All Rise!

I've been working on a Bible Study for our church's youth group. We decided to teach our kids a little bit about giving their personal testimony. As I was sorting through scripture I was struck by the number of legal terms that were popping up. In addition to "testimony" I was seeing words like "evidence," "conviction," "trial," "witnesses," and "judgement." Here are a few examples.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." - Revelation 12:10

"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." - John 16:8

Then this "trial" theme really came home when I  read this:

"And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One (Jesus) who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead." - Acts 10:42

Each of us will be put on trial when we stand in front of Jesus one day. I believe our trial will take a split second, if it takes THAT long. Jesus already knows which of us are His. Our names are already written in the Book of Life.

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he wad thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:11-15

We will be judged by what was written in the books and by what we have done.

Gulp.

Here's one of my favorite songs. In it there are a few lines to consider.

1. "Am I proof that You are who you say You are?"

2. "Is there evidence that I've been changed."

3. "When they see me do they see you?"

Something to consider before we walk into the throne room.

Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets

The Abomination

According to an article in Israel National News (link at bottom), the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) warned about what it described as intentions by “settlers" (Jews) to carry out the commandment of the Passover sacrifice on the Temple Mount during the upcoming Passover.

Interesting . . .and scary.

[FYI - the 2026 Passover begins April 1 and ends April 9]

There is a group of Jewish people that want to reinstitute the temple sacrifice. Their only problem is there is currently no temple. Or is there? 🤔

Let's go back and look at Daniel for a moment. The angel Gabriel was talking to Daniel in verse 27 about The End Times.

"And he (The Antichrist) will confirm a covenant with many for one week (the seven year tribulation), but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.” - Daniel 9:27

So, there WILL be sacrifices happening during the first half of the tribulation, according to Gabriel anyway. But my question is, why are there sacrifices taking  place at all? Speaking of Jesus, Paul wrote . . .

"For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God." - Romans 6:10

The problem here is that the Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah. They believe that the Messiah has not come yet.

Can you see the problem here? The present day Jewish leaders want to start sacrificing animals to God. But God already sacrificed His one and only Son. God already put an end to sacrifices. Jesus died once, for all.

Do you think God might get a little angry? Do you think God might remove all of those who follow Jesus and begin the seven year tribulation period? I would say that is a VERY REAL possibility.

If we think that these wars going on right now are horrible, wait and see what the Tribulation period looks like. Of course, we who follow Jesus woll mot be here, but talk about "weeping and gnashing of teeth!"

If you have not done so, trust in Jesus today! Repent of your sins, submit to His authoriry, and pray.

PLO Warns Against Temple Sacrifice - INN

The Wood Carver

A wood carver takes a blank piece of wood and, through whittling away pieces of the whole, ends up with an amazingly beautiful creation. If you think about it, the end result was actually there all along. It's just that the carver eliminated the unwanted pieces to reveal his creation. God does the same with us.

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" - Jeremiah 1:5

God knows what we will become in our lives before we even live them. He also knows just what it is that He wants us to do for Him. Paul is an excellent example.

"Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’" - Acts 22:10

God created us to bring Him glory, praise, and honor. He shapes and carves us into who He wants us to be. He gives us certains gifts and abilities to accomplish His will for us. He refines us, tests us, and guides us with His Holy Spirit.

I design and install disc golf courses where I live. The process begins by examining existing terrain, trees, and waterways. Often, "my" fairways follow existing deer paths or areas where wind or ice storms have already damaged the trees.

One might consider ME a "wood carver," as I carve fairways through the woods. But who is the REAL course designer? Me, or the one who caused the trees to grow where they did in the first place? Who placed the rivers, lakes and hills to form these wooded areas?

I am not really the designer, God is. All I do is clean up the things He placed there years ago. To God be the glory!

To God Be The Glory

The Biggest Hurdle

There is something that most people simply ignore about God. Here's how it begins.

They think that when they die, they just go to heaven and live happily ever after with all of their friends and family members, dogs and cats, golf clubs and their favorite beer. Sadly, they will never experience what heaven is like until they come to realize just what it takes to get in.

The key is knowing who God is and what He demands. God is perfect and therefore demands perfection from all those who hope to enter heaven. We are NOT perfect. Our problem is our lack of understanding about just what sin is.

We can say, "I've never killed anyone, or stolen anything." Read this. This is Jesus talking.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. " - Matthew 5:21-22

If being angry keeps us out of heaven, do you think we have a shot at getting in? No.

Any sin keeps us out of heaven. And everyone,  EVERYONE, has sinned. His disciples asked Jesus, "Who then can be saved?" Good question. It is actually quite easy to be saved.

In a prayer to God, tell Him that you repent of your sins and that you are sorry for all that you have done, and not done. Tell Him you give up that life and seek His forgiveness. Then tell Him that you believe that Jesus is who He says He is - the Son of the Living God. Say that you believe that Jesus' shed blood is an atoning sacrifice for your sins. Then your earnest, heartfelt prayer will be heard. THEN you will receive the Holy Spirit and become changed. A new creation.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

But this whole "get into heaven" thing depends on The Head Judge at the track meet. He is the ONLY judge and His name is Jesus. Without His Holy Spirit living in us WE WILL NOT ENTER.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" - Matthew 7:21-23

We do NOT want to hear THAT!

Elusive Love?

This story is for those who desire to find love yet somehow it eludes them. It is for those who THOUGHT they were in love, only to find themselves shipwrecked on some remote desert island. Your story can have a happy ending, if you so desire. Interested?

Let's start with the concept of love itself. Where does love come from? How and where do we find it? So many questions! Let's begin with a Bible verse, shall we?

"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." - 1 John 4:16

Store that away for a moment and consider this: God created all things. He also created man in His own image. Do you then suppose that man is capable of showing love to others?

Yes, we CAN love, but then why don't we? Why are there some people who hate? Including ourselves. That's because of sin. God WANTS us to love one another.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

All the pieces seem to be there, so why are we not finding love? Again, it's sin - in us, and in others. But the biggest component is the Holy Spirit. Are we SURE we have the Holy Spirit; or do we THINK we do. That's a real question we all must answer.

"It takes two to tango," so we need to make sure that both parties in our love relationships are saved (ie. a follower of Jesus). And yes, that's plural. We are to love everyone.

To be clear, 'love' has many different meanings. We are talking about unconditional, sacrificial love here. Agape in the Greek.

If we still haven't found love at this point, the last two components in our search for love are prayer and patience. Earnest, honest, vulnerable prayer. And a patience for as long as it takes.

We might say, "But I want love now!" Look at that statement. "I want." What about what "God wants?" And "now" sounds like impatience. Selfishness and impatience are sins.

It comes down to our faith in God. Our faith in Jesus. Is it real? Or just superficial? Are we SURE we know Him, or do we just know about Him?

Have You Been Sealed?

Watch Over Me

I saw something recently that made stop and think for a moment. It was SO true. 

"What if we woke up tomorrow with only what we thanked God for today." Ooo. Ouch. Would we still have our jobs, our houses, our cars? What about our family and friends? Would our hearts still be beating? And what about our lungs? Still breathing?

It is VERY easy to take things for granted in this world. And yet, we are not promised even one more day. Are we living with gratitude for all of the things that God has provided?

God watches over those who truly believe in Him. How do I know this?

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." – Isaiah 41:10

"The Lord will keep you from all harm; he will watch over your life." – Psalm 121:7

That should do it.

If God watches over us, shouldn't we thank Him for His protection? Of course! In addition to other thousands of things He provides for us!

Lord God, thank you for your ever-watchful eye and your mighty hand. Your provision is unmatched and there is no other god like You. We thank You and praise You for all that You have done, and all that You have yet to do. Amen.

Watch Over Me - Aaron Shust

Comfort One Another

"Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth." - Revelation 3:10

That was a promise from Jesus to the church in Philadelphia. But pay attention to what Jesus says at the end of this passage - "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’"- Revelation 3:13. "Churches." Plural. 🤔

The "hour of trial" that Jesus spoke of is called The 70th week of Daniel - The Tribulation.

"The “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament." - GotQuestions.org

That prophecy is found in Daniel 9. 69 "weeks" of Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy have already been fulfilled. There is one unfulfilled week remaining. The 70th week. The Tribulation.

This tribulation period will be seven years of incredible pain and suffering. One last attempt by God to give everyone a chance to repent. Some will, but most won't.

For the Christian though, there is hope. It seems as though God will not be putting us through it, but will snatch us out of harm's way, before it even begins.

"Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." - 1 Thessalonians 1:10

God is incredibly patient. As Paul wrote to his student Timothy,

"God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:4

But although God is patient, He is NOT tolerant. His wrath WILL be coming on the whole world. But take heart. Those of us who believe and whose names are written in The Book of Life will not experience God's wrath.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸Therefore comfort one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

But God . . . He is SO good! He loves those who love Him. He is our Redeemer and Savior! And notice that it says "comfort one another," not comfort yourselves.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. ²“In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." - John 14:1-3

Watchman River Podcast

70 Weeks of Daniel - Gotquestions.org

Impaled?

You know, we read the Bible and believe that what it says is truth. At least we should, right? I would like to add an asterisk to that statement, and it reads like this:

The Bible is 100% true *

* in the original text

Example: The Thief on The Cross passage found in Mark 15:27. If you go on BibleHub.com and explore the 43 different Bible translations for this verse, many different words describing who was crucified next to Jesus appear - robbers (25), thieves (5),  bandits (4), criminals (4), rebels (2),  revolutionaries (2), and outlaws (1).

So which one is right? They're all similar. "Robbers" seems to be the most popular. If you look up the verse in a Greek Interlinear Bible you will find the Greek word 'lēstai' which translates as "robbers." That coincides with the most popular translation. But why did other translators choose the words they did if "robbers" was the best choice? Unknown.

Here's another example from the same verse, just two words before "robbers." The word 'crucified.'

"With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left." - Mark 15:27

Look at this screen shot from the interlinear Bible. It says 'impalling' in the blue colored text. What? Jesus was impaled? Okay, what is the definition of impaled then? Because I thought impaling was like what happened to Haman in the Book of Ester. He was impaled on a pole.

Merriam Webster - "to pierce with or as if with something pointed. To torture or kill by fixing on a sharp stake."

That's what happened to Haman alright.

I enjoy digging into the Bible's words to see what their true meanings are. And each time I do, I always come away with a new, deeper understanding.

In this case, Jesus was crucified. Exactly how it was done is up to human interpretation. He died. Does it truly matter how? Nailed to a cross or to a tree (which the Bible says elsewhere), or impaled on a pole, He died next to two men. Truth.

He died as a sacrufice for OUR sins, rose again from the dead, spent 40 days walking and talking with the disciples, then He ascended into heaven. The Gospel, the good news, is pretty simple. We should keep it that way.

Have You Been Sealed?

"Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He annointed us, ²²placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come." - 2 Corinthians 21:22

You and I received the promised Holy Spirit when we came to believe in Jesus, repented of our sins, and followed The Lord. But how do we know for sure we have received the Spirit? 🤔 Are there any observable signs? Yes, thankfully there are! This is from C.S. Lewis:

Five Signs You Are Marked by the Holy Spirit:

You experience a deep hunger for God’s Word - The first sign is a growing desire for the Bible. When the Holy Spirit marks you, your desire for God’s truth becomes insatiable for the scriptures. The scriptures start to feel alive and you realize that they hold the answers to life’s biggest questions. As Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live be bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Your perspective on sin changes - Another clear sign is a clear sensitivity to sin. The things you once ignored or excused now weigh heavy on your heart. This isn’t about guilt. It’s the Holy Spirit guiding you to live a holy life. Romans 8:13 reminds us “If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body you will live." This transformation shows that you are being refined for God’s purpose.

You have a burden for others - The Holy Spirit stirs your heart for people – friends, family, strangers, even enemies. You feel a deep compassion and a desire to share God’s love with them. This aligns with Jesus’ command in John 13:34 “Love one another as I have loved you.” Your life becomes a vessel of God’s grace, and this love, is one of the clearest signs of being marked by the Spirit.

You encounter spiritual battles - Being marked by the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean life becomes easier. In fact, it often brings spiritual opposition. Ephesians 6:12 says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil.” These battles are a sign that Satan sees God’s work in you as a threat. But remember, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

You see God’s purpose unfolding in your life. - When the Holy Spirit marks you, you begin to see God aligning circumstances for His greater plan. Doors open where they once seemed closed and you realize He’s leading you step by step. Romans 8:28 assures us,  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Note: Being marked by the Holy Spirit is a journey of transformation, love, and purpose. If you’ve experienced ANY of these signs, know that God is at work in your life.

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

Find Me In The River

At first I didn't understand the title of the song I was listening to. Find me in the river? My first thought, upon seeing the title, was that it was a song about fly fishing. Nope. What is the song about then?

The last story I wrote was called Testimony. It contained a link to a song by Jeremy Camp. Jeremy's testimony contains a love story about how he met and married his wife, only to lose her to cancer just four months later. How incredibly sad.

This story, part of his testimony, was made into a movie called I Still Believe. I have not seen the movie yet, only a trailer for it. But I DO know that I WILL be watching it. What a wonderful story! But what is this "river" and why should we want to be in it?

At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus said this:

"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” ³⁹Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." - John 7:37-39

Ahh. With that in mind, do you think Jeremy Camp thirsted, spiritually, as he sat there, watching his wife die? Do you think he wanted to be surrounded with God's love?

"The River" that Jesus spoke of is the Holy Spirit. All of those who have received Christ have also received His Spirit. As a result, we simply cannot deny His Holy Name, because His Spirit lives in us. It changes is. And it does indeed flow from within us, out from our hearts and into the world. This river contains compassion, mercy, grace, and love. "The flow" is made up of God's love.

"The river" does not begin with us however. We are merely a channel. The river comes from God, and IS God.

As a side note, we must be careful not to pollute His river nor redirect it in any way. Just let it flow. May God ALWAYS find US in His river.

Find Me In The River - KJ Apa & JJ Heller

I Still Believe Trailer

Testimony

We all go through life, experiencing ups and downs. Some of those events can have profound effects on us. Some can even be life changing.

When we look back on our lives, what are the key "steppingstones" that got us to where we are today? And what if we took those turning points and turned them into a story . . . about God?

That's our testimony. It is a story about how God changed our lives for our good and for His glory. Do you have such a story? You should.

The Apostle Paul had quite a testimony. You can read about it in the Book of Acts.

"About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. ⁷I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

⁸‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked.

‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. ⁹My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

¹⁰Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

¹¹Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus. ¹²There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, ¹³came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.

¹⁴Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice. ¹⁵You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’" - Acts 22:6-16

Wow! That's quite the testimony! Most of us don't have a story to tell that can compare with Paul's, but we all have SOME kind of story to tell.

And what does Jesus want us to do with our story? Here's what He told a demon-possessed man to do after he was healed.

“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him." - Luke 8:39

Ans so should WE do.

If you look at Paul's testimony, he has a before, during, and after phase - his life before meeting Jesus, meeting Jesus, and his life after meeting Jesus. His life after meeting Jesus testified to his changed life.

Our next Youth Night Bible study is about giving our own personal testimony. The three adult leaders will be giving theirs. What is yours?

"They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." - Revelation 12:11

Here's one more word of advice from an angel of God who was speaking to Lot and his family.

"As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back." - Genesis 19:17

Don't look back at your old life and think about what once was. You have been saved! Saved FROM it. Look at what awaits you in the future instead! Give glory to God by sharing what He has done in your life and how He has helped you to overcome.

Overcome - Jeremy Camp

God's Promises

This past Friday night our church held another Youth Night. It was our fourth (one each month). This last one was different than all the previous ones in that we were teaching the kids about apologetics and preparing them for life outside "The Bubble."

As an aide, and as an encouragement, we gave them each a book entitled God's Promises For Your Every Need. The book contains only scripture but the verses are arranged by topic. The Bible is a big book, abs it contains ALL of verses, but, if you are looking for a verse dealing with a certain topic, the one you are looking for CAN be hard to find.

After one of the boys received the book, I noticed him flipping through the pages, searching for something.

"What are you looling for?" I asked.

"Something about confidence," he replied.

"Try the index up front," I suggested.

[He was really looking for this! And then he found it!]

"You Need Confidence! Page 146!"

Flipping, flipping, . . . then he arrived.

"I can do all things through Christ to strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." - Hebrews 10:35, 36

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

There were several verses as well. 

The teens of today need to be prepared for when they leave home and set foot in this worldly world. What better way for them to be ready then by arming them with God's Word.

If you would like to arm yourselves with this weapon for use against the forces in the spiritial realms, it's on Amazon for less than five bucks. That said, it is actually priceless, if it can help save just one of these little ones.

God's Promises For Your Every Need - Amazon