God's Truth In Love

Archive for the ‘Renewal’ Category

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Left Behind Movie (The Rise of the Antichrist)

In Abominations, Anxiety, Apostasy, Biblical Principles, False Doctrine, False Gods, False Teaching, Hate, Hatred, Hell, Left Behind, Religious Freedom, Remnant, Renewal, Repentance, Revelation, Uncategorized on May 3, 2023 at 4:40 pm

The Left Behind Movie, the 2022 version that was in theaters recently is our topic. Really it is just a remake and an update of the original Left Behind, just incorporating modern day events and technology.

Some of the things that caught my attention which were incorporated into a modern day version of what could happen were…

The UFO angle. Many people believe in UFOs and our government in recent years have released video footage and documentation of objects flying in the air that could not be explained, footage taken by military pilots. Many people believe these things are UFOs. And then the movie kind of alludes to the idea that the people taken in the rapture may have actually been taken by UFOs.

They allude to the idea and concept that artificial intelligence, which is rapidly on the rise now, and many people are warning about, is playing a part in all of this as well.

Of course they talk about COVID, the fear that is instilled in people to get them to comply with whatever the government wants them to do. COVID-19 being a prelude to the idea that our government could get us to partake in self-imprisonment or mandated home imprisonment just because they deem something as a crisis in our country. That part is very real and a little bit intimidating when you think about that we have dealt with that during COVID-19, and we will most likely deal with it again. How unjust is our government to force that upon us in what we view as a free society.

Also, the idea of a one world government being birthed out of coming together over a crisis or pandemic type situation like COVID-19. Including the idea that the government will outright lie about a crisis that really doesn’t exist.

One thing that was depicted in the movie that I had not considered in any depth was how the internet potentially could be manipulated to remove access to the bible, biblical prophecy, references to the rapture, ETC. If you alter social media and internet searches most people, let’s say under the age of 50, would be completely lost when it comes to biblical things and the history of world events. So many people depend upon social media as their source of accurate information and that is so sad. I know for a fact during COVID-19 social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter, were removing any post from people’s accounts that they deemed as misinformation. I mean surely, I know you realize how incredibly dangerous that is to a society, yes?

One thing I have been aware of is the removal of certain things from the Scriptures as more and more translations emerge in our society. More and more is being removed especially surrounding Jesus’s Deity in the New Testament, so I could see how, as the movie portrayed, that one day potentially the Truth about the End Times or The Rapture could be completely removed from any existing Bibles, it’s not really that farfetched. This is why I’ve studied so many of the translations to see what has been removed or what has been changed because they indicate their improving the Bible’s accuracy, but when you look at what is actually going missing or being altered it is not an improvement.

The false teachers, like the pastor acknowledges being in the movie, to me seem extremely prevalent today in what is supposed to be Christian churches. Like he talks about in the movie, he knew all about the Bible but in his heart, he really didn’t believe the stuff, but he taught it, nevertheless. How incredibly scary! Although I absolutely believe I have met and interacted with Christian leaders who are exactly as this man describes himself. I can think of three off the top of my head, a married couple who minister at a church as well as a life group, and a man who heads a church and heads the local minister’s association. Is that like scary or what?

A pay system through an app. A form of one world currency. Well most of us are used to using PayPal or Apple pay, so we take a few steps closer and closer. And where they talk about you will either have to use the app to pay for things or starve to death, we see now that there are conditions that you must comply with to use any app, almost any type of app, and those conditions that must be complied with are not optional.

We have canceled culture, which goes against anyone who tries to put the Truth out.

Remember what Jesus told the disciples when he was describing what it would be like in the last days. His first words were, ‘Take heed that no man deceive you.’ People better know what they believe and why they believe it.

Favorite quote from the movie…

"So why do people who don’t even believe in God suddenly hate Him so much? Because they have no one else to blame it on."

Very typical of wounded or broken people, who are extremely fearful, unsure about life, and perplexed about why certain things happen or why a specific thing they know about or experienced has happened.

I would really enjoy reading your thoughts on the movie as well, please send them via the “comment” link. Let me know what you think.

If you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Truth Tellers

In Advice, Anxiety, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Choices, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Correction, Decision Making, Favor, Fear, Godliness, Guidance, Obedience, Prophecy, Remnant, Renewal, Repentance, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Sanctification, Spiritual Activism, Spiritual Activists, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on October 2, 2022 at 12:07 pm

Ye that love the Lord, hate evil:

Psalm 97:10

There are those individuals who tell the truth, and the world hates them for it.

If you are a true Christian, who truly loves God and desires to see His Will done, you have no choice but to tell the truth to a decaying and dying society.

If you are one of those Christians who sold out Christ in order to be accepted by their society and by people in general, to be liked, to make life easier for yourself, one day you will have a lot to answer for before God and I wonder then if it is all going to be worth it.

Because…

When people have the opportunity to quietly, discreetly, sometimes even anonymously tell the truth, those very people in that decaying society from whom you wanted so much acceptance, secretly hate themselves. They are constantly discontent with who they are if they’re able to accept who they are at all. They can never get to a place of being okay, they are always suffering from some type of anxiety or mental disturbance or some form of discontent with their life. Their ideas, their values, their belief system is so distorted and depraved that they can’t be anything but inwardly miserable while they pretend to society and to those people around them that they’re just fine. They are among the masses every day marching in their uniformity line to their own destruction and death, but ha they are politically correct and they “fit in” within their society. They’re just fine, while they’re dying every day little by little because of their…

These are the people you want to be like? These are the people you want acceptance from? No thank you! I’ll go right on being a Truth Teller and being hated by all of them because I would rather be hated by them than to degrade myself to the degree necessary to be accepted by them. What about you?

There are people who have destroyed their whole lives, destroyed who God created them to be, destroyed their relationship with God, destroyed their spirituality all on the altar of trying to fit into and be accepted by their distorted, depraved, cookie cutter, dying society.

         

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Upcoming Prophecy connected to Azusa Street Revival

In Azusa Street Revival, Biblical Principles, Church Growth, Discernment, God's Voice, Godly Counsel, Prophecy, Prophet, Renewal, Revival, Rhema Words, Uncategorized, William Seymour on September 22, 2022 at 6:37 pm

Over 100 years ago there was a massive revival and outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Azusa Street in Los Angles California. Apparently the leader of the revival William Seymour, received a prophetic word at the revival that in 100 years from the date or time of his death there would be another outpouring of the Holy Spirit like Azusa Street but the outpouring of the Spirit of God would be such a powerful move of God that Azusa Street would pale in comparison.
 
100 years from the date is September 28, 2022.

100 years from his death which took place in 1922 on September 28th.

Attention! Anyone who reads this post; if God is speaking to you about this matter, this prophecy, send me a message via the "comment" link below. I would very much want to hear what God is sharing with you.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:20 God’s Disgust

In Abominations, Actions, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Cruelty, Decision Making, Evil, Mental Disorder, Mental Illness, Proverbs, Psychiatry, Renewal, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on August 13, 2022 at 5:31 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

God’s Disgust

We will address part one of this verse.

To be an abomination to Jehovah God is a very serious state to be in. Yet, this Scripture makes it clear that those who are “of a froward heart” are in exactly that situation (v.20). We will take the time to look at what an abomination actually is and what having a froward heart actually means.

“abomination” in the Hebrew is the defined as the following:

8441. תּוֹעֵבָה tôw˓êbâh, to-ay-baw’; or

תֹּעֵבָה tô˓êbâh, to-ay-baw’; fem. act. part. of 8581; prop. something disgusting (mor.), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; espec. idolatry or (concr.) an idol:— abominable (custom, thing), abomination.

8581. תָּעַב tâ˓ab, taw-ab’; a prim. root; to loathe, i.e. (mor.) detest:— (make to be) abhor (-red), (be, commit more, do) abominable (-y), × utterly.

That’s harsh! Far too many people see God as some marshmallow who just loves everybody no matter what, without balancing His true character. God does love everybody, but God absolutely hates sin. Sin is sin but there are times in the Bible where some sins are depicted as having the effect of being abhorring to God. The ones, for lack of better wording, that He just hates, hates, hates. Those people with a “froward heart” are among that group.

The idea of being morally disgusting in God’s eyes is heartbreaking to me. To be hated, loathed, detested by my own Creator is beyond description. However, if I were to fall into this category that is where I would be at – unless or until I repented.

What does a froward heart look like? Let us examine that.

“froward” in the Hebrew is defined as:

6141. עִקֵּשׁ ˓iqqêsh, ik-kashe’; from 6140; distorted; hence, false:— crooked, froward, perverse.

6140. עָקַשׁ ˓âqash, aw-kash’; a prim. root; to knot or distort; fig. to pervert (act or declare perverse):— make crooked, (prove, that is) perverse (-rt).

A heart distorted by evil, wrongdoing, perversion, which is a cheat, a heart that is by all account twisted in knots (in an evil sense) by life, is a froward heart. A person consumed with these traits is not a welcome sight in God’s eyes. If you have these traits in your life I urge you, warn you, to repent and clean up your heart before God.

A side note for a moment.

I was once interviewed for a book a professor was writing because of two events in my life. I went into the ministry, and I was almost killed by a serial killer. In this interview we talked about how hearts get distorted by evil (the man who tried to kill me had been horribly abused as a child) and I told the professor my beliefs on the matter. Here is one of the quotes from the things I shared with him, that he cited in his book.

“Evil opens the doorway to psychological damage and psychological damage opens the doorway to evil.” It is a vicious cycle, I told him.

If your heart is distorted it is one of the most serious things in life, so deal with it and do so quickly!

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Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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Sanctification – Instant, Progressive, or Neither?

In Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Godliness, Grace, Holiness, Instant Sanctification, Learning, Lifestyle, Obedience, Progressive Sanctification, Renewal, Repentance, Sanctification, Truth, Wisdom on July 15, 2022 at 5:48 pm

I am going to take a detour here from Proverbs because this has come up a couple of times this week and was just part of a future blog post I was writing from the book of Proverbs.

Sanctification – Instant, Progressive, or Neither?

People make sanctification way too complicated and seem to believe that the idea of instant or progressive sanctification are the only options. They seem to believe that the two (instant sanctification and progressive sanctification) are at odds with one another. Well they are not.

Sanctification is both instant and progressive.

When we accept Christ, we are in that very moment “instantly” sanctified in Him, in the spiritual realm. That instant sanctification is manifest in our daily life, in our lifestyle, in our spiritual maturity, in a “progressive” manner, to varying degrees, at different speeds over the course of our lifetime, as we walk with Christ and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

It truly is that simple, people just make it, like most of the things of God, far too difficult and complicated.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:16 Woman’s Honor Men’s Strength

In Advice, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discernment, Discretion, Godliness, Grace, Lifestyle, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Wisdom on July 6, 2022 at 3:25 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

Woman’s Honor Men’s Strength

I am going to primarily focus on the part of the passage that addresses women so I will address the portion of verse sixteen that speaks to men first.

It takes a man of certain character and strength to hold on to the monetary blessing God has provided Him (v.16). If a man has a weakness for drink, for women, for gambling and the like, in the end he shall surely end up losing most, if not all, that God has blessed him with. It takes strength to manage one’s money well. Sadly, not all men have that type of godly strength.

Now a look at the graciousness of women of honor (v.16).

“gracious” in the Hebrew Language is defined in two parts as follows:

2580. חֵן chên, khane; from 2603; graciousness, i.e. subj. (kindness, favor) or obj. (beauty):— favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured.

2603. חָנַן chânan, khaw-nan’; a prim. root [comp. 2583]; prop. to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; caus. to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition):— beseech, × fair, (be, find, shew) favour (-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious (-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, × very.

I just delight in the fact that the gracious women is defined as “precious” in God’s sight. It also moves my heart that she will “implore” or moves people to her way of thinking not through demand but through heartfelt appeal. She is the kind that would beg before she would demand something from someone. She has “mercy” for people, compassion, “pity” not animosity. She has the strength of character to humble herself in kindness to someone who is clearly her inferior in some manner, intelligence, grace, style, education, godliness, culture, talent, godly insight, wisdom, maturity, manners, refinement, etc. She would rather “pray” for you than tell you off. What a heart in such a woman – God’s heart.

Why is she this way. We will look at another definition to find out why.

In the Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary the first definition for gracious is quite telling. The same holds true for the word fair, which you will find below. But first a note about the Webster’s Dictionary.

The original Webster’s Dictionary always had, and has, the biblical meaning of a word as the first definition. The original is still in print, I have one, and I recommend owning one because as you will find in the definition below took from the Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary our “educated” and “enlightened” society (sarcasm intended) believes that biblical meanings no longer have a place in our society, they are in their definition “obsolete” but in God’s definition they are not and never will be obsolete.

“gracious” per Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary is defined as:

1 a obsolete : GODLY b archaic : PLEASING, ACCEPTABLE
2 a : marked by kindness and courtesy £ a gracious host b : GRACEFUL c : marked by tact and delicacy : URBANE d : characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding £ gracious living
3 : MERCIFUL, COMPASSIONATE — used conventionally of royalty and high nobility

To be a gracious women is to be a woman “of royalty and high nobility” – God’s royalty and nobility. Yet, to modern society to be a “godly” woman has nothing to do with graciousness and it is “archaic” to be a “pleasing” and “acceptable” as a woman. How ridiculous! It just shows how far from the Standards of God we have fallen as a society.

By the way the first definition for the word “nobility” in the same dictionary means:

1 : the quality or state of being noble in character, quality, or rank

Well a godly gracious woman of honor is definitely all of that “noble in character” a woman of “quality” and much more.

To be “fair” in the Hebrew language means to be as follows:

3303. יָפֶה yâpheh, yaw-feh’; from 3302; beautiful (lit. or fig.):— + beautiful, beauty, comely, fair (-est, one), + goodly, pleasant, well.

3302. יָפָה yâphâh, yaw-faw’; a prim. root; prop. to be bright, i.e. (by impl.) beautiful:— be beautiful, be (make self) fair (-r), deck.

“fair” per Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary

1 : pleasing to the eye or mind especially because of fresh, charming, or flawless quality

You might have heard the saying beauty is only skin deep but ugly is to the bone; well, real beauty is much deeper than the surface and ugly shows regardless of how beautiful the surface of the package might be. In the definition for “fair” it states that to be “fair” is “to be bright in example by implication thus beautiful” – what is on the inside is what makes a woman bright; personality, character, and temperament are beautiful to those who are looking with open eyes.

Grace, exhibiting graciousness, does not allow a woman to sacrifice her honor for anything. Gracious women retain their honor at all times (v.16).

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 11:2-3 Pride and Perverseness vs. Integrity and Uprightness

In Advice, Attitude, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Correction, Decision Making, Guidance, Knowledge, Lifestyle, Obedience, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on March 26, 2022 at 12:19 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).

2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Pride and Perverseness vs. Integrity and Uprightness

These two verses are pretty straightforward and easy to understand. Certain behaviors and characteristics in your life will bring about a spiritual law in your life or what some might call a spiritual reaction.

Let’s look at each one, what they produce in a person’s life, and the actual biblical meaning of said behavior or characteristic.

Pride will bring shame in your life.

“Pride” =

2087. זָדוֹן zâdôwn, zaw-done’; from 2102; arrogance:— presumptuously, pride, proud (man).

2102. זוּד zûwd, zood; or (by perm.)

זִיד zı̂yd, zeed; a prim. root; to seethe; fig. to be insolent:— be proud, deal proudly, presume, (come) presumptuously, sod.

“Shame” =

7036. קָלוֹן qâlôwn, kaw-lone’; from 7034; disgrace; (by impl.) the pudenda:— confusion, dishonour, ignominy, reproach, shame.

7034. קָלָה qâlâh, kaw-law’; a prim. root; to be light (as impl. in rapid motion), but fig. only (be [caus. hold] in contempt):— base, contemn, despise, lightly esteem, set light, seem vile.

Humility (lowliness) produces wisdom in your life.

“Lowly” =

6800. צָנַע tsâna˓, tsaw-nah’; a prim. root; to humiliate:— humbly, lowly.

“Wisdom” =

2451. חָכְמָה chokmâh, khok-maw’; from 2449; wisdom (in a good sense):— skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.

2449. חָכַם châkam, khaw-kam’; a prim. root, to be wise (in mind, word or act):— × exceeding, teach wisdom, be (make self, shew self) wise, deal (never so) wisely, make wiser.

Integrity results in insight in your life.

“Integrity” =

8538. תֻּמָּה tummâh, toom-maw’; fem. of 8537; innocence:— integrity.

8537. תֹּם tôm, tome; from 8552; completeness; fig. prosperity; usually (mor.) innocence:— full, integrity, perfect (-ion), simplicity, upright (-ly, -ness), at a venture.

“Guide” =

5148. נָחָה nâchâh, naw-khaw’; a prim. root; to guide; by impl. to transport (into exile, or as colonists):— bestow, bring, govern, guide, lead (forth), put, straiten.

Perverseness will bring destruction in your life.

5558. סֶלֶף çeleph, seh’-lef; from 5557; distortion, i.e. (fig.) viciousness:— perverseness.

5557. סָלַף çâlaph, saw-laf’; a prim. root; prop. to wrench, i.e. (fig.) to subvert:— overthrow, pervert.

Transgression will bring destruction in your life.

“Transgressors” =

898. בָּגַד bâgad, baw-gad’; a prim. root; to cover (with a garment); fig. to act covertly; by impl. to pillage:— deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend, transgress (-or), (depart), treacherous (dealer, -ly, man), unfaithful (-ly, man), × very.

“Destroy” =

7703. שָׁדַד shâdad, shaw-dad’; a prim. root; prop. to be burly, i.e. (fig.) powerful (pass. impregnable); by impl. to ravage:— dead, destroy (-er), oppress, robber, spoil (-er), × utterly, (lay) waste.

And that is the hard truth whether we like it or not!

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Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life, please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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A New Year’s Thought – Living the Righteous/Godly Life

In Advice, Attitude, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Guidance, Lifestyle, New Year’s Resolutions, Renewal, Repentance, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Wisdom on January 1, 2022 at 4:16 pm

Before you take action to make all those resolutions about what you are going to do or not do, who you are going to be or not be, take a moment and reflect on God’s method of change.

Read the thoughts of a young woman desiring honest change in her life, and my response to her.

Quote = “When I pray and read the Word and worship as I have been recently, i am experiencing more of a closeness and a love… like i am coming back to my first love. I do not think I am explaining it well but I want to live a righteous life and spend time with my Father becuase I love Him and want to, not because there is this list of "do’s and don’ts" to follow.” = End Quote.

You need not worry sister…you are not going to live a “righteous life” without it being a manifestation of God’s grace in your life. Any desire you have for God is a manifestation of God’s grace in your life.

Some thoughts…

A ship is not going to move along steady by being propped from the outside. In order for a ship to be balanced, it must have ballast within the ship in order for the ship to move along steadily. The same is true for us as God’s children. Nothing on the outside of us is ever going to make our lives steady and balanced. It is only through and by the grace of God that our lives ever become consistent, steady, and balance. All three of which God wants for us and all three of which He is more than willing to shed out His grace in service to perform.

Therefore, God’s grace becomes our ballast. Ballast being:

bal·last

1. stabilizing heavy weights: heavy material carried in the hold of a ship, especially one that has no cargo, in the keel of a sailing boat, or in the gondola of a balloon, to give the craft increased stability

2. something that gives bulk or stability: anything that serves no particular purpose except to give bulk or weight to something or that provides additional stability

3. foundation material: stones or gravel when used as a foundation for a road or railroad track

4. industry gravel used in making concrete: gravel used in making concrete and in earthworks

5. electrical engineering circuit limiting current flow: a circuit that limits the current flow in a fluorescent lamp

Encarta ® World English Dictionary

A play on the definitions and a connection to God’s grace.

1 – God is the weight that holds us steady when life blows and blows; only He and His grace provide us stability.

2 – Grace is simply there to bring stability to our souls, our spirits, and our lives.

3 – Grace is the foundation of our relationship with our Savior Jesus.

4 – The endless grace of God turns our liquid hearts and jelly backbones into faith stronger than concrete.

5 – God’s grace is always poured out in just the right dose at just the right time so that we might not become overwhelmed spiritually.

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 10:26 Disappointing Lazy Person

In Advice, Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Godliness, Laziness, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Seven Deadly Sins, Uncategorized, Wisdom on November 18, 2021 at 2:18 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

Disappointing Lazy Person

Laziness is not just about you! Did you know that?

Vinegar according to my hygienist is very damaging to the enamel of a person’s teeth. People use it to treat their gums and to whiten their teeth, both of which seem to be good things, but if the vinegar is used too often or not washed away it has a way of eating away at the tooth enamel and bring decay. A lazy person is much like that, their presence, their persistent laziness, eats away at those around them decaying the relationship, decaying their possession which need care, decaying the other person or persons in the family or group by decaying the friends, co-workers, family members, etc. health as they attempt to compensate for and do the work of the lazy person.

Smoke is an irritant; it burns the eyes and makes vision very blurry. It can even choke the life out of you if it is heavy or bad enough. A lazy person is most certainly an irritant to those around them. They cause a huge amount of frustration, and even anger, because to be lazy is an injustice to those who have to compensate for another person’s laziness. Believe it or not, think deeply on this next point, our vision of a relationship gets blurred when we are faced with the injustice and unfairness of a person’s laziness, especially when we are directly affected by their sluggard conduct, sluggardness (which means “to be habitually lazy”). We begin to look at that person differently, begin to respect them less, and perhaps rightfully so, if bad enough the person’s laziness and the manner in which laziness, by default, takes advantage of the other person in the relationship, the effects of the laziness may even choke the life out of the relationship.

Laziness is a burden to the lazy individual and to those who depend on or are associated with the lazy person. Someone has to pick up the slack when a lazy person refuses to or makes excuses for why they do not pull their weight and do their part. If the lazy person is employed, then for those around them the solution might be easy – “your fired” – and the headache goes away. However, if the lazy person is a part of your inner circle at church, in a group, or even in your own family their laziness becomes a source of real strain and frustration for the other people within the circle. Laziness also robs the person who partakes in laziness from the overwhelming sense of satisfaction that comes from helping another person, a job well done, a sense of accomplishment, from being a help instead of a hinderance to people, and on some level a sense of personal dignity, healthy pride, and self-worth.

If you are the person dealing with a lazy individual there is not much to be done except pray for that person’s character, which is lacking, and attempt not to allow the person’s laziness, their unfairness to you, their injustice, to eat away at your own character. Otherwise, you might wake up one day and find your character is as bad as their character.

If you are the lazy person there is something you can do. Pray to Jesus to remove your laziness, get up and get busy doing your part, experience how good it feels to be helpful to other people and yourself, rid yourself of your laziness by choice each and every day, and redevelop your character in this area.

Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life, please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.

You can sign up to have each blog posting sent directly to your email. Just find the small “follow” button in the bottom right-hand corner of the main page, then enter your email address. All email information remains confidential and is never shared in any manner.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 10:8-14 Heart of Goodness or Wickedness

In Bible Study, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Evil, Godliness, Proverbs, Renewal, Repentance, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on April 19, 2021 at 4:22 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew or Greek definition(s).

8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.

10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.

11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

Heart of  Goodness or Wickedness

The wise and the foolish are easily recognized. The wise person is looking to how they might grow and expand their insight into God, finding God’s Will (commandments), and following His Will in obedience(v.8). The foolish person can be found going on and on about things that do not matter, whether people are interested in what is being said or not, sadly for those who are listening (v.8). For that is what “prating” is, “to talk for very long about something that is not very important or interesting” or “chatter foolishly” often ‘in a boastful manner’ that matters little or serves little purpose.

When a person walks honorably before God using wisdom, according to the Hebrew language definition they are walking ‘without being careless’ they conduct themselves ‘safely’, taking “refuse” in abiding by God’s Ways and Principles with a sense of “assurance, (they walk) boldly, (with) confidence, (and with) hope” in God’s protection because of their use of wisdom (v.9). The opposite is also true of the person who “distorts”(the meaning of “perverteth” in the Hebrew) the way in which God wishes them to live, they will find themselves outed or found out (v.9)

Then you have the con artists, the liars, and the boastful (v10). They leave people pained and wounded. The boastful surely find the fall from the perch they placed themselves upon painful. Pride goes before the fall.

Those who speak the things of God, who share His Truths are a source of true life to people if those people hearing accept what they have to say (v.11,13). The “well” spoken of in verse eleven is, according to the Hebrew language, a “source of happiness, wisdom, and progeny (offspring, posterity)” – a producer of goodness and fruit of all sorts for the life of those willing to receive the words. Whereas, once again the mouth of the sinful person speaks death, unhappiness, sin, their words tear people down, wound, and cause pain and/or mental and emotional destruction (v.11). Punishment in some form comes to those individuals who refuse the wisdom, counsel, and understanding of God’s Ways (v.13).

People with hatred in their hearts want to cause problems and strife but those who have love in their hearts want to do nothing to cause harm, their love keeps them from sinning against another person and their love helps them forgive those individuals who sin against them (v.12). Each day we can make the choices that will train and develop our hearts into being a heart filled with love or hatred. I pray you choose love. Hatred is taught and practiced; it does not come naturally. As a young child our first instinct is to love. Then the pain of life begins, and we start choosing to hate, mainly so we will not hurt. Better to love and hurt than to hate and feel only sorrow or grief, which hatred produces.

Those people who are wise continually seek the wisdom and knowledge of God. Those people who are foolish are always teetering on the edge of ruin and destruction in some capacity (v.14).

Throughout this study, if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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GOD Growth in COVID-19 / Couples Growth

In Adultery, Agape Love, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Christianity, Contentment, Coronavirus, Coronavirus/COVID-19, Couples, COVID-19, Disunity, Divorce, Godliness, Learning, Lifestyle, Love, Marriage, Renewal, Repentance, Revival, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Uncategorized, Unity, Wisdom on April 2, 2021 at 8:33 am

Over the last few posts we have taken a look at the GOD growth in individuals and families during the pandemic. Today we take on the matter of growth in the couple relationship. I use the term GOD growth because God wants to bring about change in people that draws them closer to Him and that causes them to implement His Principles regardless of whether or not they have come to trust in Him for their salvation as of yet or not. God is about seeing His Will and His Principles come about in our society, in our homes, and in us personally before and after we enter that personal relationship with Him.

Questions to ponder. Why do people find it easier to bad mouth their significant other or spouse rather than express openly to other people what they like about the person? Why are their negative traits a more interesting topic of discussion than their positive traits? Society presents the idea that to complain about your spouse is funny and entertaining, but is it really? Why does society want to perpetuate the idea that loving relationships are rare and so hard to come by?

Locked down, locked up, with your spouse during COVID-19; now this will make or break a marriage. When there is only the two of you, no children, no other distractions, you find out really quick whether or not you are just two ships passing in the night or two hovercrafts rotating around each other but never really coming in contact, not true contact. I believe if you went through this last year together primarily in lockdown and you still actually want to be together you might actually have a pretty solid relationship.

When we are alone with someone day in and day out, with them and with no one else, we see everything about them that we perhaps did not notice or that at other times are they were better able to hide. Especially during a crisis like the pandemic, we see their fears emerge, we see their insecurities at large, we see their compassion or lack thereof on display, we see their generosity and love or their selfishness and hatefulness. We talk to them more; we find out more about what makes them tick. We explore with them their hopes and dreams because when you are in a situation like we are in during this pandemic, locked down at home primarily, you cannot endlessly ignore the only other person in your spear, in your world for that matter for the most part, and you cannot talk about nothing nonsense forever. So eventually you dig down to what really matters, and that is when you begin to draw close to one another.

In this time of couple reflection many were able to find out how loved and cared for they made their spouse feel and the ways in which they did that. Also, they might have found out the ways in which they do not make their spouse feel loved and cared for and what they could do about it to change the negative impact on the relationship. For many it was a time of realigning the relationship and finding once again common goals and dreams.

A marriage is a covenant relationship. When someone badmouths their spouse for fun and the entertainment of people, they are betraying that covenant. What you speak about your spouse affect how you feel about your spouse. Your spoken words have a powerful effect on you and other people. People should rarely if ever hear from you what you believe to be “wrong” with your spouse or so my parents who believed in absolute loyalty taught me, just as the Bible teaching not to speak negative or harsh words (curses) against people. I have never found it entertaining to hear people teardown their spouse, and from what I have heard from other people they too think it terrible to listen to someone else do so, thinking badly of the person who is badmouthing their spouse, even if they themselves have been guilty of likewise at times.

I believe the select few in society who are not willing to do the work needed for a loving caring relationship like to perpetuate the idea that loving caring relationships are so terribly difficult to come by, in order to make themselves feel better about their own lack. Let them live in their isolation and loneliness, do not get sucked in, value the relationship you have and act like you do.

I want to close each of this series of postings with a quote from the original post, “COVID-19 – God and Man at Work.”

“Blessings from God are not just material or financial, more often the greater ones (blessings) are intangible such as growth and change.”

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GOD Growth in COVID-19 / Individual Growth

In Attitude, Biblical Principles, Christian Lifestyle, Christian Living, Coronavirus, Coronavirus/COVID-19, COVID-19, Godliness, Godly Counsel, New Year’s Resolutions, Renewal, Repentance, Resolutions, Revelation, Revival, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Spiritual Fruit, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Wisdom on March 7, 2021 at 4:10 pm

Though people have played up the loss and problems of COVID-19, which there have been many of course, much loss and much grief, nevertheless, I mentioned in my last post that we would tackle the other side of the coin and explore the growth that has occurred and the good things that have come out of going through this pandemic.

Over the next few post we will take a look at the GOD growth in individuals, families, and couples during the pandemic. I use the term GOD growth because God wants to bring about change in people that draws them closer to Him and that causes them to implement His Principles regardless of whether or not they have come to trust in Him for their salvation as of yet or not. God is about seeing His Will and His Principles come about in our society, in our homes, and in us personally before and after we enter that personal relationship with Him.

Individual growth will be the topic here. As stated in the last posting, “There has also been more time for individuals to take a good look at themselves, to explore their own inner spiritual person, come to terms with, and perhaps do something in response to, what they discovered during the isolation that God has allowed in their life.”

Crisis pushes crisis, meaning a societal crisis usually produces a personal crisis for people. When confronted with mass alterations in the societal landscape a person finds their personal life altered in many capacities, and underneath those alterations they find their inner life altered as well.

During this pandemic people’s movements have been greatly restricted causing them a loss in what many people use to escape seeing themselves clearly, “distraction[s]” of every type and usually in multiple degrees or quantities. People often search for anything that can help them avoid dealing with what is inside of them. During the isolation of this pandemic that just has not been possible thus resulting horribly for some people in despair and giving up, but for other people in self-reflection and growth.

It is extremely hard to be alone with one’s self, yet it is extremely healthy. Many very spiritual and godly people over the course of history have heralded the importance of a time of personal spiritual retreat with God to reflect, recharge, and seek growth in God. It is during the aloneness that God’s voice is heard most clearly by the majority of people, when most people’s insight and understanding is opened up the most. In the aloneness we find whether or not we like ourselves (or if we should like ourselves), and if not, we learn from God what to do about what we do not like.

From what I have understood from people living in relative isolation during the pandemic, that isolation has also brought with it a quietness of life, a slowing of their pace, a peeling back of the daily stresses of life and thus resulted for many individuals in an embracement of a quieter simpler less stressful life.

The isolation of the pandemic for individuals has not been all bad, it has produced personal growth, reordering of priorities, and recharging of one’s stress coping batteries.

I want to close each of this series of postings with a quote from the original post, “COVID-19 – God and Man at Work.”

“Blessings from God are not just material or financial more often the greater ones (blessings) are intangible such as growth and change.”

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God speaks breaking His silence on Coronavirus/COVID-19

In Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christ, Coronavirus, Coronavirus/COVID-19, COVID-19, Easter, God, God's Voice, Godly Counsel, Holy Spirit, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Renewal, Repentance, Suffering, Truth, Unity on April 11, 2020 at 5:32 am

Saturday, April 11, 2020 (Holy Saturday) 4:45 am (eastern time United States of America)

The Word of the LORD to His people, thus says the Lord…

“Amid the suffering, amid the dying, you My people still cannot see to understand the twisted nature of your ways because you seek My Face, no, because you seek My Hand. You seek My Hand (My part in) this crisis, amid your trial, when you should be seeking My Face (My Message during) the scourge.

In days past I brought My Message to My people first, then to the rest of the world. I spoke first to My people. Again, I bring My Message to My people first, then the world.

I, Jesus, am the Church, the Church is My People not your temples of brick and mortar. Not your symbols of man’s ambition and greed. I never built a building I built a people. I called for unity among those people, called and called through my servants over the last many seasons (years), yet, most among you have refused to listen. You hid behind your walls of brick and mortar content in a man-made world, while ignoring your brothers and sisters everywhere you are not. Now pushed out of your walls of complacency will you listen!

I have called My people in recent seasons (years) to unity, not unity around sin, never, but unity in Me, in My Message, My Message not your message, and unity around the need to love and care for one another amid an ever growing sinful world. Without unity the world will tear at the very fabric of the Body I built. Without unity sin and decay will distort it’s purpose, My Purpose. Without unity a season of great despair will be coming, so unite now, while you have the time. I drove you out of your buildings to drive you back together. I want unity around My foundational principles and a love for Me. Give Me My Unity, and again I will give you My Power as in days past.

Hear Me, respond to Me, love Me.”

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 5:21 –23 – God Sees

In Adultery, Advice, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Divorce, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Repentance, Revival, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on April 18, 2019 at 12:05 pm

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition(s).

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. 22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

God Sees

God sees it all my friends. God understandings it all. God cares about it all. There is nothing about us, in our lives, or that touches our lives that God does not know about in advanced and has thoroughly considered. The path of our life has been thoroughly dredged by God. V.21

This in no way means that God has fated our entire life or that all that happens to us is our destiny or even God’s Will, for neither possibility is supported by the whole of Scripture. There are things that are our destiny, fated by God to happen in our life, then there are things that happen that God had no part of or who does not even want to have take place.

Have you ever heard it said, ‘People get caught in their own trap.’? Well, verse twenty-two is where that comes from.

Most of the problems caused in our life derive from our own wrongdoing or from the wrongdoing of someone very close to us (v.22). Think over the last six major problems you had in your life? What actually caused the problems? Was the damage done due to your own sin or the way someone close to you had sinned? And what about when sin begets sin…someone does to you, you do to them, it spreads to yet another person who is affected, so on and so forth. Our sins are like a giant mushroom gas that spreads out far and wide and poisons all of those people close to us if we are not careful.

That sin can come in all types of forms. In verse twenty-two the word used for “iniquities” in the Hebrew is inclusive of the following: “perversity, in example moral evil:— fault, iniquity, mischief, punishment (of iniquity), sin.” There are many people who do not see their “faults” as sin, it is to them just their faults. However, ask those affected by their “faults” and you might find them well able to describe the person’s sin. You show me hurt between two people, and I will show you sin somewhere in the mix. v.22

Giving oneself to sin is extremely dangerous because ultimately it leads to us being bound by our own sin, which is what it means to be “holden with the cords of his sin.” v.22 Our sin begins to take control of us instead of us controlling sin. Anyone caught in a sin they are struggling to stop will attest to that truth.

Have you ever known a person who was just silly far too often? Now reflect on that person’s life and character. I can almost assure you in nearly each case that person was a person of little or no true substance in life. They lacked anything that truly mattered to them or for which they had deep passion. Part of the definition for the word “folly” found in verse twenty-three means “silliness” – silliness and folly are companions. v.23

Because people refuse to be mindful of God’s godly wisdom they will die in their folly and sin. Folly leads to going astray and going astray leads to death. Going “astray in the Hebrew language means “to stray, usually figuratively to mistake, especially morally to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, figuratively be enraptured:— cause to go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, let or make to wander.” v.23

That path of life that I wrote of a few paragraphs back, the path that God’s dredges before us, the path to our “true life” is not a path that is meant to be filled with sorrow caused by sin and folly, your own or the sin and folly of those closes to you, it is the path of godly wisdom instead that He desires for each of us. This is why He has placed His instructions in His Word, not to restrict us but instead to protect our life from harm. Instructions such as love each other, husbands and wives be kind to one another esteeming the other greater, do not lie, do not steal, do not misuse your body, do no get drunk, do not commit adultery, rejoice with our brethren when they rejoice, help carry their sorrows when they hurt, husbands love your wives as Christ loves the church, wives respect your husbands, etc. all meant to protect us.

Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.

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Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

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How Do We Make Godly Decisions? – Study of Proverbs 4:25-27 – Focus on Wisdom’s Path (The God Path)

In Advice, Anxiety, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Decision Making, Discretion, Godly Counsel, Proverbs, Prudence, Renewal, Truth, Uncategorized, Wisdom on March 21, 2019 at 9:00 am

Having wrapped up the series, “Why My Church is NOT Growing” last week we will now be returning to our in-depth verse by verse exploration of the Book of Proverbs . I would like to begin by reposting the last entry because I feel the content is a fruitful for anyone who truly desires to follow Christ in godly wisdom.

The Scripture passages are identified with bold upright font and the author’s notes are identified with italic regular font.

25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

Focus On Wisdom’s Path (The God Path)

If you do not look at where you are going you will surely lose your way. We must continually look at and keep our focus on what God wants our life to be, looking straight toward what we want to be, solely focused on our priorities in life – provided those priorities come from an honorable godly focus. There are so many things in life that wish to drag us away from being someone we can feel good about or proud of in a godly way, so many temptation and personal desires that conflict with God’s Plan and Purpose for our life and our personal long-term life goals. V.25

We all too often allow our eyes to stray from what is important or worst toward things they should not pursue. This is why the wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, shared the wisdom God had provided him and has counseled us to keep our eyes “straight before thee” where they should be focused on what is good, decent, honorable, and pleasing to God. V.25

We have to actually think about our actions in life, not just flow through life acting on any desire and whim, if we are to be a person of substance, a person of honor, a person of discipline, a godly person, if we want to be a wise person. We have to ask ourselves before we act, ‘What affect will this action I am about to take have on my life, on the life of those I love or on the life of those around me? Can I tell God that in taking this action I honored the life He gave me?’ It is with the answer to those questions that we should determine what course of action to take or not take. V.26

In the Hebrew language the word “established” in verse twenty-six has the meaning of ‘standing erect in faithfulness.’ Only through making quality decisions consistently can we establish and enjoy a life of wisdom – a life filled with peace, joy, contentment, and happiness. V.26

We must make a decision to live our life based on wise quality decisions, the practice will not just fall on us. If we want to do something, we must make the decisions necessary to discipline ourselves to accomplish the task. If we wish to be healthy, we must make the choices that benefit our health. If we desire to have quality relationships, we must make choices that promote mutual love, mutual respect, mutual dignity, mutual satisfaction, and mutual honor in our relationships. If we want to maintain a job, a relationship, a marriage, or an activity, we must conduct ourselves with faithfulness to what is required to keep and maintain any or all of those aspects of life. V.27

Faithfulness is something even Christians have begun to disregard in our society. If we want to maintain a job, we must be faithful to show up, show up on time, and do what we are assigned to do. If we wish to maintain a relationship or marriage, we must be faithful to devote our time and energies to that relationship or marriage, investing our heart, our time, our life, establishing and maintaining trust, taking care not to betray the relationship in words or deeds. If we wish to partake in an activity then we must be faithful to show up and do said activity, so the other people involved can know they can depend upon us to be there and be a part of the activity. In order to be faithful, we must remain focused on what is important and keep our hearts, minds, eyes, and spirit way from what is not. V.27, 28

We have to actually do something to keep ourselves from evil, as verse twenty-eight warns us to do. We know that in the Bible “evil” is considered anything that God does not want us to do. With that established why does God instruct us to “remove thy foot from evil” – is there the presumption we are sinning? Yes, a life not ordered in godly wisdom is a life filled with sin. V.28

We are instructed to ‘remove ourselves from sin’ and that often requires not giving into our own desires because the heart is deceitful above all things.

Jeremiah 17:9–10 (KJ-AV)

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

In the Hebrew language the word “remove” used in verse twenty-eight, when we are instructed to ‘remove our foot from evil or sin,’ means “to turn off (literally or figuratively)” from partaking in sin. We are to “decline, depart, eschew (which means avoid)” anything that God would find displeasing for us. We are to “go aside” to avoid temptation, and “grievously lay away or leave undone” things that displease God. Note that in the definition it is made clear that to “lay aside or leave undone” things that we want to do will be “grievous” for us, yet, it is what God requires. We are to “put away or put down” what is displeasing to God and “ remove” those things from our life. God wants us according to the definition to “ revolt against, to be sour to, to withdraw from and to be without” all that we know not to be godly wisdom or His Will for our life. V.27 – Note – All words or phrases found in quotation marks are actual parts of the Hebrew definition.

Throughout this study if you need the wisdom of God on a matter, and you wish to receive the counsel of another Believer in Christ, please use the “comments” link to send your question to me.

Please keep me in your prayers and know that if God should speak anything into your heart as you pray for me regarding my life please feel free to share that with me. God speaks through His people.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers, and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.