Showing Off is Sin!

Next time you see a video of someone giving to the poor, taking a selfy giving someone shoes or food or a place to live, please don't praise them! Anyone who makes sure others are watching their good deeds, even to the point of putting it on the internet, we can be sure that they are showing off while violating the Scripture that tells us not to do it.

Matthew 6:1-4
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with... your Father who is in heaven.
2 “So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

We Will Know Our Brothers and Sisters in Christ

When we die, I am convinced that we will know those whom we knew in life who were born again, when we leave this life and go to heaven.

1 Corinthians 13:12 "For presently we see through a glass in obscurity; but then, face to face. Presently, I know in part; but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known."

Matthew 17:3 "…2And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."…"


Peter seemed to recognize Moses and Elijah, even though he had never seen them in real life, they existed centuries before Peter was alive.

We will be able to see the nail prints in Christ's hands. After His death when He appeared, He still had the signs of the crucifixion, the means of our salvation.

John 20:25 "So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

His Will Not Ours

When we ask the Lord, we must ask in an attitude of humility, ready to accept whatever His answer is going to be, whether it is our desire or not .

Only those things that are within His will, He will answer. I will not have the power to do everything I want that is not in His will. I could APPEAR to be getting what I want, demanding things from God and get myself into trouble for not consulting Him.

James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."

Isaiah 30:1 "Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:"

When we arrogantly proclaim that we can have our own way no matter what and that God has to comply, we are showing contempt for God's will. When our will becomes more important than the heart of God, we are pretending to care about Him but in fact are showing disregard for Him.

Rebellion comes in many forms, often cloaked in possitive attitudes and actions, but in fact are out and out rebellion, "doing it our way", rather than seeking God for His answers!

No One Can Boast!

Exactly, no one has a reason to feel superior or prideful, we can all admit our hearts have been the same. It is only through Christ that we can have victory over this flesh!

Charm is not a Virtue

Our culture elevated "charm" to the level of a virtue, but the Bible does not. Charm is associated with manipulation and superficial ornament to be taken on and off, it is more of a verb, deliberate action rather than a character quality.

Definitions of Charm:
noun
1. the power or quality of giving delight or arousing admiration.
"he was captivated by her youthful charm"
2. a small ornament worn on a necklace or bracelet.
verb

delight greatly.
"the books have charmed children the world over"

control or achieve by or as if by magic.
"pretending to charm a cobra"

God says this;
Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised."

The Rudeness of Narcissists

An excellent article on tactics of narcissists and those who must control others to feel superior.
http://narcissistschild.blogspot.com/2015/07/rudenessit-can-be-narcissistic-tool.html

Count All Trials As Joy

When we accept God's will, we will have joy through all that He has for us. We share our troubles with other believers for them to pray and to encourage us and them, when things look more difficult than we think we can handle the fellowship of the believers lightens the burden.

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."

There are only two reasons we assume we have a right to health, wealth and prosperity, first is that we want to believe it and secondly it is being shoved down our throats every time we turn around in this culture. 
 

We are even judged at times for lacking faith or spirituality when we are physically ill or living on meager funds. Those who judge on the basis of these things are arrogant and self righteous, believing they have arrived at spirituality, when in fact they more likely lack it.

We know that God has a purpose in all things, the more we obey Him, the more likely we are to be rejected for our faith, demeaned and lied against. The devil's aim is to minimize our witness of the gospel but God's purpose is to strengthen us through the exercise of faith in Him. Without trials there is no strengthening.

James 1:2-3
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."