8/31/26 AVOID THE PITFALLS
Walk in the light of revelation, don't grope the obscure.
Monday, August 31, 2026
8/31/26 DON'T MAJOR ON MINORS
8/31/26 DON'T MAJOR ON MINORS
Obvious revelation explains more obscure revelation.
Obvious revelation explains more obscure revelation.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
8/30/26 A FIRM FOUNDATION
8/30/26 A FIRM FOUNDATION
Don't let Hidden Truths distract you from First Truths.
Don't let Hidden Truths distract you from First Truths.
Saturday, August 29, 2026
8/29/26 IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED
8/29/26 IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED
We should not be surprised when God's directives are contrary to our culture or social standards, or even our "faith" standards. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, often stood against the prevailing beliefs of His day, even the beliefs of the Jewish faith.
Jesus famously said,
"You have heard that it has been said..."
"But I say unto you..."
Over the centuries' organized religion has replaced Biblical teaching with the doctrines of men. God has intervened from time to time, and corrected the errors, and restored His abandoned truth.
We are living at a time when people are so Biblically illiterate and so spiritually malnourished that deception is making it almost impossible to find Biblical truth anymore. This is not a surprise, when we realize that the most prevalent sign of the end times is deception.
Be very careful. Cults and popular "Christian teachers" are deceiving many people. This is to be expected because we are living at a time of Biblical famine.
One test of Biblical accuracy is to ask the question, "Does this teaching conform my life to the standards of the New Testament?"
The fruit of the Spirit (godliness) grows a garden of truth.
We should not be surprised when God's directives are contrary to our culture or social standards, or even our "faith" standards. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, often stood against the prevailing beliefs of His day, even the beliefs of the Jewish faith.
Jesus famously said,
"You have heard that it has been said..."
"But I say unto you..."
Over the centuries' organized religion has replaced Biblical teaching with the doctrines of men. God has intervened from time to time, and corrected the errors, and restored His abandoned truth.
We are living at a time when people are so Biblically illiterate and so spiritually malnourished that deception is making it almost impossible to find Biblical truth anymore. This is not a surprise, when we realize that the most prevalent sign of the end times is deception.
Be very careful. Cults and popular "Christian teachers" are deceiving many people. This is to be expected because we are living at a time of Biblical famine.
One test of Biblical accuracy is to ask the question, "Does this teaching conform my life to the standards of the New Testament?"
The fruit of the Spirit (godliness) grows a garden of truth.
8/29/26 REDISCOVER THE TRUTH
8/29/26 REDISCOVER THE TRUTH
The Bible tells us that God has given the State (legitimate government) the right and responsibility to bear the sword of steel (protect the righteous (the law-abiding) and to punish the wicked (the lawbreakers). This includes military as well as civil action. In the days of Noah, God gave this authority to the State (not the Church or individual Christians). There is a Divine distinction between worldly authority and spiritual authority. Since the State has this Divine responsibility, it is consistent for Christians to support the State's responsibility through taxes spent on law and order.
I know some folks don't agree that believers and the Church are not subject to the State concerning the use of deadly force. We are told to submit to legitimate authority, but we are also told, when the State requires something from us, "we must obey God rather than men."
I did a New Testament search of verses, which folks use to "prove" the false notion that Christians can use lethal force, either for national defense, civil order, or self-defense. In the New Testament, God never commands, commends, or condones Christians or the Church to take up arms against any other person or to use deadly force. In fact, God condemns the use of such force in the New Testament by His people.
The few verses that are used in the New Testament are totally unrelated to this issue. In fact, they cannot be considered as serious arguments.
So, why do "Chirstian" people think that the New Testament teaches Christian violence? It is because Roman Catholic beliefs, rooted in paganism during the days of Constantine (early 300s), were adopted by the Protestant Reformers in the 1500s and they have been passed on to various groups for the past 500+ years. For the first 300 years of the Church, Christian non-violence was the understood standard. Through the centuries various "back to the Bible" groups recognized the Biblical teaching of non-violence and the major portion of those who call themselves Bible believing Christians have understood the New Testament teaching. In fact, even the unsaved world has viewed and accepted that Christianity followed the teachings of Christ and the New Testament by practicing non-violence.
In recent years there has been a resurgence of Reformed and Calvinistic teaching that embraces "Christian violence."
If you have questions about this subject, I will be glad to look at New Testament teaching with you.
The Bible tells us that God has given the State (legitimate government) the right and responsibility to bear the sword of steel (protect the righteous (the law-abiding) and to punish the wicked (the lawbreakers). This includes military as well as civil action. In the days of Noah, God gave this authority to the State (not the Church or individual Christians). There is a Divine distinction between worldly authority and spiritual authority. Since the State has this Divine responsibility, it is consistent for Christians to support the State's responsibility through taxes spent on law and order.
I know some folks don't agree that believers and the Church are not subject to the State concerning the use of deadly force. We are told to submit to legitimate authority, but we are also told, when the State requires something from us, "we must obey God rather than men."
I did a New Testament search of verses, which folks use to "prove" the false notion that Christians can use lethal force, either for national defense, civil order, or self-defense. In the New Testament, God never commands, commends, or condones Christians or the Church to take up arms against any other person or to use deadly force. In fact, God condemns the use of such force in the New Testament by His people.
The few verses that are used in the New Testament are totally unrelated to this issue. In fact, they cannot be considered as serious arguments.
So, why do "Chirstian" people think that the New Testament teaches Christian violence? It is because Roman Catholic beliefs, rooted in paganism during the days of Constantine (early 300s), were adopted by the Protestant Reformers in the 1500s and they have been passed on to various groups for the past 500+ years. For the first 300 years of the Church, Christian non-violence was the understood standard. Through the centuries various "back to the Bible" groups recognized the Biblical teaching of non-violence and the major portion of those who call themselves Bible believing Christians have understood the New Testament teaching. In fact, even the unsaved world has viewed and accepted that Christianity followed the teachings of Christ and the New Testament by practicing non-violence.
In recent years there has been a resurgence of Reformed and Calvinistic teaching that embraces "Christian violence."
If you have questions about this subject, I will be glad to look at New Testament teaching with you.
8/29/26 FIND AND FULFILL
8/29/26 FIND AND FULFILL
God has a job for each believer to do.
God has a job for each believer to do.
Find yours and do it.
Friday, August 28, 2026
8/28/26 LET'S HELP EACH OTHER
8/28/26 LET'S HELP EACH OTHER
Occasionally, I meet people who refer back to a moment in their life when they had a definite realization that Christ died for their sins, and they confessed their faith that Jesus died and rose again from the dead, to forgive them. Sadly, I don't meet as many of those folks as I use to, because fewer folks have actually been hearing the message of salvation and tuning from their sins.
Sometimes those folks have an emotional contact with their memory. I ask them how their relationship with Jesus is now. Usually they sink back into reflection and quietly say that it is not what it use to be, or they are not where they should be. They sense guilt and self-disappointment.
I try to point out that God also wants a closer relationship with them, but it is up to them to humbly seek God's mercy and recommit their life to Christ. Remember, Jesus made it clear in His teaching that a right relationship with Him means that we will deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. It takes surrender and faith.
I share truths with them, hoping they will face up to their need to turn from sin and fully trust Christ. If they are not ready to move forward at that time, I encourage them to seek Jesus because He has been pursuing them. I usually give them my card, telling them to call me with questions.
Get out there and maybe God will use you to finish up what I told someone. Who knows? Maybe someday I will meet someone you have been witnessing to. You never know.
Occasionally, I meet people who refer back to a moment in their life when they had a definite realization that Christ died for their sins, and they confessed their faith that Jesus died and rose again from the dead, to forgive them. Sadly, I don't meet as many of those folks as I use to, because fewer folks have actually been hearing the message of salvation and tuning from their sins.
Sometimes those folks have an emotional contact with their memory. I ask them how their relationship with Jesus is now. Usually they sink back into reflection and quietly say that it is not what it use to be, or they are not where they should be. They sense guilt and self-disappointment.
I try to point out that God also wants a closer relationship with them, but it is up to them to humbly seek God's mercy and recommit their life to Christ. Remember, Jesus made it clear in His teaching that a right relationship with Him means that we will deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. It takes surrender and faith.
I share truths with them, hoping they will face up to their need to turn from sin and fully trust Christ. If they are not ready to move forward at that time, I encourage them to seek Jesus because He has been pursuing them. I usually give them my card, telling them to call me with questions.
Get out there and maybe God will use you to finish up what I told someone. Who knows? Maybe someday I will meet someone you have been witnessing to. You never know.
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