Beware the devil is roaming around looking to twist the minds of believers to cause division within God's church. If the devil can turn people against one another he can destroy any witness or bonding that should happen between believers.
This is not an admonition to remain silent about everything so everyone is peaceful in their own ways. This is an admonition for everyone to test all beliefs by the Word of God.
1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant, because of your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
"Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
The solution: Seek Christ, remove anything that distracts us from the Word of God. Distractions from the Word are what divide the people of God. When we diligently search the scripture for truth we will agree on everything.
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Corinthians 1:10-11
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers."
How is it possible for everyone to agree? Only through scripture study together and prayer can we see the truth from God's Word. God never tells one person something different from another. If there is disagreement then we must go back to the Word to discover the truth. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will only be thinking with our human minds.
Eliminate any traditions of man that are also a distraction. I have seen people fight bitterly over the traditions of men that are not Biblical to maintain what makes them feel comfortable.
Mark 7:13-14 "13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.” 14 Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand:…"
Our culture is full of man's traditions that believers will dare to fight over. So many things man has attempted to incorporate into their understanding of the Bible in order to hang onto their favored traditions.
The final question, do we love God more than anything else? Do we love Him more than our man-made traditions?
Thursday, April 9, 2020
The Plight of the Born Again Believer
Have you ever felt like a fifth wheel, the one who thinks so differently that you don't fit in anywhere? Get used to it, it is the plight of the born again believer.
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
Proverbs 29:27
"An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked."
Isaiah 66:5
"You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: "Your brothers who hate and exclude you because of My name have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!' But they will be put to shame."
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
Proverbs 29:27
"An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked."
Isaiah 66:5
"You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: "Your brothers who hate and exclude you because of My name have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!' But they will be put to shame."
The Stinging Locust of Revelation
Have you ever wondered why the people described in Revelation will not be able to die when stung by gigantic locusts?
They will not die because the locusts are demons, the pain is real but it is an illusion just like someone who is on a bad LSD trip.
Those who have been on LSD or those who thought they had been abducted by aliens will tell you they saw the spiders crawling, they felt the bites but none of it was real, it was all happening between their ears in their minds. The people who have been abducted really did see and feel things that were not actually there.
The antichrist will deal in "lying wonders and miracles", the reason they are lies is that they are illusions, but will seem real to anyone watching. The devil does not deal in reality, he deals in perceptions and senses but not reality.
John 8:44
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
2 Corinthians 11:14
"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
2 Corinthians 11:3
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
They will not die because the locusts are demons, the pain is real but it is an illusion just like someone who is on a bad LSD trip.
Those who have been on LSD or those who thought they had been abducted by aliens will tell you they saw the spiders crawling, they felt the bites but none of it was real, it was all happening between their ears in their minds. The people who have been abducted really did see and feel things that were not actually there.
The antichrist will deal in "lying wonders and miracles", the reason they are lies is that they are illusions, but will seem real to anyone watching. The devil does not deal in reality, he deals in perceptions and senses but not reality.
John 8:44
"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
2 Corinthians 11:14
"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
2 Corinthians 11:3
"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
The Devil is on the Prowel!
When Christ looked at Peter to say; "get thee behind me Satan", He did not address Peter, He was addressing the devil that was influencing Peter.
Peter didn't realize he was being influenced and used by the devil, he just spoke what came to his mind, but Christ knew it was a devil who was using Peter.
This is what is happening in our relationships now in these end days. People are having ill feelings about others that are not based on facts, so they try to figure out what is wrong with someone to justify their feelings.
When we find this happening we must think rationally and with facts to keep the feelings in their proper place, that ignores them to reason Biblically.
If Peter had taken the time to think before he spoke He would have realized Christ is God and would know the right things to do, rather than suggesting to Christ what He should do.
Isaiah 1:18
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
God wants us to think about using facts rather than leaning into feelings that are often not factual even often the opposite of the truth.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "…15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16“ For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Peter didn't realize he was being influenced and used by the devil, he just spoke what came to his mind, but Christ knew it was a devil who was using Peter.
This is what is happening in our relationships now in these end days. People are having ill feelings about others that are not based on facts, so they try to figure out what is wrong with someone to justify their feelings.
When we find this happening we must think rationally and with facts to keep the feelings in their proper place, that ignores them to reason Biblically.
If Peter had taken the time to think before he spoke He would have realized Christ is God and would know the right things to do, rather than suggesting to Christ what He should do.
Isaiah 1:18
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
God wants us to think about using facts rather than leaning into feelings that are often not factual even often the opposite of the truth.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 "…15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment. 16“ For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Be Diligent to Have Godly Friends
I have had to block people from my Facebook and from my e-mail because they came to fight with me about truth from the Bible. I was criticized for blocking them as though it was unloving.
My response is that it is unloving for others to pressure me to spend time with toxic people who are trouble makers.
Proverbs 22:24 "24 Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, 25 or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.…'
One of the devil's favorite ways of silencing believers is to keep them fearful of speaking truth. Those who pressure us to remain friends with toxic people who do not discuss truth but hammer us to think as they do are defying the word of God.
There is no good that comes from silencing ourselves to accommodate a wicked person. All that happens is that the wicked person becomes further empowered to remain as they are. Our kindness to them does not change their heart, it hardens the heart.
When someone's heart hardens they lose the ability to sympathize, empathize and consider the plight of others. This is what we are seeing in the narcissist who cannot be influenced on any level to relent from their tactics and manipulations.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
When we remain with toxic people we begin to respond in ways just like them without realizing it. The reason God wants us to make our primary close friends those who love Christ is so we do not expose ourselves continually to sinful ways that we become familiar with over time.
1 Peter 2
As Newborn Babes
2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
“The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very cornerstone,”
8 and,
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom, they were also appointed."
The devil uses wicked people to work to cause believers to fall into sin. The devil is jealous that we love Christ and that we walk in righteousness, so he uses people to accomplish his dastardly deeds to bring us down.
When we are acting badly from being influenced by the narcissist we are not acting Christlike. We are not glorifying God and we are not a witness to the world of the love of Christ. This is the devil's goal.
We cannot allow the devil to have a foothold in our life by allowing rebellious God-haters' continual access to us. If they want to repent and begin as a new creation then they know where to find us.
Hebrews 6:1
The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
It is a dead work to continue to remain with those who have rejected Christ. Our friends will either support us in acting badly or in acting Christlike. Those who choose to act badly must not be allowed to influence us against God.
Our close friends must be those who will rejoice with us in our walk with Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 "…11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken."
As born again believers we are not alone, our influences who honor God help us in times of weakness. A wicked man can be no help to a born again believer, only a hindrance.
Proverbs 13:20 "20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
Proverbs 22:24-25 "24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, 25 or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared."
My response is that it is unloving for others to pressure me to spend time with toxic people who are trouble makers.
Proverbs 22:24 "24 Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, 25 or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.…'
One of the devil's favorite ways of silencing believers is to keep them fearful of speaking truth. Those who pressure us to remain friends with toxic people who do not discuss truth but hammer us to think as they do are defying the word of God.
There is no good that comes from silencing ourselves to accommodate a wicked person. All that happens is that the wicked person becomes further empowered to remain as they are. Our kindness to them does not change their heart, it hardens the heart.
When someone's heart hardens they lose the ability to sympathize, empathize and consider the plight of others. This is what we are seeing in the narcissist who cannot be influenced on any level to relent from their tactics and manipulations.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
When we remain with toxic people we begin to respond in ways just like them without realizing it. The reason God wants us to make our primary close friends those who love Christ is so we do not expose ourselves continually to sinful ways that we become familiar with over time.
1 Peter 2
As Newborn Babes
2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone,
And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
“The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very cornerstone,”
8 and,
“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom, they were also appointed."
The devil uses wicked people to work to cause believers to fall into sin. The devil is jealous that we love Christ and that we walk in righteousness, so he uses people to accomplish his dastardly deeds to bring us down.
When we are acting badly from being influenced by the narcissist we are not acting Christlike. We are not glorifying God and we are not a witness to the world of the love of Christ. This is the devil's goal.
We cannot allow the devil to have a foothold in our life by allowing rebellious God-haters' continual access to us. If they want to repent and begin as a new creation then they know where to find us.
Hebrews 6:1
The Peril of Falling Away
6 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
It is a dead work to continue to remain with those who have rejected Christ. Our friends will either support us in acting badly or in acting Christlike. Those who choose to act badly must not be allowed to influence us against God.
Our close friends must be those who will rejoice with us in our walk with Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:11-12 "…11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken."
As born again believers we are not alone, our influences who honor God help us in times of weakness. A wicked man can be no help to a born again believer, only a hindrance.
Proverbs 13:20 "20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
Proverbs 22:24-25 "24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, 25 or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared."
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