Monday, August 24, 2026
Who is the Church?
The people who have trusted Christ and have been changed into a new creation by Christ are the church. The Church is not a place to go or a system of rituals. People are the church: those transformed by Christ and in whom He lives. Our modern "paid-pastor" system was never God's intent. He told us to gather to edify one another as encouragement to live out our devotion to Christ in our lives after we leave the gathering.
Those who are the church are those who have been transformed by Christ and in whom He lives until He takes us home.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."
Rituals hinder spiritual and emotional maturity. They become a source of pride that makes us feel superior. Those who follow ritual and expect others to do so also are not following Christ; they are following traditions of men.
Mark 7:13 "13 thereby invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
Colossians 2:8 "8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them."
Ephesians 4:14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."
Galatians 1:6-9 "I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 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!"
1 Corinthians 1:20-25 "Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom."
Many people are unconcerned about false doctrine in the church, treating it as just disagreements that can be ignored. Unfortunately, this is not true. Christ's Word is the very essence of Who He is, and every word is important; this is why we must strive to understand, asking God to inform us of truth as we read. When we are in error, we must recognize and abandon it.
Those who are the church are those who have been transformed by Christ and in whom He lives until He takes us home.
1 Corinthians 14:26 "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."
Rituals hinder spiritual and emotional maturity. They become a source of pride that makes us feel superior. Those who follow ritual and expect others to do so also are not following Christ; they are following traditions of men.
Mark 7:13 "13 thereby invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
Colossians 2:8 "8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Hebrews 13:9 "Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them."
Ephesians 4:14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."
Galatians 1:6-9 "I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 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!"
1 Corinthians 1:20-25 "Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom."
Many people are unconcerned about false doctrine in the church, treating it as just disagreements that can be ignored. Unfortunately, this is not true. Christ's Word is the very essence of Who He is, and every word is important; this is why we must strive to understand, asking God to inform us of truth as we read. When we are in error, we must recognize and abandon it.
Sunday, August 23, 2026
"Doubting Thomas" was not a doubter, he was a wise man who followed Christ before he saw the Risen Christ.
Another term fashioned after the Western mindset and not the Bible. "Doubting Thomas." Only a fool would accept just anyone claiming to be Jesus Christ. Asking for proof is reasonable!
Thomas didn't doubt Jesus Christ; he wanted evidence that it was really Him.
Thomas trusted in Christ years before Christ died and followed Him. He was a disciple of Christ. Thomas was saved; however, as a wise man of God, he was not going to believe just any ghost or demon who appeared to him.
Thomas was obeying God in one aspect, that is "test all things," as written in 1 Thessalonians. Thomas was not a doubter; he was a wise man.
Christ was not chastising Thomas for requiring proof that He was the risen Christ Who stood before Him. Christ knew that there would be many who would never see Christ who would trust in Him. They would be following Christ by faith, as Thomas did when he first followed Christ as a disciple.
This is the problem when people add their own words and ideas to Scripture. They name-call using words like "doubting Thomas," which are not in the Bible.
John 20:29 "29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Be careful to never accept phrases that have come down through man's traditions. The account of Thomas's encounter with the Risen Christ was legitimate; Christ was not chastising him for requiring proof. He was merely stating that there will be far more believers who have not seen Him who would believe, and their faith would bless them too.
Warning: never trust someone who comes to you and claims to be Christ. The Bible will guide you with all the principles necessary to be able to discern the truth as you read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in everything.
Thomas didn't doubt Jesus Christ; he wanted evidence that it was really Him.
Thomas trusted in Christ years before Christ died and followed Him. He was a disciple of Christ. Thomas was saved; however, as a wise man of God, he was not going to believe just any ghost or demon who appeared to him.
Thomas was obeying God in one aspect, that is "test all things," as written in 1 Thessalonians. Thomas was not a doubter; he was a wise man.
Christ was not chastising Thomas for requiring proof that He was the risen Christ Who stood before Him. Christ knew that there would be many who would never see Christ who would trust in Him. They would be following Christ by faith, as Thomas did when he first followed Christ as a disciple.
This is the problem when people add their own words and ideas to Scripture. They name-call using words like "doubting Thomas," which are not in the Bible.
John 20:29 "29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Be careful to never accept phrases that have come down through man's traditions. The account of Thomas's encounter with the Risen Christ was legitimate; Christ was not chastising him for requiring proof. He was merely stating that there will be far more believers who have not seen Him who would believe, and their faith would bless them too.
Warning: never trust someone who comes to you and claims to be Christ. The Bible will guide you with all the principles necessary to be able to discern the truth as you read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in everything.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
It's Almost Over Brothers and Sisters
Someone once said to me, "It seems like you talk so much about chastising people, more than you do about praising them for good things.
My answer was: "Good things do not need correcting; they should just be normal, expected, and appreciated.
Bad things need continual correcting because the culture as a whole does not follow Jesus Christ. Someone has to do it, and most people will not, so I guess it will be me."
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 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"
Since most of the world rejects Jesus Christ, either by words or in the case of those who attend church, by deeds, lack of obedience while punishing those who speak the truth, we live in a negative world.
I notice that Christ followers are chastised for being negative, but those doing the negative are left alone and even coddled and protected.
In these last days, bad is called good and good is called bad on a massive scale, even in the gatherings that claim to be Christian. Those who speak the truth from the Bible are disparaged as though they did something mean or rude. While those who are rude and mean are shielded.
2 Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Remember this, brothers and sisters; soon we will be leaving this corrupted and vile world to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where everyone there will love Jesus Christ and support all that we stood for here on earth.
It is hard now at times, even though our joy and peace never leave us. And we know that existence here is very temporary. Our brothers and sisters all agree with God, and they are our family. Rejoice in this!!!! Hallelujah!!!
My answer was: "Good things do not need correcting; they should just be normal, expected, and appreciated.
Bad things need continual correcting because the culture as a whole does not follow Jesus Christ. Someone has to do it, and most people will not, so I guess it will be me."
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 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"
Since most of the world rejects Jesus Christ, either by words or in the case of those who attend church, by deeds, lack of obedience while punishing those who speak the truth, we live in a negative world.
I notice that Christ followers are chastised for being negative, but those doing the negative are left alone and even coddled and protected.
In these last days, bad is called good and good is called bad on a massive scale, even in the gatherings that claim to be Christian. Those who speak the truth from the Bible are disparaged as though they did something mean or rude. While those who are rude and mean are shielded.
2 Peter 3:3-4 "Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Remember this, brothers and sisters; soon we will be leaving this corrupted and vile world to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where everyone there will love Jesus Christ and support all that we stood for here on earth.
It is hard now at times, even though our joy and peace never leave us. And we know that existence here is very temporary. Our brothers and sisters all agree with God, and they are our family. Rejoice in this!!!! Hallelujah!!!
Divorce and Remarriage Offends God
Almost all my family members have gossiped about me and treated me with disrespect for not attending the second marriages of divorced people. Love is remaining faithful to God so that others will repent or avoid sin.
Are we helpers to those who are faltering on the edge of a cliff if we stand by and watch them jump, or are we loving by trying to prevent them from harming themselves?
Interesting, too, that we are expected to do what they want us to do and are punished for not doing what they want us to do. If they loved us, they would have respect for our decisions for ourselves. They are supported in sin, and we are punished for not supporting the sin of others. Welcome to the end times.
Perhaps the passage applies here when Jesus said, "let the dead bury the dead; you come and follow me." I understand this is talking about not waiting for your father to die to follow Christ. But could it also apply to letting the dead attend pagan things, but you do not?
Are we helpers to those who are faltering on the edge of a cliff if we stand by and watch them jump, or are we loving by trying to prevent them from harming themselves?
Interesting, too, that we are expected to do what they want us to do and are punished for not doing what they want us to do. If they loved us, they would have respect for our decisions for ourselves. They are supported in sin, and we are punished for not supporting the sin of others. Welcome to the end times.
Perhaps the passage applies here when Jesus said, "let the dead bury the dead; you come and follow me." I understand this is talking about not waiting for your father to die to follow Christ. But could it also apply to letting the dead attend pagan things, but you do not?
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