Thursday, January 21, 2021
Water Off a Duck's Back
It seems as though the propensity to believe what we want rather than look at truth is growing. Many people live in a world of fantasy thinking that as long as they want to believe something, then it must be true. This irrational way of processing life is frustrating for those who can see the truth.
If someone does not like you because you expose their false belief when they claim to be a Christian, you know by their anger that they are not interested in the Bible but in their own bellies.
Romans 16:17-19 "17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.…"
We live in a world now that becomes angry at the truth-teller, judging them as bad or hateful while they cuddle up to the fantasy thinker who defies God.
It is not the truth-teller who is divisive, it is the one who refuses to obey the scriptures in obedience to Christ.
I was once told I was divisive by speaking against divorce and remarriage because we are under grace. However, when I presented the scripture that says that God hates divorce and commands those who are divorced not to remarry, these disobedient ones rejected me, not just for a moment but for a lifetime of rejection, and mocking. And, not only they rejected me but all the people they gossiped to about me.
Romans 6:1-2 "1What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?…"
Those who say we can sin because we are under grace are liars. They twist the word of God to say the opposite of what God says to be able to justify their sin.
These disobedient ones choose to believe because we are under grace we don't have to obey God. Strange too because God was the one who said divorce and remarriage are sins and that we should obey Him.
John 14:14-16 "14 If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
God will only hear the prayers of those who obey Him. If we disregard Him and His commands and principles He will disregard us. If we disregard those who bring the truth we will see punishment from God.
John 14:23
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
God said; "if you love me, you WILL keep my commandments."
When we point this out to cultural Christians they become angry at us as though we were the ones who said it, but we were only repeating what God commanded.
Another sad dilemma is when the ones who remain in their sinful attitudes become hell-bent on ruining the life of the truth-teller through gossip and many forms of punishment.
Thankfully a strong Spirit guided born-again believer has the strength to remain in the will of Christ no matter what arrows are thrown at them.
Ephesians 6:15-17 "…15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.…"
When we are fitted with God's armor nothing that comes against us will penetrate. We will keep going without any effect on us.
Genesis 15:1
"After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."
The narcissist can treat you with disdain, gossip against you, give you the silent treatment, exclude you from their functions, turn others against you by their subtle negative remarks and much more, but it will all roll off like water off a duck's back because our godly armor does not allow any of their arrows.....their tactics to penetrate your soul.
Jeremiah 6:16
"16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then you will find a resting place for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’"
The narcissist will not walk in those paths of God, but the righteous one will, so we will not be on the same path, they go their way and we go ours.
Hallelujah!!!!
How to Handle Verbal and Emotional Abuse
When you are being verbally and emotionally attacked by narcissists the Bible has the answers in how to deal with it.
Matthew 5:43-45 "…43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…"
Does this mean we continually remain with these people while being abused by them? No, it means that when we have to encounter them we never return evil for evil. We take care of their needs as led by Christ leaving no evidence of ill-treatment toward them. We must be walking in the Spirit to do this because the flesh can be provoked by the nastiness.
If the narcissist is continually acting badly toward us then we are to politely find ways to remove ourselves and avoid future contact.
Narcissists never listen to a complaint when they have been the perpetrator. And, they never apologize, since they always have an excuse for their attitudes. They use every opportunity, even kind words to demean us in some way.
I know of a narcissist who will listen to my joys for a short time and directly after I will hear what I call a "disapproving grunt" as though I was foolish to share my joy. They love to use "plausible deniability", perhaps saying; "what do you mean, I didn't do anything", if you are to ask why they made that sound. They love to use dismissiveness in conversation by completely ignoring what you said to show their disinterest.
If these covert sounds happen only once you think nothing of it, but when it is a continual practice whenever you share a joy, then it is likely a covert way to make you feel foolish for sharing. Often it happens because narcissists are jealous of our happiness and must do something to ruin it but in a way that no one looking on would notice.
The devil hates our joy in the Lord, he hates that we are content and fulfilled walking with Christ. His best and most effective tactic is to treat the believer as though everything they say and do is ridiculous so they will stop being that joyful witness for Christ. It only works for weak believers who are unsure of their walk or weak in their faith. We must become strong by consulting with the Holy Spirit on everything. Obedience to His Word is the way to stay strong.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "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.…"
There are two ways the devil has of ruining our joy. One is to take it away so our witness for Christ is marred and the second is to cause a reaction that dishonors him because of our frustration at the treatment.
So, what is the answer? Simple, never respond to the narcissist's ploys. Ignore their negativity, never tell them the great joys in your life and remove yourself if there is no sign there is a change in their attitude.
1 John 3:2-3 "2 Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.…"
Keep in mind that narcissists are in the church today as well as families. So many people who say they are Christians have never been born again, so they will act very badly because they do not have the Holy Spirit. Their heart has not been changed into a new creation and they think exactly like the world thinks because they are the world.
The answer to remaining joyful and without guile is to have companions who uphold our walk with Christ, those who think as we do and love the principles of Christ.
Psalm 17:15
"As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence."
Matthew 5:8
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
As born again believers we love as Christ loves, because of this we pray for those who do not love Him. This does not mean that we have to be continual companions to them.
Proverbs 13:19-20 "…19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning from evil is detestable to fools. 20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed."
Love the narcissist from afar through your prayers for them, but give your time and energy to those who love the Lord.
God tells us to take care of and support the brethren!
Romans 12:10
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."
1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death."
1 John 4:20
"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."
1 Corinthians 1:10
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
Those who love the Lord and their brethren will agree with God first and their brethren second. God does not tell one person one thing and another something different. There should be agreement on God's commands and principles.
Sins of Pride!
Satan is working on all fronts especially the family to destroy any good. When a culture undermines a family they remove the support system. When we become born again we can overcome the family disfunction by becoming the family of God in Christ. We no longer depend on bio-family to be our support, it is Christ and others who love Him who are our family.
One of the most difficult situations is when one person in a godless family becomes born again. This person wants to obey God's word, loving Him with their whole heart, but the bio-family structure comes against that resolve to follow Christ.
Even more difficult is when a person from a church-going family becomes born again and the family remains cultural Christians. The born again believer who wants to follow hard after Christ is mocked and rejected for their past sin that Christ forgave because the church-going cultural Christians enjoy believing the follower of Christ has not changed. Perhaps because the cultural Christian has not change in all their years of attending church.
When we see that someone is jealous of us for the change that Christ did in us, it is an indication that the cultural Christian was never born again. Those who love the Lord are excited when Christ changes the life of a sinner.
The sad reality is that cultural Christians love their sense of superiority but they do not love God. They cling to their traditions and reject the radical Christian who wants to discover the heart of God through His Word. The authentic Christian wants to obey everything in the Bible, they confess often in order to grow in holiness and love each new growth spurt.
However, the cultural Christian hates these growth spurts in the authentic Chrisitan. The cultural Christian walks in the world appearing just like an unbeliever while adding a little religiosity to their life to feel exalted by others.
In the presence of a crowd, they will say all the things that make them seem spiritual while in the shadows they are mocking and demanding the one who loves the Lord. God calls these people double-minded and without conscience. Those who show one face to those they wish to impress and another to those they demean are double-minded not to mention hypocrites.
James 1:22-25
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Matthew 23:5 "5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others."
Matthew 6:1
"Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."
Those who elevate themselves to appear special will always be jealous of the radical believer. They hate that the Bible is used in every discussion and the desire to figure things out through the Bible is disdained by the superficial cultural Christian.
Elevating one believer above another or self above anyone is to violate the word that we are to love all brothers and sisters. No born again believer is higher than any other, all are indwelt by Christ, it is only Christ who is elevated above all.
Matthew 6:1-16
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven…"
Those who elevate themselves, mock and demean others for their stand for the Word are full of pride. It was pride that got the devil and his demons thrown out of heaven. It is pride that will keep men from being with Christ and pride that sends people to hell.
When we have mercy and faith we know how much God saved us from and we love Him above all others.
No one is impressive to us even though we love the brethren, it is only Christ Who is to be worshiped.
Luke 7:47-48 "47 Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”…"
The woman who washed the feet of Christ was doing an act of worship, it was an act of humility to show that Christ is God.
When we hold Christ above all people and all things we no longer are impressed with anyone, only Christ is glorified. When we love Christ we love people, we can never be rude or mean to those we love. Christ in us gives us grace, mercy, and all the fruit of His Spirit to walk in love. If this fruit is not present then neither is the Holy Spirit.
When self is on the throne then God cannot be. When Christ is on the throne then no one else is elevated but Him.
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."
This fruit is the character of Christ and of any man (man meaning man or woman, as in mankind) who has Christ living in them.
So many people elevate others in a sort of longing glance because they want to be close to those who are elevated in the eyes of others. They believe their association with the elevated ones will rub off on them, also elevating them. A sort of vicariously living another person's elevated status through the association with them.
The problem is the desire to be elevated like God. This was Satan's ploy to Eve in the garden, "you can be like God", he said to her.
When God's word is seen as a book of suggestions rather than His Word that carries power, it becomes nothing more than a prop, useless to change a life.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Romans 10:17 - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Acts 20:32 - And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 - For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it] not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
Those who think they have not done a sin big enough to confess or feel ashamed, have not been born again. The biggest sin of all is pride, if that were the only sin then it is enough to send a person to hell.
If we want to be acceptable to God we must confess our sins often to be cleansed, 1 John 1:9, growing in holiness and we must view the Word of God as the truth to be sought after and followed to please Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)