Hello friends, I am settling in with a cup, I want to share something with you today...
It seems everywhere we look these days, there is fake-ness... ( I know, that's not a word). Fake eyelashes, fake nails, fake cheeks, both kinds..lol, blown up lips, smoothed out foreheads, fake purses, fake diamonds, the list goes on and on....
But what if we go a bit deeper? Our world is spinning on fake news, fake agendas, fake politicians. Its scary.. Wait, there's more! What about our places of worship? We have fake praise, fake worship, fake relationship with the Lord?!
Maybe we look the part, we act the part while in the church house, we say the right things there, but behind closed doors... what about then?! Are we tearing down our Pastor? Leadership? Saints? Friends? Are WE spreading fake news? Do we have a fake or a hidden agenda? Are we making meals out of people? Slandering and gossiping?
In 2 Timothy, Paul warns Timothy of the dangers of this type of person. What we know today as a narcissistic personality.
You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 6 They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of[a] vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. 7 (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) 8 These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. 9 But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
Here we read that Paul is very concerned about this type of person destroying the church. In verse 5, it is evident these are people who are regular church goers.. This is the alarming part! We as Godly women have to be vigilant, about who we let into our lives. Who are we entertaining? What are we silently accepting? Remember, even the listener of gossip is a gossip!
I am certain, that everyone reading this blog, has known someone like this person described in the word, at some point and time in their life. We have all been talked about in a ugly way, gossiped about. I've heard some gossip about myself just this week, and by this time next week, I'll hear some more..lol
The lovely news is, we have a choice about the way we react. How should we react to fake people? I am glad you asked! Lets read on...
But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. 12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. 14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:10-17
So here is the encouragement from a very wise Paul to Timothy. Sound biblical wisdom. It doesn't make it hurt any less, or make it any easier to be kind to those who are friendly to you while being deceptive.
How do we apply this wisdom to our everyday life?
First, we ask God to forgive and cleanse us, give us a pure heart. Without a pure heart, how can we love the ones who seek to wound us with the love of Christ? Christ wont dwell in us, advocate for us, fight for us, if there is darkness in our hearts.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth [a]through the Spirit in [b]sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of [c]corruptible seed but [d]incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides [e]forever, 24 because“ All flesh is as grass,
And all [f]the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the [g]word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:22-25
Secondly, stay in the word. Gods word is given to us as a comfort.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Stay in prayer!! The bible says pray for our enemies. Don't pray destruction, crippling diarrhea, hair loss, or a third eye to appear in the middle of their forehead!!! although...... hhaahah jk. The bible says pray peace, blessings, and good things on your enemies. God has our backs. He will fight our battles. We are not to be vengeful people. God is in control. It is promised that all done in the dark will be revealed in the light. All we need to do is STAY IN THE LIGHT!!
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Luke 6: 27-28
Lastly, we MUST keep on worshiping! Think about it ladies, fakes are created to replace the real thing! Fakes are manufactured because the authentic product is too expensive so the world needs a cheaper alternative! The authentic product takes too much effort, commitment, too much transparency. TOO MUCH REALNESS!
Satan wanted to be God. He couldn't just worship the purest deity. He wanted to be the the highest authority. Unfortunately, he didn't last in Heaven. So he was cast out, and he has been trying to manufacture a fake product ever since. Fake holiness, fake worship, fake praise, fake peace, fake image, fake friendships.
And so, the enemy sees your praise, your worship, your relationship with God, and he knows he cant have that, so the next best thing is to destroy yours. How? I'll use this sister over here, to gossip, to wound, to belittle, to intimidate, until it shuts that worship down.
And the minute we stop, the enemy wins!
So we keep worshiping! We keep praising! We keep reaching others, bible studying as much as possible, spreading the good news, SMILING!
I want to leave you with one last portion of scripture...
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Romans 5:1-6
Ladies, when the world around us fails us, when humanity acts like humanity, we have a never ending love and hope in God! I hope this encouraged you today
Love,
J
