Rejecting the cultural Christianity I grew up with to embrace and enjoy a relationship with Jesus Christ.
A place to come and share thoughts about almost anything. Especially things of the Lord.
Please no Anonymous posts, I enjoy knowing who is writing to me.
When we remain with people who do not love God we thwart our own spiritual and emotional growth. If we want to grow in holiness we must surround ourselves with people who love God.
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"
It is a sin to love people more than God! Or, to love our life more than God.
Luke 14:26
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be My disciple."
God said, "difficult times will come", the "difficult" means "ragingly insane" times. 2 Timothy 3 tells us how irrational and foolish the culture will become in these end times. I have never heard you say anything outrageously against the Word of God, if there has been a disagreement it was minor and not worth mentioning. Children overreact to everything when they are below the age of six. This is what we are dealing with the narcissistic childish behavior of full-grown people who think like children.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us the selfishness of this end times generation. Difficult Times Will Come "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these." It is not possible to reason with a fool.
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.…"
The most loving thing we can do for our enemies is, to tell the truth. Even if it makes them unhappy, after all, what is more important their feelings for now or their eternity?
Love in the western mindset simply means to make someone feel good about themselves. This is not God's love, here are some examples:
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And 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. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Our love for God must be far greater than our desire to be liked by man.
1 John 2:15-16 "15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.…"
Matthew 10:36-38 "36A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; 38and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.…"
1 Samuel 2:29
Why, then, do you kick at My sacrifice and offering that I have prescribed for My dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves with the best of all the offerings of My people Israel.'
Luke 14:26
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be My disciple.
Why would God say these things? It is simple, our culture has the propensity to be selfish, thinking more of how people view them using the excuse they don't want to hurt others. The fact is the one who disciplines, corrects and rebukes for wrongdoing is the one who loves people more. They love God more and they love people more.
The Western mindset cannot wrap their mind around the meaning and purpose of forgiveness. The entire culture has been brainwashed to believe something contrary to the Word of God and will not pray and consider God's actual words.
We are to forgive as God does, that is when there is repentance.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"If we confess" is the phrase we need to focus on.
Luke 17:3-4 "…3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent, you must forgive him. "
"If he repents" is the phrase we need to focus on here.
Then there is the story in the Bible of the wealthy man who forgave the man who could not pay his debt. The rich man forgave the man who came and begged for more time to pay. Notice the servant came and begged for more time. The rich man didn't go looking for him and say your debts are forgiven, he waited for the man to come to him. When he forgave the servant his debt, the servant did not do the same for those under him, so the rich man threw him into jail for not extending the same graciousness to his underlings as the rich man did to him.
In this story, the servant came to the rich man to ask to be forgiven. This is a key point because God will not forgive those who do not ask for forgiveness. Believers will be held accountable according to their rewards, there may be a loss because they never confessed their sin. However, the unbeliever will be thrown into hell for not confessing their sinfulness to receive forgiveness from God.
For believers who are born again:
1 Corinthians 3:14-16 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?…"
For the Unsaved:
Revelation 20: "14-15 "…14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Matthew 6:14
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you."
Notice God said He would forgive us as we forgive others. OH, that means He will not forgive us if we do not correctly forgive others. So we have to assume by this that God does not forgive at times. Just as we do not forgive at times.
A gracious person overlooks small matters that have little effect. However, when the sins of someone are blatant, common, and consistent then these things must be dealt with.
Titus 3:10 "10 Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.…"
So then, we are not to forgive a divisive man, this is a command. We are to call this man to account and when he will not listen we are to reject him. Pretty clear to me.
When we read the Bible we must ask the Holy Spirit to remove the ideas and concepts of the western mindset to be able to understand what God is telling us. Psychology plays a big role in the WAY Americans think. And, sadly America has taken these wrong mindsets to the rest of the world when evangelizing.
Just as God does not forgive everyone, neither do we. God's ways are higher than our ways. The western mindset is mostly selfish, it wants to be liked all the time while appearances to others take priority over truth.
The desire to be liked and appreciated above all else is first and foremost in the western mind, so it is willing to enable and endorse sin to these ends.
This is against God's will, discipline and correction are important tools in God's economy, we must not discard them merely to feel good about ourselves or be praised by others.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And 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. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
The most loving thing we can do for anyone is to speak the truth, correct when necessary and follow the principles of Christ that can lead a sinner to the Lord. Coddling people does not help the change in character, it only enhances the sinfulness, even solidifying sin in the hearts of those who are proud.
Isaiah 26:9-11 "…9 My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. 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!…"
Do you care enough to tell the truth that might cause repentance in someone? Or, do you coddle to make yourself feel better and to remain friends with those who walk sinfully?
Some questions for all of us to ask God about ourselves.
This is why I believe the United States will no longer be America and it will no longer be a world power. This must happen for the prophecy to come to pass. The prophecy says that the whole world will be against Israel, which would include the U.S.
When this happens Israel will lose two-thirds of her people in the great war and after that one third will trust in Christ. All the while Israel as a nation will be protected by God. The Jewish people will see amazing miracles knowing that it was only God Who could do them. No other nation can take any credit for saving Israel, God gets all the glory and the nation is protected and the people trust in Christ.
Then the 144,000 men from the Jews will evangelize the rest of the world. There is no nation in the world ever that completely trusted Christ, Israel will be the only one ever.
These are not times to lament the downfall of the United States, but to glory in the prophecy of God while praising Him for His amazing plans.
Can you imagine being there when God parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites to cross on dry land? That was an immense miraculous occurrence that anyone would have been excited to see.
We are living in times just like this! We are living in the times of the very end when technology is a part of our everyday lives, things the Israelites of old never saw. They believed the Bible but they did not know how it would manifest itself.
An Israelite of old could not imagine how the whole world would see the antichrist at one time. Now we know, the internet and television make it clear.
The Israelites never saw telephones or automobiles and planes, the running to and fro upon the earth as we know happens today.
The idea that every single person can be tracked by their own phones that they carry in their pockets is a fulfillment of prophecy, and we are all living it.
We are the end times people who are watching the end times events unfold a little more every day. One day perhaps we will be telling our stories to the Biblical patriarchs just as they will be telling us theirs.
I feel more disconnected from this world than I ever have before, as though I am watching a real-life movie as the end times unfold. People are growing colder and meaner than I have ever seen. Governments are more ruthless, lawless, and dispassionate than I have ever witnessed.
This should be no surprise to those of us who are born again, God said it would happen and it is happening just as He said. When we know this we can feel excited that we are the people of the end times witnessing all He promised would happen.
We can also feel a sense of excitement that we will be going home soon. All our trials and problems will dissolve when Christ calls us up to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where we will meet the other believers we have never met who saw what we saw too.
Imagine an eternity with the believers listening to the stories of Moses, Lot, and Noah, while in turn, they are hearing ours. The praises of God will fill the heavens as we recall all that He did in each of our generations.
This is not a time to be downcast or fearful, it is a time to glory in Christ Who walks through with us just as God walked through with the patriarchs of old. Do not worry, but rejoice!!!
Matthew 6:25-34
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?
27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?
28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you."
I would like to encourage believers to refrain from worrying about what might happen in our country. We know that God puts in leaders and takes them out for His purposes, there will be no mistakes with God.
If God is heading toward the discipline of the world in the tribulation then that discipline will include the United States. We are not exempt from this nor are we more special than the other nations. The United States has become wicked just like all the other nations, it's time now for the judgment of the Lord on the entire world.
The Words have been opened and revealed at these end times.
Daniel 12:4
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
So bottom line: Rejoice our redemption draws near.
Luke 21:27-28 "…27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near. "
Trump's blessing of Israel is the very reason God would remove him.
God wants the whole world to be against Israel so His glory will be seen in how miraculously He will defend her without any human being or country being able to take the glory from Him.
This has been prophesied, the nation of Israel will trust in Christ because of the miracles on their behalf even after losing two-thirds of her people. The one third will trust in Christ and the 144,000 Jewish men will take the gospel to the rest of the world.
You see how different God thinks from how man thinks? Man thinks according to their own desires and safety, most often not according to His glory and will.
Isaiah 55:7-9 "…7 Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.…"
For those who will refuse to "say" our new president is Beden. They say things like "he is not my president." As though just saying something makes it so because they want it.
When God puts someone in office it is rebellion against Him to refuse to accept it.
It reminds me of the child who was being disciplined and told to go sit in a chair. The child does it but says, "Outside I am sitting down but on the inside, I am standing up."
Notice the kid was still sitting down, just because he said he was standing made no change in his condition or punishment.
We are in a culture that lives in a fantasy world in their own mind. If they don't like something or someone they dismiss it or them as though they do not exist at all. Sort of like an animal who puts their head in the sand and pretends their hiding.
Denying what we don't like is nothing more than lying. The spoiled narcissist says "if I don't like it I'm going to pretend it does not exist, by claiming it does not", even while it is standing right in front of them. They do this with circumstances as well as people.
Denying the truth is foolish it does nothing except keep people ignorant and does nothing to solve problems.
Speaking the truth and devising a solution is a sign of maturity.
Five characteristics of fools: from Institute in Basic Life Principles
Does anyone reading this believe they know God's will for America? If they say yes I will not believe them. God's plan is not according to our desires or hopes. His purposes are far greater than anything we think we want, and it will be ultimately for His glory.
Getting all the stuff the people of this country want is based on lust of money, ease of living and personal gratification, this is why most people here do not see the bigger picture of the gospel for salvation, which is the greater good.
If we have to lose all of our freedoms to see our need for God then that is the greater good.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
The world is marching toward the end times tribulation, there is will be no stopping it. Wickedness has not abated because of the last for years of the desired President, it marches on as intensely as it always has and even increased.
The deceptions on the internet are flying fast and furious on both sides the left-wing and right-wing of the one bird. They are working in tandem in different ways to accomplish the one-world government.
So what should be the believer's response to this? Easy answer, live more fully for Christ and speak of Him more than ever before it is too late for anyone to be saved from the tribulation.
A sad fact in our day! There is a worship of miracles rather than Christ. This will happen in the last days when many will have a form of religion but it will be the antichrist, not the Christ of the Bible.
Please brothers and sisters, do not be afraid of the next regime, do not fear the virus or the vaccine. God can take us through all this without that monstrous internet fear and panic I see all over the place.
Perhaps it would be good and even interesting to take an entire week without seeing any news or internet about these things to get perspective back.
Stop worrying and trust that Christ in you will protect you, either from getting these things or from the effects of them if we are forced to get them.
WHERE ARE THE BELIEVERS WHO TRUST IN CHRIST MORE THAN THEY FEAR THE WORLD?
Remember that God took the Israelites through the desert for 40 years and protected them, even their shoes did not wear out. Yet, they began to complain about their food, they missed their quail back in Egypt.
Can you imagine your shoes not wearing out, being guided by a pillar of fire by night, and no need to grow crops because God provided all your food for you. What amazing miracles they encountered and still they found a reason to whine and complain.
Nothing bad has really happened to us yet in our country, not too much has changed except our playthings and apostate churches have shut down. Believe it or not, this is good, I believe it was by God's design so that we would slow down and contemplate Him during this shutdown as well as forcing us to connect more with the families we live with. If we can see this more as an adventure sent by God than focusing on the little we have lost and worried about what we might lose, we could actually enjoy this time God has given us.
God is still in control and He has brought all this on us for a reason.
Amos 3:6 "
If a trumpet is blown in a city, will the people not tremble? If a disaster occurs in a city, has the Lord not brought it about?"
To complain about the weather is the same as rejecting God's decree. Complaining about anything the Lord has allowed that we have no control over is the same as complaining against Him.
I am sure all of us have done this at times, we must stop it and praise God rather than running fearfully as so many non-believers are doing.
We must show the unsaved world that God is our strength, our rock, and our provider, we will not fear.
