The Tribulum

One of the many things I love about the church I attend is our pastor's teaching. He dives deeper into the text than most pastors I've heard. This past Sunday we were just beginning Romans 5, when he paused after reading this verse: 

"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance..." - Romans 5:3

Then he said something like this: "Tribulation comes from the Latin word tribulum or tribula. A tribulum was used for treshing out the grain."

Really? That's interesting. During the tribulations we go through in our lives, WE are the grain. Here's another verse dealing with threshing grain.

"His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” - Matthew 3:13

We are the wheat, unbelievers are the chaff, the barn is heaven, the threshing floor is earth, and the winnowing fork is Jesus at The Judgement.

I'm thinking that being "wheat" is better than being "chaff." Being burned up "with unquenchable fire" just does not appeal to me.

The picture above is what rhe underside of a tribulum looks like. The white things are jagged rocks embedded in the wooden planks. Imagine getting THAT dragged over you until your skin comes off. TRIBULATION!!

The tribulations that we face today pale in comparison to those of Jesus' day. Crucifixions, 39 lashes, or being burned alive. Yet, burning for all eternity is what awaits those who sin (all of us) and have not repented of those sins and made Jesus their Lord. By making Jesus LORD, then He becomes our SAVIOR. And we ALL need one of those.

And boy, do we all need Jesus!

You Don't Own Me

Occasionally, thoughts of my old self come back to me. I wonder, "How could I have done some of those things I did before?" Before Jesus. Thankfully, I am no longer who I once was.

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

One of the first things I noticed after coming to believe was that I began looking at things differently. Through a new set of eyes, so to speak.

"There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!” - John 9:25

I also had an insatiable desire to read the Bible, God's Word. This has not abated in my 20 years as a believer in Christ. If fact, it has increased. What else?

Love. I now love more deeply, more sacrificially, that I ever did. My love before was self-centered. Now it is other-centered.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Yet, despite all this, we are constantly vulnerable to spiritual attacks. Satan absolutely hates when God gets love, praise, and glory. So, he attacks.

And that brings us to the title of this story - You Don't Own Me. Remember these words from Jesus.

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” - Matthew 16:23

Although Jesus spoke those words to Peter, they still have meaning for us when we encounter those who disagree with what we know to be true. We will always be a target from those who don't revere Jesus. Let us stand firm then in our faith!

"Finally, be strong in The Lord, and in the strength of His might, put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." - Ephesians 6:10-11

You Don't Own Me - Disciple 

The Heavy Stone

Did you notice how suddenly Benjamin Netanyahu came to see President Trump this past Wednesday? He was originally going to come to Washington NEXT week, but SOMETHING happened and became very urgent. That made me think....

Many Christians believe that we are living in the last days - the days before the rapture of The Church and the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period. I am one of those people. So, I have been watching Israel and the Middle East very closely.

There is a prophecy in Zechariah that mentions Israel standing alone in the last days . . . saying "in those days," speaking of a future event. It also says ALL the nations will stand against her (Israel). I can see that easily happening in the VERY near future.

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples. Judah will be besieged, as well as Jerusalem.

³⁰On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured." - Zechariah 12:2-3

For many years these verses spoke about a future time that sounded like it was WAY into the future. Today, it seems like it could happen at any moment.

The thing about Zechariah's prophecy is that it says ALL nations - even the United States presumably. The U.S. has always been an ally of Israel. How could that change? Could Israel ever do something to upset the U.S.? Yes, it has already done that by attacking Doha, Qatar on September 9, 2025. Trump made Netanyahu apologize.

It could also be that a new president, who hates Israel, comes to power A Mamdani type perhaps? Either way, once the U.S. removes its support from Israel the stage will be 100% set for The Ezekiel 38 war.

The opposition is already positioned - Iran, Turkey, Russian, and the entire Muslim Brotherhood nations list. They're just waiting for the opportunity. And for God to act. Yes, this war will be from God.

In my lifetime I have never seen anything like what is happening in the world today. And these things are increasing in frequency and intensity. We are in the last days. Are you ready?

"Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." - Matthew 24:34

Ezekiel 38

The Unrequiting

The term unrequited means "unanswered; not returned; not reciprocated; or not repaid," according to The American Heritage Dictionary. "The Unrequiting" are those people who choose not to return something or reciprocate in any way.

An example of this can be found in the relationship between my wife and her cat. Normally their interaction during the day is very loving. My wife feeds the cat and pets it, talks to it, and picks it up and cuddles it. However, at 4AM my wife my is very unrequitive, wanting to sleep just a bit more.

The cat tries to get beyond the closed bedroom door with clawing and mournful meowing but my wife ignores the cat,  choosing sleep over requiting. Poor kitten.

We humans can be the same way in our relationship with God, if a relationship even exists. Most who don't know God are just fine without Him, even though HE might "stand at the door and knock."

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20

But even those of us who believe can go through times when we ignore God. That usually doesn't end well.

"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah, son of Amittai, saying, ²“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”

³Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD." - Jonah 1:1-3

That didn't go so well for Jonah. He ended up on a beach in a pile of fish vomit.

People who refuse to hear the Gospel or ignore the knocking of God at their door, are destined for a fate far worse than Jonah on the Ninevah beach - eternity in Hell.

What should we do then, for the unrequiting; for those who are unwilling to return the love of God and His offer of forgiven sins and eternal life? All we can do is pray for them. If they refuse Almighty God's knocking at their door, do we think they will open up for us?

It hurts when those we love refuse to even consider a relationship with Jesus. Why? Because we know what awaits them. And that, for all eternity. How incredibly sad.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" - Matthew 22:13

Do Not Be Deceived

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:3-4

The text days that Jesus was talking about "the end of the age," but I wonder if He was also talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI). And I also wonder if we have arrived at "the end of the age" that Jesus was talking about. There is definitely a lot of deception happening these days.

There was a time, and not that long ago, when we had no reason to doubt news stories, photos, or videos that appeared on our newsfeeds. Those days are gone.

My wife was sad to learn that the LIMU emu was computer generated saying, "I thought it was real!" She's not alone in her thinking.

Pretty much any movie that comes out of Hollywood these days is fake. Or at least has some CGI in it. The movies are as fake as the actors in them - hired to play someone else in a green-screen sound stage somewhere.

And isn't that what WE are in danger of becoming? Every night we watch "fake news" orchestrated by a bunch of suits sitting around a conference table in a board room dozens of floors above the sidewalks where their audience walks.

Deception is everywhere, except in God's Word. It is constant. It is truthful. In the original text. Yet even some translations have become corrupt through "fleshly" interpretations. Stay away from The Message "Bible" for example, which is NOT a translation but a paraphrase written for kids. There are others.

The Jehovah's Witnesses have their own Bible (The New World Translation). So do the Mormons (The Book of Mormon). Both groups claim to be Christian, but their "religions" both features a fake Jesus.

There is only one Church, despite all the denominations on the planet - those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. No green screens are needed for the miracles and wonders that HE performs. He is the real deal. 

The Parable of Our Cat

Well, our cat is running back and forth throughout the house right now. Sunroom to living room, living room to bedroom, bedroom to sunroom. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Is our cat insane? Yes, but that's beside the point. I think our cat is simply happy.

Our cat is a "used" cat and by that I mean that my wife is the second owner. Our cat's previous life was spent in a small duplex with high, curtained windows . . . and a dog. Not that any of that is bad, but now it is living in a bigger, window-filled, dogless house and I think the cat is merely expressing joy in its new home.

The parable here is simple - a joyful life IN Christ. Think about it. Did we ourselves not journey from one "owner" to the next? Have we not been given a new heart? Are we not loved and cared for? We have all we need and SHOULD be joyful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

Granted, our cat still gets into trouble from time to time. It's a curious cat. But we too can stray from the path of righteousness. But then we are corrected and forgiven.

My wife absolutely loves her cat. And the cat knows it. It will sleep on her lap and waits for her outside the bedroom door each morning. And then, when her owner finally emerges, well, let the joyful romping begin! Oh, to have a faith like that!

Got To Get You Into My Life

Another morning, waking up with another song in my head. Usually I have worship music playing on WBOB radio, but this morning it was The Beatles. Not sure why or where this song song came from but I gave it a listen anyway.

The first verse meant nothing. "I was alone, I took a ride. Etc." Big deal. But then the chorus...

Ooh, then I suddenly see you

Ooh, did I tell you I need you

Every single day of my life?

The song is probably about a woman, or drugs, but my mind is shaped a little differently than Mr. McCartney's. Think 'Jesus.'

When I look back at my spiritual transformation, I can pinpoint the day, the hour, the location, what I was doing, and who was there. It was sudden, that's for sure. As Paul said in his song, "then suddenly I see you." And that, I did.

The sudden realization that Jesus was real, for me anyway, was literally an eye-opening event. From that moment on, I began to see things differently. That brings us to the second and third lines of the chorus...

"Did I tell you I need you" and "every single day of my life."

After I figured out what was going on, it wasn't long before I realized just how much I needed Jesus. And that I would need Him every single day of my life.

I look at the chorus of this Beatle's song now and think, this is really a prayer. Not what Paul McCartney had in mind, I'm sure, but consider this prayer.

Dear Lord, I was living my life, totally blind to what I really needed. But then, I suddenly saw You, and I confess to you now, O Lord, that I need you every single day of my life. For without you I am nothing. I repent of my sins and submit to your authority. Make me into who you want me to be, Lord. I am so incredibly grateful to get you into my life! For who am I that you should rescue me? I am your servant, now, and forevermore. Amen.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” - Isaiah 12:2

Got To Get You Into My Life - The Beatles

And Yet

It's hard to watch the news these days without asking the question, "What's wrong with these people!? They just don't get it!" That question is nothing new.

"Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

¹¹He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹²Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables:

‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." - Matthew 13:10-13

Jesus then goes on to say....

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." - Matthew 13:16

What a humbling thing; the knowledge that we, a chosen group of sinners like us, have been given access to the kingdom of God!

And yet, to be clear, ALL are welcome. But few are chosen.

"For many are called, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:4

We had communion in our church yesterday. That's always a humbling time. We walk up front and get the little cups of juice and a piece of unleavened bread, then return to our seats. After praying, I put the bread into my mouth, but I don't chew it. Rather, I simply let it disolve. Why? Isaiah 53:5.

"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5

We know it was our sins that placed Him on that cross. And God crushed Him because of those sins. But just the thought of crushing "the bread of life" is something I don't want to be a part of. And yet, I was.

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:35

My prayer is that all would come to Christ and be saved. And yet, I am saddened by the knowledge that "the road is narrow" and not everyone will make that choice; some that I know and love. And that truly makes me sad. And yet, the choice is theirs. And God would welcome anyone, right up to the last second of life. Maranatha!

How Deep The Father's Love For Us - Fernando Ortega

Pain & Suffering

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

That verse holds the key that unlocks the answer to one of the most difficult questions in all of Christianity. "Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering in the world?"

Our church is having another youth group night in three weeks. By design we are turning our teaching in an apologetics direction - preparing our kids for life outside of their bubbles.

Turn your Bibles to Romans 9 and we'll look at a couple of questions that Paul asks the church. His questions turn into answers for our question about pain and suffering. Verses 22-24.

"What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? ²³What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?" - Romans 9:22-24

Think about it. This is from my February Bible study for our church kids . . .

It is the beauty and brilliance of your hearts, in Jesus Christ, that witnesses to a dark and dying world, the glory and majesty of God, who sent His Son Jesus to die a death that we ourselves deserve to die. That’s called grace, and mercy, and the Gospel.

Here’s one last question for you to think about. Why does a holy God, who hates sin, even allow us to live? John 3:16. “For God so loved."

God allows pain and suffering in order to draw us closer to Him. This phenomenon is repeated time and time again in the Old Testament. When we feel wonderful all the time, we tend to ignore God. It's in our nature. We were created to worship Him. Our pain and suffering draw us near to Him. But take heart. God has also promised us this . . .

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4

What Is Truth?

"What is truth?"

Of course, those were the famous words uttered by Pontius Pilate when he was talking with Jesus, just before the crucifixion of our dear Lord. Pilate was confused and he didn't know whom to believe.

First, he had the Jewish leaders yelling at him, "Crucify him!" Then his own wife said, "Have nothing to do with this man." Even Pilate couldn't find anything wrong with Jesus but for some reason all of the people in the Praetorium wanted Jesus dead. What to do? What to do?

Fast forward 2,000 years to 2026. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise. We as a culture find ourselves asking the same question. "Is this video real? Is it true?" Or, is it a deep fake?

The news media doesn't help matters much. CBS got sued by Trump for editing a Kamala Harris interview in such a way as to make her appear smart and coherent. Busted! So, what do we do? Who can we trust?

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

We are living in a world filled with lies. And Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that Satan is "the father of lies." And it's that simple. Jesus = truth, Satan = lies.

When we come to realize that God cannot lie why would we look anywhere else for the truth?

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" - Numbers 23:19

The innocent little girl in the picture above is totally fake. AI generated. In ALL things, consider the source. Is it of the world? Or it is of God?

AI Macarena

Down From Above

The Veil of the Temple, also known as the Temple Curtain, holds significant theological and symbolic importance in the biblical narrative. It was a large, ornate curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, within the Temple in Jerusalem. This veil is mentioned in several key biblical passages and is central to understanding the relationship between God and humanity, particularly in the context of the New Testament.

The Veil of the Temple was a massive curtain, traditionally believed to be about 60 feet high and 30 feet wide, and several inches thick. It was made of fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully woven into it (Exodus 26:31-33). The veil served as a physical and symbolic barrier, signifying the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity. Only the High Priest could pass beyond the veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:2-34). - BibleHub.com

That's a pretty big veil - 30 feet wide and 60 feet high! The height of it is what's really interesting. Let's go to Matthew to read more about the curtain in the tabernacle.

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵²and the tombs broke open." - Matthew 27:50-52

Well, there WAS a powerful earthquake. That probably did it, right? Except there is nothing in the text that says the tabernacle sustained any damage other than one torn curtain. Hmm.

Well, I'm guessing that God Himself tore the curtain. He does things like that. He parts seas and stops up rivers. And He DOES reside ABOVE the curtain, in heaven.

I guess He could have sent an angel to tear the curtain. Angels do powerful things. Remember when "the angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 in the Assyrian camp" (2 Kings 19:35)?

Still, I'm thinking it was God Himself. He does monumental things like this, impressively dramatic things. He closed the door to the ark by Himself, and buried Moses by Himself, and of course the parting of the Red Sea.

I think He was telling mankind that there was no longer any separation between Him and us - through Jesus, His Son. And His shed blood.

"The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." - Hebrews 9:22

"It is finished." - Jesus, John 19:30

The Veil - David Crowder Band

Twenty Below

It was a little chilly here in central Wisconsin Friday morning. It's actually twenty below zero as I write this. Brrr! Still, my wife and I are nice and warm inside of our house. Our wonderful little bubble of love. Yay!

But of course, we still will venture outside. Gotta check the mail you know. I also like to visit friends. We still have to go outside our bubble, our comfort zone.

Speaking of bubbles, I recently wrote a story called The Bubble. It was about keeping certain things OUTSIDE of our lives. But what happens when we ourselves venture beyond the perimeter of our bubble and into "The World"? That's the topic for today's story. Let's start off with some scripture to get ourselves going in the right direction.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Oh, that's a good one! Memorize it AND live by it!

Remember Covid? We were fine while we were staying at home, but when we went outside, that's when we caught the bug. Another lesson worth remembering. The same advice is worthy to note for the Christian. Outside is darkness and death.

Do you remember what Jesus said when He related the Parable of the Wedding Feast?

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:13-14

The guy they threw outside was an uninvited guest. He came inside the Bridegroom's bubble and was quickly thrown out. Still, we DO have to go to the grocery store. We still have to go to work or to school.

What happens when we step outside of our bubble and into the "outer darkness?" Only if we are rooted in God's word can we return home unscathed. Yet, at home we allow "the outside" to enter through our television, computers and our "smart" phones. We must be cautious.

I just looked up from my writing and saw a commercial on TV that featured a woman standing in front of the camera in her bra and panties, jiggling her belly fat. Then, suddenly, there she was next with her beautiful NEW body. I looked away. So did my wife. Too late. But that was the topic of my previous story. Letting things in.

The point of THIS story is, what do we do when we venture OUTSIDE our bubble? What can we do to protect ourselves?

Guard your hearts. 

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

Protect yourselves.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." - Ephesians 6:11

Endure.

"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." - Matthew 10:22

Do all of these things, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My final point is this. Water freezes at 32°. Shouldn't it be REALLY frozen solid at -20°. One would think so. Yet, I can drive a few miles from my house and see open water on a river. Why? Rapids. The water is very active. It doesn't stand still long enough to freeze. And that is our lesson for today.

Be active in God's Word and in the lives of those that God has placed in your life. You are there for a reason. Don't let your love grow cold.