When we walk by faith and not by sight, we can simply believe what God has already told us in the Bible, without needing physical signs.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Walking by Faith not by Sight
Matthew 16:4 ". 4 A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away."
When we walk by faith and not by sight, we can simply believe what God has already told us in the Bible, without needing physical signs.
When we walk by faith and not by sight, we can simply believe what God has already told us in the Bible, without needing physical signs.
Monday, December 29, 2025
Wheat and Tares
Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
At the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was only one family that was removed before the destruction of the cities of the plains. Many family members perished while the man of God was rescued.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world. Many family members perished in the flood except the man of God and his family were rescued.
There are many people who say they are Christians but who reject the word of God, claiming they are Bible believers. They follow the traditions of men in their culture and negate and minimize God's Word. Many are not members of our family in Christ but would assert they are. With discernment, we may be able to see who is who, but not perfectly.
Many family members around us say they are Christians but have no fruit of the Spirit, and hate the true Christians because they hate anyone who will not elevate them, and especially any believer who will address sinful attitudes and actions.
I am thankful God told me all of this so that when I see the inconsistencies and the rejection by those who say they are Christians, we will know what is happening and walk in peace and joy in spite of the arrows that the devil lobs at us through the false judgments of family members.
One of the biggest schemes of the devil is to attempt to make believers feel guilty about doing or saying what we are led to by the Holy Spirit. He is the accuser of the brethren and wants to silence us through guilt and insecurity. He uses people to manipulate us into silence, but those who are strong will not comply; they will remain strong and resolute no matter what people may do to us or say about us.
When we realize most people who say they are Christians not only do not follow the Bible but are likely not born again, we do not have to take their personal attacks as anything to be concerned about.
In fact, in recent years, I have developed a sense of humor about the assaults and ambushes of those who want me to fail because I see it as "boot camp" for learning to be stronger with each new strike.
Romans 5:3-4"3 And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;"
James 1:12 "12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
The devil will use people to make us believe we have sinned in some way when we follow Christ and assert His truth. They will make up lies about our conduct and twist our words while passing on to others the lies they concoct in their heads.
Galatians 6:9 "9 Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary."
Hebrews 12:1-2 Jesus, the Example
12 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
2 Timothy 2:12 "If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us".
All born-again believers do endure to the end no question, but we can be harmed if we listen to the devil and the people he uses. Don't allow those in your life to demean and denigrate your walk with Christ. If you have to be in their presence because there is no escape, endure it as a lesson to strengthen you.
The devil wants us to respond to wicked people the way they treat us, we must resist and be the one who is not like them. No matter how mean they become, we refuse to be rude and mean like them. We must ignore their nonsense and be led by the Holy Spirit.
The more we refuse to be like them, the worse they will get, or perhaps, in God's mercy, they will repent because their own example becomes too ugly to face anymore when they don't have anything to point to that we did or said that was offensive.
This is why God said to bless those who curse us, so that if they accuse us, it is better they tell a lie than have a half-truth to share in their gossip.
Luke 6:28-30 "28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[a] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back."
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 "…12 What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
We are to remove from our lives those who claim to be Christian but display none of the fruit of God's Spirit. The reason is to keep ourselves from becoming like them.
Proverbs 26:4-5 " 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes."
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Just to be clear, a godly person never treats one person with contempt and another with kindness; they always treat everyone the same, because they cannot be on the outside something different from what is on the inside. The ungodly are pretenders who have two different personas, one they show to those they wish to impress and the other to those they despise.
A narcissist will treat special those they wish to impress and those they hold in hatred and contempt with rudeness. A born-again believer could never do this; their character is that of Christ, and He is not a respector of persons according to status or personal biases.
Yes, pretenders will misuse the Bible to find an excuse to be mean and rude to others out of jealousy, anger over silly things, and the desire to be superior to someone; they always choose those they think are weak, and they consider it weak to be loving, kind, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit.
Those who are narcissists must always feel superior to be happy; they are the saddest of all creatures because they cannot enjoy and appreciate life unless they feel loftier than others. They are jealous of those who succeed in a way they have not and can never share in the joy of those who love Christ.
Praise God that those who have been born again have no need to be condescending; they are full of the joy of the Lord because Christ lives in them, and He is all they need. Treating people disrespectfully is unthinkable to a born-again believer; they cannot do it, and if they fall from an emotional weakness, they confess it quickly because the sense of shame they feel over acting badly is too intense to ignore; they must confess to be cleansed. The idea of harming someone else is disgraceful; they cannot rest until they have admitted it and comforted the one they harmed.
I have met people who were confronted with their sin against someone else, who justify their sin and pass on a false story in gossip to gain supporters for their anger. These are not born-again believers; I am convinced of this because the Holy Spirit would convict them until they repent.
We are encountering in our day of apostasy many pretenders who have no sense of shame over their self-righteousness, they justify their disrespect with false stories.
Those who do this "self-exaltation" method of demeaning others are full of guilt and shame and must keep poking at those whom they hate with the hope their target will explode so they can accuse them of something. DO NOT REACT TO THOSE WHO TRY TO PUSH YOUR BUTTONS, IGNORE THEM, EVEN BETTER STAY AWAY FROM THEM ENTIRELY IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
Proverbs 22:24-25 "24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger, Or go with a hot-tempered person, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself."
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
At the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was only one family that was removed before the destruction of the cities of the plains. Many family members perished while the man of God was rescued.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world. Many family members perished in the flood except the man of God and his family were rescued.
There are many people who say they are Christians but who reject the word of God, claiming they are Bible believers. They follow the traditions of men in their culture and negate and minimize God's Word. Many are not members of our family in Christ but would assert they are. With discernment, we may be able to see who is who, but not perfectly.
Many family members around us say they are Christians but have no fruit of the Spirit, and hate the true Christians because they hate anyone who will not elevate them, and especially any believer who will address sinful attitudes and actions.
I am thankful God told me all of this so that when I see the inconsistencies and the rejection by those who say they are Christians, we will know what is happening and walk in peace and joy in spite of the arrows that the devil lobs at us through the false judgments of family members.
One of the biggest schemes of the devil is to attempt to make believers feel guilty about doing or saying what we are led to by the Holy Spirit. He is the accuser of the brethren and wants to silence us through guilt and insecurity. He uses people to manipulate us into silence, but those who are strong will not comply; they will remain strong and resolute no matter what people may do to us or say about us.
When we realize most people who say they are Christians not only do not follow the Bible but are likely not born again, we do not have to take their personal attacks as anything to be concerned about.
In fact, in recent years, I have developed a sense of humor about the assaults and ambushes of those who want me to fail because I see it as "boot camp" for learning to be stronger with each new strike.
Romans 5:3-4"3 And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;"
James 1:12 "12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
The devil will use people to make us believe we have sinned in some way when we follow Christ and assert His truth. They will make up lies about our conduct and twist our words while passing on to others the lies they concoct in their heads.
Galatians 6:9 "9 Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary."
Hebrews 12:1-2 Jesus, the Example
12 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
2 Timothy 2:12 "If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us".
All born-again believers do endure to the end no question, but we can be harmed if we listen to the devil and the people he uses. Don't allow those in your life to demean and denigrate your walk with Christ. If you have to be in their presence because there is no escape, endure it as a lesson to strengthen you.
The devil wants us to respond to wicked people the way they treat us, we must resist and be the one who is not like them. No matter how mean they become, we refuse to be rude and mean like them. We must ignore their nonsense and be led by the Holy Spirit.
The more we refuse to be like them, the worse they will get, or perhaps, in God's mercy, they will repent because their own example becomes too ugly to face anymore when they don't have anything to point to that we did or said that was offensive.
This is why God said to bless those who curse us, so that if they accuse us, it is better they tell a lie than have a half-truth to share in their gossip.
Luke 6:28-30 "28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[a] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back."
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 "…12 What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
We are to remove from our lives those who claim to be Christian but display none of the fruit of God's Spirit. The reason is to keep ourselves from becoming like them.
Proverbs 26:4-5 " 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes."
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Just to be clear, a godly person never treats one person with contempt and another with kindness; they always treat everyone the same, because they cannot be on the outside something different from what is on the inside. The ungodly are pretenders who have two different personas, one they show to those they wish to impress and the other to those they despise.
A narcissist will treat special those they wish to impress and those they hold in hatred and contempt with rudeness. A born-again believer could never do this; their character is that of Christ, and He is not a respector of persons according to status or personal biases.
Yes, pretenders will misuse the Bible to find an excuse to be mean and rude to others out of jealousy, anger over silly things, and the desire to be superior to someone; they always choose those they think are weak, and they consider it weak to be loving, kind, and all the rest of the fruit of the Spirit.
Those who are narcissists must always feel superior to be happy; they are the saddest of all creatures because they cannot enjoy and appreciate life unless they feel loftier than others. They are jealous of those who succeed in a way they have not and can never share in the joy of those who love Christ.
Praise God that those who have been born again have no need to be condescending; they are full of the joy of the Lord because Christ lives in them, and He is all they need. Treating people disrespectfully is unthinkable to a born-again believer; they cannot do it, and if they fall from an emotional weakness, they confess it quickly because the sense of shame they feel over acting badly is too intense to ignore; they must confess to be cleansed. The idea of harming someone else is disgraceful; they cannot rest until they have admitted it and comforted the one they harmed.
I have met people who were confronted with their sin against someone else, who justify their sin and pass on a false story in gossip to gain supporters for their anger. These are not born-again believers; I am convinced of this because the Holy Spirit would convict them until they repent.
We are encountering in our day of apostasy many pretenders who have no sense of shame over their self-righteousness, they justify their disrespect with false stories.
Those who do this "self-exaltation" method of demeaning others are full of guilt and shame and must keep poking at those whom they hate with the hope their target will explode so they can accuse them of something. DO NOT REACT TO THOSE WHO TRY TO PUSH YOUR BUTTONS, IGNORE THEM, EVEN BETTER STAY AWAY FROM THEM ENTIRELY IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
Proverbs 22:24-25 "24 Do not make friends with a person given to anger, Or go with a hot-tempered person, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself."
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Our Occupation Does Not Define Us
What job we did, or duties we performed, were never who we were; our heart is who we are, and that goes with us no matter where we are or what we are doing.
So many people feel useless when they retire from a job, as though that career identified them. We are not the job we do; we are on the inside what defines our character. How we do the job and our attitude are what define us.
No matter what job we do or the things we do in retirement, we remain who we are, make our character be what defines us and not our occupation.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 "31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Gentiles or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."
So many people feel useless when they retire from a job, as though that career identified them. We are not the job we do; we are on the inside what defines our character. How we do the job and our attitude are what define us.
No matter what job we do or the things we do in retirement, we remain who we are, make our character be what defines us and not our occupation.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 "31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Gentiles or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."
Friday, December 26, 2025
Who is Our Family?
In our days of apostasy, we don't always know who our family members are and who are not in the family of Christ because of the great deception we encounter every day.
At the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was only one family that was removed before the destruction of the cities of the plains.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world.
There are many people who say they are Christians but who reject the word of God, claiming they are Bible believers. They follow the traditions of men in their culture and negate and minimize God's Word. Many are not members of our family in Christ but would assert they are. With discernment, we may be able to see who is who, but not perfectly.
This is why it is so important to ask questions and assert Scripture, their responses to our openness will be clues about them. We judge those in the church as the Bible commands so that we know who to avoid and who to become friends with.
Matthew 7:21-23 "I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
In a situation like this, in which we cannot always know who is saved and who is not, we must exercise the principles of God. When a person who claims to be a believer will not listen to the truth, while they defend their cultural standards, they cannot be close friends with us.
We are not here to change anyone else; we are here to learn for ourselves what righteousness looks like and follow after that. If others do not share our conviction to obey the word, they cannot walk with us.
One of the greatest delights of authentically born-again believers is the love of discussing the Scriptures. Even when we disagree, we love to share passages that would help us come to a closer agreement. It takes humility and kindness to discuss a disagreement. When arrogance and pride are involved, nothing gets resolved.
When we discover we cannot rationally and reasonably discuss important Biblical matters with someone without their anger emerging is the time to minimize contact with those who are not rational and reasonable, those who see winning as the objective rather than growing closer in the relationship.
God said our primary goal of meeting together as brothers and sisters is to edify one another in the word so that everyone grows.
What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
We do not attend the gathering to be solitary alone with God; we can do that at home. We gather to build up one another in the faith through sharing of psalms, hymns, speaking, sharing, and considering the needs of others in the group. We meet together to help one another grow spiritually and emotionally into mature witnesses for Christ.
Ephesians 5:19 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,"
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Each one of us as believers in Christ must be dedicated to using our gift, not under the direction of any other person, but rather under Christ, His Holy Spirit. Anyone who discourages this must be admonished and removed if they will not listen.
At the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was only one family that was removed before the destruction of the cities of the plains.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world.
There are many people who say they are Christians but who reject the word of God, claiming they are Bible believers. They follow the traditions of men in their culture and negate and minimize God's Word. Many are not members of our family in Christ but would assert they are. With discernment, we may be able to see who is who, but not perfectly.
This is why it is so important to ask questions and assert Scripture, their responses to our openness will be clues about them. We judge those in the church as the Bible commands so that we know who to avoid and who to become friends with.
Ungodly people who say they are Christians but act in cloddish worldly ways will undermine our own walk if we spend too much time with them.
Matthew 7:21-23 "I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
In a situation like this, in which we cannot always know who is saved and who is not, we must exercise the principles of God. When a person who claims to be a believer will not listen to the truth, while they defend their cultural standards, they cannot be close friends with us.
We are not here to change anyone else; we are here to learn for ourselves what righteousness looks like and follow after that. If others do not share our conviction to obey the word, they cannot walk with us.
One of the greatest delights of authentically born-again believers is the love of discussing the Scriptures. Even when we disagree, we love to share passages that would help us come to a closer agreement. It takes humility and kindness to discuss a disagreement. When arrogance and pride are involved, nothing gets resolved.
When we discover we cannot rationally and reasonably discuss important Biblical matters with someone without their anger emerging is the time to minimize contact with those who are not rational and reasonable, those who see winning as the objective rather than growing closer in the relationship.
God said our primary goal of meeting together as brothers and sisters is to edify one another in the word so that everyone grows.
What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
We do not attend the gathering to be solitary alone with God; we can do that at home. We gather to build up one another in the faith through sharing of psalms, hymns, speaking, sharing, and considering the needs of others in the group. We meet together to help one another grow spiritually and emotionally into mature witnesses for Christ.
Ephesians 5:19 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,"
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Each one of us as believers in Christ must be dedicated to using our gift, not under the direction of any other person, but rather under Christ, His Holy Spirit. Anyone who discourages this must be admonished and removed if they will not listen.
Thursday, December 25, 2025
One Family Survived with Each Punishment and Another Family Will Survive in the Next
At the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was only one family that was removed before the destruction of the cities of the plains.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world.
In each situation, many people left behind in the destruction were family members who refused to listen to the prophets who spoke for God. They argued against the word of God, even mocked and demeaned it and the prophets because of their stubbornness.
Before the tribulation, there is only one family that will be protected and rescued from the wrath of God, and that is the family of Christ. Those who have trusted in Christ will be taken out before the tribulation. Sadly, many people who will be left behind are family members who refused the truth in favor of their pleasures and self-exaltation.
Christ came into this world to die for the sins of mankind, His death paid for our sins, and His resurrection proved He is God.
There is only one thing every individual must do to be counted in the family of Christ, and that is to believe in Him and desire to be cleansed by Him. If there is no desire to trust in Him or be cleansed by Him, then the belief in Him is in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1-3 "1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,…"
The devil doesn't have to believe in Christ; He already knows Who He is and has rejected Him. And, many people who have heard the gospel will say they believe but never trusted in Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:4-6 "…4 For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test? 6 And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.…"
Each person who says they believe in Christ must examine themselves to see if they have trusted in Him or if they have merely professed without a desire to be transformed by Him. If there is no desire to be changed and controlled by Christ, then there is no salvation.
James 1:23-24 "For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."
Romans 8:10 "But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness."
Many people want to think they are Christians, but have never confessed their sinfulness and have never craved the metamorphosis required by Christ to become His child. A transformation that no one can do to themselves, but is only done by Christ, and once finished can never be changed back again into the old creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Many people want to be seen as good people by joining a Christian club and doing all the rituals, but ignore or reject most of what Christ wrote in His Word, the Bible. They have added to His word things they wish to be true while ignoring Him, His principles, and commands. These same people barely speak of Him, if at all, throughout their week.
Matthew 7:21-23 "I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."
Mark 7:13 "13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."
The modern church is full of traditions of men that negate Christ while claiming to be from Him. These rituals and traditions have diluted the message of Christ and emphasized the pleasures of man.
These traditions are so strong within the gatherings that those who are dominated by them fight to defend what God never commanded and which weakens the Christian walk and often is evidence that those who love them have never trusted Christ.
Not everyone who practices these traditions is unsaved, but at the very least, they massage their fleshly desire to do things their own way while ignoring much of God's Word. However, I notice that the world loves these traditions too. When the world loves something, I have to wonder why they would love anything that is proclaimed as from God?
If the world loves it, then it is most likely not given to us from God. I notice that the celebration God gave us has been ignored by the world and even most Christian gatherings, namely the Lord's Supper, in which believers proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ and what that did for mankind.
Beloved, it is time to pray for discernment so that we will not be sucked into the vortex of worldly and fleshly thinking that entices those who are self-absorbed, self-willed, and looking for enjoyment rather than desiring holiness.
At the time of Noah, there was only one family that was protected from the wrath of God when He destroyed the people of the world.
In each situation, many people left behind in the destruction were family members who refused to listen to the prophets who spoke for God. They argued against the word of God, even mocked and demeaned it and the prophets because of their stubbornness.
Before the tribulation, there is only one family that will be protected and rescued from the wrath of God, and that is the family of Christ. Those who have trusted in Christ will be taken out before the tribulation. Sadly, many people who will be left behind are family members who refused the truth in favor of their pleasures and self-exaltation.
Christ came into this world to die for the sins of mankind, His death paid for our sins, and His resurrection proved He is God.
There is only one thing every individual must do to be counted in the family of Christ, and that is to believe in Him and desire to be cleansed by Him. If there is no desire to trust in Him or be cleansed by Him, then the belief in Him is in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1-3 "1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,…"
The devil doesn't have to believe in Christ; He already knows Who He is and has rejected Him. And, many people who have heard the gospel will say they believe but never trusted in Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:4-6 "…4 For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you— unless you actually fail the test? 6 And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.…"
Each person who says they believe in Christ must examine themselves to see if they have trusted in Him or if they have merely professed without a desire to be transformed by Him. If there is no desire to be changed and controlled by Christ, then there is no salvation.
James 1:23-24 "For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."
Romans 8:10 "But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness."
Many people want to think they are Christians, but have never confessed their sinfulness and have never craved the metamorphosis required by Christ to become His child. A transformation that no one can do to themselves, but is only done by Christ, and once finished can never be changed back again into the old creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 "17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
Ephesians 2:10 "10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Many people want to be seen as good people by joining a Christian club and doing all the rituals, but ignore or reject most of what Christ wrote in His Word, the Bible. They have added to His word things they wish to be true while ignoring Him, His principles, and commands. These same people barely speak of Him, if at all, throughout their week.
Matthew 7:21-23 "I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."
Mark 7:13 "13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."
The modern church is full of traditions of men that negate Christ while claiming to be from Him. These rituals and traditions have diluted the message of Christ and emphasized the pleasures of man.
These traditions are so strong within the gatherings that those who are dominated by them fight to defend what God never commanded and which weakens the Christian walk and often is evidence that those who love them have never trusted Christ.
Not everyone who practices these traditions is unsaved, but at the very least, they massage their fleshly desire to do things their own way while ignoring much of God's Word. However, I notice that the world loves these traditions too. When the world loves something, I have to wonder why they would love anything that is proclaimed as from God?
If the world loves it, then it is most likely not given to us from God. I notice that the celebration God gave us has been ignored by the world and even most Christian gatherings, namely the Lord's Supper, in which believers proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ and what that did for mankind.
Beloved, it is time to pray for discernment so that we will not be sucked into the vortex of worldly and fleshly thinking that entices those who are self-absorbed, self-willed, and looking for enjoyment rather than desiring holiness.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
Love and Enjoy makes a Relationship Grow
God hates obligatory giving, prayer, and service. His desire is that we love and enjoy our Lord in everything.
Accusing God for their own Wickedness
It is interesting that when God gives the world all the freedom to make its own choice between good and evil, they blame Him for not stopping evil when they choose it. If God had forced people to do what was right, the evil people would blame Him for not giving them a choice.
Blaming God for the evil of the world is just an excuse to be angry with God. Those who are angry with God don't care about the evil in the world; they want to be allowed to do it without judgment, and even expect endorsement.
Christ healed people and did many other miracles, and the religious leaders accused Him of doing His miracles by the power of the devil. Those who hate Christ and who hate Christians will always lie, claiming the opposite of what is true.
Christ offered the suffering and wicked world mercy when they repented, heaven when they trusted in Him, peace, joy, and all the fruit of the Spirit, and all they had to do was trust in Him to change them into a new creation.
Stubborn mankind wants its own way even if it ruins them, as long as it makes them feel in charge and powerful in the moment.
Proverbs 28:26 "One who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but one who walks wisely will flee to safety."
Blaming God for the evil of the world is just an excuse to be angry with God. Those who are angry with God don't care about the evil in the world; they want to be allowed to do it without judgment, and even expect endorsement.
Christ healed people and did many other miracles, and the religious leaders accused Him of doing His miracles by the power of the devil. Those who hate Christ and who hate Christians will always lie, claiming the opposite of what is true.
Christ offered the suffering and wicked world mercy when they repented, heaven when they trusted in Him, peace, joy, and all the fruit of the Spirit, and all they had to do was trust in Him to change them into a new creation.
Stubborn mankind wants its own way even if it ruins them, as long as it makes them feel in charge and powerful in the moment.
Proverbs 28:26 "One who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but one who walks wisely will flee to safety."
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