We are a Narcissistic Nation

We are actually born with narcissistic tendencies, it is called original sin. In our present climate of the teaching of self esteem we have fostered an entitlement mentality beginning in the early years. The fewer societal restraints we have on inappropriate and mean behavior, the more we see this mentality of entitlement grow.

When our culture operates as though everyone is basically good, it will not be able to know the proper way to handle bad or mean behavior. Most liberals think you can reason with young children to teach them, and at times this does work, but generally children do not see a need to believe parents without some sort of corporal punishment to reinforce truth.

Proverbs 13:24 "He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently."

Making children feel special or in control, causes arrogance and a grandiose sense of self. It is one thing to be encouraging when a child is really doing well and quite another to praise a child when they are not. Encouragement means to express to someone that they can do something if they try and work hard. It is not encouragement to praise a child who has not tried, did not obey and turned out a piece of garbage because they just wanted to say they did something. To praise like this is nothing more than fruitless flattery.

Proverbs 29:5 "5 A man who flatters his neighbor Is spreading a net for his steps."

I am convinced that children know when they are being foolishly flattered and when we are being sincere. The more we flatter the more we promote lying. To flatter someone when we know they didn't do as they should, is lying to them.

Proverbs 13:5 "A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame."

Proverbs 14:5 "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies."

If we care about our children we lovingly tell them the truth, we do not allow them to wallow in laziness. Laziness brings shame along with many other sinful habits. When we are lazy in work we will be lazy in personal relationships and diligence toward God's principles.

Proverbs 13:4 "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat."

If we love our children we are more concerned about their obedience to us and God's Word, than we are about their temporary feelings. They must learn to ignore their feelings and continue to obey. We do not negate their feelings, but we do not indulge them either.

We see an increase in crimes when the punishments are too lenient. When we do not show the seriousness of sin we tend to think of obedience as a suggestion rather than an obligation.

There was a times when the cultural taboo of living in sin outside of marriage was so strong that no one would do it openly. Because it was considered a base thing to do, almost everyone avoided it.

Christians wouldn't indulge themselves in it and even non-believers were not engaging in this sin. It was not considered kind or proper to take the virginity from a woman without committing oneself completely to her for life. A woman was considered the more vulnerable of the race, to be treated with honor and respect.

I am sure all of you have noticed that the more the restraints for sinful activity have been loosened, the greater numbers of people are gratifying themselves in risky and selfish activities outside of God's principles.

Let's take a little inventory, since the 1960's when moral restraints were beginning to be lifted through the Elvis craze and the onset of rock music promoting sin of every kind, we have gone from nearly no one living outside marriage together to same sex marriage promoted by the highest courts of our land.

Goodness.....does anyone think that all this freedom to sin has gained us something other than devastating us as a society? We have more broken and selfish people than we have ever had since the beginning of this country, with no end in sight.

Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!"

Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

Here we are today as a nation:
Deuteronomy 32:28 "“For they are a nation void of counsel, and there is no understanding in them."

Fox Hole Prayers Go Unheard

For those of you who have found yourself alone a lot, writing, reading, praying and going about your normal weekly duties, I would like to encourage you, that this is a typical existence for those who are sold out to Jesus Christ.

My dear friends now live a long ways away, but our friendship will never be disturbed because we desire the same things. We are like minded, wanting truth to be from God's Word, while seeking to be and expecting to grow in holiness.

Most of modern Christendom has little use for our kind of radicalism. We don't talk the same talk or walk the same walk as those who love the things of the world, even though they use the name of Christ to elevate themselves or to experience a feeling of safety when hardship comes.

As true believers we don't wait until there is a disaster to rush to the One Whom we think can make everything better. Those who do this are not walking with God, they are using Him, like a spiritual puppet, to do their bidding when they find themselves in a situation they have no control over.

These people don't love Christ, as commanded in the first commandment. They merely admire Him for what He could give them.

How would you feel if the only time your adult children paid any attention to you was when they needed something from you? All other times they ignore you, even mock you, neglect you, remove themselves from you in times of greatest need?

This is what our modern Christendom has done, taught people to pray when the going gets rough, but they are not even told who to pray to, or what to pray about. They believe "praying", merely speaking words into the wind, will have power all by itself. They never glorify or bless God any other time. Their "devotion" is embarrassingly insincere at best and completely self absorbed.

Matthew 22:36-38
"…36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37And 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...."

Those who think they will have God's ear when they have no interest in loving Him, are diluted and fictional in their thinking. God has clearly said that He will not hear the prayers of those who do not love Him.

John 9:31
"Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."

Proverbs 28:9
"He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."

Isaiah 1:14-16
"…14"I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15"So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16"Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil."

Proverbs 1:26-28
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

These verses should frighten those who attempt to use God. Far too many people believe God winks at and overlooks their sinful hearts. They believe He will come running when they are in distress no matter how sinful their heart is, or how many times they ignored Him when He tried to speak to them.

God will only hear the prayers of those who confess their sin while the Holy Spirit lives in them. Those who are not born again, will only be heard if they are praying a prayer of contrition desiring to be cleansed of their sin. All other fox hole prayers just to be saved from trouble, will not be heard.

Unfounded Accusations Based on Little Evidence

When observing the actions of others from a distance, it might be good to remember that our mind tends to interpret intentions and actions in terms of what we expect or believe, which are not always accurate.

The best way to avoid making rash and inaccurate evaluations is to actually speak to the person we observed, telling them what we saw and asking them what was meant by it.

I wonder how many relationships would be spared, how many misunderstandings cleared up and how much gossip thwarted by a simple act of love, through opening the two appendages on the front of our face called lips, in the presence of the one we are inclined to judge.

God never said not to judge, He told us to "judge righteously." There is only one way to judge righteously and that is to have all the information necessary to discern a matter.

Many forms of sin are easy to judge, we see it and know that it is bad and that the one doing it is sinning. However there are lots of things we see that look like sin, that may not be at all.

An example of a sin easy to judge is the man who walks into a grocery store and robs it at gun point.

Other activities are not so easy to judge. When we see a woman in a restaurant having dinner with a man not her husband, later only to find out it was her brother. Of course the rational thing to do is walk right up to the table, say hello and introduce yourself. In other words assuming there is nothing wrong. If we are afraid to walk up and introduce ourselves, we have made the judgement that the woman was sinning, without even speaking to her.

I remember a case in the news a few years ago when a man in a car on the freeway appeared to deliberately swerve into the lane next to him, pointing his car at the driver in the lane, causing the victim to have to veer off the road into the ditch. Witnesses reported that it was a deliberate act, assuming he was drunk. Later it was discovered and revealed that the driver had a heart attack, losing control of his car. There was nothing deliberate and no sin involved.

The moral of the story is that we cannot always know if something is sin until we have investigated it, if in fact it is any of our business to begin with. Gossips love to report what they have seen and make "educated" guesses on things after which they enjoy passing on their conclusions.

A truly educated guess is one in which the people involved have investigated all the facets of the event and discovered the truth. One of the violations of these principles are the videos we are seeing on the internet that malign the reputation of a police officer in 5 seconds of video, while foolish viewers shout foul without any more information that that snippet.

It's alright to be curious and even concerned about those we love, we just need to be willing to ask and listen before we jump to unfounded accusations.

Proverbs 14:18 "The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge."

Ephesians 6:14 "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,"

Proverbs 2:1-3
"The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
2 My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
3 For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;"

Proverbs 2:7-8
"7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones."

God Calls It An Abomination

God calls homosexuality an abomination. not all sin is called that, it basically means a detestable and absolutely filthy sin, the worst of all sins.

When we fly in the face of God's creation in this way it is the same as thumbing our nose at God, mocking and demeaning Him.

Leviticus 20:13 "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them."

This detestable sin was so terrible that God called for the execution of anyone who practiced it. We no longer put people to death for sins, but that isn't because the sin isn't bad any more, it is merely because God gives many chances to repent in this dispensation of Grace.

It is God's mercy that He does not annihilate those who practice abominations. In these last days of Grace He is giving every person an opportunity to choose to be broken over their sin while confessing it to be cleansed by God.

The very frightening thing is that most Christians do not take sin seriously, they play with it believing God winks at it the way everyone else around us does. We don't realize that He is not winking, but patiently waiting until we have gone too far in our rebellion, then He will pour out His wrath on those who continue to shake their fist at Him.

Romans 1:18-32
"18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[a] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Laziness is a Sin

Giving money to those who have lived a lifestyle of wanton disregard for godly principles, is like opening up your toilet lid and flushing the money into the septic.

No good comes from throwing money after those who have had a proven record of wasting their money on foolishness while choosing not to pay bills.

The better thing to do is to offer to help them to learn how to handle their money.

A few years ago someone called my home to ask for money to pay electric bills. I asked her if she smoked, she said yes but she was trying to quit. Then I asked her if she ever ate out at restaurants, such as McDonalds or other fast food places, she said yes but rarely.

This same young single mother who had never been married, proclaimed loudly that she got government funds but it wasn't enough. She asked to have money to pay her electric bill because they had no heat and they were cold. It was then that I knew I was dealing with a liar. It was August, it was past 80 degrees outside. I told her to open her windows to let in the warm air.

She became angry rather than ashamed I might add, which is a clue. Those who are honest and humble do not become angry when told no, they display humility and shame.

Chances are good that woman was not trying to quit smoking, she probably ate out frequently as many poor people on government assistance do, and we know she was not cold from lack of electrical heat.

So often believers are afraid to call people to account. Their need to feel special from giving over rides their good sense and a need to help people by "teaching them how to fish" rather than just "giving them a fish."

Believers need to stop feeling guilty about having to say no to manipulators who are lazy while demanding our hard earned resources when they will not properly handle their own.

I have respect for those who have messed up but want to learn to make it on their own through hard work and diligence with their available resources. But I have little tolerance for those who just want a hand out to remain lazy and unproductive.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."

1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Proverbs 10:4 "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

Proverbs 19:24 "The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth."

Proverbs 13:4 "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied."

What We Think About Matters

"We become what we think about!" If we fantasize about being superior to others, while continuing to act like we are, demeaning others to remain true to the illusion of our own grandeur, we live in a state of continual emotional struggle to maintain the position in our own minds.. Our focus on self always brings a crystallization of the brain, solidifying the negative and base things in life, keeping us in a fog contrary to God's law and purpose.

Proverbs 23:7 "7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

When Christ is our focus, we can ponder truth, while evaluating what we allow into our lives. The more we know truth the more we are plagued with the injustice of everything around us, however that joy that lives in us from knowing the end of the story, causes us to rejoice that Christ wins and then we go home to glory.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

There are those who believe we are negative because we are continually warning about the pitfalls of sin and rebellion against God. What these people don't realize is that we want people to become born again, saved from their sin and we desire that believers shake off the sin that still remains in them.

We continue in joy knowing that every life experience is a time of learning and growing. As they say "no pain no gain." Those who have few challenges learn less.

We don't dwell on the evil things, we warn about them, so that one day when this life is all over, we can go home knowing we obeyed God, then is when we will get to leave behind all earthly misery. As for now we are obligated to warn others, the time is short.

I am not in a continual state of sadness over all that I see, I become grieved at times, but the joy that dwells in me is greater than everything I experience.

Romans 12:12 "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

James 1:2-8 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Children are More Disrespectful Than Ever Before!

An excellent article on the condition of our culture today. Follow the link!

http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2004/september-october/children-will-rule