What is Discernment, often known as Spiritual Discernmemt? This video is in two parts. Firstly I state what it is, and give examples of Discernment in the Christian Faith and it's uses. Discernment is one of the gifts of the Spirit which I think is one of the most important almost vital, helping you to stay on the narrow way. Some personal experiences of discernment are also thrown into the mix.
The second part we look at Scripture and see what the Bible has to say about Discernment using Bible Software (KJV)
This video was shot in Ayot Green in Hertfordshire a few miles away from where I live.
This video is a video response to a comment received at The Twelve Gates You Tube Channel which said
"I think I'm Saved, I Think I'm Born Again but I'm not sure"
I think this is a common problem out there that needs addressing, hence this video which gives examples of how you will probably not get "Saved". It also looks at what Scripture has to say about the process of being "Saved" especially the Book of Acts which was the dawn of the Church Age where the Spirit was working strongly in those times.
The final in the 7 part Series of the Seven Deadly Sins and that is Envy . It´s a sort of jealousy but on steroids. This is an all consuming sin that eats away internally at it´s owner and just like the other 6 Deadly Sins it will take you on a journey that will lead you to exactly the same place, but just via a different route. The place you end up will be your ultimate destruction. Once that is achieved it will have achieved it´s objective and just move onto it´s next victim and repeat the process all over again.
The Oxford Dictionary Definition
NOUN
1 [mass noun] A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck:
‘she felt a twinge of envy for the people on board’
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
1 Desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable thing belonging to (someone else):
‘he envied people who did not have to work at the weekends’
[with two objects] ‘I envy Jane her happiness’
Examples of How Modern Day Society generates Envy.
1. Mac Book Pro Owner 2016 V New Macbook Pro Owner with TOUCHBAR (latest reviews say this NEW machine is a lemon)
2. Car Registrations especially here in the UK. You have the 16 Mar 2016 Plate Latest Model your neighbour has gone one better with the 66 Sep 2016 Plate with Deluxe Alloy Wheels, New Shape Rear Funky LED Lights and Blacked out Celebrity looking Rear Windows as optional extras ALL for FREEEEE
3. The Rich and Famous and Celebrity Lifestyles are being bombarded into our lives via the Media and TV, The Glossies and with Reality Shows. Also Vloggers with their perfect and desirable lifestyles. People wonder why isn´t my life like that?
4. Promotions and Career You have been working for 10 years at XYZ Co and never been promoted, whereas Flashy Suit Jim gets promoted in 2 years and ends up as your BOSSSSS
5. Technology You´ve just bought the Samsung Galaxy S7 (exploding fire hazard battery model) and initially impressed the living daylights out of your friends only to find Annoying Rat Race Rebecca, has just gone one better and bought the Samsung Galaxy S7X with non exploding battery with FREE Beats by Dr Dre TOP of the range headphones and free Gym membership for a year at The Platinum Exclusive Fitness Club (non riff raff allowed) with FREE Personal Trainer 1 day a week.
6. Education. You´ve studied hard and got 5 Straight A grades and are over the moon, only to find Clever Clogs Celine has just got 6 A PLUS Grades and a special invitation to the A Plus Club and a mention in the HALL OF FAME at the University.
7. Beauty Your friend eats like a horse and is a constant Size 8, you have been dieting for years and you are still a Size 14, eat normally and you are Size 18 overnight?
8. Family Life and Lifestyle You´ve got 2 kids that are constantly screaming the place down, whereas your friend Nirvana Nicky has two kids and they are good as gold and angelic and quiet as mice? (when you see them anyway)
9. Holidays You go on holiday twice a year in the UK and sit in your Caravan and it always rains....ALWAYS. Your friend LUCKY LISA has four holidays a year on tropical islands living like the stars and comes back with a glorious tan and a big smile every time and has the cheek to ask how was your caravan holiday.
10. Employment You work in McDonalds part time and just make ends meet whereas your friend works full time in a posh and swanky restaurant mixing with the elite and gets MEGA tips.
We could go on here but you get the idea. Stick the word ENVY or ENVIOUS or GRRRRRR at the end of each sentence and you will get a good idea what envy is all about and I would say Envy is promoted by Modern Day Society. There is no rest with Envy, no peace, just inner turmoil. It´s what advertisers love and embrace and promote and it keeps the economic wheels turning, gets people spending, creates jobs, boosts the economic numbers to give us a feeling of prosperity and well being, so Envy is good RIGHT?
Where does Envy Lead?
Envy is a strange one, because the actual act of being envious doesn´t give a buzz, kick or short lived happiness or euphoria On it´s own it just gives a festering, internal rotting and there is no pleasure in that. BUT Envy will lead to one of the other Seven Deadly Sins which are normally Lust, Greed or Vanity. Wrath can surface as a result of Envy as well. Sloth and Gluttony are not really bed fellows of the Sin of Envy but in rare cases they can be. This one will lead to the same place as others, maybe not death but certainly can lead to loss of job, financial problems, homelessness, health problems that arise from this internal eating away such as Cancer. Ultimately though, just like the others it can lead to death in extreme cases. It´s the same destination but just a different journey to end up at the same place. All the Seven Deadly Sins overlap, if you suffer from one, it´s guaranteed that another is not far behind..
What does the Bible say about Envy?
All the Seven Deadly Sins will lead either directly or indirectly to breaking one of the Ten Commandments. For example Lust could lead to adultery. Greed could lead to theft or stealing, Wrath could lead to killing or Murder. Of all the Seven Deadly Sins though Envy is the only one that is mentioned as one of the Ten Commandments and is mentioned as Coveting in Exodus
Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
What´s the cure?
Modern Society yet again is geared up to the Seven Deadly Sins and simply turning and looking the other way will not solve the problem because it is everywhere and you will eventually become an Envy victim and turn into that green eyed monster, sooner rather than later. Everybody else is doing it so it must be OK??
All the Seven Deadly Sins are the desire of the Flesh and as a Christian you will be aware of these cardinal vices and will avoid them like the plague in the first place. If you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit you will not desire these things and will have the spiritual vision to see, whereas the rest of the world are Spiritually blind. You know you are on a different journey from the WORLD, a holy one that requires you to stay on that straight and narrow way......no matter what!
Matthew 7:13-14 13: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Conclusion
The Seven Deadly Sins represent the Broad Way and the Road to destruction. The trick is seeing and resisting them in the first place, seeing through the bright lights, special offers, the myriad of multi coloured balloons, the sugar coated and candy wrapped scenarios and other trickery. But if you do not have the Holy Spirit and are spiritually blind you cannot see and you will fall for these tricks, time and time again.
Bible Quotes:
Proverbs 14:30 - A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
Proverbs 23:17 - Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Galatians 5:19 - 5:22 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
1 Peter 2:1 - Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
Galatians 5:26 - Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Proverbs 24:1 - Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Titus 3:3 - For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another.
1 Corinthians 13:4 - Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
James 3:16 - For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
1 Timothy 6:4 - He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
Mark 7:20 - 7:23 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
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