Occupy Until I Come

I am dismayed that so many people who say they are Christians are indulging in things that grieve the heart of God. I have had Christians chastise me for coming against "Krampus" the Christmas demon.

They call me unloving for not allowing them to go unchallenged in their pleasure of these ungodly and devilish activities. They say I am not a good Christian because I speak against these things.

I wouldn't bother chastising an unsaved person, they need the gospel more than instruction about life. However, I do take seriously the command of God to rebuke, admonish and chastise daily those who say they are Christians.

One of the tactics of the narcissist in this culture is to accuse us of what they are doing and we are not. Narcissists consider it unloving to show them that something does not honor God, even blasphemes God.

The truth is that it is unloving toward God and other believers to allow these wicked things to go on without addressing it. So many people are deceived into believing things that are clearly against God but they do not see it because they are caught up in the happy emotion of the festivities.

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts."

When they cannot bring a good argument against what you say they begin to address the way you spelled a word or the way you wrote. I even had someone say, "It's the way you said it" when I asked her to send me the exact words I said that were offensive she wouldn't do it because there was nothing personal in it, only facts from the Bible.

We will see more of this kind of resistance to the truth as we move closer to the rapture. Most people who say they are Christians today refuse to evaluate what they are doing as long as it feels fun. They also do not self-reflect to discern their own attitudes. It is common now for people to accuse others of doing what the narcissist is doing to deflect any responsibility for their own actions.

If a narcissist calls you a liar you know they have lied or are going to lie. If a narcissist says you have been unloving then it is what the narcissist has been. It's called projection. I once had someone say to me they didn't respect me because I took a stand against sin in their life that they wanted me to engage in with them.

One of the most used phrases unrepentant people use is "you are being unloved." They ask; "would Christ be so unkind as you have been?" when you have addressed the sin. The pretender uses God's Word to hammer those who speak the truth, as though their out of context words will intimidate us into feeling ashamed of confronting sin.

As we move closer to the tribulation there will be fewer and fewer authentically born-again believers. God said it would become as in the days of Noah when no one would listen and people would be angry at the hearing of truth.

Matthew 24:37-39

37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be."

We must pray for those who have stubborn hearts. At some point, if they do not repent God will send them a strong dilution and they will not be able to repent. Just as Pharoah hardened his heart against God in the days of Moses, then God gave him a further hardened heart that could not be reversed. God will harden someone's heart if they persist in rebellion.

Those who want to be resistant to the truth will be hardened if they do not repent. They will no longer even be able to change their mind and believe the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:11

"11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"

Ephesians 4:18

"They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

Matthew 13:14-15

"Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’"

In these last days we are watching the hearts of most become so hardened that they think a correction to be cleansed from their sin is an offense against them. Rather than praying about the challenge to think about what they are doing or practicing they will become enraged with anger.

Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"

Reasoning with a stubborn hard-hearted person to rethink his actions will only cause him to rage worse than he already does. Sometimes we must encounter them once to see if they are of this sort, but after that, the only thing left to do is remove ourselves from them. If we remain in the presence of these people we invite continual conflict or we end up compromising God's truth to make them happy.

Proverbs 26:4-5

"4 Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness,

Or you will also be like him.

5 Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,

So that he will not be wise in his own eyes."

When we attempt to reason with a fool or answer his foolish diatribes we are becoming like him. The best thing to do is ignore him completely, this is because the fool loves any answer at all that will allow him to fight with you. They love to argue and fight over silly and unimportant things. If you bring up something important they will address the "way you said it", or "your voice inflections" and other things to divert the attention from the wisdom you are attempting to convey.

2 Corinthians 6:15-18 "…16What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"

Also, God does not say we should never encounter fools, we will without a doubt meet up with them. We are to speak the truth to everyone all the time when God places them in our presence. However, when we see that we are dealing with an argumentative fool then we are to remove ourselves and never return to them. God can deal with them, even using others who might come into their lives, but we are not to remain friends with them hoping they will eventually "get it." They will not "get it" with you. Once they have determined you are not worthy of respect they will never listen to you again. God must use someone else.

Matthew 10:14 "

"14 And whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than for that city."

In the Jewish culture shaking the dust from their feet as a testimony against them, having nothing more to do with them is the symbolism here.

Our modern culture that teaches "forgiveness without repentance", "just love them" by continued friendliness no matter what they do, "don't judge" anyone, and other forms of scripture twisting is causing people to become worse, not better. It is enabling sin, even fostering it.

In a culture when we first "tolerate the sin, then we accept it and eventually embrace" it as some writers have said, we ultimately become the culture we have today.

So many people have spouted these meaningless mantras for so long that now many believe them to be from the Bible when they are the opposite of what God teaches in His word.

God does not say "not to judge", He does not say "forgive even if they are not repentant", He does not say "hurting people hurt people", all these ideas come from secular psychology based on Darwinism in which people are merely animals responding to stimuli. This couldn't be farther from the truth.

Often people who were treated well will act badly because of their evil nature. Then there are people who have been treated badly who do not harm others because they have been harmed. These people want to treat others better than they were treated. Animals operate from instinct, mankind operates from the heart based on their own attitudes. Only Christ can fix this in any human being.

To assign animal characteristics to human beings is silly at best, it also assumes things that may not be true. It is often likely that someone who is mean spirited was never treated that way, they simply like the power they feel from treating people as beneath them.

We are living in the apostate age described in 2 Timothy 3, the character traits of this culture are clear now. Do not let it discourage you, when we know what we are dealing with we can have compassion on the lost, speak the gospel and walk on as we share with everyone God has placed in our path. Keep in mind the 2 Timothy 3 people are to be pitied and prayed for, they are miserable people who need Christ and salvation.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, 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 people as these."

Notice that this is a description of a culture that thinks of itself as "godly", in verse 5 God says they have "a form of godliness but deny" Christ in their life.

Our work is not done until Christ takes us home in the rapture.

2 Timothy 4:8

"Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

By the way; "occupy until I come" as God says has nothing to do with occupying a government, it has to do with remaining faithful to the gospel until we are taken home. The gospel, not politics. I want that to be clear.

False Forgiveness That Allows for Lawlessness

There is no Bible verse that says to forgive so you will not be bitter. God does not forgive everyone, they must repent, is He bitter, no but He is just. We pray for those who harm us and if we come in contact with them we treat them with the respect they didn't show us, but that is not forgiveness. It is blessing your enemy. Those who will not repent when they offend and continue offending are not to be extended forgiveness. Forgiveness is for the purpose of reconciling a relationship, it is not just something we say to keep us from becoming bitter.

Having nothing more to do with unrepentant people is not forgiveness. We forgive when someone is sorry to reconcile the relationship. There is no reconciliation when there is no confession of a wrong done toward us. Just saying or pretending we have forgiven is not forgiveness. It may be a choice not to do revenge which is commanded by God.

This is important information, too many people are pretending to be forgiving when no reconciliation has occurred. All born again believers have forgiveness in their heart, desiring to forgive when someone is ready to confess and stop their sin against us. We want to reconcile, but it is prevented by the unrepentant person who thinks their sin was nothing to be sorry for.

One cannot trust a person who continues to wrong us without remorse.

God's condition for forgiveness toward us:

2 Peter 3:9 "9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. "

Our conditions for forgiveness is the same as God's:

Luke 17:4

"4 And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Most people only read part of that verse to forgive 70X7, and completely miss that the offender "saying, "I repent", then you shall forgive him." Why do so many people leave off the condition of forgiveness? Perhaps they want people to forgive them without having to confess or admit their sin against someone else. They want the easy way that says; "lets all just forget about our sins against one another and have happy thoughts." This may work for brushing dirt under the rug but eventually, that dirt pile under the rug grows bigger and bigger until people trip over it.

The ultimate goal of a Christian is to "resolve" difficulties and conflicts" so they no longer exist. This way everyone grows emotionally and spiritually. As it is in our culture today most people do not mature or change their character because they refuse to face the difficult things for a permanent resolution. It is cowardly to live like this and does nothing for anyone.

Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.10Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.…"

How many times have you tried to discuss a problem with someone and were shut down through the manipulation of raging and blaming to stop any chance of restoration of the relationship or resolution to the problem......my guess is that many of you have tried and failed because it takes two people who love each other to want to discuss and resolve matters.

We live in a culture that refuses to resolve anything, they are only friendly if you allow them to be as monstrous as they want without any correction. Just look at Portland Oregon where the rioters have taken over the streets without any restraint to make them stop vandalizing the shops of innocent business owners. They have defunded the police in some places to allow for unfettered lawlessness. This is the insanity we live with every day now, as in the days of Lot and Noah, when everyone does whatever they please, no one is punished and no one repents.

Welcome to the end of the end times; 2 Timothy 3:1-5 "2 Timothy 3:1-5

Difficult (ragingly insane) Times Will Come

3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, 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 people as these."

When we come to the realization that we cannot reason with someone to resolve a problem then is when we walk away and leave them to God to deal with, there will be more times like this as the days grow darker. Do not be dismayed, just carry on as led by the Holy Spirit without worry. Hallelujah!!!!

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What Does God Think

The celebration of "Christ-mass" began in the Catholic church melding paganism with a false form of Christianity to produce "Christmas." For many years Christians did not question where this began because they thought adding Christ's name to the pagan holiday would legitimize it for the born-again believer.

The sacrifice of the mass in Catholicism is the re-sacrificing of Christ over and over again in every mass. The idea that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was not enough, the priests had to do it every mass was developed by this paganistic religion. It violates much of scripture and is a form of cannibalism. The church teaches transubstantiation in which the emblems are no longer emblems but turn into the actual body and blood of Christ during the mass.

Since most Christians didn't know their Bibles and they knew very little about the Catholic church they accepted this pagan holiday as long as the name of Christ was attached to it. Unfortunately, it was a different Jesus than the Jesus Christ of the Bible.

Christmas began pagan, the ungodly added Christ to it and it is now returning to its pagan roots. We should not be surprised that this is happening. Holidays and festivals that were not commanded or endorsed by God, merely human ideas to worship God their own way, would eventually return to their origins.

God never blessed this holiday it was a concoction of an ungodly "religion" attempting to entice the Christians to indulge by adding a name they revered, that is the name of God.

When we know our Bibles and walk with the Holy Spirit we have no need to fit into the culture or a Christianized paganism. There is much of this going on in our society today, even those who will become angry when we say "I do not celebrate it because I am a Christian."

The choice is up to each one to determine in their own hearts if they are obeying God. My desire is for everyone to ask God about everything they do to know what pleases Him.

Amos 5:20-22 "…20 Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness and not light, even gloom with no brightness in it? 21“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard.…"

Refusing to Repent Destroys Relationships

Forgiveness is dependent on repentance. If someone does not repent they must not be forgiven. Forgiving without repentance is enabling.

Forgiveness is not just letting it go as so many say. Forgiveness when extended after repentance if for the purpose of reconciling a relationship. Just saying "I forgive them" is nothing it falls to the ground. It is psychology based on humanism not God's word.

God will not forgive those who are not repentant. 1 John 1:9.

One must confess to be forgiven. We do not automatically become bitter when someone is not sorry, we pray for them and do good to them when we encounter them but we do not have a relationship with an unrepentant person.

God tells us to go and tell them their fault against us, if they repent great, we have won our brother. However, if they do not repent then we treat them as an enemy, that is stay away from them.

God never commands us anywhere in the scripture to forgive someone who is not repentant. God told us to forgive as He has forgiven, that is when we repent He forgives.

He will not save the unrepentant heart from hell. He only forgives those who confess to be cleansed.

Our culture has this subject wrong and in so doing they are coddling the one who sins and pressuring the victim to forgive those who are not sorry for their harm. This is backward from what God teaches.

When we do things God's way we save ourselves a lot of grief and others see their need to repent from their sins.

The story of the wicked servant who was forgiven when he asked, the master to forgive his debt, then that wicked servant went out and demanded repayment of debts by those under him.

The master who forgave him brought him back and threw him in jail. This is a picture of a pretender, someone who wasn't truly sorry, and the master recognizing this threw him in hell. This story has more to do with a pretender who claims to be saved than it does with forgiveness toward others.

When Christ said on the cross; "Father forgive them", He was asking His Father to extend forgiveness to the world. The forgiveness was extended but the requirement to receive it was to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. No one will be forgiven who is not repentant.

1 John 1:9, Matthew 18, Acts 3:19, 2 Peter 3:9, Acts 2:38, Acts 17:30, Matthew 3:8, Luke 13:3, Revelation 3:19

No one will be forgiven to enter heaven without confession of their sin and trust in Christ. They are two sides of the same coin. God will not save anyone who will not confess to be reconciled to Him.

Just as our relationships are not reconciled without confession of wrongdoing and forgiveness extended, these are two sides of the same coin, there cannot be one without the other.

Our culture gets this wrong because they just want to ignore the hard work of reconciling by confronting the offender and the possible consequence of being ignored or retaliated against for our desire to reconcile the right way.

One cannot be trusted again if there is no sorrow over sin against us. And, if we are not sorry others should not trust us. We are talking about legitimate accusations of wrongdoing, not false ones just because someone didn't like that we told the truth.

Do not allow anyone to pressure you to forgive an offender who continues to offend and never shows remorse. This is not anyone else's business and we do not become bitter when the offender will not be forgiven. We pray for them and remove ourselves until they demonstrate sorrow over their offense.

God will not hear the prayers of His own children when they have sinned and do not confess, so we should follow His example. God knows best and can work in people without our compromising His ways to feel better about ourselves.

How about we tell people refusing to repent destroys relationships instead of the popular pressure to forgive when someone will not repent.

The pressure today in our culture is to coddle the perpetrator while beating up the victim as though the victim is responsible to make the perp feel better. This is insanity.

Study forgiveness in the Bible and look at all the words in a verse, not just the first two.

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