Lost In Translation

Here's an example of how my ancient, wandering mind works. But it is also a testimony to God's faithfulness and the leading of His Holy Spirit.

It was Tuesday morning when I wrote this. I know it was Tuesday because I was looking forward to visiting my friends. I always do that on Tuesdays.

Scrolling through YouTube in the pre-dawn living room, I came upon a video regarding Psalm 23. It promised insight to its true meaning. Okay . . .

Click.

You know the text . . .

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul." - Psalm 23:1-3

Then comes this . . .

"He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." - Psalm 23:3

In the video I watched (link at bottom) the featured speaker, a rabbi, was talking about the Hebrew meaning of the word "paths" that we English have translated as such. It's real meaning is "a circuitous path" of righteousness.

Circuitous? You mean like Israel walking through the desert for forty years? I always thought paths of righteousness were straight.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

So, I scrolled some more, searching for other things that might be getting lost in translation. That's when I saw a movie clip for a movie by that very name. I watched it. Maybe you've seen the movie before. I have not.

The clip was from the end of the movie when the lead couple were saying goodbye to each other. The young woman (Scarlett Johansson) was parting ways with an older man (Bill Murray).

The woman reminded me of my friend Kortney, who just had a heart and double lung transplant.

Their goodbye in the movie made me think of how fragile and fleeting my friend's health is. It is still quite possible that she might not make it through the entire transplant process. She currently has fluid building up on her lungs and is having that removed this week sometime.

So, I sent my friend an encouraging text this morning (Tuesday) and told her that I love her and am praying for her. That's when I realized something . . .

I had just been led on a "circuitous path for His name's sake." Interesting. Wherever my shepherd leads, I will follow.

[Update: I got a text back from my friend Tuesday afternoon. It turned out that THAT was the day they were going to remove the fluid on her lungs. My text (God's encouragement for her?) had arrived shortly before her procedure began. A portion of her text is as follows . . .

"Thank you so much! That was so uplifting this morning! 🥰 "]

God placed me on a circuitous path for His glory alright. They drained an entire liter from around her lungs.

When we are led by the Holy Spirit, our job is to follow, no matter how circuitous the path becomes. Praise His glorious name!

Psalm 23 Hebrew Meaning

Lost In Translation Clip

Sheeple

When I was a young lad, my grandfather took me for a walk in the field on our farm. We approached an old gate in the wire fence. It was a teaching moment.

"Whenever you come to a gate like this and it's closed, make sure you leave it closed after you go through it. If it's open, leave it open," he told me.

"Sure."

"You see, Bobby, if one of our sheep goes through an open gate, they ALL will go through it."

Sheep like to follow things. Even if it leads them into trouble.

People are no different when it comes to their desire to be led. We like to be fed and watered just like those sheep do. We like comfort and being taken care of as well. We're "sheeple." Here's the Internet definition of the word:

Sheeple - People who unquestioningly accept as true whatever their political leaders say or who adopt popular opinion as their own without scrutiny.

Look at our government. They take care of us and protect us, right? We will follow them in whatever they tell us.

"We want everyone to wear a mask and take this shot," they said. And so, we did.

What about the pastors in our churches? Do we trust what THEY tell us? Have they EARNED our trust? Or do they push their own beliefs instead of the truth in God's Word?🤔

I've been saying this a lot lately but it is bears repeating anyway. This is Jesus speaking.

"Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4

And, as if that's not sufficient . . .

"Do not be deceived." - Galatians 6:7

"Do not be deceived." - James 1:16

The point is this: It is up to US, whether we are deceived or not. It is also worth noting that all three of these verses are commands to us. They are NOT suggestions.

And now this from our current events department: President Trump has appointed a false teacher to head up his new "faith office." Her name is Paula White. She was in his administration last time too. She preaches the prosperity "gospel." "Name it and claim it!" they say. Our president has been deceived. Don't let deception happen to you.

Watch the video below and you'll see what a false teacher look like. There are plenty of them out there.

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1

Paula White

The Shadow of Shaddai

When seemingly random things occur in life, repeatedly, I pay attention. Here's an example.

My wife and I were watching a documentary about Jimmy Stewart the other night. During a segment about Stewart's Army Air Corp service, the narrator referenced the actor's favorite scripture - Psalm 91. So, I looked it up. The scripture is all about God's protection - an understandable hope and prayer for those facing the ravages of war. Here's Verse 1 ...

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

In my Bible, after the word 'Almighty,' there is a little letter 'a,' so I clicked on it. It took me to a footnote that simply said, 'Shaddai.' What does that mean?

El Shaddai, or just Shaddai, is one of the names of God in Judaism. El Shaddai is conventionally translated into English as God Almighty, God of the Mountains, or 'All-Sufficient One."

Then, one day later, I was scrolling through YouTube and I came across a song by Aaron Shust entitled Shadow of Shaddai.

Go back up and read Verse 1 again.

"The Shadow of the Almighty"

In other words . . . The Shadow of Shaddai.

So, what is my takeaway from all this?

I am being reminded that I am under the protection of Almighty God. I find myself remembering my two car accidents in years gone by - a collision with a deer at 72mph,  and a head-on, roll-over crash with a car that turned in front of me. I was doing 62mph. Both of my cars were totalled. Yet I survived both.

Why was I saved from death in those to instances? I'm not sure. But I KNOW that I "dwell in the shelter of the Most High," El Shaddai, through my faith in Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to read all of Psalm 91 and listen to the song.

"My God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 91

Shadow of Shaddai - Aaron Shust

Need A Sign?

My old, blue 2004 Saturn Ion was making some new strange sounds this past month. It was always made noise but these new sounds were a little concerning, like "I'm going to be dying soon. You might want to find another car, unless you like walking for miles in the cold. In the dark of night. FOR MILES!"

So, I went on AutoTrader.com and began scrolling. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. Just something cheap and reliable. Like ME! Lol! Right!

I found a nice looking Saturn Vue. It was at a dealer in Plover called Bruns & Sons Auto (only 20 minutes away). It was newer than my blue Saturn but it had 100,000 less miles on it. So, I made note of it, prayed about it, and thought I'd take it for a test drive. Maybe. Someday. I'm such a procrastinator.

Well, the following day I was on my way to visit some friends where I used to work. I stopped at McDonald's to grab a $5 Meal Deal (remember, I'm cheap). I placed my order and pulled ahead. That's when I noticed the F-150 in front of me.

Scroll back up and looked closer at the picture I took. Bruns & Sons! Seriously? Was this an answer to my prayer? Was it God telling me, "If you don't buy this car, you'll be walking back home from Appleton next week."

Do you look for signs of confirmation after you pray about something? Are your eyes open, searching for answers to prayer? They should be.

My new(er) Saturn is sitting in the garage right now. It took me to church on Sunday, and it didn't make ANY strange noises either!

God hears the prayers of His children and He often answers them in unexpected ways. WE are the ones who need to be watching.

"And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him." - 1 John 5:14-15

P.S. - I had a small issue with the car after I bought it and called the dealer. He got me right in the very next day, found the problem, and fixed it. For free! Sometimes, it's more than the car. It's the service found in a small town business. And sometimes, God gives you even more than you ask for in prayer. Thank you, Lord.🙂

Riley²

I watched intently as Donald Trump signed an executive order this past Wednesday. His EO banned biological men from competing in women's sports. That's kind of a no-brainer in MY opinion, but there are those who feel these so-called "men" should be allowed to do so.

Generally speaking, men ARE physically stronger and faster than women. That's just the way it is. So, to allow men to compete against women is clearly unfair.

The most visible woman in all of this transgender athlete debate has been Riley Gaines (pictured above, dressed in white, hands clasped). She finished second to another "woman" in a swimming meet or two. Since that time she has been fighting for women's rights, especially in athletic competition.

This past week President Trump signed his executive order surrounded by a sea of young female athletes, banning men from competing against women. Good for him. I was almost brought to tears while watching it. I'm not a huge Trump fan but he sure is doing a great job at the moment. In my opinion.

That brings us to Riley #2 - Laken Riley. Laken was murdered by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela back in February of 2024. He was found guilty on 10 counts in November of the same year. He had previously been arrested for robbery in New York City but was released by their Soros-backed DA and liberal policies.

These two stories demonstrate several things but lets focus on just two - power in the hands of the corrupt, and vindication of the innocent through justice. What does the Bible say?

"Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Amos 5:24

"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20

"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." - Genesis 1:27

I thank God for these actions taken by #47 and our newly installed government, and for the women through which these things came to pass. Let us praise God for setting kings on their thrones for HIS purposes and glory. Not ours.

[This picture makes me think of artist Norman Rockwell and his paintings. Look at the faces of those young girls!]🙂

Of the NCAA's 530,000 athletes, less than 10 identify as trans. - MSNBC News

Trump Praises Riley Gaines

Wormwood

For those of us who follow eschatological stories (stories about The End Times), this one in The Guardian caught my attention. It's about a comet that, quite possibly, could strike the Earth in 2032. 😯

I'd like to share a bit of scripture with you from the Trumpet Judgements found in The Book of Revelation.

"⁶ Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

⁷ The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water - ¹¹ the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

¹² The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

¹³ As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

Do any of those things the first three angels used sound like an asteroid hitting the Earth? Hmm.

And when is this asteroid supposed to hit the earth? 2032. That's seven years from now. Seven years. Where have we heard THAT amount of time before? The seven year tribulation period that Daniel spoke of? And Jesus spoke of? Hmm.

If this comet is THEE comet/asteroid in Revelation, it will strike the earth during the tribulation period. What is 2032 minus 7 years?

For us pre-trib rapture folks, this is just another sign that the rapture is imminent. The question is, are you ready? Is Jesus your Lord?

Asteroid Story - The Guardian

Pangs

Things just seem to keep getting weirder and weirder, don't they? Why is that? There is actually a simple answer, yet, at the same time, it is a very complex answer. Here's the simple answer . . .

Why are all of these bad things happening lately? It seems like they are increasing in frequency and severity. Why?

Simple answer: Because we are getting closer and closer to the end. Open your Bibles to Matthew 24. Jesus, our Lord and Savior,  is speaking to His disciples.

"⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of birth pangs." - Matthew 24:7-8

Okay. Define 'pangs.'

Pangs - 'a sudden sharp bodily pain.' Or

'a sudden sharp feeling of emotional pain.'

If one goes back to the original Greek text it says,  "these ORIGINal OF-travails."

The word 'birth' is not actually there. Where did BIRTH pangs came from? It's not in the original Greek, but the 'birth pangs part is definitely there in the Bible I am reading.

Perhaps 'birth' pangs is in Matthew because 'pangs' appears elsewhere WITH a reference to the birthing process.

"At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor." - Isaiah 21:3

Or . . .

"You who live in ‘Lebanon,’ who are nestled in cedar buildings, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain like that of a woman in labor!" - Jeremiah 22:23

Are the 'pangs' that we are experiencing today actually signs that Jesus' return is imminent? Many believe so. Are they increasing in severity and intensity?

Personally, I believe we are close to Jesus' return, but I also believe that many more bad things will happen yet. Things worse that these events we are going through today. And the frequency of those events will increase.

If you are reading this, and have never fully surrendered your heart to Jesus, please do so today. He could return at any moment. There is no biblical prerequisite for His return. And, as SOON as He does return, well, it will be too late to repent. The open door will be shut.

It will be like the parable Jesus told about the ten virgins and the wedding feast. 

"The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut." Matthew 25:1:13

You do NOT want to be outside once that door gets closed.

These things we are experiencing today could be the birth pangs Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24. Or they could just be the beginning of them. Either way, the time is short. Be ready!

Birth Pangs - GotQuestions.org

The Parable of The Ten Virgins

Light It Up

This time of year, when I get up, it is still dark outside. Cars drive by on their way to work. Their headlights light up the entire living room as they pass by. But soon it is dark again . . . and all is quiet.

It's the perfect time to pray. So, why don't I? I'm wrapped up in other things - scrolling through Facebook or writing one of these stories. I am missing out on what SHOULD be the best part of my day. What's wrong with me?

The room lights up again. Another car coming down the road? No. It's my phone! Someone sent me a message! How wonderful!!

And that's when I began to wonder, how does God feel when we pray? Does heaven light up when we pray? Does God's HEART light up?

When someone I love sends me a message, I know exactly how I feel. Does God feel the same way when we pray to him?

Of course, I don't have any answers to these questions. But I do know this. God loves us. It says so in His Word. Say it with me . . .

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

God sacrificed His Son, His ONLY Son, so that we might live. Of course He loves to hear from us!

I received a text message from someone this week. It truly made my heart light up. It was from a dear friend - a youth group kid from 16 years ago. Read it slowly. Does this sound like it's worthy of being a prayer?

"Good morning! I'm missing you a ton! Sorry that I haven't been in contact, it's been, a lot. I think of you often and I'm so grateful to have you in my life."

Gifts from God often come in unexpected ways. They are never what we expect them to be. But they are ALWAYS just what we need. And they are PRICELESS!

That message came from my friend Kortney (speaking of gifts from God). It's now been one month since she received a heart transplant and two new lungs.

Heavenly Father, how I long to see you coming in your glory, riding on the clouds. I love you and miss you so much. I'm sorry I haven't been praying as much as I should. The events in this world are just so distracting to me. There is so much hate in this world. But I do think of you throughout each day - whispered prayers of thanks and praise for all you do. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. My Lord and my Savior. And it is in your merciful name that I pray. Amen.

Eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks our view of the sun. Today's story is about an eclipse taking place, not in our solar system, but in our hearts.

"The moon of secularism has blocked the face of God." - Dr. Erwin Lutzer

I watched a YouTube video of Kirk Cameron's show Take Aways this week. His guest was Dr. Erwin Lutzer, president emeritus of The Moody Bible Church in Chicago.

Dr. Lutzer wrote a booked entitled, The Eclipse of God. He goes on to say, "Americans don't mind saying they believe in God just as long as they get to choose the god in which they believe. Often times God becomes themselves actually, and as a result of that we are in the society where we are leaving transcendent truth behind and the implications are massive."

That is SO true.

When I was a youth leader at church I encountered many kids who SAID they believed in God, but when asked about God's specific views on same-sex relationships for example, they'd say, "Well, I don't believe THAT."

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." - James 1:17

God does NOT change to suit our desires. It is WE who must change to conform to His will. God is the light of our spiritual self. Anything that gets in the way of His light (a spiritual eclipse) is sin and obscures our view of Him.

"I am the light of the world." - Jesus, John 8:12

We will close with one last word from Dr. Lutzer . . .

"Churches often times make concessions, one compromise at a time, and they think, "Well, I can compromise here but I won't go here," but eventually the pressure is so great that they give in to the culture, they give the culture whatever the culture wants and as a result they lose their effectiveness because they've lost the Gospel."

Has your church experienced an eclipse of the truth? Have you? Read and study the Bible. We must KNOW the God we worship, not worship the god we have created for ourselves.

Take Aways - Lutzer Episode

15 Minutes?

Have you ever heard of a 15-minute city? According to Wikipedia (so you KNOW it's true, right?) the 15-minute city is an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit ride from any point in the city.

This concept is already active in cities like Paris, Madrid, Shanghai, etc. It has even been embraced by Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Uh-oh....

The ancient city of Nineveh would never have made it as a 15-minute city.

"Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it." - Jonah 3:3

The problem with these pie-in-the-sky ideas is that it takes a people willing to conform to the will of the governing body. Remember Covid? How many people conformed and took the jab? According to Statista, 81.3% of Americans had one or more shots. That's huge! But 18.7% did not conform.

So, what will happen to those unwilling to conform to the government's wishes? 

"He required everyone - small and great, rich and poor, free and slave - to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. ¹⁷And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name." - Revelation 13:16-17

Basically, conform or die.

Would you take "the mark of the beast" if death was the only alternative? Remember, by taking "the mark" you are pledging to follow Satan. I don't know about you, but I would rather follow Jesus.

The average walking speed for a human is about 3 mph. So a 15-minute walk is about 3/4 of a mile (3960 feet). Go for a 15-minute walk sometime and check it out.

"Stop trusting in mere humans." - Isaiah 2:22

15 Minute Cities - Brad Holthaus

15-Minute Cities - WEF

Deception

When Jesus was walking through Jerusalem with His disciples, they asked Him, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” - Matthew 24:3

Jesus gave them a really strange answer.

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

Huh?

Jesus could not have been more right. 

The world we live in is absolutely filled with deception. Even in the church! But you know where the most deception exists? In our own hearts and minds. This is an exceedingly dangerous time. For everyone. 

Here's what I mean. How do we know that what we believe is actually true? Where do our beliefs come from? Some pastor? The news? A YouTube video? Our friends and family?

Jesus said, "I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life." - John 14:6. But who is this Jesus? There are many versions of him out there. Which one is THEE Jesus? Mormons have a Jesus. So do Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the Quran of Islam mentions Jesus. So many versions to choose from. Which one is right?

"For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many." - Matthew 24:5

That's for sure! Can we agree that there can be only ONE truth? I mean, either something is true or it is not, right?

I go back to my encounter with Jesus of the Bible. Not a face-to-face meeting by any means. But when Jesus, THEE Jesus, became real to me, January 15, 2006, I changed.

And that is the key. Jesus, the Truth, changes us. Our eyes become opened and we can see clearly for the first time. And by 'see' I mean understand. It's like the man born blind.

"One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see." - John 9:25

Only our 'sight' is an understanding of the Word of God, the THINGS of God.

When we meet Jesus, we become changed. No change = No Jesus = no Holy Spirit.

In the Book of 1st John there is a checklist of sorts for the Christian. Here's an example:

"⁶If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." - 1 John 1:6-7

This is a check for us. Are we "walking in the light?" In other words, are we obeying God's comnands? Are we seeking after His will? If we are not, why would we then be referred to as Christians?

There are many other proofs such as this in 1st John. How many can YOU find? There is a link below. Check it out. There are only five chapters, but the book is FILLED with eye-opening truths.

1 John

Anxiety?

Do you find yourself getting anxious from time to time? Worrying perhaps about how a particular situation on your life will get resolved? This story might be helpful for you.

So often, when we are feeling anxious or worried, we are merely concerned with ourselves. Isn't that true? "I feel this way. I am worried about that."

"I, I, I, I ..." That sounds like an old Fritos commercial. "Ai, yi, yi, yi. I am the Frito bandito."

We need to turn our inward focus away from ourselves and focus outward towards God. Upward, not inward. We need to focus on God and not on our present situation. We need to focus on who HE is, not on who we aren't.

Psalm 46 is a great reminder of God's attributes and not our shortcomings. Read it and see if you don't feel less anxious at it's end.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

³though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

⁴There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. ⁵God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. ⁶Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 

⁷The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

⁸Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. ⁹He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. ¹⁰He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

¹¹The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." - Psalm 46

Did you notice that verses 7 and 11 are identical? Perhaps it is important and worthy of remembering then.

When we focus on who God is, and we remember that "He will never leave us nor foresake us," what do we have to be anxious about?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6

"Who of you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?" - Matthew 6:27

Knowing God's Attributes

Frito Bandito Commercial

So Help Me God?

Did you watch Trump's inauguration? I did. And I noticed something. Something very troubling. Did YOU see anything unusual?

Take a look at the picture above of Trump being sworn in. That's Melania standing next to him on his left. What is she holding?

She is holding two books. It look's like they are both Bibles, but it's hard to really tell.

So, where is Trump's left hand? You know, the one he is supposed to place on a Bible to swear by the Lord God Almighty? It sure as heck is NOT on the stack of Bibles! Like I said in my opening paragraph, this is VERY troubling to me.

I wrote a story not that long ago about possible candidates for the antichrist. You can read it here. Trump was one of them. He just shot WAY up on my list of possibles. Consider this from the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

"One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast." - Revelation 13:3

Did Donald Trump appear "to have a fatal wound" recently? Yeeees.... He was shot in the ear while campaigning in Pennsylvania.

The "fatal wound" could also be referring to Trump's political career, after he lost to Biden. Hasn't that wound been healed now upon becoming the 47th president? His political career has been "resurrected" so to speak.

And look at all of the world leaders. They are flocking to him, bowing down to him. Back to Revelation 13:3 . . .

"The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast."

And what is the nickname for the presidential limousine that the president rides in?

The Beast.

Yeah, I know. I'm crazy, right? Alright. Let's change the topic. Do you think Trump is saved? I'm leaning 'no.' He talks the talk, but is it an act? One thing we know for sure. Where the Holy Spirit is, Satan cannot enter in.

"For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back (The Holy Spirit) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." - 2 Thessalonians 4:7-8

Is Trump the Antichrist? We who believe will never know. Keep your eyes on the skies, and trust in The Lord.

Joy

It's a cold winter's day. Mid-January. Temps just BARELY below zero (-11°). Yet, I feel warm. Inside. I'm reflecting on God's love and grace. And I am filled with joy! Why?

As I was traveling to visit a friend this past week I turned on the radio just in time to hear a short 60-second devotional. The speaker suggested reading the Book of Philippians. "It's only three pages," they said. "And it's filled with joy." So I did.

It was definitely worth the read. And it IS literally filled with joy. Which is odd, considering that Paul wrote this letter . . . IN PRISON.

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy." - Philippians 1:4

I have heard people say, "I just want to be happy." My response is aleays, "Why stop there? Why not go for JOY instead?"

What gives you joy? Think about it. Maybe make a list sometime. There are things that make us happy. But joyous? That would be a shorter list for most of us, I think.

Here's a theory I just came up with - JOY is inseparable from LOVE. One can always find them hanging out together. Here's an example.

I find joy in Jesus, His Word, my wife, our kids and grandkids, and my very close friends. What do these things have in common? I love them all. See what I mean?

"⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." - 1 Peter 1:8-9

Seek joy instead of happiness. As a bonus, you will also find love.

Philippians

Course Correction

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8

Each of us is on our own faith journey. It can be likened to getting on board a sailing ship and setting out in hopes of reaching some distant port, somewhere beyond the horizon.

Occasionally along the way our course might need to be adjusted. Just a small adjustment perhaps, but if it is not taken we can find ourselves miles from our intended destination.

As an example, Apollo 11 made five course corrections on its way to the moon. Without those course corrections the spaceship would have missed its destination entirely. They were small corrections, but absolutely necessary.

It is the same with our walk with Jesus. It's called sanctification. We are continually learning and growing - course corrections in the journey of every Christian.

What happens if the winds aren't blowing and the sails on our "faith ship" go limp. Do we just sit there and wait on the Lord. Or do we get out the oars and keep moving?

That all depends. One could easily liken the wind to the Holy Spirit. Without it our faith journey is hopeless. But also a lack of wind in our "faith sails" could be attributed to God testing us and our resolve.

Either way we need to remember that God has His hands on the wheel, not us. And it is His ship, not ours. We are the passengers.

May God continually guide you on the journey you are on. Pray for favorable winds. And may you have safe travels on your way to Paradise.

"We put out to sea and sailed straight to Kos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. ²We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. ³After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. ⁵When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray." - Acts 21:1-5

Read, learn, grow, worship, serve, love, pray. Soon, we will be there. It will be more beautiful than we can imagine. In the meantime, help hoist the sails and swab the deck. During our time at sea we will experience much. Just remember whose hands are on the wheel.

The Dead In Christ

According to the Apostle Paul, meeting the Lord will be like this:

"¹³Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

I have some questions . . .

#1.) Who are "the dead in Christ?"

According to GotQuestions.org, the dead in Christ are those believers who have died before the second coming of Jesus. Billy Graham qualifies in that regard. So does Stephen, the first martyr. Believers who have died before the Lord's return "will rise first."

Next question - #2.) Will the dead in Christ rise physically or spiritually?

The reason I ask this question is that when Jesus died on the cross several dead people rose physically from the grave.

"⁵²The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people." - Matthew 27:52-53

A foretaste of things to come? Hmm.

Here's an interesting truth. Paul writes to the church in Corinth, about being "away from the body and present with the Lord." A lot of people have gotten this verse wrong. Including me. Paul doesn't say WHEN we are away from the body we are present with the Lord. Read the actual verse and see.

"⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:8

Various translations use the words 'rather' and 'prefer.' None say WE WILL. Be careful out there. So where do we go when we die?

When Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross He said, "²³Today you will be with me in paradise." - Luke 23:43

Read this additional comment from GotQuestions.org:

There has always been a separation of believers and unbelievers after death (Luke 16:19-31). The righteous have always gone to paradise; the wicked have always gone to hell. For right now, both paradise and hell are “temporary holding places” until the day when Jesus Christ comes back to judge the world based on whether or not individuals have believed in Him. The first resurrection is of believers who will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards based on meritorious service to Him. The second resurrection will be that of unbelievers who will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. At that point, all will be sent to their eternal destination—the wicked to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15), and the righteous to a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21—22).

Note that it says we who believe will go to PARADISE' when we die, not heaven. Interesting distinction.

Does it really matter who rises first? I don't think so. But meeting "the Lord in the air" will be spectacular!! THEN we will be with the Lord forever. That's all that matters.

Who Are The Dead In Christ

- Gotquestions.org

The Gospel

"And He said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim The Gospel to the whole creation." - Mark 16:15

Okay. First off, the word 'gospel' means 'good news,' so keep that in mind as we go through today's story.

And who was Jesus talking to? He was talking to the Eleven when He appeared to them after rising from the dead. 

So, "The Gospel." Let's start with some basics. God knows everything. He always was, and always will be. God is perfect and demands perfection. That's where we all should go, "Uh-oh." Because WE, none of us, are perfect.

We WERE perfect once but then there was the serpent and Adam and Eve eating forbidden fruit. You know the story. From that point on we were separated from God. That's not good news.

The Bible says that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). That means that if we sin we're going to hell. Forever. So, where's 'the good news?' Wait. It gets even worse.

The Bible also says, "there is no one who does good, not even one" (Psalm 14:3). People then asked "who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26). Good question. But then Jesus said this:

“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” - Luke 18:27

And that's where "the good news" begins.

We read about all God's rules and laws, like The Ten Commandments and the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, and we realize that no one can possibly keep all those. And that's right. I think that was the point.

God made the people sacrifice various things to atone for their sin. Goats, cattle, lambs, doves, first fruits of the land, etc. But the sacrifices weren't lasting. Neither was their repentance for sin.

So, we ask the question again, who then can be saved? "With God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

God is a just judge. And the wages of sin is death, right? Someone has sinned, so someone has to die. God demands a sacrifice.

We have heard words like grace, mercy and forgiveness before. But we cannot understand the true meaning of 'sacrifice' and 'first fruits' until we contemplate someone actually dying for something that WE did.

And this is the good news . . . 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Jesus is our once-for-all sacrifice. Jesus died so that we might live. All we have to do is believe in Jesus, follow His commands, turn from our life of sin, and follow Him.

It's pretty simple once we understand the basics.

How was it that YOU came to be saved? Did someone share the good news about Jesus with YOU?

Why Preach The Gospel? - Voddie Baucham

Is Babylon Falling?

"And the lookout shouted, “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post. 

Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’” - Isaiah 21:8-9

What is this Babylon that the chariot driver mentioned? It seems to be quite a mystery. 

I was watching the news this past week concerning the wild fires in California. Several reporters called the fiery scene 'apocalyptic' in nature. That got my attention.

Is there any connection between this Mystery Babylon and fire in the Bible? There is.

"Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror." - Isaiah 21:1

Well, there are definitely whirlwinds blowing in California. Winds gust of 100mph have been reported. And the fire? This is from John, writing about a Babylon in Revelation 18.

"Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her." - Revelation 18:8

There's the fire! But is Los Angeles 'Mystery Babylon?' I don't think so. But the fiery scenes we've been witnessing in LA will be definitely happening to a futuristic Babylon.

There are many potential candidates - Rome, Jerusalem, America, even a general economic system. No one seems to know for sure.

The Babylon thay Isaiah was talking about was most likely the Roman Empire. It DID fall, and it DID burn. But the Babylon in Revelation has not happened yet.

The Babylon in John's writing could be a city somewhere. It also could be an economic system, like the U S. dollar or the European Union. But it also could be this sinful so iety that Satan has built around himaelf. Who knows? Not me. But things seem to be falling into place. Just watch the news.

Who Is Babylon In Revelation?

God Provides

"The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:” - Exodus 31:1-6

That was God talking to Moses about building the tabernacle. But it is also evidence that God can instill in specific people amazing talent and knowledge and wisdom for His utlimate glory.

I was reminded of this story as I spoke to people yesterday about my friend Kortney's heart and double lung transplant that took place on January 1st. Everyone was amazed at the skills these surgeons and technicians have.

You can almost see them operating, maybe 6-8 of them seated around her. Each of them performing some amazingly difficult task.

What skills has God given YOU? I write stories about God to give Him glory. That' just a small thing. Maybe you're a daycare teacher or a mom. Maybe you're a dad volunteering to coach his son's baseball team. The important thing is, does what we do glorify God?

You might wonder if the heart surgeons were really glorifying God or just doing their jobs. Well, they definitely posess God-given skills. They may or may not be believers. But what about the effected families?

Kortney's family and friends have been praying for months. Kortney and her husband are SO thankful for the prayers!

The point is that God gives people the ability to do things. What are we doing for Him? God provides for our every need out of love and grace. Do we extend love and grace on His behalf to those we meet on any given day?

Jesus told us to "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

Are we shining?

The Dude Abides

These pitiful stories that I inflict you with each week come from a variety of places. Songs, sermons, bathroom sink drains, etc. The only thing that can be said about them with any certainty is that the main character of each epistle is God - Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit.

The topic for this one came from the title of a Facebook movie clip called "The Dude Abides." There's a link at the bottom.

The short video features a conversation between Jeff Bridges and Sam Elliot from the movie The Big Lebowski. In the clip, Mr. Bridges' character (The Dude) offers this gem.

"The Dude abides."

I thought about that statement for a moment and, in the light of scripture, felt it should be worthy of consideration. We ALL should abide!

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:1-11

After reading that, I have come to the conclusion that Jesus wants us ALL to abide. He is in us, and us in Him.

What does abiding in Jesus look like?

To 'abide' is to live. And not simply to just live, but to live in such a way that we live IN Him. That we become like Him. Like a tree abides with the soil. And here is the test.

When people look at us, or think of us, do they see Jesus? That's a tough one. But no one ever said that living like Christ would be easy. In fact . . .

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

James reminds us of this 'troublesome' fact later when he writes . . .

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, a whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4

To sum up, abiding in Jesus is pure joy, even when it isn't. Does that make sense?

Abide then! And experience the joy that The Father intended from the very beginning. Abide! Yes, abide! "And the peace which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

Dear Mr. Putin

I watched a music video recently. No, it wasn't Pink Floyd, Hendrix, or Santana. It was Tchaikovsky.

What struck me about the video (link below) was that is was basically a tour of St. Basil's Cathedral. I had never seen the inside.  Wow!

With such a beautiful building at the center of Moscow, one would think it's leaders would be quite religious. You'd think.

A lot of the world's leaders do things in the name of their god. Except their gods are not really the one-true God.

When Paul entered the city of Athens he made similar observations about its people.

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: 'to an unknown god.' So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship - and this is what I am going to proclaim to you." - Acts 17:22-23

Not knowing the God we worship is a one-way ticket to hell. That statement is not simply MY opinion. It's God's Word.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ - Matthew 7:21-23

There's a lot of good words in Matthew 7. Most read 'do not judge' and stop reading. Read the whole chapter! Jesus tells us that we ARE to judge people, by their fruit.

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" - Matthew 7:16

As Christians, we are to resemble the God we follow. By that criteria, Putin would appear to follow HIS god, Satan, not Jesus as the images inside his cathedral confesses.

There is one God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God who created the universe and everything in it. The God who sacrificed His one and only Son so that we could live with Him forever.

KNOW WHO YOU WORSHIP.

Hymn of The Cherubim - Tchaikovsky

Grace

We had the fam over on Christmas Eve for a light lunch and gift opening. There were eight of us in attendance so thankfully we have two bathrooms.

A few days before our big event, I happened to be down in the basement when I "felt the urge" and hustled into the lower-level bathroom. There, just sitting in the sink, all by himself, was a big ol' spider. So, naturally, I turned on the sink faucet and washed him down the drain.

My wife would never have done that. For example, we get beetles in our house every once in a while, during the winter. My wife lovingly picks them up, carries them to the front door, and puts them outside. Yes, they probably freeze to death, but she doesn't kill them.

God is even more graceful with us humans. We are sinful by nature, deserving of death. Yet God extends US grace and gives US the means to escape His coming wrath.

On Christmas Eve day, with all of our guests in the house, I went down to use the bathroom again. There, sitting calmly in the sink, was my friend, Mr. Spider. I was about to wash him down the drain again, but then I stopped and thought for a moment.

"Leave him alone," I said to myself. "He's been through enough this week."

My wife is a great teacher. Her example of grace saved a spider's life on Christmas Eve. God has given us ALL a way to escape "the swirling waters of death." By placing our faith in Jesus Christ, His One and Only Son. It is the free gift of salvation.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:1-5