I was listening to the bible today and was thinking about the state of the world and how we've gotten ourselves into many of the messes we are in (that some would like to blame God for). I was thinking about the things I have done myself thinking I knew best as opposed to what my Creator said.
As I was listening, the two words that stood out to me when I think about the world today and what I continuously see were '𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃'. We also see sex and confusion plastered everywhere. Practically glorifying it.
You do realize our depravity is making some folks that don't care about us one bit very, very rich? That's the exoteric aspect of it. The esoteric aspect is spiritual and far more harmful, if you ask me.
Whatever is causing you to have lust and/or greed, leave it alone or work at removing it from your life. The end result of indulging in these things will not glorify the Most High and will cause you harm in one way or another. Physically or mentally. Temporary pleasure that leaves you empty and needing more and more.
If someone or something is causing you mental or physical harm or causing you to act in a way that you know to be harmful, we have to be able to see it and go to battle. For some, it's not easy to walk away. This is when we seek God on matters because we can't do it on our own in this flesh. It's scary. It can be lonely. But we do NOT walk alone.
God is with us and will not forsake us. Seek His face. Find the helpers. Those beautiful people are out there! Ask God to help you find meaningful people to have in your life that care about you mind, body, and spirit.
The battle for the mind can be intense. Take every thought captive. Destroy ungodly thoughts. The enemy loves when you are "in your feelings". You are easier to manipulate.
Lust and greed can also cause us physical harm here in this life to our bodies and our relationships...just furthering the downward spiral of hopelessness, depression, and feeling trapped...etc.
The world keeps pushing lust, greed, sex, and confusion not telling people what it leads to. I see a whole lot of sex, but I don't see anyone talking about the STD's that can be contracted or pregnancies that occur as a result. The broken hearts. The people putting their worth in their body, how their body looks, and what they can do with their body to please others - the empty and used feeling that follows.
That porn you are watching might be causing you to not appreciate your husband or wife. You might be addicted to porn. You are addicted to masturbation. You might be becoming desensitized, insatiable, simple minded driven by hormones, and expecting things from him/her that they don't want to do.
You might think you are unhappy in your relationship because it's doesn't look like a relationship you see on a screen. That show or movie you might be watching is not real life. This can lead to insecurities or infidelity.
That other family you see on social media is not YOUR family and it's not the whole story.
If you are single, what you are watching may cause you to seek "attention" from someone who is not in your best interest or not the person God has for you.
That over-sexualized music, show, video, or whatever form of seemingly harmless form of entertainment, is quite possibly controlling how you view the world or how your children view the world.
Taking every thought captive...this is why it's so important:
When the music we listen to has us repeating over and over that we're losing control, out of control, drunk, crazy, high as a kite, or that you don't give a f***, remember the God tells us we are to be of sound mind, sober, vigilant, caring/loving, and having self-control.
How many more folks do we have to see "lose it" before we realize something is controlling the minds of men?
I've been there. I get it. People "just want to have a good time". Okay. I hear you.
Some of you might be saying, "Duh!!!" at this point. But from where I'm looking, many are buying what the world sells. And then get depressed, stuck on the struggle bus, stuck in toxic relationships, and then they angry about it. Real angry.
You would have to be blind and have no empathy to not see what people are experiencing.
All those people, they are not ok and "just having a good time".
The brief moment in the sun is so fleeting. These "pleasure fixes" the world offers are chipping away at minds and hearts until there's nothing left. Then you are left for the world to make merchandise of you - selling you the "cure" in pill form. A forever customer in an endless cycle.
There is hope for you, loved one! Things are NOT hopeless! If there was hope for me, the worst of the worst, there is hope for YOU.
We have to let God mend our hearts and minds so we can adequately love others to fulfill the greatest commandment. In this world of loving ourselves and putting ourselves first ("Do what thou wilt."...Aleister Crowley), how is that selfishness working out for the world? I'm not talking about proper self care. Dig deeper.
Read 2 Timothy 3; you may get your mind blown at the accuracy of how the world works. It's shocking the Creator of the world knows us better than we know ourselves! Ha!
Newsflash: You are not quirky and weird. You were bred by the algorithm! As we all are/were. Or maybe you haven't healed from trauma. Trauma the world would have you believe is some kind of "rite of passage" and things that make you "who you are", things we all just go through. Some of it, we do not have to go through it! I truly believe that the older I get and the more I observe.
Being myself and loving myself is being and loving the person God created me to be. NOT the person 'I' think I should be or who the world says I should be. The world leads us to be selfish and prideful. What does God say about me? I am blessed, chosen, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and an accepted saint in Christ Jesus. I am marked and sealed with the Holy Spirit. That is how God sees me. That is who I am by His grace.
Living for the pursuit of happiness by the world's standards instead of finding true joy might lead you down a path of lust, greed, jealousy, and covetousness instead of appreciating all the blessings you already have.
Just appreciating you have another day on His earth. Air to breathe, water to drink, and something to nibble on for food.
You are alive for His honor and glory!
This world will have you wanting more and more and more. Bigger things. More expensive things. More power. Accolades from your fellow humans that really don't even care about you....Is any of that truly what's important if you dropped dead right now?
Living to be happy is the leading cause of depression...confused? Check out this 5 minute video. This wisdom could change your life, loved one.
I'm guilty there, too, family.
But I recognize this and every single day I try to be better than yesterday. With God's help, I appreciate the little things and being content more and more. I can't do it on my own in this flesh, though. It is only by Jesus Christ's Holy Spirit there is ANY good in me.
The world pushes everything that is the opposite of what The Most High tells us. People like to say that the bible (God's wisdom) is mind control, but they have not tasted and seen that the Lord is good! They may have tasted some religion, but they did not taste and see Jesus. The Jesus of the bible. Jesus is not a god we can fashion in our own minds to our liking. He fashions OUR mind.
People want to do what they want to do ("do as thou wilt"), yet ask the hypocritical question: "Why doesn't God do this or make us do that".
We are not robots!
We give much grace as we are given much grace every single day. But I won't compromise on what God says. I will always tell you the truth and I expect anyone who loves me to do the same to me. If you love someone, you tell them the truth.
Man is truly without excuse; rejecting the groundwork He laid to live our lives, choosing ourselves and our own knowledge, lusts, and desires...our way results in spiritual and physical death.
The results of us trying to do this thing apart from the wisdom and instruction of God is evident throughout history and in our own lives.
That's your 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 that 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫.
History merely repeats itself (Ecclesiastes 1:9). It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. We just don't learn! Grateful for The Most High's grace and mercy and for every single additional day and breath He gives us.
If we keep telling ourselves and our children to "do you", "be yourself", "do what thou wilt", "trust your heart", etc - we are just going to keep digging ourselves into bigger pits. What happens when the whole world is is selfish? And "doing them"? I think we're seeing some of the results of that.
The world is passing away and just doing what the world has 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 done 🥱.
So, I'll pass on what the world is telling me I should be doing. Does the occult or the world know the secret to "love"?
I have tasted and seen what the world has to offer. I am sharing what God delivered me from, praying it helps someone. My testimony: Lost but Found
Are your thoughts even your own?
What does "do you" even mean when you turn out just like everyone else or have the ideas you are told to have by the airwaves??? Almost verbatim.
The 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫 is using the airwaves of media to cast a spell using broad'casting' - causing mass delusion.
God tells us 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 (apart from Him):
"For from within, out of the heart of man comes: evil thoughts,
sexual immorality,
theft,
murder,
adultery,
coveting,
wickedness,
deceit,
sensuality,
envy,
slander,
pride,
foolishness.
All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
What does God say about "following your heart"? Scripture Reference Link
So yeah....go ahead an trust your heart if that's what you want to do. I have found in my life that "trusting my gut", "doing me", and "trusting my heart" didn't give me any peace whatsoever. I'd knock down and run over whoever I needed to in order to be "happy".
The state of the world shows me objectively the nature of man's heart. My own 'boo boos' in this life shows me the nature of man's heart. Proof the heart is deceitful.
The only thing that has given me true peace in this life is seeking the face of the One that knew me before I was born, the One that knitted me in my mother's womb - the Most High God. Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The one who loves me enough to die for me.
I'm not telling anyone to go join a religion or cult.
I'm not in one. So there's that.
What I'm strongly suggesting is that you seek the face of God almighty. He gives the peace that surpasses all understanding. This is why I share different things and links. To help, edify, and lift up others that don't know where to start. Freely I received, and now freely I give!
Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you???
It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.
I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
2 Corinthians 12, Romans 9, Romans 15, 2 Corinthians 2
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matthew 16:26
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. There will come a time of reprobate mind. Seared consciousness. Minds so defiled, they will not be able to find God. A famine of the Word.
I have been through some crap in my life (and I'm sure there will be more crap to come). I know it's not easy and I'm not trying to say it is, family.
I can't promise anyone that life is easy with God. On the contrary.
You begin to SEE and HEAR. But God fully equips us with spiritual armor to get through this life!
I'm not trying to sprinkle fairy dust on anyone's social media feed. What I share here is things that have helped me because I don't like to see family and friends hurting.
I am testifying of God's grace in my life because I want you to have His grace and peace, too. Also, the Most High instructs us to declare how much God has done for us. Soooo....Hope it helps someone out there. 🖤
As with anything I share....I try to make it edifying and helpful. Even if it does step on our toes sometimes. Trust it stepped on mine first!
Lastly, I'm re-sharing some thoughts with a picture that I shared a while back.
When the world or people start having more influence on you than you on them, it's time to reevaluate and seek the Father on the matter.
There may be people or things that need removed from your life.
The picture demonstrates what I have experienced myself. It's not me attacking other people for what they believe or are experiencing, for crying out loud!
It's me testifying what the Living God did for me. Every day I am grateful.
To God be the glory. I am a sinful bag of flesh without His grace and mercy. Through Christ, I am clean. Loved. Forgiven. A child of The Most High with purpose.
We can't force a message on someone that they are not willing to receive. The Father does not want anyone's forced worship. He knows our heart - which is terrifying, humbling, and assuring all at the same time. Not everyone is going to get it.
Love God, love others, pray without ceasing, don't give up.
Keep sharing your testimony. Do what you can with what you have and let God handle the rest. Work out YOUR salvation, be encouraged, and pray for God to help you lead by example. God knows I need His help...because I SHO can't do it on my own.
More in the comment section below.