THIS JOY STORY
will show ways to deal with people who only want to take from you and not give to you while all the time pretending to be interested in you. To help you deal with insincere people I’ve written this and posted it today about an unpleasant situation I was in years ago…

Today, God told me what I should have done to deal with
Katie…

Take it to heart.

 

 

AS I WAS PRAYING in the Spirit this morning later on thoughts of a woman I once worked with came to me, Katie. Katie and I were years apart and had nothing of interesting significance in common.

Selah.

I was past forty, married, with children. Katie was single and a good twenty years younger. We were polite acquaintances, not really interested in seeking a strong bond. AND THEN ONE DAY, suddenly Katie decided to become ‘interested’ in me.

Interesting.

People love to talk about themselves. I am no different.

Selah.

I’d have to say the difference between a Christian and a non-religious person (one of the differences; there are many) is the truth that Christians deeply care for the non-believer’s relationship to God. We want for them exactly what God wants for them because we love them:

 

Matthew 22:35-40
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

For example, I would never start one day to suddenly to become ‘interested’ in another person so that I could get something I wanted personally from them… I would not want to ever fake a friendship or concern.

Selah.

If I seek friendships, more importantly fellowship, with someone, I would plan and pray it would be permanent: on Earth as it is in Heaven…

The day came when I found out what Katie wanted. She had begun her quest by posing questions to me. It seemed to me at the time in the beginning of it all she wanted to get to know me more. I am worth admiring and learning from! All glory to God!! It’s been so long ago, I can’t remember specifically what she queried me with. What I do remember is that she came to the end of her ‘interest’ after she got what she wanted: a ride home for several days…

The rides stopped. She didn’t ‘need’ me now. Katie’s car was back and available for her drive to work. Then she went back to our normal relationship: co-workers with no desire to start a lasting friendship because we had no similar interests or commonalities.

As I was praying this morning, thinking nothing about Katie (haven’t for years) as her name came to my mind through the Holy Spirit, this long-ago situation came back to me. What was so fascinating was the fact that even after all these years the Holy Spirit gave me the answer; the way I should have handled Katie. God brought her name to me today, seemingly out of the blue. It had all ended, as I said, years ago. But God cares for me in every area of my life and He doesn’t want me abused or simply taken advantage of.

The Holy Spirit relayed to me what I should have done. “Yes, I’ll give you a ride to my house. Then you can walk from there.” This would have saved her from walking a mile longer and I wouldn’t have gone farther than my own route to home. This way we both would be respectful and Katie would have been treated with the love of Christ. And I would have bestowed on myself that same love! The drive to Katie’s house was our of my way. It took me more than twice as long to get home…

 

Matthew 22:35-40
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

Beloved, Satan always wants to guilt God’s children. God is love. Yes, He is! And He expects us to return His love. If we don’t and die without loving Him, this is what happens:

 

Revelation 21:6-8
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

 

The lake of burning sulfur is the fate for those who die by their own choice of hating God and remaining cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, practicing magic arts, idolaters and/or liars…

Yes Katie had used me by pretending to start bonding with me. I fell for it and I hated that I did. But, as I always say, I would rather be the victim than the abuser, than the phony, the liar. You see, there was a time when I wanted to be friends with everyone! And that time is still here! However, not everyone wants to be friends with me aka, a brother or sister in Christ or a Jewish person who loves our God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God Almighty personally told me verbatim: “There will be no peace on Earth until the Prince of Peace is loved and worshipped by all in His sight, and those who reject Him are cast out of His presence.” He does prompt me to keep away (and keep away totally from some) from certain types of people.

I have more stories of being stupid, allowing myself to be loved less than others. I’d rather miss it that way than sin; but God loves me so very much that He gave me this Katie-lesson today so I may apply these types of situations when encountering selfish, lying people.

It is well with my soul!

 

 

 

SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS JOY STORY:

 

 

Matthew 22:35-40
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

 

Daniel 12:1-2
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)  and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

 

Titus 3:8-11
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.  Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.