Group Thinking or the Mind of Christ?

Most people who say they are Christians, who read their bibles and even speak some truths have not trusted in Christ because their allegiance is in the culture in which they live not in Him. They will easily accept psychological teachings that make them feel special and superior while spurning the truth of God to fit into the group-think.

"SAYING" you believe in Christ is far different from actually believing in Him. Truth faith in Christ is to seek Him for truth, not special teachers who will say what we want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires,"

John 14:15-17: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you”.

Those in apostate churches today want to win you to themselves not to Christ. They want to draw you away from the principles of the Bible to adjust to their false doctrine and become one of them. One way they do this is to exclude you and isolate you so that you will become sad and alone, causing you to give up the principles of God to become like them.

Galatians 4:16-17 "…16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. "

When we refuse to be courted by them these apostates will attempt to make us jealous of them so that we will give up the wisdom of God to return to them.

When we have Christ and walk with Him daily we have no need to be accepted by others, but those who hate us want us to think we are without love and companionship unless we are just like them.

Jealousy is at the root of all the nefarious interactions with apostates.

'Proverbs 6:34 “Jealousy makes a man rage; he'll show no mercy on his day of revenge.”

Proverbs 14:30 “A peaceful mind gives life to the body, but jealousy rots the bones.”

Proverbs 27:4 “Wrath is cruel and anger is a flood, but who can withstand jealousy?”

The biggest sins of the devil were pride and jealousy. He wanted to be God, these two elements go hand in hand, they feed off of one another. One is not jealous unless they are also prideful and one is not prideful unless they are also jealous.

Gossip is always present when there is jealousy and pride involved. One does not feel a need to gossip to gain the allegiance of others against someone unless there is jealousy. The need to cause others to dislike someone always stems from prideful jealousy.

James 3:14-17

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy."

Notice the love of God compels us to regard everyone the same treating everyone with respect not only those who might be regarded as special.

The prideful heart feels justified in treating with contempt those who have different gifts from themselves. They hate anyone who is not just like them.

James 3:13-15 "13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.…"

There can be no humility in one who regards some people and diminishes others. Christ died for all and we are no better than anyone else and no one else is better than us.

We have all fallen short of the glory of God and needed a Savior. Those who have no appreciation, love and understanding or affection for those they think are beneath them are not walking in the Spirit of Christ.

Romans 8:8-9

"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God, but those who are in the Spirit can. If the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are in the Spirit and not in the flesh."

Romans 8:10

"If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."

Romans 8:9-17

"9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—

13 for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.

15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."

If we walk in the Spirit we will not live according to pride and jealousy but according to 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."

The character qualities of Christ Who lives in us are what compel us to act the way He would want us to act, not by our own efforts but by His Spirit.

They Know But Hide it from those they Wish to Impress

We know the narcissist knows their ill-treatment of certain people is wrong. We know it because they only do it covertly to those they disrespect. They hide it from those they wish to deceive into believing they are a good person.

We know the narcissist understands the wickedness of their attitude and actions because they work to win to themselves others they think they can influence to dislike their target.

If they had an innocent heart they would not feel a need to cause others to dislike their target.

2 Timothy 3:13

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

Just like Satan people cannot be alone in their hatred toward those they wish to destroy.

2 Corinthians 6 "6 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

2 for He says,

“At a favorable time I listened to you,

And on a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”—

3 giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,

4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties,

5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,

6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,

7 in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;

9 as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yet not put to death,

10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.

12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

13 Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

14 Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness?

15 Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?

16 Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

“I will dwell among 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."

Hallelujah!

Don't Fight with a Narcissist - Let God Handle It! #TrustGod #DealingWit...

Context is Everything

It is vitally important that we read the entire context of any principle or concept in the Bible to get the entire understanding. Confession of sin and forgiveness are two sides to the same coin, both must be present for any relationship to be restored. Just as our relationship with Christ is not restored without repentance, the example for our human relationships too.

The idea that we need not confess our sins one to another, that we forgive for ourselves is foolishness. We confess and forgive for the sake of a relationship restoration, not merely so we feel better but that a relationship is restored. When this happens properly as God intended the relationship becomes stronger.

Because people are encouraged to overlook confessing and go straight to forgiveness has made weak and fragile relationships. It has also distorted the churches view of the need for confession of sin toward God so that our relationship with Him becomes stronger. In the case of non-believers, many think God forgives automatically without the need to ask His forgiveness to be cleansed of sin.

James 5:15-16 "…15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."

Luke 17:3-4 "…3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Do not overlook the phrases in this passage; "Confess your sins to one another", and If returns to say 'I repent', you must forgive Him."

If someone has offended another person and refuses to confess it and does not desire the restoration of the relationship they are stubborn and self-willed, their attitudes and actions will not change leaving the relationship in a constant state of distrust.

We cannot trust those who think their offenses are justified, they will always re-offend without remorse.

This is not to say that we are justified in returning evil for evil, this would be to become just like the offender. The devil loves more than anything to cause a righteous person to sin against those who have harmed us. We must bless those who curse us when in their company but we are not obligated to remain friends with those who treat us contemptuously.

Christ endured the hatred of many but never sinned against those who sinned against Him.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it [a]keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

We must show others the respect they didn't show us, this is what sets us apart from those who do not love Christ.

Matthew 5:44

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

Remember there is a difference between treating others with respect and being in a relationship with them.

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

We are to expose sin as led by the Holy Spirit and remove ourselves from those who will not repent.

"John 8:44

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

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1 Corinthians 15:33 "Be not deceived: “Evil associations corrupt good manners.”

When we are regularly around ungodly unsaved people as our main companions we begin to think how they act and the rude things they say are normal and everyone lives like this.

Unfortunately, when we are around cultural norms in which people think rudeness is fun or angst is normal we begin to think it is too. Whatever we are around regularly will eventually turn us into whatever is around us. We become like that which is corrupted.

While we are in the mess we are too confused and agitated to be able to see the attitudes for what they are, but when we are gone a while and come back it is blatant.

It's sort of like a smoker who smokes in their house or people with dogs who don't clean their house, and don't seem to notice the smell until they go on vacation, when they come back to the smell that was absent on vacation, they suddenly notice how bad it is. Sometimes it takes some time away from the mess to see there is a mess.

This is why I believe God said; 2 Corinthians 6:17

"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."

God told us to go into the world and preach the gospel. He never said go into the world and become like them and maybe they will like Jesus because they like us.

When we speak of Christ to people most will not want it and will even exact revenge toward us for daring to tell the truth. The biggest lie afoot in Christendom today is that if we do what unbelievers do and say what they say they will want to know about God.

Matthew 10:21-23 "…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. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Yes, family will despise you before you even step out into the world. Our first rejection of the gospel and the principles of God will be from family first.

Proverbs 29:27

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

Isaiah 66:5

"You who tremble at His word, hear the word of the LORD: "Your brothers who hate you and exclude you because of My name have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified that we may see your joy!' But they will be put to shame."

In these last days, we can expect to be treated with contempt, disrespect, and disregard because we adhere to the principles of Christ in our own lives and speak them boldly to others.

Unbelieves will accuse us of past sins and make up lies about us in the present to justify their anger toward our stand to follow the Word of God.

In some cases all we have to do is live out our lives as we follow Christ, even if we don't speak of it we will be hated for our own decision to follow Him.

Now in these end times, we cannot help but speak boldly about the Lord to those who are perishing and to believers as we edify one another with the truth of God's Word. The Holy Spirit compels us to speak without regard to the consequences. If we ponder the consequences it will leave us Spiritually weak.

We are surrounded by angst and disrespect even among those who say they are Christians. They justify their disrespect of God and us with excuses only a small child would utter to be able to continue in ill-mannered and selfish behavior.

Deuteronomy 3:22 " 22Do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God Himself will fight for you.”

Exodus 14:14

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Isaiah 43:1,2

"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine…"

Born-again believers have been grafted into the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He fights for us just as He does for Israel. We are not insignificant in God's eyes, He cares for all those who love Him.

1 Peter 5:7 "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Romans 11:24

"For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!"

What a blessing to know this life is for our training and all that we go through will make us stronger because of Christ. We can remain strong even through the tears as joy is full in all things we encounter.

I Remember when I was a child and fell off my bike, feeling silly that I fell I cried and laughed at the same time. Sometimes I have this same feeling of weeping at the difficulties while smiling at the challenges. The wisdom that comes from living all aspects of this life is far greater than comfort which dilutes learning and minimizes spiritual maturity.

"Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning."

Maturing in Christ requires a "boot camp" of sorts, to strengthen our spiritual muscles taking us to greater wisdom. It will all be worth it!!!!

The Secret of the Serpent in Genesis: What the Hebrew Text Reveals Will ...