And, never judge a person based on what others have told you that you did not see for yourself. Many people judge others based on their own prejudices rather than knowing what is really going on.
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Misjudging Others
"If you do not like someone or something about someone, BE CAREFUL that you do not look at everything they do and say through the lenses of your dislike. You might end up misjudging them and, in so doing, condemn yourself." David Valderrama
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Progression in Holiness Requires Spiritual and Emotional Boot Camp
There is no progression in holiness if we cannot be honest with ourselves about ourselves. Growth comes from searching our hearts, admitting our flaws with the desire to be changed by Christ.
Asking God to change us is key to a relationship with Christ.
Psalm 51:10 "10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
At the end of the day, we ought to be excited about what God showed us about ourselves, knowing that everything hard to look at about ourselves will produce better character if we obey what we learn.
Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Those who dismiss and reject the training of their parents will not grow or change; they will cling wildly to what is familiar and comfortable to them. Human parents are not perfect, but they have something to offer. When children regularly obey parents out of obligation but not out of love, they will also practice a superficial relationship with Christ. They will dismiss what God says to be comfortable in the world while claiming they are obeying God. They live a life of partial obedience without concern about their own character damage from living a superficial life of disobedience.
Many people do this with the Bible; they change what God said to fit their culture, and they dismiss what they don't like by claiming God's commands do not matter in our day.
Revelation 3:19
"Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore, be earnest and repent."
1 Corinthians 11:32 "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
James 5:11 "See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."
Discipline is for our training; see it as a spiritual and emotional "boot camp" necessary for our strengthening.
Asking God to change us is key to a relationship with Christ.
Psalm 51:10 "10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
At the end of the day, we ought to be excited about what God showed us about ourselves, knowing that everything hard to look at about ourselves will produce better character if we obey what we learn.
Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Those who dismiss and reject the training of their parents will not grow or change; they will cling wildly to what is familiar and comfortable to them. Human parents are not perfect, but they have something to offer. When children regularly obey parents out of obligation but not out of love, they will also practice a superficial relationship with Christ. They will dismiss what God says to be comfortable in the world while claiming they are obeying God. They live a life of partial obedience without concern about their own character damage from living a superficial life of disobedience.
Many people do this with the Bible; they change what God said to fit their culture, and they dismiss what they don't like by claiming God's commands do not matter in our day.
Revelation 3:19
"Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore, be earnest and repent."
1 Corinthians 11:32 "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
James 5:11 "See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."
Discipline is for our training; see it as a spiritual and emotional "boot camp" necessary for our strengthening.
Walk as Christ Walked In Truth and Love
Speaking kindly through all things is not only a strength but also a sign of wisdom. Acting rudely and shouting louder does not change the other person's view; it just makes us look foolish.
Proverbs 26:4-5 "4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.…"
Sometimes the answer to a fool is silence, or removing ourselves!
There are those who think they can intimidate others into respecting them or bowing to them. This is not only foolish but also a sign of weakness; having to force others to agree with you is a clear indication of an infantile mentality. After all, what does a toddler do when they do not get their way? They demand, shout, and cry to get their way.
A wise person removes themselves from those who care little about truth but want to dominate others.
Matthew 7:6
"Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Who are the dogs and the swine? They are those who love themselves more than they love truth. They have no love for God and want to ruin the walk of born again believers.
2 Timothy 2:23
"But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling."
Proverbs 29:9
"If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution."
Proverbs 14:7
"Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech."
Proverbs 23:9
"Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
Too often, people remain with fools because they are family or someone expects them to remain friends, but it is not wise and will destroy their walk with God.
To grow in holiness and protect our character, we must be companions of wise, loving, kind people. We encourage one another by our attitudes and actions to walk as Christ walked.
Proverbs 18:2
"A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions."
A fool will work to make you angry or fall in some way so they can feel better about themselves. They love to watch others fall so they can validate themselves.
Proverbs 13:19-21 "…19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning from evil is detestable to fools. 20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.…"
1 Corinthians 15:33
"Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Guard your heart by carefully evaluating the character of your close companions. Not that anyone is perfect, but that your friends encourage you in the Word of God and are deeply committed to loving you the way Christ loves us.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Ephesians 4:1-32 "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism,"
Proverbs 26:4-5 "4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.…"
Sometimes the answer to a fool is silence, or removing ourselves!
There are those who think they can intimidate others into respecting them or bowing to them. This is not only foolish but also a sign of weakness; having to force others to agree with you is a clear indication of an infantile mentality. After all, what does a toddler do when they do not get their way? They demand, shout, and cry to get their way.
A wise person removes themselves from those who care little about truth but want to dominate others.
Matthew 7:6
"Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
Who are the dogs and the swine? They are those who love themselves more than they love truth. They have no love for God and want to ruin the walk of born again believers.
2 Timothy 2:23
"But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling."
Proverbs 29:9
"If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution."
Proverbs 14:7
"Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech."
Proverbs 23:9
"Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
Too often, people remain with fools because they are family or someone expects them to remain friends, but it is not wise and will destroy their walk with God.
To grow in holiness and protect our character, we must be companions of wise, loving, kind people. We encourage one another by our attitudes and actions to walk as Christ walked.
Proverbs 18:2
"A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions."
A fool will work to make you angry or fall in some way so they can feel better about themselves. They love to watch others fall so they can validate themselves.
Proverbs 13:19-21 "…19 Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but turning from evil is detestable to fools. 20 He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. 21 Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.…"
1 Corinthians 15:33
"Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Guard your heart by carefully evaluating the character of your close companions. Not that anyone is perfect, but that your friends encourage you in the Word of God and are deeply committed to loving you the way Christ loves us.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Ephesians 4:1-32 "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism,"
Monday, September 15, 2025
I am weary of hearing "America is a Christian nation"!
I know I will get some criticism from believers when I say God is done with America. I ask everyone to stop thinking with their emotions and out of fear of losing their freedom, and begin to think Biblically. Stop believing what you wish to be true and admit what is true. We have become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah because not only are we wicked as a people, but we have spread that evil all over the world.
Sodom and Gomorrah were a few close towns involved in their wickedness; their impact on the world was nothing compared to the impact of the nation of America.
Pornography, a false gospel, prostitution, gambling, taverns, homosexuality, and entertainment that blasphemes God and mocks His principles. We have endorsed idolatry in every form and claim it is just innocent fun.
The entire world has been given these things at the hands of Americans. Our government, for the most part, is corrupt, our families are broken, and those who speak against divorce and remarriage are punished for telling the truth. There is much more to this than meets the eye, but this would be bad enough on its own.
Many believers have been demeaned and rejected for speaking against the violations of the Bible by the world, and sadly, by Christians. They are more angry at us for speaking the truth than they are at the mess the devil has made of this nation.
Notice Christians today have a ton to say about the sins they do not commit, but become angry when confronted with the sins they accept, even if they do not do those sins themselves, they defend others who do them.
Romans 1:31-32 "31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them."
In short, America approves of what God hates and worse lies against Him, saying He is not bothered by them.
America calls it love to remain silent when someone is ruining their own lives and the lives of others.
There are no advocates for those who wish to love and obey God. The support is for those who disobey and dishonor God and claim it is good.
We have all seen this in our daily lives in the past 50 years, but now it is all on steroids; it is now considered evil to speak against evil.
Here is a description of our nation today; It was not written to us but it was written for us.
Proverbs 1:29-31 "For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices."
Psalm 50:16-22 "To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips? For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers."
Adultery has two meanings: one to commit sin against a spouse with another person, the other to commit sin against God and call it good.
Galatians 5:19-21 "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Sodom and Gomorrah were a few close towns involved in their wickedness; their impact on the world was nothing compared to the impact of the nation of America.
Pornography, a false gospel, prostitution, gambling, taverns, homosexuality, and entertainment that blasphemes God and mocks His principles. We have endorsed idolatry in every form and claim it is just innocent fun.
The entire world has been given these things at the hands of Americans. Our government, for the most part, is corrupt, our families are broken, and those who speak against divorce and remarriage are punished for telling the truth. There is much more to this than meets the eye, but this would be bad enough on its own.
Many believers have been demeaned and rejected for speaking against the violations of the Bible by the world, and sadly, by Christians. They are more angry at us for speaking the truth than they are at the mess the devil has made of this nation.
Notice Christians today have a ton to say about the sins they do not commit, but become angry when confronted with the sins they accept, even if they do not do those sins themselves, they defend others who do them.
Romans 1:31-32 "31 They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them."
In short, America approves of what God hates and worse lies against Him, saying He is not bothered by them.
America calls it love to remain silent when someone is ruining their own lives and the lives of others.
There are no advocates for those who wish to love and obey God. The support is for those who disobey and dishonor God and claim it is good.
We have all seen this in our daily lives in the past 50 years, but now it is all on steroids; it is now considered evil to speak against evil.
Here is a description of our nation today; It was not written to us but it was written for us.
Proverbs 1:29-31 "For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof. So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices."
Psalm 50:16-22 "To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips? For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you befriend him, and throw in your lot with adulterers."
Adultery has two meanings: one to commit sin against a spouse with another person, the other to commit sin against God and call it good.
Galatians 5:19-21 "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Psalm 70:1-4 Prayer for Help against Persecutors.
For the music director. A Psalm of David; for a memorial.
70 God, hurry to save me;
Lord, hurry to help me!
2 May those who seek my life
Be put to shame and humiliated;
May those who delight in my harm
Be turned back and dishonored.
3 May those who say, “Aha, aha!” be turned back
Because of their shame.
70 God, hurry to save me;
Lord, hurry to help me!
2 May those who seek my life
Be put to shame and humiliated;
May those who delight in my harm
Be turned back and dishonored.
3 May those who say, “Aha, aha!” be turned back
Because of their shame.
4 May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
And may those who love Your salvation say continually,
“May God be exalted!”
And may those who love Your salvation say continually,
“May God be exalted!”
Psalm 71:4-6
"4 Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
From the grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,
5 For You are my hope; Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. 6 I have leaned on You since my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You."
From the grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,
5 For You are my hope; Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. 6 I have leaned on You since my birth;
You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;
My praise is continually of You."
Friday, September 12, 2025
Every Sin Can Be Forgiven
Praying for the soul of the young man who harbored so much hatred in his heart to murder another man who had a family.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Next verse is an important verse to ponder!!!!
"11 SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU; BUT YOU WERE WASHED, but YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, but YOU WERE JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
What this young man did was horrendous, but it does not disqualify him from repenting and becoming born again.
Matthew 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven."
What a victory over the devil if this young shooter became born again and met his victim one day in heaven?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Next verse is an important verse to ponder!!!!
"11 SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU; BUT YOU WERE WASHED, but YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, but YOU WERE JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
What this young man did was horrendous, but it does not disqualify him from repenting and becoming born again.
Matthew 12:31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven."
Lead by the Holy Spirit Alone
It is important to remember that it is the Holy Spirit who has godly expectations of us. No one else should dictate or dominate another believer.
Family pressures, church pressures, or any pressures from any other organization should not deter us from our calling. No human being can know what God wants us to be doing.
The Bible and the Holy Spirit direct all our actions and attitudes; people do not. That is not to say that godly people have no input in our lives; they do, but only as they obey the scriptures in their counsel and lifestyle.
Others can edify us by the Word of God, but they do not make the decisions about our calling or the personal conclusions for our lives.
So often, family, friends, and church attendees judge things that are not sin as a form of control over us. They micro-manage perceptions about us to others with the intent of removing your support system.
In our culture, many, if not most, people are deeply controlled by others because the Holy Spirit is not their focus. When Christ is our focus, people cannot control us.
Make no mistake, everyone is controlled by something or someone, either by their culture or by the Holy Spirit. It is unsettling to unbelieving family and ritualistic churches when someone does not follow their pattern of life or their decrees.
Since most people need others to do the same thing they are doing, they tend to become upset, if only mildly irritated, when someone chooses to walk a different path from them.
Galatians 4:16-18 "…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. 18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.…"
I am convinced that this irritation occurs when someone leaves the cultural path. Those who are all doing the same things are not convinced in their own minds of their own choices. They must have followers to maintain their sense of control.
The word "culture" means to till the ground, or in the case of cultural expectations, it denotes tilling the mind to cause compliance with others. A sort of brainwashing in which those who are members of the culture fear not being accepted by others in that system, so they repeat the same mantras and habits while excluding anyone who does not comply with the group or the prominent leader.
These cultures are common and make lots of rules God never made. They are dedicated to their rules more than the Bible and judge others who think differently. And, worse, they are dedicated to the need to appear superior to others; love is absent in these cultural entities.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ."
May every believer understand what they are dealing with in these last days of apostasy, allowing the oppression of others toward us to roll off like water off a duck's back. When we know it isn't personal and that we did nothing to foster it, we can observe it without absorbing its poison.
Keep looking up, our Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon and we will be celebrating the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in all its glory!
Family pressures, church pressures, or any pressures from any other organization should not deter us from our calling. No human being can know what God wants us to be doing.
The Bible and the Holy Spirit direct all our actions and attitudes; people do not. That is not to say that godly people have no input in our lives; they do, but only as they obey the scriptures in their counsel and lifestyle.
Others can edify us by the Word of God, but they do not make the decisions about our calling or the personal conclusions for our lives.
So often, family, friends, and church attendees judge things that are not sin as a form of control over us. They micro-manage perceptions about us to others with the intent of removing your support system.
In our culture, many, if not most, people are deeply controlled by others because the Holy Spirit is not their focus. When Christ is our focus, people cannot control us.
Make no mistake, everyone is controlled by something or someone, either by their culture or by the Holy Spirit. It is unsettling to unbelieving family and ritualistic churches when someone does not follow their pattern of life or their decrees.
Since most people need others to do the same thing they are doing, they tend to become upset, if only mildly irritated, when someone chooses to walk a different path from them.
Galatians 4:16-18 "…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. 18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.…"
I am convinced that this irritation occurs when someone leaves the cultural path. Those who are all doing the same things are not convinced in their own minds of their own choices. They must have followers to maintain their sense of control.
The word "culture" means to till the ground, or in the case of cultural expectations, it denotes tilling the mind to cause compliance with others. A sort of brainwashing in which those who are members of the culture fear not being accepted by others in that system, so they repeat the same mantras and habits while excluding anyone who does not comply with the group or the prominent leader.
These cultures are common and make lots of rules God never made. They are dedicated to their rules more than the Bible and judge others who think differently. And, worse, they are dedicated to the need to appear superior to others; love is absent in these cultural entities.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ."
May every believer understand what they are dealing with in these last days of apostasy, allowing the oppression of others toward us to roll off like water off a duck's back. When we know it isn't personal and that we did nothing to foster it, we can observe it without absorbing its poison.
Keep looking up, our Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon and we will be celebrating the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in all its glory!
Meditate on Christ First
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering."
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Ephesians 6:11-12 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Ephesians 6:11-12 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Enjoying the Hoary-white Head
When someone thinks they are encouraging someone who is old by telling them they are young, I bristle a little! Laughing Out Loud
Pretending someone is young when they are old is not helpful. What is helpful is for our age to be revered because of our years of experience and wisdom.
Being placed on the same level as a youngster with all that life has taught me is more like an insult than a compliment. Those of us with grey hair earned every strand, and it is considered something to be admired in our elder years.
Proverbs 16:31 "31 The hoary (grey) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."
Perhaps the mentality that thinks telling someone they are young has more to do with a culture that does not respect and admire old age as something that is a blessing. The worship of youth keeps people stuck in immaturity and play-oriented thinking.
Our elder years are something to enjoy as we slow down in life, leaving more time to read God's Word, to ponder what life taught us, and to pass on to the youth all that we learned.
Sadly, the youth are not interested in gaining wisdom or learning from the stories of the elderly; they want wealth, status, and entertainment.
In my earlier days, I loved hearing the stories of old people; they didn't have the foolishness of faces in an electronic device constantly. When we went to lunch, we looked at one another, were interested in what the other person said, and had no distractions except the waitress taking our order.
Electronics brought a great deal of help to many of us, but in a society that has never learned self-control, the devices have become more important than the people right in front of them. And the elderly have become an irritant to most young people.
These are the times we live in now, so what is the solution for us? I think the answer is not as easy as it sounds, but perhaps our goal ought to be to resist becoming like the culture. We can keep our hearts focused on Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit and He will guard us from changing into the culture around us.
Romans 12:2
"2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
Becoming what God intended for His children to be is far more satisfying than surrendering our hearts and character to the world to be accepted by it.
Living in an Irrational World
Have you ever spoken something Biblical and made good sense, only for the hearer to interpret your words as unkind or with wrong motives?
We are living in an irrational world right now, in which many people will hear your words but with their own mindset, changing what you said into something erroneous, as though you were rude when you were not. These people will misinterpret our words based on the culture around them and not on our intent.
Jealousy often drives misinterpretations. We see evidence of this when we want to clear things up, but the one who harbors anger refuses to have a discussion about what happened.
Those with innocent hearts full of love see things more clearly and with a gracious point of view. These people listen to understand, while the heart of anger listens to find fault.
Those who listen to find fault will see something from afar and "guess" what might be happening with little to no information about what is really going on. In fact, they are so interested in gossiping that they don't care to discover what really happened; they are satisfied with their own version of events based on what they wish to believe, not what actually happened.
Sadly, many "Christians" do this too, as they read the Bible or evaluate others, all based on their feelings and what they choose to believe, not on reality.
One might ask, "How did it get this way?" I am inclined to believe it has always been this way to some degree, but on steroids in these end times when the devil is roaming around like a roaring lion, attempting to cause trouble in relationships.
Keep in mind that Cain killed Abel when Abel did nothing wrong. Cain hated Abel because he was closer to God and lived righteously. Cain's jealousy motivated him to believe he had a good reason to hate Abel. Cain wanted to believe Abel was a threat and acted upon that false premise.
Then there is the account of Joseph when his brothers were jealous of the attention their father gave their younger brother. They threw him into a well and sold him into slavery because of their envy and resentment.
1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith."
Believers will encounter many people who hate God, even some who pretend to love God but are full of anger and jealousy. These people will work to undermine believers merely out of envy of their walk with God, which will not validate the sinful attitudes of those who do not love Him.
Here are some passages that will help in navigating through this mind-mess in these end times. The devil will attempt to cause feelings of guilt over innocent comments or actions. He will turn unsuspecting minds against others without cause over gossip that was not true.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 6:11-12 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
The devil is deceiving people into believing lies to cause division. The only way to resist these lies is to know the Bible well and petition the Holy Spirit to give great discernment so that we are not fooled.
1 John 3:8 "The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil."
Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
We are living in an irrational world right now, in which many people will hear your words but with their own mindset, changing what you said into something erroneous, as though you were rude when you were not. These people will misinterpret our words based on the culture around them and not on our intent.
They do not see our intent; they see their own heart attitude and think it is correct.
Innocent comments are misinterpreted because the hearer had an angry spirit and saw everything you said and did in a negative perspective. When this happens, we know a person with a particular mindset will not be reliable in their interpretations because it is based on their own heart of anger.
Innocent comments are misinterpreted because the hearer had an angry spirit and saw everything you said and did in a negative perspective. When this happens, we know a person with a particular mindset will not be reliable in their interpretations because it is based on their own heart of anger.
Jealousy often drives misinterpretations. We see evidence of this when we want to clear things up, but the one who harbors anger refuses to have a discussion about what happened.
Those with innocent hearts full of love see things more clearly and with a gracious point of view. These people listen to understand, while the heart of anger listens to find fault.
Those who listen to find fault will see something from afar and "guess" what might be happening with little to no information about what is really going on. In fact, they are so interested in gossiping that they don't care to discover what really happened; they are satisfied with their own version of events based on what they wish to believe, not what actually happened.
Sadly, many "Christians" do this too, as they read the Bible or evaluate others, all based on their feelings and what they choose to believe, not on reality.
One might ask, "How did it get this way?" I am inclined to believe it has always been this way to some degree, but on steroids in these end times when the devil is roaming around like a roaring lion, attempting to cause trouble in relationships.
Keep in mind that Cain killed Abel when Abel did nothing wrong. Cain hated Abel because he was closer to God and lived righteously. Cain's jealousy motivated him to believe he had a good reason to hate Abel. Cain wanted to believe Abel was a threat and acted upon that false premise.
Then there is the account of Joseph when his brothers were jealous of the attention their father gave their younger brother. They threw him into a well and sold him into slavery because of their envy and resentment.
1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith."
Believers will encounter many people who hate God, even some who pretend to love God but are full of anger and jealousy. These people will work to undermine believers merely out of envy of their walk with God, which will not validate the sinful attitudes of those who do not love Him.
Here are some passages that will help in navigating through this mind-mess in these end times. The devil will attempt to cause feelings of guilt over innocent comments or actions. He will turn unsuspecting minds against others without cause over gossip that was not true.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 6:11-12 "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
The devil is deceiving people into believing lies to cause division. The only way to resist these lies is to know the Bible well and petition the Holy Spirit to give great discernment so that we are not fooled.
1 John 3:8 "The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil."
Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Church Gatherings Places of Edification
Church gatherings ought to be places where believers meet to edify in the Word and equip the saints to speak the truth of Christ outside that gathering.
Building one another up is not about praising and flattering; it is about reminding one another of what Christ taught and learning to implement those teachings in our daily lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Romans 14:19 "So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
The building up of the saints involves strengthening godly character and developing mature responses in accordance with the Word of God. In other words, "equipping the saints."
Building one another up is not about praising and flattering; it is about reminding one another of what Christ taught and learning to implement those teachings in our daily lives.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Romans 14:19 "So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
The building up of the saints involves strengthening godly character and developing mature responses in accordance with the Word of God. In other words, "equipping the saints."
Ragingly Insane Times
God said in the last days there would be perilous times, in 2 Timothy 3. That word "perilous" means "ragingly insane" in the original language.
This is what we are dealing with right now, all the time. Even those who say they are Christians have warped views of what they think "Bible believing" really is; they think it is just saying without obeying.
I often hear scripture being taken out of context to make it say what God never said. I hear ideas added to scripture that were not given by God. I see rules added that God never made, and I see traditions that God never commanded or endorsed ruining the walk of many believers.
Most people in the church gatherings have placed their trust in traditions and the acceptance of those they elevate above Christ.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But know this, that in the last days perilous (ragingly insane) times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"
Mark 7:13 "13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
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."
2 Timothy 3:8 "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith."
So the conclusion of the matter is quite simple but disturbing.
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore, the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
We are living in the last days of apostasy, few will listen to the truth while claiming they have it, and they will negate, dismiss, and torment the truth tellers.
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."
This is what we are dealing with right now, all the time. Even those who say they are Christians have warped views of what they think "Bible believing" really is; they think it is just saying without obeying.
I often hear scripture being taken out of context to make it say what God never said. I hear ideas added to scripture that were not given by God. I see rules added that God never made, and I see traditions that God never commanded or endorsed ruining the walk of many believers.
Most people in the church gatherings have placed their trust in traditions and the acceptance of those they elevate above Christ.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But know this, that in the last days perilous (ragingly insane) times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"
Mark 7:13 "13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
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."
2 Timothy 3:8 "Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith."
So the conclusion of the matter is quite simple but disturbing.
Isaiah 29:13 "Therefore, the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men."
We are living in the last days of apostasy, few will listen to the truth while claiming they have it, and they will negate, dismiss, and torment the truth tellers.
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."
The Leading of the Holy Spirit
The modern church does not know what it is to be led by the Holy Spirit. They disobey more of God's Word than they obey, while claiming to be Bible believing Christians. They are fakers and angry at anyone who will challenge them to actually obey the Word.
Listen to what "Christians" talk about, do you ever hear the name of Jesus Christ come from their lips? How often do you hear it?
I hear lots of conservative talk about politics. I hear some principles and commands of God, while others are ignored, but never the name of Jesus Christ.
Don't we speak of what is most important to us? Don't we mention the names of our friends regularly and what they are doing?
Do we speak frequently of God's commands and principles?
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"
Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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."
Only those who belong to Christ love to speak of Him!
Listen to what "Christians" talk about, do you ever hear the name of Jesus Christ come from their lips? How often do you hear it?
I hear lots of conservative talk about politics. I hear some principles and commands of God, while others are ignored, but never the name of Jesus Christ.
Don't we speak of what is most important to us? Don't we mention the names of our friends regularly and what they are doing?
Do we speak frequently of God's commands and principles?
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"
Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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."
Only those who belong to Christ love to speak of Him!
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
MORE IS CAUGHT THAN TAUGHT
Many elderly people are experiencing the hatred of their children for no good reason except what they concocted in their own heads because of their rebellion against authority when they were children. No parent was perfect, and neither will the adult children who are parents, they only think they are, in reality, they will train their children by their own example to despise them in their elder years. "MORE IS CAUGHT THAN TAUGHT."
Those Who Pull the Trigger of a Wicked Man's Heart
The evil one, the devil, and all those who follow him are increasing their attacks against believers in Christ as we near the end of the age.
Those who hate Christ and all His commands and principles are on hyperdrive against anyone who loves Him.
What the wicked ones do not realize is that anyone they murder who belongs to Christ goes immediately to be with Him upon their death. And, the one who murdered one of God's children will pay the price on judgment day.
The wicked ones mean it for evil, but God means it for His glory and His purposes. It is likely that the harder the wicked political factions fight against righteousness, the more they discredit themselves, perhaps even chasing those on the fence to run from them toward the ones they persecute.
Mark 7:21-23
"21 For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, 22 deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”
One does not have to murder someone to have murder in their heart. Hatred toward others is considered murder to God.
Those who hate enough to wish someone harm or encourage others to harm their enemy are themselves guilty of murder, even if they never pull the trigger of a gun.
Those people who pull the trigger of a murderer's heart so that he does the deed, and stand back and claim innocence, are as guilty as the one who pulled the trigger of the gun.
Just saying!!!!!
Those who hate Christ and all His commands and principles are on hyperdrive against anyone who loves Him.
What the wicked ones do not realize is that anyone they murder who belongs to Christ goes immediately to be with Him upon their death. And, the one who murdered one of God's children will pay the price on judgment day.
The wicked ones mean it for evil, but God means it for His glory and His purposes. It is likely that the harder the wicked political factions fight against righteousness, the more they discredit themselves, perhaps even chasing those on the fence to run from them toward the ones they persecute.
Mark 7:21-23
"21 For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, 22 deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”
One does not have to murder someone to have murder in their heart. Hatred toward others is considered murder to God.
Those who hate enough to wish someone harm or encourage others to harm their enemy are themselves guilty of murder, even if they never pull the trigger of a gun.
Those people who pull the trigger of a murderer's heart so that he does the deed, and stand back and claim innocence, are as guilty as the one who pulled the trigger of the gun.
Just saying!!!!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Time Out Punishment is Child Abuse
Time out is child abuse; it basically says we don't want you when you are bad. A spanking says, We want you to behave properly because we love you, and because we love you, we want you to be with us.
Using isolation to manipulate feelings and compliance is mean; it is better to bring compliance through spanking and allow the child to continue with the family than to send the message "we don't want you around us."
I have also noticed that time-out promotes the "silent treatment" mentality in those who have been trained by it. It causes people to isolate others rather than discuss and punish to modify behavior problems.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Discipline restores relationships, banishment excludes and isolates leaving emotional scars rather than restoring relationships.
Proverbs 23:13-14
"13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from hell."
The idea of "time out" is not Biblical and comes from psychology.
Proverbs 3:11-12
"My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights."
Those who resent discipline, fighting to justify their sin and reject correction, will remain spiritual and emotional babies. Pride drives those who refuse to admit their flaws; a person cannot change and grow if they will not admit their deficiencies.
1 John 1:9-10 "…9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us."
This passage was written to believers; those who think they never sin after salvation are walking in pride.
Proverbs 20:9 "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Ecclesiastes 7:20 "Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
If we are believers, we ought to be growing in holiness all the time. When someone believes they do not sin after salvation, they will become lazy about their character, missing things that need correction, because the focus is on how perfectly they are doing things in their own flesh.
It needs to be the Holy Spirit changing us as we ask Him to reveal to us our flaws that we might confess to be cleansed. Nothing can be fixed if there is denial that anything is wrong.
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."
Those who will not confess their sins and flaws will not be cleansed. The longer someone avoids confessing, the harder the heart is hardened to self-improvement. This hardening also diminishes relationships, not only with God but with people, too.
Psalm 66:18
"18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
Using isolation to manipulate feelings and compliance is mean; it is better to bring compliance through spanking and allow the child to continue with the family than to send the message "we don't want you around us."
I have also noticed that time-out promotes the "silent treatment" mentality in those who have been trained by it. It causes people to isolate others rather than discuss and punish to modify behavior problems.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Discipline restores relationships, banishment excludes and isolates leaving emotional scars rather than restoring relationships.
Proverbs 23:13-14
"13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from hell."
The idea of "time out" is not Biblical and comes from psychology.
Proverbs 3:11-12
"My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights."
Those who resent discipline, fighting to justify their sin and reject correction, will remain spiritual and emotional babies. Pride drives those who refuse to admit their flaws; a person cannot change and grow if they will not admit their deficiencies.
1 John 1:9-10 "…9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us."
This passage was written to believers; those who think they never sin after salvation are walking in pride.
Proverbs 20:9 "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Ecclesiastes 7:20 "Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
If we are believers, we ought to be growing in holiness all the time. When someone believes they do not sin after salvation, they will become lazy about their character, missing things that need correction, because the focus is on how perfectly they are doing things in their own flesh.
It needs to be the Holy Spirit changing us as we ask Him to reveal to us our flaws that we might confess to be cleansed. Nothing can be fixed if there is denial that anything is wrong.
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."
Those who will not confess their sins and flaws will not be cleansed. The longer someone avoids confessing, the harder the heart is hardened to self-improvement. This hardening also diminishes relationships, not only with God but with people, too.
Psalm 66:18
"18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
Trusting Christ For Everything
I am grieved often when spending time with "Christians" in our day. Their idea of "Christianity" is conservative politics almost exclusively.
When I am in conversation with family who say they are Christians, they are embarrassed at the mention of Jesus Christ, and His name never comes from their mouth.
Something is wrong with this; they seem to think only the man in the pulpit should speak His name. They don't say that but act as though they believe it.
I also notice they speak of conservative politics non-stop; it is almost an obsession with them. Conservative living and political ideologies seem to always take priority over speaking about Christ. Because of this, they are continually irritated and even angry about what is going on in the world as though it is everything to them.
When Jesus Christ is our focus, we understand the world is wicked and it will be that way until Christ rules on the earth from Jerusalem.
We hate what we see in the world, but do not expect anything else from the world. The world will always be opposed to Christ and to us, because we love Him.
Tilting at windmills, meaning to attack imaginary enemies, is not the calling of the born-again believer. Our calling is to speak of Christ to encourage the believers and to warn the unbelievers that judgment is coming and they must turn to Christ before it is too late.
What do I mean by "imaginary enemies"? When we fight against human beings who do not know any better, we are fighting people when the real enemy of our souls is the devil.
We can fight against people all day long without ever mentioning the name of Jesus Christ and the reason they even exist at all. Those who hear our banter about politics need to hear about Christ. The conservative politics will not save them from hell, only Christ can do that when they trust in Him.
The world is an evil place, and believers often are now spending more time becoming emotionally invested in the evils while neglecting the good news of Jesus Christ.
We have not been placed on this earth to turn nations into conservative entities. We have been placed to preach that mankind is sinful and needs a Savior, that is, Jesus Christ.
If someone is called to some sort of political office, then that person must speak of Christ while in the position. Christ must be the reason for everything they do, and they must make that clear. If the statesman obtains office and never speaks of Christ, perhaps he should not be there.
2 Corinthians 2:16-17 "…16 To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task? 17 For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God."
God did not save us to turn a country into a conservative one; He gave us our calling to present Christ so that individual souls would trust in Him and become saved from hell.
My only encouragement in this article is that every believer ask the Holy Spirit to reveal their calling and give them the strength to speak of Christ often. Even if it means you will be rejected by family and friends. The more you speak of Christ and are rejected, the stronger and less affected by the personal attacks you become.
The personal attacks for our faith are a blessing; the more we experience them, the stronger we become. The rejection and gossip become irrelevant!
James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing".
It is true, "no pain, no gain"! Just as in building physical muscles, one must tear the muscles in weight lifting; when the torn parts heal back, they are stronger than the muscles were before. We must experience rejection and challenges to build our Spiritual muscles to become impervious to the assaults of the enemy.
Also, remember, those people who abuse us are not the only enemy; they are controlled by the ultimate enemy of our souls, and that is the devil and his demons.
The challenge is to remain kind, loving, truthful, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit of Christ despite the assaults. Satan wants us to respond to personal attacks by attacking back, this ultimately ruins our Christian witness.
When we remain Christlike, bold and resolute, the enemy has nothing to accuse us of; he will lie, but a negative lie about us rather than a negative truth.
Satan wants to ruin our witness by causing us to become like our enemy, angry all the time, intimidated, and weak just like our enemies.
When we walk in the Spirit of Christ, eventually we have no desire to respond to those who assault us; we simply respond in the character of Christ, either to not respond at all or to gently and lovingly tell the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our flesh, so as not to appear phony and fleshly.
Ephesians 4:15 "15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,"
How do we calmly speak the truth when we are assaulted verbally and emotionally? The only way we can do it is if the Holy Spirit is working through us. We no longer care if anyone likes us and we care deeply that the Holy Spirit be the One to speak on our behalf.
Luke 12:12 "12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
We need not formulas or instructions from others how to handle people; all we need is the Holy Spirit and a willingness to obey Him, as well as knowledge of the Bible that the Holy Spirit will remind us of as it is needed.
Trust in Christ for salvation is only the beginning; we must learn to trust Him in all situations every day.
Proverbs 3:4-6 "…4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
When I am in conversation with family who say they are Christians, they are embarrassed at the mention of Jesus Christ, and His name never comes from their mouth.
Something is wrong with this; they seem to think only the man in the pulpit should speak His name. They don't say that but act as though they believe it.
I also notice they speak of conservative politics non-stop; it is almost an obsession with them. Conservative living and political ideologies seem to always take priority over speaking about Christ. Because of this, they are continually irritated and even angry about what is going on in the world as though it is everything to them.
When Jesus Christ is our focus, we understand the world is wicked and it will be that way until Christ rules on the earth from Jerusalem.
We hate what we see in the world, but do not expect anything else from the world. The world will always be opposed to Christ and to us, because we love Him.
Tilting at windmills, meaning to attack imaginary enemies, is not the calling of the born-again believer. Our calling is to speak of Christ to encourage the believers and to warn the unbelievers that judgment is coming and they must turn to Christ before it is too late.
What do I mean by "imaginary enemies"? When we fight against human beings who do not know any better, we are fighting people when the real enemy of our souls is the devil.
We can fight against people all day long without ever mentioning the name of Jesus Christ and the reason they even exist at all. Those who hear our banter about politics need to hear about Christ. The conservative politics will not save them from hell, only Christ can do that when they trust in Him.
The world is an evil place, and believers often are now spending more time becoming emotionally invested in the evils while neglecting the good news of Jesus Christ.
We have not been placed on this earth to turn nations into conservative entities. We have been placed to preach that mankind is sinful and needs a Savior, that is, Jesus Christ.
If someone is called to some sort of political office, then that person must speak of Christ while in the position. Christ must be the reason for everything they do, and they must make that clear. If the statesman obtains office and never speaks of Christ, perhaps he should not be there.
2 Corinthians 2:16-17 "…16 To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task? 17 For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God."
God did not save us to turn a country into a conservative one; He gave us our calling to present Christ so that individual souls would trust in Him and become saved from hell.
My only encouragement in this article is that every believer ask the Holy Spirit to reveal their calling and give them the strength to speak of Christ often. Even if it means you will be rejected by family and friends. The more you speak of Christ and are rejected, the stronger and less affected by the personal attacks you become.
The personal attacks for our faith are a blessing; the more we experience them, the stronger we become. The rejection and gossip become irrelevant!
James 1:2-4 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing".
It is true, "no pain, no gain"! Just as in building physical muscles, one must tear the muscles in weight lifting; when the torn parts heal back, they are stronger than the muscles were before. We must experience rejection and challenges to build our Spiritual muscles to become impervious to the assaults of the enemy.
Also, remember, those people who abuse us are not the only enemy; they are controlled by the ultimate enemy of our souls, and that is the devil and his demons.
The challenge is to remain kind, loving, truthful, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit of Christ despite the assaults. Satan wants us to respond to personal attacks by attacking back, this ultimately ruins our Christian witness.
When we remain Christlike, bold and resolute, the enemy has nothing to accuse us of; he will lie, but a negative lie about us rather than a negative truth.
Satan wants to ruin our witness by causing us to become like our enemy, angry all the time, intimidated, and weak just like our enemies.
When we walk in the Spirit of Christ, eventually we have no desire to respond to those who assault us; we simply respond in the character of Christ, either to not respond at all or to gently and lovingly tell the truth in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our flesh, so as not to appear phony and fleshly.
Ephesians 4:15 "15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,"
How do we calmly speak the truth when we are assaulted verbally and emotionally? The only way we can do it is if the Holy Spirit is working through us. We no longer care if anyone likes us and we care deeply that the Holy Spirit be the One to speak on our behalf.
Luke 12:12 "12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
We need not formulas or instructions from others how to handle people; all we need is the Holy Spirit and a willingness to obey Him, as well as knowledge of the Bible that the Holy Spirit will remind us of as it is needed.
Trust in Christ for salvation is only the beginning; we must learn to trust Him in all situations every day.
Proverbs 3:4-6 "…4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Monday, September 8, 2025
Entertainment and Fun are a Distraction Impeding Emotional and Spiritual Maturity
Many people are in the season of life where fun and happiness are the focus. I grieve at how many think life is about having their pleasure and entertainment before it is no longer possible.
Entertainment and fun do not bring wisdom; they only delay it, they are a distraction.
The worldly and humanistic idea that young people should be sure to have their fun first because later come the hard things in life only retards spiritual and emotional maturity.
Those who are wise know that living a normal life with joy in a task well done is enough pleasure; nothing more is needed. Rest at the end of the day is more delightful than any adventure for those who value wisdom.
When we cannot enjoy the simple things as we go about our life duties, there will be disappointment and depression when the pleasures are removed.
My prayer is that every young person starting out in life will focus on pleasing God, blessed by the lessons of everyday life, and will gain their joy from the tasks God has given them to do. Their joys in life will come from living their life in obedience to Christ.
The lessons of life come from diligence and difficulties. It is rare for anyone to learn a great lesson in life without first experiencing struggles.
Life is very fleeting; by the time an elderly person realizes the fun taught them nothing, it is too late to learn those lessons, they are old and out of strength.
James 1:2-12 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
Entertainment and fun do not bring wisdom; they only delay it, they are a distraction.
The worldly and humanistic idea that young people should be sure to have their fun first because later come the hard things in life only retards spiritual and emotional maturity.
Those who are wise know that living a normal life with joy in a task well done is enough pleasure; nothing more is needed. Rest at the end of the day is more delightful than any adventure for those who value wisdom.
When we cannot enjoy the simple things as we go about our life duties, there will be disappointment and depression when the pleasures are removed.
My prayer is that every young person starting out in life will focus on pleasing God, blessed by the lessons of everyday life, and will gain their joy from the tasks God has given them to do. Their joys in life will come from living their life in obedience to Christ.
The lessons of life come from diligence and difficulties. It is rare for anyone to learn a great lesson in life without first experiencing struggles.
Life is very fleeting; by the time an elderly person realizes the fun taught them nothing, it is too late to learn those lessons, they are old and out of strength.
James 1:2-12 "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Sounds Like America to Me
God has already been judging this nation by removing His hand of protection, allowing people to have the consequences of their sin through their terribly dysfunctional families and ruined marriages.
They are too foolish to realize that their lives are testimonies to their rebellion while thinking they are doing just fine. They are in denial about their ruined lives but still persist in defending what God hates.
The opportunity to repent as an entire nation has passed; we have moved past the tipping point. However, this does not mean individuals cannot repent and become saved.
Believers need to stop wasting their time trying to save a dead nation and begin speaking the gospel to those individuals who might be open to the gospel.
The only nation that will be completely Christian will be Israel at the end of the tribulation; no other nation will ever do that.
Revelation 18:2-4 "…2 And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. 3 All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.…"
They are too foolish to realize that their lives are testimonies to their rebellion while thinking they are doing just fine. They are in denial about their ruined lives but still persist in defending what God hates.
The opportunity to repent as an entire nation has passed; we have moved past the tipping point. However, this does not mean individuals cannot repent and become saved.
Believers need to stop wasting their time trying to save a dead nation and begin speaking the gospel to those individuals who might be open to the gospel.
The only nation that will be completely Christian will be Israel at the end of the tribulation; no other nation will ever do that.
Revelation 18:2-4 "…2 And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. 3 All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.…"
Sounds like America to me! The entire earth has been drunk with the luxuries that have been distributed all of the world from America. "Merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”
They are a Mind Mess and Think they are Wonderful
God has already been judging this nation by removing His hand of protection, allowing people to have the consequences of their sin through their terribly dysfunctional families and ruined marriages. They are too foolish to realize that their lives are testimonies to their rebellion while thinking they are doing just fine. They are in denial about their ruined lives but still persist in defending what God hates.
One might ask why the culture does not recognize its own destitution and the ruin that has become of its lives.
The answer seems simple to me now: many, if not all, people have distracted themselves with pleasure, parties, travel, and entertainment of all sorts, which conceal their problems, making it all seem normal.
When a culture can indulge itself continually in fantasy and pleasure, it misses the lessons that the problems bring, and makes the troubles and the worry look normal. The lives of the people are a mess, and they think everything is alright!
2 Timothy 4:3-4 " 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."
The eyes of the blind have been further blinded, and their hearts have become hardened to the point that they cannot understand goodness and righteousness. They attack what they don't understand, proving they refuse to repent and learn.
One might ask why the culture does not recognize its own destitution and the ruin that has become of its lives.
The answer seems simple to me now: many, if not all, people have distracted themselves with pleasure, parties, travel, and entertainment of all sorts, which conceal their problems, making it all seem normal.
When a culture can indulge itself continually in fantasy and pleasure, it misses the lessons that the problems bring, and makes the troubles and the worry look normal. The lives of the people are a mess, and they think everything is alright!
2 Timothy 4:3-4 " 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."
The eyes of the blind have been further blinded, and their hearts have become hardened to the point that they cannot understand goodness and righteousness. They attack what they don't understand, proving they refuse to repent and learn.
The Modern Church Deception
Modern "Evangelical mentality: Disobedience to Scripture is okay as long as everybody disobeys together." Larry Jones
Friday, September 5, 2025
Marriage a Picture of Christ and the Church
This statement that the man will rule over the woman does not mean what we have all been taught.
The word "desire will be for your husband" means there will be the desire to rule over your husband, but he will rule over you. In other words, there will be a struggle in the marriage that is ungodly because of the fall.
The man should not rule over his wife, and she should not rule over him. He leads by example, teaching and loving kindness, and she follows of her own choice. This is God's way; the devil perverted the marriage by causing conflict, but this ought never to be in the Christian marriage.
Men should not "rule" over the woman, and the woman should not "rule" over the man. Marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship. The woman is to be the "helpmeet", meaning counselor and supporter. The husband is to listen to the counsel of his wife and he will have the final say if they disagree.
The husband and wife should discuss things to come to an agreement, not one person making all the decisions by themselves and demanding obedience.
When the husband fulfills his role as the loving protector and leader, and the woman fulfills her role as the counselor and supporter of the husband's calling, no one will be treated as lesser than the other. Both are equal with different roles, each enhancing the other's duties.
Ephesians 5:25-33
"25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church; it must be taken much more seriously than our culture views it.
The word "desire will be for your husband" means there will be the desire to rule over your husband, but he will rule over you. In other words, there will be a struggle in the marriage that is ungodly because of the fall.
The man should not rule over his wife, and she should not rule over him. He leads by example, teaching and loving kindness, and she follows of her own choice. This is God's way; the devil perverted the marriage by causing conflict, but this ought never to be in the Christian marriage.
Men should not "rule" over the woman, and the woman should not "rule" over the man. Marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship. The woman is to be the "helpmeet", meaning counselor and supporter. The husband is to listen to the counsel of his wife and he will have the final say if they disagree.
The husband and wife should discuss things to come to an agreement, not one person making all the decisions by themselves and demanding obedience.
When the husband fulfills his role as the loving protector and leader, and the woman fulfills her role as the counselor and supporter of the husband's calling, no one will be treated as lesser than the other. Both are equal with different roles, each enhancing the other's duties.
Ephesians 5:25-33
"25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church; it must be taken much more seriously than our culture views it.
Pride and Arrogance are Cousins
When we encounter those who seem to be angry all the time, judging every little thing without evidence, we are watching arrogance and pride at work.
Often, the need to judge others is based on someone's own mindset and not on what is really happening.
Pride and arrogance sound like the same thing, but there is a slight difference. Both pride and arrogance are devastating to relationships, but I am convinced arrogance is the worst because of the desire to ruin someone else to elevate oneself.
Pride is happiness in ourselves, often a higher opinion than is warranted.
Arrogance is the desire to be superior to others.
Satan was thrown out of heaven because of his desire to be above God. He not only had a high opinion of himself he also wanted to ruin others in his quest for superiority.
Only Jesus Christ can transform someone to cleanse them from these terrible traits.
Pride leads to the destruction of oneself when those plagued by it cannot see the pitfalls that will destroy them, since they live in a fantasy world about themselves.
Arrogance leads to self-blindness but with the added desire to ruin others.
Proverbs 16:17-19 "…17 The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.…"
James 4:6 "But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
May each of us seek to be changed and cleansed of our pride and arrogance that dishonors God.
Often, the need to judge others is based on someone's own mindset and not on what is really happening.
Pride and arrogance sound like the same thing, but there is a slight difference. Both pride and arrogance are devastating to relationships, but I am convinced arrogance is the worst because of the desire to ruin someone else to elevate oneself.
Pride is happiness in ourselves, often a higher opinion than is warranted.
Arrogance is the desire to be superior to others.
Satan was thrown out of heaven because of his desire to be above God. He not only had a high opinion of himself he also wanted to ruin others in his quest for superiority.
Only Jesus Christ can transform someone to cleanse them from these terrible traits.
Pride leads to the destruction of oneself when those plagued by it cannot see the pitfalls that will destroy them, since they live in a fantasy world about themselves.
Arrogance leads to self-blindness but with the added desire to ruin others.
Proverbs 16:17-19 "…17 The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life. 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.…"
James 4:6 "But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Luke 14:11 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
May each of us seek to be changed and cleansed of our pride and arrogance that dishonors God.
Modern Church Disobedience and Defiance
Today's modern church violates more of scripture than it obeys, but still asserts itself as "Bible Believing." They seem to think if they just "say" something, that makes it true. Or, if they follow some they like and ignore others they don't like, then they count themselves as obedient.
No one is perfect in obedience; we are still all growing, but when most scripture is ignored and replaced with cultural standards God never made, then we have a problem with obedience.
When Scripture is denied or ignored to adhere to culture then there is willful disobedience.
John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
Acts 5:29 "But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men."
1 Peter 1:14 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,"
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
No one is perfect in obedience; we are still all growing, but when most scripture is ignored and replaced with cultural standards God never made, then we have a problem with obedience.
When Scripture is denied or ignored to adhere to culture then there is willful disobedience.
John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
Acts 5:29 "But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men."
1 Peter 1:14 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,"
1 John 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."
Speak the Truth and Let the Holy Spirit do His Work
Proverbs 26:4-5 "4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes."
Thinking that if we just yell louder or dominate others is going to make people listen is itself foolish. It is also pride, thinking that we must make sure others believe us or validate us in some way. The wise and strong man is the one who doesn't need others to like them or understand them.
When we grow to the point that Christ is enough, even if no one else validates or appreciates us, that is when we are truly free. What a blessing to be able to love others even if they don't love us, and the only way to do this is to be unconcerned about their lack of love for us.
Every day that I live, I grow stronger in love for others as I no longer have expectations of them. Notice that Christ loved people enough to die for them while they were still sinners.
When we love this fully, we will warn those who do not obey Christ. We will remain respectful even if they show us no respect, and we will remove ourselves from them when they make it clear they don't want us.
God gives us what we want, whether to be changed by Him or if we reject Him; He does not force Himself on us. He walks away and leaves the choice to the one who rejects Him.
Matthew 10:11-15 "11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.
It is not unloving or uncaring to move on from those who reject Christ or reject us. Everyone who has heard the truth always has the opportunity to make a later decision without us.
Sometimes I wonder if it is pride that makes people want to be the ones to "lead someone to the Lord", when they ought to remove themselves so the Holy Spirit can get all the credit. We speak truth, and the rest is God's responsibility to work in their lives and ultimately their responsibility to respond to Him.
May we be so grounded in trusting Christ that we don't feel the need to badger or manipulate anyone into making a decision out of intimidation.
Thinking that if we just yell louder or dominate others is going to make people listen is itself foolish. It is also pride, thinking that we must make sure others believe us or validate us in some way. The wise and strong man is the one who doesn't need others to like them or understand them.
When we grow to the point that Christ is enough, even if no one else validates or appreciates us, that is when we are truly free. What a blessing to be able to love others even if they don't love us, and the only way to do this is to be unconcerned about their lack of love for us.
Every day that I live, I grow stronger in love for others as I no longer have expectations of them. Notice that Christ loved people enough to die for them while they were still sinners.
When we love this fully, we will warn those who do not obey Christ. We will remain respectful even if they show us no respect, and we will remove ourselves from them when they make it clear they don't want us.
God gives us what we want, whether to be changed by Him or if we reject Him; He does not force Himself on us. He walks away and leaves the choice to the one who rejects Him.
Matthew 10:11-15 "11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.
12 As you enter the house, greet it.
13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.
15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town."
13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.
15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town."
It is not unloving or uncaring to move on from those who reject Christ or reject us. Everyone who has heard the truth always has the opportunity to make a later decision without us.
Sometimes I wonder if it is pride that makes people want to be the ones to "lead someone to the Lord", when they ought to remove themselves so the Holy Spirit can get all the credit. We speak truth, and the rest is God's responsibility to work in their lives and ultimately their responsibility to respond to Him.
May we be so grounded in trusting Christ that we don't feel the need to badger or manipulate anyone into making a decision out of intimidation.
Characteristics of the End Times and the Impact on Authentic Believers
One of the most striking characteristics of these end times that sometimes feels overwhelming is the lack of respect people have for one another.
We knew it would be this way because God said so in His Word in 2 Timothy 3. Having grown up in it, watching everyone pretty much acting the same way, with a few exceptions, we thought it was normal to be defensive and subtly rude if there was a good reason.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But understand this: In the last days, terrible times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, 4 traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!"
The more God opened my eyes to what I was looking a,t the more I realized how entrenched in the 2 Timothy 3 scenario we had become.
There are still many kind people in the world today doing good things. The test is to bring them the gospel truth that exposes their sinful nature, which will bring out of them their inner heart of rebellion.
People can be very friendly when we are validating their lives of sin. The moment we speak of the Word of God and His standard to show them the difference between sin and righteousness, the wolf in them appears, fangs shown and claws out to destroy the one who brings the truth.
2 Peter 3:3
"Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."
1 John 2:18
"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour."
Those who love the Word of God and want to live by it are dismissed, demeaned and rejected regularly for their efforts to bring truth that cleanses people if they will just trust in Christ.
We see it in the church as well as the world, because the world is in the church now, masquerading as religion but denying Christ through disregard for His Word, even though they say they are "Bible Believers."
Those who have trusted Christ and desire to actually follow His commands and principles are a small remnant now, feeling very much alone and yet full of joy, knowing that their home going is soon. Ane yet, they continue to speak the truth without reservation.
Hallelujah!!!!
We knew it would be this way because God said so in His Word in 2 Timothy 3. Having grown up in it, watching everyone pretty much acting the same way, with a few exceptions, we thought it was normal to be defensive and subtly rude if there was a good reason.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "1 But understand this: In the last days, terrible times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, 4 traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!"
The more God opened my eyes to what I was looking a,t the more I realized how entrenched in the 2 Timothy 3 scenario we had become.
There are still many kind people in the world today doing good things. The test is to bring them the gospel truth that exposes their sinful nature, which will bring out of them their inner heart of rebellion.
People can be very friendly when we are validating their lives of sin. The moment we speak of the Word of God and His standard to show them the difference between sin and righteousness, the wolf in them appears, fangs shown and claws out to destroy the one who brings the truth.
2 Peter 3:3
"Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."
1 John 2:18
"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour."
Those who love the Word of God and want to live by it are dismissed, demeaned and rejected regularly for their efforts to bring truth that cleanses people if they will just trust in Christ.
We see it in the church as well as the world, because the world is in the church now, masquerading as religion but denying Christ through disregard for His Word, even though they say they are "Bible Believers."
Those who have trusted Christ and desire to actually follow His commands and principles are a small remnant now, feeling very much alone and yet full of joy, knowing that their home going is soon. Ane yet, they continue to speak the truth without reservation.
Hallelujah!!!!
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