Biblical Discernment

We have to be more careful than ever about proclaiming our love for celebrities. The world is validating wicked people and demeaning righteous ones.

We should not love someone because most people do and we should not hate someone because others do. Our opinions of people ought to be based on the Biblical principles given to us by God and what we have seen for ourselves.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16 "…14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ."

You can be sure if the world as a whole loves something or someone, something is wrong with it or them.

Narcissists Don't Like Manners

I really hate it when in-law children call their in-law parents by their first name rather than "Mrs. Jones or Mom, Mr. Jones or Dad."

When we got married everyone called their in-laws "Mom or Dad", it was a way of expressing that our new spouse's family was now ours and we showed the same respect to them that we showed our own parents.

It is a sign of leveling, bringing down the respected position of parents by calling them by their first name. Many people still think it's wrong to call their mother or father by their first name, but will insist on the children calling their grandparents by their first name or in-law parents by their first name.

We now live in a culture in which grandchildren are encouraged to call their grandparents by their first name, such as "Grandma Jane" or "Grandpa Richard". It is offensive to us because it removes the honor and respect that should be there for someone in a position of special recognition.

The old world practice for in-laws, was to call their in-laws either "Dad and Mom" or "Father and Mother" or "Mr. Jones and Mrs. Jones."

The old world practice for grandchildren was to call Grandparents "Grandmother or Grandfather" or "Grandma and Grandpa." Some traditions use other forms of this such as "Mamma and Pappa." The honor and respect remain which ever form we use, first names are far too familiar to lend itself to honor and respect.

Even when we disagreed with our parents or grandparents we never fought or argued with them, we accepted them for who they were, allowing them to be who they were without vengeful consequences.

It all began in the movies, when Hollywood broke down the lines of respect and honor, making people believe that no one was to be treated with any more respect than anyone else. Sadly this has morphed into other forms of dishonor on the part of young people.

I was in a discussion with a young man who thought dressing up was unnecessary and he would not do it for anyone. I explained to him that dressing up was also a sign of respect. There are certain people we show respect to by our clothing, demeanor and what we call them.

In this discussion with the young man I told him that if he were ever to go before the president of the United States, the required dress would be a suit and tie. One doesn't even go onto the house floor in the sessions of government, without a coat and tie. It is considered a sign of respect to look our best when in the company of others who are in authority over us or in a special position of honor.

This young man told me that he would never wear a suit and tie for the president, and then is when I told him that he would not be allowed in his presence without this required clothing. The young man then mocked me, as though I had told him something that was ridiculous.

I felt sad that our children's generation is so arrogant, that it does not understand and even mocks gestures of honor and respect, that have been around for many generations.

Back in the day, even poor folks had one nice outfit that they wore in the presence of others, at church, weddings, funerals, dedications and many other things where sloppiness would have been a sign of disrespect and a distraction.

The things that we were taught in school as respectful and necessary to defer to others are now mocked, demeaned and rejected by those who have been raised in self esteem.

Dressing as a sign of respect is a way of deferring to others, arrogant people refuse to defer to anyone. I believe this is why our culture has degenerated into casual clothing, at least in our region. Everything is about self, deferring to others is unthinkable to those who are full of themselves.

In an effort to break down all barriers to authority, young folks were encouraged to disregard the cultural standards that promoted honor and respect. Now we have young people who treat the older generation as equals, feeling free to mock them, argue with them and even deliberately demean them so as to be elevated above them.

I fear that because of this leveling mentality, the younger generation will see even worse offenses against them by their own children as the society continues down the slippery slide to total anarchy against all authority. When the society as a whole promotes disrespect and the parents go along with it, the children will do in extreme what their parents did moderately.

When we see this happening we can expect that there will be an increase in elder abuse, after all the tenderness and love that accompanied the attitudes of honor and respect, led the younger generation to care for the elderly.

Remembering that they gave them life, raised them, provided for their every need and protected them during the most vulnerable years of their life, they valued their parents.

When these principles are removed, there is nothing to stop the younger folks from treating their parents as though they are a burden to be avoided, set aside and worse yet, put down, the way a master puts down a sickly animal that is no longer useful. If you think this is going too far in exaggeration, remember the abortion issue, when people said that no one would kill their babies all the way through the ninth month, now we have partial birth abortion. All sins leads to greater sin when not repented of.

Babies are being murdered outside the womb who have survived the abortions. And, they think that the dishonor and disrespect for parents and grandparents will not lead to euthanasia? When a culture becomes this callous and disrespectful, it will be taken to it's ultimate and logical extreme.

Back in the day when respect and honor were normal, elderly parents were seen as people with wisdom, there was a desire to care for them as one would care for a delicate and fragile precious antique.

When sin is elevated in the smallest degree it will grow. There is no stopping this sin when it is full blown.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7 " 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened."

Two Boys Two Choices

Exactly and no one makes us what we are, they may be an influence but we ultimately make the choices. The one who chooses alcohol, was merely using is his father as an excuse. The one who did not drink chose to think with his brain about what is better and what works. Neither man had an excuse to dishonor his father because of his father's failings.  

Ezekile 18:19-21 
"19"Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20"The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. 
21"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.…"

Why Would I Say "R.I.P" to an Unsaved Dead Person

I am not understanding the posts I see that honor unsaved movie stars who have died, with the saying "R.I.P." on the part of believers.

I can understand the unsaved who have many idols in their lives, but a born again believer doing this makes no sense at all.

I also understand believers watching shows for the story, but to elevate the actors in those shows as special merely because they were good at that profession, really defies reason for me.

If someone lived a Hollywood lifestyle, looking for fame and fortune through an acting career, chances are good they were not born again and ended up in hell. Why would we speak to them, the dead person and say "Rest in peace"?

There I go again, raining on someone's parade, they gloried in the enjoyment of the actors glow of a television show or movies they liked, because of their personal enjoyment of the movie or show, they judged this person as a good person worthy of praise even after death, knowing they were not born again, even acted in shows that devalued God.

Every movie star that I have researched, who acted in movies I have enjoyed, were proven to live selfish lives, many marriages, rebellious children and nothing of real value except amassing a fortune as their claim to fame.
Why on earth would I say R.I.P to an unsaved, wicked and immoral movie star that probably went to hell? Perhaps I am just slow, I just don't get it.

Are there so many who just don't think about what they are doing, but feel free to do things because they are tradition of the culture?

Meekness is not Cowarice

We are living in the end times, nothing will get better, things will get worse. However in Christ we don't have to fear all this mess, we can retain our joy, tell the truth, take our lumps while we wait for Christ to come and get us.

Are you like me? Do you seem to be the one to always be raining on other people's parades? Every time you turn around someone is doing or saying something mean or foolish to demean or silence us?

Welcome to the world of those who have trusted Christ. Nothing makes good sense in the world any more. In fact, when something does make good sense it is immediately rejected and dismissed by most people in our sphere of influence. 

 

Does it seem like everything we say and do is judged as foolish, mean or down right stupid, in the reactions of those around us? Or do you find yourself being ignored a lot by those who don't want to hear anything except bubbly happy things?

Welcome to my world, the world I have lived in most of my life. And, my guess is that it is your world too if you are born again and walking with Christ.

Even those who attend a church gathering are caught up in Pharisaical rules, hyper sensitivity to instruction or correction and resistant to any form of challenge to seek God on any level.

Arrogance rules the hearts of most people involved in churches today. One is accepted as wonderful and special as long as they continue their plastic smiles, heads that nod in placid approval no matter what is going on. Silence is the new righteousness, it dominates most gatherings, sadly mistaken for meekness.

Meekness is patient endurance, it is not sheepishness, silence or weakness. It is the quality of speaking at the right time, telling the truth no matter the expected reaction while remaining in control of our emotions.

Exercising God's strength under His control is the Biblical meaning of meekness! Not weakness, not sheepishness nor is it cowardice. As someone once said it is actually "power under control." 

 

When we allow others to manipulate us into silence merely to fit into their idea of righteousness, then they have become our god, an idol. We must be willing to be rejected and on the outs with those who do not want to hear truth, otherwise it is they who are in control of our lives rather than Christ. 

 

Remember idols are not merely statues we place in our homes to bow to, they can be anyone or anything we give preference to other than God. Bowing is in the mind, it doesn't have to happen on the outside to be the same expression of worship, if it is in the heart, that is where it begins.

Pride Destroys Humility Builds

God uses the nothing things, the nothing people and the nothing nations in this world to bring shame upon the famous, proud, accomplished and self exalted.

God will not use someone who is deeply committed to self exaltation or promotion. Those who preach the prosperity gospel or judge others because they don't measure up to their worldly idea of blessing, are walking in pride. They may have prosperity here, but at some point they will be judged for their lack of love and empathy, all that they held so dear will slip away from them and punishment will be close behind.

Philippians 2:1-11 "1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Until we empty ourselves of pride, we cannot be useful to Christ. Those who walk in arrogance, thinking they have everything to offer and others have nothing to offer them, are headed for a fall. A person who cannot humble themselves before men they can see, will never humble themselves before God they cannot see, no matter how good a show they display for others.

How we treat others is an indication of our view of God.

I John 3:13-15 "…13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.…"

Proverbs 16:17-19 "…17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. 19 It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud."

No Goodness of Our Own

We cannot gain wisdom as long as we walk in pride. We cannot gain humility until we have felt the brokenness over sin in our own heart.

Without humility, without wisdom and without a desire to know God intimately we cannot have His wisdom. 

 

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

James 3:17 "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."

Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."

Proverbs 19:20 "Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future."

Proverbs 24:3-7 "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth."

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 3:6-8 "…6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.…"

Many people walk about today having a form of religion but have never been born again by the Holy Spirit. They are proud of who they think they are and what they think they know, but they miss the mark, because their trust is in their own abilities, their own specialness based on one thing and that is to be elevated above others. 

 

Until the we can admit openly our own failings while seeking Christ for the answers, we cannot be pleasing to God.

Isaiah 6:5 "5 Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Our first response to God for our salvation must be the realization of our own sinfulness and lack of ability to fix ourselves. Only then can we trust Christ and what He did for us. To die on our behalf because we had no goodness in us to be able to save ourselves. When we do this, Christ comes to live in us, beginning the process of cleansing us from our sin, making us humble and useful for His kingdom.