Love includes discipline and correction. Why do so many people leave this out of love as though love is only about happy feelings. Real love, God's kind of love cares more about character growth and dedication to Christ than it does about feelings.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
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."
Matthew 18:15
“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."
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 3:10-11
"As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
When we love others we concern ourselves with their character and their walk with Christ far more than how the correction will make them feel.
Monday, November 18, 2019
God's Way of Resolving Relationship Problems
Forgiving those who are not sorry and continue the bad behavior does nothing to resolve the relationship. This is the purpose of forgiveness to resolve the relationship problems when someone asks forgiveness. Without the asking the relationship is not restored and the forgiveness falls to the ground without purpose.
The psychological lie that we forgive so we are relieved is a wrong understanding of the purpose of confession and forgiveness.
God commanded us to confess to be forgiven and this is the model for human relationships too. We are not helping anyone learn righteousness and God's ways by giving them an out when they continue in their sin.
God's way is best, using man's way only leads us to what we have today, that is rampant lawlessness so boldly expressed that the righteous are punished for requiring accountability while the law breaker is coddled, pampered and enable to continue and grow worse in their sin. This is not love and it is not God's way.
If we love someone we tell the truth require confession and even recompense for wrong if possible.
"Just letting it go" has been the most dangerous phrase in our culture, leading us to the place we are in our history, more lawlessness, less conscience and greater evil flourishing more every day.
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."
Ecclessiastes 8:-10-12 "10 Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile. 11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.…"
Psychology says that if we are kind and let crimes go the criminals heart will soften toward God. The truth is that the more we ignore sin and allow abuses the worse that sin and those abuses become.
Proverbs 6:12-16
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
Who points with his fingers;
14 Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,
Who spreads strife.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;
Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.
16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:"
Isaiah 26:10-11 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. 11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people, and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!…"
The psychological lie that we forgive so we are relieved is a wrong understanding of the purpose of confession and forgiveness.
God commanded us to confess to be forgiven and this is the model for human relationships too. We are not helping anyone learn righteousness and God's ways by giving them an out when they continue in their sin.
God's way is best, using man's way only leads us to what we have today, that is rampant lawlessness so boldly expressed that the righteous are punished for requiring accountability while the law breaker is coddled, pampered and enable to continue and grow worse in their sin. This is not love and it is not God's way.
If we love someone we tell the truth require confession and even recompense for wrong if possible.
"Just letting it go" has been the most dangerous phrase in our culture, leading us to the place we are in our history, more lawlessness, less conscience and greater evil flourishing more every day.
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."
Ecclessiastes 8:-10-12 "10 Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had done so. This too is futile. 11 When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil. 12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.…"
Psychology says that if we are kind and let crimes go the criminals heart will soften toward God. The truth is that the more we ignore sin and allow abuses the worse that sin and those abuses become.
Proverbs 6:12-16
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
Who points with his fingers;
14 Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,
Who spreads strife.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;
Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.
16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:"
Isaiah 26:10-11 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. 11 O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people, and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!…"
Back in the Day, Was it Really Better?
A picture of Pleasant Valley Grade School, as it was called back in the day, that I attended eight years. My father attended here too when he was a child.
The girls had to wear dresses or skirts on cold days pants under them to keep warm on the way to school.
The boys had to dress well, any holes in their pants they were sent home to change. As far as I knew no one was ever sent home because everyone wanted to look nice in those days.
We walked in line to go from place to place in the building, to lunch, to gym class and to the playground. There was no chaos in the classroom.
Parents were supported by the staff, their standards and discipline were upheld.
On the day that President Kennedy was killed the principle came over the intercom to announce this sad thing, the children and the teachers cried. Then the principle told us all to get on our knees beside the desk as he prayed for the country. His prayer rang out over the entire school and he did it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gideon Bibles were handed out by the Gideons in the class rooms sometimes. No child left that school without a Bible.
This all sounds wonderful, however few people who received one actually read it. Parents thought it was a good idea but most didn't read a Bible. They considered it good to teach rules and decency to the children but were not all that concerned that anyone trusted in Christ. Most of us had parents who rarely if ever read the Bible and they never spoke of it in the home.
My mother once told me that "religion is a private thing" as though we shouldn't bother others with it, even though she donated occasionally to missionaries in her church and through the Billy Graham ministry.
When "religion" is the goal for the purpose of being a decent person the message of the gospel loses its truth. We were taught regularly that people who were bad did bad things, leading us to believe that if someone doesn't do bad things they are good people.
Sadly this is the gospel that is being spread today. It was more subtle in our youth but remains the same deception of good works gets people to heaven.
It wasn't until after I became born again as an adult that I understood that no one can be good and that only Christ can save us through the shedding of His blood. Many churches taught the blood of Jesus Christ but they also taught that it is also through our good works.
Across the street from this school was the community church of this small hamlet, it was called "Pleasant Valley Church." I knew people who went there who never spoke of Christ or even God. They loved their security of being seen as a good person but likely had no relationship with Christ. I believe this because of their reluctance to speak of Him and their embarrassment when He was mentioned by someone else.
You see, our nation has been sliding down the slippery slope of superficial Christianity for several generations. Each new generation more off than the last one and now in most cases completely apostate. These are sad days but not all that different from the days of our youth.
We had more rules to keep people in line but not much more dedication to Christ, only the appearance of it.
The girls had to wear dresses or skirts on cold days pants under them to keep warm on the way to school.
The boys had to dress well, any holes in their pants they were sent home to change. As far as I knew no one was ever sent home because everyone wanted to look nice in those days.
We walked in line to go from place to place in the building, to lunch, to gym class and to the playground. There was no chaos in the classroom.
Parents were supported by the staff, their standards and discipline were upheld.
On the day that President Kennedy was killed the principle came over the intercom to announce this sad thing, the children and the teachers cried. Then the principle told us all to get on our knees beside the desk as he prayed for the country. His prayer rang out over the entire school and he did it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gideon Bibles were handed out by the Gideons in the class rooms sometimes. No child left that school without a Bible.
This all sounds wonderful, however few people who received one actually read it. Parents thought it was a good idea but most didn't read a Bible. They considered it good to teach rules and decency to the children but were not all that concerned that anyone trusted in Christ. Most of us had parents who rarely if ever read the Bible and they never spoke of it in the home.
My mother once told me that "religion is a private thing" as though we shouldn't bother others with it, even though she donated occasionally to missionaries in her church and through the Billy Graham ministry.
When "religion" is the goal for the purpose of being a decent person the message of the gospel loses its truth. We were taught regularly that people who were bad did bad things, leading us to believe that if someone doesn't do bad things they are good people.
Sadly this is the gospel that is being spread today. It was more subtle in our youth but remains the same deception of good works gets people to heaven.
It wasn't until after I became born again as an adult that I understood that no one can be good and that only Christ can save us through the shedding of His blood. Many churches taught the blood of Jesus Christ but they also taught that it is also through our good works.
Across the street from this school was the community church of this small hamlet, it was called "Pleasant Valley Church." I knew people who went there who never spoke of Christ or even God. They loved their security of being seen as a good person but likely had no relationship with Christ. I believe this because of their reluctance to speak of Him and their embarrassment when He was mentioned by someone else.
You see, our nation has been sliding down the slippery slope of superficial Christianity for several generations. Each new generation more off than the last one and now in most cases completely apostate. These are sad days but not all that different from the days of our youth.
We had more rules to keep people in line but not much more dedication to Christ, only the appearance of it.
Minimizing Contact With Goaders!
This is why I minimize contact with people like this because they are literally hell bent on ruining our witness by goading us into the same kind of responses they use, that is intimidation and rage.
The goal of these people is to destroy our joy, we must not allow them by being afraid of them.
God's solution: Just be yourself, respond through the Holy Spirit and do not take seriously any response from them.
Trudi Gretsinger Said the Following:
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS
The enemy we fight takes delight in stealing our joy. He never misses an opportunity to bring you down and make you frown.
He mocks and scorns you reminding you of all the wrong you’ve said and done. He spits in your face and throws sand in your eyes and loves to make you cry.
He is the accuser of our souls making us feel like a hypocrite and loser, when in actuality that's what he is.
The saying is true misery loves company, and I think the enemy tries to bring us to a place of misery, because that's where he is.
He can’t stand it when were laughing and singing, and love in our hearts, because he is reminded of the joy he has lost.
He tries everything he can to separate us from God the source of true joy. His main attack is through your thoughts using them to manipulate our emotions.
The goal of these people is to destroy our joy, we must not allow them by being afraid of them.
God's solution: Just be yourself, respond through the Holy Spirit and do not take seriously any response from them.
Trudi Gretsinger Said the Following:
KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS
The enemy we fight takes delight in stealing our joy. He never misses an opportunity to bring you down and make you frown.
He mocks and scorns you reminding you of all the wrong you’ve said and done. He spits in your face and throws sand in your eyes and loves to make you cry.
He is the accuser of our souls making us feel like a hypocrite and loser, when in actuality that's what he is.
The saying is true misery loves company, and I think the enemy tries to bring us to a place of misery, because that's where he is.
He can’t stand it when were laughing and singing, and love in our hearts, because he is reminded of the joy he has lost.
He tries everything he can to separate us from God the source of true joy. His main attack is through your thoughts using them to manipulate our emotions.
Living in the End Times
We are living in the end times just like in Noah's day. Few will listen to truth and many will follow silly and false doctrine. They will make excuses to indulge in sin as well as reject anyone who speaks truth to them.
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.…"
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
The world is a hostile place now and getting worse, we can expect to be detested by our own families as well as most people around us. We will be accused of things that are not true, but are true of those who accuse us.
When we attempt to reason with someone we thought was a Christian we will be mocked and demeaned in the attempt.
Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"
There is comfort in knowing where this nonsense is coming from and what God is going to do about it. Those of us who have been born again are blameless and those who come after us in an attempt to ruin us will be held accountable before God one day.
When we know this we can feel a sense of sorrow for them if they do not repent. Their eternity is frightening unless they confess their sinfulness and trust in Christ.
Jesus Christ it the only solution for all of us. When we are born again we have His protection and presence all the time. Those who are not yet born again can become so merely by believing in Christ and desiring to be changed into a new creation by Him.
John 14:6
"6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
There are so many people these days attending churches who believe they are going to heaven but are lost and self deceived. My prayer is that many of these people will find Christ before the rapture so they can avoid God's wrath in the tribulation.
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.…"
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
The world is a hostile place now and getting worse, we can expect to be detested by our own families as well as most people around us. We will be accused of things that are not true, but are true of those who accuse us.
When we attempt to reason with someone we thought was a Christian we will be mocked and demeaned in the attempt.
Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"
There is comfort in knowing where this nonsense is coming from and what God is going to do about it. Those of us who have been born again are blameless and those who come after us in an attempt to ruin us will be held accountable before God one day.
When we know this we can feel a sense of sorrow for them if they do not repent. Their eternity is frightening unless they confess their sinfulness and trust in Christ.
Jesus Christ it the only solution for all of us. When we are born again we have His protection and presence all the time. Those who are not yet born again can become so merely by believing in Christ and desiring to be changed into a new creation by Him.
John 14:6
"6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."
There are so many people these days attending churches who believe they are going to heaven but are lost and self deceived. My prayer is that many of these people will find Christ before the rapture so they can avoid God's wrath in the tribulation.
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