Walking in Holiness

It is interesting how our modern culture thinks. Often I hear words like "think positively" as though a happy mindset will make everything right.

It has been my experience that facing the demons in our society that cause problems, calling them what they are, and resolving to ask God for cleansing is the real fix. Our hope is to destroy the sin so that it does not return.

Thinking positively is a way of fantasizing about how we wish things were without any resolution to the wrong things within our soul that need expunging. Even worse we hide things so that others will think we are special. Impressing others is always pretense that eventually erodes until the problem is exposed.

Let's take the analogy of "sweeping the dirt under the carpet." The first thing that happens after sweeping the dirt, which is out in the open, under the carpet only hides the dirt is doesn't remove it.

Every time we walk on the carpet a little more of that dirt under it sneaks out and eventually the floor not only has the first pile from under the carpet but it also has the dirt that piles up after other dirt came later. Nothing gets clean but the dirt piles up more under that carpet with every sweeping. Pretty soon the carpet is ruined as the dust seeps up through the fibers and wears out the carpet.

It never works to hide things or pretend fantasies to make ourselves feel better or to impress others. Eventually, we become too weary of constantly pushing the dirt under something to hide it. It will sneak out and destroy whatever it touches.

God is the Author of wisdom, He knows that confession of sin is the only way to scrub the sin from our souls so that it does not return. The more we confess and ask to be cleansed the more we grow in holiness. The pile of sin does not grow into a filthy mountain of dirt because each wrong attitude and each misstep is corrected to make the path clean and swept regularly.

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."

Romans 6:19

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification.

Definition of Sanctification: Being set apart for the Father's use. We have been cleansed and continue to be cleansed as we confess our individual sins to walk in holiness.

1 John 1:10

"10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Those who will not confess sins and believe they are too good to have any, will not grow in holiness nor will they be useful to God.

1 Peter 1:15

"15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,"

Hebrews 12:14

"14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."

Remind Yourself the Tactics of the Devil and You will not be Controlled by Him

Covert narcissists can turn even good news into a problem or a threat.

I have discovered that a narcissist sees our actions and comments according to their own mindset.

If they are rude and angry people they will assume even our kind words and actions are coming from rudeness and contempt because it is how they would react to us.

The jealousy runs so deep and the anger so constant that everything that does not make them the center of attention will be seen as a personal attack.

There is only one way to deal with these kind of people and that is to avoid them whenever possible.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

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, 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 people as these."

Since narcissists hate goodness and kindness they will attempt to make our good deeds and kind acts and words appear foolish. We might ask why would narcissists be like this?

The answer is simple, they are being manipulated by the master of hatred, lies and deciet, the devil and his demons. Those who cannot think rationally for themselves, calling things what they really are, will be those who are controlled by the devil and his minions.

When we know we are living in the last days of deep deception we will recognize those who are attempting to dominate and demean anyone who brings goodness and light to a relationship. They will ruin whatever they can in all the relationships of the born-again believer just as the devil has been doing since he was created.

Since the devil knows his doom is near he will work even harder to destroy those who love Christ. He is too arrogant and foolish to realize he cannot win over God so he works at ruining as many people who love God as he can before he is thrown into hell. And, he will use people to do this.

1 John 3:8

"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."

Do not be unnerved by those who are controlled by the devil. Stand up to them boldly and with kindness but do not allow them to convince you that what God is leading you to do is wrong and worthless.

Proverbs 3:5

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Those who are in love with themselves will hate truth-tellers accusing them of the very thing the narcissist is doing and the truth tellers are not. It is the devil's favorite tactic, to mock, demean and intimidate anyone who tells the truth.

Don't fall for the devil's lies or tactics, he can only ruin those who do not belong to Christ.

Pride is the Beginning of Destruction

Proverbs 16:18

"18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

There is tremendous pride in our country, so much so that no matter how wicked it becomes the people still cry out to God to "bless America", as though this country deserves it. A mentality of entitlement reigns in this nation.

I remember when I was attending high school we would go to the ball games and shout things like; "we're number one, we're number one", full of arrogance thinking we deserve to be seen as better than others.

I see America this way poking their giant index finger into the air shouting "we're number one", so very proud of who they think we are because we live in America.

What do we place this pride in? It is in our prosperity, our freedom, our personal desires persued no matter how wicked they may be, as long the people have these things they count themselves as superior and special.

Sadly this same mentality has entered each family, parents aborting their children to avoid accountability for their actions. Adult children disregarding their elderly parents as if they had nothing to offer and small children disrespectfully shouting at their parents to gain an advantage over them.

But we're number one!!! Right!!!! America is number one in everything that is evil, to the point of mocking God and persecuting those who preach repentance and righteousness.

If you don't believe me, try this experiment at the next family gathering and see the response. Begin to speak boldly the gospel message, calling on the name of Jesus Christ to work in the hearts of those in the room and watch what happens. Most of you know what will happen, which is the reason you remain silent. The mocking and anger that ensues prevents believers from speaking the saving truth of the Gospel of Christ.

When cards and letters are sent proclaiming the gospel they are ignored and most avoid the person who sent them. It is considered fanatical in our day to express openly the gospel message. Our culture expects the name of Christ only to be mentioned in church by the pastor who is the designated mediator between them and Christ.

Most Christians expect that preaching Christ is for missionaries and ordained pastors, they cannot wrap their minds around the idea that all born-again believers are called to share the good news of salvation to whomever God leads them.

To mention Christ outside the church gathering is "over stepping" in our cultural Christianity. Many people want to be seen as attending a gathering but they never want to have to speak of Christ themselves. They fear losing family and friends because they know they probably would if they were bold and open about their faith in Christ.

Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath, but does not testify. 25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.…"

When "issues" of the culture take priority over Christ and His principles we have lost our first love.

It is pride that drives this mentality of "cultural correctness" and "nationalism", more than Christ and even instead of Christ.

I was once demeaned and mocked when I said there is no commandment in the Bible to vote for our leaders. Those who were born in this country have been so indoctrinated from a young age that freedom and choosing our leaders takes precedence above even Christ. I could not understand when I was dismissed for saying I was weary of voting for the lesser of two evils.

This world is not my home, it is a mission field where God planted me to be useful to Him. I am not here to help build a kingdom, I am here to speak of Christ and live according to His principles.

Christ's Kingdom is soon to come, He will set it all up and He will rule it.

Revelation 2:27 "AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE SHATTERED, as I also have received authority from My Father;"

Ephesians 1:20-22

"20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church,"

If Christ leads you to vote for a leader then do it, if Christ leads you not to vote for a leader then do that. Allow no human being to pressure you to do what they want. Christ knows what should happen and in the case of America it may not be what we want but it will be what we deserve.