by David Brenneman
"For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these. For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, worthless in regard to the faith." 2 Timothy 3:2-8 NASB
"and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other com" Mark 12:30-31 NASB
Self-help books, videos, etc. will always lead you away from a relationship with Jesus.
Books, videos or people who teach, supposedly coach, you into any thinking that doesn't involve a right relationship with Jesus will only shipwreck your life, eventually causing you to lose what's right, pure and true.
Reading of people teaching others to look inward, to self-examine, to "better yourself" to think...as Scripture warns...to think more highly of yourself than you ought to.
People teaching people these self-centered ideologies will lead them away from the plan and purpose of God for them.
This is about the lives of people living as the Word of God says people ought to live vs the word of Satan on how to live. There's no middle ground.
I read a lot, no doubt there, I carry digital books and a handful of physical books most of the time. I always carry my Bible with me.
The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It's what's used to fight against all ideologies, all lofty thoughts, all that Satan can muster against the Believer.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12 NASB.
We are never, ever, taught that we need the Bible AND other ways of thinking about how to live life.
Even the books that I do read and do have, they support looking at Jesus, the Author and the Perfector of my faith.
The warning in Timothy is as much for his generation as it is ours.
Ours is the most prideful, boastful, arrogant, than any since the early years of civilization. People coaching people, teaching people, in every type and facet of living a life.
In reading of what Jesus said of Mary and Martha. The only right thing is to choose to be at the feet of Jesus. To be learning about how to live a life that honors all that He did to save us. Not on how we can get the most out of life, living for ourselves. Not on how to eat, not on how to think.
To love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit is to put even YOU second to Jesus. Your personal thoughts come second to what God's Word is saying.
We do not need psychological self help books or speakers.
We do not need coaches in living life.
We need people listening to the Godly men that the Spirit has established to preach and teach the Word of God on how the Spirit says we ought to be living life.
"All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB.
What we need is what God has said and to do it.
How did Jesus answer Satan?
"But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 NASB.
How did He answer the Disciples?
"But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about." John 4:32 NASB.
Be very very leery about worldly teaching. Be even more leery when it turns up in the churches you attend.
We do not need coaches on living any facet of life. We need to listen more to the Spirit of God and to speak less so that we may hear.
We need to utilize the Sword of the Spirit rather than allowing it to stay sheathed.
We should be holding up the shield of faith rather than having it sitting on the ground.
These two are the first to contact the flaming arrows of the evil one.
These two are your first line of defense.
The helmet of salvation protects your mind.
The breastplate of righteousness protects your heart.
We are to USE the Shield of Faith with the Sword of the Spirit.
No where in the Bible are we taught that we NEED the Bible AND something else.
No where in the Bible are we taught to expect more teachings from future people to add to the Scriptures because the Bible is only a starting point.
Be careful, my Dear Reader, what you put into your mind and heart. First and foremost it ought to be the Word of God.
Lastly...
"It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.” Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone; they are blind guides of blind people. And if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:11-14 NASB.
When selfishness begins to take root, Jesus is pushed out.
When we love self more than Jesus, Jesus is pushed out.
When we love anything or anyone more than Jesus, Jesus is pushed away.
Millions of people per day wake up in Hell because they listened to and believed the words of the world rather than the truth of God in Christ Jesus. Many will be radically ashamed of what their lives will show when they stand before Jesus, giving an account of their lives for what they did in their life...supposedly for Him.
First and foremost be sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus.
Second, live a life that is rooted in and honors Jesus. Love God, love people. Introduce them to each other.
Thirdly, realize the work of God in you. That it's to make you more like Christ, less like you or like the world.
As a friend I knew used to pray, "Empty me of me, and fill me with more of You".
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