The Idolatry of "Nice"

An alternate title might be

 "Am I a Shapeshifter?"


Shouldn't we be "nice"? What is WRONG with being "nice"? Didn't Jesus tell us to be "nice"?

Those are all good questions, and not easy ones to answer.

Are Mormons "nice"? Are Jehovah's Witnesses "nice"? What about Buddhists, and Catholics, and atheists? Aren't (most of them, anyway) they "nice"?

Let's start with

Shouldn't we be "nice"?:

Well, that depends on what is meant by "nice", doesn't it? If someone is being beaten up by a criminal, would it be "nice" to stay out of it? God will take care of it, won't He? Why should I get involved? I might get dirty or beaten up if I try to get involved. Why not leave it to God?

Does being "nice" mean "looking good to others"? ...or rather, looking good on the outside? Having a "form of godliness"? If someone tells me something that exposes a problem, should I change the outer behavior or appearance so that I can have a more "godly" appearance? Is that what it's all about? Then the Pharisees really would have been the best, and the "nicest" because they had that "godly appearance" down pat.

What's wrong with being "nice"?:

Again, that depends on what is meant when the word "nice" is used. Being polite and doing good, there is nothing wrong with that....UNLESS it is a manipulative tactic, and let's face it we are all so good at it that we can even fool ourselves. We cannot fool God into thinking we are "nice" by the "good works" that we do, because He can see underneath our outer facade. He knows the truth about how we really are.

Is that depressing?

Or does knowing the fact that Jesus is a loving and forgiving God make us joyful to know that He can see all that muck? Our outer image that we set before the world has nothing to do with the truth that God sees about us.* That* is the reason He came, was born into flesh, walked on the earth, broke bread, ate, healed the blind, the lepers and the demoniacs, and bled and died...and rose again. He didn't do it because He is "nice" or wanted us to have an appearance of "nice". He did it because He is God.

Doesn't Jesus want us to be "nice"?:

So by now, this question shouldn't be so difficult, should it? Does Jesus want us to be "nice" to others? Not if "nice" means not telling the truth because it might give an appearance of  not being "nice". Then the appearance of "nice", is that "form of godliness but denying His power" (which the Bible warns about), and God is not at all in favor of such manipulative behavior, in fact, it is a form of idolatry and self-worship. And this image of "nice" can change it's form to conform to what the world wants to see, so that to some you may have an "appearance" of not caring whether someone practices homosexual behavior, and then changes to have the "appearance" of being against it when in the company of someone who shows the deadly consequences of practicing things that should not be practiced.

We need to throw out all the false idols that keep us from accepting the truth of what Jesus REALLY said, and from fully realizing what Jesus died for and freed us from. We need to throw off the false image of "nice" and fully agree with Jesus that no one is good, only Jesus. That frees us to tell the truth to others, to tell them of sin, the consequences of sin, the eternal consequences for unrepented sin, and the truth about forgiveness, which comes from truly being honest before God and men, telling the truth about who we really are, and what we truly are without Jesus is not "nice" at all. And if we are in Christ, we aren't concerned about whether we appear "nice" to others or not. What we are concerned about is telling the truth so that others might find out the truth that will set them free. And that really IS "nice".

In Response to Anything Goes Sexuality

Now that EVERYONE is "coming out", there is a group in the UK which comes together as a support group, and a very "politically incorrect" group it is. Here is an excerpt from "Christianity" magazine:

After Steve Chalke and Rob Bell affirmed same-sex relationships earlier this year, Justin Brierley meets three evangelical church leaders who have decided to respond by going public about their sexuality.

In a basement under a church in London I’m meeting with three men who are in a support group. An unusual support group. ‘We were tempted to say that we meet in a nuclear bunker in an undisclosed location,’ says one of them with a wry smile.
They have been talking in private for a while, but believe now is the time for their voices and unique experience to be heard more widely. All three are evangelical church leaders who experience same-sex attraction, but all three describe themselves as either celibate or ‘post-gay’.
Earlier this year, Steve Chalke revealed a new (and much publicised) gay-affirming stance in February’s Christianity. Since then another well-known Christian figure, Rob Bell, has spoken out in favour of gay relationships. A recent poll by the Public Religious Research Institute in the USA showed that nearly half of young evangelicals there are in favour of gay marriage. If the headlines are to be believed, the Church is increasingly following society’s lead in affirming gay relationships.
None of the three men I’m speaking to claim to have the influence of Chalke or Bell, but they are hoping to redress the perceived liberalisation within the Church on this issue by speaking from their own countercultural experience. For two of them, same-sex attraction has been met with a commitment to remain celibate, while one of them experienced a change in his feelings that led to marriage with a woman. All three see the Bible’s prohibitions on same-sex relationships as nonnegotiable.

You can read the entire article here:
http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/Browse%20By%20Category/features/A%20different%20kind%20of%20coming%20out.aspx

Reading a Book....

Stumbled onto this book that is online, which I could have written (for the fact that the author(s?) say exactly what I've been thinking and seeing going on). Wow. Anyway, the author points to this being the end times "strong delusion" spoken of in 2nd Thessalonians and it being well under way. So, anyway, it is a long read (for those who would rather watch an hour of mind-numbing television, this might be too taxing), but for those who truly want to have many of the puzzle pieces lined up and be aware of the changes that are taking place before our very eyes..."in secret" yet right out in the open in plain sight, read the book at this link:

http://themurkynews.blogspot.com/

It is helping me to fill in a few more of the blanks in helping me to understand "The New World Order" and what many are choosing to remain blind to. Let us not be one of the foolish virgins that does not have oil in the lamp. Let us be alert and in prayer, as Jesus Himself cautioned us to "watch and pray"

 Matthew 26:40-41  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?   Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.




Mark 14:38  Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.


Luke 21:35-36  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 

These are talking about being sober minded and being able to perceive the truth of what is going on around us, and not allowing ourselves to be duped by the sleight of hand of this world. If you read this book and haven't really been paying much attention and accepting the "news" in the way they want you to by believing the propaganda as it is spoon-fed to a willing audience, prepare to have your rose-colored glasses blown off you. The devil has been hard at work, things are going as foretold centuries ago.

 http://themurkynews.blogspot.com/

Witchcraft in the Church?

This is "one of those things" that you don't need to know every detail about. I personally think it is good to listen to a good presentation given by a godly pastor, to help to understand what is creeping into the church, and to be able to reach out to those caught in it's bondage.

Of course one can "just pray" for people; "the effectual prayers of a righteous man (person) availeth much" James 5:16.  

The Bible also says:
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,   Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 1:20-23


"Pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" sounds to me like a forceful action that is taken to grab people and yank them out while there is time to help them escape. I've been helped much by ministries that expose what is wrong with this world....and I understand that they only scratch the surface of what is wrong.

This video exposes the subtleties of the seductions that have entered into the church. Years ago those who claimed the name of Jesus were more discerning than to accept  this blatantly satanic stuff into their midst. The church today is not so discerning. I think it is good to get the wake up call and see just how far the apostasy has spread. This is just one litmus test. Pray before viewing, during viewing and after viewing, that it might help you to yank others from this "strange fire".

The original video I had here was removed, unfortunately. It had many clips of Ms. Rowlings saying that her books are "Christian" and "moral", and yet admitting that according to herself about 1/3 of the witchcraft in her books is accurately portrayed when compared to witchcraft the religion.  It also showed many "Christian" pastors and leaders saying there is nothing wrong with the books and films. It also made connections with some modern "Christian" beliefs and practices showing that they have much in common with witchcraft and the occult.

This one just shows the witchcraft and seduction of the Harry Potter books and films:
 

Self Righteousness vs. God's Righteousness

Self righteousness can take many forms. The devil is a crafty shape-shifter who can even disguise himself as "an angel of light". I've been thinking about the many shapes that self righteousness can take, and I can tell you that I've been guilty of these (and continue to be, God alone is righteous, and anyone who says otherwise is a lying Pharisee, to be honest). Here are a few examples:



1. Phariseeism:

This form says "look at me! I am righteous! Look at the good that I do! I even mention God's name once in a while and give my tithes, that proves I am holy. And I pray too!"

 Phariseeism is also in all of the subsequent examples, just disguised so it is harder to detect. We are all guilty of these things, better to confess it and ask the Lord to help us not continue in such false worship and idolatry.


2. Mother Theresa:

 "I am so humble and much better than I used to be" 
(she didn't actually say this---that I know of---but her life brought much attention to her "goodness")

still putting attention on self, not actually on the Lord, and then throwing Him some crumbs by saying "God made me this humble and wonderful and etc". This is a tough one. The first one is obviously wrong and very easy to point out. This second one is one we can even fool ourselves with, while we fool others in this self directing tactic. It still makes self worship the ultimate goal (although we continue to convince everyone around us that isn't true). We want others to agree how good, talented, humble, qualified, encouraging, "loving", etc, we are, instead of attributing all that to only God, and if it (goodness) appears in us at all in actual truth, it is only because He is in us, and has put it there, no credit to be had for ourselves at all, not even the "awe shucks" false humility.

3. Benny Hinn:

"God gave me a gift that is different from your gift, why judge me? I am doing great things too! God loves me just as much as you so get the beam out of your own eye before jabbing my eyes for my splinters" 
(Benny Hinn did accuse those with logs in their eyes looking for the tiny splinters in his own, perhaps not these exact words, but very very close).  

Benny teaches false doctrines and has false "healings" and fake "Holy Spirit" revivals, but hey, who are you to judge??? Jesus in His word says He wants us to use correct judgment, and when things are wrong the Bible says we are to EXPOSE THEM.
Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
This speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, which is of God, not ourselves, and nothing to get ourselves thinking we are the one who is "good". Jesus Himself said only God is good and every man is a liar. True words. We need Him every day and that is no boast.

4. The Pope:

"I am in charge because God gave me this responsibility. I have to look good because others need to have my good example"
 (again, no pope has ever said this---to my knowledge---except maybe in secret) 

The pope seems like a nice guy, and "since Jesus isn't here in the flesh anymore" these guys want us to believe that we need a person in that spiritual leadership role to guide the sheep. There are also pastors who have this same mistaken identity problem as the pope. Jesus is still here with us. We do not call any man our "father" in the spiritual sense. We have one mediator and that is Jesus, and we have the Holy Spirit which bears witness to Him (Jesus) alone.

5. Beth Moore:

"I am a good Christian and good wife and mother and I only teach to women, although men come to my classes, but I don't tell them to come and I can't keep them out if they want to be with wonderful little ole' me and I do all this because I LOVE Jesus SO MUCH!!!"  
(definitely a paraphrase of what I have seen Beth Moore say, she has said all those things, not all in one sentence)

There are many Beth Moores and I also lapse into this hideousness wrapped up in lovely country silliness that self-deprecates into "I'm just a silly beautiful blonde and can be silly about how I love the Lord". It is still all about self. If you go to her website, Beth Moore's name is emblazoned upon it in huge script with her beautifully made up face smiling down on you. Her doctrine is mostly self help for women. Once in a blue moon she will mention the name of Jesus to give the impression that it really is all about Him although really it's all about Beth Moore. She is "SO SWEET"...and her doctrine? She buys into the meditation stuff that comes straight out of New Age mysticism, emptying yourself hogwash. Sigh. And her followers are, just that "her" followers, and will attack you and call you a gossip if you say anything "bad" about her.  Fluff and nonsense.

J.K. Rowling:

"I am not a witch. I am a Christian and a writer who just writes good fiction. Fundamentalists are stupid"
  (I have seen J.K. Rowling say these things in defense of her satanic books that are filled with witchcraft and which is turning many young people to desire to participate in witchcraft)

This lady claims to be a Christian, but otherwise there is absolutely no evidence for that supposed fact in the writings she has made millions from. Likewise there are many churches that claim the name of Jesus that are buying her books and even making Bible lessons out of some of her teachings. They claim to know Jesus well enough that teaching from satanic books is ok with Him, because, after all, Jesus is a loving God, and these books teach about "good and evil", which is exactly what Jesus teaches us about.

All of the above examples prove that we need correct doctrine. I myself am guilty of lapsing into any of the above false positions at any given time. It is by the grace of God that I am saved, not through my "goodness" (which would give a false impression). That is why it is important to state that truth often, to remind others as well as myself of the truth of the fact. God alone is good, God alone gets the praise, God alone and no other.

 Rom 15:17  I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
Rom 15:18  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
Rom 15:19  Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.



Jesus alone gets the glory. If others want to say I am "good" I correct them and tell them I am not, but that God in His mercy decided to save me anyway.  That is the gospel, that though we were yet sinners God loved us and saved us from our sins. Where is the boasting? And we need to tell the truth, which inevitably exposes the liars.

Doctrine is important, and it is very loving to tell the truth about the matter, rightly exposing the error and rightly confessing that we ourselves are prone to errors, and apart from God are nothing. No fake humility. No cutesy "Shucks I know I'm cute and it's all about me, and isn't Jesus wonderful" . It's all about Jesus. Let's not give Him lipservice and then get others to agree with such behavior. Let's tell the real honest to God truth instead.

The truth is we are all sinners, and God forgives repentant sinners of which I am chief.

Privacy? or Sneakiness?

There is a difference. I understand the desire for privacy. My dear hubby hates his photograph being taken, let alone having it published on the social media websites (!!!). His reasoning is somewhat unreasonable to me, but I respect it because I know it is not out of a sense of wanting to hide something.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, their first reaction was to cover themselves. They did not want what they did to be in full view. That is why they made fig leaved aprons for themselves. There was a slight difference between Adam and Eve's situation and our own situation today. Adam and Eve were not in the midst of a sinful (sin-filled) culture, but were alone with only animals and plants...and the Lord...I personally don't believe they were trying to hide their sin from the plants and animals, so the only One they were trying to keep from finding out about their sin was God. God did not accept THEIR MEANS of covering themselves but instead provided them with a skin of an animal (something had to die as a result of their sin) and HE PROVIDED the proper way to be covered.

Are we so different from our first parents? We too try to cover the wrongs that we do in ways that perhaps we think will make them appear less bad, or make ourselves look good (in our own eyes, at least). Is that the correct way? Of course not. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but THROUGH HIM. Those are not just pretty words. They are the truth that sets us free from having to cover ourselves with our own ways of trying to "look good", or hiding altogether from others. I have been to websites where the blogger cleverly hides everything about what they really are about. The website is pretty, pretty pictures, pretty (but empty) words, things that inspire others to want to know more about this family and this blogger, and this blogger always, ALWAYS, had me wondering about what they really stood for, and why it was not openly proclaimed. Why hide? Privacy? Then why blog? And if we truly are in Jesus, why not proclaim it in everything, truly showing that we have HIS covering over OUR SIN, which is something we as Christians are to proclaim, especially in a time such as this....

And yet, instead, there are excuses, and charming alternatives that Jesus "must also bless" because He is a loving God after all, isn't He? Yes. He is a loving God. And like a truly loving Parent, He won't allow for self-deception, especially self-deception in Christians (or those who when pressed will say they are) who have as their main self-interest the desire to gain other people's praise for themselves, instead of where it rightly belongs, with God alone. Then it is still our own works, fig-leaves, that we want others to be impressed with. When we truly love our loving God, we only find comfort in desiring that others know how Jesus alone gets all the glory..... if there is any good to be found in me, it is ONLY because of Him. Is that something that I should keep hidden? Will God be "ok" with my attempts at making Him a hidden "side-kick" of mine that I once in a while bring out so that I can show myself to be a "good Christian"? What can we learn from our first parents regarding such behavior?

This is something that I've been wondering about with all the "big brother surveillance" lately. Many want to do away with such surveillance and I agree in part that it is again the way this world operates, it wants to replace God, to make itself God, watching over us. But do we need to hide ourselves? Do we need fig leaves to make ourselves appear good to others? Or can our lights shine all the brighter when those in the world are calling evil "good" and calling good "evil"? Do we hide our light under a bushel when it is unpopular to be a Christian and only display it for self gratification? Or must we proclaim it even if it gets us, like the early disciples, killed?

Time will tell who the "real Christians" truly are. We have nothing to hide, because we have an Advocate to the Father. :)

False Teachers: Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen leads a megachurch. Many think that if many people agree then the message must be true....is that what the Bible says? Is that what happened when Moses went up on the Mount, and then all the people were dancing around a golden calf?

"But Joel talks about Jesus and forgiveness, and he's just trying his best to bring a positive message. Why be so negative. He's a nice guy, really, and he and his wife are such a beautiful couple, and they encourage people. Let up a little. Quit picking at his splinter while you have a whole tree in your own eye, you hypocrites!" (I've actually heard people say things like this!")

If you truly want to know the truth about this type of preaching, if you truly want the Lord, and not the charlatans, not the deceivers who are fleecing your pocketbook, then watch and listen to the following and compare the teachings with what the Bible actually does say, when you read the few verses they "preach" on in their proper context:

Has God Abandoned America?

According to what the Bible says, the answer is yes.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Tony Miano is a street preacher. He recently preached in England, during the tennis matches at Wimbledon. A woman decided to have Tony arrested because she didn't like what he preached, because he preached repentance.

In this video he states that people have created their own "god" by only wanting the verses in the Bible that they like, and then saying "that is the god I worship", while ignoring other parts of the Bible. He bluntly states that is idolatry, and I have to agree with him. It is idolatry, false worship. And I really have to wonder about those who claim to love Jesus, never talk about Him, cling to only a small portion of their favorite "feel good" verses, ignoring the rest and then claiming that they "love" Jesus. Really?

This video is just under 30 mins, about the same amount of time many people will waste watching their favorite sit-com. Hope you really do love Jesus enough to spend at least as much time watching this and skipping the sit-com just this once:

Friendship

This is something I have been wrestling with, and am still wrestling with it...

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

What is friendship? Was Jesus EVERYONE'S friend? What is it to be a "friend of the world"?

Jesus said:

Matthew 10:37 -39  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.   He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 

It is so much easier to compromise, isn't it? "Can't we all just get along?" was the question Rodney King asked after he got a million dollars for being beaten by the LAPD officers for resisting arrest. Well, can we? What does it mean? To be loved by those who don't love Jesus? Isn't that a sign that we ourselves are not right with God? Jesus said if we truly follow Him we would be hated by the world, didn't He? Was He telling the truth?

 John 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  

When people start paying me compliments I know something isn't quite right. The world loves it's own, so if it loves me something is off. Likewise when I see others seeking the love of the world and do not want to speak out against what is sinful and wrong, and say things that are contrary to God's word in how we are to respond to the world, it makes me uncomfortable and suspicious. Didn't the Israelites get into trouble for doing that? What lessons are to be found there for our learning?

I know it is easier to "just get along" and to have everyone "love" us...but is that really love? And if we see "Christians" desire to have a "love" for the world that doesn't speak out against sin with a call to repentance, are we to support this type of "Christianity"?

Just some things that have been very heavy on my mind and heart lately....sigh....praying to the Lord that He reveals what He desires of us, and that we trust Him to supply us the strength to do even those things that are not easy and go against our fleshy desire for comfort and "loving compliments".