Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Estrangement in a Day Described in 2 Timothy 3
Estrangement is often based on what people wish to believe rather than anything substantive. We live in a world now in which it is popular to hate parents.
If the family has believed gossip that was not true and treated us disrespectfully because of it, they never loved us. We cannot lose what we never had in the first place.
When someone loves us, they will not believe gossip. Gossip is always based on generalities without true evidence of wrongdoing.
When someone speaks in generalities, such as "he/she is mean" or "he/she is judgmental," without a story to back them up, it is usually what the gossiper wants to believe rather than what is real.
Have you ever been accused of being unsubmissive as a wife? Or have you ever been reviled for taking a stand against sin? Those who claim such a thing may even have lived hundreds of miles away from you all your life, but want to believe they know what is going on in your marriage. This is common in our day, the desire to ruin others out of jealousy through gossip.
Often, people who gossip don't give details because they are choosing to believe what they want out of jealousy. They want to believe you are evil because they hate your progress or talents in life. But, they are not satisfied that they hate your successes; they need to bring others alongside them.
Those who gossip want others to hate their target as much as they do.
Jesus Christ was One Who was targeted by gossipers and liars. When He did a great and wonderful thing in healing, the gossips accused Him of doing His miracles through the power of the devil.
This is exactly what will happen to the target of the gossip. The gossiper will hate our kind deeds and even our gifts because it shines a light on their darkness.
It is unbearable for the gossip to see others supporting and edifying you as you edify others. They want to break this life you have built that brings you joy and peace.
When we realize gossip has been the vehicle for someone to turn others against us, we can pray for those involved while removing ourselves from the gossip and those who listen to them.
Anyone who will listen to the gossip and disrespectfully treat anyone who is a target of gossip, these too are people who must be avoided.
Here is what love looks like:
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."
We are living in wicked times in which rudeness and crassness have been normalized. Those who do not like the coarseness of this world are those who are targeted as the "judgmental" ones. They are scorned and rejected, the same way our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles were in HIs day.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Godlessness in the Last Days
"1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
There is lots of pretending godliness today that is easily discerned by those who walk in the Spirit of Christ. These covert ways are often undiscernable by those who are not spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:13-15 "…13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.…"
When we realize the state of the world we are living in it does not have to impact us because we do not take it personally. The devils are in control of the attitudes of people; they are the ones we fight against, people, but against devils.
Ephesians 6:12
"12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
When we know our enemies are spiritual, and the people they use are pawns, we do not have to take anything personally or agonize over what is said against us or done to us. However, we can develop sympathy toward those who are used of the devil and pray for them that one day they will be delivered and become born again.
If the family has believed gossip that was not true and treated us disrespectfully because of it, they never loved us. We cannot lose what we never had in the first place.
When someone loves us, they will not believe gossip. Gossip is always based on generalities without true evidence of wrongdoing.
When someone speaks in generalities, such as "he/she is mean" or "he/she is judgmental," without a story to back them up, it is usually what the gossiper wants to believe rather than what is real.
Have you ever been accused of being unsubmissive as a wife? Or have you ever been reviled for taking a stand against sin? Those who claim such a thing may even have lived hundreds of miles away from you all your life, but want to believe they know what is going on in your marriage. This is common in our day, the desire to ruin others out of jealousy through gossip.
Often, people who gossip don't give details because they are choosing to believe what they want out of jealousy. They want to believe you are evil because they hate your progress or talents in life. But, they are not satisfied that they hate your successes; they need to bring others alongside them.
Those who gossip want others to hate their target as much as they do.
Jesus Christ was One Who was targeted by gossipers and liars. When He did a great and wonderful thing in healing, the gossips accused Him of doing His miracles through the power of the devil.
This is exactly what will happen to the target of the gossip. The gossiper will hate our kind deeds and even our gifts because it shines a light on their darkness.
It is unbearable for the gossip to see others supporting and edifying you as you edify others. They want to break this life you have built that brings you joy and peace.
When we realize gossip has been the vehicle for someone to turn others against us, we can pray for those involved while removing ourselves from the gossip and those who listen to them.
Anyone who will listen to the gossip and disrespectfully treat anyone who is a target of gossip, these too are people who must be avoided.
Here is what love looks like:
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."
We are living in wicked times in which rudeness and crassness have been normalized. Those who do not like the coarseness of this world are those who are targeted as the "judgmental" ones. They are scorned and rejected, the same way our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles were in HIs day.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Godlessness in the Last Days
"1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."
There is lots of pretending godliness today that is easily discerned by those who walk in the Spirit of Christ. These covert ways are often undiscernable by those who are not spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:13-15 "…13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.…"
When we realize the state of the world we are living in it does not have to impact us because we do not take it personally. The devils are in control of the attitudes of people; they are the ones we fight against, people, but against devils.
Ephesians 6:12
"12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
When we know our enemies are spiritual, and the people they use are pawns, we do not have to take anything personally or agonize over what is said against us or done to us. However, we can develop sympathy toward those who are used of the devil and pray for them that one day they will be delivered and become born again.
Monday, May 11, 2026
No Greater Counselor than the Holy Spirit
Proverbs 23:26
"26 Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes [a]delight in my ways."
Hosea 6:6 6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
God does not want us to add our own rituals in worship to Him. He wants us to seek the Holy Spirit and determine to walk as Christ walked.
Those who must have their human rituals to feel spiritual have replaced dedication to Christ with dedication to their rituals that make them feel and appear spiritual. Still, in actuality, they detract from the Holy Spirit, depending on themselves and their actions instead of on Christ.
When our eyes are fixed on Christ, we will do His will and not our own. We will want to consult with Him for everything before acting on our own desires.
Sometimes I wonder how many things we missed that would have been blessings because we did our own thing instead of consulting the Holy Spirit.
1 John 2:27 "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."
Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
1 Corinthians 2:14 "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
1 Corinthians 2:4 "And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,"
There is no greater counselor than the Holy Spirit!!!!
"26 Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes [a]delight in my ways."
Hosea 6:6 6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
God does not want us to add our own rituals in worship to Him. He wants us to seek the Holy Spirit and determine to walk as Christ walked.
Those who must have their human rituals to feel spiritual have replaced dedication to Christ with dedication to their rituals that make them feel and appear spiritual. Still, in actuality, they detract from the Holy Spirit, depending on themselves and their actions instead of on Christ.
When our eyes are fixed on Christ, we will do His will and not our own. We will want to consult with Him for everything before acting on our own desires.
Sometimes I wonder how many things we missed that would have been blessings because we did our own thing instead of consulting the Holy Spirit.
1 John 2:27 "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him."
Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
1 Corinthians 2:14 "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."
1 Corinthians 2:4 "And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,"
There is no greater counselor than the Holy Spirit!!!!
True Confession always results in True Transformation
It is not true confession and forgiveness if it does not result in reconciliation.
Often, someone will say they are sorry, but their behavior does not change. We are not required to forgive them when they lie and are not sorry for their own actions.
Many people are sorry for the trouble that comes from their actions, but not that they did the offense. This is not repentance; when someone is truly sorry, they forsake their sinful ways, not just say they are sorry. Their behavior changes because their hearts have changed.
There is only spiritual and emotional growth when someone admits their flaw or sin, desiring to be cleansed from it. Without this, the behavior remains the same, and what was said is only words to manipulate others to pretend all was made right, and everything will return to the old status.
James 5:16 "16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, / leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy."
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Saying words never mend anything, pretending something is over without confession, never mends anything. The only thing that happens when there is manipulation using words to disarm and pretending something never happened only fosters and escalates distrust.
This is why God required that we confess what we did that offended someone else and desire to be changed so that we do not practice the offense again.
Remember too that confession of sin requires naming specifically what was done and that there was regret for doing it, not for the consequences but for the harm that was done to others.
Regretting consequences does not cleanse, only regretting the harm one does and passionately hating having offended others. Without that regret of harming others, there is only pretense and self-preservation.
Those who never confess offenses never grow emotionally or spiritually; they remain immature until they learn to care whether or not they harm others.
1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Often, someone will say they are sorry, but their behavior does not change. We are not required to forgive them when they lie and are not sorry for their own actions.
Many people are sorry for the trouble that comes from their actions, but not that they did the offense. This is not repentance; when someone is truly sorry, they forsake their sinful ways, not just say they are sorry. Their behavior changes because their hearts have changed.
There is only spiritual and emotional growth when someone admits their flaw or sin, desiring to be cleansed from it. Without this, the behavior remains the same, and what was said is only words to manipulate others to pretend all was made right, and everything will return to the old status.
James 5:16 "16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, / leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy."
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Saying words never mend anything, pretending something is over without confession, never mends anything. The only thing that happens when there is manipulation using words to disarm and pretending something never happened only fosters and escalates distrust.
This is why God required that we confess what we did that offended someone else and desire to be changed so that we do not practice the offense again.
Remember too that confession of sin requires naming specifically what was done and that there was regret for doing it, not for the consequences but for the harm that was done to others.
Regretting consequences does not cleanse, only regretting the harm one does and passionately hating having offended others. Without that regret of harming others, there is only pretense and self-preservation.
Those who never confess offenses never grow emotionally or spiritually; they remain immature until they learn to care whether or not they harm others.
1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Transformed by Christ Creates a Hatred for Sin
Matthew 7:15-20
You Will Know Them by Their Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
What is the fruit?
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."
The fruit is not work; it is the character qualities of Christ that only those who are born again can discern. Works do flow out of this, and a lifestyle does flow from it, but the fruit is separate from works. Even evil people can do good works this is not the evidence that they are born again and have been transformed by Christ.
1 John 3:9 "No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God."
Believers do sin at times and must confess it to be cleansed. It is in confessing and the regret that we have offended God that leads to Spiritual growth.
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."
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."
James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body."
As someone once said, "Christians are not sinless, but we do sin less.", Because we hate sin and want to walk in righteousness, we are in a battle with the flesh. Those who are not saved do not battle the flesh; they make excuses, pretend they did nothing wrong, and even blame others for their sin.
1 John 3:7 "Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous."
Many "Christians" do not practice sin on the outside that others can see, but they hold grudges, and they treat with disrespect anyone who will challenge them about their misdeeds and offenses. They use covert rudeness to be able to deny their offensive attitudes.
Unsaved people who have not been transformed by Christ but are very familiar with church speak learn to hide the big sins and use covert rudeness and haughtiness to control the emotions of others. They think as long as they can deny what they said or did it lets them off the hook and even justifies them.
Romans 6:12-13 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. / Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."
Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone. / It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,"
Ephesians 6:12 "12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
Our struggle is constant until God takes us home. Those who do not struggle have never been born again; they simply deny and justify their sin.
Romans 12:9 "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate."
You Will Know Them by Their Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
What is the fruit?
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."
The fruit is not work; it is the character qualities of Christ that only those who are born again can discern. Works do flow out of this, and a lifestyle does flow from it, but the fruit is separate from works. Even evil people can do good works this is not the evidence that they are born again and have been transformed by Christ.
1 John 3:9 "No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God."
Believers do sin at times and must confess it to be cleansed. It is in confessing and the regret that we have offended God that leads to Spiritual growth.
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."
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."
James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body."
As someone once said, "Christians are not sinless, but we do sin less.", Because we hate sin and want to walk in righteousness, we are in a battle with the flesh. Those who are not saved do not battle the flesh; they make excuses, pretend they did nothing wrong, and even blame others for their sin.
1 John 3:7 "Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Christ is righteous."
Many "Christians" do not practice sin on the outside that others can see, but they hold grudges, and they treat with disrespect anyone who will challenge them about their misdeeds and offenses. They use covert rudeness to be able to deny their offensive attitudes.
Unsaved people who have not been transformed by Christ but are very familiar with church speak learn to hide the big sins and use covert rudeness and haughtiness to control the emotions of others. They think as long as they can deny what they said or did it lets them off the hook and even justifies them.
Romans 6:12-13 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires. / Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."
Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone. / It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,"
Ephesians 6:12 "12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."
Our struggle is constant until God takes us home. Those who do not struggle have never been born again; they simply deny and justify their sin.
Romans 12:9 "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good."
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate."
Saturday, May 9, 2026
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