Remember that one of the tactics of the devil is to use generalities in his attacks. When generalities are used to malign our character we know there is no evidence that we were guilty of the charges.
Those who have legitimate complaints about anyone will have specific things that were done to prove what they are saying. They will have a story, what he or she specifically did with details.
There are many people these days who will take an innocent sentence and reframe its meaning to be nothing at all what was meant. We see this happening right now with our President. The Democrats are repeating over and over again general and vague statements without proof, using those generalities and the vagueness as though it alone is the proof.
When you hear someone say; "So and so" was mean spirited and rude, you might want to ask for the details that prove this was true. If there are no details or suddenly the conversation seems to drift to other things you may be experiencing someone who wants to believe something about someone but has no evidence that what they choose to believe is actually true.
A good example of this was a young girl who was being baby sat by her brother. This older brother loved to dominate and control his sister when he could get away with it. During one of the times he was watching her for the evening, he nagged and forced her to come to the garage where he insisted she lift weights. She was only about 12 years old, had no interest in lifting weights but was accused by her brother of being rebellious because she said she was not going to lift weights.
The brother was not wise enough to know that lifting weights for a young girl could damage her organs making it dangerous for child birth later. All the brother cared about was forcing his sister to do something he knew she hated doing. Something unnecessary and no where commanded in Scripture.
Using this refusal to lift the weights the brother labeled her "rebellious." She was not rebellious toward her parents nor was she this way in school, but because she asserted herself against the weight lifting this brother attempted to make her feel stupid and evil for not doing what he wanted her to do.
Sadly this was a common occurrence with this brother all through her growing up years. His continual attempts to force her to do useless and meaningless things merely to dominate her left her depressed often. She managed to lift herself above the depression regularly to fight back remaining staunch that she would not be bullied.
These are common tactics of the devil as he uses family members to place restrictions and arbitrary rules that God never commanded on those he wishes to control.
Many of us have been accused of judging others when all we were doing was adhering to the scripture to prove our assertions. Perhaps we spoke specifically in details and then explained by the scripture why this was wrong.
The retort of the devil is; "you are mean spirited" or "I don't think you are right" without any discussion as to the implications of the specific acts.
Those who love their sin and love those who sin often will ignore the assertion in favor of evaluating falsely our character. If they can make us look bad for staying to scripture then they can dismiss everything we say. Don't be agitated by this, they do it to God too.
Personally I cannot understand those who love to dominate others, they are gaining nothing except a momentary high on their ability to demean and humiliate someone else. After the act is over there is only left a broken and demolished relationship that very likely will never recover, unless of course if the bully would repent, confess openly their hideous sin and proceed to never do it again. We know this is rare, any confrontation with the bully is usually met with rage and resistance to repentance and reconciliation.
Those who will not confess their sin leave a wake of broken relationships in their path. They gain absolutely nothing, all gain they think they have is only in their own minds.
We see this in families often and more blatantly now we see it in politics. The Democrats are narcissists on every level, having a tantrum as a six year old bratty child would when they can't have their own way.
I truly have never seen anything like what is going on now in government as the bullies pull out all the stops without restraint thinking this will get them what they want. Perhaps it will eventually but for now I am convinced just like the family bully the narcissists in politics will lose power because of their immoral tactics and lies.
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 no reasoning with the bully who cares only about himself. Keep that in mind before attempting to have a discussion about anything with them.
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
The Holy Spirit Speaks to Those Who Obey Him
Often believers ignore the Holy Spirit because they are not sure if it is He Who is speaking. They are confused by the noise of the culture around them and their fear of what man will think or how man will treat Them.
Proverbs 29:25-26 "25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.…"
Galatians 1:9-11 "…9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse! 10 Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not according to man.…"
Proverbs 29:25-26 "25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.…"
Galatians 1:9-11 "…9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse! 10 Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not according to man.…"
Adam and Eve, Ananias and Sapphira
Just as Adam should have said no to his wife Eve when she suggested he eat of the forbidden fruit with her, so should Sapphira have declined to lie about how much money they earned from their sale of the land at the suggestion of her husband.
In the case of Adam and Eve, the husband was more responsible than Eve because he was the leader and should have been the example while saying no to her offer of the fruit.
In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, he was the leader but as his helpmate Sapphira who also possessed the Holy Spirit was responsible to influence her husband to do right. Sapphira should have said no to her husband when he suggested that they lie about the amount of money they donated. Perhaps if she had said no her husband he would have joined her in doing the right thing and they would not have been disciplined by God.
Adam was more responsible than his wife Eve because he knew the truth about the tree but his wife was deceived. Adam should have had a conversation with his wife to talk her out of it but instead he accepted her suggestion and indulged with her.
Ananias and Sapphira both had the Holy Spirit, each one was equally responsible to know the truth and obey God. Leaders are never to be followed when they are suggesting that we sin. Any wife who accepts the sin of her husband and indulges with him is just as guilty as he is in that sin.
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was worse even than that of Adam and Eve because they had the Holy Spirit living in them. They were living in the age of grace in which the truth and strength of the Holy Spirit was readily available within them to do the right things. Woman was given to man as a helpmate, when he is not sure of the right thing or out and out stubborn she must decline to obey him to obey God.
Acts 5:28-29 "…28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.” 29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. "
In both the cases of Adam and Eve and Ananias and Sapphira the couples died. Adam and Eve were meant to live forever but their death took a lifetime as their bodies deteriorated over a very long period of time until they breathed their last. However in the case of Ananias and Sapphira who had the Holy Spirit living in them, had no excuse because the Holy Spirit lived in them, they were taken out quickly as an example to the rest of the church.
Acts 5:10-11
"1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land [d]for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things."
Notice too that Peter knew they were lying! He was able to know this by the power of the Holy Spirit. The rest of the church became fearful because God had killed that lying couple before their very eyes. Any time someone says to you that you cannot know another person's heart this is true for non-believers, however anyone who has the Holy Spirit knows the heart of God and can know if someone is lying or not. Yes, only God knows the heart of a man but a believer has God living in them Who tells them.
Perhaps in our day those who do not know whats in another man's heart don't know because they are not hearing from the Holy Spirit. They have been indoctrinated to believe they should not judge, so they are unsure of what God is telling them. We are to judge righteous judgement, its a command of God. How can we do that if we do not know what is in front of us?
With the two couples mentioned here, in one case the couple was disciplined by God and lost many blessings because of that disobedience. In the case of the born again believers, they were taken home early to show the church not to lie to God.
Ananias and Sapphira were disciplined not because they held back some of the money they earned from the land, but because they lied about it. They were free to keep as much or as little money as they pleased, it was the lying that was the sin that cost them their lives. However, it did not cost them their salvation.
Why do we know that they were born again? Because only those who are born again can lie to the Holy Spirit that lives in them. Those who are not born again lie to themselves and others but the Holy spirit does not live in them.
If we are to live godly lives we must tell the truth to one another. Women must help their husbands to honor God and men must lead their wives in obedience to God. Only born again believers will understand this, non-believer do not understand the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:13-15 "…13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.…"
Notice verse 15, "the spiritual man judges all things", a good passage to remember next time a rebellious person chides you for judging righteously.
In the case of Adam and Eve, the husband was more responsible than Eve because he was the leader and should have been the example while saying no to her offer of the fruit.
In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, he was the leader but as his helpmate Sapphira who also possessed the Holy Spirit was responsible to influence her husband to do right. Sapphira should have said no to her husband when he suggested that they lie about the amount of money they donated. Perhaps if she had said no her husband he would have joined her in doing the right thing and they would not have been disciplined by God.
Adam was more responsible than his wife Eve because he knew the truth about the tree but his wife was deceived. Adam should have had a conversation with his wife to talk her out of it but instead he accepted her suggestion and indulged with her.
Ananias and Sapphira both had the Holy Spirit, each one was equally responsible to know the truth and obey God. Leaders are never to be followed when they are suggesting that we sin. Any wife who accepts the sin of her husband and indulges with him is just as guilty as he is in that sin.
The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was worse even than that of Adam and Eve because they had the Holy Spirit living in them. They were living in the age of grace in which the truth and strength of the Holy Spirit was readily available within them to do the right things. Woman was given to man as a helpmate, when he is not sure of the right thing or out and out stubborn she must decline to obey him to obey God.
Acts 5:28-29 "…28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.” 29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. "
In both the cases of Adam and Eve and Ananias and Sapphira the couples died. Adam and Eve were meant to live forever but their death took a lifetime as their bodies deteriorated over a very long period of time until they breathed their last. However in the case of Ananias and Sapphira who had the Holy Spirit living in them, had no excuse because the Holy Spirit lived in them, they were taken out quickly as an example to the rest of the church.
Acts 5:10-11
"1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land [d]for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things."
Notice too that Peter knew they were lying! He was able to know this by the power of the Holy Spirit. The rest of the church became fearful because God had killed that lying couple before their very eyes. Any time someone says to you that you cannot know another person's heart this is true for non-believers, however anyone who has the Holy Spirit knows the heart of God and can know if someone is lying or not. Yes, only God knows the heart of a man but a believer has God living in them Who tells them.
Perhaps in our day those who do not know whats in another man's heart don't know because they are not hearing from the Holy Spirit. They have been indoctrinated to believe they should not judge, so they are unsure of what God is telling them. We are to judge righteous judgement, its a command of God. How can we do that if we do not know what is in front of us?
With the two couples mentioned here, in one case the couple was disciplined by God and lost many blessings because of that disobedience. In the case of the born again believers, they were taken home early to show the church not to lie to God.
Ananias and Sapphira were disciplined not because they held back some of the money they earned from the land, but because they lied about it. They were free to keep as much or as little money as they pleased, it was the lying that was the sin that cost them their lives. However, it did not cost them their salvation.
Why do we know that they were born again? Because only those who are born again can lie to the Holy Spirit that lives in them. Those who are not born again lie to themselves and others but the Holy spirit does not live in them.
If we are to live godly lives we must tell the truth to one another. Women must help their husbands to honor God and men must lead their wives in obedience to God. Only born again believers will understand this, non-believer do not understand the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:13-15 "…13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.…"
Notice verse 15, "the spiritual man judges all things", a good passage to remember next time a rebellious person chides you for judging righteously.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)