Someone suggested that Christians should use the real colors of the rainbow, make a flag, and fly it in opposition to the rainbow flag of the homosexual agenda, which has different colors.
This sounds clever and even smart, but it is far from it. The world, and even most Christians, do not know God's colors of the rainbow. When they see a rainbow flag flying, no matter what the colors, most people are going to assume the person flying it is in solidarity with the homosexual agenda.
God never told us to fly a rainbow flag; it is the idea of a person who wants to use Satan's tactics against him while playing right into his hands.
Another bad idea that was suggested and used for a few years was the "What would Jesus do" bracelet. It sounds clever, but diverts attention from the leading of the Holy Spirit while placing one's trust in an inanimate object. It becomes an idol because it is trusted instead of the Holy Spirit.
While speaking with a young man several years ago, I asked him why he wore the bracelet. He told me the bracelet helped remind him of the right things to do and say. Then he told me it causes questions in the minds of unbelievers, so they will ask him about God, opening the door to evangelism.
While all this sounds clever, it places the young man's trust in the bracelet rather than in the Holy Spirit. God never told us to trust in any object for anything. He told us to know His word and trust the Holy Spirit for everything.
I reminded the young man with the bracelet that everything he told me the bracelet does for him was the job of the Holy Spirit, but instead of trusting in Christ, he was trusting in that bracelet. I told him that it would be better for him to seek Christ in prayer, read His Word, and follow it, so that when anything comes up in conversation, he will lean on the Holy Spirit to give him the words.
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
When we are proud and depend on our own ideas, even in service to Christ, we will trust in the wrong things and become prideful about our own brilliance. And, worse yet, we will end up boasting about what we are doing without regard to the Holy Spirit.
When mankind loves how clever they think they are, they will end up glorifying themselves instead of God. When the Holy Spirit moves within someone, it is God Who gets the glory not man.
Ephesians 1:17-21 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come."
It is easier to trust in objects we can see than in the Holy Spirit we cannot see. This is spiritual laziness. When we question all things as God commands us to do, we will not be caught up in superficial, prideful tactics that take our focus off the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 1:11 "Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
When we trust in Christ, we walk by faith, not by sight. We need no objects to guide us, the idols that distract us from the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible has everything we need to follow Christ, we need not add clever human tactics that bring us glory and place our trust in ourselves.
Acts 1:8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Our power as born-again believers comes from the Holy Spirit not from any object or clever idea man has devised.
Luke 24:47 "and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem."
We are commanded to speak the truth of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit. Any clever ideas man invents that replace trusting in the Holy Spirit are Satan's way of distracting and diverting attention from Christ.
I noticed that the ideas of man that seem so clever run hot quickly and burn out, but God's ways are everlasting; they do not change, and the Holy Spirit is the One Who is elevated.
We worship in Spirit and in Truth, Jesus Christ is Spirit and Truth. He is the very essence of His own word, the Bible. We need no objects other than the Bible itself to bring the gospel to the world.
My prayer is that believers will seek Christ and go more deeply into understanding, so they are not distracted from what Christ commanded in His Word. May those who have trusted in Christ stop devising their own plans apart from the word to elevate themselves.
Trust only in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, and no idols will be used to demonstrate the gospel. Our lives are living testimonies, and our preaching is the means by which we bring the gospel.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Monday, February 9, 2026
Obeying our Calling without a Salary
I am noticing now that the passages used to promote paying pastors are not talking about wages at all, but about God blessing those who are obeying their calling.
We are not to muzzle the ox, in other words, preventing him from obeying his calling. The other passage speaks of "wages according to their roles", God will bless them as they carry out their roles. Some have to do with providing material support to workers, not only money but sharing housing and food when needed as they travel But I see no "salary" in this for local elders.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 "5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor."
The wages in this passage are connected to God's blessing as each one plants and waters.
I am convinced the help of apostles as they traveled made sense because they did not have jobs and needed goods and money to move from place to place in their calling of evangelists. This is far different from a salary; they had to depend on the Spirit of God moving in the hearts of the people to whom they were ministering, rather than a salary that was demanded from a congregation to pay a full-time preacher.
The early church didn't have full-time paid elders. They had elders who held down jobs, and each one ministered as did the rest of the congregation. No one was paid; they were all laboring for God as they carried out their personal callings.
It is my understanding that no one is to hinder someone else's calling; it really doesn't have to do with wages or even food, it has to do with not doing anything to hinder the work of another brother or sister as they obey God in their ministry and calling.
Whenever we see passages being taken out of context to make a case, we can be sure the meaning has been distorted, and always for the purpose of a culture that wants the Bible to fit its own agenda.
Born-again believers are to be generous, as led by the Spirit, to those who are working full-time in the gospel. However, elders in the local church are to hold down jobs so as not to squander the donations that come in from the church for the sake of the gospel.
Much money in the church is wasted on salaries, buildings, trips and other frivolous things to enhance the pleasurable experiences of those attending, having little if anything to do with the gospel.
Most of the money in the churches today is used to keep people coming, filling the pews with followers of a man while entertaining them. We know this by how difficult it is to engage most of the attendees in Spiritual conversation outside that building.
They don't even engage in the building; the leader does all the talking for them. They never learn to speak spiritual things themselves and are uncomfortable hearing the truth of God outside that building.
The church attendees have been trained not to speak unless they have credentials, degrees, or permission from the pastors.
This is the sad state within the modern church and has been going on for centuries as people learned not to seek Christ for truth. They seek men with degrees, popular speakers who are tickling the ears of many to maintain the approval of those in the pews.
People, for the most part,t want to be led rather than have to think for themselves. Thinking rationally and reasonably while praying for wisdom takes work and often distances us from family who withdraw their love when we do not follow them.
Galatians 4:15-17 "…16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them."
Nothing has changed; truth is still despised, and those who love the Word of God are still isolated, demeaned, mocked, and disrespected for not being like everyone else.
John 15:18-19 "Disciples’ Relation to the World
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you."
In these last days, especially, we can expect very little of the Bible to be obeyed and most gatherings to be dominated by cultural traditions that God never endorsed or commanded.
The joy and peace for us in all of this is that we know these are the signs of the end times and that soon we will be going home.
None of this rebellion and disobedience to God's word needs to frustrate us or remove our joy. No one can take away the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
Keep looking up, we are going home soon!!!!
We are not to muzzle the ox, in other words, preventing him from obeying his calling. The other passage speaks of "wages according to their roles", God will bless them as they carry out their roles. Some have to do with providing material support to workers, not only money but sharing housing and food when needed as they travel But I see no "salary" in this for local elders.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 "5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor."
The wages in this passage are connected to God's blessing as each one plants and waters.
I am convinced the help of apostles as they traveled made sense because they did not have jobs and needed goods and money to move from place to place in their calling of evangelists. This is far different from a salary; they had to depend on the Spirit of God moving in the hearts of the people to whom they were ministering, rather than a salary that was demanded from a congregation to pay a full-time preacher.
The early church didn't have full-time paid elders. They had elders who held down jobs, and each one ministered as did the rest of the congregation. No one was paid; they were all laboring for God as they carried out their personal callings.
It is my understanding that no one is to hinder someone else's calling; it really doesn't have to do with wages or even food, it has to do with not doing anything to hinder the work of another brother or sister as they obey God in their ministry and calling.
Whenever we see passages being taken out of context to make a case, we can be sure the meaning has been distorted, and always for the purpose of a culture that wants the Bible to fit its own agenda.
Born-again believers are to be generous, as led by the Spirit, to those who are working full-time in the gospel. However, elders in the local church are to hold down jobs so as not to squander the donations that come in from the church for the sake of the gospel.
Much money in the church is wasted on salaries, buildings, trips and other frivolous things to enhance the pleasurable experiences of those attending, having little if anything to do with the gospel.
Most of the money in the churches today is used to keep people coming, filling the pews with followers of a man while entertaining them. We know this by how difficult it is to engage most of the attendees in Spiritual conversation outside that building.
They don't even engage in the building; the leader does all the talking for them. They never learn to speak spiritual things themselves and are uncomfortable hearing the truth of God outside that building.
The church attendees have been trained not to speak unless they have credentials, degrees, or permission from the pastors.
This is the sad state within the modern church and has been going on for centuries as people learned not to seek Christ for truth. They seek men with degrees, popular speakers who are tickling the ears of many to maintain the approval of those in the pews.
People, for the most part,t want to be led rather than have to think for themselves. Thinking rationally and reasonably while praying for wisdom takes work and often distances us from family who withdraw their love when we do not follow them.
Galatians 4:15-17 "…16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them."
Nothing has changed; truth is still despised, and those who love the Word of God are still isolated, demeaned, mocked, and disrespected for not being like everyone else.
John 15:18-19 "Disciples’ Relation to the World
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you."
In these last days, especially, we can expect very little of the Bible to be obeyed and most gatherings to be dominated by cultural traditions that God never endorsed or commanded.
The joy and peace for us in all of this is that we know these are the signs of the end times and that soon we will be going home.
None of this rebellion and disobedience to God's word needs to frustrate us or remove our joy. No one can take away the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ Who lives in us.
Keep looking up, we are going home soon!!!!
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Something to Think About
There was only one example of the adoption of a child in the Bible, and that was Moses. He went back to his family of origin!
Friday, February 6, 2026
Group Think will Ruin You
Groups foster stupidity! Following people has pitfalls. Trust in Christ alone, depend only on Him.
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The Manipulation of the Rejecters
Those who reject us will use every manner of manipulation to try to cause doubt in us, to relent and follow them.
They will deliberately treat others who follow them with respect and treat disrespectfully those who have the audacity to follow Christ instead of them.
Galatians 4:17-21 "17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you."
People will reject you, hoping you will become jealous and desire to follow them. They will exclude you and court others so that you will sense the rejection and give up seeking Christ.
The more we resolve to obey Christ the worse the pretenders become. They are not satisfied with rejecting us they must also win others to reject us too.
It isn't hard to see in our day the manipulation of the devil who uses people to torment those who follow Christ. The beauty of seeking Christ is that there is no longer hurt associated with the rejection because Christ is all-important in our lives.
James 1:2-9 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:"
They will deliberately treat others who follow them with respect and treat disrespectfully those who have the audacity to follow Christ instead of them.
Galatians 4:17-21 "17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you."
People will reject you, hoping you will become jealous and desire to follow them. They will exclude you and court others so that you will sense the rejection and give up seeking Christ.
The more we resolve to obey Christ the worse the pretenders become. They are not satisfied with rejecting us they must also win others to reject us too.
It isn't hard to see in our day the manipulation of the devil who uses people to torment those who follow Christ. The beauty of seeking Christ is that there is no longer hurt associated with the rejection because Christ is all-important in our lives.
James 1:2-9 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:"
The Culture Destroyed by Greed of Personal Gain
When an entire culture resists instruction and correction unless they want it to gain something for themselves, there is no one to listen to the truth.
Isaiah 53:5-7 "…5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth."
2 Timothy 4:3 "…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."
Titus 1:10-11 "For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not."
2 Peter 2:1-3 "Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them, the way of truth will be defamed. In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep."
Matthew 24:11-12 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
Do not be discouraged when people reject you and have no interest in the Word of God, even if they say they are Christians. We live in difficult times when the heaviness of the rejection of God's wisdom and truth weighs on us as we watch those who are filled with guilt and shame while pretending confidence.
God can work as we pray for the souls of these truth rejecters. If they repent, they can know the truth, and it will set them free. Our business is not to change hearts; it is to tell the truth and leave all the results to God. Rejecters may or may not repent, but we must remain faithful and come out from among them as we grow in wisdom.
The more time we spend with people the more we will become like them. This is why God told us to come out from them and be separated. We still love those who are disobedient, however they cannot be our constant companions. We love them through prayer not through acceptance of their sinful choices or lifestyle.
The hope of the unsaved is only one person, and that is Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
Isaiah 53:5-7 "…5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth."
2 Timothy 4:3 "…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."
Titus 1:10-11 "For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not."
2 Peter 2:1-3 "Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them, the way of truth will be defamed. In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep."
Matthew 24:11-12 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
Do not be discouraged when people reject you and have no interest in the Word of God, even if they say they are Christians. We live in difficult times when the heaviness of the rejection of God's wisdom and truth weighs on us as we watch those who are filled with guilt and shame while pretending confidence.
God can work as we pray for the souls of these truth rejecters. If they repent, they can know the truth, and it will set them free. Our business is not to change hearts; it is to tell the truth and leave all the results to God. Rejecters may or may not repent, but we must remain faithful and come out from among them as we grow in wisdom.
The more time we spend with people the more we will become like them. This is why God told us to come out from them and be separated. We still love those who are disobedient, however they cannot be our constant companions. We love them through prayer not through acceptance of their sinful choices or lifestyle.
The hope of the unsaved is only one person, and that is Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
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