09/28/25 THIS YOU CAN KNOW

09/28/25 THIS YOU CAN KNOW

You can always know it is NOT a Christian who commits an act of violence. Read the New Testament.

It may be someone who claims to be a Christian, but it will never be an actual follower of Christ.

Saved people do not commit acts of violence.

09/27/25 AT LEAST CONSIDER THIS...

09/27/25 AT LEAST CONSIDER THIS...

I know my constant insistence that God saves us from sin, and not simply the penalty of sin, causes some folks a little (or maybe considerable) concern.

I know some folks have been taught that sin is inherent to the human nature and cannot be escaped as long as we are in the flesh (which they misunderstand to mean the physical body).

Some have been taught that Christians must observe Old Testament Ceremonial, Sacrificial and Dietary Laws.

Others have been taught that we cannot keep the moral law of God, even though we are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, in spite of the many passages which clearly tell us we must, we should, we can obey God, keep His commandments, and do that which is pleasing in His sight.

There are people who deny that we can walk in victory, and be more than conquerors, and that we can always triumph in Christ and we can overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, and we can be cleansed of all sin and pure, even as Christ is pure, and we can walk in the light, even as Christ is in the light.

I know my constantly declaring these great Biblical truths wear some people out.

But at least think about these things.

Does the Bible (the New Testament in particular) tell us that God does not want us to live a life of loving submission to His will, to His word, to His commands, or does it tell us the opposite?
Which side of this issue do you proclaim?

Does the Bible (the New Testament in particular) tell us that God cannot save us from all sin in this present life, or does the Bible tell us the opposite?

What to you tell people, with great conviction and joy?

If you could, would you live your life daily in joyful submission to the will of God or would you struggle and fail to walk in His steps?

If you sit down with the Bible, without any outside sources, would you find more verses that direct us to living faithfully or more verses which excuse us for being unfaithful to God?

Would you find more verses that promise God's deliverance from sin and sinning or more verses that says God will not deliver us from sin and sinning?

Would you find more verses that say we will be judged by our deeds, words and thoughts or that we won't be judged and rewarded according to our deeds?

Do you see the death of Christ on the cross as the Father's loving sacrifice to take away our sins and guilt and punishment, or do you see the death of Christ as an angry act of a wrath driven God, punishing His Son as a pervert who is hated by the Father?

09/27/25 THE PRICE WAS SACRIFICE, NOT PUNISHMENT

09/27/25 THE PRICE WAS SACRIFICE, NOT PUNISHMENT

Jesus did pay the price (i.e. death as the sacrifice for our sin), to save us from the guilt and penalty (punishment) of our sin.

He did not die as the payment to a wrathful god or to suffer as the penalty (punishment) for our sin.

Jesus became the Father's loving and benevolent sin sacrifice for sinners (as the verse should say). He did not become sin, rebellion, corruption, pollution, perversion, wickedness, evil, abomination as the object of an angry and vengeful god.

As the holy Sacrifice of God, Jesus atoned, propitiated, satisfied the justice of a holy and merciful God.

If we don't trust in His salvation, we will be objects of His scorn, wrath and His just judgement.

Jesus became, and was our worthy Sacrifice, and He did it without ever having or becoming sin.

09/25/25 IT IS SIN, SIN MAKES YOU CRAZY

09/25/25 IT IS SIN, SIN MAKES YOU CRAZY

It is past time to quit referring to evil people as being mentally ill, deranged, crazy, unbalanced, insane, etc. and quit blaming their wicked behavior on something other than their own violent, perverted, arrogant, twisted views.

There are people who have brain damage and people who have physical conditions which cause them to be "disturbed" to the point of not being morally responsible. But that does not explain the evil, violent, perversion, which is running rampant in a godless, immoral, amoral world. What we are seeing is systemic, it is not individual or biological. It is sin. It is man without God. It is man without accountability. It is man in opposition to Biblical authority and moral boundaries. It is the spirit of the age, which will continue to get worse as people move away from the Lordship of Christ and Biblical revelation.

Sin comes in all colors, shapes, religions, nationalities, political persuasions, academic levels, social strata, and both genders. However, when any movement adopts anti-Biblical views or anti-Christian standards, then it is time to renounce and denounce that movement.

American slavery was wrong, but not every southerner was in favor of slavery and not every northerner was without racial bigotry. In other words, when a system is vile then a Christian needs to cut the cord, whether it is political, social, cultural, racial or related to religious beliefs.

At the present time the so-called Progressives, Liberals, the Democrat Party, stands on a totally godless, Christless platform. There is no reason or excuse for a Chrisitan to align with a party that is promoting Socialism, killing babies, mutilating children, gender bending, sexual transitioning, opposition to the family, faith and freedom.

I have known Christians who have been deceived concerning some of these issues, but no one can continue in the faith if they continue in the darkness of these abominations. It is one thing for a believer to be snared by the enemy; it is another when the individual sides with the Christless agenda.

God calls people out of darkness, but He does not allow those people to remain deceived. There is enough spiritual light today that no one should ever vote for the lies and oppression of the BurroCrats.

Sometimes people move from simply being deceived by the enemy to becoming an active proponent of Sinsanity.

Seek Jesus. He will save you from the Prince of Darkness. He will deliver you from the world, the flesh and the devil. He will lead you into truth. He will enable you to stand against the enemies of the cross.

09/25/25 I MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH

09/25/25 I MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH

(this ain't about 4 1/2 miles a day)

I have a goal to walk 10,000 steps a day, for my health. I know that is not an impressive goal, but it is a challenge for me for various reasons (time, energy, knees). I had been walking 12,000 to 20,000 steps a day at the beginning of the year, but ailments and injuries caused me to set a lower goal. Even with the lower goal l had to go slowly because of knee pain.

I have been reaching my goal of 10,000 steps for the majority of the last 7 months and I have been hitting my target since June 27th until yesterday. That is only 4 days short of 13 weeks (3 full months, 1/4 of a year). I missed my goal by only 58 steps (approximately 1/2 of 1%). What makes it more disheartening is I didn't miss my goal because of injury or lack of time or lack of energy. I missed my goal because I was distracted. By the time I realized that I had only a few steps to reach my goal, it was 3 minutes past midnight.

Okay, it is not a big deal, but it was for me. I don't like missing goals. I don't like coming short. I don't like failing. As far as my health is concerned, it doesn't really matter. My body doesn't realize I missed my goal by 58 steps. After all, that is less than 6/10ths of a 1%. But it was a miss, and it messed up my success record. And I missed it by only 4 minutes. AND IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS DISTRACTED. It was not injury, time, or obligation, IT WAS DISTRACTION.

Well, if this post is not about my physical goal of walking, what is it about?

We can miss the really important goals of life by a finite measurement because of distractions. We cannot help that various factors sometimes keep us from reaching our goals in life, but a distraction, a minor distraction, a minor distraction for a finite moment of time can ruin our record, can rob us of victory, can change our direction.

As I said earlier, I am goal oriented, I hate to lose, fail, come short, therefore something as insignificant as 1/2 of 1% bothers me, even in the non-essentials of life.

However, losing, failing or coming short in the important things of life can be devastating. It can ruin our life, it can ruin a relationship, it can ruin our walk with God. While there is forgiveness for repented sin, there may still be immeasurable losses. And let's face it, a momentary lapse often leads to a long-term practice. And even if we make things right with God through repentance, the harm caused by some missteps cannot be corrected.

We will make mistakes, but we must make sure we don't allow sin, even momentary, "insignificant" sin, into our lives. And distractions can result in sin.

We can keep our eyes upon Jesus, we can walk in the light as He is in the light, we can be faithful unto death, we can obey Him and do that which is pleasing in His sight. But it requires our deliberate trust, submission, watchfulness.

The faithful life is not a weight around our neck. If we love God as we should, then faithfulness is a lifejacket that keeps us safe; it is a prize that rewards our victory.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Do not veer to the left or to the right but walk in the strait (and the straight) and narrow way. Don't get distracted and therefore get off course. There is a cost to getting off course and sometimes the cost is catastrophic. But God calls us to victory, He calls us to be more than conquerors, He calls us to continually walk in triumph, and He enables us to do be overcomers.

09/24/25 READ AND HEED

09/24/25 READ AND HEED

I know this is super basic, but maybe someone needs to hear it.

When you read the Bible devotionally, remember, it is God speaking to you through His word and by His Spirit.

You better hear and heed. Your life depends on it.

Read and heed and follow God's lead.

09/18/25 PEACHER AND PASTOR

09/18/25 PEACHER AND PASTOR

I am a preacher, and I am a pastor. I love both ministries and titles.

As a preacher I call the unsaved to repentance ("cleanse your hands you sinners").
As a pastor I call the saved to heart purity ("purify your hearts you double minded").
As a follower of Christ, I urge and encourage all believers to, "follow Jesus" (fully), and to "go into all the world, making disciples of all nations... teaching them to observe (obey) all things God commands."

He sought us, to save us from the guilt, shame, penalty and life of sinful living in this present evil world.
He saves us, to sanctify (deliver and purify) us entirely from the power and pollution of the inherent sin nature.
He sanctifies us completely, to send us to walk as He walked and to seek the lost.

I love the office and work of "preacher" and "pastor."
I love God, His call and His full salvation.

09/17/25 OLD REALITY IS NEW TO MOST

09/17/25 OLD REALITY IS NEW TO MOST

I have tons to say about the terrible shooting, murder, assassination and apparent "martyrdom" of a Christian witness.

I have written very little this week because I have covered and reiterated and worn out the same subjects, "the ISSUES" (as they were called by those who chose not to put their lives and their families on the line for Jesus) for the past 45 years. Not only have I cried aloud and spared not, but I have also led my people in a very unpopular life of spiritual warfare that has cost them their careers, their material wealth, belongings, their homes, their relationships with friends and family members, their planned ministries and services to God. Some were faced with the very real threat of losing their children to the State and going to prison for their faith. This is not froth, this is fact. As believers, and as individual Christians we lost our testimony in the minds of fellow Christians and other church bodies. We were accused of cultism and "man following."

All of this because we not only addressed the rising tide of a God hating Laodicedan world, which would reject the most basic of Christian beliefs and common sense, but we chose practical responses to the rising attacks on Christian faith and practice in a changing world. People and churches saw the encroachment of darkness but did no more than raise an eyebrow and maybe a little verbal disagreement. People and their pastors were not willing to put their lives, their wealth, their social standing, their politics, their reputations their families or social advantages at jeopardy for choosing to follow Jesus rather than the world. They compromised away the Lordship of Christ over their lives and His Headship over His Church.

Though my people suffered these losses (as minor as they may seem to have been), they gained much greater benefits. They drew closer to God, they grew in grace and knowledge, they grew in brotherly love. We learned deeper lessons about living by faith, and following Him in every situation.

Our children benefited and our grandchildren benefited. They were brought up with Christian education and ethics that have protected them from the drug, perversion, insanity, Libertinism, Nihilism, Materialism, Secularism, baseless Scientism, errant Intellectualism, hopeless Naturalism and oppressive Statism. Our children were raised unapologetically to be Bible believers.

The very things we were ostracized for and the very things that people called "issues" have become the hallmarks of the most insane period of human culture in history.

This is not to say that we never lost anyone along the way or that no one ever wavered in their journey. But Sinsanity and Idiocracy have taken a much smaller toll on our folks than on the general Church population. Some of those people have entered this present period of chaos, violence, perversion and godless intolerance as well trained, hopeful, veterans of spiritual warfare.

Don't misunderstand me. I am not saying it is always the fault of the parent when children who grow up to be rebellious. After all, Adam and Eve had every benefit anyone could ever have, but they turned away from God. Each person makes his or her own choices. Still, we as parents should give our children every possible benefit to meet and surrender to Christ as soon as possible.

So, it is not that I don't have tons of things to say about today's chaotic world. I have more to say than I have time to say it. But I am amazed as I hear politicians, media people, government leaders around the world, celebrities, intellectuals, champions in athletics, religious leaders, Christian leaders finally say the very things that they condemned us for saying 40 years ago, and for actually taking action to resist, reject and renounce the dark agenda of the god of this world.

From all reports, Charlie Kirk was first and foremost a witness for Christ and salvation. He dealt with a myriad of moral issues, but that is because Christianity exists as the only right response to a world that has lost its moral compass.

Charlie Kirk repeatedly said four things of utmost importance throughout his life's mission.
* Receive and follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
* Quit sinning.
* Find and become a part of a strong Bible believing church.
* When the talking stops, the violence begins.

Charlie Kirk constantly demonstrated that love and peaceful communication was the way of success. He was attempting to raise an army of people who wielded the Sword of the Spirit. He did not boast in chariots but in being soldiers of the cross.

I suggest that it is not yet too late to raise the cross as a rallying point for the lost people around us. Don't miss your opportunity to turn people around, to reconcile the lost to Jesus.

09/15/25 STUMBLING DOES NOT REQUIRE STAYING

09/15/25 STUMBLING DOES NOT REQUIRE STAYING

It is possible for a believer in Christ to be deceived concerning essential truths, but it is impossible to continue in the faith while walking against God's light. To stumble, falter, to be deterred into holding anti-Christian beliefs will result in being cut off from God.

Remember, we must walk (continue, live, advance) in the light, in order to be cleansed from sin.

1 John 1:7

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

09/15/25 GLAD AND SAD

09/15/25 GLAD AND SAD

I am glad for the good work that Charlie Kirk did, in such an extraordinary fashion.

I am not glad that he had to do that work BECAUSE pastors and churches across America refused to do their own jobs.

Charlie Kirk was not the answer to a world gone mad (though his message was), he was an answer to a church gone dead.

09/15/25 MY ROLE AS A PROPHET

09/15/25 MY ROLE AS A PROPHET

I have experienced a wide range of roles in my ministry call, including preaching (proclaiming), pastoring (which includes warning, comforting, teaching truth [Scriptural, doctrinal, practical, relational, historical, cultural]), correcting, reproving, instructing in righteousness, evangelizing, counseling, administrating, leading, interceding, envisioning, reconciling.

Early in my ministry I asked God to enable me to do the work of a prophet, specifically to cry aloud and spare not, as He directed Isaiah.
Isaiah 58:1
1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

A preacher of the truth reproves the works of darkness on the personal and social and national levels. There is no such thing as preaching the gospel without exposing the wickedness of men and wicked government. I prefer exhorting individuals to righteousness, but I must also expose the vile corruption of society and wayward government.

This does not mean being a crude, unfeeling, ruthless hammer of judgment. There should not be any joy in the thought of people being lost, being ruined and going to hell. My job as a preacher or pastor is reconciliation through faith in the Lamb of God, slain for our transgressions and raised for our deliverance.

I much rather prefer proclaiming the riches and the glory of God, the mercy and grace of God and His salvation, than uttering the judgments of God, the horrors of hell, the filthiness of sin. Proclaiming the whole counsel of God includes the righteous judgment of God and the loving reconciliation of God through Christ.

God prefers to draw us to Himself through His blessings, but He will resort to driving people through His judgments, and then He will leave them to their evil devices if they do not turn from their wicked ways.
Being a faithful messenger of God includes being instant in season and out of season (when it is convenient and when it is inconvenient), planting and uprooting, building up and tearing down, judgment and mercy. 

Being a messenger of God means that I have encountered and taken a relentless hold of God. It also means that I must engage the Enemy of our souls and fight the good fight of faith, leading forward in battle and victory over Darkness and defeat.

As a pastor, as a preacher of the gospel, as a prophet of God, I want people to be drawn to a closer walk with God, but if they are not hearing and heeding the truth of victory, then I must pull back the curtain of God's righteous judgment against sin and sinners. This is the call, the ministry, the responsibility of every pastor. This is what every pastor, church, believer should be doing. But sadly, this isn't the reality today.

09/13/25 FILL FILLED FILLING FULL

09/13/25 FILL FILLED FILLING FULL

I compiled this list of New Testament verses (KJV), which refers to the spiritual condition of believers (referred to as POSITIVES) and to non-believers (referred to as NEGATIVES), concerning being filled (fill, filled, filling, full) with either blessings of God (41 "POSITIVES" passages; 57 verses) or the results of resisting and rejecting God (15 "NEGATIVES" passages; 36 verses). I designated a few passages with an asterisk (*), which indicates that the verse addresses both the Positive and the Negative side.

There are a few other verses, which could have been added, but I chose verses which were easily seen to convey my criteria. I have given some context to emphasize the point.

I could have told you what the end result was for the "filling," but you can do that for yourself, since the verse is right in front of you. We determine what will fill our hearts.

James 4:8
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

POSITIVES
Matthew 5:6
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
(dlg... filled with righteousness)

Matthew 6:21-22
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
(dlg... filled with light)

Luke 1:15
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
(dlg... John the baptizer, filled with the Holy Spirit)

Luke 1:41
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
(dlg... John the baptizer, filled with the Holy Spirit)

Luke 1:67
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
(dlg... Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit)

Luke 2:40
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
(dlg... filled with wisdom)

Luke 4:1
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
(dlg... full of the Holy Spirit)

*Luke 11:34
34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.*
(dlg... full of light)

John 1:14
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(dlg... full of grace and truth)

John 15:11
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 16:24
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
(dlg... full of joy)

Acts 2:2
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
(dlg... presence of Holy Spirit filled the house)

Acts 2:4
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
(dlg... filled with Holy Spirit)

Acts 2:28
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
(dlg... full of joy)

Acts 4:8
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
(dlg... filled with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 4:31
31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(dlg... filled with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 6:3
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
(dlg... full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom)

Acts 6:5-7
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
(dlg... full of faith)

Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
(dlg... full of faith and power)

Acts 7:54-55
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
(dlg... full of the Holy Spirit)

Acts 9:17
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
(dlg... filled with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 9:36
36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
(dlg... full of good works and charitable giving)

Acts11:24
24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
(dlg... full of the Holy Spirit and faith)

Acts 13:9
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
(dlg... filled with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 13:52
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
(dlg... filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit)

Acts 14:16-17
16 Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
(dlg... filling our hearts with food and gladness)

Romans 15:13-14
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
(dlg... fill you with Joy and peace; and they were full of goodness, filled with knowledge)

1 Corinthians 4:6-8
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
(dlg... full, rich, reigned as kings...)

Ephesians 3:19
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
(dlg... filled with all the fulness of God)

Ephesians 5:18
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
(dlg... filled with the Spirit)

Philippians 1:11
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
(dlg... filled with the fruits of righteousness)

Colossians 1:9
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
(dlg... filled with knowledge of His will)

Colossians 1:24
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:***
(dlg... fill up what is behind in the afflictions of Christ)

Colossians 2:2-3
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
(dlg... full assurance of understanding)

2 Timothy 1:4
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
(dlg... filled with joy)

Hebrews 6:10-12
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(dlg... to the full assurance of hope unto the end)

Hebrews 10:22-23
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
(dlg... full assurance of faith)

James 3:17-18
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
(dlg... full of mercy and good fruits)

1 Peter 1:7-9
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(dlg... full of glory)

1 John 1:4
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
(dlg... joy may be full)

2 John 1:8
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
(dlg... receive a full reward)

2 John 1:12
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
(dlg... joy may be full)

THE NEGATIVES
Matthew 6:21,23
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
(dlg... may be full of darkness)

Matthew 23:25-28
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
(dlg... full of extortion and excess); full of dead men's bones; full of hypocrisy and iniquity)

*Luke 11:34

34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
(dlg... full of darkness)

Luke 11:39
39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
(dlg... full of ravening and wickedness)

Luke 4:28
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
(dlg... filled with rath)

Luke 6:11
11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
(dlg... filled with madness)

Acts 5:3
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
(dlg... Satan filled heart to lie)

Acts 5:17
17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
(dlg... filled with indignation)

Acts 13:10-11
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
(dlg... full of subtilty and mischief)

Acts 13:45
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
(dlg... filled with envy)

Acts 19:28-29
28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
(dlg... full of wrath; l filled with confusion)

Romans 1:29-32
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(dlg... read entire passage)

Romans 3:11-18
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
(dlg... full of cursing and bitterness)

1 Thessalonians 2:16
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
(dlg... fill up their sins always)

James 3:8
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(dlg... full of deadly poison)

2 Peter 2:12-16
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
(dlg... eyes full of adultery)

09/13/25 ESV LEANING

09/13/25 ESV LEANING

I use a variety of translations (not including those which are obviously counter-Christian "versions," such as the New World Translation)

I use a variety of Bible Commentaries, written by men from varying Christian camps, but I don't use them blindly.

I use a variety of reputable and Christian based word studies, linguistic studies, historical studies, cultural studies, while keeping in mind that scholars can also differ.

The subject of translation is fraught with questions, problems, intentions. I don't know of any absolutely perfect translation. Therefore, I study the best translations and seek insights from the best Biblical scholars concerning the linguistics, culture, times, which are related to the Biblical writings.

I favor KJV, NASB (especially 77), NKJV (while recognizing their errors and weaknesses). All translations need to be checked and compared with the best and most consistent documents of the New and Old Testament record and examined in the light of the original languages.

The English Standard Version is touted by some to be the best literal translation, but I have seen some disturbing weaknesses. We should be careful with every translation, but we are at least forewarned that this translation is "Reformed-leaning." This means that it is biased toward Reformed Theology, which is very close to Calvinistic Theology, as attested by this REVIEW. Sadly, Reformed and Calvinistic Theology are not far enough removed From Roman Catholic Theology.

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"CONSERVATIVE, REFORMED-LEANING
The ESV Study Bible was created by a team of 95 evangelical scholars and pastors. The theological perspective is consistently Conservative and Reformed-leaning, and rooted in a high view of Scripture"

09/11/25 WE ARE PRIVILEGED

09/11/25 WE ARE PRIVILEGED

You do realize that there is nothing wrong with being privileged, right?

It does matter where and why you are privileged, and how you use your privileges. If you are privileged because of injustice done to other people, or if you use your privileges to oppress or rob other people, then your privileged status is demeaned.

If your privileges come to you through legitimate sources, or you use your privileges for good, then your privileged status has merit.

Being privileged is not a negative, but being underprivileged or oppressed is a negative. It is not a bad thing to have your needs met. It is a sad thing to not have your needs met. Being the recipient of just and legitimate opportunities and blessings is not evil.

There are privileges, which only come from being in a right relationship with God. Those privileges are not to be heaped upon oneself, but they are to be used for the glory of God and the good of other people.

Through our own sin we deserve the judgments and losses that come with sin.
Through the redemptive mercy of God and a right relationship with Him, we are entitled to Divine advantages.
But remember, Divine privileges, Divine entitlement, Divine advantages are provided because of Divine mercy, grace, kindness.

In fact, there are spiritual privileges, entitlements and advantages that are inherent to a right relationship with God, which include justification (deliverance from guilt and condemnation), sanctification (cleansing from personal sins and deliverance from the works of the flesh and sinful living), regeneration (spiritual life), transformation (spiritual and behavioral changes), and the impartation of the Holy Spirit (making us partakers of Divine nature). At the time of our salvation, we are also given love, joy, peace with all the fruit of the Spirit, the mind of Christ (Divine wisdom), the leading of the Holy Spirit (which conforms us to the image of Jesus, guides our daily life), and gifts of the Holy Spirit (which enables us to serve others).

It is essential for saved people to seek a closer, deeper, higher broader, relationship with God through the purifying, empowering and enlightening fullness of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (subsequent to conversion), and a continued following by faithful obedience and growth in grace. This means we will be open to and eagerly pursue His grace, such as diligently adding to our faith spiritual, excellence; and to spiritual excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, steadfastness (endurance, patience); and to steadfastness, godliness (piety); and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, perfect love.

God's privileges, advantages, entitlement, kindness, blessings, and presence are available to whosoever calls upon the Name of the Lord and walks in His light. God wants to bless and not curse; He wants to draw us to Himself rather than drive us away; He wants to lift us up rather than crush us down. It is our personal free will choice to receive or reject the offer and the commands of God.

The privileges, entitlements, advantages, kindnesses, blessings and presence of God are available to His children. The shame is not that we are the recipients of His goodness, but rather that we choose to live outside of the outpouring of God's benevolence. Legitimate privilege is not a cause of pride, but it should be received and manifested in thanksgiving, humility, in service and love to others. Becoming and being what God wants us to be is not "the works of the flesh," as Satan's sinning religion says, but rather it is the miraculous, Divine, salvation of God in the heart of those who trust and obey God.

09/08/25 PRAYING THROUGH

09/08/25 PRAYING THROUGH

A simple but pointed passage concerning unanswered prayer and missed opportunities is found in James.
James 4:1-8
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

I heard someone recently refer to, "praying through." As I reflected on that old phrase (but apparently, lost phrase) I thought, "there is a big difference between, being through praying, and praying through." Sometime folks don't get what they ask for in prayer, not because the request is in conflict with the will of God, but because they get tired of asking, they get tired of spiritually fighting, the get weary in well doing, they get to the point that they just won't trust God anymore. When the ceiling is like brass and it seems that God has turned a deaf ear or impatience replaces perseverance, the seeker gives up, falls short, comes short of the grace of God and turns from the battle, giving way to the Prince of Persia. This is when the believer must hold fast, be instant in season and out of season, be faithful to the end. This is when a person needs to pray through the darkness, the opposition, the doubt. It is not an easy thing to do. It is a fight, it is warfare.

"Praying through" is "continuing instant in prayer," or "being constant in prayer," or being importune (persistent and insistent) in prayer. Praying through is breaking through the resistance, the bearers (usually a spiritual blockade) and taking hold of God (or taking hold of the horns of the altar) for the answer. It is reaching the point of faith that says, "I will not be denied."

This is not contradictory to the passage in James; it aligned with what James was saying. Praying through requires self-denial, fasting, coming apart from the routines of life, spending special time with God. We need to be prayer warriors, and prayer warriors PRAY THROUGH.

09/04/25 C O... EXPLAINED

09/04/25 C/O... EXPLAINED

"Conscientious Objector" does not adequately define or explain the New Testament position of Christian non-violence, since the title can be claimed by people for a variety of reasons, even if they are diametrically opposed to the Jesus and the New Testament, such as Muhammad Ali.

Basically, the New Testament view of Christian non-violence is Christians do not deliberately kill other human beings, even for protection of property or life. The New Testament teaches that the State has the responsibility to protect the law abiding and the responsibility to punish the law breaker.

The State and the Church are two different and separate entities in the economy of God, each serving a distinct purpose in God's plan, the State bearing the sword of steel and the Church bearing the sword of the Spirit. The State does not have the relationship with God, which the Church has, and it does not serve the same function in the world that the State does. The State does not have the right to require Christians to disobey God in anything, including killing anyone. Even the State is under the authority of God and must meet certain criteria when exercising the sword of steel.

The New Testament instructs Christians to pay legitimate taxes, which includes the State's responsibility to protect the citizenry against our enemies, foreign and domestic, but when the State claims the right to send Christians to kill other people, the Christian must obey God rather than men.

Remember...
The New Testament does not command anyone to kill anyone.
The New Testament does not commend anyone for killing anyone.
The New Testament does not condone Christians killing anyone.
The New Testament forbids and condemns Christians to kill anyone.
The New Testament actually teaches that Christ followers will not kill anyone.
Followers of Christ and His revelation in the New Testament do not kill other people.

Don't be upset with me. I am only the messenger. The message is God's revelation. It only appears to be a hard saying to those who have been misled to believe in Christians killing other people.

Do not follow in the steps of the wayward Roman religion or the steps of the Reformation leaders, who built their churchmanship on Roman Catholic errors. Discover what God said in the New Testament and commit yourself to follow in the steps of God's leading.

Christian non-violence is not an easy way out of a difficult dilemma. Christians are persecuted and hated for following Jesus for many reasons, and holding to the New Testament view of Christian non-violence is one of those reasons we are hated.

Christian non-violence is not a cowardly response to violence.
God has various ways to deal with oppression and violence, but resorting killing is not one of them.

Being non-violent does not mean simply surrendering to evil or violence, but it does mean responding in God's way.
Refusing to kill another person is not to be confused with passively sitting by while being victimized.
There are non-violent options, but obedience to God is essential.

God has often intervened on behalf of believers who chose God's way rather than the way of human violence.
God does not always deliver His people from all oppression and suffering in this present evil world.

09/03/25 REPOST, TEACHING CHILDREN

09/03/25 REPOST, TEACHING CHILDREN

Here is a repost from March 2011.

This is a great post for various reasons.

* I was teaching a vital Biblical truth, which is neglected, rejected, scorned, misunderstood, misrepresented, and also considered to be too difficult to understand.

* I was teaching it to children (4-7 years old).

* The children were attentive and interacting with me and the lesson.

* The children understood enough to answer and ask good questions.

03/17/11 WEDNESDAY SERVICE... TEACHING CHILDREN HOLINESS
Wow, you should have been here.

After I gave short update on personal witnessing, the children (4- to 7-year-olds) asked questions and made observations.
Their thoughts were more intelligent, insightful and challenging than most adult's.
God helps me explain theological/practical/doctrinal concepts in terms they understand.
Vocabulary, not concepts are complicated.

FOR INSTANCE...
The 7-year-old asked what Sanctification is.

I made a fist with right hand and covered it with my left hand.

I said that the fist was the evil seed we all had in our hearts when we were born.

I extended index finger on right hand, between index and middle fingers of my left hand. This was the outgrowth of the sinful attitude representing anger.

I did the same with the other fingers, naming each one for a sinful behavior (stealing, lying).

The children added DISOBEYING PARENTS.

I said we need to have those bad things taken away (at which time I withdrew my extended fingers).

I asked them who takes away sin; they said Jesus/God.

I pointed out that we still have the bad seed (sinful attitude) called the Old Man. I asked what would happen if the bad seed stayed in us after we get saved. They said we would do bad things/sin again.

A 6-year-old asked if we have a good seed.

I explained that the Old Seed (nature/attitude) stays, but God gives us a New Seed (nature/attitude) when we get saved.
I told them that these two attitudes are at war with each other.

I told them that God wants to remove the Bad Seed and that is what we mean by Entire Sanctification.

One of them asked if that meant we would never sin again.

I explained that we can still sin after God takes away the bad attitude, but we will not have desire to sin on the inside.

I explained that Adam did not have an evil seed, but he had a free will. When we are Sanctified, we do not have the evil attitude, but we can still sin.

I built a little fort with books on the floor. I said the fort is us.

I put an object that represented the bad seed in the fort.

I asked, Who Is Trying to Attack Your Fort?

They said, the Devil.

I took the "bad seed" out and said the Devil is still attacking their fort.

I said the devil gets into us through different doors, EYES AND EARS... at which time one of them blurted out MOUTH.

Anyway, this is how it went for about an hour. I finally had to draw it to a close.

It was GREAT.

I ended with a challenge for everyone to let Christ fill them and to share the Good News with other people.

09/01/25 CHECK OUT AUGUST POSTS
If you are interested, you can find my twenty-one FB ministry posts for the month of August on my 2025 blog (linked below). I hope my writings are helpful. My blog lets you access my ministry posts without having to go to FB. If you find something, which blesses you, and you think would be a blessing to another person it is easy to give them my blog address, whether they are on FB or not.

Along with my 2025 postings you will also find my ministry posts from 2009 through 2024 (more than 15,000 ministry posts), concerning Bible doctrines, practical Christian living, churchmanship, social action, Church/State relations and principles.