Listen to this....http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/how-to-receive-the-gift-of-the-holy-spirit
The facts are, not every time someone was converted or was baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts did they immediately speak or pray in tongues.
There are three major instances. One on the day of Pentecost. Two when some Gentiles were saved. And three when Paul ran across some men who had just received John's baptism but had not gotten the Holy Spirit yet.
But, John Piper points out, "Acts records at least nine other conversion stories, but never again mentions a two-step sequence with tongues (8:36; 9:17–19; 13:12, 48; 14:1; 16:14; 17:4, 34). This shows how difficult it is to establish a norm from the way things happened back then."
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Two Years of my Life
It was brought up in a comment on Facebook that I was committing adultery when I was with Roger, the guy who died about a year ago. And can I just say, they need to rename it drama book lol not Facebook, because that's what it often is. :)
For some reason I never saw it that way. Yes he was still legally married to his ex-wife and yes we were not legally married, but we both always felt in God's eyes that we were married.
I will explain the whole situation if any of you who have been reading my blog are confused about it. :)
First of all, there are grey areas in our walk with God. Not everything is black and white. I used to think that way, but life is full of grey areas.
We cannot be so quick to judge someone until we fully understand their situation. "Judge not lest ye be judged." God is our judge, not man.
We are to hold each other accountable to an extent as fellow Christians, but on the other hand Jesus said, "If anyone is without sin let him cast the first stone." Amen?
We have ALL sinned and we ALL deserve hell. We are all in the same boat. None of us is any better than another. God sees us all, who are in Christ, the same as well. No one is better and no one is worse than another. God sees US ALL the same. :)
And praise God Jesus saved us from hell and what we deserve! Praise God that He forgives us over and over again! Amen! :) God is so good!
I truly believe God brought Roger and I together to be together. It seemed very meant to be, more than any other person I have known in my life. I remember the first time we hugged it was like that scene in Pocahontas when the wind and leaves swirl around them. I felt God was smiling down on us and saying, "Yes! This is good! This is who I have for you! This is your destiny and my plan for you!" :) Granted it was just his plan for the next two years, but it was great while it lasted. :)
I, and all of us, only have to answer to God someday for how we lived our lives, not any other human being.
I am so tired of judgmental Christians, aren't you? I am so tired of people thinking that they can be God to someone else and that they can say what is right and wrong in someone else's life?
There was a quote I heard a long time ago that I just love, "You cannot understand someone else until you have walked two miles in their moccasins." Or something like that. And you can't. Not fully. Until you have lived their life you cannot really understand them or what they are going through. You cannot pretend to advise them on their life when you are not living it.
There was a quote I heard a long time ago that I just love, "You cannot understand someone else until you have walked two miles in their moccasins." Or something like that. And you can't. Not fully. Until you have lived their life you cannot really understand them or what they are going through. You cannot pretend to advise them on their life when you are not living it.
Love is not controlling. Love gives freedom. Love sees that to really love you have to let the other person be free. Love is supportive. Love does not condemn. Love is encouraging and uplifting etc.
I never felt God was mad at me the whole time that I was with Roger. I know what God being mad at me feels like from past relationships with non Christian guys. But I never ever felt that with Roger. It felt right. It felt like I was where God wanted me to be the whole time. I had a total peace and joy about it, about being with him.
I felt that God was very pleased with me and wanted me to help Roger. Roger was my mission and my full time ministry for the two years that I knew him. God used me to minister to him, just like God used him to minister to me. :)
He helped me a heal a lot from the anger and hurt over my sexual abuse. He had worked in mental health for 10 years so he was pretty much an expert when it came to sexual abuse victims. And he himself was sexually abused, so no one in the world could have or did understand me better than he did!
We were best friends. We were inseparable, attached at the hip. We did everything together.
We would literally talk for 10 hours at a time. It was crazy. We would look at the clock and be like, "Where did the time go?" lol He had some much wisdom to share with me about life, about people etc.
He understood God better than anyone I have ever known, and how much God loves us.
No one in my life showed me God's love more than he did.
He was completely accepting and loved me unconditionally.
And I helped him in his relationship with God too. I brought him back to being obedient to God. I even baptized him, as crazy as that sounds. lol The only person I've ever baptized, so far anyways. :)
I got him to not drink alcohol for his last year, and to not drink soda anymore etc.
I helped him to enjoy life again greatly and he helped me too.
He helped me heal and bind up my wounds from my past. He helped me to trust men for the first time. He helped to believe in men for the first time. He helped me to believe that a man could be a good dad for my kids someday.
I don't regret any of my time with him and I don't regret living with him, even if to some it does seem like living in sin. I don't care. It was well worth it. :)
Paul says in Galatians, "Am I trying to win over human beings or God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I wouldn't be Christ's slave." Amen. Give up trying to please people. It doesn't work. Just focus on pleasing God amen? :)
If I could go back and do it all over again, I would.
My mom several times tried to attack me too actually and condemn me and say that I was living in sin, even after he died! You would think she would drop it by then, but some Christians enjoy judging others just a little too much. :(
Why? Because it makes them forget about their own sin. It makes them feel better about themselves for some reason.
But I honor God's opinion above anyone else's; my mom's, the government, friends, and any other human being. I didn't and don't care that we weren't legally married. In God's eyes we both saw ourselves as married, and that was all that mattered.
The only reason he couldn't divorce his wife was because he couldn't afford to. If it really bothered my mom she could have offered to pay for his divorce, but she didn't. We didn't have anyone to help us really. We were on our own. It was us and God against the world it seemed. But at least we had each other for those two years.
Also once Roger's mom finally gave us money to help with the divorce, his ex wife drew out the process as long as she could just to torture Roger because she was a very evil woman. :(
It's possible she was actually possessed, because in one picture I saw of her with Roger and their first baby her eyes were almost black. But she had blue eyes. Odd huh. :( Very crazy woman.
He was actually always worried that she would shoot him with one of her step dad's guns. No joke. And this lady would have been capable of something like that.
She hated Roger and made his life a living hell, even when I was with him.
Therefore, I know God sent me into the storm of Roger's life to alleviate some of the pain he had to go through in marrying a crazy person in his past. He was young and she seduced him. It was as simple as that. She conned him and played him. She knew his family had money and she was only after the money. She was a gold digger to the max.
(A note to single people, think long and hard before you marry someone. Make sure they are a good person first and have a good heart or you will be tortured the rest of your life, especially if you have kids with them. Be very, very careful :( It really IS the most important decision you will ever make, besides becoming Christian. :)
Roger's divorce to his ex wife was almost completely finalized right when he died. So we were about to be legally married finally.
We only didn't before because we couldn't be. But he always said he would have married me in a heartbeat if he could have, and in his heart he was married to me and I was to him.
So I don't care what anyone else said then or now. In God's eyes we were married and we both were sure of that.
God is ultimately our judge, NOT people. So don't let anyone else look down on you or try to condemn you. That is not their place. If you don't feel that God is angry with you, then ignore people that try to condemn you or judge you. They are wrong and God is right.
God is our God, not other people. No matter how much they try to be our god, they are not.
We will answer to God one day and no one else.
Listen for God's voice in everything. Let him lead you and guide you. And tune everything else out for the most part. :)
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." :)
May God increase your wisdom and may your ears be more and more sensitive to his voice. In Jesus' name Amen! God bless!
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Church Divisions
I have somewhat of an ongoing debate with my husband regarding which denomination is better; Charismatic or Baptist.
But I am not really Baptist either.
Most of my life I have gone to non-denominational churches.
I have never understood why, if we are ALL the body of Christ, and there is "one Spirit, one life, one baptism: etc. why then are we all split up into different denominations? Why can't we be unified? Why are there so many church divisions?
I am not anti any denomination per se. I am anti any religious person that is prideful and wants to add something to Scripture that isn't there. For some reason people in these smaller sect churches tend to be more prideful and add doctrines to Scripture.
That was why Jesus always got mad at the Pharisees. They wanted to push their own agenda. They wanted to control people with their own extra added on rules and doctrines. They wrote a whole other book just of laws that THEY made up for people to memorize in addition to the Old Testament. They wanted to micro-manage people. They were prideful and they wanted control over people.
People now are in a certain denomination because they want to push certain agenda on people. They have these extra doctrines that they like such as the baptism of the Holy Spirit in charismatic churches and in Baptist churches that baptism is necessary for salvation. It is not. Jesus said to the thief on the cross "Today you will be with me in paradise." And he was never baptized.
Neither is the baptism of the Holy Spirit necessary. The fact is, we are ALL baptized into the Holy Spirit when we are saved. What charismatics are actually talking about is what is Bible calls just being filled with the Holy Spirit. This we are supposed to ask for every day, continually. We need to always be filled up more and more with the Holy Spirit, because this how we get more and more spiritual gifts, and how we are able to walk the Christian walk better. God's Holy Spirit guides us, directs us, convicts us, speaks to us, helps us know how to pray etc.
Tongues are just one of the 12 or 13 spiritual gifts.
I do not have tongues, but I have other gifts. I just took a class on spiritual gifts and I'm pretty sure I have teaching, giving, exhortation, mercy, serving and maybe administration.
Therefore, I'm good. :) I don't need any more. :)
When I was praying about tongues awhile ago I felt God was saying to me, "But I have given you so many gifts already! Aren't they enough?" And yes he has. And I am quite content with the gifts I already have.
But pride in churches is all over the place. Pride leads to church splits, division and all the various denominations that we have.
Then there is the pride of Calvinism.
First of all, their belief that God saves some and not others arbitrarily is extremely prideful. Then they get all puffed up on thinking about themselves being God's elect. And they start to think, "ha God chose me but not you!"
They don't care about witnessing because "God will save who he will save anyways. Why should I have to do anything?"
And they get lazy in their Christian walk because once they know they are the elect nothing they do matters. Why read the Bible? Why pray? Why do anything?! Because "I'm already saved right? I'm secure."
See how this can lead to EXTREME pride and extreme laziness?
I know this is the mentality because I've been there. Most of my life I believed in the once saved, always saved idea, theory, and I wasn't very motivated to read my Bible or pray or live a good Christian walk devoid of sin either. I always thought, "Well I'm saved no matter what so why does what I do matter? What is the motivation for being good? Why grow in my knowledge of God? I'm secure right?" haha. Ah I was so prideful. :)
But "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." And "work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
Just about every church event or service I have been too lately seems to bring up the once saved, always saved theory. Which irks me because the fact is, no one can really know for sure if that is totally correct.
There are verses that say seem to say both sides. Jesus says "In the last days many will fall away." But he also said, "No one can snatch them out of my hand."
I had a revelation today though in a church service at a Baptist church.
Children can disown their parents.
Children can choose to cut of the relationship and stop talking to a parent, as I have my dad.
We can do the same with God.
Once we are saved he will never un-adopt us as his children, but we can disown him and run back to the world. We can end the relationship.
Jesus says, "Any branch that does not bear fruit is cut off and throw into the fire." But it was once a branch. It was once connected to the vine, being Jesus.
Thus, the story of the prodigal son. And where would the son have gone if he died when he was away?
I have always believed he would go to hell.
That story represents a Christian, who was a child of God, that disowns God and walks away from him.
God will always welcome a child who ran away back. But if the child never comes back what then?
I believe he or she would then go to hell. They made the decision to leave God, to cut off the relationship, and so they will be punished for it.
"IF you remain in me I also will remain in you."
It's not, it can't be, that you say the prayer and now you have your magical golden ticket into heaven so you can sit back and relax.
No, that leads to extreme pride and that leads to laziness in the Christian walk.
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Why would that verse be in their if we had nothing to worry about in regards to being saved or not?
The fact is, we do. Sin is a slippery slope and we need to be careful.
May God increase mine and your wisdom about this. Amen. :)
But I am not really Baptist either.
Most of my life I have gone to non-denominational churches.
I have never understood why, if we are ALL the body of Christ, and there is "one Spirit, one life, one baptism: etc. why then are we all split up into different denominations? Why can't we be unified? Why are there so many church divisions?
I am not anti any denomination per se. I am anti any religious person that is prideful and wants to add something to Scripture that isn't there. For some reason people in these smaller sect churches tend to be more prideful and add doctrines to Scripture.
That was why Jesus always got mad at the Pharisees. They wanted to push their own agenda. They wanted to control people with their own extra added on rules and doctrines. They wrote a whole other book just of laws that THEY made up for people to memorize in addition to the Old Testament. They wanted to micro-manage people. They were prideful and they wanted control over people.
People now are in a certain denomination because they want to push certain agenda on people. They have these extra doctrines that they like such as the baptism of the Holy Spirit in charismatic churches and in Baptist churches that baptism is necessary for salvation. It is not. Jesus said to the thief on the cross "Today you will be with me in paradise." And he was never baptized.
Neither is the baptism of the Holy Spirit necessary. The fact is, we are ALL baptized into the Holy Spirit when we are saved. What charismatics are actually talking about is what is Bible calls just being filled with the Holy Spirit. This we are supposed to ask for every day, continually. We need to always be filled up more and more with the Holy Spirit, because this how we get more and more spiritual gifts, and how we are able to walk the Christian walk better. God's Holy Spirit guides us, directs us, convicts us, speaks to us, helps us know how to pray etc.
Tongues are just one of the 12 or 13 spiritual gifts.
I do not have tongues, but I have other gifts. I just took a class on spiritual gifts and I'm pretty sure I have teaching, giving, exhortation, mercy, serving and maybe administration.
Therefore, I'm good. :) I don't need any more. :)
When I was praying about tongues awhile ago I felt God was saying to me, "But I have given you so many gifts already! Aren't they enough?" And yes he has. And I am quite content with the gifts I already have.
But pride in churches is all over the place. Pride leads to church splits, division and all the various denominations that we have.
Then there is the pride of Calvinism.
First of all, their belief that God saves some and not others arbitrarily is extremely prideful. Then they get all puffed up on thinking about themselves being God's elect. And they start to think, "ha God chose me but not you!"
They don't care about witnessing because "God will save who he will save anyways. Why should I have to do anything?"
And they get lazy in their Christian walk because once they know they are the elect nothing they do matters. Why read the Bible? Why pray? Why do anything?! Because "I'm already saved right? I'm secure."
See how this can lead to EXTREME pride and extreme laziness?
I know this is the mentality because I've been there. Most of my life I believed in the once saved, always saved idea, theory, and I wasn't very motivated to read my Bible or pray or live a good Christian walk devoid of sin either. I always thought, "Well I'm saved no matter what so why does what I do matter? What is the motivation for being good? Why grow in my knowledge of God? I'm secure right?" haha. Ah I was so prideful. :)
But "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." And "work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
Just about every church event or service I have been too lately seems to bring up the once saved, always saved theory. Which irks me because the fact is, no one can really know for sure if that is totally correct.
There are verses that say seem to say both sides. Jesus says "In the last days many will fall away." But he also said, "No one can snatch them out of my hand."
I had a revelation today though in a church service at a Baptist church.
Children can disown their parents.
Children can choose to cut of the relationship and stop talking to a parent, as I have my dad.
We can do the same with God.
Once we are saved he will never un-adopt us as his children, but we can disown him and run back to the world. We can end the relationship.
Jesus says, "Any branch that does not bear fruit is cut off and throw into the fire." But it was once a branch. It was once connected to the vine, being Jesus.
Thus, the story of the prodigal son. And where would the son have gone if he died when he was away?
I have always believed he would go to hell.
That story represents a Christian, who was a child of God, that disowns God and walks away from him.
God will always welcome a child who ran away back. But if the child never comes back what then?
I believe he or she would then go to hell. They made the decision to leave God, to cut off the relationship, and so they will be punished for it.
"IF you remain in me I also will remain in you."
It's not, it can't be, that you say the prayer and now you have your magical golden ticket into heaven so you can sit back and relax.
No, that leads to extreme pride and that leads to laziness in the Christian walk.
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Why would that verse be in their if we had nothing to worry about in regards to being saved or not?
The fact is, we do. Sin is a slippery slope and we need to be careful.
May God increase mine and your wisdom about this. Amen. :)
Friday, November 15, 2013
Demons and Christians
Can Christians be possessed or just oppressed? What is the difference between the two? How can Satan attack Christians? How can he not?
These are all things I have been thinking about a lot lately.
From a friend:
"I spent hours counseling a so-called "prophet" who was in the New Apostolic Reformation. I spent many hours talking to him over the phone. In the three hours that he spoke to me in our first conversation, he revealed that he was "plagued" and possessed by demons. He even started saying things like "they know that I'm talking to you, and they're getting angry." I treated him the same way I would an unsaved person; I preached the Gospel to him. I suggested that he may not actually be the prophet he claimed to be. I attempted to say so lovingly, but he would have none of it."
Yes I have seen this on Facebook, people giving themselves the title of Apostle. There cannot be modern day apostles. The only apostles were the disciples and Paul and that's IT. No one today can be an apostle. So their theology on that is off.
In regards to this man being possessed, I have seen this in real life. A very charismatic person I knew seemed to be greatly under the influence of demons. He was in a deliverance ministry and I got a word of knowledge about him, which I do believe that is a spiritual gift, that said for him in trying to cast demons out of people ,he didn't know what he was doing, and so became plagued by them himself.
This is my fear in the charismatic movement and the praying in tongues phenomenon. How do people know that the spirit they are opening themselves up to is really the Holy Spirit? And why is it that most who pray in tongues seem to be on the broad path that leads to destruction rather than on the narrow path?
One lady in a charismatic church while supposedly exorcising a demon from someone actually put a demon on that person. How strange isn't it?
We need to be careful of these things for sure. There are people out there who are highly under the influence of Satan, even in the church. Be on your guard and be wise. Satan can appear as an angel of light.
"My own sister's house was filled with demons and she was terrified. She called me at 3:00AM one morning weeping; both her and her two sons were terrified. My sister was a professing Christian. I explained to her that demons would never want to be so close to one that was filled with the Holy Spirit, and so I suggested that she never understood the Gospel rightly, while at the same time reiterating the fact that God is the same one that allows demons to bother somebody for a definite reason: namely, to call them back to Himself."
Yes I have heard this many times about 3am. Watch the movie the Exorcism of Emily Rose and you will notice that in the movie. There is much more demonic activity in general at 3am. Something in the movie I just thought of, the girl speaks in tongues when the demon is speaking out of her. Interesting.
This explains why demons do not seem to come around me much. I hear them in my head at times trying to scare me, but I have never seen one or had any crazy experiences. They do not want to be around someone filled with the Holy Spirit, as I believe I already am, regardless of the fact that I don't pray in tongues. :) I have several other gifts of the Spirit to confirm this fact in my own mind, such as teaching, maybe prophecy but in the milder sense, exhortation etc. :)
This is interesting hearing that God may allow someone to be bothered by demons for a time to bring them back to himself. I could see that. God allows suffering in our lives to cause us to run back to him, to get our attention. Him allowing demons to bother us would certainly get our attention and make us run to him more. Thankfully he has never had to do this with me because he has always had my full attention, my whole life really. :) So that is good. :)
Except in the case of the death I experienced a year ago. I may have been putting that guy on a pedestal and idolizing him. Therefore it's possible God took him away from me because God is a jealous God and he will not allow anything to take his place. So we need to be careful of idolizing those that we love and are in a relationship with.
"As such, I preached the Gospel to her at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Upon getting off of the phone, she prayed a very personal prayer and never saw the demons again -- ever since, she has been a changed person, and even a born-again Christian. So do know that I have had experience in such matters, even in "casting out" demons (though, admittedly, I do not boast in such things)."
Yes there are countless Christians in the church who think they are saved but are not. The Pharisees whole-heartedly thought they were saved but were as far from it as they could have been. I have seen many that seem to have a faith of the mind but not a faith of the heart. A faith of the mind does not save us; God wants our heart. If your heart is not in love with Jesus, you need to check yourself. You should be somewhat madly in love with Jesus and God etc. God should be something you think about a lot. You should want to spend time with him. If it is not and you don't and you couldn't really care less about God etc, check yourself.
"The truth is, these big "evidences" of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit are not evidences of salvation at all. The fruit of the Spirit is not tongues, but "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law," (Galatians 5:22-23). "
lol that was a very good point and a very plain way to say it. Tongues can be a spiritual gift, but it is not the evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" as some would say. When you are born again, you are baptized into the Holy Spirit. If you do not have the Holy Spirit, then you are not saved. It is as simple as that. But if you have evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life and a spiritual gift of some sort, you can know that you are saved. There is far too much of an emphasis on tongues. When Paul was converted and the scales fell from his eyes, he did not instantly pray in tongues. Look it up. It isn't there. Never in Acts is Paul recorded as doing anything in tongues. So that is interesting. "Come now let us reason together." :)
"I would beware of doctrines of demons that attribute something to the Holy Spirit that is not of the Holy Spirit; in this case, the "gift of tongues." Don't get me wrong; there is a legitimate gift of tongues -- but to emphasize that one must speak in them as an evidence of salvation is heresy."
Yes it is heresy to push the idea that speaking in tongues is evidence of salvation or any part of salvation.
Salvation comes simply when you "confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved." THAT'S IT. Nothing else is needed. Then you should show that you are saved by the fruit in your life. Your fruit does not save you, but it does show that you are saved. "You shall know them by their fruit" Jesus said.
As I was thinking about this whole thing last night, about the woman praying in tongues for the last three years but then this possession, the phrase "doctrines of demons" kept popping in my head.
The facts are, people in other religions pray in tongues too; Hindus, Buddists etc. It is not just Christians who are able to pray in tongues. Satan can imitate this spiritual gift easily.
Look at what happened with the magicians in Egypt in Exodus. Moses did miracles, and the magicians were able to do EXACTLY the same miracles but with what power? With the power of Satan, with black magic. So just because someone seems to do something spectacular, that does not necessarily mean it is from God. Test the spirits. Satan can do miracles to. Satan can do amazing things too. Don't believe everything amazing you see to be from God. "Satan masquerades as an angel of light." Meaning he can parade about looking like a Christian. Think of Benny Hinn. I think he is the embodiment of this verse.
"What you heard about was not oppression, but possession. I would make absolutely no mistake about it; if I didn't know better, I would say that your friend came under the power of suggestion for 3 years whereby she began speaking in gibberish, not legitimate tongues. She needs to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She must understand the work of Christ, the propitiating atonement of Christ, the resurrection of Christ (and likewise, the justification we have because of the resurrection)." Amen.
Yes it seems that it was possession. A demon cannot talk out of someone unless they are completely and totally possessed. Oppression is being plagued with thoughts etc. It is hearing Satan talking to you and tempting you. That is a much more mild thing than a demon actually talking through you. That is for sure possession. I know that Christians can be oppressed, but by no means can a real Christian be full on possessed. "The evil one cannot touch him." "What can light have in common with darkness."
A comment from another friend:
"No doubt, the demonic is real. I can't understand any believer questioning it, for it is explained clearly in the Bible. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spirits and principalities.
I absolutely in no way believe a born again Christian can be possessed. It is impossible. Usually, when a person is subjected to possession, at some point, the door to the demonic had been opened."
The question I have about this is can certain forms of tongues speaking open a door to the demonic? People do not know what they are saying or praying, so how can they know if it really is God speaking through them or a demon? That is my major concern about it.
"My concern is with the American culture being so open and enthralled by the demonic to the point of elevating and celebrating it. Take heed to what fascinates you.
Be fascinated by the power and mercy of the Master and Creator of the Universe, and, by His LOVE. Perfect love casts out fear. "Fear NOT, for I have overcome the world." Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. For nothing can separate you from the love of God."
Amen! Be careful what fascinate you. Satan can present himself and demonic things as quite fascinating indeed. "Satan does not come dressed in a red cape; he comes as everything you've ever wanted." Yep.
Another friend's comment:
"I would go back to the yardstick Jesus gives us: "You will know them by their fruit." A fig tree cannot produce apples and an apple tree cannot produce pineapples. Satan often counterfeits spirits. Remember in 2nd Chronicles, an angel proposed to God to go and be a "lying spirit" in the mouth of the prophets.
Also many religious people are not following God's Holy Spirit, but another spirit. Jesus told the Pharisees, the "religious" people of his day, "You are of your father the devil."
(Yes that is a very good point.)
Two other points, God tells us to test the spirits to know if they are from God (do this by comparing it against the Word). If it doesn't line up with God's character, nature, and Word in the Bible, it isn't of God.
Last point, there are a lot of people who will tell you they believe in Jesus but they have followed a man-made, made-up Jesus. They have been given false doctrine and lies and don't know it because they are ignorant of God's Word. Read the scriptures and the real Jesus will be revealed to you."
Amen! I agree with everything she said!
So be on your guard about these things. Be "as wise as serpents but as innocent as doves" as Jesus commands us to be. "Love the lord your God with your whole mind." Amen. :)
May God protect you and watch over you and keep the evil one away from you at all times. In Jesus name, Amen!
These are all things I have been thinking about a lot lately.
From a friend:
"I spent hours counseling a so-called "prophet" who was in the New Apostolic Reformation. I spent many hours talking to him over the phone. In the three hours that he spoke to me in our first conversation, he revealed that he was "plagued" and possessed by demons. He even started saying things like "they know that I'm talking to you, and they're getting angry." I treated him the same way I would an unsaved person; I preached the Gospel to him. I suggested that he may not actually be the prophet he claimed to be. I attempted to say so lovingly, but he would have none of it."
Yes I have seen this on Facebook, people giving themselves the title of Apostle. There cannot be modern day apostles. The only apostles were the disciples and Paul and that's IT. No one today can be an apostle. So their theology on that is off.
In regards to this man being possessed, I have seen this in real life. A very charismatic person I knew seemed to be greatly under the influence of demons. He was in a deliverance ministry and I got a word of knowledge about him, which I do believe that is a spiritual gift, that said for him in trying to cast demons out of people ,he didn't know what he was doing, and so became plagued by them himself.
This is my fear in the charismatic movement and the praying in tongues phenomenon. How do people know that the spirit they are opening themselves up to is really the Holy Spirit? And why is it that most who pray in tongues seem to be on the broad path that leads to destruction rather than on the narrow path?
One lady in a charismatic church while supposedly exorcising a demon from someone actually put a demon on that person. How strange isn't it?
We need to be careful of these things for sure. There are people out there who are highly under the influence of Satan, even in the church. Be on your guard and be wise. Satan can appear as an angel of light.
"My own sister's house was filled with demons and she was terrified. She called me at 3:00AM one morning weeping; both her and her two sons were terrified. My sister was a professing Christian. I explained to her that demons would never want to be so close to one that was filled with the Holy Spirit, and so I suggested that she never understood the Gospel rightly, while at the same time reiterating the fact that God is the same one that allows demons to bother somebody for a definite reason: namely, to call them back to Himself."
Yes I have heard this many times about 3am. Watch the movie the Exorcism of Emily Rose and you will notice that in the movie. There is much more demonic activity in general at 3am. Something in the movie I just thought of, the girl speaks in tongues when the demon is speaking out of her. Interesting.
This explains why demons do not seem to come around me much. I hear them in my head at times trying to scare me, but I have never seen one or had any crazy experiences. They do not want to be around someone filled with the Holy Spirit, as I believe I already am, regardless of the fact that I don't pray in tongues. :) I have several other gifts of the Spirit to confirm this fact in my own mind, such as teaching, maybe prophecy but in the milder sense, exhortation etc. :)
This is interesting hearing that God may allow someone to be bothered by demons for a time to bring them back to himself. I could see that. God allows suffering in our lives to cause us to run back to him, to get our attention. Him allowing demons to bother us would certainly get our attention and make us run to him more. Thankfully he has never had to do this with me because he has always had my full attention, my whole life really. :) So that is good. :)
Except in the case of the death I experienced a year ago. I may have been putting that guy on a pedestal and idolizing him. Therefore it's possible God took him away from me because God is a jealous God and he will not allow anything to take his place. So we need to be careful of idolizing those that we love and are in a relationship with.
"As such, I preached the Gospel to her at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Upon getting off of the phone, she prayed a very personal prayer and never saw the demons again -- ever since, she has been a changed person, and even a born-again Christian. So do know that I have had experience in such matters, even in "casting out" demons (though, admittedly, I do not boast in such things)."
Yes there are countless Christians in the church who think they are saved but are not. The Pharisees whole-heartedly thought they were saved but were as far from it as they could have been. I have seen many that seem to have a faith of the mind but not a faith of the heart. A faith of the mind does not save us; God wants our heart. If your heart is not in love with Jesus, you need to check yourself. You should be somewhat madly in love with Jesus and God etc. God should be something you think about a lot. You should want to spend time with him. If it is not and you don't and you couldn't really care less about God etc, check yourself.
"The truth is, these big "evidences" of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit are not evidences of salvation at all. The fruit of the Spirit is not tongues, but "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law," (Galatians 5:22-23). "
lol that was a very good point and a very plain way to say it. Tongues can be a spiritual gift, but it is not the evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" as some would say. When you are born again, you are baptized into the Holy Spirit. If you do not have the Holy Spirit, then you are not saved. It is as simple as that. But if you have evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life and a spiritual gift of some sort, you can know that you are saved. There is far too much of an emphasis on tongues. When Paul was converted and the scales fell from his eyes, he did not instantly pray in tongues. Look it up. It isn't there. Never in Acts is Paul recorded as doing anything in tongues. So that is interesting. "Come now let us reason together." :)
"I would beware of doctrines of demons that attribute something to the Holy Spirit that is not of the Holy Spirit; in this case, the "gift of tongues." Don't get me wrong; there is a legitimate gift of tongues -- but to emphasize that one must speak in them as an evidence of salvation is heresy."
Yes it is heresy to push the idea that speaking in tongues is evidence of salvation or any part of salvation.
Salvation comes simply when you "confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved." THAT'S IT. Nothing else is needed. Then you should show that you are saved by the fruit in your life. Your fruit does not save you, but it does show that you are saved. "You shall know them by their fruit" Jesus said.
As I was thinking about this whole thing last night, about the woman praying in tongues for the last three years but then this possession, the phrase "doctrines of demons" kept popping in my head.
The facts are, people in other religions pray in tongues too; Hindus, Buddists etc. It is not just Christians who are able to pray in tongues. Satan can imitate this spiritual gift easily.
Look at what happened with the magicians in Egypt in Exodus. Moses did miracles, and the magicians were able to do EXACTLY the same miracles but with what power? With the power of Satan, with black magic. So just because someone seems to do something spectacular, that does not necessarily mean it is from God. Test the spirits. Satan can do miracles to. Satan can do amazing things too. Don't believe everything amazing you see to be from God. "Satan masquerades as an angel of light." Meaning he can parade about looking like a Christian. Think of Benny Hinn. I think he is the embodiment of this verse.
"What you heard about was not oppression, but possession. I would make absolutely no mistake about it; if I didn't know better, I would say that your friend came under the power of suggestion for 3 years whereby she began speaking in gibberish, not legitimate tongues. She needs to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She must understand the work of Christ, the propitiating atonement of Christ, the resurrection of Christ (and likewise, the justification we have because of the resurrection)." Amen.
Yes it seems that it was possession. A demon cannot talk out of someone unless they are completely and totally possessed. Oppression is being plagued with thoughts etc. It is hearing Satan talking to you and tempting you. That is a much more mild thing than a demon actually talking through you. That is for sure possession. I know that Christians can be oppressed, but by no means can a real Christian be full on possessed. "The evil one cannot touch him." "What can light have in common with darkness."
A comment from another friend:
"No doubt, the demonic is real. I can't understand any believer questioning it, for it is explained clearly in the Bible. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spirits and principalities.
I absolutely in no way believe a born again Christian can be possessed. It is impossible. Usually, when a person is subjected to possession, at some point, the door to the demonic had been opened."
The question I have about this is can certain forms of tongues speaking open a door to the demonic? People do not know what they are saying or praying, so how can they know if it really is God speaking through them or a demon? That is my major concern about it.
"My concern is with the American culture being so open and enthralled by the demonic to the point of elevating and celebrating it. Take heed to what fascinates you.
Be fascinated by the power and mercy of the Master and Creator of the Universe, and, by His LOVE. Perfect love casts out fear. "Fear NOT, for I have overcome the world." Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. For nothing can separate you from the love of God."
Amen! Be careful what fascinate you. Satan can present himself and demonic things as quite fascinating indeed. "Satan does not come dressed in a red cape; he comes as everything you've ever wanted." Yep.
Another friend's comment:
"I would go back to the yardstick Jesus gives us: "You will know them by their fruit." A fig tree cannot produce apples and an apple tree cannot produce pineapples. Satan often counterfeits spirits. Remember in 2nd Chronicles, an angel proposed to God to go and be a "lying spirit" in the mouth of the prophets.
Also many religious people are not following God's Holy Spirit, but another spirit. Jesus told the Pharisees, the "religious" people of his day, "You are of your father the devil."
(Yes that is a very good point.)
Two other points, God tells us to test the spirits to know if they are from God (do this by comparing it against the Word). If it doesn't line up with God's character, nature, and Word in the Bible, it isn't of God.
Last point, there are a lot of people who will tell you they believe in Jesus but they have followed a man-made, made-up Jesus. They have been given false doctrine and lies and don't know it because they are ignorant of God's Word. Read the scriptures and the real Jesus will be revealed to you."
Amen! I agree with everything she said!
So be on your guard about these things. Be "as wise as serpents but as innocent as doves" as Jesus commands us to be. "Love the lord your God with your whole mind." Amen. :)
May God protect you and watch over you and keep the evil one away from you at all times. In Jesus name, Amen!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Casting Out Demons
I have some very interesting stories to share.
A friend in a Bible study I'm in was in a grocery story a few months ago.
She was standing next to a couple people and she could feel something was wrong about them, something evil.
She went to another part of the grocery store and started getting sick. She then went in the bathroom and ended up passing out. She was taken in an ambulance to the E.R.
A cat scan was done and there was something in her neck.
That night her pastor came and prayed over her, for a COUPLE hours, to cast a demon out.
While he was praying over her, she was laughing at him in a demonic voice.
He then finally succeeding in casting the demon out.
The next morning the hospital did an MRI and it showed that whatever was there was gone.
Pretty trippy stuff. Science proving what happened spiritually. Very cool. :)
Another story, a friend in this Bible study was laying on her couch one night and she could feel something in her wrist. It was painful.
She then felt something crawling under her skin, up her arm and over down her other arm. She knew it was a demon and prayed, "In the name of Jesus leave!" The demon left.
I know some won't believe these stories but I do. I'm pretty good at being able to tell when people are lying to me or are crazy. Neither of these women were neither lying nor crazy. They were perfectly normal.
I wrote about this before but another story is my co-worker woke up one night and something was grabbing her hair and whipping her head back and forth. She said, "By the power and blood of Jesus Satan be gone!" And whatever it was left.
Things like this happen. The first story is a bit scary to me though because it sounds like what happened to her was possession, but as far as she knows she is saved. So that is interesting for sure.
If you have any thoughts on any of this feel free to comment. God bless! :)
A friend in a Bible study I'm in was in a grocery story a few months ago.
She was standing next to a couple people and she could feel something was wrong about them, something evil.
She went to another part of the grocery store and started getting sick. She then went in the bathroom and ended up passing out. She was taken in an ambulance to the E.R.
A cat scan was done and there was something in her neck.
That night her pastor came and prayed over her, for a COUPLE hours, to cast a demon out.
While he was praying over her, she was laughing at him in a demonic voice.
He then finally succeeding in casting the demon out.
The next morning the hospital did an MRI and it showed that whatever was there was gone.
Pretty trippy stuff. Science proving what happened spiritually. Very cool. :)
Another story, a friend in this Bible study was laying on her couch one night and she could feel something in her wrist. It was painful.
She then felt something crawling under her skin, up her arm and over down her other arm. She knew it was a demon and prayed, "In the name of Jesus leave!" The demon left.
I know some won't believe these stories but I do. I'm pretty good at being able to tell when people are lying to me or are crazy. Neither of these women were neither lying nor crazy. They were perfectly normal.
I wrote about this before but another story is my co-worker woke up one night and something was grabbing her hair and whipping her head back and forth. She said, "By the power and blood of Jesus Satan be gone!" And whatever it was left.
Things like this happen. The first story is a bit scary to me though because it sounds like what happened to her was possession, but as far as she knows she is saved. So that is interesting for sure.
If you have any thoughts on any of this feel free to comment. God bless! :)
Sunday, November 10, 2013
The Bible on Sexual Abuse
Did you know that there is a pretty crazy story of sexual abuse in the Bible? King David's kids did some pretty crazy things. :(
2 Samuel 13
5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”
But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house."
Pretty crazy story huh. :(
The sins of the fathers was passed down. David was filled with lust and committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then his son was somewhat cursed with a generational curse and committed sexual immortality as well with his sister! So crazy. So sexual abuse and incest has been happening for a very long time. You are not alone. Even King David's own kids committed and were victims to sexual abuse.
What verses are about childhood sexual abuse?
This is actually for the abuser's own good. I have seen the deterioration of my dad's heart and mind over the years, and living with himself is a greater punishment than capital punishment would have been. In Jewish culture he would have been stoned. But in our culture he was only sentenced to a year in prison and even got out after only 6 months. Pretty crazy. :( Eventually justice will be served but God says, "It is mine to avenge." We are not supposed to try to get revenge in any way on our abuser, God will take care of that. As I said, having to live with himself is punishment enough in some ways. If you have read the book Crime and Punishment it analyzes this concept of guilt over sin really well and how it just seems to eat you alive.
One way to see this is when someone abuses a little child, they are abusing Jesus. You don't want to mess with Jesus, God's son lol. God is the defender of those who cannot defend or protect themselves. It is in God's hands. Everyone will have to give an account on judgment day for what they have done, so child abusers will as well. May God's will be done in those situations.
When children tell their parents or someone in authority about an abuse that person needs to believe them and not dismiss them. Don't assume they are making it up. Really listen to kids. And be an enactor of justice for kids who are abused.
When I was a kid I ran to God even more due to what happened to me. God was my strong tower. My shelter. My refuge against the storm of my crazy family life.
God is always there to comfort anyone who is oppressed. Amen. :)
"He who the son sets free is free indeed." woot! lol :)
Even if you were somewhat at fault for your abuse, such as if you were older, God forgives everything and anything. There is nothing so big that he cannot forgive it. It depends on the situation. In most cases it is not the fault of the one abused in any way. But in others it would seem they could have gotten out of it; left home if they were older or moved in with a friend. It's hard to tell, there are so many grey areas. It's not black and white of course. But if you do feel any legitimate shame just know God can forgive anything. Don't worry. :)
May God bless you and give you peace. HE LOVES YOU! More than you realize and more than you love yourself. God is with you. :) Amen.
2 Samuel 13
Amnon and Tamar
"After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”
Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”
But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house."
Pretty crazy story huh. :(
The sins of the fathers was passed down. David was filled with lust and committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then his son was somewhat cursed with a generational curse and committed sexual immortality as well with his sister! So crazy. So sexual abuse and incest has been happening for a very long time. You are not alone. Even King David's own kids committed and were victims to sexual abuse.
What verses are about childhood sexual abuse?
Matthew 18:6
"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."This is actually for the abuser's own good. I have seen the deterioration of my dad's heart and mind over the years, and living with himself is a greater punishment than capital punishment would have been. In Jewish culture he would have been stoned. But in our culture he was only sentenced to a year in prison and even got out after only 6 months. Pretty crazy. :( Eventually justice will be served but God says, "It is mine to avenge." We are not supposed to try to get revenge in any way on our abuser, God will take care of that. As I said, having to live with himself is punishment enough in some ways. If you have read the book Crime and Punishment it analyzes this concept of guilt over sin really well and how it just seems to eat you alive.
Matthew 25:45
"Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’"One way to see this is when someone abuses a little child, they are abusing Jesus. You don't want to mess with Jesus, God's son lol. God is the defender of those who cannot defend or protect themselves. It is in God's hands. Everyone will have to give an account on judgment day for what they have done, so child abusers will as well. May God's will be done in those situations.
Psalm 82:3
"Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute."When children tell their parents or someone in authority about an abuse that person needs to believe them and not dismiss them. Don't assume they are making it up. Really listen to kids. And be an enactor of justice for kids who are abused.
Psalm 9:9
"The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."When I was a kid I ran to God even more due to what happened to me. God was my strong tower. My shelter. My refuge against the storm of my crazy family life.
God is always there to comfort anyone who is oppressed. Amen. :)
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” '
Sexual abuse brings on a kind of oppression of the mind. Most victims hate themselves and blame themselves for what happened. It also makes us captives because abuse completely changes how one perceives the world, God, others, and oneself. We become captive to several lies from Satan. But Jesus can set us free from ALL OF THAT. Amen. :)"He who the son sets free is free indeed." woot! lol :)
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
Even if you were somewhat at fault for your abuse, such as if you were older, God forgives everything and anything. There is nothing so big that he cannot forgive it. It depends on the situation. In most cases it is not the fault of the one abused in any way. But in others it would seem they could have gotten out of it; left home if they were older or moved in with a friend. It's hard to tell, there are so many grey areas. It's not black and white of course. But if you do feel any legitimate shame just know God can forgive anything. Don't worry. :)
May God bless you and give you peace. HE LOVES YOU! More than you realize and more than you love yourself. God is with you. :) Amen.
On Sexual Abuse
A comment from a friend regarding sexual abuse:
"Imagine having a child yourself. Would you consider this 3 year old child to be capable of seducing a fully grown man? This child just wants to be loved - real love - not sickly twisted love.
And yes, this child will want love and will try to be loveable but not to seduce sexually! This child doesn't desire to be touched in any other way than to be held, to be calmed and to be hugged and fed. And it doesn't desire to be made to touch either.
No matter whether this abuser has themselves been abused and is 'playing out' this abuse themselves. This is no excuse! There is never an excuse for abuse!
We have to learn to take the lives we were given and to give ourselves, and our own families, a better experience. The love we should have had."
I couldn't agree more! And that is the main tactic of abusers, getting others to think the kid seduced them, that the kid wanted it! My dad even tried to convince my mom that I seduced him as a six year old. So crazy! :(
I have worked with kids for the last 14 years and kids do not have a single sexual thought until about 12, maybe 10, but definitely not 6.
That is how the abuser justifies it in their own sick mind, that the kid wants it. But the reason is they, the abuser, are somewhat crazy. Their mind is not thinking rationally or logically at all!
My theory is that anyone that would abuse a child is temporarily possessed. I don't otherwise get how someone could be capable of such evil.
If you have not heard Joyce Meyer's testimony check it out on youtube. The stories she tells it seems apparent her dad was possessed. He would take her to grave yards to have sex with her. That had to be a work of Satan. Satan maybe knew that she would become great someday and was trying to take her out. He was trying to stop her. So he had her dad rape her for years and years.
It is just crazy the sickness in this world really. :(
I joined some sexual abuse survivor groups on Facebook which I think will be very healing.
One person asked, "If you could see your abuser again what would you ask them?"
Mine would be how on earth did you let your mind slip to such a depraved level? How did you not realize something was wrong in your thinking and get help? How did you not talk to my mom about it or a friend and confess your sins to others, the thoughts you were having, before you acted on them?
But most abusers literally still think they didn't do anything wrong. They still think it made sense what they did. They literally still think it was the kid's fault for seducing them and not their own. I'm pretty sure that is still how my dad thinks or else he wouldn't be so cruel to me even to this day.
About two year ago my grandma died and he literally texted me and told me not to come to her funeral. That if I came I would be walked out. That doesn't show a lot of repentance does it? He still must blame me.
I think partly my mom still blames me too as sad as that is. I think her mind has not fully seen the truth about it, that I was innocent and it was entirely my dad's fault.
Abusers are really, really good at getting everyone around them on their side. They are incredibly deceived and they are masters at incredibly deceiving anyone around them. It is so sad. :(
Be on your guard about people that may be abusers. The best way to tell is if someone is very secretive and they never share things or talk about things. Sin lives in the shadows. Sin festers in silence and darkness. People have to talk about things or sin will just get worse in their lives.
Make sure the people you are closest with are open and honest with you about everything. Keep communication lines open at all times to prevent abuse in your own life with anyone you know.
That is the best preventative measure I think.
Lots of people are capable of sexually abusing kids. I even worked with this great Christian guy at a school for a year and even he was accused of molesting a kid. I guess what happened was a girl who was in 5 grade was in his office and he told her to pull her pants down. Why? I have no idea. Very strange. But he was super involved in our church and ran the youth group and did a lot of great things. But he was very secretive. No one seemed to know the real him. So you have to be careful when people won't open up.
Openness is the key. To defeat any sin in your life. If you talk about it even with one other person and bring it into the light you will be set free from it a lot easier. :) Don't remain silent in your sin. Talk to someone about it. Join a group of random people on facebook and talk about things with them. You will never see them so why not? :) You have to get things out in the open. Satan wants to keep us hiding and that is how he gets at us. Bring things into the light and God can help you.
Amen. :) Go share things with someone. And you will be blessed with peace and wholeness.
God bless!
"Imagine having a child yourself. Would you consider this 3 year old child to be capable of seducing a fully grown man? This child just wants to be loved - real love - not sickly twisted love.
And yes, this child will want love and will try to be loveable but not to seduce sexually! This child doesn't desire to be touched in any other way than to be held, to be calmed and to be hugged and fed. And it doesn't desire to be made to touch either.
No matter whether this abuser has themselves been abused and is 'playing out' this abuse themselves. This is no excuse! There is never an excuse for abuse!
We have to learn to take the lives we were given and to give ourselves, and our own families, a better experience. The love we should have had."
I couldn't agree more! And that is the main tactic of abusers, getting others to think the kid seduced them, that the kid wanted it! My dad even tried to convince my mom that I seduced him as a six year old. So crazy! :(
I have worked with kids for the last 14 years and kids do not have a single sexual thought until about 12, maybe 10, but definitely not 6.
That is how the abuser justifies it in their own sick mind, that the kid wants it. But the reason is they, the abuser, are somewhat crazy. Their mind is not thinking rationally or logically at all!
My theory is that anyone that would abuse a child is temporarily possessed. I don't otherwise get how someone could be capable of such evil.
If you have not heard Joyce Meyer's testimony check it out on youtube. The stories she tells it seems apparent her dad was possessed. He would take her to grave yards to have sex with her. That had to be a work of Satan. Satan maybe knew that she would become great someday and was trying to take her out. He was trying to stop her. So he had her dad rape her for years and years.
It is just crazy the sickness in this world really. :(
I joined some sexual abuse survivor groups on Facebook which I think will be very healing.
One person asked, "If you could see your abuser again what would you ask them?"
Mine would be how on earth did you let your mind slip to such a depraved level? How did you not realize something was wrong in your thinking and get help? How did you not talk to my mom about it or a friend and confess your sins to others, the thoughts you were having, before you acted on them?
But most abusers literally still think they didn't do anything wrong. They still think it made sense what they did. They literally still think it was the kid's fault for seducing them and not their own. I'm pretty sure that is still how my dad thinks or else he wouldn't be so cruel to me even to this day.
About two year ago my grandma died and he literally texted me and told me not to come to her funeral. That if I came I would be walked out. That doesn't show a lot of repentance does it? He still must blame me.
I think partly my mom still blames me too as sad as that is. I think her mind has not fully seen the truth about it, that I was innocent and it was entirely my dad's fault.
Abusers are really, really good at getting everyone around them on their side. They are incredibly deceived and they are masters at incredibly deceiving anyone around them. It is so sad. :(
Be on your guard about people that may be abusers. The best way to tell is if someone is very secretive and they never share things or talk about things. Sin lives in the shadows. Sin festers in silence and darkness. People have to talk about things or sin will just get worse in their lives.
Make sure the people you are closest with are open and honest with you about everything. Keep communication lines open at all times to prevent abuse in your own life with anyone you know.
That is the best preventative measure I think.
Lots of people are capable of sexually abusing kids. I even worked with this great Christian guy at a school for a year and even he was accused of molesting a kid. I guess what happened was a girl who was in 5 grade was in his office and he told her to pull her pants down. Why? I have no idea. Very strange. But he was super involved in our church and ran the youth group and did a lot of great things. But he was very secretive. No one seemed to know the real him. So you have to be careful when people won't open up.
Openness is the key. To defeat any sin in your life. If you talk about it even with one other person and bring it into the light you will be set free from it a lot easier. :) Don't remain silent in your sin. Talk to someone about it. Join a group of random people on facebook and talk about things with them. You will never see them so why not? :) You have to get things out in the open. Satan wants to keep us hiding and that is how he gets at us. Bring things into the light and God can help you.
Amen. :) Go share things with someone. And you will be blessed with peace and wholeness.
God bless!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Joel Osteen
Can I just say, I love Joel Osteen. :) He is the most positive person in America it would seem. :)
My husband was saying how no one could get at mad at that guy. And it's true! He is just the nicest person, and he is not offensive in any way. Why would an atheist get mad about anything he preaches or says? He is all about love and acceptance.
He really does a great job of making the gospel the "good news" as it should be. He makes the gospel look attractive and inviting, as it should. Go Joel Osteen!
Some have accused him of preaching a prosperity gospel, but I think he is just trying to encourage people, which is great!
I remember a friend at Biola, where I went to college, said walking into chapel there was like saying, "Please come hit me over the head with a two by four." lol :) But that is often the only message the church sends out. "You are unworthy to stand before our powerful and mighty God!" Which is somewhat true, but also God loves us. And we need to not forget that.
Here are some quotes from him: :)
"We all face challenges, but it’s not the size of the problem that’s important. It’s our perception of that problem; it’s how big or small we make it in our minds. Don’t make your problems bigger. Learn instead to make God bigger."
Amen! Shakespeare once said, "We can make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell." It's all in the mind and how we perceive things. When we say something is not good, how can we really know what is good for us at the time? Maybe something that seems bad is good, and what we think would have been good would be bad. Instead of saying that our greatest goal is to be happy we need to make our greatest goal to become more holy. Then our perspective about everything will change. Amen. :)
"Now is not the time to shrink back in fear. This is the time to move forward in faith. Get up every morning knowing you have everything you need to fulfill your destiny."
Amen! Satan wants us to fear. Satan's GREATEST goal is for you to fear. But God wants us to be bold and courageous. He wants us to have faith. "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but a spirit of son ship." We are sons and daughters of the most high God, meaning we have nothing to be afraid of. We are only to fear God in a respect kind of way and nothing else. Because "we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!" Amen :)
"When life weighs you down, limiting your thinking, you've got to get past those limitations and believe that God created you for something bigger."
Yes he did! Don't let Satan limit you through negative thinking. Stay positive! Stay in faith! And you will be able to do anything. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Amen? Amen. :)
"Help bring peace back to your family. They’ve got enough people trying to push them down. They should be able to count on you to help lift them up."
Yes very true. I always feel bad if I am ever not peaceful or discouraging to my husband. God has brought this to my attention, that he may have enough people making life hard for him, and I need to not be one as well. Those we love most we are called to encourage the most. Focus on the positive. What do they do well? What is great about them? Don't focus on things they lack, but in what ways are they are an asset to you? How is your life more blessed because they are in it? Be thankful for the people God has given you every day, because many people don't even have anyone remotely great in their lives. :( If God has blessed you with great people and friends, make sure to thank him and them. Tell them how much you appreciate them. God would want you to. :) Amen :)
"You may have a reason to feel sorry for yourself, but God promised to give you beauty for those ashes. If you are going to see the beauty, you have to shake off the self-pity."
Amen! We have to be careful of feeling too sorry for ourselves. To have too much self-pity is essentially to spit in God's face and tell him you are not thankful for the life and things he has given you. The more thankful for you are, the more God will want to bless you. Don't wallow in grief and self-pity for too long. You need to shake it off. Get your focus off of yourself and onto someone else. Help someone else in some way. Then you won't think about your own misery anymore. Amen. :)
"Get your mind off of your problems and pain by helping somebody else in need. When you help others in your time of need, you are sowing a seed God can use to change your situation."
That echoes the previous quote. :)
"You may be waiting on God, but God is waiting on you. If you’ll do what you know God is asking you to do, your faithfulness will activate His favor, increase & blessing."
Yes the Christian life is neither all us or all God, it is both. "You can't steer a ship that isn't moving." And God can't steer us unless we are moving and doing something. We need to be obedient to what we already know he wants us to do, in order for him to show us more of what he wants us to do. If we are faithful in a few things, then he will give us more things. :)
And I do think God wants to bless us. We are his children after all. Parents always want to bless their children when they do good things. He wants to give us more favor at work, but we have to be obedient first and do the right things. He wants to bless us with money even, but we have to be faithful in our jobs and work hard. God wants to bless us emotionally with close relationships, but we have to follow his guidelines for how to really love others. And he wants to bless us spiritually, but we have to put in the hard work of studying God's word and praying often. We won't get something for nothing, but we will get something for something. If we do our part, God will in turn bless us. :)
Amen! God pour out your blessings on us. But show us how we can be more and more deserving of your blessings. :) Thank you for all that you have already given us. We love you! :) You are awesome! :)
A side note: remember to tithe 10% of your income. I recommend tithing to World Vision to the orphans and widows fund personally. Given the verse, "This is religion that God our father accepts, to care for orphans and widows in their distress."
I have a friend at church who has a cool story. Her and her husband were tithing faithfully. God then kept increasing her husband's income with raise after raise. If you will trust God with your money and tithe, I do believe he will bless you financially. If you don't tithe you are actually under a curse, and your money and bank account will seem to have holes in it. :( But if you do tithe, you will be filled to overflowing with money and other blessings. It is the opposite of what seems logical, but it is the truth. I heard in a sermon once, "There are two conversions in the Christian walk; the first is of the heart and the second is of the pocket book." Or of your money. Remember that we cannot serve both God and money, we will love the one and hate the other. Look at Malachi 3:7-9.
"Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
Amen! :) If you want God to bless you financially, tithe. It's as simple as that. :)
My husband was saying how no one could get at mad at that guy. And it's true! He is just the nicest person, and he is not offensive in any way. Why would an atheist get mad about anything he preaches or says? He is all about love and acceptance.
He really does a great job of making the gospel the "good news" as it should be. He makes the gospel look attractive and inviting, as it should. Go Joel Osteen!
Some have accused him of preaching a prosperity gospel, but I think he is just trying to encourage people, which is great!
I remember a friend at Biola, where I went to college, said walking into chapel there was like saying, "Please come hit me over the head with a two by four." lol :) But that is often the only message the church sends out. "You are unworthy to stand before our powerful and mighty God!" Which is somewhat true, but also God loves us. And we need to not forget that.
Here are some quotes from him: :)
"We all face challenges, but it’s not the size of the problem that’s important. It’s our perception of that problem; it’s how big or small we make it in our minds. Don’t make your problems bigger. Learn instead to make God bigger."
Amen! Shakespeare once said, "We can make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell." It's all in the mind and how we perceive things. When we say something is not good, how can we really know what is good for us at the time? Maybe something that seems bad is good, and what we think would have been good would be bad. Instead of saying that our greatest goal is to be happy we need to make our greatest goal to become more holy. Then our perspective about everything will change. Amen. :)
"Now is not the time to shrink back in fear. This is the time to move forward in faith. Get up every morning knowing you have everything you need to fulfill your destiny."
Amen! Satan wants us to fear. Satan's GREATEST goal is for you to fear. But God wants us to be bold and courageous. He wants us to have faith. "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but a spirit of son ship." We are sons and daughters of the most high God, meaning we have nothing to be afraid of. We are only to fear God in a respect kind of way and nothing else. Because "we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!" Amen :)
"When life weighs you down, limiting your thinking, you've got to get past those limitations and believe that God created you for something bigger."
Yes he did! Don't let Satan limit you through negative thinking. Stay positive! Stay in faith! And you will be able to do anything. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Amen? Amen. :)
"Help bring peace back to your family. They’ve got enough people trying to push them down. They should be able to count on you to help lift them up."
Yes very true. I always feel bad if I am ever not peaceful or discouraging to my husband. God has brought this to my attention, that he may have enough people making life hard for him, and I need to not be one as well. Those we love most we are called to encourage the most. Focus on the positive. What do they do well? What is great about them? Don't focus on things they lack, but in what ways are they are an asset to you? How is your life more blessed because they are in it? Be thankful for the people God has given you every day, because many people don't even have anyone remotely great in their lives. :( If God has blessed you with great people and friends, make sure to thank him and them. Tell them how much you appreciate them. God would want you to. :) Amen :)
"You may have a reason to feel sorry for yourself, but God promised to give you beauty for those ashes. If you are going to see the beauty, you have to shake off the self-pity."
Amen! We have to be careful of feeling too sorry for ourselves. To have too much self-pity is essentially to spit in God's face and tell him you are not thankful for the life and things he has given you. The more thankful for you are, the more God will want to bless you. Don't wallow in grief and self-pity for too long. You need to shake it off. Get your focus off of yourself and onto someone else. Help someone else in some way. Then you won't think about your own misery anymore. Amen. :)
"Get your mind off of your problems and pain by helping somebody else in need. When you help others in your time of need, you are sowing a seed God can use to change your situation."
That echoes the previous quote. :)
"You may be waiting on God, but God is waiting on you. If you’ll do what you know God is asking you to do, your faithfulness will activate His favor, increase & blessing."
Yes the Christian life is neither all us or all God, it is both. "You can't steer a ship that isn't moving." And God can't steer us unless we are moving and doing something. We need to be obedient to what we already know he wants us to do, in order for him to show us more of what he wants us to do. If we are faithful in a few things, then he will give us more things. :)
And I do think God wants to bless us. We are his children after all. Parents always want to bless their children when they do good things. He wants to give us more favor at work, but we have to be obedient first and do the right things. He wants to bless us with money even, but we have to be faithful in our jobs and work hard. God wants to bless us emotionally with close relationships, but we have to follow his guidelines for how to really love others. And he wants to bless us spiritually, but we have to put in the hard work of studying God's word and praying often. We won't get something for nothing, but we will get something for something. If we do our part, God will in turn bless us. :)
Amen! God pour out your blessings on us. But show us how we can be more and more deserving of your blessings. :) Thank you for all that you have already given us. We love you! :) You are awesome! :)
A side note: remember to tithe 10% of your income. I recommend tithing to World Vision to the orphans and widows fund personally. Given the verse, "This is religion that God our father accepts, to care for orphans and widows in their distress."
I have a friend at church who has a cool story. Her and her husband were tithing faithfully. God then kept increasing her husband's income with raise after raise. If you will trust God with your money and tithe, I do believe he will bless you financially. If you don't tithe you are actually under a curse, and your money and bank account will seem to have holes in it. :( But if you do tithe, you will be filled to overflowing with money and other blessings. It is the opposite of what seems logical, but it is the truth. I heard in a sermon once, "There are two conversions in the Christian walk; the first is of the heart and the second is of the pocket book." Or of your money. Remember that we cannot serve both God and money, we will love the one and hate the other. Look at Malachi 3:7-9.
"Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it."
Amen! :) If you want God to bless you financially, tithe. It's as simple as that. :)
On Friendship
Jesus issues in the ministry of reconciliation between us and God and between us and other human beings. The two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others.
We love all people but should we be friends with all people? What qualifies someone as a good friend to have?
It is true that we will become who we hang out with. We let the people we are around have influence over us, so we need to be careful of who we choose as our closest friends.
We know as Christians we need to try to not have close friends that are not Christian. The verse about being unequally yoked does not just apply to marriage, it applies to any relationship in your life. "What can light have in common with darkness?" "Come out from them and be separate."
Of course when you are working with non-Christians you will still be friends with your co-workers. Don't completely isolate yourself from those who aren't saved. But those we choose to go out of our way to spend time with, we need to, for the most part make sure they belong to the faith.
In some cases it's good to be friends with non-Christians in order to try to witness to them and bring them to the Lord. I had a friend who was a non-Christian for 10 years and I did finally get to help her make a decision to make Jesus the Lord of her life. Praise God!
But for the most part non-Christian friends will pull us down. I have experienced this many times. :( So we need to be careful.
Jesus did hang out with tax collectors and sinners, but the men he always had with him were his disciples. Our closest group needs to be people who mostly think like us and love God like us. "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." We will only be sharpened by other Christians.
We need to choose our friends wisely. And it is ideal to be friends with wise people, obviously. :) What qualifies someone as a fool? Someone who does not learn from their mistakes, but keeps repeating the same ones over and over. Someone who lies to you would definitely qualify. Someone who does not keep their word. Someone who is rude to you in any way.
We become who we hang out with. If we associate with wise people, we will become more wise. If we associate with foolish people, we will become more foolish. :(
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart."
This is the ideal picture of friendship. The early church members shared everything they had, and this was about 3,000 people, so that was a lot of shared items. lol :)
I think true friends will help their friends in need. We don't want to enable bad behavior, but if God is leading us to give something to a friend, give it.
I have seen this time and again that when someone has A LOT of friends it will actually hinder and harm that person more than help them. It is good to have about 10 close people we can call on if we need to that all belong to the faith, but not hundreds. We don't need hundreds of close friends. The more friends, the more influence people can have over you, and you need to make sure that influence is good. It is better to be lonely than to be misled by others. It is better to be alone on the straight and narrow path than to be on the broad road that leads to destruction but have a lot people around you. We need to fear God, not man. We primarily need to obey God, not others.
This is my favorite verse relating to friendship, marriage, family etc. We are better with someone else than by ourselves. We can do more when we are united with others. There is strength in numbers. :) Satan attacks the lone sheep more often. Try to stick with other believers as much as you can. :) Do life with other Christians. Get in a small group.
My small group at the time happens to be a Celebrate Recovery program at my church. :) I have never been addicted to a substance, but everyone needs recovery from something. For me I joined due to my abuse.
We all need support. We all need to walk with other Christians. Then when we fall in any way, our friends can help us up. Very good! :)
I realized the other day that this is the first group of women I have been really this close with since high school, which was a good 10 years ago. It's hard to find a good group for sure, people you really click with. But pray about it and God will lead you to the best church and the best group that you will be able to connect best with. Praise God! :)
The height of friendship is feeling like we would be willing to die for our friend. There are probably only two friends I could say this about, and then my husband, mom and brother. That is the greatest love, to be willing to die for someone else. Jesus modeled this for us in dying for us. Very rarely are we actually called to die for anyone, but the mentality of being willing to is good. It shows a kind of humility, a thinking of others as better than yourself.
The process of how iron was sharpened back in the day was very hard. They would hit two swords against each other hard to sharpen them. Sparks would fly. It was a very vigorous process. God pruning us can be vigorous and painful at times. God uses others to help prune us. He uses others to speak into our lives, to call us out when we are wrong about something or doing something wrong. This is how we are sharpened by other Christians.
Galatians 5:9
"A little leaven leavens the whole lump."
Romans 12:10-11
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
1 Samuel 18:1
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
We love all people but should we be friends with all people? What qualifies someone as a good friend to have?
It is true that we will become who we hang out with. We let the people we are around have influence over us, so we need to be careful of who we choose as our closest friends.
We know as Christians we need to try to not have close friends that are not Christian. The verse about being unequally yoked does not just apply to marriage, it applies to any relationship in your life. "What can light have in common with darkness?" "Come out from them and be separate."
Of course when you are working with non-Christians you will still be friends with your co-workers. Don't completely isolate yourself from those who aren't saved. But those we choose to go out of our way to spend time with, we need to, for the most part make sure they belong to the faith.
In some cases it's good to be friends with non-Christians in order to try to witness to them and bring them to the Lord. I had a friend who was a non-Christian for 10 years and I did finally get to help her make a decision to make Jesus the Lord of her life. Praise God!
But for the most part non-Christian friends will pull us down. I have experienced this many times. :( So we need to be careful.
Jesus did hang out with tax collectors and sinners, but the men he always had with him were his disciples. Our closest group needs to be people who mostly think like us and love God like us. "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." We will only be sharpened by other Christians.
Proverbs 13:20
"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."We need to choose our friends wisely. And it is ideal to be friends with wise people, obviously. :) What qualifies someone as a fool? Someone who does not learn from their mistakes, but keeps repeating the same ones over and over. Someone who lies to you would definitely qualify. Someone who does not keep their word. Someone who is rude to you in any way.
We become who we hang out with. If we associate with wise people, we will become more wise. If we associate with foolish people, we will become more foolish. :(
Acts 2:42-46
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart."
This is the ideal picture of friendship. The early church members shared everything they had, and this was about 3,000 people, so that was a lot of shared items. lol :)
I think true friends will help their friends in need. We don't want to enable bad behavior, but if God is leading us to give something to a friend, give it.
Proverbs 18:24
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."I have seen this time and again that when someone has A LOT of friends it will actually hinder and harm that person more than help them. It is good to have about 10 close people we can call on if we need to that all belong to the faith, but not hundreds. We don't need hundreds of close friends. The more friends, the more influence people can have over you, and you need to make sure that influence is good. It is better to be lonely than to be misled by others. It is better to be alone on the straight and narrow path than to be on the broad road that leads to destruction but have a lot people around you. We need to fear God, not man. We primarily need to obey God, not others.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken."This is my favorite verse relating to friendship, marriage, family etc. We are better with someone else than by ourselves. We can do more when we are united with others. There is strength in numbers. :) Satan attacks the lone sheep more often. Try to stick with other believers as much as you can. :) Do life with other Christians. Get in a small group.
My small group at the time happens to be a Celebrate Recovery program at my church. :) I have never been addicted to a substance, but everyone needs recovery from something. For me I joined due to my abuse.
We all need support. We all need to walk with other Christians. Then when we fall in any way, our friends can help us up. Very good! :)
I realized the other day that this is the first group of women I have been really this close with since high school, which was a good 10 years ago. It's hard to find a good group for sure, people you really click with. But pray about it and God will lead you to the best church and the best group that you will be able to connect best with. Praise God! :)
John 15:13
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."The height of friendship is feeling like we would be willing to die for our friend. There are probably only two friends I could say this about, and then my husband, mom and brother. That is the greatest love, to be willing to die for someone else. Jesus modeled this for us in dying for us. Very rarely are we actually called to die for anyone, but the mentality of being willing to is good. It shows a kind of humility, a thinking of others as better than yourself.
Proverbs 27:17
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."The process of how iron was sharpened back in the day was very hard. They would hit two swords against each other hard to sharpen them. Sparks would fly. It was a very vigorous process. God pruning us can be vigorous and painful at times. God uses others to help prune us. He uses others to speak into our lives, to call us out when we are wrong about something or doing something wrong. This is how we are sharpened by other Christians.
Proverbs 17:17
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.Proverbs 27:9
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”Galatians 5:9
"A little leaven leavens the whole lump."
Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.1 Peter 4:8-10
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:Proverbs 22:24-27
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.John 15:12-14
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.Romans 1:12
That we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.Proverbs 17:9
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.Proverbs 16:28
A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.Proverbs 27:10
Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.Proverbs 25:17
Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.Job 2:11-13
Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.Proverbs 27:5-6
Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.Luke 6:31
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”James 4:4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.Proverbs 25:19
Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips.
Romans 12:10-11
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
1 Samuel 18:1
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
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