For years, I didn't know that I was raised in a culture that valued people based on what they do rather than on inner character. Man looks at the outward but God sees the heart.
Luke 16:15 "So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God."
Anyone, even an evil person, can do good deeds to impress others while hiding their inner core self.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons God created a salvation message that no one can "do" anything to gain heaven. Our outward actions are not always an indicator of the character of the person.
While it is true that no one is righteous God declared, He is the one who guides and directs us when we are born again.
When we fail and do something that displeases God, it is a sign that there is still sin in our hearts that needs to be dealt with.
For unsaved people, those who were never born again, the focus must be on their sinful nature; as a whole, there is no good in them, even their good deeds are performed for self-interest, and self-promotion of some kind.
For those who have been changed into a new creation, the character has been changed by Christ; He lives in them, and their good deeds count for His glory, not for self-interest.
However, even those who have a new character through Christ can do good deeds God never told them to do; these are not pleasing to God. Only those things we do in obedience to the Holy Spirit will count. All other self-deeds, no matter how good, will be burned away on judgment day because they were done in the flesh and not in the Spirit. They will still be saved because they trusted Christ for salvation, their salvation is secure because it is a free gift without strings but the life is judged based on our rewards not our character.
1 Corinthians 3:14-16 "…14 If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, but only as if through the flames. 16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?"
1 Corinthians 3:13-14 "his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward."
The good deeds of those who are unsaved will not count at all because their character has not been changed into a new creation, Christ does not live in them, and they do everything for self-exaltation, even if they don't want to admit it.
Far too many Christians worry about their activities as though they have been trained by others to do good things, but instead of seeking Christ for their calling, they throw themselves into the pursuits others think they should be accomplishing instead of seeking the Holy Spirit.
No one else can tell us what to do, they cannot know what God is saying to us, the direction He is taking us personally. Everyone will be doing things as led by the Holy Spirit and some of those things others will not understand.
Friday, April 3, 2026
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Moving Toward the Tribulaiton When the Church will be Home
The world we are living in today, surrounded by but not crushed we carry on full of joy because we know what is coming next.
Ephesians 4:17-19 "17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more."
Ephesians 4:17-19 "17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more."
Dangerous Liars in the Church
Dangerous liars who think they are right are common now and bringing contempt and division to the body of Christ.
I have encountered this a lot in my 70-plus years on earth. Not only do these people who are confidently wrong bring division, but they also use manipulation to cause frustration and disrespect toward those who bring the truth.
The groupthink mentality of our time causes the crowd to accept the confident liar while rejecting the truth teller.
1 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3For 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. 4So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
The group thinks the same because they use superficial platitudes that feel good and flatter people. The group has always been more about creating a happy time than they have ever been about embracing truth.
Those who love truth are often loners because they are not accepted by the group-thinkers. They would rather be alone with thoughts of their Lord and His principles and commands than hang out with superficial, useless banter that leads nowhere good.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."
It isn't easy moving through this world of deception and all its evils. Relationships are ruined, families are destroyed, and most of all, speech calling itself wisdom may be clever, but it is not intelligent, loving, or considerate; it only sounds good, but the results are devastating.
Acts 20:29-30 "I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them."
Romans 16:17-18 "Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
Isaiah 30:9-10 "These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. 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."
God told us this would happen and has been happening since our Lord Jesus Christ left 2000 years ago, only now it has expanded just like in the days of Noah when only one family was left to rescue while the rest of the world was destroyed.
Often, Christians are hopeful and continually pray for family members to trust in Christ and be in a church building they call "church". Sadly, they pray that their loved ones will "say" they have become a Christian without any evidence of change in their hearts or actions.
They depend more on what people say than they do on evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Very few people think in terms of someone desiring to be changed by Christ; it is almost always comforting that they attend buildings and that they say things that sound Christian.
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."
I have known many, even most "Christians" who do not demonstrate authentic love and who follow the culture instead of the Bible.
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
In my personal experience, I have been rejected more by church goers and "religious" Christians for speaking the truth of the Bible than I have by unsaved seculars. Probably because these people were the ones I spent the most time with over the years.
This told me that most church attendees love the world more than they love Christ.
1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
John 15:19 "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, therefore the world hates you."
So what does it mean, "if you were of the world, the world would love you"? Perhaps those in attendance in those institutional church buildings were more of the world than they were of Christ.
Just Saying!
I have encountered this a lot in my 70-plus years on earth. Not only do these people who are confidently wrong bring division, but they also use manipulation to cause frustration and disrespect toward those who bring the truth.
The groupthink mentality of our time causes the crowd to accept the confident liar while rejecting the truth teller.
1 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3For 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. 4So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
The group thinks the same because they use superficial platitudes that feel good and flatter people. The group has always been more about creating a happy time than they have ever been about embracing truth.
Those who love truth are often loners because they are not accepted by the group-thinkers. They would rather be alone with thoughts of their Lord and His principles and commands than hang out with superficial, useless banter that leads nowhere good.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."
It isn't easy moving through this world of deception and all its evils. Relationships are ruined, families are destroyed, and most of all, speech calling itself wisdom may be clever, but it is not intelligent, loving, or considerate; it only sounds good, but the results are devastating.
Acts 20:29-30 "I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them."
Romans 16:17-18 "Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
Isaiah 30:9-10 "These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. 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."
God told us this would happen and has been happening since our Lord Jesus Christ left 2000 years ago, only now it has expanded just like in the days of Noah when only one family was left to rescue while the rest of the world was destroyed.
Often, Christians are hopeful and continually pray for family members to trust in Christ and be in a church building they call "church". Sadly, they pray that their loved ones will "say" they have become a Christian without any evidence of change in their hearts or actions.
They depend more on what people say than they do on evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Very few people think in terms of someone desiring to be changed by Christ; it is almost always comforting that they attend buildings and that they say things that sound Christian.
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."
I have known many, even most "Christians" who do not demonstrate authentic love and who follow the culture instead of the Bible.
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
In my personal experience, I have been rejected more by church goers and "religious" Christians for speaking the truth of the Bible than I have by unsaved seculars. Probably because these people were the ones I spent the most time with over the years.
This told me that most church attendees love the world more than they love Christ.
1 John 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
John 15:19 "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, therefore the world hates you."
So what does it mean, "if you were of the world, the world would love you"? Perhaps those in attendance in those institutional church buildings were more of the world than they were of Christ.
Just Saying!
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
When there is growth, failure happens less frequently.
Failures happen less when we are chastised, listen, repent, and grow. There is no Spiritual or emotional maturity without chastisement and repentance.
Those who use the excuse that we should never discipline or chastise others are enablers. They do not care about the well being of the offender, they only care that people like them personally.
Proverbs 9:8-9 “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
We live in a culture that believes love means just being friendly. They are so averse to being corrected themselves that they avoid correcting anyone else. This is not love; it is self-exaltation and is useless to help anyone grow.
Matthew 15:14 "Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Proverbs 15:12 "A mocker does not love to be reproved, nor will he consult the wise."
Proverbs 23:9 "Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "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. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
We are living in difficult times when most people, even Christians, will not tolerate language that may help them to grow in holiness. They are hell-bent on praise and adulation, intolerant with anything that will be of real godly help.
Those who use the excuse that we should never discipline or chastise others are enablers. They do not care about the well being of the offender, they only care that people like them personally.
Proverbs 9:8-9 “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
We live in a culture that believes love means just being friendly. They are so averse to being corrected themselves that they avoid correcting anyone else. This is not love; it is self-exaltation and is useless to help anyone grow.
Matthew 15:14 "Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Proverbs 15:12 "A mocker does not love to be reproved, nor will he consult the wise."
Proverbs 23:9 "Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
2 Timothy 4:3-4 "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. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
We are living in difficult times when most people, even Christians, will not tolerate language that may help them to grow in holiness. They are hell-bent on praise and adulation, intolerant with anything that will be of real godly help.
Freed From the Traditions of the World
There is more irrational and foolish thinking in our world today because we are living in the end times when "self' is on the throne and arrogance rules the day.
Since the Bible is largely ignored by the culture, even by those who say they are Christians, everyone is steeped in secular psychology, which is based on animal instincts instead of God's Word.
If you treat an animal well, it will become loyal and protective toward us. This is not true of mankind. Animals have no guile, they operate from instinct but mankind is very different.
I cannot count the many times I witnessed someone being kind to others only to be reviled out of jealousy.
God said that the heart of man is "desperately wicked without remedy." Even our good deeds are done to elevate self, boasting and bragging without regard to the effects on others.
In our generation, all children have been raised in a culture that promotes "self-esteem", the idea that we should always think well of ourselves, fosters arrogance and self-will.
2 Timothy 4:3-5 "…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. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
The myths that this culture has embraced are many. Christmas, Easter, birthday celebrations, Halloween, self-esteem teaching, April Fools' Day, Valentine's Day, and others that were never commanded by God, but most Christians today feel pressured to observe. The culture is overwhelmed but doesn't realize how depleted and ragged they are at the end of it all every year.
In fact, these myths have so dominated the culture that anyone who does not observe them is treated with disrespect as though they are doing something wrong.
God's Word is so simple, but mankind attempts to make it complicated, placing people in bondage to things God never commanded or intended.
Matthew 11:29-30 "Rest for the Weary
…29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The only celebration God gave us was the Lord's supper to be observed every time we come together. And, notice, this is the one most people ignore while engaging in all the other man-made holidays God never gave.
Our church culture ignores more of the Bible than they obey, and are staunch in judging others who do not go with them.
Matthew 23:4 "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."
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,"
Mark 7:13 "13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
A huge burden was lifted from my soul when God opened my eyes to the futility and meaninglessness of the man-made rules and holidays. May many others pray to be freed as I was freed.
Since the Bible is largely ignored by the culture, even by those who say they are Christians, everyone is steeped in secular psychology, which is based on animal instincts instead of God's Word.
If you treat an animal well, it will become loyal and protective toward us. This is not true of mankind. Animals have no guile, they operate from instinct but mankind is very different.
I cannot count the many times I witnessed someone being kind to others only to be reviled out of jealousy.
God said that the heart of man is "desperately wicked without remedy." Even our good deeds are done to elevate self, boasting and bragging without regard to the effects on others.
In our generation, all children have been raised in a culture that promotes "self-esteem", the idea that we should always think well of ourselves, fosters arrogance and self-will.
2 Timothy 4:3-5 "…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. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
The myths that this culture has embraced are many. Christmas, Easter, birthday celebrations, Halloween, self-esteem teaching, April Fools' Day, Valentine's Day, and others that were never commanded by God, but most Christians today feel pressured to observe. The culture is overwhelmed but doesn't realize how depleted and ragged they are at the end of it all every year.
In fact, these myths have so dominated the culture that anyone who does not observe them is treated with disrespect as though they are doing something wrong.
God's Word is so simple, but mankind attempts to make it complicated, placing people in bondage to things God never commanded or intended.
Matthew 11:29-30 "Rest for the Weary
…29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
The only celebration God gave us was the Lord's supper to be observed every time we come together. And, notice, this is the one most people ignore while engaging in all the other man-made holidays God never gave.
Our church culture ignores more of the Bible than they obey, and are staunch in judging others who do not go with them.
Matthew 23:4 "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."
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,"
Mark 7:13 "13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
A huge burden was lifted from my soul when God opened my eyes to the futility and meaninglessness of the man-made rules and holidays. May many others pray to be freed as I was freed.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Welcome to the end times.
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."
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