Everything we see in most Christians today is a faith in politics and men they think will give them what they want to feel safe and free. Lies abound everywhere and the people choose to believe them.
Psalm 20:6-7 "…6Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
Jermiah 17:5 " 5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD."
Psalm 146:2-4 "…2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. 4 When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish."
Stop looking to a leader to save a dying country and begin looking to Christ to make you holy and others repentant.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Raise Your Children Away From the Culture or You will Lose Them
When we were raising children, I attempted to teach our children to address adults as Mr. and Mrs. and their last name. Unfortunately, the ungodly culture we were in worked against me, telling the children to call them by their first name. My children went with the culture, and my authority with them was ruined. And, there were many other such things in which the culture came against me in front of my children.
If you can, do not raise your children around those who are going to undermine your teachings, the culture will win every time because children are predisposed to following the crowd, making us look like the strange ones to be avoided.
If you can, do not raise your children around those who are going to undermine your teachings, the culture will win every time because children are predisposed to following the crowd, making us look like the strange ones to be avoided.
Alone with Christ a Far Better Way
Never allow others to frustrate you with pressure to attend prayer meetings.
There is no scriptural mandate for a "church prayer group." It can be a good thing, but many people who love Christ feel more comfortable alone in their closet with Him.
Pressuring others to attend a meeting may be against God's will. I can say more clearly and openly what I wish to express to God when I am alone, and I can hear from Him better without distractions.
There is no indication in Scripture that God hears us better when others are present than when we are alone. More people in the room do not have more influence over God than when one person prays alone. We are not seeking to manipulate God in our prayers, we are seeking His will and strength to carry out His will.
Often, what the group wants is not God's will; it's just their idea of what they want.
In public meetings, there are expectations and rules that God never made, causing a sense of conformity for the people in attendance, hindering our prayers.
In a public meeting, we are expected to agree with anyone praying out loud, but what if we do not agree with what we hear?
Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words."
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. 6 But 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. 7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard."
None of the following passages speaks of going to a group.
Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:"
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."
Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,"
Daniel 6:10 "Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
Isaiah 26:20 "Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed."
There is more evidence for praying alone, spending time with God, than there is for corporate prayer.
May we allow ourselves to resist the pressures of the culture to obey God. If God tells us to attend that prayer meeting, then go, but if He is not compelling us to attend, feel free to be alone with God.
There is no scriptural mandate for a "church prayer group." It can be a good thing, but many people who love Christ feel more comfortable alone in their closet with Him.
Pressuring others to attend a meeting may be against God's will. I can say more clearly and openly what I wish to express to God when I am alone, and I can hear from Him better without distractions.
There is no indication in Scripture that God hears us better when others are present than when we are alone. More people in the room do not have more influence over God than when one person prays alone. We are not seeking to manipulate God in our prayers, we are seeking His will and strength to carry out His will.
Often, what the group wants is not God's will; it's just their idea of what they want.
In public meetings, there are expectations and rules that God never made, causing a sense of conformity for the people in attendance, hindering our prayers.
In a public meeting, we are expected to agree with anyone praying out loud, but what if we do not agree with what we hear?
Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words."
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. 6 But 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. 7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard."
None of the following passages speaks of going to a group.
Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:"
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."
Colossians 4:2 "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,"
Daniel 6:10 "Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
Isaiah 26:20 "Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed."
There is more evidence for praying alone, spending time with God, than there is for corporate prayer.
May we allow ourselves to resist the pressures of the culture to obey God. If God tells us to attend that prayer meeting, then go, but if He is not compelling us to attend, feel free to be alone with God.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Pharisee Like People Exist Today
So many prideful "Christians" act like Pharisees, heaping on human rules God never made, thinking it makes them special and superior.
Matthew 23:4-6 "…4They 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. 6They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,"
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.”
Church gatherings are full of happy clappy people who love themselves, who would never lift a finger to bring the gospel to others because others are beneath them.
These people are more interested in being seen by others than they are in honoring Christ, learning in humility, and being useful for the Kingdom. They are modern-day Pharisees.
Romans 10:3 "Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness."
Philippians 3:8-9 "8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,"
May the pretenders in the church gatherings repent and become transformed by Christ so that any thought of self is removed.
Matthew 23:4-6 "…4They 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. 6They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,"
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.”
Church gatherings are full of happy clappy people who love themselves, who would never lift a finger to bring the gospel to others because others are beneath them.
These people are more interested in being seen by others than they are in honoring Christ, learning in humility, and being useful for the Kingdom. They are modern-day Pharisees.
Romans 10:3 "Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness."
Philippians 3:8-9 "8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ,
9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,"
May the pretenders in the church gatherings repent and become transformed by Christ so that any thought of self is removed.
Monday, April 20, 2026
Supporting the Nation is Different from Approving of all it Does
No born-again believer would want to participate in building a temple that will be doing sacrifices when Christ was our only Sacrifice. To do sacrifices in that temple is the same as denying Jesus Christ.
Israel will build a temple and do sacrifices in these end times. Believers should love the nation of Israel enough to bring the gospel and even protect its borders, but should never help build a temple that represents rejecting the sacrifice of Christ for our sin.
There are believers who foolishly think that to love Israel is to approve of everything that nation does. This is not at all what God said to do. Israel came into the land in 1948 in unbelief, and much of what they do dishonors God.
There is a remnant of believers in Israel, as there is in every country of the world. God told us to protect the nation, but He did not tell us to participate in all their rituals associated with the rejection of Christ.
Romans 11:1-36 "I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."
Israel will build a temple and do sacrifices in these end times. Believers should love the nation of Israel enough to bring the gospel and even protect its borders, but should never help build a temple that represents rejecting the sacrifice of Christ for our sin.
There are believers who foolishly think that to love Israel is to approve of everything that nation does. This is not at all what God said to do. Israel came into the land in 1948 in unbelief, and much of what they do dishonors God.
There is a remnant of believers in Israel, as there is in every country of the world. God told us to protect the nation, but He did not tell us to participate in all their rituals associated with the rejection of Christ.
Romans 11:1-36 "I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."
Only What is Done Through the Spirit of Christ will Last
If there is any object associated with worship, then it is an idol. God said we worship in Spirit and in Truth, not by anything we do on the outside or with any object.
Two people can have the same activity exactly, and one will be led by the Holy Spirit to glorify God, and the other led by the flesh to glorify themselves.
John 4:24 " …23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
We live in a time when "Christians" want to do things their own way and call it good. They think using God's Word as an add-on to their own will makes them spiritual.
Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."
There is no reverence for God when there is self-will and disregard for God's commands and principles.
Philippians 3:3 "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh,"
1 John 1:5 "And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."
When we seek Christ we will not have fleshly ideas that make ourselves feel special for doing them. We will only have great joy that we did what He told us to do and added nothing of ourselves to it.
Only what Christ did through us as we obey will count on judgment day.
Two people can have the same activity exactly, and one will be led by the Holy Spirit to glorify God, and the other led by the flesh to glorify themselves.
John 4:24 " …23 But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
We live in a time when "Christians" want to do things their own way and call it good. They think using God's Word as an add-on to their own will makes them spiritual.
Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."
There is no reverence for God when there is self-will and disregard for God's commands and principles.
Philippians 3:3 "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh,"
1 John 1:5 "And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all."
When we seek Christ we will not have fleshly ideas that make ourselves feel special for doing them. We will only have great joy that we did what He told us to do and added nothing of ourselves to it.
Only what Christ did through us as we obey will count on judgment day.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Praying for Help Without Repentance
This morning, a beautiful text was sent to me by a dear sister. She was sharing a story about a woman she knew who was deep into sin and how she prayed for help, but didn't leave the sin.
She was tormented until finally she was delivered when she made the decision to trust in Christ as she walked away from that which was comfortable and familiar to her. Then Christ delivered her, and her heart and life were changed forever.
My response to the story was one of sheer delight, because it was so familiar to my life. Here was my response.
"Wonderful, these words could have been written about me 50 years ago. It's even harder when we are surrounded by people who are not godly and want us to remain as we are. The real miracle and the real challenge is in surrendering so completely to Christ that it doesn't matter if you have any support from people."
"Praise God the Holy Spirit is greater than anyone around us. We can't blame anybody but ourselves, and when we finally fo come to Christ in earnestness, the beauty of our joy is so much greater than what we thought we would lose." Unquote
I think about this often when family members or old friends attempt to accuse me of my past that has been expunged from God's books.
Perhaps everyone should have a story like this that they have been delivered from while walking in victory now.
Our life is changed forever and often our friends change because our hearts have changed. We cannot walk with those who attempt to keep us down to avoid looking at themselves.
Unbelievers hate that our life is full of joy and purpose in Christ because they do not want to turn from their pleasures.
James 1:7 "…7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When we hang onto sin while begging God to save us from the trouble we have caused ourselves, we cannot expect God to lift a finger to save us from the consequences. Often, it is the consequences that motivate us to seek Christ. It is God's love to allow us to wallow in what is miserable for us.
Praise God for all the trials He allows so that we will ultimately repent and become saved from hell and gain heaven.
James 1:2-8 "2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
She was tormented until finally she was delivered when she made the decision to trust in Christ as she walked away from that which was comfortable and familiar to her. Then Christ delivered her, and her heart and life were changed forever.
My response to the story was one of sheer delight, because it was so familiar to my life. Here was my response.
"Wonderful, these words could have been written about me 50 years ago. It's even harder when we are surrounded by people who are not godly and want us to remain as we are. The real miracle and the real challenge is in surrendering so completely to Christ that it doesn't matter if you have any support from people."
"Praise God the Holy Spirit is greater than anyone around us. We can't blame anybody but ourselves, and when we finally fo come to Christ in earnestness, the beauty of our joy is so much greater than what we thought we would lose." Unquote
I think about this often when family members or old friends attempt to accuse me of my past that has been expunged from God's books.
Perhaps everyone should have a story like this that they have been delivered from while walking in victory now.
Our life is changed forever and often our friends change because our hearts have changed. We cannot walk with those who attempt to keep us down to avoid looking at themselves.
Unbelievers hate that our life is full of joy and purpose in Christ because they do not want to turn from their pleasures.
James 1:7 "…7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When we hang onto sin while begging God to save us from the trouble we have caused ourselves, we cannot expect God to lift a finger to save us from the consequences. Often, it is the consequences that motivate us to seek Christ. It is God's love to allow us to wallow in what is miserable for us.
Praise God for all the trials He allows so that we will ultimately repent and become saved from hell and gain heaven.
James 1:2-8 "2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
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