completed their marriages. I was actually instructed one time many years ago about submission to a husband by a woman who had been married only a year, while I had been married 30 years. It is disrespectful and foolish to instruct someone who has worked at something longer than you have.
I did these things because I love God, because I love my husband and because I loved my children. God placed in me early on the joy of living out His principles as described in Proverbs 31. Of course I didn't do it perfectly, it was not always easy, but I think that any woman with all her flaws and warts can say "I finished the race", when they have lived out their life obeying God. I did have great joy doing what I believed God wanted for me.
"I finished the race" refers to when Paul was at the end of his life and was ready to pass into eternity. God wants us to be able to look back and know that we did what we were called to do, no matter the false accusations or mockings of others, we persevered and came to the end of our lives full of gratitude for what God did in us through everything.
There will be those who mock, who claim you didn't do what you did, gossiping that you were all wrong or foolish for doing what God has called you to do. Our joy does not come from the praise of man but from the tenderness and love of Christ Who lives in us.
Never look to man for validation for doing what is right. Only look to Christ for everything, the constant criticism of man will have no effect when we are with Christ.
Proverbs 31:10-31 "An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates."
Not every woman will do exactly the things I did but if she takes care of the needs of her husband the food and the household she will be fulfilling this passage.
Here's the thing, the woman who resolves to do this will have to be deeply dedicated to her job as given to her by God to withstand the naysayers who want to negate her calling. She will have to be strong to refuse to listen to those who will claim she didn't or shouldn't do what she really did. There will be no support from the world or family, but she does not need it because her support and strength comes from Christ. Hallelujah
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Know God by Knowing His Principles
Knowing God's word so well that if it were taken from you, you would still know all the principles in it to be able to explain them to someone else even without a Bible.
When we were children we rode our bikes all over the valley, continually on them every day for years. After we grew up we may not have ridden our bikes anymore as busy adults, but when we got back on a bike after many years of being off there was no need to think about how to do it, we just get back on and take off as though it had only been a few days since we rode it last.
When we are so well versed in the principles of God through continual reading and prayer for many years we will never forget them.
There are some people who like to memorize the Bible. This can be a good thing but it is far more valuable to know in the depth of our being the principles than just the words on the surface. When we know the words without the depth of understanding we have little wisdom from that.
However, when we know the deep principles well having been enlightened by God, we might forget the words but we will never forget the principles. Even able to express the principles flawlessly in our own words but every bit the meaning God intended.
God said, "hide my word away in your heart." This did not have to do with memorization, it had to do with knowing so well His principles that forgetting the exact words would not be a threat to us, because the principles of God stand firm in any language. The words we memorize in English will not help us if we pick up a Bible written in another language. We cannot read that language so the words mean nothing. But the principles of God transcend every language, they are not in a "language" they are a heart attitude, a full measure of truth that can be known in any language.
It is far more important to understand the principles that will remain in us even if our Bibles are taken away.
Memorize if you like to, but better yet know the principles so well that there is automatic adherence to truth without having to search our brains for answers. When we know His principles in the Bible so deeply we dream in them, we will never forget them.
Anyone can memorize words, but when the words are forgotten without the understanding the meaning dissolves. If we have the meaning and understanding, even if the words are removed we know truth, it will never leave us.
Psalm 119:10-12 "…10 With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments. 11 I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes."
Seek God with all your heart and He will bring the understanding.
When we were children we rode our bikes all over the valley, continually on them every day for years. After we grew up we may not have ridden our bikes anymore as busy adults, but when we got back on a bike after many years of being off there was no need to think about how to do it, we just get back on and take off as though it had only been a few days since we rode it last.
When we are so well versed in the principles of God through continual reading and prayer for many years we will never forget them.
There are some people who like to memorize the Bible. This can be a good thing but it is far more valuable to know in the depth of our being the principles than just the words on the surface. When we know the words without the depth of understanding we have little wisdom from that.
However, when we know the deep principles well having been enlightened by God, we might forget the words but we will never forget the principles. Even able to express the principles flawlessly in our own words but every bit the meaning God intended.
God said, "hide my word away in your heart." This did not have to do with memorization, it had to do with knowing so well His principles that forgetting the exact words would not be a threat to us, because the principles of God stand firm in any language. The words we memorize in English will not help us if we pick up a Bible written in another language. We cannot read that language so the words mean nothing. But the principles of God transcend every language, they are not in a "language" they are a heart attitude, a full measure of truth that can be known in any language.
It is far more important to understand the principles that will remain in us even if our Bibles are taken away.
Memorize if you like to, but better yet know the principles so well that there is automatic adherence to truth without having to search our brains for answers. When we know His principles in the Bible so deeply we dream in them, we will never forget them.
Anyone can memorize words, but when the words are forgotten without the understanding the meaning dissolves. If we have the meaning and understanding, even if the words are removed we know truth, it will never leave us.
Psalm 119:10-12 "…10 With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments. 11 I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes."
Seek God with all your heart and He will bring the understanding.
In Control or Controlling?
Being the person in control does not equate to being "controlling."
When we are in control we are guiding others without micro managing them.
Those who micro manage others are actually out of control. They do not feel they can trust anyone else to be intelligent enough to handle their own area of expertise.
In fact a controller usually has the false belief that they know everything about everything. They have experts on their team but do not recognize that those experts know more than they do about their particular field of expertise.
When I hire a plumber to come to my home to fix a problem I expect him to know how to do his job. I tell him the need and walk away to leave the final decisions for the job up to the plumber.
A man is the head of the household but he is not the one who is expert over all areas of managing that household. The woman, according to Proverbs 31 was given the job of household manager by God, she is to do that job according to the principles of God. The man has no business dictating or controlling her job.
Of course the man makes suggestions and discusses the major things with his wife so that she can do her job according to the mutual desires and needs of the household.
Husbands are not to bark orders at their wife as though she is a paid employee who could be fired for insubordination. Husbands are to live with their wives in understanding and respect.
Respect is not just for the husband on the part of the wife, it is also required in God's word that the man respect the needs and abilities of the wife. Honor and respect toward the wife is a command of God.
Sadly there are those in the homeschool movement who are teaching that only the man is to be honored and respected. This is false and damaging to a marriage.
1 Peter 3:7-8 "7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tender-hearted and humble.…"
God calls all believers to be mutually submissive one to another.
Ephesians 5:21-6:4
"21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
When we are in control we are guiding others without micro managing them.
Those who micro manage others are actually out of control. They do not feel they can trust anyone else to be intelligent enough to handle their own area of expertise.
In fact a controller usually has the false belief that they know everything about everything. They have experts on their team but do not recognize that those experts know more than they do about their particular field of expertise.
When I hire a plumber to come to my home to fix a problem I expect him to know how to do his job. I tell him the need and walk away to leave the final decisions for the job up to the plumber.
A man is the head of the household but he is not the one who is expert over all areas of managing that household. The woman, according to Proverbs 31 was given the job of household manager by God, she is to do that job according to the principles of God. The man has no business dictating or controlling her job.
Of course the man makes suggestions and discusses the major things with his wife so that she can do her job according to the mutual desires and needs of the household.
Husbands are not to bark orders at their wife as though she is a paid employee who could be fired for insubordination. Husbands are to live with their wives in understanding and respect.
Respect is not just for the husband on the part of the wife, it is also required in God's word that the man respect the needs and abilities of the wife. Honor and respect toward the wife is a command of God.
Sadly there are those in the homeschool movement who are teaching that only the man is to be honored and respected. This is false and damaging to a marriage.
1 Peter 3:7-8 "7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tender-hearted and humble.…"
God calls all believers to be mutually submissive one to another.
Ephesians 5:21-6:4
"21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Legal Separation Vs Divorce?
There is no reason to divorce however there can be reasons for separation for abuse. There is a law on the book in the United States that says a couple can get a legal separation without divorce that works the same way divorce does in terms of financial support. It is a permanent separation without the possibility of remarriage. It allows for a couple to have financial support without having to live together.
Apparently this law was a result of an answer to abuse without promoting divorce and the couple can never remarry if they take this legal action. This fits with the Bible in matters of abuse or adultery when a spouse will not stop the adultery.
I have noticed that when a couple divorces their intent is to be able to remarry against God's will. Once a remarriage happens there is very little chance there will be a reconciliation. But in a situation like the "legal separation" the couple will not be able to marry anyone else, there is a better chance of reconciliation.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 "…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. "
Apparently this law was a result of an answer to abuse without promoting divorce and the couple can never remarry if they take this legal action. This fits with the Bible in matters of abuse or adultery when a spouse will not stop the adultery.
I have noticed that when a couple divorces their intent is to be able to remarry against God's will. Once a remarriage happens there is very little chance there will be a reconciliation. But in a situation like the "legal separation" the couple will not be able to marry anyone else, there is a better chance of reconciliation.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 "…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. "
Pray and Do What You Must
Wife or husband abuse is sin, it is against the law of man and of God, therefore it is best to alert the authorities when it happens. Defending one's self from an abuser is self defense, never feel bad if you have to do this.
Luke 22:36 “He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Titus 3:10
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,"
Romans 13:1-14
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ..."
Luke 22:36 “He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”
Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Titus 3:10
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,"
Romans 13:1-14
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ..."
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