04/14/26 SHARPENING OUR FOCUS
Is there anything weird going on in the world?
YEP.
Is all of it important?
NOPE.
Is some of it important?
YEP.
Should I be aware of the weird and wicked things?
It depends.
Should I allow anything other than the revealed word of God to consume or control my attitude, my associations, my actions?
TRIPLE NOPE.
If it is not a Biblical or salvation issue, should the weird and wicked define my life, my relationships, my focus?
ANOTHER TRIPLE NOPE.
Are there negative and destructive realities in our world?
OH YEAH.
Should we be aware of the negative and destructive issues of life?
To some degree, yes.
The Bible gives us "do's and don'ts." We should hear and heed God's warnings and directives. However, we are not called to be doomsdayers (though we will warn people about some dangers in life). We are called to be way-showers (Jesus is the way). Anyone can decry the weird and wicked, but it takes light and love to lead people to deliverance. The old saying is, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
Regardless of the dangers, the negativity, the weirdness and wickedness of this darkened world, the main point is that God has the answer and we are His messengers of Good News.
Don't misrepresent what I am saying. We do need to, "cry aloud and spare not" concerning the snare of the devil, but we must not drape ourselves in "doom and gloom." We are messengers of light (conquering the darkness), ambassadors of reconciliation (discipling the nations), soldiers of the cross (rescuing the oppressed), we are the keepers of the keys (setting the prisoner free).
Never forget, the real enemy of our soul is Satan and sin is his watchword.
We are sent to set free the prisoner of sin.
We are sent to bring healing to the sin-sick soul.
We are sent to mend broken hearts, lives, and relationships.
We are sent to find the lost and lead them to the Master.
We are sent to enlighten those in spiritual darkness.
It is in knowing the truth that we shall be set free. Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE.
Light scatters darkness, Hope flushes out despair, Faith replaces doubt, Love conquers evil.
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
04/14/26 SPECIFIC FREE WILL
04/14/26 SPECIFIC FREE WILL
God gave us free will to choose or reject Divine truth. Free will does not mean that we create our own reality. It means that we choose to live in a faith and submissive relationship with God or live according to another authority. A faithful, loving submission to God is the choice to live in eternal, loving, Divine presence. Rejection of Divine rule in our lives will bring eternal judgment, separation, and punishment.
God does not want us to be "lost." He wants us to be "saved" from sin, separation, and eternal suffering. God has provided a way of deliverance and reconciliation. Whoever it is, who will be lost for eternity will be lost because they have willfully sinned (rebelled) against God, and they have chosen to never submit to Him.
A lot of religions claim to be God's revealed plan to reconcile lost men with God. However, there is only one way, one truth, and one life of reconciliation. Living faith in the living Lord Jesus is God's provision for anyone who will believe on and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Holy Bible (made up of sixty-six books) is God's complete and final revelation of His salvation plan. A person can choose to believe anything he wants to believe, but belief is only salvific if it is based on Divine revelation.
A person can believe in whatever religious system he chooses, but if it is not God's revealed truth (the Holy Bible) then it is not Christian.
Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father, but through Himself (Jesus).
The teachings of men, intelligent men, informed men, sincere men, influential men do not supersede the authority of the Holy Bible, since the Author of the Holy Bible is the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe. Those who seek to change the teachings of the Bible, or add to the teachings of the Bible, or take away from the teachings of the Bible are presenting another (a different, a counterfeit) Jesus, another Gospel and another Spirit (than the Holy Spirit).
The counterfeits began showing up during the days of Christ, multiplied after the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, thrived after the Apostolic age (the years of the Apostles) and almost completely hid the teachings of the Bible from the days of the early Church until the Reformation. Even the Reformation was only a partial re-discovery of long abandoned truths.
The Church spread quickly, beginning in Jerusalem. Apostles and other believers took the message of salvation throughout the Mid-East, Asia Minor, Turkey, Arabia, the Balkans, Armenia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe (southern, eastern, northern, western), India, Nepal, Libya, Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, Russia and eventually to China. This is a partial list of the growth of the early Church.
With this growth, non-Christian influences sprang up and caused divisions and corruptions and false doctrines to spread.
The rejection of corrupted, of early Christian movements in Rome, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Ethiopia, Assyria, Europe (northern and western) were challenged by the Protestant Reformation. But this was only the beginning of a rediscovery of Biblical salvation and a return to New Testament Christianity.
Today there are a plethora of doctrinal attacks from ancient systems, reformed systems, errant beliefs in many denominations, cultic beliefs, and totally anti-Bible religious groups enslaving lost souls to false religion.
You can be a Catholic, an Eastern Orthodox, a follower of sinning religion, a slave of a legalistic group, enamored with man centered and miracle mongering "churches" or a follower of new age, modern cult pretenders to the faith.
If a person wants to be Catholic, Mormon, Watchtower, Seventh Day Adventists, New Apostolic Reformation, Prosperity (Name it Claim it), Reformationists (those who believe that God does not love everyone, that Christ did not die for everyone, that God does not save His people from sin and sinning in this present evil age, those who don't believe a person will not be cut off from God if he returns to sin after being saved), then they are free to do that. However, when you have another Jesus, another Gospel, another Spirit, another authority, then you are not a Bible-believing Christian.
I don't hate those who follow false doctrine. But you cannot take the name of the Lord God in vain, while following a false Christ, without facing the judgment of God.
The attack is ramping up these days, through the internet and public ministries of popular "Christian" speakers, music bands, and organizations.
Two of the main signs of the end times are deception and lawlessness abounding. You better find the right path and live in it faithfully.
If you have serious questions about a group or a person you are following, let me know. Maybe we can talk about it.
God gave us free will to choose or reject Divine truth. Free will does not mean that we create our own reality. It means that we choose to live in a faith and submissive relationship with God or live according to another authority. A faithful, loving submission to God is the choice to live in eternal, loving, Divine presence. Rejection of Divine rule in our lives will bring eternal judgment, separation, and punishment.
God does not want us to be "lost." He wants us to be "saved" from sin, separation, and eternal suffering. God has provided a way of deliverance and reconciliation. Whoever it is, who will be lost for eternity will be lost because they have willfully sinned (rebelled) against God, and they have chosen to never submit to Him.
A lot of religions claim to be God's revealed plan to reconcile lost men with God. However, there is only one way, one truth, and one life of reconciliation. Living faith in the living Lord Jesus is God's provision for anyone who will believe on and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Holy Bible (made up of sixty-six books) is God's complete and final revelation of His salvation plan. A person can choose to believe anything he wants to believe, but belief is only salvific if it is based on Divine revelation.
A person can believe in whatever religious system he chooses, but if it is not God's revealed truth (the Holy Bible) then it is not Christian.
Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father, but through Himself (Jesus).
The teachings of men, intelligent men, informed men, sincere men, influential men do not supersede the authority of the Holy Bible, since the Author of the Holy Bible is the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe. Those who seek to change the teachings of the Bible, or add to the teachings of the Bible, or take away from the teachings of the Bible are presenting another (a different, a counterfeit) Jesus, another Gospel and another Spirit (than the Holy Spirit).
The counterfeits began showing up during the days of Christ, multiplied after the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, thrived after the Apostolic age (the years of the Apostles) and almost completely hid the teachings of the Bible from the days of the early Church until the Reformation. Even the Reformation was only a partial re-discovery of long abandoned truths.
The Church spread quickly, beginning in Jerusalem. Apostles and other believers took the message of salvation throughout the Mid-East, Asia Minor, Turkey, Arabia, the Balkans, Armenia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe (southern, eastern, northern, western), India, Nepal, Libya, Persia (Iran), Afghanistan, Russia and eventually to China. This is a partial list of the growth of the early Church.
With this growth, non-Christian influences sprang up and caused divisions and corruptions and false doctrines to spread.
The rejection of corrupted, of early Christian movements in Rome, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Ethiopia, Assyria, Europe (northern and western) were challenged by the Protestant Reformation. But this was only the beginning of a rediscovery of Biblical salvation and a return to New Testament Christianity.
Today there are a plethora of doctrinal attacks from ancient systems, reformed systems, errant beliefs in many denominations, cultic beliefs, and totally anti-Bible religious groups enslaving lost souls to false religion.
You can be a Catholic, an Eastern Orthodox, a follower of sinning religion, a slave of a legalistic group, enamored with man centered and miracle mongering "churches" or a follower of new age, modern cult pretenders to the faith.
If a person wants to be Catholic, Mormon, Watchtower, Seventh Day Adventists, New Apostolic Reformation, Prosperity (Name it Claim it), Reformationists (those who believe that God does not love everyone, that Christ did not die for everyone, that God does not save His people from sin and sinning in this present evil age, those who don't believe a person will not be cut off from God if he returns to sin after being saved), then they are free to do that. However, when you have another Jesus, another Gospel, another Spirit, another authority, then you are not a Bible-believing Christian.
I don't hate those who follow false doctrine. But you cannot take the name of the Lord God in vain, while following a false Christ, without facing the judgment of God.
The attack is ramping up these days, through the internet and public ministries of popular "Christian" speakers, music bands, and organizations.
Two of the main signs of the end times are deception and lawlessness abounding. You better find the right path and live in it faithfully.
If you have serious questions about a group or a person you are following, let me know. Maybe we can talk about it.
Thursday, April 9, 2026
04/09/26 IT IS BEING AND DOING
04/09/26 IT IS BEING AND DOING
Our BE-ing AND Our DO-ing are both involved in God's TRANSFORMING and CONFORMING work of salvation.
All people are born with a "bent to sin." All have sinned. All need salvation.
Some people start life with a mixture of exceptional cultural, familial, moral, relational, educational, financial, physical, and/or spiritual advantages. Those people are often spared some of the horrors experienced by those on the other end of the spectrum. Still, those extremely blessed people need God's salvation through faith in Christ. They need their nature and behavior to be changed. Sadly, many of those people are satisfied with the blessings and never see or accept their need for the Blesser. Though they are not actually, "saved," they fit into the category of "Cultural Christians." Others plunge themselves into a life of chaos and despair, totally separated from the Christian image.
Some people start life in the most deprived and depraved of natural, moral, and spiritual conditions. Though they may realize their seemingly hopeless circumstances, they often cling to their spiritual degradation. They may climb out of their social pigsty, but they refuse to be lifted out of their spiritual cesspool.
So, we end up with two groups of people: the saved and the unsaved. Interestingly, some of those who are unsaved manifest a brighter, more positive, more appealing demeanor than some of those who claim to be in a right relationship with God. It could be that a person had a relationship with Christ, but they have failed to hold-on and, continue, abide, remain, grow, move forward with Christ, live by faith. Or it could be that the believer is young in the faith and is at an early stage of spiritual development, walking in what little enlightenment he has received.
We come out of darkness into light suddenly, but we move into greater light incrementally. We become a believer instantaneously through a crisis (sudden, transforming) experience, but we become more Christlike, more conformed to the image of Christ through growth in grace and walk in faith (progressively). The new believer's sins are washed away in a moment, and the faithful follower of Christ is cleansed from the Old Man (Carnal Mind, Double Mind, the Law of Sin and Death, the sinful nature,) in a moment (subsequent to conversion, the new birth), but our understanding and development is progressive. Purity is instantaneous, but maturity is progressive.
However, choosing to hold on to attitudes and actions which are unlike Christ leads to a separation from Christ. It may start as a slow, quiet drifting, but it will eventuate in an obvious and determined course away from God's leading and light.
If a Christian person refuses to move forward in Christ, refuses to seek God with his whole being, then he is presenting a false image of Christ and His salvation. This turns people away from the true Jesus, and it will result in the "drifter" openly rebelling against the rule (the Lordship) of Christ in his life. Continuing to turn from God leads to hardening of the heart and stiffening of the neck leads to suddenly being cut off, and that without remedy.
The transformation of our being, our nature, begins with the Divine work of regeneration and is eventually followed by the Divine work of being filled with the Holy Spirit (entire sanctification). Our being is changed by Divine action and our lives are changed by faithful obedience to God's indwelling and leading. Being and doing are part of the one life's cycle. The Divine life cycle is to be (become) what God wants us to be, and to do (behave) in the way God wants us to act. The result of a right relationship with God is that we obey God from a pure heart.
1 Timothy 1:5
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Our BE-ing AND Our DO-ing are both involved in God's TRANSFORMING and CONFORMING work of salvation.
All people are born with a "bent to sin." All have sinned. All need salvation.
Some people start life with a mixture of exceptional cultural, familial, moral, relational, educational, financial, physical, and/or spiritual advantages. Those people are often spared some of the horrors experienced by those on the other end of the spectrum. Still, those extremely blessed people need God's salvation through faith in Christ. They need their nature and behavior to be changed. Sadly, many of those people are satisfied with the blessings and never see or accept their need for the Blesser. Though they are not actually, "saved," they fit into the category of "Cultural Christians." Others plunge themselves into a life of chaos and despair, totally separated from the Christian image.
Some people start life in the most deprived and depraved of natural, moral, and spiritual conditions. Though they may realize their seemingly hopeless circumstances, they often cling to their spiritual degradation. They may climb out of their social pigsty, but they refuse to be lifted out of their spiritual cesspool.
So, we end up with two groups of people: the saved and the unsaved. Interestingly, some of those who are unsaved manifest a brighter, more positive, more appealing demeanor than some of those who claim to be in a right relationship with God. It could be that a person had a relationship with Christ, but they have failed to hold-on and, continue, abide, remain, grow, move forward with Christ, live by faith. Or it could be that the believer is young in the faith and is at an early stage of spiritual development, walking in what little enlightenment he has received.
We come out of darkness into light suddenly, but we move into greater light incrementally. We become a believer instantaneously through a crisis (sudden, transforming) experience, but we become more Christlike, more conformed to the image of Christ through growth in grace and walk in faith (progressively). The new believer's sins are washed away in a moment, and the faithful follower of Christ is cleansed from the Old Man (Carnal Mind, Double Mind, the Law of Sin and Death, the sinful nature,) in a moment (subsequent to conversion, the new birth), but our understanding and development is progressive. Purity is instantaneous, but maturity is progressive.
However, choosing to hold on to attitudes and actions which are unlike Christ leads to a separation from Christ. It may start as a slow, quiet drifting, but it will eventuate in an obvious and determined course away from God's leading and light.
If a Christian person refuses to move forward in Christ, refuses to seek God with his whole being, then he is presenting a false image of Christ and His salvation. This turns people away from the true Jesus, and it will result in the "drifter" openly rebelling against the rule (the Lordship) of Christ in his life. Continuing to turn from God leads to hardening of the heart and stiffening of the neck leads to suddenly being cut off, and that without remedy.
The transformation of our being, our nature, begins with the Divine work of regeneration and is eventually followed by the Divine work of being filled with the Holy Spirit (entire sanctification). Our being is changed by Divine action and our lives are changed by faithful obedience to God's indwelling and leading. Being and doing are part of the one life's cycle. The Divine life cycle is to be (become) what God wants us to be, and to do (behave) in the way God wants us to act. The result of a right relationship with God is that we obey God from a pure heart.
1 Timothy 1:5
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
04/09/26 PAYING ATTENTION IN THE PULPIT
04/09/26 PAYING ATTENTION IN THE PULPIT
These three photos give you an idea of my view when I only have online services, sent from my living room.
I can see my front yard, the highway, and my neighbor's front yard. It is a pleasant view. I have a light source for evening and nighttime services. By the end of evening service, the outside view is a wall of darkness.
Most of the time, there is no traffic passing by my house. I am able to see birds and other wildlife as I am preaching and teaching. I use an online Scripture app that has a variety of Bible helps. This allows me to share with everyone the same information I have.
Last evening, while I was preaching/teaching, I saw something that looked out of place. I eventually saw it moving. It was a deer. Martha sits in the same room from which I do my online service. When I saw the deer move, I told Martha. Of course, everyone online heard me. I did not lose my train of thought, but I did realize how strange that would seem to folks (especially if they were not used to my online presence). This is not totally odd for me. During our in-person services, I take note of the comfort of my people (temperature, light shining in someone's eye, audio volume, the presence of a wasp or other critter). I am also alert to events outside of our building. I watch out for potentially dangerous people coming into the building. Going back to the 1970s, I have had my ushers aware of, and alert to the entrance of disruptive visitors with some response protocols in place.
This morning I remembered seeing the deer last night and laughed to myself. Though I am focused on God's message, I pay attention to my surroundings when I am having "in-person" meetings. I am not simply talking to people; I am communicating with them. I am God's messenger, delivering God's message to God's people. I am listening to Him, but I am also "listening to" (watching) my congregation. I am looking for their response, their attentiveness, their receptivity, their agreement, their disagreement, their confusion, their excitement. I am watching to see if I am making my message clear, or if I need to explain it a little more for someone. The background and understanding of my hearers determine the way I proclaim.
Biblical proclamation is a two-way street. Sometimes people are doing things during a meeting that are disruptive to other people in the congregation, either because they were deliberately shutting out the message or for some other reason. I have seen young people "cutting-up" (goofing-off), I have also seen adults being inconsiderate and disruptive. I deal with issues differently. Sometimes I just stop, remain silent, until the silence jars the offender back to reality and proper behavior. Sometimes I address the disturbance without drawing attention to the offender. Sometimes I make a more personal appeal or confrontation, but I try to save their dignity while changing their behavior. On some occasions (very rarely) I have had to deal directly and severely. I am not looking for issues. They just happen and I see them. I don't "ride herd" over my people, or expect perfect decorum all of the time, but I do expect proper respect and courtesy, because I am on a mission to deliver God's message.
Maybe some preachers don't care what the people do during the message, and I know some preachers relish the idea of "riding herd" over the congregation. NOT ME. I love my people and I understand we all have weaknesses. I just want to make sure everyone is given the opportunity to get the message that God is sending through me.
These three photos give you an idea of my view when I only have online services, sent from my living room.
I can see my front yard, the highway, and my neighbor's front yard. It is a pleasant view. I have a light source for evening and nighttime services. By the end of evening service, the outside view is a wall of darkness.
Most of the time, there is no traffic passing by my house. I am able to see birds and other wildlife as I am preaching and teaching. I use an online Scripture app that has a variety of Bible helps. This allows me to share with everyone the same information I have.
Last evening, while I was preaching/teaching, I saw something that looked out of place. I eventually saw it moving. It was a deer. Martha sits in the same room from which I do my online service. When I saw the deer move, I told Martha. Of course, everyone online heard me. I did not lose my train of thought, but I did realize how strange that would seem to folks (especially if they were not used to my online presence). This is not totally odd for me. During our in-person services, I take note of the comfort of my people (temperature, light shining in someone's eye, audio volume, the presence of a wasp or other critter). I am also alert to events outside of our building. I watch out for potentially dangerous people coming into the building. Going back to the 1970s, I have had my ushers aware of, and alert to the entrance of disruptive visitors with some response protocols in place.
This morning I remembered seeing the deer last night and laughed to myself. Though I am focused on God's message, I pay attention to my surroundings when I am having "in-person" meetings. I am not simply talking to people; I am communicating with them. I am God's messenger, delivering God's message to God's people. I am listening to Him, but I am also "listening to" (watching) my congregation. I am looking for their response, their attentiveness, their receptivity, their agreement, their disagreement, their confusion, their excitement. I am watching to see if I am making my message clear, or if I need to explain it a little more for someone. The background and understanding of my hearers determine the way I proclaim.
Biblical proclamation is a two-way street. Sometimes people are doing things during a meeting that are disruptive to other people in the congregation, either because they were deliberately shutting out the message or for some other reason. I have seen young people "cutting-up" (goofing-off), I have also seen adults being inconsiderate and disruptive. I deal with issues differently. Sometimes I just stop, remain silent, until the silence jars the offender back to reality and proper behavior. Sometimes I address the disturbance without drawing attention to the offender. Sometimes I make a more personal appeal or confrontation, but I try to save their dignity while changing their behavior. On some occasions (very rarely) I have had to deal directly and severely. I am not looking for issues. They just happen and I see them. I don't "ride herd" over my people, or expect perfect decorum all of the time, but I do expect proper respect and courtesy, because I am on a mission to deliver God's message.
Maybe some preachers don't care what the people do during the message, and I know some preachers relish the idea of "riding herd" over the congregation. NOT ME. I love my people and I understand we all have weaknesses. I just want to make sure everyone is given the opportunity to get the message that God is sending through me.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
04/08/26 MISSING GOD'S LEADING IS DANGEROUS
04/08/26 MISSING GOD'S LEADING IS DANGEROUS
I realize that I often address Biblical truths of salvation that all Christians should know. However, I do this because there are so many basic truths that have been twisted or abandoned by churches and individuals who profess salvation, resulting in a Scriptural famine in the land.
The unsaved society formerly had a basic understanding of the Christian faith, but that is far from true today. In fact, many of the people who attend historically evangelically oriented churches today have very little understanding of basic Christian faith. A large number of pastors, teachers, and writers are spreading beliefs that are contrary to Biblical Christianity, and well-meaning people are being led away from God and His salvation.
I try to write basic Biblical truths in a simple-to-understand way. Maybe I will say something that helps you. Maybe I will say something in a way that helps you explain God's truth to someone else.
Do not take it for granted that a person, even a faithful church attender, knows or understands basic Christian truth.
As you share with other people, remember, as essential as it is to get the truth accurately, it is also true that the truth should not only enlighten the mind, but it should produce godliness (holy living).
We learn truth so that we might be delivered from darkness, sin, error. We share truth so that others will be set free from sin.
Jesus sends us out to make disciples, not simply win arguments.
Lack of truth produces error, confusion, division, death.
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
People are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because there is a famine of His word in the land, people die.
The blind grope in the darkness because someone is not shedding God's light.
People go astray because they have no shepherd.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and hearing the word of God comes from those who carry the word of God.
People are left alienated from God because they are not being sought, found and reconciled by God's ambassadors.
People are entangled and held captive by sin and Satan because no one is setting the prisoners free.
WE should not only lead people to conversion, we should also disciple them, and incorporate them into a local body.
WE have seen decades of decay and the loss of millions of souls because believers did not do what God called believers to do. Even if we see a great revival (which we may not see), then it is too late for those who were taken captive by Satan. Following in the steps of the majority of professing Christians and the actions of thousands of "churches" in America, from the past fifty years of spiritual rebellion and failure is leading to the final falling away that will usher in the Tribulation.
The unsaved society formerly had a basic understanding of the Christian faith, but that is far from true today. In fact, many of the people who attend historically evangelically oriented churches today have very little understanding of basic Christian faith. A large number of pastors, teachers, and writers are spreading beliefs that are contrary to Biblical Christianity, and well-meaning people are being led away from God and His salvation.
I try to write basic Biblical truths in a simple-to-understand way. Maybe I will say something that helps you. Maybe I will say something in a way that helps you explain God's truth to someone else.
Do not take it for granted that a person, even a faithful church attender, knows or understands basic Christian truth.
As you share with other people, remember, as essential as it is to get the truth accurately, it is also true that the truth should not only enlighten the mind, but it should produce godliness (holy living).
We learn truth so that we might be delivered from darkness, sin, error. We share truth so that others will be set free from sin.
Jesus sends us out to make disciples, not simply win arguments.
Lack of truth produces error, confusion, division, death.
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
People are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because there is a famine of His word in the land, people die.
The blind grope in the darkness because someone is not shedding God's light.
People go astray because they have no shepherd.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and hearing the word of God comes from those who carry the word of God.
People are left alienated from God because they are not being sought, found and reconciled by God's ambassadors.
People are entangled and held captive by sin and Satan because no one is setting the prisoners free.
WE should not only lead people to conversion, we should also disciple them, and incorporate them into a local body.
WE have seen decades of decay and the loss of millions of souls because believers did not do what God called believers to do. Even if we see a great revival (which we may not see), then it is too late for those who were taken captive by Satan. Following in the steps of the majority of professing Christians and the actions of thousands of "churches" in America, from the past fifty years of spiritual rebellion and failure is leading to the final falling away that will usher in the Tribulation.
Saturday, April 4, 2026
04/04/26 PRACTICAL PLANNING
04/04/26 PRACTICAL PLANNING
I had a great time kayaking with brother Wade and Timothy yesterday (Friday). We were out for a couple of hours or so. Kayaking anywhere is a special, happy place for me. It is refreshing, invigorating, relaxing, restorative, fun, inexpensive, exercising, quiet, exciting, private, social and fun. Then I can also add fishing to my kayaking, and wow, my happy place just took on another dimension. It is a good way to unwind and rewind.
If I were starting out as a young man and wanted a boat, here is what I would do.
I would get a good kayak. For me, that would be a fishing kayak, 12 feet long, sit-on-top, medium weight, comfortable seat, stable enough to stand on, with rod holders, dry cargo area, handles for easy carry. I would look for a used kayak in very good shape. It would be great to have one with pedals, and I would plan a small motor for those times I need help getting home more quickly.
With a kayak, it is easy to launch and pack up to go home. With a kayak, you do not have to spend money for gas. With a kayak, you can go into places that are inaccessible to motorized craft. With a kayak, you get a quiet ride (which is like getting free therapy). With a kayak, you get really good exercise. With a kayak, you are conditioning yourself for an active life as you get older. With kayaking, you will have a variety of adventures. With kayaking, you can get to fish in the shallows, in the marshes, in the canals, in the tight places. And did I mention, it is in the sound of silence.
Here are a few pictures I took on a recent "paddle."
I had a great time kayaking with brother Wade and Timothy yesterday (Friday). We were out for a couple of hours or so. Kayaking anywhere is a special, happy place for me. It is refreshing, invigorating, relaxing, restorative, fun, inexpensive, exercising, quiet, exciting, private, social and fun. Then I can also add fishing to my kayaking, and wow, my happy place just took on another dimension. It is a good way to unwind and rewind.
If I were starting out as a young man and wanted a boat, here is what I would do.
I would get a good kayak. For me, that would be a fishing kayak, 12 feet long, sit-on-top, medium weight, comfortable seat, stable enough to stand on, with rod holders, dry cargo area, handles for easy carry. I would look for a used kayak in very good shape. It would be great to have one with pedals, and I would plan a small motor for those times I need help getting home more quickly.
With a kayak, it is easy to launch and pack up to go home. With a kayak, you do not have to spend money for gas. With a kayak, you can go into places that are inaccessible to motorized craft. With a kayak, you get a quiet ride (which is like getting free therapy). With a kayak, you get really good exercise. With a kayak, you are conditioning yourself for an active life as you get older. With kayaking, you will have a variety of adventures. With kayaking, you can get to fish in the shallows, in the marshes, in the canals, in the tight places. And did I mention, it is in the sound of silence.
Here are a few pictures I took on a recent "paddle."
Thursday, April 2, 2026
04/02/26 79 TIMES AROUND...
04/02/26 79 TIMES AROUND...
79 times around the track and starting my 80th lap, but my adjusted goal now is 85 laps. If (or when) I reach the 84th lap, I hope to readjust my goal to 88 or 90 laps. God has a plan, but I want to be ready for what He has in mind.
The Christian life is referred to as walking, running, following, continuing, growing, and fighting. It is also waiting, resting, trusting, remaining, holding on, and standing. The Christian life includes BEING and DOING. Jesus set the standard; He went about doing good. Sadly, most folks just go about... The Biblical standard for SUCCESS is FAITHFULNESS.
God never leads us into a situation that will be greater than His grace. He never leaves or abandons or forsakes us. He has also promised to go with us to the end of the age, and to give us everything we need for life and godliness, and to make us more than conquerors, and to always lead us in triumph and lead us in the way we should go.
We may not know where He is leading or why He is leading in a certain direction or what trials we will face, but we know that God does all things well. We know that He provides grace abounding to His children; He gives joy unspeakable and full of glory; He gives peace that passes understanding: He gives love, love abounding, perfect love; He is the giver of every good and perfect gift; it is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom.
We may fail of the grace of God, we may resist or reject His mercy, kindness, blessing, grace, but God is faithful, and Jesus never fails; heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus never fails. He not only continues to love us when we fail, but He calls us to return to Him, and He will reconcile and restore us.
Sometimes I have faltered along the way, but Jesus was there, offering His grace, forgiveness, cleansing, renewal, strength, encouragement, and deliverance. And, NO, I don't focus on my failures. When I have fallen, He was there, providing restoration, hope and faith. He was there all the time. Then, by His grace, I was able to trust Him, and He lifted me out of my deep miry clay. By faith, my focus returned to Jesus. My failures were not my blessings, but His grace was always greater than my sin. Jesus told us to let others see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven; therefore, we turn our eyes upon Jesus, and we seek Him with our whole heart. Recognizing our sin does not mean we continue in our sin. We turn from darkness to light, death to life, from the dominion of the devil to the deliverance of the Lord.
Paul said some fitting words about his own response to the call of God in his life. We can learn from it.
2 Timothy 4:1-8 (vss, 7-8)
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
LIVE AND DIE
Here are a few verses I found today that address the way we should view life and death.
Job 14:14
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Psalms 118:17
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Romans 8:12-14
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 14:7-9
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
2 Corinthians 7:2-3
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
Philippians 1:18-23
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
79 times around the track and starting my 80th lap, but my adjusted goal now is 85 laps. If (or when) I reach the 84th lap, I hope to readjust my goal to 88 or 90 laps. God has a plan, but I want to be ready for what He has in mind.
The Christian life is referred to as walking, running, following, continuing, growing, and fighting. It is also waiting, resting, trusting, remaining, holding on, and standing. The Christian life includes BEING and DOING. Jesus set the standard; He went about doing good. Sadly, most folks just go about... The Biblical standard for SUCCESS is FAITHFULNESS.
God never leads us into a situation that will be greater than His grace. He never leaves or abandons or forsakes us. He has also promised to go with us to the end of the age, and to give us everything we need for life and godliness, and to make us more than conquerors, and to always lead us in triumph and lead us in the way we should go.
We may not know where He is leading or why He is leading in a certain direction or what trials we will face, but we know that God does all things well. We know that He provides grace abounding to His children; He gives joy unspeakable and full of glory; He gives peace that passes understanding: He gives love, love abounding, perfect love; He is the giver of every good and perfect gift; it is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom.
We may fail of the grace of God, we may resist or reject His mercy, kindness, blessing, grace, but God is faithful, and Jesus never fails; heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus never fails. He not only continues to love us when we fail, but He calls us to return to Him, and He will reconcile and restore us.
Sometimes I have faltered along the way, but Jesus was there, offering His grace, forgiveness, cleansing, renewal, strength, encouragement, and deliverance. And, NO, I don't focus on my failures. When I have fallen, He was there, providing restoration, hope and faith. He was there all the time. Then, by His grace, I was able to trust Him, and He lifted me out of my deep miry clay. By faith, my focus returned to Jesus. My failures were not my blessings, but His grace was always greater than my sin. Jesus told us to let others see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven; therefore, we turn our eyes upon Jesus, and we seek Him with our whole heart. Recognizing our sin does not mean we continue in our sin. We turn from darkness to light, death to life, from the dominion of the devil to the deliverance of the Lord.
Paul said some fitting words about his own response to the call of God in his life. We can learn from it.
2 Timothy 4:1-8 (vss, 7-8)
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
LIVE AND DIE
Here are a few verses I found today that address the way we should view life and death.
Job 14:14
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Psalms 118:17
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Romans 8:12-14
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 14:7-9
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
2 Corinthians 7:2-3
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
Philippians 1:18-23
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
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