6/30/26 DO NOT PRESUME

6/30/26 DO NOT PRESUME

People say it is a lack of faith to believe America will not turn to salvation in this present evil age.

I say it is a lack of Bible knowledge to believe America will turn to salvation in this present evil age.

God will forgive all who believe and turn from sin, whether individually or as a people movement.

But the Bible tells us there will be a great falling away in the last days, and there will come a time when the people who have heard and rejected the gospel will be sent strong delusion, so that they will believe a lie and be lost.

During the last days, including the years of the Tribulation, there will be a great number of people who turn to Christ from every tribe and nation and tongue, but the numbers will be few in comparison to the number of lost and reprobate people. It will be like it was in the days of Noah. The vast majority will be filled with iniquity.

Scripture clearly tells us what the moral, spiritual condition will be like in the last days, and we are seeing our society and our world moving into that model and mold.

We may not be alive at the time of the Rapture, but it is coming. Now is the time to believe and repent. The people who hear the gospel and refuse salvation will not believe and repent after the Rapture takes place. We have the present moment to turn. It is possible to refuse and reject His call, but one day, there will be no call. God's Spirit will not strive with man always.

6/27/26 IT IS ALL OR NOTHING

6/27/26 IT IS ALL OR NOTHING

Salvation is a "whole man" reality; body, soul and spirit.

6/27/26 GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN

6/27/26 GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN

If you are in Laodicea, you need to get on the gospel train.

6/26/26 IT IS JUST GETTING STARTED

6/26/26 IT IS JUST GETTING STARTED

The attacks on faith, family, freedom, and financial security are just beginning. Don't be caught off-guard. We can't stop it as a social disaster, but we can be ready to contend with it personally by faith. If you don't mean business with God, then you are going to suffer immeasurable losses in life. There is hope, but it is not in this world, and it is not for this world. Our hope is in the Lord, and our rejoicing is in the world to come.

2 Timothy 3:1-7
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.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
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.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

6/26/26 IT IS WORTH CONSIDERING

To someone (maybe family, friend, or stranger) who is looking for something that I might help them find. I have some family and friends who need what I am offering, and I know there are countless numbers of strangers who need it also. God loves us so much that He wants us all to have what He has to offer. I know there are folks who read what I write, and maybe God nudges you when you read.

The song says,
"I was lost but now I'm found, I was blind, but now I see."

These are not the words of a braggart or the boastings of a self-made champion.

These are the words of someone who has caused his own shipwreck but was then miraculously rescued by Someone Who made great personal sacrifice to help the lost person.

If you read my posts and if you sense that I might be able to help you find what you want and need in your life, I hope you will contact me. I have found what I need through a personal relationship of faith with Jesus. There are more questions and difficulties than I can overcome, but with Jesus, all things are possible. It does not take a spiritual champion to escape the bondage of disappointment, discouragement, or displacement. If we provide the need, God provides the answer. It is not just a matter of me doing the best I can do it is Christ at work in me, accomplishing that which is impossible for me to accomplish.

If you have honest questions about my beliefs, my relationship with God, my understanding of a meaningful life, please contact me. I hope I can be a blessing to you. All I have to offer you is God's word. But I have found God and His word to always be sufficient.

6/26/26 RENEWED, NOT SIMPLY IMPROVED

6/26/26 RENEWED, NOT SIMPLY IMPROVED

This post is referring to people who have had a change of heart through faith in Christ. It is not a self-help article.

Nothing in the New Testament lifestyle is obnoxious to civil, moral, honest people. The Christian standard is set by God. If a person has a problem with New Testament morality, then that person has a problem with God.

Those who disagree with the New Testament standards of life are unwilling to submit to the rightful Ruler of the universe. They have set themselves as judges of God and prefer a level of lawlessness and possibly perversion instead of godly living.

If everyone would align with the New Testament standards, the world would be better. There would be no human negativity in society if everyone lived in submission to the Lordship of Christ. This will not happen in this wicked world, but the redeemed of the Lord are not waiting for Christ to become popular with the world. Those who know Him and love Him are living in harmony with God already, and they will be misunderstood, maligned, hated and despised by other people.

Being a Bible Christian is not simply a matter of keeping a moral code. Being a Bible Christian is a miraculous transformation in a human life. It is loving God above all else. Love and trust are active and predominant in those who obey Him and please Him.

Those who want to have their own way will not know peace, love, and joy. If they never believe and receive the message of salvation, they will never enter into the life of God and godliness.

6/26/26 MAKE YOUR INFORMATION CERTAIN

6/26/26 MAKE YOUR INFORMATION CERTAIN

Though God gave the sword of steel (Government authority to protect the law-abiding and punish the wicked), He does not send His people (Christians, The Church) to violently engage the enemies of the Kingdom of God.

NO CHRISTIAN BODY OF BELIEVERS (FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST) has ever waged war or violently attacked anyone or any group of people. The CRUSADES, The INQUISITION, The WITCH HUNTS, and any other movement of violence or blood-letting that has been done in the name of Christ was a misrepresentation of Christ and His people. Other religions use violence to promote and protect their belief systems and way of life, but Christians are committed to the words of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament.

Whenever anyone tells you that Christians have used physical force, violence, or military tactics against anyone or any group, they are wrong, and they are promoting a demonic lie.

The Bible gives the responsibility of using physical power to enforce and maintain civil order and national security to the State. Christians accept God's appointment of the State to wield the sword of steel. Christians are given the responsibility to wield the Sword of the Spirit (the Holy Bible).

The Church and Biblical Christianity is nothing like Islam or any other blood-letting religion. Christians accept, support and yield to legitimate State authority, but there are some areas of the Christian faith and life that are contrary to the rule of the State. In those cases, a Christian must obey God rather than men.

The Roman Catholic religion and some of the Reformation groups (including Lutherans) took up arms against each other and against Islam and even against Jews. Those actions were contrary to the New Testament and are not related to God's directives to His people.

6/26/26 THERE IS A CONTROL FACTOR

6/26/26 THERE IS A CONTROL FACTOR

If someone is attacked by a rabid dog, is it then allowed to go free because of its pedigree or how it became rabid?

6/25/26 SOMEONE IS WATCHING US

6/25/26 SOMEONE IS WATCHING US

I posted a photo of me being followed by my drone, and asked...

If I can have an "eye in the sky," do you think God does not?

6/25/26 A BRIEF OVERVIEW

6/25/26 A BRIEF OVERVIEW

I have been watching Christendom morph further and further, faster and faster from its Christian origin into a sinning religion.

I am not referring to the occasional lunatic fringe folks who spring up and wither away quickly, I am referring to the larger body of the professing leaders who have had a destructive and enduring influence on modern day claimants to Christianity.

The pagan beliefs of the Roman religion from the second century and of the much-deformed sinning religion from the 1500s are now more palatable for a carnal religion than the salvation from sin that is revealed in God's word.

The line of major instigators includes Constantine, Augustine, Luther and Calvin. Though there have been false teachers, since the days of Christ and the Apostles, the most lasting and unified movements began in the second century. This was an authorized and politicized mixing of the pagan world with the Church, the marrying of Church doctrines with pagan belief systems, the reframing of old errors in the name of the reformed movement.

God is holy, God's word is holy, God's plan for His people is holy. God's salvation imparts holiness of heart and life to whosoever believes in Christ. Without holiness (the sanctification) no man shall see the Lord. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double minded. We even call the word of God, The Holy Bible.

Today there is an aggressive attack on the doctrines of salvation, and the attack is led by popular figures who claim to be God's messengers.

Sinning religion seeks to undermine the message of God's word by surreptitiously shifting the authority to teachers who are deceived and deceiving their hearers. They seek to discredit the God and the Bible, rob Jesus of His dignity, nature and saving work, salve the consciences of the rebellious rather than lead them to deliverance from sin, align the last day's church with the One World Religion.

Sin still separates people from God. This has always been Satan's plan since the Garden of Eden. The Bible tells us that DECEPTION will escalate in the end times. What we see happening in the lives of people who call themselves Christian was prophesied long ago. The good news is that faith in Christ still reconciles the sinner to God and transforms them into children of light and truth and holiness.

Hatred of the Jew (Israel as a people) and following after signs and wonders, and strict commitment to the teachings of men are all part of the end times scenario.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and 7:1
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Hallmarks of salvation include total trust in God's word and grace, total commitment to Christ's Lordship and His will, total dependence on the Holy Spirit's presence and power.

6/25/26 SIMPLE, NOT SIMPLISTIC

6/25/26 SIMPLE, NOT SIMPLISTIC

To say, "I don't sin because I am saved," is not the same as saying, "I am saved because I don't sin."

It is Biblical to say, "I don't sin because I am saved."
It is not Biblical to say, "I am saved because I don't sin."

Salvation delivers from a sinning life.
Deliverance from sin is a Divine work.
Deliverance from sin is the evidence of salvation.

Salvation is the root of deliverance from sinning.
Deliverance from sinning is the fruit of salvation.

6/24/26 ACTUAL TEMPTATION AND VICTORY

6/24/26 ACTUAL TEMPTATION AND VICTORY

*Jesus came into this world as God and as a human.
**Jesus was without sin in His nature and in His behavior.

*Adam was created in the likeness of God and he was also created without a sinful nature.
**Jesus was born into this world as a man (human), in the likeness of the heavenly Father and without a sinful nature.

*Adam, though he was created without sin, chose to sin.
**Jesus, though He was born with a human nature, but not a sinful nature, chose not to sin.

*Jesus as a man was without sin in His birth, without sin during His earthly life, was without sin in His sacrificial death, physical resurrection and ascension.
**Jesus was without sin as a man, because He loved the Father and He chose to obey the Father.

The Lord willing, I hope to address the subjects of homoousios (same nature [as God]) and homoiousios (similar nature [as God]), and non posse peccare (not possible to sin or, not able to sin) and posse non peccare (possible to not sin, able to not sin), as it relates to Jesus as a man being sinless.

Jesus (the man) was, is and will forever be sinless.

1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

6/24/26 SALVATION FROM SIN

6/24/26 SALVATION FROM SIN

Jesus' human nature (not His Divine nature) was tempted, and He was victorious over sin.

So too, we can defeat temptation.

6/22/26 GOD KNOWS AND DELIVERS

6/22/26 GOD KNOWS AND DELIVERS

God knows our secret sins, and He will deliver us from them.

6/22/26 CHOOSE YE THIS DAY

6/22/26 CHOOSE YE THIS DAY

We either overcome temptation and carnality or we are overcome.

6/20/26 VICTORY OR DEFEAT

6/20/26 VICTORY OR DEFEAT

By faith, overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, or be overcome.

6/19/26 DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHAOS

6/19/26 DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHAOS

A few minutes ago, I re-re-reposted my article "A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE." This turned my attention to another factor.

I found a message in a bottle one time, at Cape Lookout. As with most messages in bottles, it was not addressed to a specific person. Therefore, I did not need to pass the message on to anyone, nor did I need to respond to the sender.

I live in a community where it is not unusual for another person to receive mail of packages sent to someone else with a very similar address (in fact, sometimes the addresses are exactly the same). Weird, I know.

Being good neighbors, when someone gets another person's delivery, the errant recipient is likely to deliver the item personally, even if they don't know the other party.

Sometimes a very important message is seen by someone other than the targeted person. The recipient may actually know either the sender or the targeted person, but the recipient takes no initiative to connect the sender with the intended recipient. In fact, sometimes the errant recipient takes it upon himself to withhold vital communication. They think they are qualified to decide what is good for the other people involved. Maybe the errant recipient is acting on false information, and as a result, they might end any possible renewal or restoration in someone's broken relationship.

The last people who should ever come between family members are people who call themselves Christian. Not only do individuals take it upon themselves to destroy families, sometimes it is an entire church body that gives comfort and acceptance to a wandering soul. We are living at a time when the malcontents hop from church to church because they are unwilling to grow in grace. People are so gullible that they eagerly interfere with legitimate attempts to reconcile broken lives and families.

Being Christian is being restorative, not being a refuge for people in conflict. If you personally know the facts of a case, you can make a legitimate decision, but if you take sides with one person against another, without knowing the facts, you are guilty of dividing family and in danger of encouraging a person to walk away from truth.

NO, I am not posting this because I am trying to reach a specific person. I am posting this because I am seeing gullible people in churches contribute to the chaos and confusion that some folks are going through because they are running from responsibility and Biblical reconciliation.

The local church is a refuge, but we must make sure we are not supporting people in their rebellion and deception. That kind of support is destructive to everyone, including the gullible church and the people they are wanting to reach for Jesus.

06/19/26 REPEATED MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

06/19/26 REPEATED MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

REPEATED 6/19/26

11/12/24 MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (REPEAT)

Here I go again. Maybe someone will get this message.

12/23/23 CHECK OUT THE MESSAGE
I keep throwing the same bottle out with the same message in it. The chance of this message in this virtual bottle being seen by the person or persons I want to reach is greater than throwing one into the ocean, but it appears the probability of it actually reaching someone's heart is almost nil.

I have come to realize through the years that there are a lot of folks like myself waiting and watching the horizon for the return of a loved one. Though I know that their return is a short step, I also know that people's anger, pride, and their love of this world may make their return impossible.

Maybe you have a loved one that you have tried to reach, but to no avail. Time is fleeting, and opportunities are waning. Doors have been closed, and lines have been cut, but still, you hope. I know how it is. So, I am sending out this bottle with a message. Maybe someone will see it and respond.

Please read my original post.
Here is my post, which I wrote in 2012 and sent again in 2023.

From 2012.
I am "sending" it again, with tears in my eyes and hope in my heart. I love you.
10/06/12 MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE...
A message in a bottle is a note placed in a sealed bottle and thrown overboard in the hope that someone will find the message. This is an internet message in a bottle.
Message...
I love you.
I miss you.
I want the best for you.
I want to hear from you.
Love,
Signed... (you know who I am).

Explanation
I was actually saying that the MESSAGE is from me, but I wear various hats. I am a husband, a father, a grandfather, an in-law, uncle, cousin, nephew, pastor, and friend. So, the message was for someone who would call me by one of those titles.

The message is open, but the relationship is private. This virtual MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE was directed to someone I love, someone I miss, someone I want to hear from.

They may or may not realize it is them, but that is the way it goes with messages in bottles. Sometimes, they are discovered, and sometimes, they just drift in the currents of life or wash up on a deserted island.

My MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE is impersonal, in that it does not say anything specifically or implicate a certain person. It is really very general.... except for the person who finds it washed up on their beach. Hopefully they will hear the depth of concern and respond.

Maybe a "MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE" is not a bad way to send out our love to people. You may say, "Why not just tell them?" Well, we do tell them, but for various reasons, they don't always get the message. Just like a message in a bottle, it is like a desperate, maybe final, attempt to reach someone.
Another thought (November 12, 2024)...
Share this post with a friend. Maybe it will reach my loved one.

Maybe it will touch someone who needs to make amends before it is too late.

06/19/26 NOT FOR DISCUSSION, I JUST HOPE IT HELPS SOMEONE.

06/19/26 NOT FOR DISCUSSION, I JUST HOPE IT HELPS SOMEONE.

It isn't just my imagination. It was real. I remember, and the camera remembers. See, you can take a picture of love, joy, peace, family.

I have a lot of photos and videos that bear witness to this truth. Sadly, some folks don't even have the pictures as a reminder or as proof. There are untold numbers of loving family members who have lost some of their closest loved ones, and not always to physical death or thousands of miles of separation.

I have fished, kayaked, splashed in the water, played ping pong, worshipped and praised, taught them, sang with them, and played games with all of them.

Don't be part of separating loved ones from each other, especially when the loved ones are shining the light of love and eternal life.

06/18/26 MY GOTO SOURCES

06/18/26 MY GOTO SOURCES

My favorite writers include Moses, David, John, Paul, Peter.

06/17/26 ALTAR, NOT ALTER

06/17/26 ALTAR, NOT ALTER

The answer is in "ALTARING," NOT ALTERING
(I use "altaring" and "altaration" as a neologisms [fictitious or made-up-words]. Altar refers to a structure for sacrifice or dedication. Alter refers to a change. Since they are homonyms, I play one word against the other. Everyone needs to believe on the Sacrifice for sin that Jesus made on the cross, and every Christian needs to make full dedication [personal sacrifice] to God. The Sacrifice of Jesus and our own personal sacrifice to Jesus are transformative, not simply an alteration, which is reformative.)

Our society is messed up spiritually, but folks want to correct or retrieve their sanity and orderliness in any way possible, except God's way, which is Jesus, Who told us that He is "THE WAY."

One of the popular ways of seeking "normalcy" or "acceptable" behavior is through medications (drugs). I know God sometimes uses "means" (medication, therapy, surgery, counseling) to help a person through a malady (mental, emotional, physical) brought about by a physical problem (congenital or inflicted). However, most of the problems (so-called mental or emotional), are spiritually based, and need a spiritual deliverance rather than humanistic cover-up or altering.

It is no wonder that so many people, of all ages, are on medications, and appear to be in need of humanistic intervention. Society wants to treat the symptoms of anti-social, aberrant, deviant behavior rather than face the fact of spiritual, relational, emotional and moral responsibility. People are not required to exercise self-control or yield to legitimate authority or conform to Divine standards. When personal responsibilities are ignored and behavior becomes a societal problem, then people turn to Humanistic answers. Humanistic answers are "band aids" in the place of spiritual "heart" surgery.

People then become dependent on insufficient "meds" and "therapy." Humanistic answers sometimes seem to cover up problems, but they do not solve the problems. With or without Humanistic intervention the problems continue to manifest themselves and often, the dependency on Humanistic intervention leads to greater dependence on greater Humanistic intervention. This helps us understand the actual Zombie society we are seeing today.

This is not a denial that God uses natural means to deal with natural problems. This is a warning that Humanism is often used as a replacement for Divine actions, and this is also a warning that spiritual needs can be ignored by turning to and depending on anti-spiritual "solutions."

The problems are multiple and widespread. Our society wants to blame almost everything on some kind of sickness, without calling it spiritual sickness, moral sickness.

The answer for social problems, moral problems, relational problems, and lawlessness problems is almost always a spiritual answer. Even in the cases where there is a natural problem, there must be a Divine response to the problem. Certainly, this includes knowledge, understanding, wisdom, mercy and judgment. Moral and criminal behavior must not be ignored. It must be dealt with, even if it includes people who are legitimately impaired.

But here is the truth. Most of the problems that plague our society are either morally, culturally, or spiritually grounded. Sometimes the problem is more evil spirit (demonically) oriented than Western society recognizes. Sometimes demons oppress and then possess the rebellious person, to the point that the person cannot turn from their wicked ways.

The Biblical, Judeo/Christian moral standard must be recognized and operable in a just and moral society. Stop coddling the monsters who kill and rape and steal and abuse. Whatever the reason for wickedness, it must be dealt with and stopped by civil and just laws, found in God's revelation, the Holy Bible.

I know this is not going to happen fully until Jesus comes back to reign in the Millennium, but God has given the power and authority of the sword to the State to punish the lawless and protect the law abiding.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a society that maintained law and order, as it is set forth in God's moral code, which was the foundation of our legal system. There are problems with every political party or system, but the problems are compounded and insane when the system is based on anti-Christian values, such as Communism, Socialism, Liberalism, the modern Democratic Party.

Someone in our church wrote a song that says, "We will not see the kingdom, 'til the King comes back, Himself." However, we as individuals have no king but Jesus and we obey no man who usurps the authority of Christ.

The answer to the reign of the Prince of Darkness is submission to the King of kings, Who is also the Light of the world. We all need an ALTAR-ation, which transforms us from the inside out, as we accept the Sacrifice of Jesus, rather than an ALTERation, which reforms us superficially and temporarily, which is brought about by Humanistic efforts. We need our mind's "altared" not simply altered. We need the Gos Pill (gospel), not the mind-numbing meds of Humanism. We need King Jesus, The Great Physician.

06/17/26 IT'S A WEIRD WORLD

06/17/26 IT'S A WEIRD WORLD

Just in case anyone is wondering why it was a good idea to kick the Iranian soccer team out of the USA, just remember MUNICH, 1972, it could be that you are dumber than a conch, but more likely you are anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, anti-American, or anti-commonsense, you choose not to understand basic truth.

AND, how pathetic and corrupt that the DEMS are so quick to discount the insurrectionist meaning of Comey's "8647," yet read conspiracy, insurrection, Nazism, racism, sexism, tyranny into everything said and done by anyone who is patriotic, conservative, America First, MAGA, or Christian, regardless of how innocent they are. Our Nation is deceived, probably beyond recovery.

I am sorry, folks, I don't believe Idiocracy of America is going to pass. I wish it would, and I know God can extend His patience and mercy even further than He already has, but I also know the coming failure of human endeavor. To resist and reject God's truth is to embrace God's judgment. Unless there is a major repentance in America, the present mindset is going to damn the next generation.

06/16/26 DISCOVER THE TRUTH

06/16/26 DISCOVER THE TRUTH

WOW! We are God's workmanship, created to do good works.

06/16/26 BETTER WORD THAN "SINLESS"

06/16/26 BETTER WORD THAN "SINLESS"

Being godly, holy, pure, righteous is Biblical salvation.

06/16/26 GOD'S PLAN FOR LEADERSHIP

06/16/26 GOD'S PLAN FOR LEADERSHIP

God's plan from the beginning has been for the husband to be the head of his family, and for a qualified, Spirit-filled Christian man to have the ministry work and office of pastoring, teaching and leading the local church.

Just as God planned on marriage being between a male and female (not the delusional or "identity" confusion of today), God has also planned the order of authority in the home and in the church.

This order is based in the creation of the human race and the directives of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.

A song says, "Mamas, don't let your sons grow up to be cowboys." A more important song should say, "Mamas, don't let your daughters grow up to violate God's order of authority."

Yes, I would also say, the mamas and the daddies should raise their sons to be Christian, loving, masculine, and leaders at home and in the church."

There has been a problem for years in certain parts of the Christian community with females taking or being given authority over men, in their homes and churches. Families, churches and society have suffered because the men who should have been the leaders turned from their God given responsibility. Now we are seeing a grab for power by narcissistic females, and there is a surge among the women who hold manhood and male authority in disdain.

Young females are being raised and trained to abandon the high calling of womanhood and motherhood. There should be no question as to where that corruption comes from.

Just as Satan has been actively seeking to destroy the human family and the earthly family of God since the Garden, we have been witnessing an intensifying of chaos concerning the Divine roles of male and female in these recent days. There is a popular but destructive view among females today that demeans and degrades God's plan for male leadership in the home and the church. I have seen wives who readily run roughshod over their husbands and teach their daughters to be "men haters" by the way they ridicule, belittle, scorn, mock, disrespect their husbands, in front of their daughters. I have seen the daughters follow in the steps of their narcissistic mothers, and though they claim to love their fathers, they treat him worse than they would treat a dog, literally.

There are qualifications for serving God, and some of those qualifications are gender oriented. It is not time or culture or societal norms that determine God's standards; it is God's wisdom.

No female who has been raised in my family or discipled in my ministry has been taught to abandon her God-given place of ministry. No loving Christian mother, with Biblical knowledge, should ever encourage her daughters to seek authority over their husband or leadership over men in her church. Sometimes the self-exaltation is mixed with talent, sincerity, charisma and covered in sweetness, but the disdain for males and God's authority is still there, and it is still disobedience to Divine truth.

06/15/26 WHO AM I TO SAY?

06/15/26 WHO AM I TO SAY?

I sometimes say things that are contrary to popular "Christian leaders."

I am certain that some people will ask, "Who is this guy (David L. Gould), that he should disagree with such famous, popular, successful, beloved preachers and teachers?"

My answer is, "I ain't nobody." (I knew you would be impressed). But I have read what Jesus said and that is good enough for me and for anyone who loves truth."

06/15/26 A TELL-TALE SIGN

06/15/26 A TELL-TALE SIGN

If you have a preacher, pastor, teacher, Christian mentor of any kind, or books written by anyone who says, or has said, "Children are vipers in diapers," you need to separate yourself and your family from that sewer spewer of demonic doctrine.

I would not want that false witness, or his blasphemous message anywhere near me or anyone who is seeking truth. If that spreader of darkness has said it in the past, then they need to publicly repent and confess that they have spewed hateful and anti-Biblical lies, and they have misled their hearers.

If you have a friend who is shallow in the Christian faith who repeats such error, you need to help them find a Bible believing church and rescue them from the grip of sinning religion.

06/14/26 THE EVIDENCE OF SALVATION

06/14/26 THE EVIDENCE OF SALVATION

Being good and doing good is the proof of Christ in you.

06/13/26 REPOST OF MY "BEING AND DOING GOOD" ARTICLE

06/13/26 REPOST OF MY "BEING AND DOING GOOD" ARTICLE

To argue that the saving work of God does not transform the sinner into a good person, or to argue that Christians cannot, and will not do good works, is an attack on the glory of God.

This is a copy of a post I made 15 years ago. I present the Biblical position that God makes believers good (being) and enables believers to do good works (doing). I quote and explain 13 verses (Old and New Testaments), which sinning religion misinterprets to say that God does not make His people good or enable them to do good. I then give 144 verses telling us that God does make His people good and enables them to do good. In my New Testament references I include a notation (S # ##) indicating the Strongs number for the Greek word in that verse which is translated "good" or "goodness."

In this presentation I give a number of passages because I have always found that the preponderance of evidence and the presentation of precept upon precept and line upon line was more enlightening and more authoritative for Christian doctrine than wordy and fancy-footwork theology. I hope you find this presentation helpful.

09/20/11 BELIEVERS BEING AND DOING GOOD

BELIEVERS… INTRO AND 13 MISAPPLIED VERSES

BELIEVERS… CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS (110 VERSES)

INTRODUCTION
In this study I address the question concerning the personal goodness of men who are followers of Christ. I do this because I am constantly being told by "Bible believers" that the Bible teaches that "no one is good." They base their sweeping generality on a few Bible verses, which are taken out of context. It is true that humans are inherently evil and that the unsaved are not good and their good works are as filthy rags in the eyes of God, but I will show Biblically that redeemed, regenerated believers in Christ become good and they do good works. The Bible tells us why the unsaved do not do good works.

Psalms 36:1-4
1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD. The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

When a person comes to a saving knowledge of Christ, he becomes a new creature and the old life is exchanged for the redeemed life (2 Co. 5:17), which includes being transformed from an evil person to being a good person, and from doing evil deeds to doing good deeds.

The Bible never contradicts itself. When we encounter two verses that seem to contradict each other we must look for the truth behind the confusion. This is what I am doing with this document. There are verses that seem to say, "No one is good," yet the Bible is filled with evidence that God actually makes His people holy, righteous, pure, upright and good.

If we find one verse that says one thing and we find one hundred verses that say the opposite, we must find out why the one verse seems to disagree with the one hundred. When we read a passage that is difficult to understand, we must interpret it in the light of the verses which are easy to understand. We must interpret the few verses on a subject by the many verses on the same subject. We must interpret the strange verses by the reasonable verses. We must interpret the obscure verses by the clear verses. Understanding context, linguistics and historical background are essential to a correct understanding of the Bible.

The verses in the Bible, which say that no one is good, are not addressing the condition of the saved person, but rather the unsaved. Though we find about 1 dozen (13) verses in the Bible, which people ERRONEOUSLY USE to "prove" man cannot be good or do good works in this world, I share 12 dozen (144) verses that clearly say redeemed men are good and that they do good works.

For this document I look up all of the verses that use the English word, "good" and their cognates. I have chosen the King James Version, because the verses which are usually quoted to "disprove" believer’s goodness are taken from the King James Version. Though the actual words may differ in other translations and versions, the concept is fundamental and consistent. I could have used another translation and the results would have been the same. I encourage you to research the passages in the original languages as well as in other faithful translations and versions.

I have not included verses, which are person specific concerning personal wickedness. The fact of human sin is not being refuted in this document. The false claim that God does not impart goodness to His saved children is the question I am addressing. I also have not included verses where mere men refer to the goodness of other men. I also left out obscure verses. In this document I am only concerned with verses that clearly state God’s point of view. Remember, this document only addresses passages that use the words "good" and it cognates in reference to redeemed men’s character and behavior. I will add limited notes (DLG…).

There are two main sections to this document. First (I), the few verses that seem to say there is none good and Second (II), the verses that tell us that those who are saved are considered "good" by God, Himself.

I. VERSES WHICH ARE MISINTERPRETED TO SAY GOD DOES NOT MAKE HIS PEOPLE GOOD

A. OLD TESTAMENT (7 verses from 5 passages in 4 Books)

1) Psalms 14:1, 3
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Also in...
2) Psalms 53:1, 3
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
DLG notes… These verses refer to "the fool" who denies God. Actually, the Hebrew word translated here as "fool" is translated as "vile person" in Isaiah 32:5-6. Foolishness or folly is wickedness. Verse 2 says that God looked down from heaven, in search of man who sought God and He found none. Unregenerate man does not seek God, until God enables him to seek God.
Then the Bible says, Isaiah 55:6-7
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

3) Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
DLG notes… Simply stated, this is referring to the unsaved. If anyone is interested, I will be glad to give a more in-depth analysis of this passage. Throughout proverbs and Ecclesiastes, Solomon clearly says that redeemed man is good and does perform good works (Ec. 2:26; 9:2; 12:13-14; Pr. 2:9, 20; 11:23. 27; 12:2; 13:22; 14:4, 19, 22; 15:3; 31:12).

4) Jeremiah 4:22
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
DLG notes… This is in reference to Israel at a specific time in history.

5) Micah 7:2
2 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
DLG notes… This indicates that there had been good men on the earth.

B. NEW TESTAMENT (6 verses from 5 passages in 4 Books)

1) Matthew 19:17 (S 18, 15) And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

2) Mark 10:18 (S 18) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

3) Luke 18:19 (S 18) And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
DLG notes… Only God is inherently good. God is the source of all goodness. This does not deny the redemptive power of God to make people good or empower them to do good works.

4) Romans 3:12 (S 5544) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
DLG notes… The context points out that all people have sinned. It is refers to the unsaved, not the saved (Ro. 3:20, 23-26).

5) Romans 7:18-19 (S 18) (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
DLG notes… Paul refers to both the nature and the actions of man as not being good. The context points out that everyone needs deliverance from indwelling, inherited sinful nature, from which they can be delivered through Christ (Ro. 7:24-8:1-8).

II. GOD CONSIDERS THE SAVED AS BEING GOOD AND DOING GOOD WORKS

A. OLD TESTAMENT (35 verses from 33 passages in 11 Books)

1) Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
DLG notes… God created man to be good.

2) Deuteronomy 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers,

3) Deuteronomy 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

4) 1 Kings 8:36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
Repeated…
5) 2 Chronicles 6:27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

6) 2 Chronicles 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

7) 2 Chronicles 24:16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

8 ) 2 Chronicles 31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

9) 2 Chronicles 32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness (pious or good deeds), behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

10) 2 Chronicles 35:26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness (pious or good deeds), according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,

11) Nehemiah 13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

12) Psalms 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

13) Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

14) Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

15) Psalms 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore.

16) Psalms 112:5 A good man showeth favor, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

17) Psalms 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

18) Psalms 125:4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

19) Proverbs 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

20) Proverbs 11:23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

21) Proverbs 11:27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

22) Proverbs 12:2 A good man obtaineth favor of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

23) Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

24) Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

25) Proverbs 14:19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

26) Proverbs 14:22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

27) Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

28) Proverbs 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

29) Ecclesiastes 2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

30) Ecclesiastes 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

31) Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

32) Isaiah 38:3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

33) Jeremiah 18:11 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

34) Amos 5:14-15 (14) Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. (15) Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

B. NEW TESTAMENT (109 verses from 76 passages in 20 Books)
I have included the "Strong’s" numbers of the Greek words.

1) Matthew 3:10 (S 2570) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

2) Matthew 5:13 (S 2480) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
DLG notes… Jesus said that believers are "the salt of the earth" and the "salt is good."

3) Matthew 5:16 (S 2570) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

4) Matthew 5:44-45 44 (S 2573), 45 (S 18) (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

5) Matthew 7:17-21 7 (S 18, 2570), 18 (S 18, 2570), 19 (S 2570), 20-21 (17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

6) Matthew 12:33, 35 (S 2570) (33) Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. (35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

7) Matthew 13:8, 23 (S 2570) (8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold some sixty, some thirty.
DLG notes… The four types of ground in this parable represent four types of people who hear the word of God. Those who receive the word and produce fruit are "good ground."

8 ) Matthew 13:24-27, 36-44 (S 2570) (24) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which 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 blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. (27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? (36) Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. (37) He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; (38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; (39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (43) Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
DLG notes… The "good seed" in this parable represents the believer.

9) Matthew 13:47-50 (S 2570) (47) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: (48) Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. (49) So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, (50) And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

10) Matthew 25:21-23 (S 2095, 18) (21) His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (22) He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. (23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

11) Mark 4:8, 20 (S 2570) (8) And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred. (20) And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
DLG notes… The four types of ground in this parable represent four types of people who hear the word of God. Those who receive the word and produce fruit are "good ground."

12) Mark 14:6 (S 2570), 7 (S 2095) (6) And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. (7) For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

13) Luke 3:9 (S 2570) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

14) Luke 6:27 (S 2573) But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

15) Luke 6:33-35 (S 15) (33) And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. (34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. (35) But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

16) Luke 6:43 (S 2570), 44-45 (S 18) (43) For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (44) For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

17) Luke 8:8, 15 (S 18) (8) And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (15) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
DLG notes…The four types of ground in this parable represent four types of people who hear the word of God. Those who receive the word and produce fruit are "good ground."

18) Luke 14:34-35 (S 2570) (34) Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? (35) It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
DLG notes… Jesus said that believers are "the salt of the earth" and the "salt is good."

19) Luke 19:17 (S 18) And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

20) Luke 23:50 (S 18) And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man, and a just:

21) John 5:29 (S 18) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

22) Acts 9:36 (S 18) 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.

23) Acts 11:24 (S 18) For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

24) Acts 23:1 (S 18) And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day.

25) Romans 2:10 (S 18) But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

26) Romans 12:9 (S 18) Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

27) Romans 12:21 (S 18) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

28) Romans 13:3-4 (S 18) (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: (4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

29) Romans 14:16 (S 18) Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

30) Romans 15:14 (S 18) 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 notes… The word, "goodness" comes from the same root as "good."

31) 2 Corinthians 5:10 (S 18) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

32) 2 Corinthians 9:8 (S 18) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

33) Galatians 5:22 (S 19) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
DLG notes… The word, "goodness" comes from the same root as "good."

34) Galatians 6:10 (S 18) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

35) Ephesians 2:10 (S 18) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

36) Ephesians 4:28 (S 18) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

37) Ephesians 4:29 (S 18) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

38) Ephesians 5:9 (S 19) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

39) Philippians 2:13 (S 2107) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

40) Colossians 1:10 (S 18) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

41) 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (S 18) See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

42) 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (S 2570) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

43) 2 Thessalonians 2:17 (S 18) Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

44) 1 Timothy 1:5 (S 18) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

45) 1 Timothy 1:19 (S 18) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

46) 1 Timothy 2:10 (S 18) But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

47) 1 Timothy 3:2 (S 2887) (2) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior [respectable, orderly], given to hospitality, apt to teach;

48) 1 Timothy 5:10 (S 2570, 18) Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

49) 1 Timothy 5:25 (S 2570) Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

50) 1 Timothy 6:18 (S 14, 2570) That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

51) 2 Timothy 2:21 (S 18) If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

52) 2 Timothy 3:3 (S from 5358 those who love and do good deeds) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

53) 2 Timothy 3:17 (S 18) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

54) Titus 1:8 (S from 5358 those who are fond of good and promoters of virtue) But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

55) Titus 1:16 (S 18) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
DLG notes… This indicates that those who actually know God do good works.

56) Titus 2:5 (S 18) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

57) Titus 2:7 (S 2570) In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

58) Titus 2:14 (S 18) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

59) Titus 3:1 (S 18) Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

60) Titus 3:8 (S 2570) This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

61) Titus 3:14 (S 2570) And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

62) Hebrews 10:24 (S 2570) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

63) Hebrews 13:16 (S 2160) But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

64) Hebrews 13:18 (S 2570) Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

65) Hebrews 13:21 (S 18) Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

66) James 3:13 (S 2570) Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
DLG notes… The word, "conversation" in this place means, "conduct" or "behavior."

67) 1 Peter 2:12 (S 2570) Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
DLG notes… The word, "conversation" in this place means, "conduct" or "behavior."

68) 1 Peter 2:15 (S 15) For so is the will of God, that with well doing [DOING GOOD] ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

69) 1 Peter 2:18 (S 18) Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

70) 1 Peter 2:20 (S 15) For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well [DO GOOD], and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

71) 1 Peter 3:6 (S15) Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well [DOING GOOD], and are not afraid with any amazement.

72) 1 Peter 3:11 (S 18) Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

73) 1 Peter 3:13 (S 18) And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

74) 1 Peter 3:16 (S 18) Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
DLG notes… The word, "conversation" in this place means, "conduct" or "behavior."

75) 1 Peter 3:17 (S15) For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing [DOING GOOD], than for evil doing.

76) 1 Peter 3:21 (S 18) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

77) 3 John 1:11 (S 18) Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

THE RECORD IS CLEAR. GOD IMPARTS GOODNESS TO BELIEVERS AND GOD ENABLES BELIEVERS TO DO GOOD WORKS.

06/13/26 HOLINESS IS ESSENTIAL

06/13/26 HOLINESS IS ESSENTIAL

SINLESSNESS???
(This is good truth for everyone. Read the article. I make over two dozen points concerning God's deliverance from all sin, which reflect hundreds of passages. Use this as a study or discussion starter.)

The word "sinless" is used ostensibly to deny the salvific work of God to deliver Christians from sin and sinning.

I have often had people, who profess salvation, tell me that God does not cleanse and deliver believers from all sin (sinful actions and sinful nature), does not empower, lead and enable believers to overcome all temptation, obey God's commands, follow Christ fully, do that which is pleasing in God's sight.

When I refer to passages that declare God's work of salvation from sin through His word, His Son's blood, and His Holy Spirit, they often accuse me of claiming to be "sinless," They continue by saying there has only been One sinless Man (as if this was a surprise to me). They imply and equate sinless and sinlessness with being self-righteous. The falsely accuse me of claiming inherent righteousness or salvation by works of the flesh. They ignore the passages and the history of God's salvation from all sin.

The question at this point is not whether a person is sinless, but rather what is meant by the word "sinless."

OK, "sinless" is a real word, but it is understood and used differently. Those who believe in sinning religion (in other words, they believe that God does not save His people from their sins, from sinning or from the sin nature) use the word "sinless" as a weapon of deception. They use it as a false indictment against the doctrine of holiness of heart and life.

Therefore, if the words "sinless" and "sinlessness" are meant to convey the idea that a person has never sinned, or that a person who has been saved is unable to sin, or that a person who has become a Christian is inherently, immutably impeccable (unable to sin), or that a person who has been saved becomes inherently righteous, holy, pure, and able to live the Christian life without the constant presence, power, leading of God and His grace, THEN I AGREE, no human being (including Christians) are sinless or live without sin.

In fact, I hardly ever use the words "sinless" or "sinlessness," because most people attach this false narrative to the terminology.

If, on the other hand, a person uses the word "sinless" to mean purity of heart and life, holiness of heart and life, righteousness in heart and life; to mean that a faithful follower of Christ can obey God, keep God's commandments, can do that which is pleasing in God's sight, can deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Jesus, can walk in the light, can die to the world and the flesh and the devil, can live in the Spirit, can resist temptation, can love God with the whole heart and mind and soul and strength and love their neighbor as they love themself, or can be made pure and holy and righteous by God through His word and the blood of His Son and by the work of His Holy Spirit, or live by faith, or bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, THEN, YES, God's grace, power, sacrifice, salvation, does make it possible for the believer who trusts and chooses Christ alone for salvation is able to live without sinning (willful disobedience to the known law of God) and without the internal corruption of the "Law of Sin and Death" (The Old Man, The Double Mind, The Carnal Mind [mind of the flesh]).

As I said, I don't use the term "sinless" because it can be misunderstood or misapplied. I choose rather to use Biblical nomenclature. Therefore, if a person denies that God's grace makes it possible and practical for a believer to be holy, pure, righteous, faithful then they are in opposition to the revealed word of God and they are denying the salvation of God.

Deliverance from sin is not a human accomplishment, it is a Divine work of salvation.

And, by the way, the fact of this "salvation from sin" is not negated simply because it is not being practiced (though it is negated in the person who does not receive it by faith). God's word and His work provided full salvation, God has called us to full salvation, God has commanded us to receive full salvation, God has led us to full salvation, God has given witness that people have received full salvation. If you don't have it, it is not God's fault or blamable on someone else. If you have not walked in the light that God has given you, then you are accountable for your own sin.

Hebrews 12:14
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness (the holiness or sanctification), without which no man shall see the Lord:

06/11/26 BE SURE TO HEAR GOD CLEARLY

06/11/26 BE SURE TO HEAR GOD CLEARLY

A person can mistakenly say something in such a way that it conveys a meaning contrary to what was intended.

A person can make a mistake or "misspeak" without it being a deliberate deception or lie.

A person can say something that is consistently accurate with their intention, but it can be misconstrued by the hearer.

A person can expect the hearer to understand the intent of a statement. As in grammar, "Bring me the phone," the word "YOU" is understood.

Someone can take a person's statement out of context and make it convey a meaning contrary to what was actually said.

Knowing the person who makes the statement (his values, worldview, history, belief system, knowledge) and the context of the statement are essential to understanding the meaning of the statement.

Because of various possibilities, people get misrepresented, including God's revelation in the Bible. Sometimes this is intentional, and sometimes it is because the hearer lacks discernment.

Knowing God's word is essential, but knowing Him personally enables us to understand what He says.

God's works and His attributes (which may seem to be contradictory) are always consistent with His word and His nature.

Don't view God in the same way that the six blind men described the elephant.

Here is a repeat of something I recently posted. I am repeating this because it is such an important and current issue. There are many blind guides today who are misrepresenting the word, nature and work of God. Be careful.

QUOTE...
"The "parable" refers to six blind men in India who heard that an elephant had been brought to their village, but since none of them had ever encountered an elephant, they decided to check it out together.

Each of the six men touched the elephant and then described what they had experienced. But they each touched a different part of the elephant (the tail, the leg, the side, the trunk, the ear, and the tusk). Each of their descriptions of an elephant differed (a rope, a tree, a wall, a snake, a fan, and a spear), giving a false analysis and description of an elephant.

This simple story applies to life in general, but it has a very definite application to Christian understanding.

Some people are so focused on one aspect of Biblical truth and salvific experience that they don't "see" other facets of truth.

People can be so focused on the Divine side of salvation that they ignore the human participation, such as faith, repentance, confession, obedience, and following, which are part of God's design.

People can be so focused on a particular doctrine that they do not understand the broader scope of God's salvation.

People can be so focused on their own experience (whether the experience is legitimate or not) that they do not experience the specifics of God's will, God's enlightenment, or God's grace.

People can be so focused on a cultural view of Christianity that they are blind to the Biblical revelation of salvation.

There are other problems as well, but this should indicate my concern.

In order to have a proper view of the word of God, we must have a wide variety of information, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

In order to be in a right relationship with God, we need to have a clear and accurate comprehension of the Bible. Sadly, great numbers of people today are ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.

It is the appointed job, task, ministry, life of a pastor to know the truth and to convey the truth clearly. Pastors have been called and gifted to do the great work of shepherding, leading, feeding, correcting, teaching, protecting, and arming the people of God for the work of the ministry. But the pastor is responsible to follow fully, to spend the hours in prayer, study, counseling, teaching, preaching, equipping, encouraging, enlightening, unifying, reproving, and edifying the believers. The pastor/teacher needs to have a solid awareness of Scripture, theology and doctrine, history (world and Church), linguistics, current events, cultural differences, world religions, cultic beliefs and practices, and political agendas. All of these side issues are part of life and should be understood in the light of Christian faith and practice."

06/10/26 GOD'S SEAL

06/10/26 GOD'S SEAL

This is God's seal (mark):
His people depart from evil.

2 Timothy 2:19
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

06/10/26 SUBMIT TO TRUTH

06/10/26 SUBMIT TO TRUTH

Hardheadedness and hard-heartedness are two sides to the same coin.

06/10/26 BEWARE THE STRENGTH DRAINER

06/10/26 BEWARE THE STRENGTH DRAINER

The strong headed are usually the weak minded.

Young or old.

06/07/26 CHOOSE WISELY

06/07/26 CHOOSE WISELY

Sin's moment of pleasure is not worth eternity without God.

06/06/26 MOTTO PASSAGE?

06/06/26 MOTTO PASSAGE?

Which Bible verse or passage is your present motto?

06/06/26 FULL SALVATION

06/06/26 FULL SALVATION

Have you ever noticed how people confuse being in the physical flesh with being in the carnal mind?

We are all in the physical flesh (even Jesus was in a physical body, but believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit are not in the flesh (they are not carnally minded).

The carnal Christian can, and will, obey God, but he contends with an inherent inclination to disobey God.

God will deliver believers from their internal conflict if they surrender all and trust God to purify them from all sin, as He said He would.

It is then that we can love God with our whole heart. God not only delivers believers from sin's penalty and guilt (from our past), and sin's power (in our present behavior), but He also delivers from sin's pollution (our inherent double mindedness).

God provides clean hands and a pure heart to those who trust Him fully.

Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

James 4:7-8
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.

Titus 2:11-15
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
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.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

06/05/26 ROMANS SEVEN HONESTLY

06/05/26 ROMANS SEVEN HONESTLY

One of the most blatant and ridiculous examples of mishandled Scriptures is the way sinning religion (Reformed Theology and Calvinism) "explains" Romans seven. They misuse Romans seven trying to "prove" that Christians cannot be free from the power, pollution, and presence of sin, or from the "sinful nature," ("the flesh)." Actually, Romans seven, along with Romans six and Romans eight, clearly indicates that God provides deliverance from the sinful nature, which is Biblically referred to as, "The Old Man, The Flesh, The Carnal Mind, The Double Mind, The Law of Sin and Death."

In Romans seven (conjoined with Romans six and Romans eight), God clearly exposes the corruption of the "Old Man" (see Romans six), "The Flesh," and "The Law of Sin and Death (see Romans seven and Romans eight) and "The Carnal Mind," and "In The Flesh" (see Romans eight).

Romans seven cannot be read in isolation from chapter six and chapter eight. There is no context for chapter seven without chapter six and chapter eight. This explanation is vital to a proper understanding and explanation of chapter seven.

Romans seven is connected to and follows Romans six, and it is connected to and is followed by Romans eight. God did not separate Romans seven from Romans eight (chapter and verse numbering is a human device to assist Bible reading and study). It is all one argument, continued from chapter seven to chapter eight.

The argument is that God has provided deliverance, salvation from the inherited corruption handed down from Adam to all of his children. The problem, which was introduced and answered in Romans six, was approached again in Romans seven. In Romans seven the problem is clearly stated, and then at the end of Romans seven, continuing into Romans eight, the answer to the problem is clearly and repeatedly given.

The Bible clearly teaches that Christians are forgiven of all their sins at the time of their justification and regeneration, AND they are enabled to live obediently because they receive the Holy Spirit and His power.

Before conversion the sinner (the person without Christ) has a Human Nature (the nature to be human [body, soul, and spirit], which God gave at creation), and also a Sinful Nature (the nature to sin [also called the Adamic Nature, which originated at the time of Adam's fall], and Biblically is called, "The Old Man, The Flesh, The Carnal Mind, The Double Mind, The Law of Sin and Death."

At the time of conversion, a person is referred to as the "Natural Man" (man without Christ). When he becomes a believer (a Christian, a Saint [holy one]), he is a recipient of the Holy Spirit, and becomes known as a "New Creation" or Creature, and receives a New Nature (Divine nature), which is referred to as "The New Man."
As a Believer, he still has Human Nature (from God, but damaged by Adam's fall), and Sinful Nature (referred to as the Old Man), but he now has a "Spiritual Nature" (referred to as the "New Man").

This is where the internal battle rages. "The Old Man" (sinful propensity) wants to do evil and the "New Man" (godly nature) wants to obey God.

God did not save us and then leave us in constant battle with spiritual upheaval. We will always fight Satan and temptation in our earthly life, but we should be delivered from inner conflict. God wants us to be pure in heart and deed. God will purify the believer from the inward propensity to sin. But this heart purity comes with the death of the Old Man. When the Christian believes that God is willing and able to deliver him from Double Mindedness, the man will crucify the Old Man and make full surrender, then the Carnal Man will become the Spiritual Man. This is clearly taught in Romans 6-8.

The spiritual transition is:
1. Natural Man (unconverted, sinner),
2. Carnal Man (Spirit regenerated Believer),
3. Spiritual Man (Spirit filled Believer).

Read Romans six and Romans eight slowly, carefully, and repeatedly, without adding worldly meaning to the passages.
Full salvation is the cleansing of the hands from sinful actions and the purifying of the heart from inherent sinful inclination.

Christians can be set free from the impure heart.

06/04/26 THE FULNESS OF HIS BLESSINGS

06/04/26 THE FULNESS OF HIS BLESSINGS

Here is another one of my studies I posted in the past. I came across this as I was working on something this afternoon. Since this is mostly Scripture, I know you should find some really helpful truths in it. I share 21 passages addressing 21 points that fly in the face of sinning religion. I know these truths can be a blessing to you, and you may be able to use them in a small group study or discussion group. If you do, let me know how it goes.

REPOST...

05/24/21 THIS IS GOD'S WITNESS, WILL AND WORK in the SPIRIT FILLED BELIEVER

If you are being told that "Christians" cannot live victoriously over sin; that God does not or cannot deliver us from all sin; that God does not give us everything that is needed for life and godliness, that we cannot obey and please God; that we are unable to be good or do good, be pure or holy or righteous or live without sin, THEN YOU NEED TO START LISTENING TO BIBLE BELIEVERS, because all of the above statements are contrary to the Bible.

Read the following points and remember, the 21 passages are just the tip of the iceberg concerning God's revelation about His powerful salvation.

GOD FILLS HIS CHILDREN WITH ALL THAT IS GODLY
Hungering and thirsting after righteousness leads to being filled with
1- righteousness,
2- goodness,
3- spiritual knowledge,
4- faith,
5- power,
6- fullness of God,
7- Holy Spirit,
8- fruits of righteousness,
9- knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

#1 RIGHTEOUSNESS
Matthew 5:6
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

#2 GOODNESS & #3 SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
Romans 15:14
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.

#4 FAITH & #5 POWER
Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

#6 FULLNESS OF GOD
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.

#7 HOLY SPIRIT
Ephesians 5:18
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

#8 FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Philippians 1:11
11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

#9 KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL IN ALL WISDOM AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING
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;

GOD'S WORK IN US IS MIRACULOUS
Even if you don't want to experience the fullness of God and His salvation, you should at least be honest enough to acknowledge that God declares, provides, enables, imparts, expects
10- victory,
11-overcoming,
12- spiritual power,
13- purity,
14- holiness,
15- Christlikeness,
16- abundance of victory,
17- triumphant living,
18- more than conquerors,
19- delivered to the uttermost from sin,
20- able to keep His commandment and
21- do that which is pleasing in His sight.

#10 VICTORY & #11 OVERCOMING
1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

#12 SPIRITUAL POWER
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

#13 PURITY
Matthew 5:8
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

#14 HOLINESS
Hebrews 12:14
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

#15 CHRISTLIKENESS
Romans 8:29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

#16 ABUNDANCE OF VICTORY
2 Corinthians 9:8
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

#17 TRIUMPHANT LIVING
2 Corinthians 2:14
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

#18 MORE THAN CONQUERORS
Romans 8:37
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

#19 DELIVERED TO THE UTTERMOST FROM SIN
Hebrews 7:25
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

#20 ABLE TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS & #21 ABLE TO DO THAT WHICH IS PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT
1 John 3:22
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

06/04/26 BEWARE IMITATIONS

06/04/26 BEWARE IMITATIONS

This is a re-post from a couple of years ago, but I thought I would share it with you again.
12/20/23 BEWARE THE IMITATIONS
I don't care how anyone "shows" you Scripture, which seems to require, allow, or supposedly cover unrepented sin...
If they are saying you cannot be delivered from the penalty, the power, and the pollution of sin in this present evil world;
If they are saying that you cannot be cleansed from all sin in this present evil world;
If they are saying you cannot resist temptation;
If they are saying you cannot walk in the Spirit, walk in the light, walk in truth, walk in obedience to God;
If they are saying you cannot be pure, even as Christ is pure;
If they are saying you cannot be perfect in love, as our Heavenly Father is perfect in love;
if they are saying you cannot keep God's commandments, and you cannot do that which is pleasing in God's sight;
If they are saying God does not cause us to always triumph in Christ;
If they are saying that you cannot overcome the world, overcome evil with good, overcome the pollutions of the world, overcome the wicked one, overcome evil spirits;
If they are saying that you cannot be more than a conqueror through Christ;
If they are saying that Jesus does not save us to the uttermost in this present evil world...
THEN they are not only not telling you the whole truth, but they are robbing you of the whole truth.
Read the Holy Bible without blinders; follow the Spirit's leading without reservation; die to self, the world, sin; cast off the Old Man. If you are "trusting" in God to save you, without you trusting God to deliver, cleanse, empower, and guide you into all truth, then you are trusting in a false savior, a false gospel, and a false spirit.
I am inviting you to walk in the liberty of the Spirit-filled life.
God sets us free from sin.
It is not a work's salvation; it is a salvation that works.

06/01/26 CONCERNING TRUTH: READ, HEED, FEED, AND LEAD

06/01/26 CONCERNING TRUTH: READ, HEED, FEED, AND LEAD

I do a great deal of my studying online because the resources are so plentiful, and because access and usage of those resources is so efficient.

I still love hard copy books. I have loved reading since I was very young, reading Comic books, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Robinson Crusoe, Reader's Digest (articles and books), Davey Crockett, Daniel Boone, poetry, history, and Bible Story Books.

This is part of my personal library, which includes about 10 bookcases. I need to get a few more bookcases for the other books I have in boxes. This library (which I have not been building for several decades because of finances and the availability of online information) has 1,000+ books, covering 30+ subjects. I have another case and several boxes of books, for which I need to get more bookcases.

I am still studying after 60 years in ministry. The subjects in my library include Bible, Bible History, Biblical Authority, Bible Handbooks, Bible Characters, Bible Books, Commentaries, Word Studies, Theology (Biblical and Systematic), Christology, Pneumatology, Angelology and Demonology, Doctrine, Missiology, Missions History and Missionary Biographies, Evangelism, Christian Biographies, Holiness (Entire Sanctification and the Deeper Life), Gifts of the Spirit, Ecclesiology, Church Planting, Church Growth, Small Group Ministries, Eschatology, Prayer, Christian Finances, Pastoral Theology, Pastor's Wife, Counseling (Biblical, Traditional and Humanistic), Social Issues (Drugs, Church/State, Abuse, Humanistic Education and Public Schooling), Christian Education (Church and School), Youth Ministry, Family Life and Ministry, Christian Camping and Activities, Cults, The Occult, Christian Music, Stewardship of Life (health, wealth, amusements, associations), as well as Christian novels and Christian books about random subjects.

I have always considered books as friends. I remember hearing, "those who read, lead." We live at a time when people want everything minimalized, summarized, condensed. This is a death knell for young men considering the ministry. There was a time when ministers were ranked with the most learned leaders in the community.

It is true that the writing of books is wearying, and too much study of some collateral material will cause fuzzy thinking. Some people are educated beyond their intelligence, and sometimes people fill their minds with "bits and pieces" or disconnected, misleading information. Being a student of truth is not only about quantity, but also about quality, balance and Biblical focus.

I am amazed at the accomplishments of Christian leaders, teachers, and preachers from centuries past. They did not have the advantages of communication and travel, but they studied and wrote in several languages, they delved into Scripture, History, Theology more deeply than I can even comprehend. Some people are intellectually gifted and they apply themselves to academic pursuits. Other people are not as gifted, but they dedicate themselves to learn all they can and to present what they can in an effective way.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

We see and hear a lot of "teaching" that actually hinders understanding of God's word. Personal responsibility and spiritual leadership are essential to Biblical discipleship. Pastors need to lead the way, and young men need to dedicate themselves to get information, knowledge, and wisdom.