Nehemiah 13:25
"So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves."
Do you suppose there were people who told Nehemiah that he was "judgmental, mean spirited, or cruel?"
Imagine the silly verbiage we use, being used back in Christ's time, or the time of the prophets. We really are a culture of wuses. Waa, waa waa, all I hear it cry baby tears over the most mundane and silly things.
Sorry, I just had to vent, people are dying and going to hell, believers are being beheaded and we are whinning about "how someones said something to us." Sometimes I get so tired!!!!
Friday, August 21, 2015
Communication is the Key to Any Relationship
To continually cogitate on sins, that God has forgiven when we confessed them, is the same as not believing God.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
If we are not sorry, we are not forgiven, but if we have been broken and confessed, then God cleansed us, it's over, we have forsaken it, we can move on with a clear conscience.
If we are in contact with people who want to hold forgiven sins against us, then we need to explain that we have confessed, were forgiven and cleansed, and then move on if they continue to hold grudges about things that didn't even have to do with them. Sometimes relatives and acquaintances enjoy their skewed view of our previous life, they love to treat us in ways that elevate themselves and demean us. Those are the people that we need to put out of our lives, they bring no good thing to the relationship and even hinder our walk with the Lord.
I have met people who heard rumors about others, based on sins from many years ago, who hold those rumors against their target. Remember if something is a rumor, if we do not see it first hand, then we need to take it with a grain of salt, knowing that God changes people. The people we look down upon for rumored sins, may not have done the sin, the perspective of the person who repeated the sin, may have been flawed or the person gossiped about may have become born again and cleansed of the very sin others want to continue to hold against them.
If we love someone and we hear about a sin, we need to go to that person asking them to explain. If we do not go and clear it up, then we are choosing to believe something we are not even sure is accurate, this is not love. Those who want to believe evil about others without proof are evil themselves. If we did not see the sin and there is no evidence now that they are in that sin, then we need to dismiss it as gossip and continue as though it never was.
Gossip is not sharing what we know based on our own experience, Gossip is repeating something we never saw for ourselves based on what others have said. Repeating what we have not seen or heard for ourselves is often embellished and inaccurate, not to mention damaging to the reputations of those who were gossiped about.
Proverbs 20:19
"He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hearer."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends."
Those who love to believe evil about others when they have been forgiven by God, He calls "perverse." Hatred and jealousy are at the root of the "destroy and conquer" mentality of the wicked. Often what others "think they see" is not at all what happened.
1Corinthians 13:4
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant."
James 3:14-15
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."
Our goal as believers ought to be to find out truth, believing what we did not see without evidence is a blatant and perverse form of murder. God says if we so much as hate our brother we have committed murder. To malign and destroy a person's reputation based on no evidence is hatred and the same as murder, the intentions to destroy them is murder.
1 John 3:15 "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
The best friends to have are those who love us so much that they will choose not to believe gossip about us. If they see evidence that the gossip might be true, then those friends will come to us for an explanation. Those who refuse to communicate with the victim of gossip have hate and murder in their hearts.
May we be people who want truth while disdaining groundless and malicious gossip.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
If we are not sorry, we are not forgiven, but if we have been broken and confessed, then God cleansed us, it's over, we have forsaken it, we can move on with a clear conscience.
If we are in contact with people who want to hold forgiven sins against us, then we need to explain that we have confessed, were forgiven and cleansed, and then move on if they continue to hold grudges about things that didn't even have to do with them. Sometimes relatives and acquaintances enjoy their skewed view of our previous life, they love to treat us in ways that elevate themselves and demean us. Those are the people that we need to put out of our lives, they bring no good thing to the relationship and even hinder our walk with the Lord.
I have met people who heard rumors about others, based on sins from many years ago, who hold those rumors against their target. Remember if something is a rumor, if we do not see it first hand, then we need to take it with a grain of salt, knowing that God changes people. The people we look down upon for rumored sins, may not have done the sin, the perspective of the person who repeated the sin, may have been flawed or the person gossiped about may have become born again and cleansed of the very sin others want to continue to hold against them.
If we love someone and we hear about a sin, we need to go to that person asking them to explain. If we do not go and clear it up, then we are choosing to believe something we are not even sure is accurate, this is not love. Those who want to believe evil about others without proof are evil themselves. If we did not see the sin and there is no evidence now that they are in that sin, then we need to dismiss it as gossip and continue as though it never was.
Gossip is not sharing what we know based on our own experience, Gossip is repeating something we never saw for ourselves based on what others have said. Repeating what we have not seen or heard for ourselves is often embellished and inaccurate, not to mention damaging to the reputations of those who were gossiped about.
Proverbs 20:19
"He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hearer."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends."
Those who love to believe evil about others when they have been forgiven by God, He calls "perverse." Hatred and jealousy are at the root of the "destroy and conquer" mentality of the wicked. Often what others "think they see" is not at all what happened.
1Corinthians 13:4
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it his not arrogant."
James 3:14-15
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."
Our goal as believers ought to be to find out truth, believing what we did not see without evidence is a blatant and perverse form of murder. God says if we so much as hate our brother we have committed murder. To malign and destroy a person's reputation based on no evidence is hatred and the same as murder, the intentions to destroy them is murder.
1 John 3:15 "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
The best friends to have are those who love us so much that they will choose not to believe gossip about us. If they see evidence that the gossip might be true, then those friends will come to us for an explanation. Those who refuse to communicate with the victim of gossip have hate and murder in their hearts.
May we be people who want truth while disdaining groundless and malicious gossip.
Christ Does All The Work!
All those who become born again remain in the vine. Those who appear to not remain in the vine were never born again. Man does not become righteous through his own desires or power, we become the righteousness of Christ through HIS power. If we are attempting to live the Christian life in our own power, we are not living the Christian life. Trusting Christ to change us, cleanse us and keep us is the basis of our Christian existence.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me."
Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might."
Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to THE POWER AT WORK IN US (CHRIST),"
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US from all sin."
Jude 1:24 "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,"
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 "
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
You see, when Christ changes us into a new creation, He cleanses us and keeps us until He comes for us.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me."
Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might."
Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to THE POWER AT WORK IN US (CHRIST),"
2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US from all sin."
Jude 1:24 "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,"
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 "
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
You see, when Christ changes us into a new creation, He cleanses us and keeps us until He comes for us.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Keep it in Context
Often the verse that is used to justify remaining silent or requiring others to remain silent, when someone is sinning is Matthew 7:5 ""You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
Our culture has used this verse to intimidate others into silence when they are attempting to correct a believer about their sin. The verse was a warning to be sure you are not walking sinfully, while correcting others for their sin or even the same sin that we are doing.
God clearly shows us in His Word that we are to interact continually with one another for spiritual growth. One scripture taken out of context is hardly enough to prove a point. When God spoke of taking the plank out of our own eyes He never meant that we should never correct anyone else. God meant that we should make sure we are not doing the same thing that we are rebuking someone else for doing or sinning in others ways.
Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
Romans 15:14 "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another."
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Luke 17:3 ""Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."
2 Timothy 4:2 "2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with [a]great patience and instruction."
It is important that our view of God and His principles is not based on one verse taken out of context. We must base our beliefs on the whole of the Bible in context.
Our culture has used this verse to intimidate others into silence when they are attempting to correct a believer about their sin. The verse was a warning to be sure you are not walking sinfully, while correcting others for their sin or even the same sin that we are doing.
God clearly shows us in His Word that we are to interact continually with one another for spiritual growth. One scripture taken out of context is hardly enough to prove a point. When God spoke of taking the plank out of our own eyes He never meant that we should never correct anyone else. God meant that we should make sure we are not doing the same thing that we are rebuking someone else for doing or sinning in others ways.
Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
Romans 15:14 "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another."
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Luke 17:3 ""Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."
2 Timothy 4:2 "2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with [a]great patience and instruction."
It is important that our view of God and His principles is not based on one verse taken out of context. We must base our beliefs on the whole of the Bible in context.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Enablers Do Not Defend the Victims!
How God sees enablers!
Isaiah 1:221-23
"How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them."
Isaiah 1:221-23
"How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.
23 Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them."
We Choose Our Friends According To Our Hearts
Proverbs 24:1-2
"Do not be envious of EVIL men, Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their minds devise violence, And their lips talk of trouble."
The word for evil is Poneros means "bad, causing pain, causing trouble."
The evil man is a man of continual trouble, we are not to enable them or support them by making them our companions.
It is clear that if one hangs out with the bad crowd, they are the bad crowd, even if they don't participate in the evil the crowed does. We engage with people that we like to be with, the excuse that a young man just got in with a bad crowd, doesn't fly with God.
Matthew 12:34 ""You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."
Luke 6:45 ""The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."
"Do not be envious of EVIL men, Nor desire to be with them;
2 For their minds devise violence, And their lips talk of trouble."
The word for evil is Poneros means "bad, causing pain, causing trouble."
The evil man is a man of continual trouble, we are not to enable them or support them by making them our companions.
It is clear that if one hangs out with the bad crowd, they are the bad crowd, even if they don't participate in the evil the crowed does. We engage with people that we like to be with, the excuse that a young man just got in with a bad crowd, doesn't fly with God.
Matthew 12:34 ""You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."
Luke 6:45 ""The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart."
Do Not Touch What is Unclean
It is true that people who have rejected Christ are considered unclean by God.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.
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