Entitlement Mentality: Worldly and Spiritually

James 4:6-But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The entitlement mentality is rampant in our culture. It says, "I deserve better. I deserve more. I deserve it all. People should take care of me. I'm entitled to more than I'm getting." Many different areas of life can bring on a entitlement mentality.

Position of status- A job title that is above another doesn't make you a God.

Education level- A higher degree in a certain field of study does not make you more intelligent than all others. A degree in one field does not transcend to all corners of life.

Notoriety- Being famous or a spouse of someone famous does not elevate you above others. Because you think you're more special than others does not entitle you to what you want when you want it.

You may have put more time in your education, job level, or life and made different decisions along that path; But you were not created in any higher of magnitude than the one that has made different life choices.

Entitlement encompasses two attitudes: (1) I am exempt from responsibility, and (2) I am owed special treatment. In other words, I don’t have to carry my own burdens, and I should be treated differently.

Entitlement is discussed in the bible on many different occasions. Naaman was a respected commander of a powerful army, a strong soldier, well regarded by his superiors and yet, had leprosy. At this time, there was no known cure for this disease. One of his servants told him where he could go to be healed. So Naaman went to Elisha with his horses and chariots. Elisha told him that if he washed in the Jordan River seven times, he would be cleansed.
Here’s where we see Naaman’s entitlement: “But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy’” (2 Kings 5:11).

Naaman presents both of these characteristics in his response. First, in Naaman’s mind, he was owed special treatment or at least a proper acknowledgment. Second, Naaman felt that he should be exempt from responsibility. He didn’t want the responsibility to follow orders by washing in the river.
We all have a Naaman in our lives. Perhaps it’s a co-worker, family member or friend who wants you to wave a hand over their situation and fix their problems. Maybe you have a son or daughter that, despite your best parental efforts, has chosen a path of laziness. They feel they deserve special treatment with no responsibility.
Here’s what you need to remember: Change happens in the presence of compassion. Before you look at that Naaman in your life and pretentiously point out all their failings, remember that you have been a Naaman. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

You may receive your reward here on earth but be very careful of how you use that. One day you will make account for that gift and judged on how it was used.

Luke 17:5-10- The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. "Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"

If we aren't careful, this entitlement mentality even invades our relationship with God. We begin to feel that we deserve something from God. That he owes us something!

Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, what we deserve is death. That's a tough pill to swallow, but the Bible is clear about that.  "The wages of sin is death" says the apostle Paul. What God owes us in wages is death! The good news is that he doesn't give us what we deserve. Instead, in mercy he gives us life!

He gives us eternity and freedom and forgiveness and hope and love and truth. God is SO good!

Our response to all this grace can't be, "Well, what else are you going to do for me, God." (Though he does so much for us everyday.) Rather our response should be, "What can I do for you, God? How can I serve and follow you today?" We are his servants. Not vice versa.

These last to posts are not made out of anger. They are made out of pain. Both personal and the pain of seeing it happen to so many others. Stop the hate, greed, the gossiping, the belittling of those you have less or don't fit your mold!  Most of the people who read this blog will not fit into these categories. But I can guarantee you know others like this that need prayers.

Romans 12:3- For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Luke 14:11- For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

For those who read all the way through, here's a good video on entitlement.

May You Be Blessed With Peace And Understanding

Perception:Visual or Reality

1 Samuel 16:7 But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.

This is something that bugs me on a daily basis. Sometimes multiple times a day. "Oh they look a certain way so they must be those kind of people". Or "He doesn't smile 24/7 and talk to everyone that walks past so they must be antisocial and have an attitude."

 The only mold we have in common is the human race. That is how we were created, and this is how we should perceive one another. Yet I see it day in and day out.

 People are quick to cry fairness and equality; but if someone doesn't fit the mold of what they think equal is, then they're just pushed to the wayside.

 That lady you pass that looks all disheveled, it doesn't mean you talk about her with your friends like she's unkept. What if she just lost a child or spouse? What if she's been battling a toddler all night?

 Don't assume the person that doesn't smile all the time has an attitude; he could be depressed, have social anxiety, or be going thru some things. Instead of judging others we need to love and pray for each other.

Don't ever think you have to fit some preconceived image that the world puts forth. Like I tell my son, "don't be a follower always just be you." People you come in contact with will come and go as you move thru life. Some will really get to know the real you that's all locked up from the world. Most will adopt the image the world wants and shun you for not being part of it. In the end you answer for yourself. Not for what your friends did; but for the decisions you make when they decide to follow the norm.

Romans 12:16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

This is a letter from a girl in college to her parents:

Dear Mom and Dad: I’m sorry to be so long in writing again, but all my writing paper was lost the night the dormitory was burned down by demonstrators. I’m out of the hospital now, and the doctor says by eyesight should be back to normal sooner or later. The wonderful boy, Bill, who rescued me from the fire kindly offered to share his little apartment with me until the dorm is rebuilt. He comes from a good family, so you won’t be too surprised when I tell you we are going to get married. In fact, you always wanted a grandchild, so you will be glad to know that you will be grandparents next month. Please disregard the above practice in English composition. There was no fire, I haven’t been in the hospital, I’m not blind. I’m not pregnant, and I don’t even have a boyfriend. But I did get a "D" in French and an "F" in chemistry, and I wanted to be sure you received this news in proper perspective. Love, Mary.

Proper perspective is a very important thing to have. Sometimes if we’re not careful we can lose focus of what’s truly important.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

There are many verses on the evils of gossip and slander. I believe the reason for this is because of all sin, our speech is

the worst. Murder, hate, war and every conceivable evil has it's root in a spoken word.

Our daily lives are filled with enough stress and pain as it is. Why do so many people add the destruction of others to that pain? You may be angry with someone but don't verbally destroy them; lift them up in prayer and yourself in the process. I am tired of seeing all the pain and hate in our families and our world. People I beg you lift each other up! Pray for each other. Love each other. And for God's sake STOP THE HATE!

May You Be Blessed With Peace And Understanding

The Woman,The Child,and The Dragon

Revelation 12:1-2,5 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."

For past centuries this chapter in the book of Revelation has been highly symbolic of past, present and future. The depiction of the pregnant woman has at large been agreed to represent either the Virgin Mary or Israel with the man child being brought forth representing Jesus Christ. However other views have emerged during Church history, notably that either the woman represented the church or that the man-child represented the church. The arguments and differing points of view have facilitated this topic.

However whatever ones view is, the consensus is that this scripture has future prophetical implications because of the location of this passage in the book of Revelation which many see as a sequential and time dependent series of events following each other.

On September 23rd, 2017, an unprecedented astronomical alignment will appear in the sky over Israel that some researchers believe will be a literal fulfillment of of Revelation 12:1-2 and Revelation 12:5. The passage describes a heavenly sign where a pregnant woman appears covered in the sun, with the moon at her feet, and crowned with 12 stars. The woman gives birth to a male child who is "caught up" to God. For centuries many had thought this was a form of allegorical symbolism, but today some researchers believe that it is more than just symbolism.

On the Hebrew day of Tishri 1 which falls from sunset on 22nd September until sunset on 23rd September 2017 the sun will be within the zodiac constellation of Virgo—“a woman clothed with the sun”.

The moon will be at the feet of Virgo—“with the moon under her feet”.

The ‘nine’ stars of the zodiac constellation Leo, plus three planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars), will be at the head of Virgo—“on her head a crown of twelve stars”.

The planet Jupiter will be in the center of Virgo, and as the weeks pass after September 23 Jupiter will exit Virgo (after being within this vicinity for 9 months) to the east, past her feet, so to speak—“She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth”. Jupiter is the largest of the planets, the “king” of the planets, so to speak—“She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod”.

As I stated before this is NOT date setting. This is only observing the signs in the heavens that Christ said to wait and watch for. The four blood moon tetrads of 2015-16 plus the fact that they all fell on Jewish Holy days and corresponded to the Shemitah and Super Shemitah is to hard to dismiss.

If that wasn't enough this coming celestial convergence is a once in 7000 year occurrence. Plus
September 22, is the Feast of Trumpets or Jewish New Year. It is also the 70 year anniversary of the UN resolution allowing for Israel to be recognized as a state; which 70 years was considered a generation. It is also the 50th anniversary or year of Jubilee for Jerusalem and the 70th anniversary of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Wow right! Again I don't believe in date setting. I don't believe in trying to pull out future predictions from single verses of scripture. What I do believe in is watching and waiting. Christ said there would be signs in the heavens before his return, and gave descriptions of these signs. He said in
Acts 28:26-27 'GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, "YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."'

Luke 12:35-40-"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. "Blessed are those whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. "Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those. "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.

John 5:28-29-"Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Are you ready? What will Christ say to you at his return? Will he say "Come my good and faithful servant, to your much deserved rest'? Or will he say "Depart from me for I never knew you"?

Be ready my friends, always serving, always watching, always waiting, and always being prepared for his return, 

May You Be Blessed With Peace And Understanding