Founding Fathers Were a Part of the Deception

The founding fathers of America were part of the deception that this was a Christian nation. They had a cultural Christianity.

 
America was founded on freedom of every religion, on personal wealth and safety, not on pleasing God. A motto is on our money: "in God we trust", ask why on the money? Also, our nation's motto is "for the people and by the people", not "for God and by God."

So often, people like to make up their own rules, their own way, and add God's name to it as though that makes it all credible.

 
Pentecostals are of this sort, they believe as long as they add God's name to something, it doesn't matter if it is Biblical as long as it works, it's called pragmatism, and it is not Biblical.

 
God wants us to do things His way as described in the Scriptures.
Effectiveness is not a measure of right or wrong; only truth from the Bible is our measure of right and wrong.

 
The only country that will ever be fully Christian is Israel at the end of the tribulation. The whole country will trust in Christ; no other nation ever has or ever will, only Israel.

Keep Looking Up

The reason God told us to focus on His return for His church is to give us continual peace and hope that we are here temporarily and our homegoing solves everything for us. Nothing is greater than going home to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Titus 2:13 "13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

It's hard for believers living in this world right now; we all experience unpleasant things, but we maintain our joy because of Christ.

Keep Looking Up!!!!

A Generation Primed to Trust in the Antichrist

This generation is primed for accepting the antichrist because they are always looking for a "hero" to follow, and that hero is not Christ.

 
This is also evident in church gatherings, where people look to the preacher, the political leader, or the famous person with smooth words to make them feel happy and safe.

 
The mentality of following someone who will give them everything they want is enormous with most people. They even become angry when we point out flaws that we should pay attention to, so we are not fooled.

 
Psalm 118:8-9 "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."

No one can really know these celebrities or leaders enough to get on their bandwagon. They very cleverly say what they think the people want to hear to entice them. And once they have drawn the people into their cult following, they can say or do anything, and those who follow them will ignore the bad defending them no matter what they do.

 
Those who follow men will ignore, defend and even deny the sin that is evidence of a bad spirit to maintain their good feelings.

 
Matthew 15:14 "Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 "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. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

When we follow Christ alone, we are free to evaluate everything men do and say without fear, boldly proclaiming God's truth even if someone's idol is exposed. We do not fear the retaliation of those who enjoy admiring those who promise grandiose things.

 
There are often many clues about the heart of a man that can be seen by discerning eyes. Yet, since most people think superficially, they will not accept what they don't like to hear.

 
Matthew 15:9 "In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

Galatians 1:9 "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 accursed."
2 John 1:9 "Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son."

2 John 1:9-11 "Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

God clearly wants us to evaluate everything according to the Bible with the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that we are not led away into cultural standards and false doctrine.

Looking to Christ and not to Men

There will come a day when those who do not trust in Christ will be sent to hell. They will die physically and spiritually for their own sins, the consequences of rejecting Christ are eternal (forever) death, the second death.

Matthew 10:27-28 "…27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

God will destroy the body and the soul completely and permanently of all those who reject Christ.

Luke 12:4-5 "I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!"

Hebrews 10:31 "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Revelation 14:7 "And he said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the One who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”

When we look to man for our guidance, it is man getting the glory instead of God.

Obey God and Only Obey Our Leaders When They Obey God

If we look to our husband as our authority, then the Holy Spirit takes second place to a human. Husbands and wives walk together because when they got married God made them into one, they are not one over the other, they are one together equally. God did not take a rib from man's back or from his feet; He took the rib from his side, a sign of oneness in purpose.

Matthew 19:5-6 "…5and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

No man can separate what God has joined, and no man can change the dynamic of man and woman walking together side by side.

If you have ever seen that umbrella drawing by Bill Gothard, you will see that it is not Biblical and is damaging to the marriage relationship. It is his concoction, but not from God.

 
I have heard people say that a woman should obey her husband even if he asks her to sin because God has a purpose in that. This is a lie from the devil himself.
The woman who loves God is to honor God first, and because of her honor of God, her husband might become born again.

 
Ephesians 5:22-24 Marriage like Christ and the Church
22 Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything."

Notice we subject ourselves to our husbands only when they obey the Lord. Never forget Annanias and Sapphirah? Sapphirah was killed along with her husband for conspiring with him to lie to the Holy Spirit. And, let's not forget Abigail, who refused to obey her wicked husband; he was killed, and Abigail became the wife of King David.

 
Remember Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego? They refused to obey the wicked demands of their leader, and God took care of them. Not only did God do that, He also moved the heart of Nebuchadnezzar to be on the side of their God.

We each have different jobs to do and people we answer to, but no one takes priority over God; our leaders are not our gods.

You, Unleashed | Max Lucado | Gateway Church

The End of the Age is Very Near

The United States is one of the worst disseminators of wickedness to the world. God blessed us with wealth, and look what we are doing with it. We should be repenting instead of demanding more blessings! And, the blessing we should be asking for is the blessing of repentance and wisdom.

 
If I hear one more time, "God bless America," I think I will scream out to the trees on my property.

 
James 3:17 "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere."
Colossians 2:6-10 "6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. "

If you doubt that America is going to repent, then do the test, tell your families and your neighbors about Christ, and watch what comes out of them. This will tell you a lot about the staunchness and rebellion in this nation.

 
Even tell your church buddies who attend gatherings every week all the Biblical principles they are violating while claiming to be Christian, and watch what comes out of their mouths.

 
In my experience, the modern Christian will argue to justify their sin, and they will even claim it is not sin. Use the scriptures to show them the truth and watch what comes out; this will be the evidence of the state of this nation.

 
Most people remain silent on sin in this nation because they know the vitriol they will endure if they speak openly and boldly. They know they will lose family and friends by quoting the Bible, so they take the easy way and remain silent while "Christians" all around them are smudging the name of Christ through their false religion based on feelings and personal desire.

 
If you become open and bold, you will see how alone you will become. That's alright because we always have Christ with us. Just know what you are in for when you decide to follow Christ fully.

 
May the Lord strengthen every authentic believer to the point where all they need is Christ if others will not go with them. Nothing has changed and much has grown worse as we near the end of the end of this age.

Romans 11:3-5 "…3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”? 4 And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace."

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Modern Day Pharisees

Paul persecuted the church before he was born again. He thought he was doing God a favor, even defending God, because of his view that claiming Jesus Christ was God was blasphemy. He was a zealous Pharisee.

Galatians 1:13 "For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it."

On the road to Damascus, God blinded Paul so that he would see with Spiritual eyes. He had a vision of the resurrected Christ, which caused him to stop his persecution. Annanias restored his sight through a miracle, and he had a radical change of heart and began preaching in Damascus.

This account of Paul and his conversion resonated with me this morning as I pondered what Christians encounter in our day within the church.

Those who are persecuted by those who say they are believers are the ones who proclaim the Word of God and expect it to be followed.

The worst persecutors of authentic believers are those who do not want to obey the scriptures. The believers  hearts have been changed by Christ when they trusted in Him, and the pretenders, the modern Pharisees, attempt to silence them for disrupting their man-made traditions, which come in many forms.

There are modern-day Pharisees within the church who make up their own rules, do not seek God, but rather seek the education of men to learn how to manipulate and control the people.

The Pharisees in Jesus day were the religious leaders who counted themselves as superior to the believers, hating the dedication to Christ they saw in those who had been transformed by Christ.

Matthew 23:1-33 "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
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.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
11 The greatest among you will be your servant.
12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’
17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’
19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.
28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.
30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?"

Today's Pharisees add to God's Word to fit their culture, and they detract from God's Word to fit that same culture. If God's word doesn't say what fits their fleshly desire, they change His Word, and instead of repenting from their sinful nature, they enhance and defend it through their own deception..

These modern Pharisees pretend to have authority over the believers, resist correction from them and refuse to allow them to speak unless they have permission from them.

And worse, they punish and demean those who do not accept their views and even call out their false doctrines and human rules.

The very people who preach against the Pharisees of Jesus' day are the ones who act just like they did, only claiming to love Christ while at the same time denying His Word!!!

The Nature of a False Gospel

They Want to Do it!

Fit to Serve God or Not

"You and I cannot be useful if we want to be sweet as honey in the mouths of men. God will never bless us if we wish to please men, that they may think well of us. Are you willing to tell them what will break your own heart in the telling and break theirs in the hearing? If not, you are not fit to serve the Lord. You must be willing to go and speak for God, though you will be rejected."

~ Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

Part of an article by Kris Reece on Christian Narcissists

Part of an article by Kris Reece:

The concept of "narcissists hating Christians" is more accurately described in numerous articles and resources as the conflict between the core traits of narcissism (self-love, pride, lack of empathy) and the core tenets of Christianity (humility, selfless love, repentance). Narcissists do not necessarily "hate" Christians as a group, but their inherent behaviors and worldview put them in direct opposition to authentic Christian principles.

Key dynamics explored in articles on this topic include:

Inability to Repent: Narcissism is characterized by an unwillingness to admit fault, failure, or sin to protect their self-image. This makes the fundamental Christian act of repentance and seeking forgiveness incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

A "Form of Godliness": Narcissists in Christian settings often appear devout and spiritually mature in public, but are controlling and abusive in private. They use a "form of godliness" to manipulate others and gain a high profile, power, and admiration within the church community, which serves as a prime "hunting ground" for them.

Weaponizing Scripture and Forgiveness: They may use biblical concepts like forgiveness to bypass accountability, pressuring victims to forgive them quickly without genuine repentance. If a victim hesitates, the narcissist might frame them as unforgiving or "unchristian".

Intolerance of Rebukes: Narcissists hate being told they are wrong or being held accountable. Any attempt to expose their true nature or call them to repent is often met with rage, dismissal, or labeling the other person as disobedient or an enemy of the faith.

Self-Focus vs. God-Focus: The narcissistic self-preoccupation constantly draws attention inward to one's own wisdom and accomplishments, rather than outward toward God and serving others, which is the Christian ideal."

Kris Reece

So Much Was Wrong in the Church

So many things we were taught in the churches today, based on the English translation, were incorrec,t leading to abuses through cultural thinking rather than what God actually said.

 
This is why it is so important that we ask God to show us only the truth. There is so much wrong thinking that our entire lives have been based on man's thinking but few are willing to evaluate them because most people are dedicated to their traditions. Fear of men has caused people to retain beliefs that are not from God.

 
Mark 7:13 "13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

 
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."

1 Timothy 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,  influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.  They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth."

Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."

The Virtuous Woman

Most People Have No Idea What “Virtuous Woman” Actually Means — And It’s Nothing Like You Think
For generations, Christians have pictured the “virtuous woman” as gentle, quiet, modest, and well-behaved.
Beautiful traits, but surprisingly… not what the Hebrew text says at all.
Because the original Old Testament word is chayil — and it doesn’t mean “nice,” “soft,” or “polite.”
It means:
strength
power
valor
warrior
army
Yes, according to Scripture itself, the so-called “virtuous woman” is actually a woman of force, courage, resilience, and strategic power. Not delicate. Not passive. A woman built for battle.
The same Hebrew word describes:
• David’s mighty men
• Trained soldiers
• Armies prepared for war
• Men known for courage and victory
And God chose that word for a woman.

Proverbs 31:10 says:
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”
But in the original language it reads more like:

“Who can find a woman of chayil — a woman of strength, valor, and warrior-like ability?”
This is not a woman hiding behind a man.
This is a woman who stands at his back like a trained army, reinforcing his calling, stabilizing his mission, supporting his leadership, and fighting spiritual battles alongside him.
The biblical portrait is a woman who:
• Builds wealth and manages trade
• Protects her home
• Discerns threats
• Leads with strategy
• Operates with authority
• Walks in wisdom
• Possesses unstoppable inner strength
This is not a fragile accessory to a man’s story.
This is a God-designed warrior who shapes nations, legacies, and generations.
So why is this so controversial?
Because for centuries, culture — and yes, even the church — reshaped “virtue” into fragility. But the Bible never did.
The virtuous woman is not quiet because she is weak.
She is steady because she is strong.
She is not ornamental. She is operational.
A weapon in God’s hands.
Maybe the issue isn’t that “virtuous women” don’t exist today.
Maybe it’s that most people have never been told what the word actually means.

Fools value being LOUD over being right

Via Deborah Wade

One day, a donkey marched up to a tiger and declared,
“You know grass is blue, right?”
The tiger, refusing to take the bait, replied calmly,
“No. Grass is green.”
An argument followed—loud, pointless, stubborn. Finally, they agreed to take the dispute to the lion, the king of the jungle, and let him decide.
Before they even reached the clearing where the lion sat on his throne, the donkey shouted,
“Your Majesty! Tell him—grass is blue, isn’t it?”
Without lifting his head, the lion answered,
“Yes. Grass is blue.”
The donkey leapt with joy, braying triumphantly.
“See? And the tiger keeps arguing with me! He insulted me! Punish him!”
The lion spoke solemnly:
“The tiger is sentenced to five years of silence.”
Satisfied, the donkey trotted away, muttering proudly,
“I told you so. Grass is blue.”
The tiger accepted the sentence without protest. But before leaving, he approached the lion and asked quietly,
“Your Majesty… but grass really is green, isn’t it?”
The lion finally looked at him and said,
“Of course it is. Grass is green.”
“Then why am I being punished?” the tiger asked.
“Because,” the lion replied, “a strong and wise creature should never lower itself to argue with a donkey—especially not all the way to the king’s throne.”
“You’re not wrong about the truth,” the lion continued.
“You’re wrong for wasting your time and dignity on someone who doesn’t care about truth—only about winning, even if the argument is nonsense.”
“Remember this,” the lion said.
“There are people who don’t care about logic, evidence, or common sense. They’re not listening to understand. They’re just waiting for their turn to speak.”
So when ignorance screams, wisdom stays quiet.
Because true wisdom never argues with someone who values being loud over being right.

Gossip Needs No Truth

God Brings the Increase Not Us

We are not responsible for the reactions to the truth we share; we are only responsible for speaking it!

Christmas a Great Deception

There are too many deceptions in the Christian church today to list them all here. My suggestion is for every believer to ask God to show them what are decpetions and which are truth and be willing to believe the truth even if it strips you of all your friends and family.

Mark 7:13 "13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."

1 Timothy 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth."

Romans 10:3 "Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness."

2 Timothy 3:8 "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith."

Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."

Romans 8:4-6 "4 so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,"

Philippians 3:19 "Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things."

He Must Transform Us for Us to be Saved

We cannot change our own life; we must have Christ Jesus transform our character so that our desires will be His desires. When we try to change ourselves without Christ, we become prideful, and it is deceptive, because the change is fleshly rather than Spiritual.

Ephesians 2:9-10 "…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."

Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

When we have trusted in Christ, He responds to that faith in Him by transforming us on the inside. We no longer think the same way we thought before. Our faith in Christ must go beyond just wanting Him to save us, it must be an inense desire for Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Appearances don't count, pretend goodness does not count, only Christ's change in us will count and then He gets all the glory and we get none.

Before we were born again, we loved the fleshly things and thought we were good people. After we were born again, we realized just how sinful we were, pride fell off, and was replaced by humility.

If stubborn pride remains after someone decides to become a Christian, then very likely they were never born again. They merely joined the group and attempted to become what they thought they should, not based on the Bible but based on the culture.

Believe me when I say the "cultural Christianity" barely resembles the transformed heart of the authentically born-again believer who was changed by Christ.

Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"

Do Churches Need a Pastor in Charge? (122)

The Fire That Consumes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAm5ji95bBM

Exposing False Christians and False Doctrine

We must expose false Christians and false doctrine in our day because there are more fakers in our day than ever before, spreading false doctrine that misleads people.

The worst encounters I have had have been with Pentecostals. They exude arrogance and superiority for the outward things they do.

 
John 4:24 "24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Every negative encounter I have had with "Christians" has been with this group. They feel justified and free to add to scripture, they are very big on pragmatism, if it works its alright to do even if it flies in the face of God's principles.

 
In other words, they live a life of manipulation; if something works, then it is good and anyone who questions it is an enemy. This is why they say things like, "What does this passage mean to you?" instead of asking what God meant by what He said.

When we encounter hostility and a refusal to discuss doctrine, we know we are engaging with someone who is more dedicated to what they like than they are to truth. In our day, I meet more of these kinds of Christians than those who love to discuss to come to an agreement not based on man's ideas or desire,s but based on God's meaning and His heart.

 
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.…"

We must keep speaking the truth, no matter the response to it. We are accountable to God alone; He is the final and perfect judge.

Narcissists and Shame

Narcissists don't know how to deal with shame; they are chronic in their insecurity because of the shame they experience.

 
The sad thing is that narcissists never apologize for anything and blame others for the shame they feel, when it was their own mean rude actions and words that brought them shame.

 
If they were to apologize for their mean-spirited ways, the shame would leave them, and they could walk in joy without guilt. As it is, though, they never repent, so they heap shame upon shame upon shame as they go through life, ending up as cranky old people and no real purpose in life except to continually attempt to dispel the shame through their blame toward others.

 
Judging and blaming others is their only way of minimizing their shame momentarily. The only cure for the judging and blaming narcissist is to repent, admit their dreadful character and inner spirit, with the desire to be cleansed of it.
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."

Confession of flaws and sins is the only way to cleanse away the guilt and shame that come from self-will and eventual devastation.

 
There are no authentic friendships in the narcissist's life; there are only people they use to gratify themselves. When someone no longer serves their purposes, they delete them from their lives, or at least place them on the back burner for later in case their other relationships don't work out anymore.

 
Building quality relationships takes caring about others. A friendship is based on walking through life with someone, the good and the bad, to be a "wing-man" always ready to express love God's way. This is why we don't see much love in the world anymore, because few people have God's kind of love.

 
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Love delights in the truth because it is only the truth that helps people, even if the truth is hard to hear.

 
Flattery is not helpful, praising people is not helpful, just honest truth with loving affection is valuable in a friendship.

Proverbs 29:5 "A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet."

Proverbs 26:24-28 "Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin."

Romans 16:18 "For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Honest people who love others do encourage and compliment those they love, but without any other motive than to help support their friend. If they love them they tell the truth when they are doing something that will harm themselves.

 
1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 "For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness."

Narcissists do not recognize real love; they think love is continual praise and lots of attention for them. They have no real love to give to anyone else except those who elevate them, a useful kind of manipulative love that leaves them in a prominent position.

 
Our churches have become like this, full of lovers of self who only do their deeds to be seen by others and who gain something for themselves in their relationships.
God told us this would happen in the last days, most people are like the narcissist somewhere on the spectrum while growing worse all the time.

 
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."

2 Timothy 2:2-4…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."

When we know this is what is happening to our world, we can remain joyful knowing it is not about us personally and that God gives us the strength to walk with Christ, even if we have to walk alone.

Free from the Bondage of Fleshly Pleasure

Many people in our culture are dedicated to having fun before they can no longer have fun. A pleasure seeker, someone who loves accolades and notoriety, is easily deceived by false doctrine and cultural norms.

 
The sad thing is, these kinds of people focus on fun all their lives; they never stop seeking adventure and pleasurable things to boast about to others.

These people are never truly happy because their happiness is based on adventures. When we are mature and wise, our joy comes from the normal things in life; there is no need for adventures.

 
1 Corinthians 13:11 "11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
Pleasure in our day is sought after more than anything else. From observing life as a 70's something, I see those who seek after pleasure remaining immature in their conversations and responses to life all their lives. They lack a sober and contemplative mindset that evaluates things rationally and in truth.

 
There is more joy in the heart of those who do not need adventures. Their enjoyment is based on everyday normal life and God's principles, not on anything extraneous to impress others.

 
Ephesians 4:14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."

Hebrews 5:12-14 "Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil."

1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,"

If we are to grow in holiness and maturity, we will seek Christ and not the pleasures of this world. If we choose the pleasures, God is going to bring trials to wake us up to remind us of what is important.

They Laugh at Me and I Laugh at Them

"They laugh at me because I am different, I laugh at them because they are all the same."

Wise People Seek to Understand not to Dominate

"Narcissists judge quickly and understand slowly" Stoic Wisdom

Institutional Religion and the Mud Bog

Institutional religion is the muddy mire from which it is difficult to remove ourselves, but necessary if we are to be free in Christ.

 
When I was a small child, about 10 years old, I wandered into a nearby field in the spring. The field was full of water; looking from the solid ground, I thought the water was superficial, floating on top of the land.

 
In my big boots, big for a little girl of 10, I took my first step and saw my foot sink a couple of inches. I wasn't worried about that; it was easy to take the next step. Unfortunately, the next step was a foot of mud that rolled over the top of my boots.

 
I began to panic as I tried to lift my leg out of the bog, but it was not budging. I began to cry in fear that I would not be able to get out, and there was no one around to help me. I was in that field alone, stuck and helpless.

I was used to wandering in the fields and woods alone. I had brothers who didn't want me around, so I did a lot of things on my own. Later in life, I felt blessed that those early years taught me to learn to be content and happy by myself.

 
In the matter of the mud bog, my only hope was to try and try and try until I was able to get loose, but I could not. Then the idea came to me to remove my foot from the boot and then pull the boot out. It was easier to pull my foot out of the mud than it was to pull the boot out with my foot in it. The boot came out more easily when my foot was not in it.

 
I don't remember exactly how I got across that field to harder and safer ground, but I remember the relief that rolled over me when I was able to walk out of the place.

I tell you this story to demonstrate the feelings I had the first time I began to question the Catholic church and all its man-made rituals, and then later the Protestant church systems that we visited over the years after leaving the Catholic church.

 
Because I was so indoctrinated to the "way things were done", there was a sense of guilt in objecting or pondering anything different. It was only when I began to read the Bible and pray for wisdom that these false man-made systems bothered me. I couldn't say why, but I continued to pray that God would tell me what was wrong with me that I was not at peace about these institutions.

I was led to believe, through the reactions to me as a child, that it was a sin for me to question anything. I was treated with contempt and disrespect for wanting answers to questions no one else seemed to know the answer to.

 
As the Lord began to open my eyes through the Scriptures and His still small voice compelling me to continue in study and prayer, the light came on in my heart. Then is when God showed me all the ways in the institutional church that were not only not Biblical but managed to keep the people in the pews locked into the false system. Christ was not the real focus; the system and ritual were the focus.

 
The people lacked the fruit of the Spirit because each was in competition with all the others to appear more spiritual or at least equal to one another. The only way they could be accepted by the group was for everyone to be just like everyone else. Everyone is doing and saying all the same things without question.

Anyone who questioned how things were done was rejected by the others. It was intimidating to the attendees for someone to question what was always done because no one really understood why things were done; they just knew that to be accepted, they had to do them.

 
Since I was used to family rejection at home, the feelings of rejection anywhere else were familiar to me and unintimidating. I had learned through my childhood that there was no way anyone would like me, so I accepted that and didn't try to be liked. I felt hurt a lot as a child but later in life after I trusted Christ I was no longer hurt, my heart understood why and I was free. I don't remember ever being angry with people but I did want to flee those who didn't love well. 

 
It must have been the Lord who was with me, even though I was not saved yet. I am convinced He kept me feeling loved even when I believed no one else loved me. Eventually, I was born again, and the reasons for my life experience became clear to me.

 
Sadly, many people, if not most, are in bondage to being accepted by others, so they resist questioning anything or refusing anything out of fear of rejection.

 
Proverbs 29:25-26 " 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 favour, but a man receives justice from the LORD.…"

Psalm 56:3-4 "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. / In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

To this day, I thank and praise God for training in those early years, in dealing with rejection. The freedom from the fear of being rejected is so wonderful that it cannot be compared to someone with many friends who worries about rejection.

 
God trained me early in my life not to trust in man. As I grew older and began to seek Christ on my own, it was clear that He wanted me to be able to be hated while still loving others, even if they didn't love me, at the same time keeping me free from hate and anger. If I had to choose hate and anger or hurt feelings, I will take the hurt feelings. Eventually, I was no longer hurt, only sad for those who didn't know how to love. 

 
This is the greatest blessing of all, when Christ dwells in us so richly that no other person could dominate me more fully than He does.

 
Jeremiah 17:7-8 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit."

Psalm 118:8-9 "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes."

Someone once asked me why I was so free to be so bold. The answer was simple, and yet the means were so complicated. When we have nothing to lose on this earth, then we can walk fully with Christ.

 
We cannot lose what we never had! If you feel you are unloved by most people, you are in a good place because Christ was also unloved by most people. Until we can learn to remain unloved and still faithful to Christ, we have much more to learn and are still too connected to this world, its traditions and ritualistic habits.

 
May the Lord free the brothers and sisters in Christ from all human tradition, rituals and bondages that keep them chained to this world. And may the Lord open the eyes of those who do not understand so they, too, can see with clarity.
Hallelujah!!!!

After Show 1: Breaking the Pulpit Barrier

Jon Zens: Jesus' Heart For His Church

Evil Eventually Exposes Itself

The Religious Leaders Were the Worst

Amen! It was the religious leaders in Jesus' day who hated Him the most, those who would lose their power if people became free in Christ.

Perhaps Christian in Name Only

By Troy Fritz
You call yourself a Christian, and say you don’t want to cause division… but the Bible has taught us over and over and over again that we are called to be SET APART.
The definition of “set apart” is to SEPARATE.
The definition of division is: the action of separating something.
So by literal definition God has called you to be DIVIDED from the world.
Y’all are so worried about not causing division that you’ve invited wolves to sit at your pews and at your tables.
In not wanting to cause division, you are actually just separating YOURSELF from God.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
‭‭ Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
‭‭ John‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬
You CANNOT be a Christian and be of this world at the same time. You CANNOT remain UNDIVIDED.
Do you know what the Bible calls people who try not to offend anyone? Those who don’t choose a side??? LUKEWARM.
You want to know what happens to lukewarm Christian’s according to the Bible?
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
‭‭ Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬
God will not tolerate those sitting on the fence playing “people pleasing”. You must decide if you are hot OR cold. Division is REQUIRED.
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
‭‭ Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭34‬
So either choose to be a true Christian and get on the right hand of God, or stop calling yourself one and quit tainting the name of Christians with your Luke warm water.
Repent!

The Heart of the Born Again Believer

Titus 3:1-3 "1 Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work, 2 to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration to everyone. 3 For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another."

Ephesians 4:31-32 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."

James 3:17-18 "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness."

His Workmanship

There are those who use the excuse that "God says to comes as you are" to justify never changing our ways after we have said those words to accept Christ.

 
The reason God tells them they are accepted as they are when they first come is that He is the one who changes them. They cannot clean themselves up, He must do it.

No one has the ability to clean themselves up before they trust in Christ. They must trust in Him first and then He begins His worrk in us.

 
Ephesians 2:9-10 "…9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."

Get that? We are HIS WORKMANSHIP, not our own!

Our Family and Cultural Expectations

Sometimes I feel so sorry for those who are all bound up with the drama they create and the relationships they ruin.

 
Without regard to truth, many people who gossip about others more often than not are concocting in their own minds what they wish were true to diminish the reputation of others when they harbor jealousy. Not what they know, but what they wish were true.

 
They are jealous of believers who have peace and joy, and especially those who have corrected them; they must do something to be mischievous, causing doubt in the minds of others who do not hate the person the gossiper hates.

We are seeing more of this in these last days of deception because of the hatred toward God and all authority. Anyone who lives for Christ and refuses to follow the world will be hated by those who walk disobediently.

Those who walk with Christ don't have to say anything; merely not participating or not praising the world for their useless activities is enough to enrage those who love the world more than they love God.

 
Matthew 10:21-23a "…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 because 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."

God not only gives permission for us to remove ourselves from those who bring division and trouble, but He commands that we flee from them when they refuse the gospel and when they have contempt for us.

 
Keep in mind that many who pretend to be Christians will call us divisive for expecting the brethren to cling to and obey the Bible, the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the very essence of His Word, to ignore Him is not trusting in Him but in the self of the flesh.

 
Believers are not responsible for remaining with rebellious people, hoping they will one day be an influence on the ones who have rejected Christ and us.

 
Remaining with those who have rejected Christ and us is the same as believing we are the ones who must work in their lives; it leaves no room for trusting that we did what God told us to do, and now it is up to God to bring others into their lives if it is His will.

 
We are merely the messengers for a particular period of time. When it is time to move on, then we must go and leave them alone.

 
John 15:18-21 "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well."

Christ must be enough for us, even if no one else walks that path of salvation with us; we are at peace and have great joy to walk it alone. However, we are not alone completely; many people are communicating with us on the internet who have experienced the same rejection and understand what we are going through. They share our sorrows and our joys like no one else could.

 
Elijah the prophet thought he was all alone, but God showed him he was not alone, to encourage him.

1 Kings 19:18 "18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

"A joy shared is double the joy and a sorrow shared is half a sorrow"! I don't know who said it, but we find the principle in Scripture.

 
Romans 12:15 "15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

This is why narcissists will not share in your joy or weep with you. They want to further burden you with their indifference, and they hate it when we are joyful, so they attempt to diminish it by refusing to engage in our happiness.

 
God's way of relationships is so lovely and satisfying that the thought of interacting with narcissists is illogical. Why would we share our griefs or joys with those who hate us? It makes no sense. It is better to be alone without them than to engage only to be diminished at the important times of our lives.

 
God is so gracious to show us what evil people look like spiritually so that we can avoid their nonsense and spend our time with those who love Christ authentically.
Those who are truly born-again will enjoy us because they love Christ. They are our family who will spend eternity with us, who will be at the marriage supper of the Lamb with us, and we will all come back with Christ at the end of the tribulation when Christ destroys evil upon the earth.

 
Hallelujah!!!!

The Spiritual Implications in Life

Sister Joan reminded me in another thread that everything that happens to us in life has spiritual implications. I was blessed to hear her say this and commented the following:

"Amen, Amen, everything has a spiritual component to it, and often we look only at the feelings or the circumstances and miss the spiritual."

When we think superficially based on feelings and desires, we are going to miss God's truth that goes deeper and more profound.

 
Life has so many lessons for us when we delve deeper into the matters of life to find the lesson that transforms our thinking and brings intense wisdom and understanding.

 
Being satisfied with the superficial will keep us bogged down in misunderstandings and false doctrine without the ability to discern truth from error.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 " 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.…"

Jealousy, anger, outbursts of wrath, and much more are generated from a heart that dwells on feelings and a need to be superior to others.

 
1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."

Titus 1:10-11 "For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not."

Empty talk, that being senseless bantering about things that do not matter, or deliberate misinterpretation to be able to assess things so they elevate the one who is madly in love with themselves.

 
The whole world is this way now. Only those who are born-again can escape the temptation to mistakenly and deliberately interpret things according to our own desire to hate someone or something.

 
The Holy Spirit in us will cause conviction in others that motivates them to hate believers. Satan is working hard in these last days to destroy Christians or at least their witness in the world by turning the world against them.

 
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering."

When we know these things, we can remain joyful, hopeful, and ready with an answer without false guilt when someone becomes offended over silly things.