Cultural Christianity in America!

Have you noticed the tone of the Christians in this country of total freedom?

They drone on and on about politics, conservatism, and their own desires while fighting for their rights but embarrassed when the name of Christ is mentioned outside the church building.

Our country is full of cultural Christians who deny Christ through defying His Word to follow their traditions. They love their one-man pastor systems that have ruined intimacy with Christ and each other. They indulge in the pagan holidays, divorce, and remarry, as well as live in sin without marriage at the same and even higher rate the world does.

When one takes the time to list all the violations of God's Word most Christians indulge in, it is astonishing that they would even say they love the Word of God.

When we say we love the Word of God and we love Christ that means we seek Him with every breathe we take to obey Him. We confess when we have sinned and failed to live up to His Word and we express these things openly to others.

The American church is full of lies, pride, and resistance to the truth of God. They believe if they follow one or two things, even things they have twisted to fit their cultural desire, they count themselves as obeying the Bible.

When challenged to take a look at what they have been taught or what they have chosen to believe they exclude the person who challenged them. They mock and demean them even gossip against them in order to make them appear evil to others.

Proverbs 29:27

"An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked."

John 15:18

"If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first."

These rebellious "religious" people did the same things to Christ and the apostles that they do to us.

James 1:2-8 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

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

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Do not allow these responses to our desire to live for Christ to discourage you, rather let them strengthen you, build you up in the faith and keep you in the Word.

Matthew 10:21-22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "

Yes, your entire family will be against you in many cases. Notice that we do not hear of the apostle's families as they served Christ. There are only rare occasions when a husband and wife work together in the cause of Christ, Pricilla and Aquila are of this sort, they were rare.

Timothy was taught by his grandmother and mother, where were his father and grandfather?

God gave us the Bible to encourage us that we would be alone a lot but that Christ would be enough. Those who are our families are those who love Jesus Christ. The ones who run hard after Him and desire to learn and grow in holiness are our mothers, fathers and brothers and sisters. Our family is immense, all over the world. These are the ones who will celebrate with us at the marriage supper of the Lamb one day. These are the ones whom we care about deeply and who care about us.

The life we live with Christ may seem lonely at times but the more we press into Him the less lonely we become. He is all we need if He is all we have. However, I am convinced that in these last days of apostasy we have been given the internet to bring us, fellowship, with others who love Him as much as we do.

Those who mock our interaction on the internet do not understand that we love our unseen brothers and sisters as much as if we were with them in the body. Just as Paul loved those he wrote letters to and missed.

Philippians 4:1-2 "1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.…"

1 Corinthians 16:13

"Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong."

Philippians 1:8

"God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus."

Never allow the voice of the devil in the mouths of superficial Christians to deter you from enjoying the fellowship of the internet believer. He would love nothing more than to ruin your time with them. Also, keep in mind that the internet is nothing more than letters as Paul wrote to believers to encourage them.

There is no real difference except the miracle of instant letters rather than taking months to arrive they are sent and received instantaneously. I believe this is an indication of how short the time is before our Savior takes us out. He is providing this way of communicating quickly because there isn't time to waste traveling for weeks and months with a letter.

May the Lord encourage each one of you as you muddle through this "ragingly insane" world while waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ in the air to take us out.

Hallelujah!

Where is the Fruit of the Spirit?

Narcissists do more lying by omission and actions than by words. They twist the truth to come out the opposite of what actually happened by their personal spin on everything. They say one thing and do the opposite often.

Since they act superior they must spin everything to their own advantage. If we have said something profound they will negate it and come back two days later saying the same thing as though it was their own idea in the first place.

I have seen this many times! They will even use exactly the words to others that you said as though they were the ones who originated it. They will never give credit to anyone else for a good idea or a good job.

They will even tell you what a bad idea you had and then go off and do the idea as though you never had it, that it belonged to them. If we were to call them out on it they would make us look childish and silly for suggesting that the idea did not originate with them. Narcissists are like devils, they are counterfeiters to elevate self above all others.

When a narcissist says "I am one of the friendliest people you will meet." It just shows us that they have a high opinion of themselves that does not match at all with what others are seeing. They must try to convince others of things about themselves with words that they know are not true in reality.

I know the reason, if they acknowledge you are the good person they are speaking about then they have to feel like nothing at all.

Sadly if they cannot be everything better than others then they are nothing at all, in their own minds. They are pridefully wishing to be superior but in reality, they are deeply insecure or they would not need to make up lies about themselves. It is easier to "say" things than to actually "be" those things.

People who are confident do not have to boast about themselves, they are just happy being what they are and doing what they do without impressing anyone.

This is also why confident people can easily admit flaws because the flaws are not all they are, only a part of them that needs some work. That's why confident people grow and change for the better over the years, they are fixing things as needed.

Narcissists cannot admit the truth about their flaws, the very reason they do not grow emotionally or spiritually beyond the mentality of a bratty six-year-old.

Narcissists lie to themselves constantly, which is why they cannot tell the truth to anyone else. Their father is the father of lies. The devils influence their thinking to make them feel superior just as Satan did in the garden with Eve. He convinced her she could be her own god. The narcissists would melt into a puddle on the floor if they ever had to admit a flaw, the very attitude that keeps them in a state of infancy.

Proverbs 14:2-3 "…2 He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him. 3 The proud speech of a fool brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them."

It is clear that a narcissist is a fool, one who will continue in foolishness even when that foolishness loses him something. He would rather hang onto his pride and diluted superiority than admit wrong and grow emotionally and spiritually.

Proverbs 18:5-6 "…5 Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice. 6 A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating. 7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.…"

Our culture in this day of apostasy has trained the youth to defend their pride to praise themselves causing them to maintain infantile thinking well into their middle age.

I could be wrong but I am convinced that someone who remains infantile into their middle age will likely never come out of it. There is only one hope for them and that is to admit their sinfulness, repent and trust in Christ. Without this, there can be no change and no salvation. Change only comes after trusting in Christ, sadly, trusting in Christ is unlikely for those who are so deeply narcissistic that they will never admit they are sinful, although I have heard of some who have repented and come to Christ.

If we know a narcissist we can keep praying until God tells us to stop. If someone is a narcissist they have only two choices, admit their sin and trust Christ or remain as they are and go to hell.

No one can be a full-blown narcissist after trusting in Christ. Christ changes our character into a completely different person after the born-again experience. If someone remains a narcissist and claims to be a Christian they are lying and were never born again. These are sobering thoughts in a modern Christian world in which words seem to be enough to convince someone we are a Christian.

Here is the evidence that someone has become born again.

Galatians 5:22-23

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

The fruit of the Spirit is the character qualities of Christ, no one is born again who lacks this fruit, all of the qualities must be present.

Seeking Christ Rather Than Man

"A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."

When we have been able to "convince" a person of something through logic rather than faith, it is likely they merely agreed intellectually and never were inwardly converted by faith. 

I fear that most people today who call themselves Christians have been "convinced" intellectually" but have not had a heart change to be born again. 

These people will follow rules, appearing to follow Christ on the outside but have no dedication to His Word. The reason I believe this is because they violate more scripture than they obey, make excuses for their own sinful attitudes, and do not change in their behavior or attitudes, even into old age. 

These people change some of the beliefs that are more interesting to them but retain many sinful attitudes and superior stances without spiritual and emotional growth. 

We are living in a world full of pretenders who are more dedicated to their own ideas and fantasies than they are to the Word of God. We know this because of the way they defend their sin, claiming it is good and Biblical, lying against the Word of God. 

Lying against the Word of God is the same as lying against Christ. Christ is called the Word, He is the very essence of His Own Word. When someone claims He did no say something He did say they are lying against Him. When someone adds to the Word with human wisdom they are lying against Christ. When someone takes away from the Word by omitting important scriptures they are denying Christ Himself. 

John 20:30–31 
"30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

John 1:1
"1, In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The modern church is apostate in more ways we can count. The thrust of the lives of these church attendees for the most part is social more than spiritual. When people defend their pastor rather than evaluate him, they are engaging in a popish sort of worship toward a man. I used to say many years ago after leaving the Catholic church that Protestants do not realize they have their own Protestant Popes. These are men who have been trained and educated by Christian institutions rather than by the Holy Spirit. It was supposed by most people that if they were educated in seminary or Bible college they must know the truth and are qualified to teach others. Sadly this was a dilution, those who are qualified are so because they have been trained and led by the Holy Spirit. Many men coming out of Christian institutions are not born again, they lack the fruit of the Spirit of Christ. 

Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Knowledge all by itself is dangerous when it is not enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Many preachers who have been trained by men lack the wisdom to understand the knowledge they have. This is the reason they preach damnable heresies claiming they are from God. 

2 Peter 2:1-2 "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."

It was supposed by many churchgoers that anyone educated in these "religious" institutions must be holy men merely by their human degree. This is cultural Christianity based on education, not on Christ. 

Many men coming out of these institutions were never born again, the very reason they embrace a form of Psychology, self-esteem, and other heretical ideologies that defy the very Word of God. 

The entire one-man pastor system purporting to be the authority over their congregations depends on the pew people to see them as elevated above them. They count on their word being law and the people submitting to them. This is Popism based on Catholicism. The tradition of elevating one man above another does not come from the scriptures but from this corrupted system of hierarchy. 

Those who lead are not above others, they serve them and are deeply accountable to God and those they teach. If they are in error the learners are expected to correct them that they do not become elevated in their own minds. 

If a pew person cannot evaluate or correct a teacher or pastor then they have an idol and must repent from idolatry. 

Acts 20:28-31 " 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. "

Elders and pastors are shepherds to protect the flock they are not authorities over them without accountability to them. 

A pew person who will not evaluate the pastor comparing what he says with the Word of God is lazy as well as idolatrous. If we love our pastors and elders we will evaluate what they say according to the Word and correct them if needed to help them grow in wisdom. 

When we have the love of God in us we are more concerned with Biblical correctness and obedience to God's Word than we are about someone's temporary feelings of embarrassment at a correction. 

Proverbs 27:5-7 "…5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
7 A satisfied person despises honey,
But to a hungry person, any bitter thing is sweet."

When we love God our desire is for everyone, including ourselves to grow in holiness and obedience to His Word. This is not common in our day of apostasy, in fact, it is quite uncommon and even rare. Let us seek to please God more than anyone or anything else. 

Who Do You Believe, God or Yourself?

Are You Ready?

The Irrational "Common" Sense

The "common" sense in our day is an "irrational" sense based on feelings. Facts no longer matter.

The Fool Loves to Hate and He Loves to Make You Angry

Untrustworthy insecure people take every passing comment no matter how innocent as a personal insult or slight. Ignore their response to innocent comments and move on, they have no interest in resolving anything or seeing the love in those they wish to diminish.

Our world is full now of these people who love to hate, who love to show contempt when it is not warranted. Because there is contempt in their heart they must dump it on someone and it will always be those who love God.

Because they hate God even when they say they are Christian they will see everything in terms of their hatred of Him. Remember it's not personal to you, it directed at God who lives in you. Let God do your fighting for you, He is better at defending us than we are of defending ourselves because He knows the heart of the one He is dealing with, we can only know their heart in so much as we see their actions.

May the Lord guide you in all your responses and non-responses, keeping you innocent no matter what is thrown at you.

Proverbs 15:1-2 Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked

"15 A gentle answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant,

But the mouth of fools spouts foolishness."

Proverbs 26:4-5

"4 Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness,

Or you will also be like him.

5 Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves,

So that he will not be wise in his own eyes."

A fool will count himself as having won against you if he can make you angry do not oblige him.