If preachers would preach holiness and a spirit sold out to God the church gathering empty out and only those left would be the ones who desire to know the heart of God.
In our culture the new hate speech is anything that corrects or instructs in ways that the hearer doesn't want to hear. We can expect to be maligned, judged, mocked and demeaned by those who have a deeply rebellious streak in their hearts.
Isaiah 30:9-11 "…9 For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the LORD; 10 Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions. 11"Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel."…"
Next time you are compelled by God to chastise stubborn believers, remember that you will be targeted merely because you stand for truth and most people in the church gatherings today have no interest in truth. Their only interest is in being seen as special and superior.
Proverbs 23:8-9 "8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments. 9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words."
It is not a good idea to make fools your close friends, they have no intention of valuing you or the wisdom you speak from the Word of God.
Matthew 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 9:7 "He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself."
Proverbs 14:7 "Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge."
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, 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 men as these."
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Confess Before the Discipline Comes
James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
This is written to believers, not for one time sin for salvation but for ongoing cleansing.
If we can never admit we sin then we will never be confessing. The Holy Spirit makes us very uncomfortable about attitudes and actions, so much so we must confess them. A non-believer feels no sense of needing to confess sin, they love their sin, even adamantly defending it, believing they are doing nothing wrong.
Sadly though there are many believers who do not grow in holiness and maturity because they still have pride that they do not battle with, they just lean into it, even when they are convicted by God.
These people can quench the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 "…18 Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt,…"
Believers often ignore conviction and the Holy Spirit Who still dwells in them will become silent, no longer speaking to them until they get to the bottom so they will see their need for cleansing.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
How do we grow in holiness? The answer is simple, when we are chastised by Christ in us, and we respond to the discipline, confessing the sin openly and specifically, then we will see a growth spurt.
Why do we see so many believers who seem to be spiritual babies all their lives? It's because they are resisting correction from the Holy Spirit. Whether that correction has come through His servants or through His Word, if we resist we remain spiritual babies unable to grow.
1 Peter 2:2 "1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. 2 Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.…"
No one who is full of self exaltation and pride will grow. If they are believers God will discipline them, bring them to the bottom of the pit until they confess their sinful heart.
This is written to believers, not for one time sin for salvation but for ongoing cleansing.
If we can never admit we sin then we will never be confessing. The Holy Spirit makes us very uncomfortable about attitudes and actions, so much so we must confess them. A non-believer feels no sense of needing to confess sin, they love their sin, even adamantly defending it, believing they are doing nothing wrong.
Sadly though there are many believers who do not grow in holiness and maturity because they still have pride that they do not battle with, they just lean into it, even when they are convicted by God.
These people can quench the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 "…18 Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt,…"
Believers often ignore conviction and the Holy Spirit Who still dwells in them will become silent, no longer speaking to them until they get to the bottom so they will see their need for cleansing.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
How do we grow in holiness? The answer is simple, when we are chastised by Christ in us, and we respond to the discipline, confessing the sin openly and specifically, then we will see a growth spurt.
Why do we see so many believers who seem to be spiritual babies all their lives? It's because they are resisting correction from the Holy Spirit. Whether that correction has come through His servants or through His Word, if we resist we remain spiritual babies unable to grow.
1 Peter 2:2 "1 Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. 2 Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.…"
No one who is full of self exaltation and pride will grow. If they are believers God will discipline them, bring them to the bottom of the pit until they confess their sinful heart.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
The Spirit Has Been Changed
No one is sinless even after they are born again. It is Christ Who must be our righteousness to get into heaven. His blood covers the sin of those who have trusted Him. He changed them into a new creation. Their spirit is filled with that of Christ's Spirit, but the body is still dead in sin and we must battle that continually until we get our new bodies.
Notice that when we die our bodies cannot go into heaven with us because it is corrupted. But our spirit leaves our body and goes to God. Our body must be resurrected and made new before it can unite again with our spirit.
Galatians 5:17 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.…"
Notice that when we die our bodies cannot go into heaven with us because it is corrupted. But our spirit leaves our body and goes to God. Our body must be resurrected and made new before it can unite again with our spirit.
Galatians 5:17 "16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.…"
Remove the Noses From Others Marriages
I have adult children who have decided what I should be doing in my life. They judge me as a disrespectful and unsubmissive wife for occasionally saying no to my husband.
I love to please my husband, but I cannot agree with every single thing just as he does not always agree with me. Each of us must be considerate about the boundaries of others even in marriage. A truly loving marriage allows each partner to make their own choices based on personal convictions.
Never allow anyone else to dictate how we operate in our own marriages. Adult children who have chosen to judge us for not doing things their way, are dangerous to marriage relationships.
I was once treated with disrespect and contempt because my husband wanted to watch a movie I didn't feel I could watch. The excuse I was given for the contempt is that I should have watched the movie with my husband.
It wasn't any business of the adult children to decide what I should watch or whom I should watch it with. It was the business of the children to respect my choice to guard my own heart, even honoring me for having convictions.
When we are treated with contempt because we won't do what others want us to do, that is the time to walk away from those who will not honor our decisions for ourselves.
I love doing things with my husband, I love supporting him in things that do not violate my own conscience. However, I will never violate my own conscience to please anyone else, no matter what their reaction.
This was a classic example of scripture twisting that a woman should obey her husband in everything, even a movie, are you kidding me.. We are never called to do everything our husband wants us to do. We are called to obey God first and seek to help our husband in areas that do not violate our conscience or convictions.
To demean, mock, ignore and gossip about another person for not indulging in the same entertainment with their husband, is nothing more than devilish control. My husband has his line and I have my line, thankfully over the years the two lines came closer to the same place.
This however is none of the children's business. Adult children need to remove their noses from our business if they cannot refrain from judging others over our own choices within our own marriages.
I love to please my husband, but I cannot agree with every single thing just as he does not always agree with me. Each of us must be considerate about the boundaries of others even in marriage. A truly loving marriage allows each partner to make their own choices based on personal convictions.
Never allow anyone else to dictate how we operate in our own marriages. Adult children who have chosen to judge us for not doing things their way, are dangerous to marriage relationships.
I was once treated with disrespect and contempt because my husband wanted to watch a movie I didn't feel I could watch. The excuse I was given for the contempt is that I should have watched the movie with my husband.
It wasn't any business of the adult children to decide what I should watch or whom I should watch it with. It was the business of the children to respect my choice to guard my own heart, even honoring me for having convictions.
When we are treated with contempt because we won't do what others want us to do, that is the time to walk away from those who will not honor our decisions for ourselves.
I love doing things with my husband, I love supporting him in things that do not violate my own conscience. However, I will never violate my own conscience to please anyone else, no matter what their reaction.
This was a classic example of scripture twisting that a woman should obey her husband in everything, even a movie, are you kidding me.. We are never called to do everything our husband wants us to do. We are called to obey God first and seek to help our husband in areas that do not violate our conscience or convictions.
To demean, mock, ignore and gossip about another person for not indulging in the same entertainment with their husband, is nothing more than devilish control. My husband has his line and I have my line, thankfully over the years the two lines came closer to the same place.
This however is none of the children's business. Adult children need to remove their noses from our business if they cannot refrain from judging others over our own choices within our own marriages.
Let the Holy Spirit Be Your Guide
(Some concepts written here were taken from a talk by Tom Joseph and another one by Suzanne Harwill, some are my own. In some cases I have added a little to their comments to explain further.)
Never make a decision based on the emotions of others or our own emotions. We must make decisions based on facts and on what God is showing us.
Trust what we know, do not trust what you feel or what others feel.
Never violate a sense you are having, it may be God speaking to you. Ask Him for clarity to discern truth.
Do not agree with anyone simply to agree to avoid conflict. Remain true to your conviction.
Never fear the reactions of others! We can be conditioned to fear through the manipulation of others. Never check with the person who is using and abusing you. Make your decisions separate from others and based on God's truth. There is no problem with seeking the counsel of wise people, but the decisions we make must ultimately be our own based on Scripture.
Do not be controlled by others who use Bible Scriptures. Often they are taken out of context to control others.
Ignore the accusations of others that we are selfish, it will be used often to guilt us into giving a selfish person what they want.
Do not admit blame just to avoid a fight, only admit you are wrong when you really are wrong. I find no scripture that instructs us to lie and say were were guilty when we were not.
Stop rescuing others from their problems! When someone has made their own life miserable by their sin, never attempt to bail them out. Allow God to work in someone's life through their dilemmas.
Often people use and abuse those who have a tender heart. The one with a tender heart may actually be removing the consequences necessary for a rebellious heart to seek God.
When we say "yes" to people more than we say "no", perhaps we are an easily manipulated person who fears rejection. If we base a relationship on continual concern about another person's reaction then we are basing our decisions on manipulation rather than truth or reasonableness.
It is common for manipulators to desire for their target to remain sick so they can maintain control. This is what gaslighting is all about. Keeping a person in a continual state of fear of doing something wrong allows for greater control.
I have seen many times those who use guilt and demeaning to keep a person feeling as though they are bad or wrong. When someone can get another person to believe this, they will be more easily controlled, feeling "less than" allows the abuser to keep us where they want us, in short, giving them everything they want so they won't be unhappy with us, while allowing them feel superior.
There is nothing more desirable to an abuser than to be superior to others. This is the reason they continually "assume" things framing them in a way that makes us bad or wrong and them good and right.
When we are continually demeaned in this way, we are more easily controlled by those who have no interest in our welfare, only in their own self aggrandizement.
When we are controlled by our emotions, it will be impossible to do what is needed. The fear of rejection or an argument keeps us from moving forward with what is right.
We ought never to serve because of the pressure and reactions of others. We must give because God is leading us and we love to obey Him. People often will demand things of us that God never called us to do. They will act as though we are bad or mean if we don't do what they want. There is an easy answer that God gave me years ago, simply say to those who ask us to do things that we are not called to do, "oh I must tell you that God has not called me to do that."
The reaction of others is not relevant to the decision we make. If we find ourselves in continual conflict with others because they don't like our decision to obey God rather than man, then we can count those friends as acquaintances rather than friends, while spending more time with those who respect our personal decisions.
When we hear or give counsel to someone, it is vitally important that we allow each person to decide for themselves what their actions will be. Forcing others to think as we do is not the job of the believer. We can share our views, but honor the decisions of others, when there is no sin involved.
Mocking and manipulating others to get them to do what we want is hate not love. It causes harm to those we should love. When there is no sin, only disagreement, we must respect the right of others to decide for themselves their course of actions.
Those who use judging as a tactic to demean us, when the judgment is merely their own opinion, then we can be sure the relationship is going to be a rocky one, it is best to remove ourselves from these people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, 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 men as these."
Never make a decision based on the emotions of others or our own emotions. We must make decisions based on facts and on what God is showing us.
Trust what we know, do not trust what you feel or what others feel.
Never violate a sense you are having, it may be God speaking to you. Ask Him for clarity to discern truth.
Do not agree with anyone simply to agree to avoid conflict. Remain true to your conviction.
Never fear the reactions of others! We can be conditioned to fear through the manipulation of others. Never check with the person who is using and abusing you. Make your decisions separate from others and based on God's truth. There is no problem with seeking the counsel of wise people, but the decisions we make must ultimately be our own based on Scripture.
Do not be controlled by others who use Bible Scriptures. Often they are taken out of context to control others.
Ignore the accusations of others that we are selfish, it will be used often to guilt us into giving a selfish person what they want.
Do not admit blame just to avoid a fight, only admit you are wrong when you really are wrong. I find no scripture that instructs us to lie and say were were guilty when we were not.
Stop rescuing others from their problems! When someone has made their own life miserable by their sin, never attempt to bail them out. Allow God to work in someone's life through their dilemmas.
Often people use and abuse those who have a tender heart. The one with a tender heart may actually be removing the consequences necessary for a rebellious heart to seek God.
When we say "yes" to people more than we say "no", perhaps we are an easily manipulated person who fears rejection. If we base a relationship on continual concern about another person's reaction then we are basing our decisions on manipulation rather than truth or reasonableness.
It is common for manipulators to desire for their target to remain sick so they can maintain control. This is what gaslighting is all about. Keeping a person in a continual state of fear of doing something wrong allows for greater control.
I have seen many times those who use guilt and demeaning to keep a person feeling as though they are bad or wrong. When someone can get another person to believe this, they will be more easily controlled, feeling "less than" allows the abuser to keep us where they want us, in short, giving them everything they want so they won't be unhappy with us, while allowing them feel superior.
There is nothing more desirable to an abuser than to be superior to others. This is the reason they continually "assume" things framing them in a way that makes us bad or wrong and them good and right.
When we are continually demeaned in this way, we are more easily controlled by those who have no interest in our welfare, only in their own self aggrandizement.
When we are controlled by our emotions, it will be impossible to do what is needed. The fear of rejection or an argument keeps us from moving forward with what is right.
We ought never to serve because of the pressure and reactions of others. We must give because God is leading us and we love to obey Him. People often will demand things of us that God never called us to do. They will act as though we are bad or mean if we don't do what they want. There is an easy answer that God gave me years ago, simply say to those who ask us to do things that we are not called to do, "oh I must tell you that God has not called me to do that."
The reaction of others is not relevant to the decision we make. If we find ourselves in continual conflict with others because they don't like our decision to obey God rather than man, then we can count those friends as acquaintances rather than friends, while spending more time with those who respect our personal decisions.
When we hear or give counsel to someone, it is vitally important that we allow each person to decide for themselves what their actions will be. Forcing others to think as we do is not the job of the believer. We can share our views, but honor the decisions of others, when there is no sin involved.
Mocking and manipulating others to get them to do what we want is hate not love. It causes harm to those we should love. When there is no sin, only disagreement, we must respect the right of others to decide for themselves their course of actions.
Those who use judging as a tactic to demean us, when the judgment is merely their own opinion, then we can be sure the relationship is going to be a rocky one, it is best to remove ourselves from these people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, 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 men as these."
Monday, June 13, 2016
God Took Them Away
God removed them because they weren't teaching anyone anymore. The rebellion is so great in our country that most are no longer convicted by the commandments, which was their original purpose. They were to show us our sinful heart that we would turn to Christ. Instead we posted them like a trophy that has no power while proud of ourselves for having the plaque. We have a form of religion but negate God. Our religion is based on self will, self exaltation and the pursuit of material wealth. Not at all God's standard for the believer.
A Better Economy Won't Save America
We, my husband and I, just finished listening to the latest speech by Trump after the Orlando shootings. It sounds good as far as protecting the country but there were some things that stood out for me particularly.
Trump sounds very good, if he will actually do these things. However one thing that struck me was that his "good ideas" for saving America didn't include repenting from the sins of homosexuality or abortion.
His solution for saving America had more to do with safety from terror and economic stability. If he is elected It may be a very temporary stay of execution from terrorism, but it will not cure the real ills of America, which is rejection of Christ and abounding sin.
When repentance toward God is not a part of the equation, there doesn't seem to be any chance of God relenting in His judgment. When our focus is on freedom, economics and safety, the things the Lord cares the least about, we are still left with all the things God hates, above all, rejection of Him.
Go ahead and vote, but don't expect God to stave off judgment just because the economy gets better or the terrorists are run out of town. We are still left with the same old immorality that mocks God.
Trump sounds very good, if he will actually do these things. However one thing that struck me was that his "good ideas" for saving America didn't include repenting from the sins of homosexuality or abortion.
His solution for saving America had more to do with safety from terror and economic stability. If he is elected It may be a very temporary stay of execution from terrorism, but it will not cure the real ills of America, which is rejection of Christ and abounding sin.
When repentance toward God is not a part of the equation, there doesn't seem to be any chance of God relenting in His judgment. When our focus is on freedom, economics and safety, the things the Lord cares the least about, we are still left with all the things God hates, above all, rejection of Him.
Go ahead and vote, but don't expect God to stave off judgment just because the economy gets better or the terrorists are run out of town. We are still left with the same old immorality that mocks God.
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