Encouraging a Christian Sister

I wanted to encourage a sister this afternoon with these words. When we expect things to get worse and they do then our hearts are prepared to face it. This is why God gave us the knowledge and wisdom of the end times to prepare our hearts to endure through it by depending more fully on Him. If we know what is coming we can cling more closely to Christ Who is our help and strength.

What I shared with my Sis!

"We know things are going to become worse, we are not going to be as comfortable as we have been most of our lives because Christ is coming soon. He is coming to get us out of a darkened world that is only going to grow darker."

Thank the Lord my hope is not in this world but in Christ to take me through it and out of it in the right time.

2 Timothy 3:10-16 "10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance,

11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!

12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

We are Living in "As the Days of Noah" Right Now

We are to share as led by God because in our day, "as in the days of Noah" there are not many people left who will listen. I believe we are approaching a time when many people who have a desire to share the gospel will be prevented from doing so because of the hardened hearts of the world at this time.

Acts 16:6-7 "6 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.…"

It is not a good idea to pressure believers to get out there and speak the gospel to just anyone all the time. It is quite possible in these last days that very godly people who love to speak about the Lord with boldness will be prevented from doing so because of the hardness of hearts near them or in the rest of the world.

If you think that God is not going to deal harshly with America think again. America is not special to God so much so that He would turn a blind eye to all its wickedness.

I am quite sure there are many people who are assigning to God the traits of the permissive parents of our day. The permissive parents are against the sin of shacking up as unmarried couples until their own children do it. Then all of a sudden because of their desire to be loved by their son they accept his sin and even embrace and endorse it.

God does not need our love to the extent that He is willing to pretend our sinful deeds have changed to good just because we want to act disrespectfully and disobedient.

We know someone is in rebellion against God when they fight and argue against God's commands and principles to defend sin using circumstances as their excuse.

If hard circumstances were a reason to disobey God than Christ would have disobeyed the Father when He was going to the cross to pay for the sins of others, sins He never did Himself. Circumstances and hardship are not a pass for disobedience.

James 1:2-8 "2 Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces ]endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

We never have a good reason to sin! As born again believers we have the option of seeking the Lord for answers and strength, when we do this He will go through with us. He does not always bail us out, but He always goes through with us.

Do we wish to become warriors, coming out the other side of the battle in honor, obedience and blessed by God, enduring and trusting in Christ is the way to do it.

James 1:12-24

"12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of firstfruits among His creatures.

19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in]humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;

24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does."

It is not cruel or mean but rather love when a brother or sister encourages us to keep obeying Christ no matter what, it is a noble and courageous thing to endure for Christ's sake. It is love to help someone endure their trial. It is hate that endorses sin comforting someone in their rebellion has no blessing.

Many of us have lived in difficult times from time to time, but because we love Christ we did not allow our pain to cause us to sin against God and others. We did lean into our pain, whinning and complaining with a desire to do anything we could to remove it when we were lost without hope. A born again believer does not think like this, or if they do it is temporary as the Holy Spirit helps us to remember our calling is to glorify Christ in our trials.

The heart of this country and the world has become apostate, full of rebellion, and angst against the Lord continually.

Matthew 13:15

"For the heart of this people has become dull,

With their ears, they scarcely hear,

And they have closed their eyes,

Otherwise, they would see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart and return,

And I would heal them.’"

Romans 2:5

"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"

Revelation 16:9

"Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."

Revelation 16:11

"and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds."

The Continually Growing Apostasy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VraAW8oi3Yg

8 Wrong Assumptions The Narcissist Makes About You

Narcissists develop ideas about us in order to elevate themselves above those they hate. They are deeply jealous and must pretend we are incompetent and foolish. They even pass on gossip about us that is not true but will cause others to dislike us the way they do. Disregard and remove yourselves from these people, they do not love you or God. Their hatred toward us is not based on facts but on their own fantasies. 

How Narcissists Use Humiliation And How You Can Respond

Last Days We are Living in Now!

No one can stop what God has already prophesied to happen. That would be like Moses saying to the people, "thus saith the Lord" and the people replying "no He didn't."

We are watching prophesy play out just as God said it would, to attempt to stop it would be like attempting to drain the ocean with a teaspoon and a bucket.

So then what is the response of a Christian in these last days? Born again believers must be about their Father's business, that is to speak the gospel to the lost and encourage the saved to keep learning and growing in the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:11…10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."

Jude 1:17-25 "17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”

19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;

23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."

When God tells us to "build one another up" He is not saying to use flattery to make people feel good about themselves. He is telling us to encourage them to keep walking the narrow road obedient to Christ. When someone falls we are to encourage them to confess their sin getting up and starting again in obedience.

The gospel of the lost is "the good news" that is that they are sinners on their way to hell but Christ paid the price for sin and they can have salvation if they will only confess their sinfulness desiring God to change them into a new creation. If they want this and ask for it then God will save anyone who wants it His way.

John 3:3-5 "…3 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old? Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born? 5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.…"

Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay our debt for sin. Those who have not yet believed in Him must do so in order to be changed by Him. When someone trusts in Christ, Christ will change them into a new creation. He does all the work in them, He saves them, comes to live in them and keeps them safe until He comes for them.

No one is saved by their own works they are saved only by believing in Christ. However, after He saves us we desire to obey Him, we have works that He works in us. Anyone who thinks they can save themselves by their own good works will not be saved. Self-righteousness will only bring misery and hell.

Romans 3:22-23 "22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,…"

No one is better than another man, we are all the same, sinful and without righteousness until Christ comes to live in those who want Him. Those who believe in Him will acquire His righteousness.

Do We Care About the Lost?