I am grieved that so many Bible teachers are teaching the false narrative of the nephelim. The word nephelim in the original language means mighty men. Angels cannot procreate with humans because they have no seed and are a different species. The idea of giants created by devils in humans violates the scripture that God created the physical world in which each species mated with its own kind.
Genesis 1:24 "24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds:" God said there were godly men who married pagan women, and that there were giants in the land at the time, not that the union of those two humans created the giants.
Only God the Father could create a human being in the womb without a physical seed; devils cannot do this. To say the devils could do what God did is to make them gods and bring God the Father down. It is blasphemy to pretend devils can do what God the Father can only do.
Also, I am so sorry that well-known Bible teachers are attempting to answer questions with guesses. Guesses are not wise when answering Biblical questions. We ought to be able to say "that the Bible does not speak to that, so there is no answer." What could have happened that didn't should never be expressed.
Since prophecy tells us what did happen, it is foolish to guess at what would have happened if the prophecy had not been so. This is how so many teachers get themselves into false doctrine, by the mere suggestion at what could have happened but didn't.
We need to stop guessing at what might have happened or what could have happened that God never spoke about in the Bible.
I did this once when I pondered what would have happened if Sapphirah had talked her husband out of lying to the Holy Spirit. I was wrong in doing that, I see it now. It is best to speak about what did happen and what God said will happen, without any guesses.
Years ago, someone asked if the "other followers not of us" were aliens from outer space. It was a silly question when the context clearly says they are followers of Christ, just not in His immediate group. To add fantasy to the truth is to bring false doctrine.
Now we have people believing the "Nephilim" are back and walking the earth again; this is patently ridiculous.
I am grieved by how many times people put up news articles without any way of proving they are true. I recall when someone said once, "You know it must be true, because I saw it on the internet."
We are living in a world full of fantasy, sensationalism, and entertainment-minded Christians who have no problem distorting Scripture to make things more interesting.
Not only do they want to gain more followers, but they also want those followers to think they have special knowledge that will wow everyone.
Sadly, too many preachers get their information from other preachers who are caught up in extra-biblical texts such as the "Book of Enoch", which was not written by Enoch, but by someone else centuries after the flood. Not only does this book get much wrong, but it also has blasphemies in it.
These are the days just like those of Lot and Noah, in which the world is so full of lies and distortions that there is little faith and truth left upon the earth.
It is better to resist listening to modern-day preachers who are mesmerized and indoctrinated to believe fantasies.
Read the Word yourself, and pray that the Holy Spirit will show you the truth. I listen to some teachers but am very careful to compare the wording of the bible with what they say so that I do not believe anything that is not Biblical. Keep everything within the context of the entire Bible and the Holy Spirit will guied you.
John 16:13-14 "13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
How can we tell if someone has truth? If what they say brings glory to God and not to themselves.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
The Most Important People in our Lives: Christ and our Spouse!!!
It is a betrayal of our wedding vows to make any other family member more important than our spouse. (A form of adultery)
SPOUSES ALWAYS COME FIRST ABOVE ANYONE ELSE!
Friday, July 10, 2026
Why Do People Go To Church
Why do many people "go to church"? It's because they don't understand that when we are born again, we "are" the church.
Traditions have trained people to use "going to church" as a way of feeling safe, expecting blessings for doing so, and having someone to turn to when there was no one else, that is, God.
Sadly, their idea of God is someone who gives them their needs and desires while keeping them safe from life.
And, worse, many attend church gatherings to impress others, making their friends and family believe they are good people for following the rules and being decent to others.
None of these things should motivate us to attend gatherings.
Jesus Christ died a brutal death to pay the penalty for our sin, the death we deserved. He took it for us and promises to come and live in us when we trust in Him. He has promised to keep us from spiritual death and give us the strength to get through this life, which is full of difficulties and emotional traumas because of the fall of man thousands of years ago.
Not only does He promise to remain with us here, but He promises to take us to our heavenly home to be with Him when we leave this life. He decides when we leave and gives us the peace and joy until that happens.
Romans 6:23 "…22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1 John 5:11-12 "And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."
John 10:28 "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand."
Ephesians 3:11 "according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
1 Peter 2:23-25 "…23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.…"
Notice God says Christ is the overseer of our soul, not ourselves and not any other human being.
Hebrews 9:28 "so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him."
We were not able to pay our own debt for our own sin, only the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, could do it.
Because of this, we owe Him everything; instead of using Him like a celestial sugar daddy with our hands continually out, we should be bowing before Him, asking Him to give us the power to carry out His will, and asking Him to transform us into His likeness.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God."
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
"7 But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."
Hallelujah!!!! Depending on Christ brings great joy and peace no matter what we must endure on this earth.
Traditions have trained people to use "going to church" as a way of feeling safe, expecting blessings for doing so, and having someone to turn to when there was no one else, that is, God.
Sadly, their idea of God is someone who gives them their needs and desires while keeping them safe from life.
And, worse, many attend church gatherings to impress others, making their friends and family believe they are good people for following the rules and being decent to others.
None of these things should motivate us to attend gatherings.
Jesus Christ died a brutal death to pay the penalty for our sin, the death we deserved. He took it for us and promises to come and live in us when we trust in Him. He has promised to keep us from spiritual death and give us the strength to get through this life, which is full of difficulties and emotional traumas because of the fall of man thousands of years ago.
Not only does He promise to remain with us here, but He promises to take us to our heavenly home to be with Him when we leave this life. He decides when we leave and gives us the peace and joy until that happens.
Romans 6:23 "…22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1 John 5:11-12 "And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."
John 10:28 "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand."
Ephesians 3:11 "according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."
1 Peter 2:23-25 "…23 When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.…"
Notice God says Christ is the overseer of our soul, not ourselves and not any other human being.
Hebrews 9:28 "so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him."
We were not able to pay our own debt for our own sin, only the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ, could do it.
Because of this, we owe Him everything; instead of using Him like a celestial sugar daddy with our hands continually out, we should be bowing before Him, asking Him to give us the power to carry out His will, and asking Him to transform us into His likeness.
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God."
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
"7 But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."
Hallelujah!!!! Depending on Christ brings great joy and peace no matter what we must endure on this earth.
Low Emotional Intelligent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxzvCJedZ5Q
Wow, this describes all my family members, as though it was a culture that trained them to think like this. Perhaps pride was fostered so much so that no one can admit anything about themselves and spends all their words praising themselves. They really do blame everyone else for their bad behavior and ignore anyone else's successes.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 " But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
2 Timothy 3:1-5 " But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Excusing Sin is to Spit in God's Face
Anyone who is using the excuse for their sin that God doesn't care about it anymore because they are under the blood is a liar, twisting God's Word to justify their sin or the sin of someone they love.
Those who do not hate their sin are lying when they say they are a Christian. When Christ transforms us into a new creation, we hate sin we would never boast about it. We would be ashamed and confess it to be cleansed but we would never fight to defend it.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
And, 1 John 3:9 "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
Those who do not hate their sin are lying when they say they are a Christian. When Christ transforms us into a new creation, we hate sin we would never boast about it. We would be ashamed and confess it to be cleansed but we would never fight to defend it.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
And, 1 John 3:9 "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God."
Living Out Our Callings With Confidence and Joy
Nearly every grandparent loves their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, or at least the idea of having them. We cannot place them above Christ.
I do not remember one instance in the Bible where God tells the prophets or the apostles to make sure and spend lots of time with grandchildren.
In fact, God tells us that when we are busy with God's work, most family members will not come alongside, and they are often hostile toward us for our fanaticism.
Our devotion to Christ gets in the way of the family goal of fun and worldly pursuits.
Those who love Christ have a hard time with superficial chatter, usually filled with boasting and flattery to make everyone smile and laugh.
When we bring up anything important according to the Bible we are like a wet blanket over a hot fire; those who feel this become angry and even fearful of us. We tend to ruin everyone's fun.
Most family structures, even Christians, do not mention the name of Christ outside the church building, and even then, they let the preacher do it for them.
When we are with those who believe as we do and enjoy discussions about God, our joy is full; they are our dear friends whom we love and miss when we cannot be with them.
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Family does not lay down its life for the members; they use them, have expectations of them but do not come alongside to be supportive of their relatives who are serving Christ.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 "4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Families tend to be group thinkers, they do not want anyone in their circle who does not believe what they believe and desire the world as they desire it.
If someone comes to their clique and does not think their way, that person will be disregarded, ignored and even treated with covert contempt to show them they do not measure up to the rest of the group.
All the prophets and apostles were treated with contempt and as outsiders for not fitting into the culture. We know this because they were all martyred except for John. No family members stood by them in their trials and hardships. No family came to their aid or protected them in some way.
Matthew 10:22 "22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
Matthew 10:35-37 "…35 For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;"
Luke 12:51-53
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division. / From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. / They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Mark 13:12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death."
Matthew 24:10 "At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,"
There are those reading this who might think; "what a negative outlook", I would say to them, it is better to face the truth with joy so as not to be deterred from our calling by hurt feelings.
God told us it would be this way, we should expect it and put all our efforts into serving Christ instead of chasing impossible family relationships.
Mark 6:4 "Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
John 7:5 "For even His own brothers did not believe in Him."
John 1:11 "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."
When you see this happening, you can know that you are on the right path, not sucked up in the family pressure and drama to be just like them. It is a great joy to follow Christ without the coercion and strain of living up to someone else's standard that is against God's standard.
My advice to all my friends is to become comfortable with being misunderstood, disliked, and even mocked; it happened to the followers of Christ and to Christ Himself. We are in a good place full of expectations of living out our callings.
I do not remember one instance in the Bible where God tells the prophets or the apostles to make sure and spend lots of time with grandchildren.
In fact, God tells us that when we are busy with God's work, most family members will not come alongside, and they are often hostile toward us for our fanaticism.
Our devotion to Christ gets in the way of the family goal of fun and worldly pursuits.
Those who love Christ have a hard time with superficial chatter, usually filled with boasting and flattery to make everyone smile and laugh.
When we bring up anything important according to the Bible we are like a wet blanket over a hot fire; those who feel this become angry and even fearful of us. We tend to ruin everyone's fun.
Most family structures, even Christians, do not mention the name of Christ outside the church building, and even then, they let the preacher do it for them.
When we are with those who believe as we do and enjoy discussions about God, our joy is full; they are our dear friends whom we love and miss when we cannot be with them.
John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Family does not lay down its life for the members; they use them, have expectations of them but do not come alongside to be supportive of their relatives who are serving Christ.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 "4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Families tend to be group thinkers, they do not want anyone in their circle who does not believe what they believe and desire the world as they desire it.
If someone comes to their clique and does not think their way, that person will be disregarded, ignored and even treated with covert contempt to show them they do not measure up to the rest of the group.
All the prophets and apostles were treated with contempt and as outsiders for not fitting into the culture. We know this because they were all martyred except for John. No family members stood by them in their trials and hardships. No family came to their aid or protected them in some way.
Matthew 10:22 "22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."
Matthew 10:35-37 "…35 For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;"
Luke 12:51-53
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division. / From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. / They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Mark 13:12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death."
Matthew 24:10 "At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,"
There are those reading this who might think; "what a negative outlook", I would say to them, it is better to face the truth with joy so as not to be deterred from our calling by hurt feelings.
God told us it would be this way, we should expect it and put all our efforts into serving Christ instead of chasing impossible family relationships.
Mark 6:4 "Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
John 7:5 "For even His own brothers did not believe in Him."
John 1:11 "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."
When you see this happening, you can know that you are on the right path, not sucked up in the family pressure and drama to be just like them. It is a great joy to follow Christ without the coercion and strain of living up to someone else's standard that is against God's standard.
My advice to all my friends is to become comfortable with being misunderstood, disliked, and even mocked; it happened to the followers of Christ and to Christ Himself. We are in a good place full of expectations of living out our callings.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Why God Brought His Commands
70% of second marriages after divorce end up splitting because of the children of the first marriages. A parent who has remarried will always place their child before the new spouse.
The new spouse in a "blended family" has little to no authority over the children. When the child goes back to their other bio-parent for the weekend, they handle the children differently, usually more leniently, causing anger toward the other bio-parent when they return for the visit with the non-bio parent.
It is normal and natural for bio-children and parents to cater to their own bio family.
Do you now see why God said not to divorce and not to remarry? When God made two people one in marriage, gluing them together with a spiritual glue, He knew the disaster it would be when parents divorce and what would happen to their children.
Bio-children have a bond with their parents that no one else can have. Even with adopted children, we see they do not fully bond to the adoptive parents, in most cases going off later in life to find their biological parents. Because of this I see the bond is more than physical traits, it is a spiritual matter that most people do not recognize.
Moses went back to his bio-family after being raised from an infant in the Pharaoh's house. He was connected to the royal family until he discovered they were not his bio-family. After that he sought to go back to his bio-family.
Children who have to be shuffled back and forth between bio-parents become angry. They don't have two homes; they have no permanent home, and they feel it.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 "10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to divorce his wife."
God has good reasons for telling us His commands; they protect us from ourselves when we are at our lowest. When we no longer have the strength to figure things out because of emotional pain, we can look to His commands until we come to our senses.
Doing anything from emotional pain is a huge mistake, it does not allow us to see that even though things may be hard in the moment, there are lessons learned and situations change when all is better again.
Most divorce and remarriage situations are because people are ruminating on their feelings, becoming bitter, and refusing to see the side of the other person.
Rather than going to prayer, asking for determination to obey God inspite of the emotional pain, those who are willful defy God's Word and follow the easy way of the world supporting them in their sin, even making them feel justified for doing it.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.'"
When we follow the world, we can be temporarily comforted, but emotionally and spiritually, we regress in all that is important!
The more we regress, the less we are able to see the wisdom of powering through what is important.
James 1:2-15 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass[c] he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."
We miss the lessons from persevering and eventually become infant-like in our responses to life, making more mistakes than we would have if we had just obeyed God. And worse, becoming less wise, when in our elder years we should be prudent and sensible.
The new spouse in a "blended family" has little to no authority over the children. When the child goes back to their other bio-parent for the weekend, they handle the children differently, usually more leniently, causing anger toward the other bio-parent when they return for the visit with the non-bio parent.
It is normal and natural for bio-children and parents to cater to their own bio family.
Do you now see why God said not to divorce and not to remarry? When God made two people one in marriage, gluing them together with a spiritual glue, He knew the disaster it would be when parents divorce and what would happen to their children.
Bio-children have a bond with their parents that no one else can have. Even with adopted children, we see they do not fully bond to the adoptive parents, in most cases going off later in life to find their biological parents. Because of this I see the bond is more than physical traits, it is a spiritual matter that most people do not recognize.
Moses went back to his bio-family after being raised from an infant in the Pharaoh's house. He was connected to the royal family until he discovered they were not his bio-family. After that he sought to go back to his bio-family.
Children who have to be shuffled back and forth between bio-parents become angry. They don't have two homes; they have no permanent home, and they feel it.
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 "10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to divorce his wife."
God has good reasons for telling us His commands; they protect us from ourselves when we are at our lowest. When we no longer have the strength to figure things out because of emotional pain, we can look to His commands until we come to our senses.
Doing anything from emotional pain is a huge mistake, it does not allow us to see that even though things may be hard in the moment, there are lessons learned and situations change when all is better again.
Most divorce and remarriage situations are because people are ruminating on their feelings, becoming bitter, and refusing to see the side of the other person.
Rather than going to prayer, asking for determination to obey God inspite of the emotional pain, those who are willful defy God's Word and follow the easy way of the world supporting them in their sin, even making them feel justified for doing it.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.'"
When we follow the world, we can be temporarily comforted, but emotionally and spiritually, we regress in all that is important!
The more we regress, the less we are able to see the wisdom of powering through what is important.
James 1:2-15 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass[c] he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."
We miss the lessons from persevering and eventually become infant-like in our responses to life, making more mistakes than we would have if we had just obeyed God. And worse, becoming less wise, when in our elder years we should be prudent and sensible.
Monday, July 6, 2026
When Forgiveness is Just Useless Words
If you say you have forgiven someone but cannot have a relationship, then you have not forgiven; it's just words, only words.
There is a new distortion going around, which is that we can forgive someone in our hearts but cannot have a relationship with them. This is not true.
God's purpose for repentance and forgiveness is to reconcile two people.
When we ask God to forgive us He does and the relationship is reconciled. God does not do something different with us that He does not expect us to do with others.
We are not required to forgive those who are not sorry; this does not mean we are bitter; it means the relationship remains broken.
We pray for people, but not all people we have relationships with; some we must avoid because we are walking a very different path with goals to please God, but the other person is not walking that path and will attempt to derail our closeness to God.
God never intended forgiveness to be used as a means of feeling better about ourselves; that would be a selfish goal. Our love for God and others compels us to work toward the harder and more lasting solution.
When we love Christ, we desire the highest good, that is, that a relationship be mended. When it is not possible to mend a relationship because one element of the formula is missing, then we pray for them and move on with our lives.
When someone will not forgive when they are asked, then we leave their choice with them. When someone will not repent when asked, then we move on with our relationship. In either case, until both happen, that is, confession of sin and forgiveness extended, the relationship remains broken.
Please stop saying that you forgive but cannot reconcile; it is unBiblical and flies in the face of God's purpose for both to be applied, two sides of the same coin.
Luke 17:3-4 "…3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Psychology has twisted scriptures into pretzels, causing the opposite result and truth than God originally intended.
This is what reconciliation based on repentance and forgiveness looks like according to the Scriptures. Read it carefully.
Luke 15:18-20 "I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."
Repentance is expressed, forgiveness is extended, and the ultimate result is reconciliation.
There is a new distortion going around, which is that we can forgive someone in our hearts but cannot have a relationship with them. This is not true.
God's purpose for repentance and forgiveness is to reconcile two people.
When we ask God to forgive us He does and the relationship is reconciled. God does not do something different with us that He does not expect us to do with others.
We are not required to forgive those who are not sorry; this does not mean we are bitter; it means the relationship remains broken.
We pray for people, but not all people we have relationships with; some we must avoid because we are walking a very different path with goals to please God, but the other person is not walking that path and will attempt to derail our closeness to God.
God never intended forgiveness to be used as a means of feeling better about ourselves; that would be a selfish goal. Our love for God and others compels us to work toward the harder and more lasting solution.
When we love Christ, we desire the highest good, that is, that a relationship be mended. When it is not possible to mend a relationship because one element of the formula is missing, then we pray for them and move on with our lives.
When someone will not forgive when they are asked, then we leave their choice with them. When someone will not repent when asked, then we move on with our relationship. In either case, until both happen, that is, confession of sin and forgiveness extended, the relationship remains broken.
Please stop saying that you forgive but cannot reconcile; it is unBiblical and flies in the face of God's purpose for both to be applied, two sides of the same coin.
Luke 17:3-4 "…3 Watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Psychology has twisted scriptures into pretzels, causing the opposite result and truth than God originally intended.
This is what reconciliation based on repentance and forgiveness looks like according to the Scriptures. Read it carefully.
Luke 15:18-20 "I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him."
Repentance is expressed, forgiveness is extended, and the ultimate result is reconciliation.
Should the Bible be Taught in Government Schools?
In the matter of the Bible being taught in a godless government school system, I have this to say. God can use it inspite of the culture, but it will indoctrnate the children in false concepts and principles.
We already see this in the false way in which forgiveness has been taught, leading people to believe repentance is not necessary to become a Christian.
It does not work to force unregenerate teachers to teach the Bible. They will not teach the truth about it and will even teach it as mythology!
Teaching children to follow the Ten Commandments sends the wrong message; it causes people to think they can be saved by being good enough. Teachers in school will not know how to teach the truth of salvation if they are not born again themselves.
The commandments were given to show us our sinful nature, that we could never follow them, and that we must desire to be changed by Christ into a new creation to walk in the ways of God.
Attempting to change the culture through the Ten Commandments does not teach them the way of Salvation through faith in Christ.
The teachers won't teach the Bible as history because the teachers are not born again themselves and do not understand properly what they are reading. They will teach the stories of the Bible as myths, not absolute truth. This ruins the children for future evangelism. Once a person has been convinced of the false way, they will rarely follow the truth.
I have met many "Christians" who do not know the Bible themselves, only portions of it the way they wish to believe it and this is the way they will teach it.
Christian parents need to get their children out of those government schools and teach the Bible themselves.
My husband was taught the Bible in the Catholic schools he attended, and it was taught as good literature, but stories that were not true.
The sad thing is that most of our Christian culture does not follow the Bible and believes many things that are wrong because they have listened to other teachers instead of seeking Christ for their answers.
Once those who have not sought Christ believe the lies, they can never let go of them. This is what we are dealing with right now. It is better for a person who has never heard the truth to hear it from an authentically born-again believer for the first time. Than to try to convince someone of the truth who has already believed the lie.
Just as God never told us to build large church buildings, He never told us to allow others to teach our children the Bible. The best thing Christian parents could do is to take their children out of those government schools and teach them at home.
Even worse is that children in school will be encouraged to join those large apostate churches that entertain, just to get them going somewhere.
Matthew 23:15-16 "… 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind guides!"
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
Yes, God can use what man has insisted upon, but that does not mean what is being used is the right thing. I have encountered many Pentecostals who think that if something works, then it is alright to use it.
My concern is that too many teachers will teach the wrong things about the Bible, and the children will never discover the truth because the lie sounds so good to them.
God commanded us to go into the world and preach the gospel. He never commanded us to recruit unregenerate teachers to teach it for us.
In Acts, God said this: "The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."
Did you see that? "The hand of the Lord was with them", the hand of the Lord will not be with the unregenerate teachers who themselves have been taught the wrong things most of their lives.
It matters that we do things God's way, just because something appeared to work does not mean it was good to do. We do far more harm to people by doing things our own way.
Galatians 1:7-9 "which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse! As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!"
God tells us not to listen to those who bring a false gospel or teach a bad doctrine. This applies to allowing anyone to teach these things to others in a school system or church gathering. Government schools are government-run and will not have the same perspective as those who are born again by the Holy Spirit of God.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions."
I know to many people it sounds good that the government schools should be forced to teach the Ten Commandments, but when we look at all the nuances of that he could be indoctrinating children against the truth while sounding like the truth.
We need to stop pretending this is a Christian nation and admit what we are, which is a nation that worships freedom and pleasure, without regard to the Word of God, and worse angst against God Himself.
Our mandate as born-again believers is to tell the truth to each other and bring the gospel to the unsaved. We are not mandated to make the culture do what we would like them to do; we present the truth, and they choose.
But let's remember, this is a culture that is religious at times but has no interest in pleasing God.
Matthew 15:8-9 "8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
We already see this in the false way in which forgiveness has been taught, leading people to believe repentance is not necessary to become a Christian.
It does not work to force unregenerate teachers to teach the Bible. They will not teach the truth about it and will even teach it as mythology!
Teaching children to follow the Ten Commandments sends the wrong message; it causes people to think they can be saved by being good enough. Teachers in school will not know how to teach the truth of salvation if they are not born again themselves.
The commandments were given to show us our sinful nature, that we could never follow them, and that we must desire to be changed by Christ into a new creation to walk in the ways of God.
Attempting to change the culture through the Ten Commandments does not teach them the way of Salvation through faith in Christ.
The teachers won't teach the Bible as history because the teachers are not born again themselves and do not understand properly what they are reading. They will teach the stories of the Bible as myths, not absolute truth. This ruins the children for future evangelism. Once a person has been convinced of the false way, they will rarely follow the truth.
I have met many "Christians" who do not know the Bible themselves, only portions of it the way they wish to believe it and this is the way they will teach it.
Christian parents need to get their children out of those government schools and teach the Bible themselves.
My husband was taught the Bible in the Catholic schools he attended, and it was taught as good literature, but stories that were not true.
The sad thing is that most of our Christian culture does not follow the Bible and believes many things that are wrong because they have listened to other teachers instead of seeking Christ for their answers.
Once those who have not sought Christ believe the lies, they can never let go of them. This is what we are dealing with right now. It is better for a person who has never heard the truth to hear it from an authentically born-again believer for the first time. Than to try to convince someone of the truth who has already believed the lie.
Just as God never told us to build large church buildings, He never told us to allow others to teach our children the Bible. The best thing Christian parents could do is to take their children out of those government schools and teach them at home.
Even worse is that children in school will be encouraged to join those large apostate churches that entertain, just to get them going somewhere.
Matthew 23:15-16 "… 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind guides!"
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
Yes, God can use what man has insisted upon, but that does not mean what is being used is the right thing. I have encountered many Pentecostals who think that if something works, then it is alright to use it.
My concern is that too many teachers will teach the wrong things about the Bible, and the children will never discover the truth because the lie sounds so good to them.
God commanded us to go into the world and preach the gospel. He never commanded us to recruit unregenerate teachers to teach it for us.
In Acts, God said this: "The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."
Did you see that? "The hand of the Lord was with them", the hand of the Lord will not be with the unregenerate teachers who themselves have been taught the wrong things most of their lives.
It matters that we do things God's way, just because something appeared to work does not mean it was good to do. We do far more harm to people by doing things our own way.
Galatians 1:7-9 "which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse! As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!"
God tells us not to listen to those who bring a false gospel or teach a bad doctrine. This applies to allowing anyone to teach these things to others in a school system or church gathering. Government schools are government-run and will not have the same perspective as those who are born again by the Holy Spirit of God.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions."
I know to many people it sounds good that the government schools should be forced to teach the Ten Commandments, but when we look at all the nuances of that he could be indoctrinating children against the truth while sounding like the truth.
We need to stop pretending this is a Christian nation and admit what we are, which is a nation that worships freedom and pleasure, without regard to the Word of God, and worse angst against God Himself.
Our mandate as born-again believers is to tell the truth to each other and bring the gospel to the unsaved. We are not mandated to make the culture do what we would like them to do; we present the truth, and they choose.
But let's remember, this is a culture that is religious at times but has no interest in pleasing God.
Matthew 15:8-9 "8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Sunday, July 5, 2026
What is love according to God?
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away."
Notice in this passage, God never says to love others only if they measure up to our own idea of perfection.
When we love someone, we are able to see their good character qualities as well as their flaws. If we only choose to see the good side of someone, then we cannot fully love them. The mentality is that unless they are perfect in our own minds, we cannot love them.
Being able to see both the good and the flaws and still love them without our own expectations, this is the true nature of love.
When we cannot admit flaws, it is the same as pretending someone is perfect; this reveals that we are not able to love them if we see anything but perfection.
God loved us while we were still sinners! He knew our flaws fully and addressed them to help us improve; this is love.
Love is not about pretending perfection in those we love; it is about accepting everything about a person, flaws and warts too, which helps us learn their character and their needs.
Admitting the flaws of others while still loving them helps us to see our own flaws that need to be addressed.
Ephesians 4:1-3 "4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. "
It takes patience to interact with others because no one is perfect and everyone has irritating habits.
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer."
When we are able to see our own flaws and needs for improvement, we will be able to be patient with others who struggle with their own defects.
A side note that I have observed over the years is that those who work so hard to put across a perfect persona rarely have much of a personality. They are so tightly wound and bound up with pride that they hide their real selves out of fear others will judge them the way they judge others.
Those who cannot accept others when they have flaws know they have their own defects and don't want to admit it, so they are continually pretending while never confessing to be cleansed.
Most people never change and grow because the only way to do that is to admit flaws, confessing sins to God to be cleansed by Him.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
No one can grow close to anyone else as long as they expect perfection, the perfection they have in their own mind. No one can grow in holiness while they are still playing the role of perfection so that others will elevate them.
The freest person in the world is the one who can admit their own flaws, accept the flaws of others and love them fully anyway.
Romans 5:7-9 "…7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!"
Laying down our lives for others does not require them to be perfect or flawless.
Colossians 1:21-22 "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence."
1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst."
When we have been loved so fully by God, we cannot be contemptuous toward others, even in covert ways; our love runs deep, too deep to treat anyone disrespectfully because they are not perfect.
Notice in this passage, God never says to love others only if they measure up to our own idea of perfection.
When we love someone, we are able to see their good character qualities as well as their flaws. If we only choose to see the good side of someone, then we cannot fully love them. The mentality is that unless they are perfect in our own minds, we cannot love them.
Being able to see both the good and the flaws and still love them without our own expectations, this is the true nature of love.
When we cannot admit flaws, it is the same as pretending someone is perfect; this reveals that we are not able to love them if we see anything but perfection.
God loved us while we were still sinners! He knew our flaws fully and addressed them to help us improve; this is love.
Love is not about pretending perfection in those we love; it is about accepting everything about a person, flaws and warts too, which helps us learn their character and their needs.
Admitting the flaws of others while still loving them helps us to see our own flaws that need to be addressed.
Ephesians 4:1-3 "4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. "
It takes patience to interact with others because no one is perfect and everyone has irritating habits.
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer."
When we are able to see our own flaws and needs for improvement, we will be able to be patient with others who struggle with their own defects.
A side note that I have observed over the years is that those who work so hard to put across a perfect persona rarely have much of a personality. They are so tightly wound and bound up with pride that they hide their real selves out of fear others will judge them the way they judge others.
Those who cannot accept others when they have flaws know they have their own defects and don't want to admit it, so they are continually pretending while never confessing to be cleansed.
Most people never change and grow because the only way to do that is to admit flaws, confessing sins to God to be cleansed by Him.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
No one can grow close to anyone else as long as they expect perfection, the perfection they have in their own mind. No one can grow in holiness while they are still playing the role of perfection so that others will elevate them.
The freest person in the world is the one who can admit their own flaws, accept the flaws of others and love them fully anyway.
Romans 5:7-9 "…7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!"
Laying down our lives for others does not require them to be perfect or flawless.
Colossians 1:21-22 "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence."
1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst."
When we have been loved so fully by God, we cannot be contemptuous toward others, even in covert ways; our love runs deep, too deep to treat anyone disrespectfully because they are not perfect.
Looking to Christ and Our Blessed Hope
Luke 18:9-14 "9 Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How many times have we met people who are so fully impressed with themselves that they treat others as though they are irrelevant, even with contempt, as though they are not worthy of love and respect?
They choose people they think are beneath them, those who do not elevate them as special are often the targets.
Just as the Pharisee was proud of how good he thought he was for following all the rules, these "religious" types think they are special for their lavish lifestyle or their classy clothing style.
Pharisees were the worst of the hypocrites, so much so that God wrote about them in His Word.
Matthew 23:4-6 "…4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,"
Sometimes I wonder how many people attend large buildings they call "churches" to make sure others see them? Is it really about edifying one another in the gathering or is it about being seen by others as special and superior?
God gave us instructions to help us see what authentic Christianity looks like.
Matthew 6:5-7 5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard."
We serve God not to please mankind but to please God. He uses us for His purposes and we trust Him because He created us. When we have trusted in Him, we know we have a reward.
Colossians 3:24 "because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
When Christ is our focus in life, people will attempt to distract us from Him. They will place expectations and rules on us that God never gave. They will use intimidation and domination to pressure us to be like them instead of Christlike.
The freest believer is the one who is willing to walk alone with Christ even when no one else goes with them. They love people but they do not need them. They accept and appreciate others who walk with Christ but are content when they are not able to be with them.
Sometimes I yearn to be with believers who are far from me, but in my heart of hearts, I feel a connection even when they are so far away, and I know we will all be together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb soon.
Titus 2:13 "13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
How many times have we met people who are so fully impressed with themselves that they treat others as though they are irrelevant, even with contempt, as though they are not worthy of love and respect?
They choose people they think are beneath them, those who do not elevate them as special are often the targets.
Just as the Pharisee was proud of how good he thought he was for following all the rules, these "religious" types think they are special for their lavish lifestyle or their classy clothing style.
Pharisees were the worst of the hypocrites, so much so that God wrote about them in His Word.
Matthew 23:4-6 "…4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,"
Sometimes I wonder how many people attend large buildings they call "churches" to make sure others see them? Is it really about edifying one another in the gathering or is it about being seen by others as special and superior?
God gave us instructions to help us see what authentic Christianity looks like.
Matthew 6:5-7 5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard."
We serve God not to please mankind but to please God. He uses us for His purposes and we trust Him because He created us. When we have trusted in Him, we know we have a reward.
Colossians 3:24 "because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
When Christ is our focus in life, people will attempt to distract us from Him. They will place expectations and rules on us that God never gave. They will use intimidation and domination to pressure us to be like them instead of Christlike.
The freest believer is the one who is willing to walk alone with Christ even when no one else goes with them. They love people but they do not need them. They accept and appreciate others who walk with Christ but are content when they are not able to be with them.
Sometimes I yearn to be with believers who are far from me, but in my heart of hearts, I feel a connection even when they are so far away, and I know we will all be together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb soon.
Titus 2:13 "13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"
Saturday, July 4, 2026
Too Earthly Minded to be any Heavenly Good
For years, I heard from family members how clean sports were and that they taught good sportsmanship and how to work with others.
Sadly, this is the rhetoric that was spoken to make sports appear acceptable to Christians. In my opinion, these were just excuses to justify teaching children to be competitive with others and excel in something to make their parents proud.
Boasting about the activities of the children has been extolled as a virtue in our day.
It is clear that God wants us to do the best we can with the gifts He has given us, however, doing our best to create a good product or to walk circumspectly is far different from competing to be better than someone else.
Perhaps the Bible teaches us to do the best we can at whatever task we have as we also help others excel with our support of them, to do the best they can. It is not about winning over others, it is about helping everyone be their best as they follow the Lord.
In fact, scripture tells us to help others reach their potential, nothing about competing to be better.
Philippians 2:2-3 "…2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves."
James 3:14-16 "But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice."
James 4:16 "As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil."
Galatians 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another."
Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs."
1 Peter 5:5-6 "Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you."
Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
1 Corinthians 10:24 "No one should seek his own good, but the good of others."
If a team in sports was taught to do the best they can and help their opponent do the best they can, then I might be able to agree it was a good thing, but that wouldn't make any sense in the very nature of competitive sports.
Perhaps it would be better to forget the ball games and teach everyone to serve the less fortunate, take care of the elderly and promote working together for eternal things.
1 Corinthians 3:11-14 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward."
John 6:27 "27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
There will be those who say we are too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good, but I say, those who are heavenly minded will be more earthly good because they will be living out their Christianity that not only cares for others but will bring the gospel to the unsaved, which is an eternal reward for those who become born again and also for those who serve Christ.
Sadly, this is the rhetoric that was spoken to make sports appear acceptable to Christians. In my opinion, these were just excuses to justify teaching children to be competitive with others and excel in something to make their parents proud.
Boasting about the activities of the children has been extolled as a virtue in our day.
It is clear that God wants us to do the best we can with the gifts He has given us, however, doing our best to create a good product or to walk circumspectly is far different from competing to be better than someone else.
Perhaps the Bible teaches us to do the best we can at whatever task we have as we also help others excel with our support of them, to do the best they can. It is not about winning over others, it is about helping everyone be their best as they follow the Lord.
In fact, scripture tells us to help others reach their potential, nothing about competing to be better.
Philippians 2:2-3 "…2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves."
James 3:14-16 "But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice."
James 4:16 "As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil."
Galatians 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another."
Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs."
1 Peter 5:5-6 "Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you."
Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
1 Corinthians 10:24 "No one should seek his own good, but the good of others."
If a team in sports was taught to do the best they can and help their opponent do the best they can, then I might be able to agree it was a good thing, but that wouldn't make any sense in the very nature of competitive sports.
Perhaps it would be better to forget the ball games and teach everyone to serve the less fortunate, take care of the elderly and promote working together for eternal things.
1 Corinthians 3:11-14 "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward."
John 6:27 "27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
There will be those who say we are too heavenly minded to be of any earthly good, but I say, those who are heavenly minded will be more earthly good because they will be living out their Christianity that not only cares for others but will bring the gospel to the unsaved, which is an eternal reward for those who become born again and also for those who serve Christ.
Expunge the Distortions and Become Holy
The modern church often distorts the truth of God's Word by using a sentence to describe a concept or principle, even commands of God, rather than seeking to understand God's meaning as given in the rest of the Bible.
When a concept, principle, or command is taken out of context, a wrong interpretation is passed on from generation to generation. By the time someone challenges the false belief, the people are so entrenched in it that it becomes a cultural icon, causing people to resist the truth out of hand.
Some of our modern ideas, such as the nature of forgiveness, repentance, divorce and remarriage, hell, not forsaking the gathering of believers, which day to meet, what happens at the gathering, the holidays, and many other things that have been added to Christianity that God never intended or endorsed have reduced Christianity to a paganistic ideolization of phylosophies that fly in the face of God's Word.
Sadly, when this happens, the people follow more unbiblical cultural things than they do Biblical truth. In adding so many untrue ideas, they have little left of true Christianity. They have developed a "religion" that no longer resembles the faith in Christ or His Word, the Bible.
These wrong beliefs shape how people view Christ, salvation and even how one lives their lives. They shape entire cultures that claim to be Christian but have no desire to know the truth. They live according to their own false truth and are resistant to God.
Just recently, a "pastor" attacked a person on the street for heckling him and threatening his family verbally. Many in the cultural Christian camp applauded this as though it was the right thing to do, when it in fact violated much scripture for the conduct of any Christ follower.
,
When the culture has been inculcated with Darwinistic psychology and standards of pagan religions we will miss the mark in the Christian life. And, perhaps those who do this, without interest in God's heart and mind, were never born again.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Not everyone who has been deceived by false doctrine is unsaved, but most are not born again. This brings us to the tasks for born again believers, that is to warn people who have been decieved that they may not be saved even though they attend a church gathering, and to rebuke those who appear to be saved but are allowing the culture to guide them instead of God's Word.
The challenge is for each one to ask God to reveal truth to them, without the input of any other person, that Christ would show them. The prayer might include the request to show them nothing but truth untainted by men, so that they would be cleansed of the cultural traditions that have distorted God's Word.
Our walk with Christ is a witness to the world; the last thing we should want is to distort God's principles making people feel comfortable in their lost state.
Ephesians 5:15-20 "15 So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;"
When a concept, principle, or command is taken out of context, a wrong interpretation is passed on from generation to generation. By the time someone challenges the false belief, the people are so entrenched in it that it becomes a cultural icon, causing people to resist the truth out of hand.
Some of our modern ideas, such as the nature of forgiveness, repentance, divorce and remarriage, hell, not forsaking the gathering of believers, which day to meet, what happens at the gathering, the holidays, and many other things that have been added to Christianity that God never intended or endorsed have reduced Christianity to a paganistic ideolization of phylosophies that fly in the face of God's Word.
Sadly, when this happens, the people follow more unbiblical cultural things than they do Biblical truth. In adding so many untrue ideas, they have little left of true Christianity. They have developed a "religion" that no longer resembles the faith in Christ or His Word, the Bible.
These wrong beliefs shape how people view Christ, salvation and even how one lives their lives. They shape entire cultures that claim to be Christian but have no desire to know the truth. They live according to their own false truth and are resistant to God.
Just recently, a "pastor" attacked a person on the street for heckling him and threatening his family verbally. Many in the cultural Christian camp applauded this as though it was the right thing to do, when it in fact violated much scripture for the conduct of any Christ follower.
,
When the culture has been inculcated with Darwinistic psychology and standards of pagan religions we will miss the mark in the Christian life. And, perhaps those who do this, without interest in God's heart and mind, were never born again.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Not everyone who has been deceived by false doctrine is unsaved, but most are not born again. This brings us to the tasks for born again believers, that is to warn people who have been decieved that they may not be saved even though they attend a church gathering, and to rebuke those who appear to be saved but are allowing the culture to guide them instead of God's Word.
The challenge is for each one to ask God to reveal truth to them, without the input of any other person, that Christ would show them. The prayer might include the request to show them nothing but truth untainted by men, so that they would be cleansed of the cultural traditions that have distorted God's Word.
Our walk with Christ is a witness to the world; the last thing we should want is to distort God's principles making people feel comfortable in their lost state.
Ephesians 5:15-20 "15 So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise,
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;"
Friday, July 3, 2026
Living by Faith and not by Man-made Rules
In Acts chapter 20, we are told that the Christians met on the first day of the week, which we call Sunday. Notice, though, that there is no command to do this, only a statement that this is the day they chose. This was not referred to as a "Christian Sabbath", nor was it called a day of rest.
And yet, our cultural society declared that all stores and businesses would be closed on that day so that it would be a day of rest. The only day of rest mentioned in the Bible was Saturday, the Sabbath for the Jews.
There was no command in the church age dispensation to take a day of rest. We can if we want or we don't have to if we don't want.
Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest, He lives in every born again believer who no longer observes the Jewish holidays or sabbaths.
Romans 14:4-6 "4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
As we can see, so many of our traditions incorporated Jewish Old Testament observances that were done away with when Christ rose from the dead.
Jesus Christ observed the Jewish Sabbath when He was still on the earth before He died and rose from the dead. After that, there was a new dispensation for the church in which we no longer observed the Laws of the Old Testament, which were works-based.
The focus after Christ rose became a faith-based observance not predicated on religious rituals or physical objects. We now worship in "Spirit and in Truth."
Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
We are not earning our salvation with our own works, but rather we are saved because Christ is doing the work in us. It's all His work.
When Christ does the work in us, He is glorified! When we try to do our own works to appear spiritual, we are glorified.
Romans 4:4-5 "Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. / However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness."
Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
2 Timothy 1:9 "He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."
Modern Christianity focsus on building up the pride in the congregation, doing works in their own flesh without ever asking Christ to transform them to glorify Him.
Authentic Christianity is when we trust in Christ, believe His Word and seek Him to transform us into His likeness. Do you see the difference there, in our own strength, according to our own pride, we try to be good so we can impress others and God.
But when God works in us as we seek Him, He is glorified, and the more we are led by Him, the less the world will like us. We do not seek to be accepted by people; we seek to be acceptable to God.
1 Corinthians 1:31 "Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Stop trying to be accepted by family, friends and neighbors and begin to obey Christ, no matter how others may see us.
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith."
Galatians 3:10-11 "All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Hallelujah! When we are in Christ we are free indeed!
And yet, our cultural society declared that all stores and businesses would be closed on that day so that it would be a day of rest. The only day of rest mentioned in the Bible was Saturday, the Sabbath for the Jews.
There was no command in the church age dispensation to take a day of rest. We can if we want or we don't have to if we don't want.
Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest, He lives in every born again believer who no longer observes the Jewish holidays or sabbaths.
Romans 14:4-6 "4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"
As we can see, so many of our traditions incorporated Jewish Old Testament observances that were done away with when Christ rose from the dead.
Jesus Christ observed the Jewish Sabbath when He was still on the earth before He died and rose from the dead. After that, there was a new dispensation for the church in which we no longer observed the Laws of the Old Testament, which were works-based.
The focus after Christ rose became a faith-based observance not predicated on religious rituals or physical objects. We now worship in "Spirit and in Truth."
Ephesians 2:8-10 "…8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life."
We are not earning our salvation with our own works, but rather we are saved because Christ is doing the work in us. It's all His work.
When Christ does the work in us, He is glorified! When we try to do our own works to appear spiritual, we are glorified.
Romans 4:4-5 "Now the wages of the worker are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. / However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness."
Titus 3:5 "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
2 Timothy 1:9 "He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."
Modern Christianity focsus on building up the pride in the congregation, doing works in their own flesh without ever asking Christ to transform them to glorify Him.
Authentic Christianity is when we trust in Christ, believe His Word and seek Him to transform us into His likeness. Do you see the difference there, in our own strength, according to our own pride, we try to be good so we can impress others and God.
But when God works in us as we seek Him, He is glorified, and the more we are led by Him, the less the world will like us. We do not seek to be accepted by people; we seek to be acceptable to God.
1 Corinthians 1:31 "Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Stop trying to be accepted by family, friends and neighbors and begin to obey Christ, no matter how others may see us.
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith."
Galatians 3:10-11 "All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Hallelujah! When we are in Christ we are free indeed!
Edify meaning to Educate and Make Stronger
Edify: To educate, build up and make stronger as in "building a house."
We are instructed in the Word of God to edify one another in the Word when we meet together. Each one should come away from the gathering more wise and better educated than they were before they came.
When only one man speaks then only one man's perspective will cause people to trust in that man rather than in Christ.
Over the years, many people have used the word "edify" to mean praise or encourage. This is wrong according to the Bible.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "
So comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, just as you are doing."
When we meet together with believers, we are to share in educating one another. Sometimes this means someone will teach and the others will evaluate to make sure it is Biblical.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification."
God's instruction to the gathering is that everyone participate in instructing and teaching one another. When all participate, they prepare themselves all week as the Holy Spirit instructs them in the word so when they meet together, everyone has something to offer.
In the modern church, the people do not participate, making them lazy to study during the week. They are not concerned about having anything to offer because the one man up front does all the talking and no one else is allowed to interrupt him.
1 Corinthians 14:29 "29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent."
In the gathering, there is an allowance for interruption so that all have an opportunity to interject. When something wrong is said, it can be handled immediately for all to hear. When good things are said, then others can share more to bring depth.
When a culture is based on pleasing others to make everyone feel better about themselves, they will resist the urge to correct when in error and also resist adding to what someone says to avoid embarrassing them that there was more to what they said. Feelings-oriented cultures make people enjoy themselves, but never truly train anyone to serve Christ.
When we obey the Word of God, doing things God's way everyone grows Spiritually and emotionally into mature and rational followers of Christ.
We are instructed in the Word of God to edify one another in the Word when we meet together. Each one should come away from the gathering more wise and better educated than they were before they came.
When only one man speaks then only one man's perspective will cause people to trust in that man rather than in Christ.
Over the years, many people have used the word "edify" to mean praise or encourage. This is wrong according to the Bible.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "
So comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, just as you are doing."
When we meet together with believers, we are to share in educating one another. Sometimes this means someone will teach and the others will evaluate to make sure it is Biblical.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification."
God's instruction to the gathering is that everyone participate in instructing and teaching one another. When all participate, they prepare themselves all week as the Holy Spirit instructs them in the word so when they meet together, everyone has something to offer.
In the modern church, the people do not participate, making them lazy to study during the week. They are not concerned about having anything to offer because the one man up front does all the talking and no one else is allowed to interrupt him.
1 Corinthians 14:29 "29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent."
In the gathering, there is an allowance for interruption so that all have an opportunity to interject. When something wrong is said, it can be handled immediately for all to hear. When good things are said, then others can share more to bring depth.
When a culture is based on pleasing others to make everyone feel better about themselves, they will resist the urge to correct when in error and also resist adding to what someone says to avoid embarrassing them that there was more to what they said. Feelings-oriented cultures make people enjoy themselves, but never truly train anyone to serve Christ.
When we obey the Word of God, doing things God's way everyone grows Spiritually and emotionally into mature and rational followers of Christ.
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Obedience to God Means Obeying the Authorities
No organized church with its buildings needed to meet in those buildings during COVID-19. God never told us to meet that way in the first place; it would have been better to meet in homes and comply with the government as God commanded in the Bible.
God never told us to defy the government because we didn't agree with it. The only things we do not obey the government on is when it tells us to sin. Wearing a mask and staying home were not sins. This defiance against authority, when they have not told us to sin, is itself sin. It doesn't matter if you agree or not, if it is not sin then we must obey God by obeying the government.
Romans 13:1-5 "13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience."
Every spoiled and rebellious child thinks their parents are just trying to control them with their rules. Making up lies about controlling us was the way of spoiled children who didn't want to comply with the Bible.
Our form of government, "for the people and by the people," has turned our country into one full of spoiled brats who judge everything as controlling if they cannot have their own way.
Meeting in our homes can be and often is much better than those huge churches that violate more of God's commands than they obey. It is not surprising that they would disobey the government when God commanded them to obey.
I was appalled and grieved that so many people supported the pastor who walked across the street to beat up a person who was spouting threats. God never commanded such a thing, and the excuse that he was protecting his family is not valid.
That pastor does not belong in leadership when he cannot control his temper. He could have prayed from across the street, given the guy the gospel, or not gone outside to confront the reviler at all. He could have prayed to expel the demons of the man from across the street or in the building.
This is the sad and ridiculous message the modern churches are spreading, not the gospel of peace with a heart for the lost. They are "fighting for their rights", negating the gospel message while proudly advocating for selfish rights rather than bringing love to the community.
Sadly, now we have a pastor who has smudged the name of Christ by beating up a man who was probably possessed without concern about the demon who was compelling the reviler to speak.
Again, sadly, the reviler got what he wanted; he did what all narcissists do, poke and poke at the pastor until he exploded in anger while watching the police carry him off to jail. Who won here? The reviler was the winner because the pastor let his pride rage.
Satan always wins when we ignore the commands and mandates of the Bible to follow feelings. That church gathering of 1800 people needs to shut its doors, and begin in houses with those who believe in obeying the Word of God.
Just Saying!!!!
God never told us to defy the government because we didn't agree with it. The only things we do not obey the government on is when it tells us to sin. Wearing a mask and staying home were not sins. This defiance against authority, when they have not told us to sin, is itself sin. It doesn't matter if you agree or not, if it is not sin then we must obey God by obeying the government.
Romans 13:1-5 "13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience."
Every spoiled and rebellious child thinks their parents are just trying to control them with their rules. Making up lies about controlling us was the way of spoiled children who didn't want to comply with the Bible.
Our form of government, "for the people and by the people," has turned our country into one full of spoiled brats who judge everything as controlling if they cannot have their own way.
Meeting in our homes can be and often is much better than those huge churches that violate more of God's commands than they obey. It is not surprising that they would disobey the government when God commanded them to obey.
I was appalled and grieved that so many people supported the pastor who walked across the street to beat up a person who was spouting threats. God never commanded such a thing, and the excuse that he was protecting his family is not valid.
That pastor does not belong in leadership when he cannot control his temper. He could have prayed from across the street, given the guy the gospel, or not gone outside to confront the reviler at all. He could have prayed to expel the demons of the man from across the street or in the building.
This is the sad and ridiculous message the modern churches are spreading, not the gospel of peace with a heart for the lost. They are "fighting for their rights", negating the gospel message while proudly advocating for selfish rights rather than bringing love to the community.
Sadly, now we have a pastor who has smudged the name of Christ by beating up a man who was probably possessed without concern about the demon who was compelling the reviler to speak.
Again, sadly, the reviler got what he wanted; he did what all narcissists do, poke and poke at the pastor until he exploded in anger while watching the police carry him off to jail. Who won here? The reviler was the winner because the pastor let his pride rage.
Satan always wins when we ignore the commands and mandates of the Bible to follow feelings. That church gathering of 1800 people needs to shut its doors, and begin in houses with those who believe in obeying the Word of God.
Just Saying!!!!
God Forbids All Sin
God forbids all sin; however, it is not the sin itself that sends people to hell, it is the sinful nature. The controversy is whether or not someone who does not repent of divorce and remarriage, even defending it, was ever born again. We do sin at times but hate it because of Christ in us and our response to it is as follows.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"
1 John 2:1-2 "1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father— Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
Only those who have trusted in Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, trusting in Him will have the Advocate with the Father.
And finally; "1 John 3:8-10 "…8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
The best thing to tell others who are living in sin is the warning that they may not be saved and should ask God if they are born again. If they are hostile to this warning, then they have probably never been transformed by Christ.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"
1 John 2:1-2 "1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father— Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
Only those who have trusted in Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, trusting in Him will have the Advocate with the Father.
And finally; "1 John 3:8-10 "…8The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother."
The best thing to tell others who are living in sin is the warning that they may not be saved and should ask God if they are born again. If they are hostile to this warning, then they have probably never been transformed by Christ.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026
The Devil Used it in the Garden with Eve
What the devil did in the garden with Eve was to turn her against God. He hated God and could not defeat Him, so He went after Eve by turning her against God.
This is often what mankind does not realizing they are being influenced by the devil to hate what God loves.
People gossip to be able to turn others against the person they hate, the devil's tactic!
The devil hated God's goodness, His power and His love for mankind. So he did everything he could to ruin the relationship between God and man.
He does the same thing today when he uses those who hate God to come against those who love God. Sadly, those who say they love God often come against authentic believers for believing God when He speaks from His Word.
Matthew 7:15-17 "15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit."
What is the fruit of the Spirit of God?
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
This is often what mankind does not realizing they are being influenced by the devil to hate what God loves.
People gossip to be able to turn others against the person they hate, the devil's tactic!
The devil hated God's goodness, His power and His love for mankind. So he did everything he could to ruin the relationship between God and man.
He does the same thing today when he uses those who hate God to come against those who love God. Sadly, those who say they love God often come against authentic believers for believing God when He speaks from His Word.
Matthew 7:15-17 "15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit."
What is the fruit of the Spirit of God?
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Gossip is Very Dangerous
On another thread, there was a discussion about those who gossip and the people who believe the gossip.
Most people are followers and will believe the person they like and who tells the story first.
This makes those who believe the gossip the puppets and non-thinkers.
I was raised all my life to believe an uncle, who lived next near by, was the cause of all the fights with someone in my family.
As I grew in wisdom, I realized it was not my uncle who started the fights over nothing important, silly disagreements about which car was the better car but the gossiper who was the problem.
Over the years, I recalled the intense anger this family member displayed in his home. He was so enraged over the silliest things that I began to realize that if he were this way with his family in private, he would also be this way with a brother whom he grew up with resenting. The gossip called my uncle the favorite one, while the gossip was beaten all the time. I realized later it was possible that my uncle was the compliant, obedient one and the gossip was the rebellious one.
Then, as I heard him talk to me when I was a child and into my adulthood, I saw that he was jealous of the uncle for things I don't need to get into here. Sadly, other members of the family believed him without questioning, and into their adult years, they spoke negatively of the uncle.
Another question I had that lingered constantly was; "why would the gossip want to turn others against the uncle when he had done nothing bad to them?"
All I know is that I was indoctrinated to believe something about a relative that was probably untrue. Then, over the years, I prayed about it, and God showed me the person who caused the problems between the uncle and the gossip was the gossip.
When we are not able to see the truth, we will carry a lie through our entire life, and worst we will pass it on to others.
Until we see for ourselves what people are doing, it is better to resist believing the gossip. There has been other gossip I have heard that I dismiss and do not repeat to anyone because I might be repeating a lie or, at the very least, something that happened so long ago it doesn't even matter anymore.
Family gossip is the worst, people tend to believe the first thing they hear from someone they respect, but don't even really know. They have perceived ideas about the life of the gossip that has no evidence that they are what they appear.
Another reason not to believe the gossip is realizing that the one who shares things about others is attempting to gain followers for themselves. They hate someone and want others to hate them too. They are bitter and angry because they had no control over their target of hate, so they work at ruining their relationships with others.
I have seen gossips become angry when you don't believe them and begin a gossip campaign against us for our insubordination.
Gossips don't need very much information about us to hurt us, all they need is a little bit that they embellish according to their own thinking.
There is something else that is very important: what others are doing is none of our business. If we have to rebuke someone for sin against us, that is private, and no one else needs to know. If they are believers and they will not repent, then we take it to the church for discipline, not to the streets for gossip.
It might be good to ask a gossip this question to shame their efforts at hurting someone else: "Why are you telling me this?"
It is one thing to share with a trusted friend what we encountered with someone personally for prayer and counsel, but sharing it with just anyone to feel a sense of achievement for having won someone to our side is sin.
Proverbs 17:9 "9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends."
Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions."
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."
Proverbs 6:19 "a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers."
Gossip always includes false information; no one passes on the flaws of others without including their own guesses and interpretations of the information.
In our day people are making claims about all kinds of things based on what they have read and not what they have seen for themselves.
IF we remain focused on Christ, praying for discernment and desiring to be truthful, we will have little interest in the news articles and reports from just anyone. The sins of those we have no contact with and who are not our friends will be of no interest to us.
Trust in Christ and mind your own business!
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Most people are followers and will believe the person they like and who tells the story first.
This makes those who believe the gossip the puppets and non-thinkers.
I was raised all my life to believe an uncle, who lived next near by, was the cause of all the fights with someone in my family.
As I grew in wisdom, I realized it was not my uncle who started the fights over nothing important, silly disagreements about which car was the better car but the gossiper who was the problem.
Over the years, I recalled the intense anger this family member displayed in his home. He was so enraged over the silliest things that I began to realize that if he were this way with his family in private, he would also be this way with a brother whom he grew up with resenting. The gossip called my uncle the favorite one, while the gossip was beaten all the time. I realized later it was possible that my uncle was the compliant, obedient one and the gossip was the rebellious one.
Then, as I heard him talk to me when I was a child and into my adulthood, I saw that he was jealous of the uncle for things I don't need to get into here. Sadly, other members of the family believed him without questioning, and into their adult years, they spoke negatively of the uncle.
Another question I had that lingered constantly was; "why would the gossip want to turn others against the uncle when he had done nothing bad to them?"
All I know is that I was indoctrinated to believe something about a relative that was probably untrue. Then, over the years, I prayed about it, and God showed me the person who caused the problems between the uncle and the gossip was the gossip.
When we are not able to see the truth, we will carry a lie through our entire life, and worst we will pass it on to others.
Until we see for ourselves what people are doing, it is better to resist believing the gossip. There has been other gossip I have heard that I dismiss and do not repeat to anyone because I might be repeating a lie or, at the very least, something that happened so long ago it doesn't even matter anymore.
Family gossip is the worst, people tend to believe the first thing they hear from someone they respect, but don't even really know. They have perceived ideas about the life of the gossip that has no evidence that they are what they appear.
Another reason not to believe the gossip is realizing that the one who shares things about others is attempting to gain followers for themselves. They hate someone and want others to hate them too. They are bitter and angry because they had no control over their target of hate, so they work at ruining their relationships with others.
I have seen gossips become angry when you don't believe them and begin a gossip campaign against us for our insubordination.
Gossips don't need very much information about us to hurt us, all they need is a little bit that they embellish according to their own thinking.
There is something else that is very important: what others are doing is none of our business. If we have to rebuke someone for sin against us, that is private, and no one else needs to know. If they are believers and they will not repent, then we take it to the church for discipline, not to the streets for gossip.
It might be good to ask a gossip this question to shame their efforts at hurting someone else: "Why are you telling me this?"
It is one thing to share with a trusted friend what we encountered with someone personally for prayer and counsel, but sharing it with just anyone to feel a sense of achievement for having won someone to our side is sin.
Proverbs 17:9 "9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends."
Proverbs 10:12 "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions."
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."
Proverbs 6:19 "a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers."
Gossip always includes false information; no one passes on the flaws of others without including their own guesses and interpretations of the information.
In our day people are making claims about all kinds of things based on what they have read and not what they have seen for themselves.
IF we remain focused on Christ, praying for discernment and desiring to be truthful, we will have little interest in the news articles and reports from just anyone. The sins of those we have no contact with and who are not our friends will be of no interest to us.
Trust in Christ and mind your own business!
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
False Indoctrination Dominates the Culture
People tend to stay with whatever they heard all their lives from childhood. When it is challenged, they feel insecure, especially when the entire rest of their family culture around them mocks them if they don't believe what everyone else believes. They feel safer going with the crowd than knowing the truth.
This is the reason the churches as a whole are teaching bad doctrine; they are teaching what they know the culture wants to hear while mixing it with God's Word to make it believable.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
The culture drives the resolve; the culture pressures people to be like it to validate itself.
Only those who have trusted in Christ can believe the truth because they are not worried about being liked by the culture.
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,"
Matthew 24:11 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many."
Those who think rationally, seeking truth, will be rejected by the culture, while the culture ignorantly PRIDES itself as superior.
Satan always brings pride; he is the very essence of arrogant pride. Everything he does is to elevate himself and ruin anyone who does not elevate him.
1 Timothy 6:3-4 "If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions."
It is best to seek Christ always in everything, listening only to those who do the same. If someone resists the Word of God, we must resist them.
Isaiah 30:10 "They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions."
We are living in the last days of deep deception, people enjoy lies and gossip and do not embrace and enjoy the Word of God.
Jeremiah 23:16 "This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD."
Keep looking up, Christ is coming soon for His church!
This is the reason the churches as a whole are teaching bad doctrine; they are teaching what they know the culture wants to hear while mixing it with God's Word to make it believable.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
The culture drives the resolve; the culture pressures people to be like it to validate itself.
Only those who have trusted in Christ can believe the truth because they are not worried about being liked by the culture.
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,"
Matthew 24:11 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many."
Those who think rationally, seeking truth, will be rejected by the culture, while the culture ignorantly PRIDES itself as superior.
Satan always brings pride; he is the very essence of arrogant pride. Everything he does is to elevate himself and ruin anyone who does not elevate him.
1 Timothy 6:3-4 "If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions."
It is best to seek Christ always in everything, listening only to those who do the same. If someone resists the Word of God, we must resist them.
Isaiah 30:10 "They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions."
We are living in the last days of deep deception, people enjoy lies and gossip and do not embrace and enjoy the Word of God.
Jeremiah 23:16 "This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD."
Keep looking up, Christ is coming soon for His church!
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Do you believe God or the culture in which you live?
When two people are made one by God when they marry, exchange their vows, God melds them into one spiritually. They are no longer two but one in purpose and bonded in their spirits. This can only be done by God and cannot be undone by a piece of paper by the laws of a government.
When these people divorce, they are still one; when they remarry, they remain one with the first spouse and are in adultery with the second. The government may accept that form of adultery, but God does not.
It is interesting to me that most people have no problem accepting divorce from the first spouse, but have a problem with divorcing from the second spouse. The second spouse is not a divorce in God's eyes, it is the stopping of the sin of adultery. God says, "If you divorce, you must remain single or be reconciled to the first spouse."
Our government does not decide God's principles and His truth. The Bible is our instruction book we read it to seek Christ for His perfect will.
When these people divorce, they are still one; when they remarry, they remain one with the first spouse and are in adultery with the second. The government may accept that form of adultery, but God does not.
It is interesting to me that most people have no problem accepting divorce from the first spouse, but have a problem with divorcing from the second spouse. The second spouse is not a divorce in God's eyes, it is the stopping of the sin of adultery. God says, "If you divorce, you must remain single or be reconciled to the first spouse."
Our government does not decide God's principles and His truth. The Bible is our instruction book we read it to seek Christ for His perfect will.
When Mockers Come Rejoice
Have you noticed those laughing emojis that show up when we write about something serious and important? I have gone to the pages of those who mock us; they are clearly unsaved people the devil is using to intimidate us into silence.
What those mockers do not know is that their ridicule only strengthens us. We see it as an opportunity to become more loyal and committed to Christ than ever.
Don't be afraid of the mockers; they merely reveal their character and show us we are on the right path.
Foolilsh people lack good sense in noticing that mocking others does not change our character or stop us from doing what God has given us to do.
Proverbs 29:9-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life."
Ecclesiastes 10:13 "The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness."
Ecclesiastes 7:6 "For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile."
Matthew 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Count it all joy when others revile and mock you; it strengthens our resolve.
What those mockers do not know is that their ridicule only strengthens us. We see it as an opportunity to become more loyal and committed to Christ than ever.
Don't be afraid of the mockers; they merely reveal their character and show us we are on the right path.
Foolilsh people lack good sense in noticing that mocking others does not change our character or stop us from doing what God has given us to do.
Proverbs 29:9-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life."
Ecclesiastes 10:13 "The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness."
Ecclesiastes 7:6 "For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile."
Matthew 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Count it all joy when others revile and mock you; it strengthens our resolve.
The Tribulation the World Brings to Followers of Christ.
I have experienced several times in my life narcissists who ghost me, hoping I will chase. When I do not chase, they come back again to have another shot at me with rude comments and disrespectful tones.
This phenomenon is growing as we near the end of the church age.
Wicked people cannot stand that we are not hurting; they hate our joy and peace and must do something to disrupt it. Just as they hated Christ when all He ever did was good for mankind, sacrificing Himself to save them, their response to Him was to murder Him. They meant it for evil, but God meant it for our good.
Just as Joseph's brothers threw him into a well and sold him into slavery, families will wish they could do the same thing to those who live authentically and with great joy.
In the case of Joseph, God used it for good and eventually elevated Joseph to second in command of all of Egypt.
When Joseph's brothers were in desperation and came to Egypt for help, they didn't know Joseph was so high-ranking. They were repentant, and Joseph's response to them was, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."
We may never see on this earth any repentance from those who harmed us, but in heaven we will be blessed beyond any evil anyone did to us on earth.
God is shaping us into people who are strong enough to ignore the insults without anger or bitterness. We bless those who curse us when in their company, but avoid them if possible.
Everything that happens to us in this world has a purpose if we are followers of Christ. We can be content in our tribulation, bringing glory to God in all our responses or non-responses.
Romans 5:3-5 "3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Hallelujah!
This phenomenon is growing as we near the end of the church age.
Wicked people cannot stand that we are not hurting; they hate our joy and peace and must do something to disrupt it. Just as they hated Christ when all He ever did was good for mankind, sacrificing Himself to save them, their response to Him was to murder Him. They meant it for evil, but God meant it for our good.
Just as Joseph's brothers threw him into a well and sold him into slavery, families will wish they could do the same thing to those who live authentically and with great joy.
In the case of Joseph, God used it for good and eventually elevated Joseph to second in command of all of Egypt.
When Joseph's brothers were in desperation and came to Egypt for help, they didn't know Joseph was so high-ranking. They were repentant, and Joseph's response to them was, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."
We may never see on this earth any repentance from those who harmed us, but in heaven we will be blessed beyond any evil anyone did to us on earth.
God is shaping us into people who are strong enough to ignore the insults without anger or bitterness. We bless those who curse us when in their company, but avoid them if possible.
Everything that happens to us in this world has a purpose if we are followers of Christ. We can be content in our tribulation, bringing glory to God in all our responses or non-responses.
Romans 5:3-5 "3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Hallelujah!
Trusting in Christ Through the Trials
It is rare in our day that we can trust people with our innermost feelings and thoughts. Everyone is interpreting what we say according to their own attitudes without desiring to learn why you think and feel the way you do.
If we don't think like others they tend to take it as a personal attack, not because you did anything that was unkind but because they didn't like your attempts at connecting with them in a deeper way.
The good news is that we can always share our deepest thoughts and feelings with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can say or feel that He has not already felt.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
We need not worry that God is going to condemn us for the things we tell Him because He already knows our hearts better than we know ourselves, before we ever express ourselves to Him.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit."
All the heartbreak, all the sadness, and every other experience of our hearts, the Lord Jesus Christ has already known and understands them.
Hebrews 4:14-16 "14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
If you are experiencing weakness and discouragement right now, God sees it and understands.
Isaiah 53:4 "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted."
Psalm 103:13-14 "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust."
To fear speaking in our hearts to God all that we think and feel is to forget that He already knows and He always has the answer, all we have to do it speak to Him seeking Him for the solution. Even if the solution is just trusting in Him more as He strengthens us.
We are not all cured of our troubles, but we can have the strength of the Holy Spirit to get through them.
Never worry about finding someone to trust with your feelings; trust in Christ Who knows us perfectly and already knows what is to be done, not by us, but by Him.
Satan will try to derail your faith just as He did with Eve in the garden and Christ in the wilderness. Eve failed because she trusted in herself, but Christ did not fail because He is God.
Matthew 4:1-11 "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. / The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
The One Who did not fail, Jesus Christ, lives in those who have trusted in Him. We have within us His power to overcome. Nothing of ourselves but all of Him.
If we don't think like others they tend to take it as a personal attack, not because you did anything that was unkind but because they didn't like your attempts at connecting with them in a deeper way.
The good news is that we can always share our deepest thoughts and feelings with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can say or feel that He has not already felt.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
We need not worry that God is going to condemn us for the things we tell Him because He already knows our hearts better than we know ourselves, before we ever express ourselves to Him.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit."
All the heartbreak, all the sadness, and every other experience of our hearts, the Lord Jesus Christ has already known and understands them.
Hebrews 4:14-16 "14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
If you are experiencing weakness and discouragement right now, God sees it and understands.
Isaiah 53:4 "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted."
Psalm 103:13-14 "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust."
To fear speaking in our hearts to God all that we think and feel is to forget that He already knows and He always has the answer, all we have to do it speak to Him seeking Him for the solution. Even if the solution is just trusting in Him more as He strengthens us.
We are not all cured of our troubles, but we can have the strength of the Holy Spirit to get through them.
Never worry about finding someone to trust with your feelings; trust in Christ Who knows us perfectly and already knows what is to be done, not by us, but by Him.
Satan will try to derail your faith just as He did with Eve in the garden and Christ in the wilderness. Eve failed because she trusted in herself, but Christ did not fail because He is God.
Matthew 4:1-11 "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. / The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
The One Who did not fail, Jesus Christ, lives in those who have trusted in Him. We have within us His power to overcome. Nothing of ourselves but all of Him.
Friday, June 26, 2026
Without Christ There is no Love
In another thread, I read about the sad relationships between in-law children and their in-law parents. There is no love in most relationships today; everything is transactional. The only kindness shown is when people are getting their own way without regard to how their attitude and actions affect others.
Since those in our adult children's generation, there was little taught about loving sacrifice and honoring anyone. They were taught to love themselves; the focus was mainly on themselves, so they do not understand what empathy toward others looks like.
Exodus 20:12 "12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."
I have seen this too in my own life. Once I realized there could be no discussion or resolution, I let them walk away and got on with my life.
People who mistreat others to have power over them cannot be reasoned with; the only solution to our peace is to remove ourselves and walk with those who love Christ as we love Him.
We can pray for those who love to hate us, but a relationship cannot happen until there is repentance and a realization that the way they think and act is not Biblical and does not honor God.
John 13:35 "35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
born-again
1 John 4:7 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
Most people in our adult children's generation have no idea what love looks like or whether or not they are acting with dignity and kindness.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Unless adult children have repented and trusted in Christ, there can be no relationship. Those who claim to be Christian but walk in anger and contempt will never understand what love and honor look like. They don't honor God, nor do they honor anyone else.
Keep looking up, we are going home soon!
Here is what love looks like that is absent in most people these days, including Christians.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
When someone consistently displays a lack of the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, they are not born again. This fruit defines them, and is evident to every other authentically born again believer.
Perhaps when we encounter the worldly mistreatment from family we ought to be praying for their salvation whether or not they attend "church."
Since those in our adult children's generation, there was little taught about loving sacrifice and honoring anyone. They were taught to love themselves; the focus was mainly on themselves, so they do not understand what empathy toward others looks like.
Exodus 20:12 "12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."
I have seen this too in my own life. Once I realized there could be no discussion or resolution, I let them walk away and got on with my life.
People who mistreat others to have power over them cannot be reasoned with; the only solution to our peace is to remove ourselves and walk with those who love Christ as we love Him.
We can pray for those who love to hate us, but a relationship cannot happen until there is repentance and a realization that the way they think and act is not Biblical and does not honor God.
John 13:35 "35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
born-again
1 John 4:7 "Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."
Most people in our adult children's generation have no idea what love looks like or whether or not they are acting with dignity and kindness.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Unless adult children have repented and trusted in Christ, there can be no relationship. Those who claim to be Christian but walk in anger and contempt will never understand what love and honor look like. They don't honor God, nor do they honor anyone else.
Keep looking up, we are going home soon!
Here is what love looks like that is absent in most people these days, including Christians.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 "4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
When someone consistently displays a lack of the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, they are not born again. This fruit defines them, and is evident to every other authentically born again believer.
Perhaps when we encounter the worldly mistreatment from family we ought to be praying for their salvation whether or not they attend "church."
Why America is Losing its Grip on Truth
One of the reasons I believe America is going down for the count is that it is too easy and safe here to be called a Christian. The devil does not bother the churches because they are already in his pocket. He is afflicting those who have left the institutional churches and those who stand up against the sin in the institutional churches.
Satan has deceived many in all forms of false doctrine that make people feel good bout themselves and excuse their sin.
Even those who do not commit the big, obvious sins indulge in gossip, rage at disagreement unnecessarily, and are unkind in many ways that they have justified and normalized.
The Corinthian church coddled the sinning man who was sleeping with his father's wife, justifying it by claiming to do it out of love for the one committing grievous sin.
So many thiings done in the name of God in the modern churches are aginst Him. So many people who say they are "Bible believers" think just saying so makes it true, but they have no desire to search the Scriptures to evaluate themselves and become obedient to His Word.
The organized church system has become the tool of the devil, making people feel safe when they should be ashamed.
Jermiah 6:15 "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done? They were not ashamed at all, nor did they know even how to be ashamed. Therefore, they will fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, they will collapse,” says the Lord."
In the matter of divorce and remarriage, we see most people accepting it as normal when it is full of destruction for families and the culture as a whole.
The same mentality that existed in the Corinthians church, thinking they were loving the sinner by accepting his sin as normal, is the same mentality we have in the churches today as people think they are being loving by not exposing divorce and remarriage.
The Corinthians church accepted sin and even encouraged it, believing they were more noble by loving the person in their sin. They were, in fact, promoting sin within the body by not rebuking it. At the end of the story, they finally obeyed God, chastised the sinning man, put him out of the gathering and eventually he repented, stopped his sin, and returned to the gathering cleansed of that sin.
The ultimate good was done by putting the sinner out of the body, not only for the one who repented and was restored but as an example to everyone else to repent from their sins and work toward holiness within the gathering.
People in the modern churches are becoming harsher, unloving, and judgmental toward the one who calls out sin while promoting the sin by accepting it as normal.
Those who accept the sin call others judgmental while they judge those who come against the sin.
This has been a favorite tactic of the devil from the beginning, to accuse the one doing right of something to make the one doing wrong seem like the victim.
Satan did this with Eve in the garden. He convinced Eve that God was wrong in withholding something from her and that God was the mean one. She listened to him because she placed her desire to have the fruit above God Who created her. God never lied to her but the devil did.
This is what divorce and remarriage are all about! The devil has used lies to convince people that God is withholding pleasure from them by expecting obedience to His Word, which is for their protection.
Because Eve chose to believe the devil instead of God, she got what she wanted, a taste of the forbidden fruit, and it cost her paradise.
God's design for marriage gives us protection, blessings, and security that broken marriages cannot have. It is a lie that second marriages after divorce can be "blended families." It is the same lie the devil used in the garden, that God didn't mean what He said or that He meant evil in His commands and principles. The devil convinced Eve of the opposite of God's ways, and it destroyed all that she had.
One of the terrible consequences of divorce and remarriage in our day is that the children learn to bail out of problems instead of working through them. The example the children learn is that no one is worth fighting for or struggling to save.
In this mess, the children have learned to discard anyone who does not please or elevate them. They refuse to hear correction, punish those who do correct them, and worse, seek to turn others against the one who upholds God's standard.
We desire to uphold God's standard for the good of the person being corrected. We know obeying God is far better, fulfilling, and emotionally and spiritually prosperous than disobeying God.
These violations of God's Word have created a terrible culture of simplicity, shallow thinking, and vengeful people who will not tolerate sensible thinking.
We are living in the times of 2 Timothy 3:1-5. The only recourse is to keep telling the truth, learning to ignore the attacks and get on with those who understand and agree with God.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
So what is our response to all of this? We must just keep obeying God even if no one comes with us. We are only responsible for obeying, while everyone else is responsible to God for their own response.
Bottom line: Obey the Holy Spirit and ignore the response.
Satan has deceived many in all forms of false doctrine that make people feel good bout themselves and excuse their sin.
Even those who do not commit the big, obvious sins indulge in gossip, rage at disagreement unnecessarily, and are unkind in many ways that they have justified and normalized.
The Corinthian church coddled the sinning man who was sleeping with his father's wife, justifying it by claiming to do it out of love for the one committing grievous sin.
So many thiings done in the name of God in the modern churches are aginst Him. So many people who say they are "Bible believers" think just saying so makes it true, but they have no desire to search the Scriptures to evaluate themselves and become obedient to His Word.
The organized church system has become the tool of the devil, making people feel safe when they should be ashamed.
Jermiah 6:15 "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done? They were not ashamed at all, nor did they know even how to be ashamed. Therefore, they will fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, they will collapse,” says the Lord."
In the matter of divorce and remarriage, we see most people accepting it as normal when it is full of destruction for families and the culture as a whole.
The same mentality that existed in the Corinthians church, thinking they were loving the sinner by accepting his sin as normal, is the same mentality we have in the churches today as people think they are being loving by not exposing divorce and remarriage.
The Corinthians church accepted sin and even encouraged it, believing they were more noble by loving the person in their sin. They were, in fact, promoting sin within the body by not rebuking it. At the end of the story, they finally obeyed God, chastised the sinning man, put him out of the gathering and eventually he repented, stopped his sin, and returned to the gathering cleansed of that sin.
The ultimate good was done by putting the sinner out of the body, not only for the one who repented and was restored but as an example to everyone else to repent from their sins and work toward holiness within the gathering.
People in the modern churches are becoming harsher, unloving, and judgmental toward the one who calls out sin while promoting the sin by accepting it as normal.
Those who accept the sin call others judgmental while they judge those who come against the sin.
This has been a favorite tactic of the devil from the beginning, to accuse the one doing right of something to make the one doing wrong seem like the victim.
Satan did this with Eve in the garden. He convinced Eve that God was wrong in withholding something from her and that God was the mean one. She listened to him because she placed her desire to have the fruit above God Who created her. God never lied to her but the devil did.
This is what divorce and remarriage are all about! The devil has used lies to convince people that God is withholding pleasure from them by expecting obedience to His Word, which is for their protection.
Because Eve chose to believe the devil instead of God, she got what she wanted, a taste of the forbidden fruit, and it cost her paradise.
God's design for marriage gives us protection, blessings, and security that broken marriages cannot have. It is a lie that second marriages after divorce can be "blended families." It is the same lie the devil used in the garden, that God didn't mean what He said or that He meant evil in His commands and principles. The devil convinced Eve of the opposite of God's ways, and it destroyed all that she had.
One of the terrible consequences of divorce and remarriage in our day is that the children learn to bail out of problems instead of working through them. The example the children learn is that no one is worth fighting for or struggling to save.
In this mess, the children have learned to discard anyone who does not please or elevate them. They refuse to hear correction, punish those who do correct them, and worse, seek to turn others against the one who upholds God's standard.
We desire to uphold God's standard for the good of the person being corrected. We know obeying God is far better, fulfilling, and emotionally and spiritually prosperous than disobeying God.
These violations of God's Word have created a terrible culture of simplicity, shallow thinking, and vengeful people who will not tolerate sensible thinking.
We are living in the times of 2 Timothy 3:1-5. The only recourse is to keep telling the truth, learning to ignore the attacks and get on with those who understand and agree with God.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
So what is our response to all of this? We must just keep obeying God even if no one comes with us. We are only responsible for obeying, while everyone else is responsible to God for their own response.
Bottom line: Obey the Holy Spirit and ignore the response.
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