"The Wink! Eves' Rip Off - Part 2" by Debra Courtney

Normal or Not Normal?  That is the Question.

There is another thing that I would like to touch on now.  That being how Satan works so hard with a never ending ruthless energy of perseverance to twist my thinking.  Does Satan ever take a day off?  NO!  That being said, that the world (those following the god of this world) is the normal people and that I am the one of the many not normal persons of the world.  

The enemy uses many strategies against people close to me who try to get me into confrontation with them. “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” Matt. 10:36.”  

It is called mind game playing. I have to remember this when I feel like hitting them over the head with a pan pizza. They tell me I am not a normal person.  Well, I am okay with not being a normal person as the world defines normal.  Who can be normal and live in this crazy world?  They do not come out and tell me, “You’re not a normal person, Debra.”  Their very actions tell me by how they love this world and the things in this world and the god of this world.  They live this way completely ignorant of the schemes that the enemy is using against them and they are not living.  They are dead men walking. 

It seems the closer that the time for Jesus to return to earth the more intense warfare becomes. Warfare is a very strategic game plan for the hearts and minds of believers today. Warfare is his attempt to break my and your focus and abort my and your interest in the miracles God has planned for us.  

Then I got to thinking about it.  Am I a normal person? My conclusion was: I am not a normal person according to this world, because I am not of this world. I am only interested in what Heaven knows and thinks about me. I have decided to think along the lines that Jesus thought when he was here on this earth. I hear what my Father says, and I do what I see my Father do. I say what my Father says.  

Even though Jesus came to this earth and he loved people and cared for people he still was killed by the world. He left us in the world to share the Gospel. I do love people, however I don’t like the way they live their life. I pray they find the light of the Bible.  I am a covenant person. I am in blood covenant with God through the blood of Jesus. I set boundaries with people when it comes to things that I stand for. It is the people(s) who don’t like the boundaries I set that are not normal.

Q and A from friend Me? Conference 3/16/2013

Someone at the Friend Me? Conference asked the counseling panel this question: 

"My brother asked me to lie to a friend. If he is a believer, why ask me to lie?" 

I think there may be two parts to your question: 

1.  If my brother is a believer, why does he sin and want me to sin? 

Just because your brother is a Christian, it doesn't mean he is perfect. 

Before we were Christians we were spring-loaded to the sin position. It was impossible not to sin. Sure we could do “good” things, but our motives are probably self-centered. In 1 John 1: 8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Though we strive for perfection (Matthew 5:48) our old nature still exists. If you read Romans 7, you will see that Paul struggled with his sin nature, but he knew that one day he would be victorious.  

When we become believers we have the Holy Spirit living in us. For the first time we have the power not to sin. However, but are still human. Because of the Fall, we live in a broken world. We are still capable of ignoring the Holy Spirit's power.  

2. I think a second part of your question might be, “Is it okay to tell my brother I won’t lie for him?” 

Do you have a hard time standing up for yourself? Do you feel like he has more influence over you than he should? Do you feel like there will be a price to pay if you don't lie?  

If you struggle with these questions you might want to read the book, Boundaries by Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend. Or you may want to see a counselor to help you work on these struggles.

Lucille Zimmerman is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice in Littleton, CO and an affiliate faculty professor at Colorado Christian University. 

She is also the author of Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World. Through practical ideas and relatable anecdotes, readers can better understand their strengths and their passions—and address some of the underlying struggles or hurts that make them want to keep busy or minister to others to the detriment of themselves. Renewed can help nurture those areas of women’s lives to use them better for work, family, and service. It gives readers permission to examine where they spend their energy and time, and learn to set limits and listen to “that inner voice."