10/09/23 OUR HOPE IS ONLY JESUS

10/09/23 OUR HOPE IS ONLY JESUS

Make no mistake about it, in earthly measurements, the USA is the greatest country that has ever existed.
However, I do not see evidence in the Bible that it will be a player in end times events. As of this moment it is completely conceivable that America could become an overnight byword. 

Those who have loved their country, or their wealth, or their power, or their success or their homes, or their families more than they have loved God are about to come face to face with their own futility and vanity.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and strength...

10/09/23 MEN CLING TO DARKNESS

10/09/23 MEN CLING TO DARKNESS

I don't care what faults you blame on Trump, if he was in office (leading as he was leading), America would not be in the debacle we are in today (economic, crime, oppression, racial divide, on the verge of a Communist regime overthrow of our government, threatened by Islamic radicals and China and Russia). Instead, this present regime has probably taken us to the edge of destruction.

Trump was not our Savior, but Jesus seemed to use him to serve God's purposes, as God also used Cyrus.
If America continues to resist God’s call to repentance and faith, we will cross the Rubicon.

There needs to be an end to the present insanity. But without a turning to Christ, any leader we get can be a Pied Piper to ruin.

10/09/23 SAME BULLIES, SAME BULLSEYES

10/09/23 SAME BULLIES, SAME BULLSEYES 

Open your eyes and ears.

Liberals are always against strong and evil bullies, unless the one being
oppressed and bullied is either the State of Israel or followers of Christ or conservatives in America.

10/08/23 THE STATE AND CHURCH ARE NOT THE SAME

10/08/23 THE STATE AND CHURCH ARE NOT THE SAME

God gave The State (which the Bible differentiates from The Church) the responsibility to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. Most people acknowledge that the primary responsibility of the State is to protect its citizens.

The State includes local regional, national and international systems.

A State, which fails to protect its people is not a legitimate Government. A system that requires disobedience to the revealed word of God is opposed to God.
God gave the State the power of the sword of steel to protect and punish.

When a given system fails to protect, or when it oppresses its people, God often sends judgment on that rogue regime. Sadly, everyone suffers for the wickedness of evil State leaders (including and especially Christians.

The Bible makes it clear that the State is not the Church and the Church is not the State, but both are answerable to God for their own responsibilities. It is not the States right to rule the Church, and it is not the Church's responsibility to wield the sword of steel. Both should work together. But when the State opposes God rule (as found in the New Testament) then Christians must follow and obey God. This is why Christians can support law enforcement and military, though while being Biblical peacemakers.

Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. Christians are to obey the State unless the State's rule is in opposition to God's revealed word. It is better to obey God rather than men.

10/08/23 SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

10/08/23 SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

MISINFORMATION WE'VE BEEN TOLD...
That believers cannot overcome temptation;
That believers cannot obey God and keep His commands;
That believers cannot walk in the light, as Christ is in the light;
That believers cannot be cleansed from all sin;
That believers cannot be cleansed from all unrighteousness;
That believers cannot walk in the Spirit and overcome the lusts of the flesh;
That believers cannot live victoriously over sin and temptation;
That believers cannot be holy or pure or righteous, even as God is holy, pure and righteous;
That believers cannot be perfect in love, even as our heavenly Father is perfect in love;
That believers cannot be delivered from sin's power and pollution, in this present evil world;
That believers cannot be delivered from Satan and temptation, in this present evil world;
That believers cannot have victory over the World, the Flesh, the Devil, Sin and Temptation in this present evil age.
That the Word of God cannot or will not protect us from sinning;
That believers cannot do that which is pleasing in God's sight;
That believers must sin every day, in word, thought and deed.

INFORMATION WE'VE BEEN DENIED...
That the Blood of Christ, the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God saves the believer from sinning.
That God, Who dwells in believers, is greater than he (the devil) that is in this world;
That believers can walk in victory;
That God enables believers to always triumph in Christ;
That God makes believers more than conquerors through Christ;
That believers can be dead to sin;
That believers can build themselves up in God's holy faith;
That believers can keep themselves in the love of God;
That God is able to keep believers from falling;
That believers can be steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord;
That believers can be cleansed of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and be perfected in holiness;
That the fullness of the Holy Spirit purifies the heart of the believer;
That God requires and provides cleansing of the life and purifying of the heart.
And the list goes on and on and on.

WHY THEY SAY IT
They either do not know what the Bible says or they choose to not believe what the Bible says;
In Either Case, They Don't Believe...
They don't believe in Biblical salvation;
They don't believe in Biblical grace of God;
They don't believe that Christians are new creations, old things are past away and all things become new.
They don't believe in the indwelling and leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians.

Instead, They Believe...
That God is unable to save faithful believers from sin and sinning,
or
That God is unwilling to save faithful believers from sin and sinning,
or
That God wills for faithful believers to remain in sin and sinning,
or
That God does not care that faithful believers continue in sin and sinning.

Salvation Truth...
Salvation is not man doing his best.
Salvation is not man doing his best with God's assistance.
Salvation is God doing His miraculous work through loving, obedient, submissive children.

Remember...
Jesus came to save His people from their sins.

10/06/23 MEN FAIL GRACE

10/06/23 MEN FAIL GRACE 

When a follower of Christ falls into sin, the grace of God did not fail that person, that person failed of the grace of God (fell short of the grace of God; failed to live by the grace of God).

Hebrews 12:14-17
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

10/04/23 ONLY ONE GOD

10/04/23 ONLY ONE GOD

There is only one God (God by nature), as the word is used in English. There are so-called "gods," by either self appointment or other appointment, but they are not the One True and Living God.

In the truest sense of the word there is only one God. There is only one Supreme, Eternal, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Immutable God.
God said concerning Himself that there was no god before Him and neither shall there be another god after Him.
He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Acts 17:29
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Romans 1:22-23
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Galatians 4:8
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Timothy 1:17
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Titus 2:13-14
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

10/04/23 SPIRITUAL DUE DILIGENCE

10/04/23 SPIRITUAL DUE DILIGENCE

The Roman religion interpreted the Bible for their followers, but then came the Reformation, when the Reformers became the interpreters of the Bible.

Translators, printers and publishers have made it possible for individuals and the masses to read the Bible independently. While scholarship and accuracy are essential to proper interpretation, the Holy Spirit is the primary and best interpreter of the Bible, and the Bible is the best commentary on the Bible.

In the past it has been "experts" who have misinformed people concerning the Scriptures. I am constantly finding modern misconceptions about the Bible and about Christian living, based on misinterpretations from the past, which were rooted in previous errors of men.

Today the misinformation flows freely on the internet. Again, the experts are following the misinformation of previous men who had a misunderstanding of Scripture.

It is not always easy to know and understand the truth. However, a faithful and consistent commitment to what the Bible says, and restates and explains is a step in the right direction.

We can and we should appreciate scholarship, but we need to be personal students of the Bible, allowing it to interpret itself, rather than allowing people to explain why it does not mean what it says.

10/03/23 DON'T BE CONFUSED BY THE CONFUSERS

10/03/23 DON'T BE CONFUSED BY THE CONFUSERS

Occasionally I watch or read something said by J. MacArthur, J. White, R.C. Sproul, J. Piper, Arthur Pink, W. Grudem, N. Geisler, and a slew of other popular Reformed and Calvinistic teachers. Listening to them explain Wesleyan doctrine is like watching Liberal media explain the Southern Border situation. They ain't got nary a clue.

Some of the things they say are so wrong, so confused, so misleading that I actually question their honesty, since they are too intelligent to be that much in error. I have heard some of them not only say things that are inaccurate concerning Wesleyan doctrines, I have also heard them on other occasions espouse those same Biblical truths, then contradict themselves by saying that the Bible does not mean what it actually says. Sometimes it seems like something is wrong with them.

For instance, I often hear people attack the Biblical doctrine of Perfect Love, by saying that those who believe in being made perfect (as Jesus said), actually believe that we are made Absolutely Perfect in every way, and they falsely accuse us of saying we can never sin again or we will never sin again. I have heard them say we excuse sin by calling sin, "mistakes." I have had some tell me personally that Jesus does not save us from our sins in this life, but only saves us from the penalty of sin.

I have heard and read people who actually admit that Jesus calls us to a Perfection and then they say that it is not possible to experience the Perfection offered and required by God.

They build a straw man, and call him "Wesleyan," then attack the false accusations they have ascribed to their make-believe "Wesleyan," and then as they attack the false narrative they invented, they mockingly rejoice in supposedly exposing and debunking Wesleyan heresies. Then the followers of the false teachers go out and falsely rail against Wesleyans.

If you are going to disbelieve a doctrine, it is a good idea to understand the doctrine.

Having heard them misinterpret so many Wesleyan doctrines explains to me how they also misunderstand and misrepresent other basic Biblical doctrines.

10/03/23 KNOW YOUR WARFARE

10/03/23 KNOW YOUR WARFARE

The New Testament makes it clear that Christians killing people (for any reason) is not commanded or commended or condoned, in fact, it is condemned by God in the New Testament.

The erroneous idea that God allows Christians to kill people (for any reason) did not come from the New Testament, but came from the faulty teaching of the Roman religion and was followed by her errant descendants in the Protestant Reformation.

I realize that many well meaning Christians (mostly modern and western) believe that it is expected for Christians to kill other people (in military battle, in self defense, in defense of property). I love those errant believers, but their beliefs are contrary to the New Testament.

This does not mean that Christians are cowardly, or passive or pacifistic, or anti-law enforcement or anti-military. (But that is a different subject, to be addressed at a different time.)
The point is that the New Testament does not allow or promote Christians taking violent, life threatening action against our enemies.

It is time for those who claim to be Bible followers to follow in the steps of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, Whose kingdom is not of this world, Whose weapons are not fleshly, and we are to cease taking personal, violent action against other people, since our enemies are not human but they are spiritual, principalities and powers. We are to do good to our enemies and we are to love them. This may include losing everything we have, including our very lives.

Loving your enemy does not mean loading your enemies gun or sacrificing others to their violence. Loving God means that we obey God rather than men, when the directives, the practices of our enemies are in conflict with the rule of God.

We are witnesses for Christ, and the Biblical word, "witness" comes from the Greek word, which means "martyr." Christ has sent us out to be witnesses, not executioners. In fact, we are referred to as "witnesses," and "ambassadors" rather than judges, prosecutors, jurors, jailers, or policemen. Witnesses and ambassadors are messengers of peace, reconciliation, restoration. We bear the Sword of the Spirit, not the sword of steel.

In the New Testament passages, which use militaristic imagery concerning Christians, the subject refers to our commitment, loyalty, submission to God as our Authority and to His mission. God's mission for believers is to rescue the lost, not execute the lost; we are to fight the good fight of faith, not the fight of the flesh; we are to engage spiritual powers and defeat them, we are not to physically attack enemies of the cross; the only blood letting associated with the Christian mission is proclaiming the death of Christ on the cross and His physical resurrection, and our own willingness to die in His service.

There is not a hint of disagreement in the New Testament to the fact that we are to pursue peace with all men; that we are called to be peace makers; that we are to be willing to die; that we love our enemies; that we do not physically fight for an earthly kingdom.

We can serve our country in various ways, but our service to any country must never be in conflict with the mission of God, which was exemplified in the death, resurrection and teachings of Christ and the writings of the New Testament Prophets and Apostles.

Don't be led astray by the teachings of men who came along after the New Testament and the practices of the earliest church. So-called "violent" Christianity is not New Testament. As with other great truths of the Bible, this Biblical position is not popular with the world. But remember, we are not answerable to men, we are answerable to God and His word.

10/03/23 DON'T WAIT TOO LATE TO PACK

10/03/23 DON'T WAIT TOO LATE TO PACK

Most of the time folks do not have a clear notification about an impending and sudden death (whether their own or someone else's death).

Even with a warning, few people are able to restore broken relationships or lives.

Sometimes one party is not interested enough to heal a broken relationship (with loved one, former friend or even with God).

Sometimes the unwilling party has not only contributed greatly to the broken relationship, they are also a contributing factor to the broken heart and broken health of the one who wants to restore the relationship.

I have said for years, "sin makes you stupid." When people stand before God and see how they neglected and rejected the treasures of God, while clinging to the pleasures of self satisfaction, it will be too late. Not only will they not be able to make things right, they won't have (and never will have) a desire to do the right thing. This is why the Lake of Fire is forever.

After living a life of self satisfaction comes an eternity of self imposed condemnation.

IT AIN'T WORTH IT.

Hebrews 9:27
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:7-8
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

10/01/23 GOD'S TRAINING CAMP

10/01/23 GOD'S TRAINING CAMP

Burger King has a great slogan, for a fast food place. HAVE IT YOUR WAY.
But it is a terrible slogan for most other areas of life, especially the spiritual life.

I like a good buffet (breakfast buffet, salad bar, seafood buffet to name a few).
At a buffet you take what you want and leave the rest.
But again, the idea of a buffet is not applicable to a spiritual life.
God's spiritual diet is not optional; it is obligatory for strength, health, life.

God sets the standards, the limits, the requirements for spiritual life. The Christian life is not a "pick and choose" for yourself.
This is the reason that unsurrendered people are not Christians. You cannot be a Christian if you are not surrendered to the rule of God.

God sets the standards for all of life.
God sets the standards for receiving new life.
God sets the standards for living the spiritual life.
God sets the standards for righteousness, truth, sanctity, honesty, loyalty, unity, civility.
God sets the standards for right human relationships, with Himself and with our family, the church, society and government.

Violating God's standards is failure, it leads to more failure, it ends in ruin and eternal separation from God.

If we don't like an item on the fast-food menu, we can choose something else on the menu, and it is okay.
If we don't like the cuisine at the restaurant, we can choose a different restaurant, and it is okay.
If we don't like the service at one store, we can choose a different store, and it is okay.

If folks do not like the restrictions of monogamy, God does not allow seeking intimacy with another person.
If parents do not like the responsibilities of parenthood, God does not allow them to abandon their children.
If citizens do not like legitimate laws, God does not allow them to commit crimes.
If people do not like Biblical standards, instructions, responsibilities held by one church, God does not allow them to look for a church with a more "seeker friendly" atmosphere.

Marriage is a Divine institution, which must be honored according to God's view.
Parenting is a Divine responsibility, which must be followed according to God's directives.
Obedience to legitimate authority is a Divine obligation, which must be observed.
Salvation and right relationships in a local church are Divinely established, which must be followed and maintained.

Wrong is wrong, regardless of where it is, and even when it is not called wrong, wrong is still wrong.

And never forget, Christian obedience to God and pleasing God is love in action. We do His will because we love Him. Christian living is not motivated by legalism, but is the result of Divine transformation.

09/30/23 FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH

09/30/23 FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH

God's word reveals God's nature.
God's works are consistent with His word.
God is just, righteous, true.
God is loving (He is love), merciful, compassionate, forgiving.
God's sovereign rule is aligned with His love, justice, mercy, compassion, truth, righteousness.

The Biblical narrative is this:
We either willfully trust His grace and accept His Lordship or He judges us for our deliberate rebellion and disobedience.

09/29/23 FIND AND FOLLOW GOD'S PLAN

09/29/23 FIND AND FOLLOW GOD'S PLAN

God designed Adam to be in community with God and God provided for Adam's fallen children to turn from sin
God knew Adam would not only corrupt his relationship with God, but he would also corrupt all of his offspring.
God had a plan from the beginning to restore Adam and all of corrupted humanity, based on a willingness to trust and submit to God.
God created mankind, even in our fallen condition, with the ability to trust and obey God or reject and disobey God.
God was not finished with fallen mankind because of the sin of Adam. In fact, when a person sins against God, God continues to extend mercy, grace, love, salvation, time and again.
God did not create us for the express purpose to punish or torment us.
God created us to experience and enjoy a loving relationship with Him through Christ.
God covers the inherited corruption of pre-born and new born and infant children. God designed children to be receptive and submissive to Him.
God does judge and punish the lost, but it is because the lost persist in choosing sin and have refused to accept God's light into their lives.
God's call is offered through our evangelizing.
God's enabling is provided to whosoever will hear and believe Him.

And yes. This is all based on Biblical truth, which is based on God's nature and His acts of salvation.

Those who have heard, but refuse to submit to God's loving and righteous rule will suffer eternal separation and judgment.

The power of God is greater than the power of darkness, but God allows us to decide to either come under His Lordship or continue in our own carnal way.

09/28/23 A MORE TELLING SIGN

09/28/23 A MORE TELLING SIGN

We are seeing natural disasters (fires, floods, storms, disease), as well as wars and rumors of wars spread globally along with various forms of man's inhumanity to man. These are two categories of, "end times" conditions. These problems have always been present, but the they are intensifying in occurrence, extent, rapidity, severity.

Maybe more telling evidence, concerning the status of the world, is the corruption of man and the corrupting of the message of the Bible. We are watching the horrors of sin on the world-wide stage and in the lives of individuals as they are developing day by day. 

The blatant rejection of God and His word and His grace and His salvation and His people is running rampant, even among those who loudly profess faith in Him. Paul said this would happen. (I have formatted and marked (with an asterisk *) the passage in order to highlight the specific points).
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2
* For men shall be
* lovers of their own selves,
*covetous,
* boasters,
* proud,
* blasphemers,
* disobedient to parents,
* unthankful,
* unholy,
3
* Without natural affection,
* trucebreakers,
* false accusers,
* incontinent,
* fierce,
* despisers of those that are good,
4
*Traitors,
* heady,
* highminded,
* lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5
* Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
*from such turn away.

DLG note
As walking in light leads to light, so walking in grace leads to grace.
Grace produces graciousness.
Likewise, walking in rebellion leads to walking in rebellion.

To ignore, reject, redefine or repackage saving grace will morph into a life lacking social graces (self control, kindness, humility, civility, compassion, cordiality, courteousness, fairness, decency, honesty).

Be gracious, do not be graceless.