Unfounded Accusations Based on Little Evidence

When observing the actions of others from a distance, it might be good to remember that our mind tends to interpret intentions and actions in terms of what we expect or believe, which are not always accurate.

The best way to avoid making rash and inaccurate evaluations is to actually speak to the person we observed, telling them what we saw and asking them what was meant by it.

I wonder how many relationships would be spared, how many misunderstandings cleared up and how much gossip thwarted by a simple act of love, through opening the two appendages on the front of our face called lips, in the presence of the one we are inclined to judge.

God never said not to judge, He told us to "judge righteously." There is only one way to judge righteously and that is to have all the information necessary to discern a matter.

Many forms of sin are easy to judge, we see it and know that it is bad and that the one doing it is sinning. However there are lots of things we see that look like sin, that may not be at all.

An example of a sin easy to judge is the man who walks into a grocery store and robs it at gun point.

Other activities are not so easy to judge. When we see a woman in a restaurant having dinner with a man not her husband, later only to find out it was her brother. Of course the rational thing to do is walk right up to the table, say hello and introduce yourself. In other words assuming there is nothing wrong. If we are afraid to walk up and introduce ourselves, we have made the judgement that the woman was sinning, without even speaking to her.

I remember a case in the news a few years ago when a man in a car on the freeway appeared to deliberately swerve into the lane next to him, pointing his car at the driver in the lane, causing the victim to have to veer off the road into the ditch. Witnesses reported that it was a deliberate act, assuming he was drunk. Later it was discovered and revealed that the driver had a heart attack, losing control of his car. There was nothing deliberate and no sin involved.

The moral of the story is that we cannot always know if something is sin until we have investigated it, if in fact it is any of our business to begin with. Gossips love to report what they have seen and make "educated" guesses on things after which they enjoy passing on their conclusions.

A truly educated guess is one in which the people involved have investigated all the facets of the event and discovered the truth. One of the violations of these principles are the videos we are seeing on the internet that malign the reputation of a police officer in 5 seconds of video, while foolish viewers shout foul without any more information that that snippet.

It's alright to be curious and even concerned about those we love, we just need to be willing to ask and listen before we jump to unfounded accusations.

Proverbs 14:18 "The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge."

Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,"

Proverbs 2:1-3
"The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
2 My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
3 For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;"

Proverbs 2:7-8
"7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones."

God Calls It An Abomination

God calls homosexuality an abomination. not all sin is called that, it basically means a detestable and absolutely filthy sin, the worst of all sins.

When we fly in the face of God's creation in this way it is the same as thumbing our nose at God, mocking and demeaning Him.

Leviticus 20:13 "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

This detestable sin was so terrible that God called for the execution of anyone who practiced it. We no longer put people to death for sins, but that isn't because the sin isn't bad any more, it is merely because God gives many chances to repent in this dispensation of Grace.

It is God's mercy that He does not annihilate those who practice abominations. In these last days of Grace He is giving every person an opportunity to choose to be broken over their sin while confessing it to be cleansed by God.

The very frightening thing is that most Christians do not take sin seriously, they play with it believing God winks at it the way everyone else around us does. We don't realize that He is not winking, but patiently waiting until we have gone too far in our rebellion, then He will pour out His wrath on those who continue to shake their fist at Him.

Romans 1:18-32
"18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Laziness is a Sin

Giving money to those who have lived a lifestyle of wanton disregard for godly principles, is like opening up your toilet lid and flushing the money into the septic.

No good comes from throwing money after those who have had a proven record of wasting their money on foolishness while choosing not to pay bills.

The better thing to do is to offer to help them to learn how to handle their money.

A few years ago someone called my home to ask for money to pay electric bills. I asked her if she smoked, she said yes but she was trying to quit. Then I asked her if she ever ate out at restaurants, such as McDonalds or other fast food places, she said yes but rarely.

This same young single mother who had never been married, proclaimed loudly that she got government funds but it wasn't enough. She asked to have money to pay her electric bill because they had no heat and they were cold. It was then that I knew I was dealing with a liar. It was August, it was past 80 degrees outside. I told her to open her windows to let in the warm air.

She became angry rather than ashamed I might add, which is a clue. Those who are honest and humble do not become angry when told no, they display humility and shame.

Chances are good that woman was not trying to quit smoking, she probably ate out frequently as many poor people on government assistance do, and we know she was not cold from lack of electrical heat.

So often believers are afraid to call people to account. Their need to feel special from giving over rides their good sense and a need to help people by "teaching them how to fish" rather than just "giving them a fish."

Believers need to stop feeling guilty about having to say no to manipulators who are lazy while demanding our hard earned resources when they will not properly handle their own.

I have respect for those who have messed up but want to learn to make it on their own through hard work and diligence with their available resources. But I have little tolerance for those who just want a hand out to remain lazy and unproductive.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."

1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Proverbs 10:4 "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

Proverbs 19:24 "The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth."

Proverbs 13:4 "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied."

What We Think About Matters

"We become what we think about!" If we fantasize about being superior to others, while continuing to act like we are, demeaning others to remain true to the illusion of our own grandeur, we live in a state of continual emotional struggle to maintain the position in our own minds.. Our focus on self always brings a crystallization of the brain, solidifying the negative and base things in life, keeping us in a fog contrary to God's law and purpose.

Proverbs 23:7 "7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

When Christ is our focus, we can ponder truth, while evaluating what we allow into our lives. The more we know truth the more we are plagued with the injustice of everything around us, however that joy that lives in us from knowing the end of the story, causes us to rejoice that Christ wins and then we go home to glory.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

There are those who believe we are negative because we are continually warning about the pitfalls of sin and rebellion against God. What these people don't realize is that we want people to become born again, saved from their sin and we desire that believers shake off the sin that still remains in them.

We continue in joy knowing that every life experience is a time of learning and growing. As they say "no pain no gain." Those who have few challenges learn less.

We don't dwell on the evil things, we warn about them, so that one day when this life is all over, we can go home knowing we obeyed God, then is when we will get to leave behind all earthly misery. As for now we are obligated to warn others, the time is short.

I am not in a continual state of sadness over all that I see, I become grieved at times, but the joy that dwells in me is greater than everything I experience.

Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

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."

Children are More Disrespectful Than Ever Before!

An excellent article on the condition of our culture today. Follow the link!

http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2004/september-october/children-will-rule

Parent Abuse by Adult Children

I have been researching the matter of parent abuse, I am not talking about parents who abuse children, how ever I am talking about adult children who abuse elderly parents.

When I came against the teaching of self esteem 40 years ago, many believers were defending it. While the parents were treating their own parents with a reasonable amount of respect, they were in the process of teaching their children to treat them with disrespect when they become adults.

Pampering and indulging the children to maintain peace in the house only managed to create future monsters, now the adults who are treating their elderly parents with dishonor and disrespect. They feel equal to their parents rather than approaching them in reverence.

There are many parents who are now feeling broken and estranged from their own adult children for two reasons, the first one is the divorce and remarriage problem and then there is the cultural influence of our children in public schools. The teachers treated the children as equals even allowing them to call them by their first names, which is clearly a breakdown in authority. While the parent at home was attempting to teach authority and honor, the teachers at school were teaching them to think of themselves first.

I have read articles written by estranged parents from their adult children that give us clues as to why the children are acting in this fashion. The parents are lamenting the fact that their adult children are treating them contemptuously after they come back home to live when they couldn't make it in the world. Not only are the adult children treating them with disrespect, they show no gratefulness for the charity of their parents. There is a sense of scorn in the adult child's attitude as though what their parents are giving them is a right rather than a gift. These stories indicate to me that many parents have been pampering their children all along or they would not be coming back home to live with an attitude of entitlement and contempt. Godly children seek to take care of their aging parents rather than expecting their aging parents to carry them.

Sadly I believe this attitude toward parents is the mentality that slops over into their view of God, they feel they have the right to salvation and wealth, rather than seeing it as a blessing for which to be grateful. It is difficult for those who feel entitled to ever be humbled in order to come to Christ.

My guess is that many of these parents have been pampering their children all along, allowing them to speak disrespectfully while giving them their desires every time they had a tantrum. Little did these parents realize that pampering and bailing out a naughty child at ten years of age, would result in bratty and immature adults later.

Not all parents who encounter this immense disrespect have been bad parents, even if the children claim they were in some way. Many parents did the best they could, in their humanly imperfect state, but took good care of their children even raising them while deeply concerned about them.

Our culture has lost something along the way, that was important. As children we were taught to treat parents with honor and respect whether or not we agreed with them. We were taught to speak to them with kindness even if their lives were not what we thought they should be. We never raised our voices to our parents as young adults, that was completely unacceptable. And, never did we snap at them to intimidate them.

Now we have children and their spouses who treat us with contempt, acting superior, smart mouthing over the smallest matters, while demanding attention for themselves. They demean and manipulate the parents, working them emotionally because of the love they know their parents have for them.

The moral of the story: because parents were far too interested in being liked by their children, while the culture placed pressure on weak parents to capitulate to the self esteem teaching, we now have an entire generation of disrespectful, arrogant individuals who lack empathy.

This all happened because of the removal of God from our culture. If the Bible had been the rule book for raising our children, we would not be going through this mess now.

The principles of the Bible were what directed the country for many years since it's beginning, so much so that even those who were not born again loved those rules and principles that governed us. That's all gone now! How can we expect to regain it when each day another principle is thrown out, in favor of useless psychological pablum.

Psalm 9:17, ”The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God.”

Demons Cannot Dwell in a Born Again Believer

A born again believer cannot be possessed, the demons flee from the Holy Spirit that lives in us, but they can oppress us, even attack our thought life. Job was attacked by the devil with God's permission to show Job's faithfulness while showing Job that God was still there with him.

What we are seeing now, demons controlling and possessing Christians may be because most who say they are Christians were never born again in the first place.

Acts 9:15 "…14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.…"

This passage is an example of those who thought they were saved and had the power of God who were not, the demons were able to overpower them.