Amir Tsarfati: The Parable of the Ten Virgins

More Really is Caught than Taught!

It really is true that "more is caught than taught." Children will emulate their narcissistic parents even if the children don't realize they are doing it.

Since the children are raised every day to be rude and disrespectful they think it is normal. When one person in the family hates this mentality of one-upmanship and refuses to engage with it, that person is labeled rebellious.

Narcissists love to argue and think that doing it calmly makes it alright. Arguing to win is a self-focus based on personal aggrandizement, it is not of God but of the devil.

When the outlier (the truth-teller) wants to talk things out and resolve matters they are seen as "rebellious" for wanting to fix what is broken.

Narcissists never want to fix problems in relationships because they are hell-bent on winning even if it means destroying others with lies. I say "hell-bent" because this mentality of winning at all costs is from the devil.

Narcissists count themselves as winners when they have managed to cause hatred against those who point out their flaws and rudeness. Gossip is their go-to tactic to turn others against the truth-teller, they never admit their sin and even fight to defend it as though they had a good reason.

Everyone has a measure of selfishness inside of them and even born-again Christians battle the flesh that wants to make them feel superior. However, those who have been changed into a new creation hate sin in themselves and do the spiritual battle. Those who are not born-again do not battle their sin they defend it and even become worse if that is what works for them.

No one is perfect and all-knowing only God is that! This means that as fallen human beings we must continually seek God for truth no matter how good something sounds. Our fallen minds are predisposed to see what we want to see and interpret things in ways we want to believe them.

This is why God told believers to train themselves to think with HIs mind.

Those who are vulnerable to their own feelings, desiring to appear superior will not listen to anyone else and will dismiss and even show contempt to those who differ from them. These people never ask God to show them, but they assume and claim they have heard from God when their thoughts were their own ideas. This is the reason they recoil at correction and "unsolicited instruction."

We have a new phrase in our culture which justifies refusing to listen to the instruction or correction from others, that phrase is; "uonsolicited advice" as though it is a bad thing. The new cultural norm is that we should never give advice unless we are asked and if someone offers it without being asked they are rude.

Narcissists will never listen to anyone's advice unless they can be manipulated to think it is their own idea. This is the nature of rebellion. Pride in them dictates that they must be the ones to come up with a good idea even if it came from someone else they will pretend they came up with it first.

Those who are narcissists will not listen to anyone else who does not elevate them, this is why we know they will not listen to God either.

Isaiah 30:9

"9 For this is a rebellious people, false sons,

Sons who refuse to listen

To the instruction of the Lord;"

The same people who attend church gatherings every week ignore more of the Bible than they obey and claim they are Bible believers.

They are following people and man-made traditions to satisfy their own desire to be special and superior. These are those who will not listen to the truth.

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires."

These are the people who will attempt to silence anyone who speaks the truth to expose their false system and their false elevation of self. They will make up rules about who can speak the truth and who cannot, violating the scriptures that command all believers to preach the word.

1 Timothy 4:1-2

"Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."

Matthew 24:11-12

"and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. / Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."

Love has been lost in our culture, it only exists among a few who have been walking with Christ.

God said these were the two greatest commandments:

Matthew 22:36-40

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38 This is the great and foremost commandment.

39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

When there is love there is no competition for position, or manipulation to have power over others.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth."

When a person elevates Christ-like love above everything else they will share the truth of the scripture to help others walk in holiness. They will have no concern about being liked by men, their love for people is so deep that they share the truth to help willing to take their lumps from those who refuse to listen.

The love of the Christ follower is so dedicated to God that they are willing to let go of those who oppose Him and leave them to God. Our faith dictates that we allow God to do His things with those who are rebellious. We are not responsible for the results, we are only responsible for speaking as led by the Holy Spirit.

Those who want to take credit for the repentance of someone else are prideful and must repent themselves from trusting in their devices instead of the Words of God.

Prosperity Preachers Lack Faith

Prosperity preachers make money so important that they use it to accuse brothers and sisters of lacking faith if they don't give their money. God doesn't need our money, He wants our love and devotion.

Psalms 51:16-17

"For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise."

Money is a useful tool, but over the years I have realized how often God provides something even without money. He provides things we don't even ask for just to bless us. I have also noticed that organized religion thinks it needs large buildings and fancy pews, but none of that is important. We do not need Venus for elaborate events or entertainment. Much of the money the prosperity preachers beg for goes to things God hates and produces arrogance instead of humility, not to mention the wealth it places on greed men who claim to be leaders in the gatherings. The are not leaders they are charlatans saying what people want to hear so the money continues to flow to them.

Luke 20:45-47 "45 In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”"

When we fixate on money regularly we are not appreciating what God has already given us and even walking fearfully about tomorrow that hasn't even arrived yet.

Matthew 6:25-34

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?

27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?

28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth,

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’

32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you."

Prosperity preachers who beg for money using manipulation to cause guilt in those they want to fleece are demonstrating the lack of faith they accuse others of having.

We are not called to monitor what others give or to even question them about it, we are called to be led by the Holy Spirit in our giving. We cannot go wrong when we simply obey Him. And, we will not have guilt when we just obey Christ.

Notice the verse Matthew 6:33, the most important matter of the entire admonition, "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be provided to you."

Begging for money for ministry is not Biblical and neither is being guilted by others to give when we are not being led by the Holy Spirit to do so.

God gave me a phrase many years ago to answer those who love to pressure us to do things they think they should do. That phrase is this: "God didn't call me to do that." It's simple but effective, if anyone questions our choices they can ask God and they should just mind their own business about things that are not sins but merely preferences,

God's instruction to all of us is this; "1 Thessalonians 4:11-12: "And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing".

I do believe in confronting those who are sinning and who say they are Christians, but not about things that are opinions and preferences that are not described as sin in the Bible.

Many people interpret the Bible in ways that fit their agenda, it is wise to ignore these people and obey God.

Hallelujah!

Unbiblical Ideas in the Last Days of Apostasy

Many things the church has been taught over the past 80 years have been wrong but they sound so right.

Forgiveness without confession of sin is unbiblical, God requires confession of offense before forgiveness is extended for the purpose of reconciling a relationship. We never do something for our own blessing, we do it because it honors God and it is His will for us to do what we need to for His glory, even if it is uncomfortable.

It is not true that just being friendly to an offender is going to cause them to repent, just the opposite. People do not repent without consequences. The more we ignore sin and refuse accountability the more that sin grows.

Luke 17:3-5 "If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them".

Divorce for adultery is unbiblical, there is no exception clause for divorce based on spousal conduct.

Luke 16:18 "anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery,"

Remarriage after divorce is unbiblical, God clearly speaks against remarriage calling it adultery.

Luke 16:17-18 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Tithing is unbiblical, there is no tithing for the church, we are to give as led by the Holy Spirit not according to a formula.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

The Cheerful Giver

"6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Never stop praying for the same thing, is unbiblical. God clearly says there are times when He wants us to stop begging Him for something He already said no to.

When God said "pray without ceasing He was telling us to take everything to Him in prayer as a friend would visit all day long with us. It did not mean to pray the same prayer for the same things continually until we get what we want.

1 John 5:16–17

"16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death."

I

The Christian sabbath as being Sunday is unbiblical, there is no sabbath for the church, we choose which day we meet and with whom we meet. And, it doesn't have to be the same place every week with the same people.

1 Corinthians 14:26: "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification".

The belief that we must be busy in the local church that we attend every week in a particular building is a man-made rule. We are all to be busy with God's Work that He gives us not what others expect of us. There is pressure within the gatherings to do things the way that is dictated by the pastor or by the attendees that God never told us to do.

1 Corinthians 12:15-26

"15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.

16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.

19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?

20 But now there are many parts, but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,

24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked,

25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.

26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it."

The idea that only certain people who are educated and ordained by man, rule in the body is patently unbiblical. It elevates some people above others and negates those who do not appear as needed to be ignored and even suppressing the Holy Spirit in them.

Attending a large building with a paid pastor is unbiblical, God never commanded that we erect buildings to meet in, the early church met in homes. While it is not a sin to meet in a building, the idea that we need a "temple" has been fostered even if those who build those edifices don't realize they are causing people to think of the building as a "holy place", it never was and never will be any more holy than any other building.

Many people have felt that they cannot pray at home because they have to go to that "holy place" to be heard by God. The buildings have been viewed as "special places where God resides" which flies against God's word that says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we have no need of a special place.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies".

Romans 14:4-6 "…4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master, he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"

There is no mention of the "place" we should gather because it is a choice when, where, and with whom we gather. This decision is led by the Holy Spirit, not man.

Youth groups within the gathering is unbiblical, separating children from families is not biblical. The early church gathered in a family setting, the parents were the examples for children and entire families were examples to the children of others in the community. Segregating children from their parents and placing them with children from unsaved families caused confusion in the hearts of those who had saved parents.

Worship leaders within the gathering are unbiblical. The Holy Spirit leads the worship, not people.

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John 4:23-24

"23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Worship is led by the Holy Spirit who lives in all born again believers, not by any human being standing up front. Those who stand up front are glorifying self not God.

Matthew 6:1 "1“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."

No human being needs the leading of another human being in their worship. Anyone who attempts to be our leading for us is usurping the Holy Spirit Who is the ultimate and final Authority in every born-again believer.

The reason the modern church has become so far from the biblical model is because down through the centuries men tried to make up their own rules to control the people instead of allowing the people to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Because the people were not seeking Christ but man to have a "decent culture" they followed the men instead of Christ. The fear of being rejected by the church community took over in the hearts of weak believers and in those who were professing Christianity but were never born again.

We have a very broken church system that is leading people away from seeking Christ to seeking men for approval. The only way back from this is for each one to ask God to show them the truth and be willing to discard anything He says is not true, removing from their lives all the traditions of men to embrace Christ fully!

Nagging an Unjust Judge is not the same as Nagging God

All my prayers for the past 50 years for my children have been heard by God. I can rest assured that if I do not say one more prayer for them, the other thousands of the past still count. 

When I die and leave this earth God remembers my prayers. Anyone who says NEVER stop praying for the family doesn't understand that the number of prayers we speak to God is not the issue, it is the desire of our heart that He is looking at not numbers.

 
We are not heard because of our many prayers we are heard because Christ lives in us and knows our desires before we speak them.

Nagging God about something we want is tantamount to not accepting His will, and we are not responsible for whether or not our children obey Christ.
No one sends someone else to hell, those who go there do it because of their own choice to disobey Christ.

 
The one scripture that comes to mind is the widow who nagged the ruler and because of her nagging the ruler gave her what she wanted. This scripture has been used as an example that we "must" nag God until He gives us what we want. This is a classic example of taking scripture out of context to justify humanistic thinking.

 
I have actually experienced people nagging me to keep praying about one issue that has been resolved in my heart to accept God's will.
God will not thwart His own will just because we nag Him.

 
Notice something about the parable of the widow nagging the judge and getting what she wanted. Note that the judge was an unjust judge, we could never say that God is unjust.

 
God is not unjust ever!!!!! The passage was referring to our dealings in an unjust world, not with Him.

 
It is important that we not make mandates and pressures to do things based on scripture taken out of context and used as though it is a rule from God.
Jesus Christ can actually tell us to stop praying for those who have rejected Him. And, He never encourages us to continue to pray for things that are against His will.

 
Remember Paul the apostle? He stopped praying for an answer to a trouble after three times, accepting God's will for that problem.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10: Paul asked the Lord to take away the thorn, but God replied, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"
We must be careful not to make rules and promote ideas that God never taught. It is wonderful to pray as led by the Holy Spirit but it is also futile to pray when God does not want us to pray. Sometimes He wants us to turn someone over to satan to be buffeted so that they learn to turn to Christ.

 
How many things do Christians believe today that God never said, but they hang onto because of all the years they were taught something and it feels so right but is inaccurate.

Love for the Family of Christ

I appreciate the invitations I have had to join Christian groups on Facebook, however, I cannot possibly vet them all and do not have the time to spend responding to everything on them. I don't feel I have to join to participate as led by the Holy Spirit.

I really hate ignoring people and if I join a group I feel obligated to respond to the things in the group so I decline all of them, it's nothing personal or disapproving, it is just logistics.

I wish the best for those who are busy doing what God has led them to do in the groups, edifying the saints is a big part of our life as believers in Christ.

Edward Hale said this:

""I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by God's grace, I will do".

I love all those who are busy on the internet doing what God has called them to do and I pray for them. Each one of us can only do what we can do as led by the Holy Spirit and we can support in prayer those who are not doing what we do.

I praise God for the internet, it is an opportunity to reach the entire world for Christ from our homes. It is also a wonderful opportunity to edify the believers, many of whom are isolated and rejected in need of the love and kindness of Christ in their brothers and sisters.

I think often of the day we will meet at the marriage supper of the Lamb in person. Even those we have only met on the internet we will recognize because it is their Spirit we are connecting with daily.

I welcome any and all questions and comments on my page and to my chat, if you wish to communicate with me this way I am delighted to hear from you.

May the Lord bless all those who are doing their best to obey the command to bring the gospel to the world and to edify the saints in these last days before Christ takes us all home.

Hallelujah!!!

The Nature of Cults

Cults always place unbiblical rules on attendees. They will pressure others to do things exactly their way or those who do not adhere to their rules are shunned and dismissed, even put out of the group.

When there is contempt for those who speak boldly about the word of God it is a clue that you are in a narcissistic group bent on controlling others.

There is much gossip in cults, those who are in leadership fixate on making sure everyone is doing things their way while enlisting others in the group to follow their lead in pressuring others.

Cults always have a "leader" who dictates to others, God's church ought not to be this way. Our leader is the Holy Spirit.

Scriptural leaders in the church are not authorities over the people, only the Holy Spirit is the leader in each believer. Leaders as described in Scripture lead by their own example and by teaching, they do not have authority over the Holy Spirit Who lives in every believer.

John 14:26-27 "26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.…"

Everyone can be led to teach the Word to every other believer and every believer has the Authority of the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to the lost.

John 16:13

"However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come."

1 John 2:27

"And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught."

1 Corinthians 2:10-13

"But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. / For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. / We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. ."

God said it is the Spirit of Christ Who searches all things, even the deep things. We listen to those who bring the Word of God as He meant it to be heard, and we evaluate and correct someone who brings teaching that is not in accordance with what Christ meant in His Word.

Too many "pew people" sit like lumps in the group every week and never search the scriptures to see if that preacher up front is telling the truth. They act as though that preacher has ultimate authority over the Word, He does not!!!! And, in many cases the people don't actually follow Scripture, they seem to be satisfied with just knowing it, obedience to them is an option.

Isaiah 11:2

"The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD."

I don't see any indication here in these scriptures that we should believe everything a man says who claims to have authority over us.

Acts 17:11

"11 Now these people (the Bereans)were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."

All of us are called to search the scriptures and pray for the understanding of the Word of God. This is not left to an elite few who have appointed themselves chief over everyone else.

1 Timothy 4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity".

1 Peter 5:3

"Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example".

Philippians 2:3-4

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others".

Titus 2:7

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness".

Proverbs 10:9

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out".

Leading is not "authority over", it is teaching, correcting, rebuking and admonishing and in all of this it is edification so that every believer will be equipped to live their life in Christ as they move through this world led by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:26: "What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying".