The Pollyanna's are not Helpful

Often I speak with "Pollyanna" type of people who see only the good in life. I pray that I never become one of them.

When we choose to see only the "positive" side of life we must deny what is real. This denial is a form of lying. Since we live in a wicked world that is becoming more and more wicked all the time, we will see daily, many things that grieve the heart of God and should grieve us to the point of prayer.

Psalm 74:3 "Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually."

We become stronger in our faith when we can face things head-on and call them what they really are. It is a weak man or woman who must only see the "positive" in order to have faith or contentment.

Proverbs 24:5 "A wise man [is] strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;"

We cannot be of help to those who are struggling with hardship and persecution if we turn our heads away from all that is unpleasant.

Isaiah 40:28 "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

Isa 40:29 He gives power to the weak, And to [those who have] no might He increases strength.

Isa 40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,

Isa 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew [their] strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint"

Fear causes us to interpret things in terms of "happy" or "positive." I see many believers busying themselves with the mundane things of the world in an attempt to avoid thinking about what is unpleasant.

How can we agonize in prayer over serious matters, if we refuse to see them? How can we develop a deep sense of concern for fellow believers if we deny their infirmities or troubles?

When our goal is to know the truth, all of it, that we might be useful for the kingdom of God, then and only then will we gain an understanding into the heart of God. Those who are emotionally weak and cannot look at all things and call them by their name, will not be helpful to anyone in need. They will choose to satisfy those needs that glorify themselves and take the slightest effort to fulfill them.

May we pray for the strength to see life as it really is, so then we can be useful and contented at the same time.

Isaiah 30:27 "Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, Burning [with] His anger, And [His] burden [is] heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire."

If we are born again, we have the God of the universe mentioned in Isaiah living in us. He does not ignore the plight of His people, nor does He ignore what the evil person does to those who belong to Him. He pays attention to all of it.

2 Thes. 3:1 "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run [swiftly] and be glorified, just as [it is] with you,

2Th 3:2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

2Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard [you] from the evil one"

Changed by Christ the Focus is Different

When we are born-again our thinking is completely changed into a new mindset. We love the things of the Lord searching His Word for truth. And, we hate sin and evil.

If we are authentic believers seeking Christ we will be as fish swimming against the current, often beaten up by those who are following the "group-think" of the modern church.

Have you ever seen a Salmon who has been swimming upstream, they are battered by rocks, bruised, and injured.

We are believers who are swimming against the current when we hold onto the principles of the Bible in our own walk and desire to help other "Christians" to see their need for following Christ instead of the world.

Matthew 6:7-8

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

Often within the modern church things are done by ritual and rote. The people in the pews are "dead-pan" without enthusiasm toward Christ so their ritualistic responses to things are more out of obligation than dedication to Him.

When our faith becomes obligation and self-safety, it has become "religion" not a relationship with Christ.

It would be an interesting study to ask people why they attend church gatherings. Here are some responses I have heard from people:

"I like the music"

"I feel safe going to church"

"I am surrounded by good people whom I love"

"It's the decent thing to do"

"I want to be a good person"

"I like the preaching"

"I like the pastor"

"They have activities I enjoy attending"

Rarely have I heard from people that they attended the gathering to meet corporately to worship and honor Jesus Christ. In fact, the answers often have nothing to do with Christ and a move of the Holy Spirit. The answers that were given were the same responses we would hear from any secular club someone might join.

People for the most part do not even think about the Holy Spirit. They do not speak of how He has worked in their lives or what He has taught them lately.

I once mentioned the Holy Spirit as being the One Who must guide us and the "Christian" listening laughed at me as though it was a cop-out, a pat answer, and not worthy of respect.

That led me to believe that most church attendees do not think about the Holy Spirit at all. They operate under a system of rules sprinkled liberally with human wisdom to make themselves feel like a better person and still able to fit into the culture around them.

These people are resistant to correction from the Word of God, sadly while saying they are "Bible-believing."

1 John 2:15-16 " 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.…"

The world has moved into the church overtaking it with reckless abandon. Abandoning the Word of God and worse, changing the meaning of God's Word, they pretend to love God but have no relationship with Christ, even denying Him by lack of use of His name.

We are living in very difficult, ragingly insane times that try our patience and keep us engaged in a Spiritual battle.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh,

4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,"

The more we obey and the more we speak the truth the fewer friends and supporters we will have around us in these last days.

Never allow the temptation to believe you must be doing something wrong because everyone around you is contemptuous of you. The chances are good if you are following Christ you will be hated by most people.

Matthew 10:21-22 "…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 because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "

Christ does not Remember Our Past Forgiven Sins

Did you know that born-again believers do not have a past sinful life?

When we have repented from our sinful lifestyle when we become born-again God wipes away our sinfulness and forgives our individual sins as if we had never sinned.

Those who love to hold onto the sins of others are forgetting their own need for repentance, particularly the sin of pride that makes them love to view others as beneath themselves.

There are many people in our day who gossip about the pasts of others in order to feel superior. If they can hang onto past forgiven sins of others it diverts them from having to face their own sins and demons.

Proverbs 25:9-10

"9 Argue your case with your neighbor,

And do not reveal the secret of another,

10 Or one who hears it will put you to shame,

And the evil report about you will not pass away."

Proverbs 20:19

"19 One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;

Therefore do not associate with a gossip."

Those who freely speak of the past forgiven sins of others cannot be trusted to help anyone through their rough patch of repentance and restoration.

As born-again believers, we are more interested in praying for, correcting, and rebuking an individual to restore them. We have no interest in making sure everyone else hears of their sin.

We must expose false teachers and those who may try to influence others to disobey God, but we do not need to be divulging the past sins of those who have changed their lives and now live for Christ.

Only those who feel superior to others desire to ruin the reputations of those who love Jesus Christ.

Sadly there are those who want to ruin others so they can retain the loyalty of those in their sphere. Jealousy is a factor in gossip, the fear that someone might enjoy and love the person they hate.

Romans 1:29

"29 people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips,"

2 Corinthians 12:20

"20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish, and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, selfishness, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;"

Gossip is the destroyer of relationships. The one who gossips to elevate themselves or justify their own anger and jealousy toward someone will eventually be found out and come to ruin themselves.

Proverbs 18:24

"24 A person of too many friends comes to ruin,

But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

It is hard to find a friend like this in these days of apostasy, however, we can be this kind of friend to others when we encounter them. We can choose to treat others with respect, love, and kindness so that we will be a reflection of Christ Who lives in us.

The gossipers will not change until they become born-again. They will continue their path of unrighteous jealousy and anger until they repent. It is impossible to retain a relationship with those who gossip. When we find out that someone will not keep a confidence and will enjoy gossip we must remove them as our friends. They have nothing good in mind for us or others with whom we associate.

From Pruitt Cares Foundation Article

"Proverbs 18 says this person will stick closer than a brother. The word sticks comes from a Hebrew word that’s often translated in the Old Testament as cleave. It means commitment out of a passionate love."

This kind of friendship goes beyond "obligation" to a deep love and concern. This is rare in our world today because the world has lost God's kind of love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails;"

When we walk in love we are more concerned about someone repenting and becoming born-again than we are about gossiping to others for the purpose of character and reputation assassination. There ae those who cannot let go of the past because they have never repented from their own past sins. Focusing on others relieves them of guilt over their own past.

Reading the book of 1 Samuel will show us the deep love of Jonathan and David, a friendship that went beyond superficial friendliness.

Obedience is not Legalism

Legalism is following man's rules that were not commanded by God and making it a rule for everyone. Obedience is when we want to please God by living as He commanded.

When someone accuses us of "legalism" for bringing to bear the Word of God on a situation in life, they attempt to intimidate us into silence so they can feel comfortable in their sin.

The Holy Spirit in us makes ungodly rebellious people feel troubled and even depressed. Sadness overwhelms those who know the truth but refuse to obey it. They desire to be seen as a good person even though they have no interest in Christ.

All unsaved people are insecure, which is why they must surround themselves with those who accept and even praise their sin. We know they are insecure when they detest us merely because we desire to live for Christ.

Many years ago a friend told me that her family decided that television was becoming too much of a distraction. The children were neglecting their school work to watch it and wasting time. Because of this, they got rid of their television.

One day some extended family members came to their house and noticed the television was gone. My friend didn't say anything about the television to them but they noticed it's absence. The family members chided my friend for thinking they were better than others because they removed the television.

I saw that the TV was gone and felt nothing about it except that perhaps it would be good for everyone to do that. I have a television but restricted it to certain clean shows that we would watch with them and never on a weeknight.

Why was I not offended by what someone else had decided for their home? I was not convicted by what they did, I had my own rules for this problem of television.

Here, was a good example of "family-mobbing" when we do what we see best for our own family and extended family wants to make us feel foolish for our choices that have nothing to do with them and that honor God. Sadly the people who chastised my friend for getting rid of her television attended church every week, even heavily involved in the church.

This gives us an idea what gatherings are like in our region, they are social clubs that expect their attendees to live like the world during the week and come to church all dressed up on the outside and black as coal on the inside.

Matthew 23:27-28

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

Don't quote me as saying it doesn't matter how we dress for church, I am a fan of looking our best when attending the gathering. The reason I am is that I believe it reflects an attitude of diligence in our appearance, but this does not mean we judge anyone else about clothing. If we would dress up to go to an office job why would we dress down to worship God.

When we are born again we desire that everything about us is in order.

Matthew 23:15

"15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."

Everything in our lives ought to reflect our inner heart. However, sometimes our outward appearance is merely a pretense of what we want people to believe is in our heart without any actions taken to cleanse the heart.

Matthew 23:1-11 "23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,

2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.

3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.

4 And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger.

5 And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

6 And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,

7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.

8 But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10 And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant.

12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."

What should be our prayer?:

Psalm 139:23-24

"23 Search me, God, and know my heart;

Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;

24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way."

Hallelujah!!!

Co-dependency Ruins Our Walk

Co-dependency is when a person is so connected to another person or group of people that they cannot think on their own, they must have support from the group or their co-dependent partner to exist without guilt or shame.

Group-think is very common in our world today. It is very rare for someone to do their own thinking and even more rare that they want God to impart His wisdom to their hearts.

If you wish to be a person following after God's Own heart then you must break away from co-dependency and group thinking.

It takes the courage that only Christ can give to be able to think independently from the group, the community, and the family.

Those who never step out in faith and follow the heart of God will always be stuck in the community standard that reflects everything that is evil in this world. Even if they are not committing "big-bad" sins, they are indulging in self-exaltation to be accepted by those around them.

When we must have the approval of others we will end up not having the approval of God. The only way to have the approval of the community and family is to become just like them, a thought that is repugnant to me since these entities almost never care what God thinks.

1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them."

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Mark 8:36 "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"

The world has nothing to offer us, Christ has everything to offer us. His wisdom is worth more than all the gold in the world.

The Heart of Man is Seen in His Actions

A person's heart cannot be different from their actions. So many times I would correct someone about their behavior and they would say I was judging and couldn't know their heart. They say only God judges the heart. I remind them that Jesus Christ is God, He judges the heart and He lives in us. We are able to discern the heart of people through their lifestyles.

The entire book of Proverbs is an expose on how the believer is able to judge the truth about themselves and others.

Matthew 7:15-20

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 So then, you will [c]know them by their fruits."

Galatians 5:22-26

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other."

If we were not able to discern the heart of another person then God would not have given these words to us to be able to judge righteously. We would be fooled all the time without discernment and the deception would cause us to lose our footing.

John 7:24

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment"

We are to judge according to God's word. We are not to judge things we have not seen for ourselves and we are not to judge based on gossip.

Matthew 7:6

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

If we were never to judge the character of others then we would not be able to discern whether or not someone was swine. God was speaking of those who have rejected Him and refuse to listen to correction and instruction, especially the gospel.

When someone has rejected the truth, staunch against the things of the Lord then we know God's command is to stop speaking to them about the Lord and keep our distance so that we do not become complacent in our walk with Christ.

In order to remain faithful to the Lord, moving forward in our Spiritual walk we must withdraw from those who would come against our walk.

John 7:24

"24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

God never at any time told us never to judge, He did say not to judge others for doing things we are also doing, that would be hypocrisy.

When we walk in the Spirit of God Who is in us we do not have to carry guilt or shame, we are free to follow Christ even if no one else comes with us.

Romans 12:12

"rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,"

Continual Reviling Breaks the Family Bond

We still love those who revile us but we have no Spiritual connection and as time passes we also lose the emotional connection.

Sometimes people keep cogitating on what they think is a loss when really it was a gain.

The culture brainwashes us to think we must have a family who loves us as though no one outside the bio family can do that. But we know that born-again believers do love one another and have become our real family for eternity.

Bio family often reviles us but we keep them close anyway because the culture pressures us to do so. They say things like "but he's your brother" as though his character doesn't matter, how he treats you doesn't matter, as long as he has familiar blood running through his veins. This is irrational at best, genetics does not determine who is our brother or sister or whether they will make a supportive friend in Jesus Christ.

How we relate to one another in love and deep concern tells us who is our brothers or sister. In Christ we share the same God living in us Who shed His blood for us, we share the most important thing there is and that is Christ. And, because it is Christ this includes His commands and principles in His Living Word.

Jesus Christ shed all His blood to save anyone who will place their trust in Him. His blood matters, the blood in the veins of humans does not matter.

We can treat with respect everyone we come in contact with but we do not have to make them our close companions. Our dearest companions must be those who love Christ, not just say they do but live as though they would die for Him.

Proverbs 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Our love for the brethren is a passionate love driven by our love for Christ. There is no love like it in the world.

Proverbs 17:17

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."

John 15:12-13

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

Job 16:20-21

"My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend."

Notice these verses speak of friendship not family. It is wonderful when a family is a godly friendship but often even most of the time it is not. Bio Family often works against us when our desire is to walk with Christ, obeying His principles and seeking Him in all things in our lives.

Even "Christian" family will come against us when we bring Scripture to bear on a situation in which everyone in the family is supporting the sinful thing rather than God's principles and standards.

Matthew 10:35-36 "…35 For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;…"

My advice to anyone suffering the loss of family because of our Christianity is to stop grieving over the loss of their friendship and begin praising God for those He sent to be our real brothers and sisters.

Sadly many keep the grieving going for many years when the grieving is producing nothing but discontent and a distraction from what God has called them to do. Let them go and get on with serving Christ and those He has placed in your sphere of influence. There might not be many but there are some and that's enough.

Luke 14:25-27

"25 Now large crowds were going along with Him, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."