When someone is seeing the face of Jesus in their pancakes, or angels in clouds, it is possible that this person lacks faith. To need to see special miracles to believe, is lack of faith.
I am struck with the recent story of a little boy who said he died, went to heaven and came back again. First came the book then the movie and the boy admitted he made it all up to gain attention.
When we take the word of complete strangers about their spiritual encounters we are placing more faith in the encounter and the person than we have ever placed in the Words of the Bible.
Many gullible people rushed out to get their temporary spiritual high, Hollywood style, believing everything that was said in the book and movie, while never comparing it with the word of God.
Now that there is egg on the faces of all those who indulged, I wonder if the publishing company who pulled the book, will give back all the money they gained from the sales?
This should be a lesson to those who jump on every miracle bandwagon that comes down the pike, to stop looking for miracles to build your faith. We build our faith by knowing the Word of God and obeying for our daily lives. The growth we see in our spirits should be enough of a miracle.
Perhaps there is no spiritual growth in most people, they spend too much time looking for things they can see to grow in their own spirit, in character and inner strength.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
If You Need To See A Miracle: You Lack Faith
Those who spend a lot of time needing to see miracles to maintain their faith, whipping up emotion and frenzy to feel spiritual, actually lack faith. Their faith is based on what they can see, touch and taste and do rather than on the Words of Christ in the Bible.
1 Corinthians 4:6-7 "
"6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become [e]arrogant in behalf of one against the other.7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
God said in 1 Corinthians, "not to go beyond what has been written."
2 Corinthians 5:6 " 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—"
Revelation 22:18 " I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;"
When we have all we need in the Scriptures, to need more is a lack of faith. My faith is in God and the Bible, not extra-biblical experience. Anyone who needs a miracle that they can see and touch, walks by sight not by faith.
John 20:29 " Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
1 Corinthians 4:6-7 "
"6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become [e]arrogant in behalf of one against the other.7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
God said in 1 Corinthians, "not to go beyond what has been written."
2 Corinthians 5:6 " 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—"
Revelation 22:18 " I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;"
When we have all we need in the Scriptures, to need more is a lack of faith. My faith is in God and the Bible, not extra-biblical experience. Anyone who needs a miracle that they can see and touch, walks by sight not by faith.
John 20:29 " Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
A Thankful Heart
Psalm 138
"I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands."
"I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings.
2 I will bow down toward Your holy temple
and give thanks to Your name
for Your constant love and truth.
You have exalted Your name
and Your promise above everything else.
3 On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.
4 All the kings on earth will give You thanks, Lord,
when they hear what You have promised.
5 They will sing of the Lord’s ways,
for the Lord’s glory is great.
6 Though the Lord is exalted,
He takes note of the humble;
but He knows the haughty from a distance.
7 If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend Your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your love is eternal;
do not abandon the work of Your hands."
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Ask God!!!!!
There are those that believe every time they have a thought or "inner voice", they are hearing from God. The devil loves to deceive us through that inner voice.
If the inner voice does not agree with the Word of God, then the inner voice is not God but the devil.
Often that inner voice, is nothing more than our own flesh, the voices of our culture, emotionalism and Satan himself.
Far too many people go with feelings that are not based on God's Word but rather what they have been taught all their lives. The culture has shaped our thinking much more than we realize.
Often what seems to sound so righteous, is not at all in line with God's principles.
Want to know if God is speaking? Read His Word, pray for the understanding and go with what HE tells you.
John 10:27 ""My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;"
If the inner voice does not agree with the Word of God, then the inner voice is not God but the devil.
Often that inner voice, is nothing more than our own flesh, the voices of our culture, emotionalism and Satan himself.
Far too many people go with feelings that are not based on God's Word but rather what they have been taught all their lives. The culture has shaped our thinking much more than we realize.
Often what seems to sound so righteous, is not at all in line with God's principles.
Want to know if God is speaking? Read His Word, pray for the understanding and go with what HE tells you.
John 10:27 ""My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;"
Serving Without Notice
Many people do things to "appear" humble, when in their hearts they harbor much arrogance that controls their life. They really believe that they are good people apart from Christ, feeding their narcissistic view of themselves by using what they believe to be knowledge, in fact is not based on the Scriptures but on the apostate church system. When challenged they become unhinged, seeking revenge through a display of anger, or withholding love.
A person can be visibly humble on the outside and be consumed with much pride on the inside. Eventually they will be exposed, one can only keep up a pretense so long before their real self rises up and exposes itself.
Because we see so many people comparing themselves with each other, many are not convicted over pride, they really do believe they are better, more knowledgeable, more spiritually correct, than everyone else.
2 Corinthians 10:12
"For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding."
When we see someone who fights constantly to win arguments, demeans others through intimidation and dismissiveness, we have probably met someone who has been indulging in self worship.
Proverbs 26:21 "As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife."
Titus 3:10 "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,"
Sadly we are encountering much more of this the closer we get to the time of the end. Fewer and fewer people can take a humble look at themselves.
2 Timothy 3:1-9 "
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was."
Many will do good deeds to be seen by men, but not lift a finger to help a stranger when no one is watching. Many will help and serve those who elevate them in some way, but resist helping those that they perceive are not worthy, not based on character or conduct, but on social criteria.
In the story of the good Samaritan, the Samaritan didn't evaluate the broken and bleeding man, he merely cared for him as he should have. Love knows no boundaries, it does not work when it is convenient or a personal blessing. Love springs into action before there is time to assess the value of an individual, or the personal cost to us.
May the Lord work in all of our hearts to forget to count the personal cost of an act, especially when no one sees, except the Lord.
A person can be visibly humble on the outside and be consumed with much pride on the inside. Eventually they will be exposed, one can only keep up a pretense so long before their real self rises up and exposes itself.
Because we see so many people comparing themselves with each other, many are not convicted over pride, they really do believe they are better, more knowledgeable, more spiritually correct, than everyone else.
2 Corinthians 10:12
"For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding."
When we see someone who fights constantly to win arguments, demeans others through intimidation and dismissiveness, we have probably met someone who has been indulging in self worship.
Proverbs 26:21 "As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife."
Titus 3:10 "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,"
Sadly we are encountering much more of this the closer we get to the time of the end. Fewer and fewer people can take a humble look at themselves.
2 Timothy 3:1-9 "
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was."
Many will do good deeds to be seen by men, but not lift a finger to help a stranger when no one is watching. Many will help and serve those who elevate them in some way, but resist helping those that they perceive are not worthy, not based on character or conduct, but on social criteria.
In the story of the good Samaritan, the Samaritan didn't evaluate the broken and bleeding man, he merely cared for him as he should have. Love knows no boundaries, it does not work when it is convenient or a personal blessing. Love springs into action before there is time to assess the value of an individual, or the personal cost to us.
May the Lord work in all of our hearts to forget to count the personal cost of an act, especially when no one sees, except the Lord.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Go With God!
We cannot expect things to make sense, be rational or consistent in our fallen world that is becoming worse and worse.
There was a news story this morning about fraternity college students who used the "N" word in a song on an outing. The song was recorded by someone and of course it reached the media. And, you can guess what happened after that. Never mind that the movies blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus Christ continually, while filthy language is used in the dialogue of nearly every movie made these days.
The fraternity was shut down, which was alright with me, they are hot beds of foolishness anyway, but rather than being disciplined for wrong attitudes the students may be facing expulsion. In my estimation this is overkill, punishment not appropriate for the "crime", if someone wants to label "wrong attitude" as crime. If our attitudinal language in movies be taken as seriously as the "N" word was here? That would be more consistent, but of course the world has it's pet sins that no one can touch.
Then there is the case of the bakery owners who bothered no one, but declined to bake a cake for a same sex wedding. The bakery owners were forced out of business by spoiled brats who thought they could manipulate and coerce their targets to accept their lifestyle. Even though there were bakeries all over the city that would have been happy to make their cake, they had to have their tantrum and ruin someone who didn't approve of their activities. The bakery owners had no desire to ruin the homosexuals, they simply did not want to participate in their sin.
Next example that is consistent with "freedom of religion and freedom of speech", is the statement by Starbucks blatantly and brazenly proclaiming before the public "if you are a homophobe we don't want your business."
Does anyone see the pattern here, Starbucks is allowed to malign an entire group of people based on their personal belief system, while the people with the bakery are not allowed to privately decline to make a cake for one couple. Starbucks is endorsed and applauded for telling people they don't want their business but the bakery is forced out of business for declining to make a cake for an event. For Starbucks it was about a particular class of people, for the bakery owners it was about an ideology not the people.
I am quite sure that if homosexuals had come into the bakery to buy donuts or cupcakes, nothing would have been said. It wasn't about serving the homosexuals, it was about being party to endorsing the wedding that is an abomination to God.
When an entire country can be held hostage by evil men, we know we have lost the war.
Evil men are not satisfied with just being able to do their wicked deeds they must force others into silence about it. They relentlessly attack and intimidate a culture that has been living in fear of rejection for many years now, even those who were once vocal about sin are clamming up out of fear of the rejection of men.
The churches are now running scared along with the rest of the culture. They know if they speak boldly about anything of value, they will be rejected by those in the church and their families. The slightest hint of disapproval of anything or anyone, places the bold one in jeopardy of isolation, manipulation and contempt.
The only reason to ponder this injustice in the world is to encourage those who think they must have done something wrong when people have set them aside or when they demean them in subtle ways to poke at them, continually poking to intimidate, cause anger and frustration, is their main goal. If these mean people can get you to blow up or come unglued they feel justified in their mission to demean and discredit you.
Our world has decided what we are suppose to believe and any deviation from its agenda will not be tolerated. This agenda is masterminded by the devil himself, but the men think it is their idea.
Many years ago I was the only one I knew speaking against the self esteem teaching in the schools, then it crept into the churches and now it permeates every home in one form or another. Even educated seminary graduates came against me on it. God showed me back then it was wrong, but even then, most believers were flowing with the culture rather than the Bible. More sadly, the up and coming leaders from Bible colleges were defending and teaching self esteem.
What they don't know is that, if you are born again, and walking closely with the Lord, there isn't anything they can do to unhinge you. Christ can be the One that speaks in response, they can fight with Him.
When we come to the place where it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of us, or whether or not man likes us, then we are where Christ wants us, free from the manipulation and coercion of the world. We love people so much and Christ more, that the truth is the most important thing we can give them. But those people that we love, do not control us or our thoughts, Christ does.
Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
John 12:42-43 "42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
Notice that many who believed in Christ would not openly profess their faith because they were afraid of men. Those who manipulate to silence, are not much different from those who remain silence to be approved of men. They both are depending on their human condition to comfort them rather than Christ. Of course one is born again and fearful, and one is lost and fearful.
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
James 1:2-8 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When I lose a friend or family member because I wanted to share truth with them, but they refused to listen and pray about it, then I leave it to God. He is helping me to let go and let Him. When we are so fixated on retaining a stubborn friend, then that friend becomes an idol in our hearts and it must be dealt with.
Keep in mind that keeping company with those who are in rebellion, will only cause regression in us. God said that we will be infected with the same disease that we expose ourselves to.
1 Corinthians 15:32-34 "…32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. 33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."
GO WITH GOD, NOT MAN!
There was a news story this morning about fraternity college students who used the "N" word in a song on an outing. The song was recorded by someone and of course it reached the media. And, you can guess what happened after that. Never mind that the movies blaspheme the name of the Lord Jesus Christ continually, while filthy language is used in the dialogue of nearly every movie made these days.
The fraternity was shut down, which was alright with me, they are hot beds of foolishness anyway, but rather than being disciplined for wrong attitudes the students may be facing expulsion. In my estimation this is overkill, punishment not appropriate for the "crime", if someone wants to label "wrong attitude" as crime. If our attitudinal language in movies be taken as seriously as the "N" word was here? That would be more consistent, but of course the world has it's pet sins that no one can touch.
Then there is the case of the bakery owners who bothered no one, but declined to bake a cake for a same sex wedding. The bakery owners were forced out of business by spoiled brats who thought they could manipulate and coerce their targets to accept their lifestyle. Even though there were bakeries all over the city that would have been happy to make their cake, they had to have their tantrum and ruin someone who didn't approve of their activities. The bakery owners had no desire to ruin the homosexuals, they simply did not want to participate in their sin.
Next example that is consistent with "freedom of religion and freedom of speech", is the statement by Starbucks blatantly and brazenly proclaiming before the public "if you are a homophobe we don't want your business."
Does anyone see the pattern here, Starbucks is allowed to malign an entire group of people based on their personal belief system, while the people with the bakery are not allowed to privately decline to make a cake for one couple. Starbucks is endorsed and applauded for telling people they don't want their business but the bakery is forced out of business for declining to make a cake for an event. For Starbucks it was about a particular class of people, for the bakery owners it was about an ideology not the people.
I am quite sure that if homosexuals had come into the bakery to buy donuts or cupcakes, nothing would have been said. It wasn't about serving the homosexuals, it was about being party to endorsing the wedding that is an abomination to God.
When an entire country can be held hostage by evil men, we know we have lost the war.
Evil men are not satisfied with just being able to do their wicked deeds they must force others into silence about it. They relentlessly attack and intimidate a culture that has been living in fear of rejection for many years now, even those who were once vocal about sin are clamming up out of fear of the rejection of men.
The churches are now running scared along with the rest of the culture. They know if they speak boldly about anything of value, they will be rejected by those in the church and their families. The slightest hint of disapproval of anything or anyone, places the bold one in jeopardy of isolation, manipulation and contempt.
The only reason to ponder this injustice in the world is to encourage those who think they must have done something wrong when people have set them aside or when they demean them in subtle ways to poke at them, continually poking to intimidate, cause anger and frustration, is their main goal. If these mean people can get you to blow up or come unglued they feel justified in their mission to demean and discredit you.
Our world has decided what we are suppose to believe and any deviation from its agenda will not be tolerated. This agenda is masterminded by the devil himself, but the men think it is their idea.
Many years ago I was the only one I knew speaking against the self esteem teaching in the schools, then it crept into the churches and now it permeates every home in one form or another. Even educated seminary graduates came against me on it. God showed me back then it was wrong, but even then, most believers were flowing with the culture rather than the Bible. More sadly, the up and coming leaders from Bible colleges were defending and teaching self esteem.
What they don't know is that, if you are born again, and walking closely with the Lord, there isn't anything they can do to unhinge you. Christ can be the One that speaks in response, they can fight with Him.
When we come to the place where it doesn't matter what anyone thinks of us, or whether or not man likes us, then we are where Christ wants us, free from the manipulation and coercion of the world. We love people so much and Christ more, that the truth is the most important thing we can give them. But those people that we love, do not control us or our thoughts, Christ does.
Galatians 1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
John 12:42-43 "42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
Notice that many who believed in Christ would not openly profess their faith because they were afraid of men. Those who manipulate to silence, are not much different from those who remain silence to be approved of men. They both are depending on their human condition to comfort them rather than Christ. Of course one is born again and fearful, and one is lost and fearful.
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."
James 1:2-8 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When I lose a friend or family member because I wanted to share truth with them, but they refused to listen and pray about it, then I leave it to God. He is helping me to let go and let Him. When we are so fixated on retaining a stubborn friend, then that friend becomes an idol in our hearts and it must be dealt with.
Keep in mind that keeping company with those who are in rebellion, will only cause regression in us. God said that we will be infected with the same disease that we expose ourselves to.
1 Corinthians 15:32-34 "…32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. 33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame."
GO WITH GOD, NOT MAN!
Monday, March 9, 2015
Self Esteem Teaching Did This Mess
I have been encountering many people in the 50's to 60's age group who are experiencing adult child estrangement. Never did I think I would be meeting this many people who have nasty adult children.
The disrespect I am hearing about is shocking, not to mention the mentality that parents owe the adult children whatever resources they have. These adult children are hyper-sensitive to correction, criticism and rebuke much more than we ever were when we were young. We used to get embarrassed, but never thought about completely cutting someone off because they told us the truth or offered an opinion we didn't like.
Correction and straight talk was a normal course of life in my generation. Everyone spoke their mind, even in harsh terms if need be, but no one was cut them off permanently for their opinion or their correction. Now days when an adult child is rebuked or corrected, they tend to sever all ties to the parent, much the way a murder victims survivor would, no matter how small the correction was, since no disciplinary words would be acceptable under any circumstance.
In-law children play a huge roll in destroying parental ties to bio family. Most of my research shows that women are more likely to cut off their mothers in law than men are their mothers in law. Notice too, its about the mothers. The fathers are not being treated the same way as the mothers. The only thing I can figure out is that the mothers are more vocal about their feelings and thoughts than the men are, so they take the brunt of the abuse from adult children and in laws. Women are also hard wired to be teachers of the young, they are less likely to let an error pass without input.
Our culture has been raised on self esteem for the past 50 years, narcissism has grown exponentially without restraint. Our generation has raised the children to feel equal to the authority over them, therefore thinking they have every right to ignore God's mandates to honor the authorities He placed over them. They are full of arrogance, incensed at anyone who would dare to tell them they were wrong about something while feeling free to lecture and instruct their parents.
I have come to the conclusion that most fathers have not defended and upheld the integrity of their wives. The women are much more of a target because they are perceived as being weaker, easier prey. When the adult children have a sense that they want to be seen as good people but still want to punish the corrector, they will use insidious ploys to covertly carry out revenge under the radar.
While reading a post today about a woman who had been working through the sadness and grief of disrespectful and mean adult children, something that she said struck me between the eyes, the realization that she did the best she could, that it was the perspective of the adult children that was the problem.
So often when someone is unjust or mean we tend to wonder if we really did do something wrong, but upon serious reflection, we often are doing what is right, instructing and correcting as commanded by God, but the children are convicted, rather than being humbled and growing they fight in anger resisting our teaching.
All this is a product of our times of rebellion as mentioned in 2 Timothy 3. We could say that part of it is our problem, no one is perfect, however the onus is on the child to honor the parent, it comes from God's Word.
When I tried to teach my children to call adults "Mr. and Mrs." and their last names, I was met often with adults who would not allow it, they would correct me and tell the children to call them by their first names, this undermined my authority and diminished respect for authority to equality with adults. When these same children grow up, they take with them the attitude that parents are to always be treated like peers rather than honored as above themselves. Once that honor is gone, there is no getting it back, the next generation does not know how to do it, nor do they begin to understand it.
We made this mess in one generation, through the teaching of self esteem in the schools, then it traveled into the churches and morphed into something much more monstrous and insidious than anyone expected. Now many parents are estranged from their adult children and even from their grandchildren. Grandchildren take on the attitudes of their parents over time, parents teach their grandchildren by example how to treat grandparents.
There is only one solution to all this mess, that is to stay close to God, pray continually and enjoy the time God has given you to be alone with Him. Perhaps one day some elderly parents will regain their families, but perhaps not, and if not, then we have Christ living in us. He provides all our needs and the love too! And, in the mean time God can work on those adult children, letting Him is better anyway. Removing ourselves may be the best medicine for us and for them.
The disrespect I am hearing about is shocking, not to mention the mentality that parents owe the adult children whatever resources they have. These adult children are hyper-sensitive to correction, criticism and rebuke much more than we ever were when we were young. We used to get embarrassed, but never thought about completely cutting someone off because they told us the truth or offered an opinion we didn't like.
Correction and straight talk was a normal course of life in my generation. Everyone spoke their mind, even in harsh terms if need be, but no one was cut them off permanently for their opinion or their correction. Now days when an adult child is rebuked or corrected, they tend to sever all ties to the parent, much the way a murder victims survivor would, no matter how small the correction was, since no disciplinary words would be acceptable under any circumstance.
In-law children play a huge roll in destroying parental ties to bio family. Most of my research shows that women are more likely to cut off their mothers in law than men are their mothers in law. Notice too, its about the mothers. The fathers are not being treated the same way as the mothers. The only thing I can figure out is that the mothers are more vocal about their feelings and thoughts than the men are, so they take the brunt of the abuse from adult children and in laws. Women are also hard wired to be teachers of the young, they are less likely to let an error pass without input.
Our culture has been raised on self esteem for the past 50 years, narcissism has grown exponentially without restraint. Our generation has raised the children to feel equal to the authority over them, therefore thinking they have every right to ignore God's mandates to honor the authorities He placed over them. They are full of arrogance, incensed at anyone who would dare to tell them they were wrong about something while feeling free to lecture and instruct their parents.
I have come to the conclusion that most fathers have not defended and upheld the integrity of their wives. The women are much more of a target because they are perceived as being weaker, easier prey. When the adult children have a sense that they want to be seen as good people but still want to punish the corrector, they will use insidious ploys to covertly carry out revenge under the radar.
While reading a post today about a woman who had been working through the sadness and grief of disrespectful and mean adult children, something that she said struck me between the eyes, the realization that she did the best she could, that it was the perspective of the adult children that was the problem.
So often when someone is unjust or mean we tend to wonder if we really did do something wrong, but upon serious reflection, we often are doing what is right, instructing and correcting as commanded by God, but the children are convicted, rather than being humbled and growing they fight in anger resisting our teaching.
All this is a product of our times of rebellion as mentioned in 2 Timothy 3. We could say that part of it is our problem, no one is perfect, however the onus is on the child to honor the parent, it comes from God's Word.
When I tried to teach my children to call adults "Mr. and Mrs." and their last names, I was met often with adults who would not allow it, they would correct me and tell the children to call them by their first names, this undermined my authority and diminished respect for authority to equality with adults. When these same children grow up, they take with them the attitude that parents are to always be treated like peers rather than honored as above themselves. Once that honor is gone, there is no getting it back, the next generation does not know how to do it, nor do they begin to understand it.
We made this mess in one generation, through the teaching of self esteem in the schools, then it traveled into the churches and morphed into something much more monstrous and insidious than anyone expected. Now many parents are estranged from their adult children and even from their grandchildren. Grandchildren take on the attitudes of their parents over time, parents teach their grandchildren by example how to treat grandparents.
There is only one solution to all this mess, that is to stay close to God, pray continually and enjoy the time God has given you to be alone with Him. Perhaps one day some elderly parents will regain their families, but perhaps not, and if not, then we have Christ living in us. He provides all our needs and the love too! And, in the mean time God can work on those adult children, letting Him is better anyway. Removing ourselves may be the best medicine for us and for them.
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