Monday, December 8, 2025
Christ Died for All!!!
Ephesians 1:13-14 "13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,
14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
We listened, and we made the choice to believe!!!
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."
Calvinism says no one has a choice; each one is born to go to either heaven or hell without any choice. This is a lie from the pit of hell.
Christ would have lied when He said He died for the sins of the world and that He desired that all would be born again. He knew most would not choose Him, but His desire was that they would love Him.
Christ did not lie, and He died for everyone!!!! Most will not choose Him, but could if they would.
14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
We listened, and we made the choice to believe!!!
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."
Calvinism says no one has a choice; each one is born to go to either heaven or hell without any choice. This is a lie from the pit of hell.
Christ would have lied when He said He died for the sins of the world and that He desired that all would be born again. He knew most would not choose Him, but His desire was that they would love Him.
Christ did not lie, and He died for everyone!!!! Most will not choose Him, but could if they would.
Holy Spirit Leads Us Into All Truth
Next time someone says to you, "This is what that passage means to me", repeat God's word back to them. It doesn't matter what you want it to mean; it only matters what God meant.
2 Peter 1:20-21 "20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21 For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
There are factions of false Christianity that base their beliefs on what they want God to say and not on what He actually said. They change the word of God to fit their own desires.
1 Corinthians 2:13 "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
1 Thessalonians 2:13 "And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe."
All born-again believers have the Holy Spirit, and everything the Holy Spirit tells us will align with God's meaning in the Bible. If something we hear in our head does not align with the Bible, then it is not from God but from the evil one.
John 16:13 "However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come."
2 Peter 1:20-21 "20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. 21 For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
There are factions of false Christianity that base their beliefs on what they want God to say and not on what He actually said. They change the word of God to fit their own desires.
1 Corinthians 2:13 "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
1 Thessalonians 2:13 "And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe."
All born-again believers have the Holy Spirit, and everything the Holy Spirit tells us will align with God's meaning in the Bible. If something we hear in our head does not align with the Bible, then it is not from God but from the evil one.
John 16:13 "However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come."
God is True and Every Man a Liar
Religious leaders today are no different from those of Jesus' day. They hated that Christ disrupted their "religion" and the power over others it gave them.
Religious leaders who have devised a status quo that God never gave did it to control the people. They thought if they could force the people through intimidation to obey God, they would be able to proclaim the followers "Christian."
The truth is no one becomes a Christian or obedient to Christ because someone else intimidated them. If they did come this way, they never became born again
Instead of just bringing the gospel and leaving the result to the Holy Spirit, they trusted in their own message and trickery. They never trusted the Holy Spirit, or they never would have used manipulation and intimidation to control others. They could have preached the truth and left the rest to God.
The modern day preacher doesn't want each person following the Holy Spirit because it would take the power out of the hands of the preachers and placed on the Holy Spirit.
Many years ago, a young preacher was counseled by his Baptist mentors to never allow anyone else in "his" pulpit. Why? Because in the minds of these religious leaders, that was where the power over others existed, elevated above others with all the pews facing forward in a form of worship of the man on that stage.
When a man is the focus in the Christian gathering, then Christ cannot be the focus.
When someone looks to a man, any man, even their husband, as their "mediator" between them and God, they have an idol.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 " 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time."
No man gave himself a ransom for us all; only Jesus Christ did that, and He lives in all born-again believers who need no other mediator or teacher.
When any man attempts to play the mediator between God and us we can politely decline to follow him and even rebuke him for his attempts to usurp the Holy Spirit in us.
Hebrews 8:6 "Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises."
Galatians 3:20 "A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one."
God is true and every man a liar! Romans 3:4
Religious leaders who have devised a status quo that God never gave did it to control the people. They thought if they could force the people through intimidation to obey God, they would be able to proclaim the followers "Christian."
The truth is no one becomes a Christian or obedient to Christ because someone else intimidated them. If they did come this way, they never became born again
Instead of just bringing the gospel and leaving the result to the Holy Spirit, they trusted in their own message and trickery. They never trusted the Holy Spirit, or they never would have used manipulation and intimidation to control others. They could have preached the truth and left the rest to God.
The modern day preacher doesn't want each person following the Holy Spirit because it would take the power out of the hands of the preachers and placed on the Holy Spirit.
Many years ago, a young preacher was counseled by his Baptist mentors to never allow anyone else in "his" pulpit. Why? Because in the minds of these religious leaders, that was where the power over others existed, elevated above others with all the pews facing forward in a form of worship of the man on that stage.
When a man is the focus in the Christian gathering, then Christ cannot be the focus.
When someone looks to a man, any man, even their husband, as their "mediator" between them and God, they have an idol.
1 Timothy 2:5-6 " 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time."
No man gave himself a ransom for us all; only Jesus Christ did that, and He lives in all born-again believers who need no other mediator or teacher.
When any man attempts to play the mediator between God and us we can politely decline to follow him and even rebuke him for his attempts to usurp the Holy Spirit in us.
Hebrews 8:6 "Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises."
Galatians 3:20 "A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one."
God is true and every man a liar! Romans 3:4
They Won's Listen But We Can Be Safe
Jeremiah 6:10 "To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."
This is our world today, most people now resist instruction in righteousness. Most "Christians" are afraid to speak openly about Jesus Christ because they fear losing family and friends.
Proverbs 29:25-26 "25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
We live in an age in which there is a "form of religion" we call Christianity, based more on feelings and desired beliefs than on the Bible. It is a form of Christianity liberally peppered with paganism and cultural standards.
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!"
Matthew 24:12 "Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,"
2 Peter 3:3 "Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."
Jude 1:18 "When they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
These kinds of people are not those who are rare or obscure; they are the entire culture all the time. The reason we tend to dismiss attitudes is that we were raised in them, and they feel normal to us.
Those who follow Christ are very few and are not accepted by the rest of the culture.
Romans 1:29-31 "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless."
Even those who think they are not like these last days people are in many ways, just like them, only a little more hidden.
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"
Since we know these are the times we live in and it is not an indictment against us when people despise us, we can be filled with joy at knowing we belong to Christ and He is the One Who keeps us safe from those who wish to destroy us. And, we know we will be going home soon because these things we see are the proof of the end times and it will all be over soon.
This is our world today, most people now resist instruction in righteousness. Most "Christians" are afraid to speak openly about Jesus Christ because they fear losing family and friends.
Proverbs 29:25-26 "25 The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD."
We live in an age in which there is a "form of religion" we call Christianity, based more on feelings and desired beliefs than on the Bible. It is a form of Christianity liberally peppered with paganism and cultural standards.
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!"
Matthew 24:12 "Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,"
2 Peter 3:3 "Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires."
Jude 1:18 "When they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
These kinds of people are not those who are rare or obscure; they are the entire culture all the time. The reason we tend to dismiss attitudes is that we were raised in them, and they feel normal to us.
Those who follow Christ are very few and are not accepted by the rest of the culture.
Romans 1:29-31 "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless."
Even those who think they are not like these last days people are in many ways, just like them, only a little more hidden.
2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"
Since we know these are the times we live in and it is not an indictment against us when people despise us, we can be filled with joy at knowing we belong to Christ and He is the One Who keeps us safe from those who wish to destroy us. And, we know we will be going home soon because these things we see are the proof of the end times and it will all be over soon.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Our country fostered rebellion
Our country fostered rebellion within it by the very constitution we have loved so much. We taught for years that we do what we want and no one has the right to criticize us.
It has permeated our culture to such a degree that there are no filters on the mouths of young people, all sense of respect for parents is gone, and no one will listen to righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Wise people can see where this has led, growing worse every day.
It has permeated our culture to such a degree that there are no filters on the mouths of young people, all sense of respect for parents is gone, and no one will listen to righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
Wise people can see where this has led, growing worse every day.
Every elderly parent I know is going through some form of this rejection from ungrateful adult children.
It is truly 2 Timothy 3 playing out just the way God said it would.
Karen No Compromise
Favorites ·oentoprSsdhh56fu7280830ti510h6m1t4g8l2u6l59f4mc9uuucl2ha9g2h ·Rising trend of adult children cutting off loving parents. We wanted to share since this is happening all around us: When Adult Children Cut Off Their Parents.
There's a rising trend in our culture that very few people want to talk about: adult children cutting off their parents.
I'm not talking about abuse situations or dangerous relationships. I'm talking about loving, flawed parents who raised their children, gave sacrificially, and are now being completely shut out with no warning, no conversation, and no willingness to reconcile.
According to research, the vast majority of estrangements between parents and adult children are initiated by the child, not the parent.
Often, the parent doesn't even fully know why.
One day, the phone calls stop. The texts go unanswered. The holidays are silent. And when you finally hear something, it's often a list of offenses you didn't even know existed.
Why is this happening? Because our culture now teaches that anyone who doesn't "support how you feel" is toxic. Therapy-speak has replaced honor. TikTok influencers and pop psychology encourage cutting people off as an act of self-love.
Many adult children are now rewriting their childhoods, relabeling boundaries as trauma, and tossing aside their parents like disposable relationships. This is rebellion. It's spiritual deception. It's pride disguised as empowerment.
Scripture warned us this would happen: "In the last days, people will be lovers of themselves... disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection." (2 Timothy 3)
If you're a parent going through this, you're not alone. You're not crazy. And you're not a failure.
The enemy is after families, and this is one of his most effective tools right now - deception and division.
These parents still have something to give. Love, advice, presence. Not perfection but something real. And now it just sits there, wasted. Not because they failed but because their children decided they were no longer worth the effort.
That is the heartbreak no one talks about. But God sees. He knows the truth. Keep praying. Stay grounded. Tell your story. Refuse bitterness. And don't stop believing that the prodigals can still come home.... Father we love and trust You in every situation. We ask that You put a protective hedge around our children and grands. Guard them from Satan's fiery darts and open our eyes to what we should do or not do. We ask that You have Your way with us all and that You will be glorified in the end. Forgive us all where we fail You and please, bring good out of even our mistakes. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Wow! Care to all going through this.
~Patty Townsend
We Must Obey God Rather Than Man
A suggestion to adhere more to the Biblical model of the gathering of the church.I would suggest getting rid of the pulpit altogether, ditching the pews that face forward, and placing chairs in a circle so everyone could participate.
All of the traditions protestants practice concerning the gathering of Christians comes from the Catholic church model. Luther and Calvin were former Catholics who took with them when they left the church, many unbiblical practices.
They were dedicated to infant baptism, which is nowhere found in the scriptures. They believed in a hierarchy system God never commanded, and worst of all, they negated the gifts of the Spirit in every born-again believer.
Only those who had been educated by special schools were allowed to lead the gathering, allowing the congregants to believe they had no say, no gift and the Holy Spirit does not work in each of them. All of which negated the Holy Spirit quenching any sense of His leading.
John 16:113-14 "13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
This modern model of church, concocted hundreds of years ago, has defied the leading of the Holy Spirit in every believer who is not chosen by this hierarchical system.
Those who felt led to speak were disciplined for not coming under this false authority system. The Spirit of God was quenched so the people would follow those leaders who wanted their power over others.
John 14:26 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you."
This passage was given to all believers not a select few.
1 Corinthians 2:10-13 "But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."
Next time someone attempts to intimidate you into silence using the hierarchy system as their excuse, get out of there. These people will only keep you oppressed and guilty of something you do that God commanded you to do. False guilt and intimidation, even rejection, are the tools of the devil, who wants to silence those who love Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:20-27 "You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son."
No teacher or leader is greater than the Holy Spirit Who lives in those who have been changed by Christ into a new creation. We belong to Christ, not to people.
When we obey Christ, He will be glorified. When we adhere to the dictates of men, it is the men who are glorified.
All of the traditions protestants practice concerning the gathering of Christians comes from the Catholic church model. Luther and Calvin were former Catholics who took with them when they left the church, many unbiblical practices.
They were dedicated to infant baptism, which is nowhere found in the scriptures. They believed in a hierarchy system God never commanded, and worst of all, they negated the gifts of the Spirit in every born-again believer.
Only those who had been educated by special schools were allowed to lead the gathering, allowing the congregants to believe they had no say, no gift and the Holy Spirit does not work in each of them. All of which negated the Holy Spirit quenching any sense of His leading.
John 16:113-14 "13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
This modern model of church, concocted hundreds of years ago, has defied the leading of the Holy Spirit in every believer who is not chosen by this hierarchical system.
Those who felt led to speak were disciplined for not coming under this false authority system. The Spirit of God was quenched so the people would follow those leaders who wanted their power over others.
John 14:26 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you."
This passage was given to all believers not a select few.
1 Corinthians 2:10-13 "But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."
Next time someone attempts to intimidate you into silence using the hierarchy system as their excuse, get out of there. These people will only keep you oppressed and guilty of something you do that God commanded you to do. False guilt and intimidation, even rejection, are the tools of the devil, who wants to silence those who love Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:20-27 "You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son."
No teacher or leader is greater than the Holy Spirit Who lives in those who have been changed by Christ into a new creation. We belong to Christ, not to people.
When we obey Christ, He will be glorified. When we adhere to the dictates of men, it is the men who are glorified.
My purpose on Social Media
Ephesians 4:11-16 "Ephesians 4:11-16
"11 And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."
When all participate in the gathering, there is Spiritual unity and growth; without this, there is little, if any, growth.
God commanded all believers, men and women alike to grow and teach, share and respond to others in the gatherings.
Hebrews 5:11-13 "11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! 13 For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness."
1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,"
Ephesians 4:14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."
2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
Our present culture and sadly, those in the church have the mentality Jeremiah spoke of in his day.
Jeremiah 6:10 "To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."
2 Timothy 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."
Proverbs 9:9 "Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning."
Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
When teachers proclaim the truth of Christ, He is elevated and not any human being. May our goal be that every believer will expess their gift and edify one another so that our walk will no longer be worldly but rather Christlike.
1 Corinthians 12: 4-30 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. (IN EVERYONE)
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."
One Body with Many Members
"12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way."
Everyone who is born again, man, woman, and children, has gifts to be expressed within the gathering and during the week when they go about their business in the world. No one is above another; no one has authority over another. All are important, and all receive their marching orders from Jesus Christ's Holy Spirit.
Philippians 1:9-10 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
"11 And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."
When all participate in the gathering, there is Spiritual unity and growth; without this, there is little, if any, growth.
God commanded all believers, men and women alike to grow and teach, share and respond to others in the gatherings.
Hebrews 5:11-13 "11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! 13 For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness."
1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,"
Ephesians 4:14 "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."
2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
Our present culture and sadly, those in the church have the mentality Jeremiah spoke of in his day.
Jeremiah 6:10 "To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."
2 Timothy 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."
Proverbs 9:9 "Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning."
Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
When teachers proclaim the truth of Christ, He is elevated and not any human being. May our goal be that every believer will expess their gift and edify one another so that our walk will no longer be worldly but rather Christlike.
1 Corinthians 12: 4-30 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. (IN EVERYONE)
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."
One Body with Many Members
"12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way."
Everyone who is born again, man, woman, and children, has gifts to be expressed within the gathering and during the week when they go about their business in the world. No one is above another; no one has authority over another. All are important, and all receive their marching orders from Jesus Christ's Holy Spirit.
Philippians 1:9-10 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Born Again Believers are Going Home Soon
Philippians 3:20-21 "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, / who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body."
Many believers do not realize they are not citizens of earth anymore when they become born again, they are citizens of heaven on this earth with a heavenly mission.
This is the rapture of the church.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. / After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord."
Christ will not come down to earth at this time, He will call His church up to Him in the clouds.
Many believers do not realize they are not citizens of earth anymore when they become born again, they are citizens of heaven on this earth with a heavenly mission.
This is the rapture of the church.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. / After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord."
Christ will not come down to earth at this time, He will call His church up to Him in the clouds.
Father's Lead whether good or bad, they lead!
There have been many times down through history when God gave the people what they wanted to show them that what they wanted was not good for them and would ultimately lead to their downfall.
Many mothers have done this as a parent too, when their adult teen children loved something that was not godly or good for them, they spoke once and then left them alone to make their own choice.
Wise mothers know it does no good to "force" an adult, and teens are adults, to do what they want. The rebellion in the hearts of the adult teens is so strong and supported by all their family and peers in the community that one person has no influence.
Sadly, they despised their mother for speaking at all while they had the approval of everyone else around them, making her seem like a grinch.
This constant approval of society for things that would corrupt their minds solidified their anger and disrespect toward their mother. This is common now because of the continual influence of society as a whole, which accepts many ungodly actions and attitudes.
Disrespect is promoted as long as the adult children think they have a good reason. The only reason that is needed in their minds is merely instruction or correction in righteousness.
I once heard a mother lament to me that her husband instructed her to never "lecture" her children, and he did it in front of the children. The children learned to ignore the mother because of the lead of the father. The father led the children in disrespect for the mother, and the children willingly followed him.
You see, fathers do lead; whichever way their attitude, good or bad, is, will be the way the children go.
Now we see why the culture has become apostate, having a form of religion and awfully proud of themselves for their determination to resist those who would instruct them.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
It is no wonder we are in the last days of apostasy; false religion has replaced the principles of Christ because it has replaced Him with a false religion based on the two P's, prosperity and pleasure.
Thank the Lord that our time on earth is almost over, and we will be going home.
Many mothers have done this as a parent too, when their adult teen children loved something that was not godly or good for them, they spoke once and then left them alone to make their own choice.
Wise mothers know it does no good to "force" an adult, and teens are adults, to do what they want. The rebellion in the hearts of the adult teens is so strong and supported by all their family and peers in the community that one person has no influence.
Sadly, they despised their mother for speaking at all while they had the approval of everyone else around them, making her seem like a grinch.
This constant approval of society for things that would corrupt their minds solidified their anger and disrespect toward their mother. This is common now because of the continual influence of society as a whole, which accepts many ungodly actions and attitudes.
Disrespect is promoted as long as the adult children think they have a good reason. The only reason that is needed in their minds is merely instruction or correction in righteousness.
I once heard a mother lament to me that her husband instructed her to never "lecture" her children, and he did it in front of the children. The children learned to ignore the mother because of the lead of the father. The father led the children in disrespect for the mother, and the children willingly followed him.
You see, fathers do lead; whichever way their attitude, good or bad, is, will be the way the children go.
Now we see why the culture has become apostate, having a form of religion and awfully proud of themselves for their determination to resist those who would instruct them.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
It is no wonder we are in the last days of apostasy; false religion has replaced the principles of Christ because it has replaced Him with a false religion based on the two P's, prosperity and pleasure.
Thank the Lord that our time on earth is almost over, and we will be going home.
God never told us to observe Christ's birth.
The Catholic church brought in pagan ways to entice them to join that system. The reason the holidays have gone almost entirely back to paganism is that they began as paganism.
Santa is a false god, an idol, people pray to, expect miracles from, and speak of continually, while the name of Christ never comes from their lips.
If someone had never heard of the holiday at all and just read the Bible, they wouldn't see anything in the scriptures that resembles what our culture does today concerning holidays.
Also, ask the question, "why do unsaved people love this holiday so much?" The reason is that it appeals to the emotional senses and pleasure.
There are no physical things we do for God as born-again believers, except one: the Lord's Supper, which He gave to us. Everything else He never commanded, we are to worship in "Spirit and Truth", no artifacts or items to look at longingly that almost always take priority over Christ.
Christ gave everything there was to give to mankind; there is nothing mankind can give back to God in the form of rituals or physical gifts that would have any significance. We worship God with our lives in Spirit and in Truth.
Romans 12:1-2 "1Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Santa is a false god, an idol, people pray to, expect miracles from, and speak of continually, while the name of Christ never comes from their lips.
If someone had never heard of the holiday at all and just read the Bible, they wouldn't see anything in the scriptures that resembles what our culture does today concerning holidays.
Also, ask the question, "why do unsaved people love this holiday so much?" The reason is that it appeals to the emotional senses and pleasure.
There are no physical things we do for God as born-again believers, except one: the Lord's Supper, which He gave to us. Everything else He never commanded, we are to worship in "Spirit and Truth", no artifacts or items to look at longingly that almost always take priority over Christ.
Christ gave everything there was to give to mankind; there is nothing mankind can give back to God in the form of rituals or physical gifts that would have any significance. We worship God with our lives in Spirit and in Truth.
Romans 12:1-2 "1Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
Protect Your Own Character
Notice that those who celebrate Christmas are focusing on Christ being born and being a baby, which any human being does when they come into this world.
Christ came through birth to die for mankind and rise from the dead, proving He is God.
Satan always knows how to take the focus off of God's Word by adding some of it to paganism, making it look sweet and lovable when in reality it spits in the face of God.
The only celebration God gave believers was the Lord's Supper, when we remember Him the way He commanded us.
Over my many years of attending various churches and learning doctrines, I have seen how many, if not most, "Christians" take much scripture out of context to fit their culture. They do not seek God's Word to obey Him; they seek it to find what fits with their favorite doctrine and appeals to their emotions.
And most of all, they want to be accepted by the rest of the culture. They are willing to fight against the truth to maintain what is comfortable and pleasurable.
The narrow way God speaks of in His Word is one that will be flowing in the opposite direction of the rest of cultural Christianity. Those who walk this narrow path will not fit into mainstream society.
Matthew 10:21-22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "
All born-again believers who have been transformed by Christ will endure to the end. Those who are pretenders doing their Christianity their own way will not endure to the end; they will drift little by little into the flow of the rest of the culture while despising those who do not go their way.
Do not be dismayed by this rejection; praise God for it because it is human nature to follow those who praise one another. Be excited that you do not fit in and that you are free to be what God intended you to be, without the culture pressuring you to be like them.
Luke 21:17-19 "And you will be hated by everyone because of My name. / Yet not even a hair of your head will perish. / By your patient endurance, you will gain your souls."
Christ gives us the endurance, the perseverance and the joy needed to remain free from cultural mandates.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials... because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything".
Romans 5:3-4 "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope".
Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".
We may not see the rewards of our perseverance in this life, but we will protect our own character and receive our reward when we leave this life.
Christ came through birth to die for mankind and rise from the dead, proving He is God.
Satan always knows how to take the focus off of God's Word by adding some of it to paganism, making it look sweet and lovable when in reality it spits in the face of God.
The only celebration God gave believers was the Lord's Supper, when we remember Him the way He commanded us.
Over my many years of attending various churches and learning doctrines, I have seen how many, if not most, "Christians" take much scripture out of context to fit their culture. They do not seek God's Word to obey Him; they seek it to find what fits with their favorite doctrine and appeals to their emotions.
And most of all, they want to be accepted by the rest of the culture. They are willing to fight against the truth to maintain what is comfortable and pleasurable.
The narrow way God speaks of in His Word is one that will be flowing in the opposite direction of the rest of cultural Christianity. Those who walk this narrow path will not fit into mainstream society.
Matthew 10:21-22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "
All born-again believers who have been transformed by Christ will endure to the end. Those who are pretenders doing their Christianity their own way will not endure to the end; they will drift little by little into the flow of the rest of the culture while despising those who do not go their way.
Do not be dismayed by this rejection; praise God for it because it is human nature to follow those who praise one another. Be excited that you do not fit in and that you are free to be what God intended you to be, without the culture pressuring you to be like them.
Luke 21:17-19 "And you will be hated by everyone because of My name. / Yet not even a hair of your head will perish. / By your patient endurance, you will gain your souls."
Christ gives us the endurance, the perseverance and the joy needed to remain free from cultural mandates.
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials... because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything".
Romans 5:3-4 "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope".
Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".
We may not see the rewards of our perseverance in this life, but we will protect our own character and receive our reward when we leave this life.
Born Again by the Holy Spirit of God
No one is born again by their own effort; if Christ did not transform them, they remain unsaved.
Changed by Christ or not Changed at all!
Those who think they can lose salvation do not understand that it is Christ Who changes us into a new creation when we repent and desire Him. They are still earning their way to heaven without a transformation from Christ. They deny that Christ changes them and that He seals us with the Holy Spirit of Promise as a Guarantee of our salvation.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
No one can undo what Christ does; if we could, that would make us more powerful than He. When He transforms us into an entirely new creation, only He gets all the glory.
If someone is working their own way to heaven and they have not been changed by Christ, they are not born again.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
No one can undo what Christ does; if we could, that would make us more powerful than He. When He transforms us into an entirely new creation, only He gets all the glory.
If someone is working their own way to heaven and they have not been changed by Christ, they are not born again.
Friday, December 5, 2025
There is Safety in Discernment
Something I have noticed over the years with dogs. When they need to go out during the day to do their business, they are noisy in letting us know, but during the night, if they must go out, they are very quiet as if they know there is danger in the darkness outside and they must remain unseen.
Where we live, we have coyotes come through, thankfully not as much as we used to, but they are still a threat to cats and small dogs.
We have had about 7 cats taken, but the one we have now is very smart, able to hide effectively from the coyotes. He comes in at night but is in and out frequently, day and night. One of our neighbors' small dogs was dragged off by a coyote.
We have had dogs most of our married life, and they are adept at discerning the character of people they have never known before. Most people they like, but on rare occasions, there is someone they do not like; they show this by their lack of ability to calm down in the presence of someone. It is clear they do not like that person and will not allow them to come close.
Sometimes people have this sixth sense too; they can sense something is off in someone, but they have been trained by their culture never to judge, so they ignore warning signs, even signs that come from the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Often, people trust their culture instead of the Holy Spirit because of the lack of faith that the Holy Spirit from Christ actually exists, even if they would say they do. They have mixed their religion with pagan fantasy and believe in the Holy Spirit in words, just as they believe in Santa in words, but have no real trust in Him.
Our "cult...ure" places more importance on words and feelings than it does on wisdom from above. Many rules and unbiblical thinking take priority over what the Bible says, which is the very Word of Christ.
1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Hebrews 5:14 "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Philippians 1:9-10 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The sixth sense of animals to discern danger is an instinct God placed in them to keep them safe. In human beings, we have also been given a sense of danger that the culture has trained out of us through human rules and trust in one's own self instead of in God.
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
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."
The person who does not trust in Christ will lack this vital and life-saving discernment, but the one born of Christ will have it, and it will save them from many trials.
Where we live, we have coyotes come through, thankfully not as much as we used to, but they are still a threat to cats and small dogs.
We have had about 7 cats taken, but the one we have now is very smart, able to hide effectively from the coyotes. He comes in at night but is in and out frequently, day and night. One of our neighbors' small dogs was dragged off by a coyote.
We have had dogs most of our married life, and they are adept at discerning the character of people they have never known before. Most people they like, but on rare occasions, there is someone they do not like; they show this by their lack of ability to calm down in the presence of someone. It is clear they do not like that person and will not allow them to come close.
Sometimes people have this sixth sense too; they can sense something is off in someone, but they have been trained by their culture never to judge, so they ignore warning signs, even signs that come from the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Often, people trust their culture instead of the Holy Spirit because of the lack of faith that the Holy Spirit from Christ actually exists, even if they would say they do. They have mixed their religion with pagan fantasy and believe in the Holy Spirit in words, just as they believe in Santa in words, but have no real trust in Him.
Our "cult...ure" places more importance on words and feelings than it does on wisdom from above. Many rules and unbiblical thinking take priority over what the Bible says, which is the very Word of Christ.
1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Hebrews 5:14 "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Philippians 1:9-10 "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,"
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
The sixth sense of animals to discern danger is an instinct God placed in them to keep them safe. In human beings, we have also been given a sense of danger that the culture has trained out of us through human rules and trust in one's own self instead of in God.
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
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."
The person who does not trust in Christ will lack this vital and life-saving discernment, but the one born of Christ will have it, and it will save them from many trials.
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Real Love Does No Harm
Remembering back in the day when we loved our family, our love was unconditional, even through their flaws and missteps; we grieved about those steps because we loved them. We were angry at times, but never stopped loving them.
The love was not based on how well they did in life or whether or not they measured up to our idea of perfect.
Somehow, I knew no one was perfect and accepted that everyone had flaws, even admitting my own at times. But it was unthinkable to me to do things to make others feel unloved.
Sadly, we have moved into a generation that thinks it has no flaws and all their sins and mistakes are counted as alright because of the emotion associated with them, as though if we were driven by our emotions, our attitudes and actions must be valid.
I am noticing little, if any, spiritual and emotional growth in most people because there is a lack of confession to cleanse the souls.
It is common now for family members to be rude and unkind because of the gossip and judgment over things they know nothing about. They seem to enjoy making others feel "less-than", perhaps it makes them feel "more-than."
God made it clear that when there is no confession of sinful attitudes, there is no growth. The longer someone justifies rude misbehavior, the deeper they sink into bitterness and the inability to repent. God calls it a hardened heart.
Most relationships in our day are based on manipulation and intimidation to control others' reactions toward those who thrive only on personal accolades and praise.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
James 5:16 "16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Most people live in fear of being rejected because deep inside their souls, they know their own sin and must work continually to hide so that no one discovers the real them.
A person who has been cleansed by Christ from their sinful nature and who keeps close accounts, meaning as soon as they realize they have sinned, they confess it to God and to those they have offended. These people never have to be confronted about their sin because the Holy Spirit tells them quickly when they have done something unkind, and they swiftly confess it.
Those who will not admit and never confess sink deeper into hiding and excusing themselves to the point where they no longer have the ability to recognize right from wrong.
James 5:15-16 "…15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."
Notice in this verse that the "sickness" is describing sin. The entire two verses are speaking about healing believers from their sin. This does not have to do with physical healing, although it could be included.
Sin creates a deadened spirit unable to cleanse itself. Only confession to God and those we have harmed will heal the sickness of sin within our soul.
In our day, it is rare for family to evaluate themselves and confess their sinful attitudes and actions. Too many people are working so hard to appear superior to others; they fail miserably in self-reflection and confession of sin. The fear of appearing "less-than" to others prevents them from having the strength to admit, confess, and become stronger through cleansing.
There is a strength of character required to admit and confess sin. Most people hope that no one will notice their flaws or that they will defend their sins, so they never have to do the hard work of character building from resolving their own messes.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
What the weak man who hides their sin accomplishes is to silence God and ruin human relationships. There is no growth, no progression in maturity, and more broken relationships in their lives than they can count.
Psalm 66:18 "18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
The Holy Spirit will go silent when there is no confession. This is the reason so many "Christians" do not understand those who hear from the Holy Spirit, they do not hear from Him because they will not confess to be cleansed.
1 Peter 3:7-8 " 7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble."
Acts 16:5-7 "5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. 6 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7 And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them."
Somehow, I knew no one was perfect and accepted that everyone had flaws, even admitting my own at times. But it was unthinkable to me to do things to make others feel unloved.
Sadly, we have moved into a generation that thinks it has no flaws and all their sins and mistakes are counted as alright because of the emotion associated with them, as though if we were driven by our emotions, our attitudes and actions must be valid.
I am noticing little, if any, spiritual and emotional growth in most people because there is a lack of confession to cleanse the souls.
It is common now for family members to be rude and unkind because of the gossip and judgment over things they know nothing about. They seem to enjoy making others feel "less-than", perhaps it makes them feel "more-than."
God made it clear that when there is no confession of sinful attitudes, there is no growth. The longer someone justifies rude misbehavior, the deeper they sink into bitterness and the inability to repent. God calls it a hardened heart.
Most relationships in our day are based on manipulation and intimidation to control others' reactions toward those who thrive only on personal accolades and praise.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
James 5:16 "16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Most people live in fear of being rejected because deep inside their souls, they know their own sin and must work continually to hide so that no one discovers the real them.
A person who has been cleansed by Christ from their sinful nature and who keeps close accounts, meaning as soon as they realize they have sinned, they confess it to God and to those they have offended. These people never have to be confronted about their sin because the Holy Spirit tells them quickly when they have done something unkind, and they swiftly confess it.
Those who will not admit and never confess sink deeper into hiding and excusing themselves to the point where they no longer have the ability to recognize right from wrong.
James 5:15-16 "…15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail."
Notice in this verse that the "sickness" is describing sin. The entire two verses are speaking about healing believers from their sin. This does not have to do with physical healing, although it could be included.
Sin creates a deadened spirit unable to cleanse itself. Only confession to God and those we have harmed will heal the sickness of sin within our soul.
In our day, it is rare for family to evaluate themselves and confess their sinful attitudes and actions. Too many people are working so hard to appear superior to others; they fail miserably in self-reflection and confession of sin. The fear of appearing "less-than" to others prevents them from having the strength to admit, confess, and become stronger through cleansing.
There is a strength of character required to admit and confess sin. Most people hope that no one will notice their flaws or that they will defend their sins, so they never have to do the hard work of character building from resolving their own messes.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
What the weak man who hides their sin accomplishes is to silence God and ruin human relationships. There is no growth, no progression in maturity, and more broken relationships in their lives than they can count.
Psalm 66:18 "18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:"
The Holy Spirit will go silent when there is no confession. This is the reason so many "Christians" do not understand those who hear from the Holy Spirit, they do not hear from Him because they will not confess to be cleansed.
1 Peter 3:7-8 " 7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble."
Acts 16:5-7 "5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. 6 After the Holy Spirit had prevented them from speaking the word in the province of Asia, they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7 And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them."
Friends with God or with Satan
When someone wants to be your friend but they negate, through their actions and disrespect, everything you say and do, they do not want you for a friend; they want access to you so they can continue the disrespect.
Narcissists hate our love, our kindness, our joy and peace. They cannot stand that we have what they lack. Satan is like this and is the father of the narcissist. He manipulates them to believe we are causing trouble when they are the ones who do it.
The devil is the accuser of the brethren; he leads unsaved people to believe things about believers that are not true and then entices the unbeliever to be his own accuser through those accusations.
Guilt and misery are in the heart of narcissists; they have no peace or joy but pretend they do through subtle manipulation and self-exalting words.
The devil is attacking believers every day, hoping they will give up on God or become like their accusers.
God said this about that: James 4:6-8 "6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
The devil comes to us through those who have rejected Christ to torment believers. Because we have Christ, these minions cannot affect our walk with God unless we make them more important than Christ.
Narcissists hate our love, our kindness, our joy and peace. They cannot stand that we have what they lack. Satan is like this and is the father of the narcissist. He manipulates them to believe we are causing trouble when they are the ones who do it.
The devil is the accuser of the brethren; he leads unsaved people to believe things about believers that are not true and then entices the unbeliever to be his own accuser through those accusations.
Guilt and misery are in the heart of narcissists; they have no peace or joy but pretend they do through subtle manipulation and self-exalting words.
The devil is attacking believers every day, hoping they will give up on God or become like their accusers.
God said this about that: James 4:6-8 "6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
The devil comes to us through those who have rejected Christ to torment believers. Because we have Christ, these minions cannot affect our walk with God unless we make them more important than Christ.
God is not Going to Bless America
How dare anyone utter these words with the hypocrisy they reveal; "God bless America." America is the leader of the world in everything that is wicked. Even our "Christian religion" has been perverted with pagan and humanistic thinking while claiming the Bible is the reason.
America is Leader in political corruption while appearing good.
America is Leader in false gospel
America is leader in the Rejection of Christ’s Principles
America is a leader in love of wealth
America is leader in continual deception on the internet
America is leader in divorce and remarriage
America is leader in abortion
America is leader in injustice in every form
America is Leader in “feelings” oriented thinking
America is Leader in fantasy thinking
America is Leader in the love of money over good principles
America is Leader in arrogance, demanding that God give us more when we misused what He did give us.
America is Leader in every kind of pleasure that dishonors God and promotes man as the god of his own life.
When people think they are honoring God by demanding Him to bless this nation, we are presuming we deserve blessing; this is arrogance in its highest form.
Those who demand more blessings from God when they misused the blessing He already gave are dilusional and self-willed.
A culture that thinks blessing means material wealth and safety will not be one that would accept discipline from God. They are a people who would whine and complain when they don't get what they want and punish anyone who says they don't deserve it, in fact, they deserve punishment for their rebellion.
Sometimes I wonder if these "Christians" would be able to honor and worship God if all their possessions and pleasures were taken away. I don't think they would remain faithful to God because they are not faithful to Him right now, despite all He has given them.
I am not proud of America as a nation; I am ashamed because of the false gospel that lives here, the anger in the people when they are confronted with their sin, and the prosperity that has led to entitlement and arrogance. This is not a grateful nation; it is an indulgent and angry nation, everyone worshiping their freedom and their rights, without concern for anyone but themselves.
And worst of all, they tack the name of Christ onto whatever they are doing that dishonors Him and are proud of themselves for doing so.
I no longer pray for America; I pray for individuals to find Christ, but I will not ask God to bless a wicked nation.
America is Leader in political corruption while appearing good.
America is Leader in false gospel
America is leader in the Rejection of Christ’s Principles
America is a leader in love of wealth
America is leader in continual deception on the internet
America is leader in divorce and remarriage
America is leader in abortion
America is leader in injustice in every form
America is Leader in “feelings” oriented thinking
America is Leader in fantasy thinking
America is Leader in the love of money over good principles
America is Leader in arrogance, demanding that God give us more when we misused what He did give us.
America is Leader in every kind of pleasure that dishonors God and promotes man as the god of his own life.
When people think they are honoring God by demanding Him to bless this nation, we are presuming we deserve blessing; this is arrogance in its highest form.
Those who demand more blessings from God when they misused the blessing He already gave are dilusional and self-willed.
A culture that thinks blessing means material wealth and safety will not be one that would accept discipline from God. They are a people who would whine and complain when they don't get what they want and punish anyone who says they don't deserve it, in fact, they deserve punishment for their rebellion.
Sometimes I wonder if these "Christians" would be able to honor and worship God if all their possessions and pleasures were taken away. I don't think they would remain faithful to God because they are not faithful to Him right now, despite all He has given them.
I am not proud of America as a nation; I am ashamed because of the false gospel that lives here, the anger in the people when they are confronted with their sin, and the prosperity that has led to entitlement and arrogance. This is not a grateful nation; it is an indulgent and angry nation, everyone worshiping their freedom and their rights, without concern for anyone but themselves.
And worst of all, they tack the name of Christ onto whatever they are doing that dishonors Him and are proud of themselves for doing so.
I no longer pray for America; I pray for individuals to find Christ, but I will not ask God to bless a wicked nation.
Narcissists are Far to Impressed with Themselves to Bother with Manners
The narcissists never say they are sorry, never say thank you, and they are never wrong.
Compliments and encouragement are embarrassing to the narcissist. They love to receive constant accolades but will never give them to others except those they wish to impress.
Narcissists will retaliate if you bring up that they were mean or rude to you, and will never reconsider their own character.
Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life."
Matthew 7:6 "6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
Proverbs 9:8-9 "8 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning."
If narcissists didn't ask you for a favor, they consider us foolish for extending love, gifts, or actions that would bless a normal person; they see it as weakness. When you do a favor they ask for, they show no gratitude. These qualities of kindness that come from God are embarrassing to narcissists.
As a child growing up we were taught to say thank you. When we received kindness from someone, it was expected that a thank you would be extended. We would feel discourteous if we forgot to say thank you. Lack of gratitude was considered rude and disrespectful.
We are living in a world of narcissism now in which kindness and love are nearly absent, and those who would call it out would be called the rude ones.
Satan is clever like that; he causes harm and brings hatred while blaming the one who does not like the harm and hatred. The trouble maker in this culture is the one who does not accept rudeness, the one who teaches love and kindness is the one who is rejected.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
When we encounter a narcissist and discern that they have no interest in correction or instruction in righteousness, then we are to walk away and leave them to God.
We are living in the end times, in which people in general will hate God, even the ones who attend church gatherings every week, are living a form of religion but denying God in their attitudes and actions. They make up their own rules, adding and subtracting from the word of God to make up their own religion while claiming they follow the Bible. They do not follow Chris,t but rather they follow their own will, their own way, without love for Christ or anyone else.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
One might ask why we are thinking about all of this. The answer is simple, we have to live in this world. It is important to know what we are dealing with so we can guard against becoming like those who are false Christians, full of pride and without love for Christ.
If we do not recognize evil when it is in front of us, we will think it is acceptable. Awareness of evil helps us remove it from our lives and resist it when others entice us to be like them.
Acts 4:13 "13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Since we know we cannot reach a narcissist, it is best to remove ourselves from them and refrain from instructing them. They are swine who will trample goodness, instruction, and correction in righteousness under their feet.
However, never remain with the narcissist as a friend because they will love your continual silence, perceiving it as approval. It will enable them to continue even worse because of your presence and silent support. This is why God told us to "avoid them" in 2 Timothy 3:5.
How we live our lives without the narcissist will be a testimony; we do not need words for those who have shown clearly contempt for God's Word and for us. God will deal with them; it is not our job to instruct a person who refuses to be instructed.
More damage is done to you and to the narcissist by remaining friendly with them. We should never be rude when they cross our path, but they will never be our friends as long as they love anger and hatred.
The world says never reject anyone, no matter what, but God says He rejects those who hate Him, and so should we. We love them and pray for them, but we do not validate them by our companionship.
2 Corinthians 6:17 "17 Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you."
1 Corinthians 1:27 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
And, above all, do not take advice from people in our day of psychology and apostasy; go to God and receive your instruction from the Holy Spirit and His Word, the Bible.
Compliments and encouragement are embarrassing to the narcissist. They love to receive constant accolades but will never give them to others except those they wish to impress.
Narcissists will retaliate if you bring up that they were mean or rude to you, and will never reconsider their own character.
Proverbs 29:8-10 "…8 Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger. 9 If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution. 10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life."
Matthew 7:6 "6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
Proverbs 9:8-9 "8 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning."
If narcissists didn't ask you for a favor, they consider us foolish for extending love, gifts, or actions that would bless a normal person; they see it as weakness. When you do a favor they ask for, they show no gratitude. These qualities of kindness that come from God are embarrassing to narcissists.
As a child growing up we were taught to say thank you. When we received kindness from someone, it was expected that a thank you would be extended. We would feel discourteous if we forgot to say thank you. Lack of gratitude was considered rude and disrespectful.
We are living in a world of narcissism now in which kindness and love are nearly absent, and those who would call it out would be called the rude ones.
Satan is clever like that; he causes harm and brings hatred while blaming the one who does not like the harm and hatred. The trouble maker in this culture is the one who does not accept rudeness, the one who teaches love and kindness is the one who is rejected.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
When we encounter a narcissist and discern that they have no interest in correction or instruction in righteousness, then we are to walk away and leave them to God.
We are living in the end times, in which people in general will hate God, even the ones who attend church gatherings every week, are living a form of religion but denying God in their attitudes and actions. They make up their own rules, adding and subtracting from the word of God to make up their own religion while claiming they follow the Bible. They do not follow Chris,t but rather they follow their own will, their own way, without love for Christ or anyone else.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
One might ask why we are thinking about all of this. The answer is simple, we have to live in this world. It is important to know what we are dealing with so we can guard against becoming like those who are false Christians, full of pride and without love for Christ.
If we do not recognize evil when it is in front of us, we will think it is acceptable. Awareness of evil helps us remove it from our lives and resist it when others entice us to be like them.
Acts 4:13 "13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Since we know we cannot reach a narcissist, it is best to remove ourselves from them and refrain from instructing them. They are swine who will trample goodness, instruction, and correction in righteousness under their feet.
However, never remain with the narcissist as a friend because they will love your continual silence, perceiving it as approval. It will enable them to continue even worse because of your presence and silent support. This is why God told us to "avoid them" in 2 Timothy 3:5.
How we live our lives without the narcissist will be a testimony; we do not need words for those who have shown clearly contempt for God's Word and for us. God will deal with them; it is not our job to instruct a person who refuses to be instructed.
More damage is done to you and to the narcissist by remaining friendly with them. We should never be rude when they cross our path, but they will never be our friends as long as they love anger and hatred.
The world says never reject anyone, no matter what, but God says He rejects those who hate Him, and so should we. We love them and pray for them, but we do not validate them by our companionship.
2 Corinthians 6:17 "17 Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you."
1 Corinthians 1:27 "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
And, above all, do not take advice from people in our day of psychology and apostasy; go to God and receive your instruction from the Holy Spirit and His Word, the Bible.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
His Trials were way bigger than Ours
If your trials are overwhelming and you are falsely accused of things you never said or did, remember Christ was too!!!!
Everything is Hard in this Life
It was hard for Christ to be beaten and nailed to a cross; this ought never to be a reason for disobedience.
Christ in us can give us the strength to obey Him. I don't deny that many things in life are hard, but it can never be a reason to resist doing what God tells us to do.
When I was a child, I used to say things like "but it's hard." When I became an adult, I knew difficulty was not a reason to be lazy or deny the truth.
Life is hard................ all the time! When things seem to get easy for a time it won't be very long before another challenge comes along to stretch us a little more.
Those who avoid chastisement, run from discipline, and even punish those who attempt to help with constructive criticism, are not able to grow spiritually or emotionally. They remain children all their lives as they grow more bitter in their elder years.
James 1:2-4 "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."
We cannot become better people without the trials that force us to see ourselves in reality, the frail people that we are without Christ.
Romans 5:3-5 "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
1 Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
When we endure trials and progress in Spiritual growth, it is God Who is glorified, not ourselves.
Christ in us can give us the strength to obey Him. I don't deny that many things in life are hard, but it can never be a reason to resist doing what God tells us to do.
When I was a child, I used to say things like "but it's hard." When I became an adult, I knew difficulty was not a reason to be lazy or deny the truth.
Life is hard................ all the time! When things seem to get easy for a time it won't be very long before another challenge comes along to stretch us a little more.
Those who avoid chastisement, run from discipline, and even punish those who attempt to help with constructive criticism, are not able to grow spiritually or emotionally. They remain children all their lives as they grow more bitter in their elder years.
James 1:2-4 "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."
We cannot become better people without the trials that force us to see ourselves in reality, the frail people that we are without Christ.
Romans 5:3-5 "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."
1 Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
When we endure trials and progress in Spiritual growth, it is God Who is glorified, not ourselves.
Raised in Tradition and Refusing Anything Else
When someone was raised with holidays and love those holidays more for the feelings they get than the truth, it is impossible to reason with them about the truth.
Most people will make excuses or change scripture, or worse, ignore scripture to justify their desired beliefs. It is the reason the church gatherings are such a mess. Traditions are more important because of the sense of safety in doing what one has already done.
When feeling safe, accepted by the group, and enjoying the pleasure of the belief becomes paramount in someone's life, then Christ is an add-on, in other words, only to make themselves believe they are honoring Christ when He is not really very important.
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.”
"Many such matters" is what we are encountering right now. Those who love the word of God and proclaim it among church members will be maligned, dismissed, and even rejected outright for their desire to actually follow Christ without traditions of men.
The traditions of men are very powerful because they manipulate feelings, which dominate our culture far more than truth does.
I remember a little boy who was chastised for his rude behavior. His response was, "You made my feelings cry." He was not ashamed of how he acted when confronted. He was blaming the one who corrected him for making his "feelings cry."
This is where we are now in our culture: feelings are more important than truth, the very reason most people never change or grow more mature in their responses to life. They remain angry, full of gossip against anyone who will correct them.
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."
Never fear those who reject you because you do not fall into the deceptions of our age.
Matthew 10:27-28 "…27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Most people will make excuses or change scripture, or worse, ignore scripture to justify their desired beliefs. It is the reason the church gatherings are such a mess. Traditions are more important because of the sense of safety in doing what one has already done.
When feeling safe, accepted by the group, and enjoying the pleasure of the belief becomes paramount in someone's life, then Christ is an add-on, in other words, only to make themselves believe they are honoring Christ when He is not really very important.
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.”
"Many such matters" is what we are encountering right now. Those who love the word of God and proclaim it among church members will be maligned, dismissed, and even rejected outright for their desire to actually follow Christ without traditions of men.
The traditions of men are very powerful because they manipulate feelings, which dominate our culture far more than truth does.
I remember a little boy who was chastised for his rude behavior. His response was, "You made my feelings cry." He was not ashamed of how he acted when confronted. He was blaming the one who corrected him for making his "feelings cry."
This is where we are now in our culture: feelings are more important than truth, the very reason most people never change or grow more mature in their responses to life. They remain angry, full of gossip against anyone who will correct them.
Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ."
1 Timothy 4:1-2 "Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron."
Never fear those who reject you because you do not fall into the deceptions of our age.
Matthew 10:27-28 "…27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Christianity has become Religion in these Last Days
Why I am convinced more people are lost who say they are Christians than those who are authentically transformed by Christ!
"Christianity" has become a religion like all the others, but more deceptive because it causes people to think they are saved but remain self-reliant instead of relying on the Holy Spirit.
They become prideful, thinking they won't be lost because they are doing a good job keeping themselves saved by being good. And yet, they remain unchanged in their heart and are very proud of who they think they are!
Galatians 2:15-16 "…15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile 'sinners” 16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Romans 3:28 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
Romans 3:20 "Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin."
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith."
"Christianity" has become a religion like all the others, but more deceptive because it causes people to think they are saved but remain self-reliant instead of relying on the Holy Spirit.
They become prideful, thinking they won't be lost because they are doing a good job keeping themselves saved by being good. And yet, they remain unchanged in their heart and are very proud of who they think they are!
Galatians 2:15-16 "…15We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile 'sinners” 16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."
Romans 3:28 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
Romans 3:20 "Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin."
Philippians 3:9 "and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith."
Real Love and Truth
Real love tells the truth, but if people don't want the truth, they will mistake love for hate.
Resist the Culture and Indulge the Holy Spirit
Have you ever found yourself refraining from asking some people how they are doing?
As a lover of Jesus Christ, there are times when I don't want to ask Christians how they are doing or what they are doing because I am sure about what I will hear, and I would rather not hear it.
People are dishonoring God in many ways and sharing it as though it were good and normal. They are boasting of the things they are buying, the vacation trips they are taking, and many other useless things, but never mention Jesus Christ.
When we speak of Christ and what God is doing in our hearts, they act disinterested and even irritated because they don't think in these terms, it bores and convicts them even when the shares are Biblical and meaningful.
I expect non-believers to act this way, but I expect believers to be blessed and engaging when Christ and His work are being shared and even share in return.
Non-responsiveness is common these days because Christ is not the most important person to most "Christians"; He is an add-on to make them feel personally safe and superior, but they do not possess the first fruit of His Spirit, which is love.
I hear Christians in gatherings speaking non-stop about the political scene, the political celebrities and all the evils in the world with hearts full of anger and fear at what is going on in the world, but never the name of Jesus Christ.
I have to wonder if these people have any hope of eternity at all when they are more focused on the world than they are on our Savior.
Hebrews 13:1: "Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters,"
1 John 3:14: "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains dead,"
Romans 12:10: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor".
Because of these days of apostasy, many people who say they are Christians are cultural rather than transformed by Christ. They have many human rules they have concocted that are not Biblical and have little understanding of the principles of Christ as written in the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
They will tell us that we couldn't know the truth because we do not have a seminary degree. They will forbid a woman from expressing her Christianity because she is a woman. They will invoke the silence rules on those who love to speak of Christ.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Matthew 24:11-12 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
The love of many has grown cold as the world has grown darker. Because of this we know the end of the church age is very close and those who love Christ will be going home.
Our mission on this earth, before we leave, is to speak and live the truth, encouraging fellow believers as they navigate through this hateful and mindless world full of deception and brutal loathing of those who love Christ.
We will be alone a lot because of the rejection, but we will never be completely alone because Christ Who lives in us, is enough if He is all we have. But He is not all we have; we have one another through various means, the internet being God's blessing for believers to connect with one another from hundreds of miles away.
Romans 16:17-18 "Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "…10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
Most of you have lost the love of family, fathers, mothers, children, brothers, and sisters because of your faith. I am here to tell you this is normal for those who follow hard after Jesus Christ. Some of these people who have rejected you claim to be Christians; sadly, they do not have the love of Christ, or they would not act this way.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
We can love those who reject us through prayer, but we must remain separate from them to keep our souls from becoming like them.
Proverbs 26:4-5 "4 Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you will also be like him.
As soon as we reply to a provoker with irritation or anger, we have become like them. The most valuable lesson we can learn is to ignore any feelings and respond without emotion or learn not to respond at all when we are being mocked or dismissed.
There will be no irritation or anger when we don't care what others think of us or do to us. Anger emerges because of our own insecurities and a need to be loved and accepted by others.
Give up all expectations of being loved by others and just love others as Christ loved us. No expectations, then we will be able to ignore those who attempt to provoke us and be free from guilt when we have to avoid them.
Do not listen to those who would intimidate us into remaining with those who have been proven to be a hindrance to our walk with Christ. Anyone who pressures us to remain with those who hate Christ are not obeying the Bible and do not know what it is to hear from the Holy Spirit.
Walk in freedom from the culture around us and indulge in the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
As a lover of Jesus Christ, there are times when I don't want to ask Christians how they are doing or what they are doing because I am sure about what I will hear, and I would rather not hear it.
People are dishonoring God in many ways and sharing it as though it were good and normal. They are boasting of the things they are buying, the vacation trips they are taking, and many other useless things, but never mention Jesus Christ.
When we speak of Christ and what God is doing in our hearts, they act disinterested and even irritated because they don't think in these terms, it bores and convicts them even when the shares are Biblical and meaningful.
I expect non-believers to act this way, but I expect believers to be blessed and engaging when Christ and His work are being shared and even share in return.
Non-responsiveness is common these days because Christ is not the most important person to most "Christians"; He is an add-on to make them feel personally safe and superior, but they do not possess the first fruit of His Spirit, which is love.
I hear Christians in gatherings speaking non-stop about the political scene, the political celebrities and all the evils in the world with hearts full of anger and fear at what is going on in the world, but never the name of Jesus Christ.
I have to wonder if these people have any hope of eternity at all when they are more focused on the world than they are on our Savior.
Hebrews 13:1: "Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters,"
1 John 3:14: "We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains dead,"
Romans 12:10: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor".
Because of these days of apostasy, many people who say they are Christians are cultural rather than transformed by Christ. They have many human rules they have concocted that are not Biblical and have little understanding of the principles of Christ as written in the Bible.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 "…2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 4 So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.…"
They will tell us that we couldn't know the truth because we do not have a seminary degree. They will forbid a woman from expressing her Christianity because she is a woman. They will invoke the silence rules on those who love to speak of Christ.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 "Difficult Times Will Come
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Matthew 24:11-12 "and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
The love of many has grown cold as the world has grown darker. Because of this we know the end of the church age is very close and those who love Christ will be going home.
Our mission on this earth, before we leave, is to speak and live the truth, encouraging fellow believers as they navigate through this hateful and mindless world full of deception and brutal loathing of those who love Christ.
We will be alone a lot because of the rejection, but we will never be completely alone because Christ Who lives in us, is enough if He is all we have. But He is not all we have; we have one another through various means, the internet being God's blessing for believers to connect with one another from hundreds of miles away.
Romans 16:17-18 "Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "…10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 11 Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing."
Most of you have lost the love of family, fathers, mothers, children, brothers, and sisters because of your faith. I am here to tell you this is normal for those who follow hard after Jesus Christ. Some of these people who have rejected you claim to be Christians; sadly, they do not have the love of Christ, or they would not act this way.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.
5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
We can love those who reject us through prayer, but we must remain separate from them to keep our souls from becoming like them.
Proverbs 26:4-5 "4 Do not answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you will also be like him.
5 Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves
So that he will not be wise in his own eyes."
So that he will not be wise in his own eyes."
As soon as we reply to a provoker with irritation or anger, we have become like them. The most valuable lesson we can learn is to ignore any feelings and respond without emotion or learn not to respond at all when we are being mocked or dismissed.
There will be no irritation or anger when we don't care what others think of us or do to us. Anger emerges because of our own insecurities and a need to be loved and accepted by others.
Give up all expectations of being loved by others and just love others as Christ loved us. No expectations, then we will be able to ignore those who attempt to provoke us and be free from guilt when we have to avoid them.
Do not listen to those who would intimidate us into remaining with those who have been proven to be a hindrance to our walk with Christ. Anyone who pressures us to remain with those who hate Christ are not obeying the Bible and do not know what it is to hear from the Holy Spirit.
Walk in freedom from the culture around us and indulge in the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
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