Why Every True Christian Will Admit 

They Are A Recovering Narcissist...

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

As much as I have ranted, yes - Ranted! - about bullies, narcissistic people, when the Lord popped this thought in my head, I had to stop and say, "Yes, This is very true."  We are all at different points in our journeys to the Lord if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  
The terms to define a narcissist float freely as in:  Self-Centered, they only think about themselves; Selfish, see self-centered.  They think only about themselves, see self-centered; They matter so much only to themselves that they will purposely try to control and manipulate others by lying, stealing, trying to set you up for other people to see you a certain way - not caring what harm it may cause to you, their victim, see self-centered.  If there is a control button, they have it.  They will not surrender it.  No matter the cost!  

Now this brings us to our learning points.  If you have had somewhat of a Catholic background, maybe Reformation, and have learned some of the catechisms you will remember your seven deadly sins.  If you have more a Protestant/Reformation, you will have lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life teachings.  

What Are You Catching???

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

This time of year always brings about hurts.  Someone always says something and their responses cause an offense, a wounding, and the enemy loves to play havoc with their emotions.  My answer is - We all must work out our OWN SALVATION with fear and trembling.  Meaning that what God has told me to lay down might be perfectly fine for you to pick up.  Please don't judge me and I won't judge you, okay?  However, I do have a life experience I would like to share with you.

Do you remember "The Joy" song?  The 'Joy Song?' you ask.  "Yes, the "Joy Song..." a memory from long ago comes to the forefront of my thoughts.  I remember a time sitting around the table, doing school, with my children.  They were being kind of grumpy and most likely, so was I.  I would do things at various time to break the monotony of  boring tasks that had to be finished to say 'we had done school.'  On this particular day, I broke out in to singing as I have known to do at times.  I started singing the "Joy" Song.  'If you want joy you must ask for it?, if you want joy you must ask for it....Remember?  The Joy Song??  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha...by the third ha, we were all laughing.  We sang it together and again, by the third Ha, we were laughing.  Spontaneous laughter!  Joy!  Our cast-down countenances lightened by the moment.  

I watched a sermon-video recently and the speaker, Veronica Bean, was teaching on worship and the spontaneous that happens when you are praising and worshiping our Lord, Jesus Christ.  In this instance, prophecy, was the topic.  She made the statement that the Holy Spirit was 'catching.'  In other words, if you become thankful, others will catch on to that thankfulness.  If you become joyful, others will catch on to that joyfulness.  If you start prophesying, others will prophecy.  Likewise, if you are bitter and complaining (guilty, I admit it.) bitterness and complaining you will get. 

I don't know about you, but I need those others speaking in to my life.  Back to the topic at hand, whatever the Holy Spirit is doing is catching!  You start, others will follow.  May the day come when we are all bold to act without having to follow others and we are just obedient to obey our Lord, Jesus.

So whatever you are doing, be sure it is something you want to catch.  Might I encourage you tonight, around the family table, sing the 'Joy' Song and tell me what you caught. 

   

Here I sit, 

Churning thoughts in my head.

Plans I make, I'm going to do,

And I hear you say, "Come my Child, wait on me.

My Yoke is easy.  My burden is light."

The enemy presses, thoughts surging -

I'm going to make this happen

And I hear you say, "Wait, My Child.  Wait on me.

My thoughts fly back, 

'But, I must be about my  Father's business.'

All while My Father is saying, "Wait, My Child.  Come rest in me." 

Autumn Flowers

 

 

So 

 

Beautiful!!!