Self Betrayal

"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

That's the typical passage of scripture that churches us when they take communion. But the last time our church did this, our pastor pointed out something interesting. Verse 23 above says "on the night he was betrayed." One of the men Jesus was praying with and breaking bread with that night, had betrayed him, and the other 11 would deny they even knew him before the day was done.

Our pastor encouraged us to pray for those who have betrayed us. Question: Has anyone ever betrayed you? I'm sure there are a few for everyone.

I began to make my mental list of the betrayers in MY life, but then I stopped and thought, "What about me? Haven't I also betrayed God through my sin? Haven't I betrayed myself?"

Ooo. Ouch. That was pretty humbling, and that was just how I prayed. A different kind of prayer comes out when you think of yourself as a type of Judas.

Does God look at us as "a Judas?" "A blasphemer?" Yes, He would - without the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. I personally am SO grateful for Jesus and what He did! We ALL should be.

"We ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23

"We ALL sin," the Bible says.

Quite rightly, those following Jesus once asked Him, "Who then can be saved?"

"Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”- Luke 18:26-27

The world tells us to "forgive ourselves" for the sins we have committed. According to verse 7 that we just read, that is impossible. Maybe it is IN OUR OWN EYES but not in God's. However, God HAS provided a way for us to be totally forgiven. His Son, Jesus.

If one scrolls back up and reads that opening passage again, it kind of makes us want to eat some bread and drink some wine, and pray, as we remember what Jesus did for us.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." - Psalm 103:12

Peace?

The day is Thursday as I am writing this. Everyone is talking about the new peace deal between Hamas and Israel. Trump has announced that he will be flying to Israel for a signing ceremony. The people of Israel are already celebrating in the streets.

If all this indeed comes to pass it will be absolutely wonderful. However . . . let me show you something.

‘"Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace." - Jeremiah 6:14

There will never be a lasting peace until Jesus sets up His millenial kingdom. We have become distracted by the very thing we have been praying for.

What crosses my mind about this is not good. Isn't this a perfect opportunity for Iran to strike both of its enemies at the same time? Trump and Netanyahu BOTH will be in the Knesset on Monday. Iran must be salivating loke a dog waiting for its dinner.

Of course, it's possible that nothing will happen, and probably won't, but think about the possible dangers in this.

I am reading through Ezekiel right now, speaking of things that could happen. It's not very comforting.

"You will look for peace, but there will be none." - Ezekiel 7:25

I do not trust Hamas. I don't think that Israel does either. The only reason that Hamas agreed to the ceasefire is because Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey told them to or they would not back them in the future.

This war is not over.

As Christians though, we still have hope. This is not our home. We look forward to the day when our Lord and Savior returns and DOES set up a lasting peace.

In my opinion, NONE of the people in this whole peace thing knows Jesus. And that includes our president. Yes, I cannot tell what's on someone's heart, but I am a certified Matthew 7 "fruit inspector."

"Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." - Matthew 7:17-20.

As the song says, "In Christ alone, my hope is found."

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My comforter, my all in all

Here in the love of Christ I stand

A Time For War?

"A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Right now, negotiations are taking place in the Middle East to end the war in Gaza. It seems as if the entire world is against Israel, doesn't it? And that is the way God intended it to be. But that war is insignificant to what is brewing elsewhere and in the future.

If we zoom out from the Middle East it's not long before we can see Ukraine and Russia. They too are in the midst of a war.

Keep zooming out and we can soon see the NATO countries. And China. And North Korea. There are plenty of antagonists out there. And plenty of egos to satisfy.

Trump has had some success at stopping small wars but he will not have success with Russia, nor China. This is just my opinion. "Change my mind," as Charlie Kirk used to say.

Russia has already "accidentally" flown drones into Poland and Denmark. Three Russian war planes entered Estonia's airspace. Putin is testing Nato's reaction. Even NORAD had to scramble some planes to intercept Russian jets that were approaching Alaska.

Jesus tells us in the Bible (Matthew 24) that a BIG war is coming. There are also other references in Ezekiel and Revelation. It's going to be bad. Very bad.

"For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again." - Matthew 24:25

We who confess faith in Jesus do not need to concern ourselves with this. We should be gone from here by then. Time will tell.

Christians have hope. The rest of the world does not. And that's sad. Many of those we know and love are not going to make it. Though we try to tell them, they don't have ears to hear.

For the Christian, this is a very interesting time. We are seeing the Bible coming to life as we wait for Jesus. But God did not give us a Spirit of fear. As Jan Markell always says, "Things are not falling apart, they are falling into place."

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control." - 2 Timothy 1:7

So, be encouraged! We are not of this world. We are IN it, but not OF it. Our hope is in God.

There is a single Hebrew word that means "the Lord saves." That word is 'yeshua.' In English-speaking bibles and languages we use the word Jesus in it's place. It also translates as Joshua.

"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21

The point being that Jesus saves. His death and resurrection saved us from our sins. Would he not also save us from the coming wrath of the Lord God Almighty? I believe He would.

Russian Drone Flights - AP

Youth Group 3.0

Well, here we go again.

Shortly after coming to faith in Christ 19 years ago, I joined a youth group as one of the adult leaders. That was an absolute blast. It became rather clear to me that I had found my calling. Sadly, the teachings of that church strayed from God's Word so I departed "with weeping and gnashing of teeth."

God provided a new wonderful church to pour myself into, which I did. Another youth group and many more teens to love and minister to. That was an amazing time of doing what I felt God had wanted me to do. But then the lead pastor left and the new replacement pastor led the church in a different direction. Many people left that church, including me.

Again, God provided a new church, my current church home. The teaching is excellent. Right out of the Bible. Just what I was looking for. However, there was no youth group. No opportunity to serve as a youth leader. That was fine with me.

But then the church began a Vacation Bible School program. I joined that and was made a teacher. I absolutely love serving the Lord in that capacity. However, VBS only lasts one week. Still I was okay with that. I love the people AND the teaching.

Recently however, I felt led to create a young men's Bible study on Biblical Manhood. I've written about that before in this blog. Near it's completion, I approached the pastor and offered it to him. That's when God's plan began to show itself.

He told me that two of our parents had asked to start a youth group at our church and wondered if I would be interested in being the teacher. Hmm. What do YOU think I said? Lol!

[pause]

Think about this now. Within two weeks' time, three people approached the pastor about starting a youth group / bible study. I'm beginning to think that God wants us to pour into the lives of some teens in our church, in His name.🤔 Well, that is happening October 24th.

I'm just a little excited to see what God will be doing.🙂

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

"Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." - Psalm 24:11

You Decide

I am currently writing a Bible study for our church's new youth group. It features three biblical teens - David, Mary, and . . . Manasseh? Who is Manasseh? And why him?

David and Mary we know. David was "a man after God's own heart." And Mary, well, she was the mother of Jesus so, you know . . . yeah.

Manasseh was King Hezekiah's son. He became king of Judah when he was 12. He was also in the lineage of Jesus.

"¹This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: ¹⁰Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, . . ." - Matthew 1:1, 10

That's good, right? Let's turn to 2nd Chronicles 33 and find out.

"Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. ²He did evil in the eyes of the Lord." - 2 Chronicles 33:1-2

Uh-oh. That's not good.

Let's keep reading. Verse 11

"So the Lord brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon." - 2 Chronicles 33:11

Oh boy. That's REALLY not good. Let's keep going. Verse 12

"¹²In his distress he (Manasseh) sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God." - 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

The point of this lesson is that we all must decide which path to take in life. Each decision we make effects our future, even our future decisions.

Here's a prayer from King Solomon, who also was in the lineage of Jesus.

"When they sin against you - for there is no one who does not sin - and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; ⁴⁷and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; ⁴⁸and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; ⁴⁹then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. ⁵⁰And forgive your people, who have sinned against you." - 1 Kings 8:46-50

Smart guy, that Solomon. He wrote that 10 generations before Manasseh. It almost sounds like Solomon knew his distant descendant was going to sin badly. Perhaps Manasseh should have studied the writings of his ancestors.

You decide

(Who will you run to?)

Wrong or right

(There is no reason)

For you to hide

Only love can change your life

You decide

God is calling out to you again

Let him pull you, let him take you in

From the fear that swallows up your life

Will you stay the same or will you fight?

You decide

You Decide - Fireflight

The Mark of The Beast?

Open your Bibles to Revelation 13. I'd like you to read something. The entire chapter is about two beasts. First one, then the other.  Pay particular attention to verse 16 and 17. John is writing about Beast #2 here.

"It causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name." - Revelation 13:16-17

Does that sound like a recent news story from the United Kingdom? It was announced last week by Prime Minister Starmer, regarding his plan for each citizen to be given digital identification, stored on their phone.

The plan is supposed to cut down on illegal imigration by not allowing illegals to work, or buy or sell. Hmm. Same wording.

On the surface it sounds like it might work. I mean, why would you enter into a country if you couldn't buy food or get a job or an apartment? In reality though, would it really work? Hard to say.

But the point of this story is the general concept of the idea. Is it, or something like it, the actual "mark of the beast" system? Again, hard to say. But it DOES raise the eyebrows of those who read their Bibles and study their eschatology.

But how would that function? Could the system be abused? Of course it could. With AI gathering data on people the government could easily create profiles for every citizen - their race, religion, every purchase made, plane tickets purchased, weapons, drugs, political affiliation, the list goes on.

Imagine all of that power in the hands if Satan. It WILL happen.

The Antichrist is the FIRST beast, along with the rebuilt Roman Empire, which many see and the European Union. The False Profit is the second beast along with his "beast system." All these are, or will be, controlled by Satan.

Things are starting to fall into place more and more. When we see the temple being rebuilt. . . . watch out then!

Yeah, this stiff might all seem a little "out there" to some, but the basics are all written in the Bible and they are ALL told to us by Jesus.

If you think of yourself as a Christian yet give these things an eye-roll and quickly dismiss them, are you REALLY a follower of Jesus? He dictated these things to John. They are written in the Gospels. It's your call.

Starmer on Digital ID - BBC

Watering Others

Well, here we go again. I am getting ready to do my morning reading when a song pops into my head - 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman. Listen to it (link at bottom). What are the first words you hear?

"Bless the Lord, O, my soul. O, my soul. Worship His Holy Name."

Okay, then I opened my Bible to Psalm 101 and begin my reading for the day. 101, 102 . . . Then I arrived at Psalm 103 . . . Guess what?

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name." - Psalm 103:1

Coinky dink? I don't think so. [Does this happen to you? I absolutely love it!]

So, how do I "worship His holy name?" I write stories. But I also take the text I am reading, or the song I am listening to, and apply it to the day I am about to embark on. The answer is also found in the song.

"The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes"

So, the answer is to worship and praise God all day long, in whatever we do.

I therefore will sing this song in my head all day long as a reminder to myself.

But there's more to it than that. We are not here to bless ourselves, but to bless others.

Look at the watering can in the picture above. It's sole purpose is to serve and bless others. In so doing it will bless God by its very actions.

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." - Proverbs 11:25

Who will you water today?

10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman 

Influencers

We all have "influencers" in our lives. Some people find them in their own household. A mom or dad, or maybe a brother or a sister. Other people turn to social media and are influenced there. Tiktok or YouTube or Instagram are their sources when seeking input into their lives. "Whatever turns you on," as my generation used to say.

Who are the "influencers" in YOUR life?

Before you answer that question, there needs to be a distinction between an "influencer," and a "teacher."

An influencer tries to get you to do or think  something, like in a Bud Lite commercial, while a teacher educates you in a certain way and shows you how you can accomplish something or instructs you in a certain area.

That's not to say that teachers can't influence us. They do. But the term "influencer" is a more modern day thing, and lately, more derogatory.

One of my teachers died on Thursday - Voddie Baucham. I first learned of Voddie's teaching and wisdom at a No Regrets Men's conference in the Milwaukee area. I was impressed with his speaking eloquence. He was also very knowledgeable about his usual topic - the Word of God.

My favorite sermon of his that comes to mind is about the nature and character of Jesus. There's a snippet of it below. In it he commented about certain churches and pastors who have strayed from God's Word and have begun teaching about Jesus in ways that are untrue. False teachers, the Bible calls them.

Voddie Baucham has "influenced" my life but only because he speaks the truth found in the Bible. He does not offer "opinions."

I will miss my brother in Christ, this gifted teacher of God's Word. Thank you for your teaching and for your example. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Needy Jesus - Voddie Baucham

I Thought I Knew You

Do you remember going to Sunday School? What was that like for you? I can remember making a mosaic picture of a cross out of old vinyl floor tiles that my mom and dad had cut up. I remember pictures of Jesus on the wall in the classroom, and the 12 apostles.

I can remember singing songs like 'Jesus Loves Me, This I Know' and 'Jesus Loves The Little Children.' But that's about it. No doctrine whatsoever.

My next "religious" childhood memories were of confirmation class in high school. We met once a week and talked about stuff. I don't remember what. I remember memorizing a bunch of things so I could "graduate' and get out of it. But that was about it.

I don't remember hearing The Good News about Jesus at all, the 'Romans Road' of salvation, or my need for a savior. There was no connection, no real meaning, no knowledge of who Jesus really was, why He had to die, or ANY essential truths of the Christian faith.

It reminds me of a line from an old Beatles song from their Rubber Soul album (link at bottom).

"I thought I knew you. What did I know."

Ain't that the truth! There's a lot of that going around. And the key really isn't us knowing Jesus, it's Him knowing us.

“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

How do we know then that Jesus knows us? The Holy Spirit dwells IN us, and Jesus KNOWS whether or not that is true. It's like another line from that same Beatles song . . .

"You don't look different but you have changed."

And another . . .

"You're not the same."

Have you been "changed" after your encounter with Jesus? You should not be "the same."

I'm Looking Through You - The Beatles

Approaching The Mountain

"Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.” - Exodus 19:13

That was an instruction from God to Moses for the Israelites. So, what does it mean, other than the obvious?

I have highlighted a few key words to examine.

Only - the Israelites were strictly prohibited from approaching the mountain on any normal day. Only when they heard the ram's horn. Why? That's where God appeared. It was therefore holy. The punishment for anything unclean touching the holy mountain was death.

"And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death." - Exodus 19:12

Alright then. Touching the mountain is NOT going to happen. Unless, of course,  someone blows a ram's horn.

Ram's Horn - that's called a shofar.  An ancient musical horn traditionally blown on Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year - aka Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement).

Rosh Hashanah celebrates the day that God created Adam and Eve. This year it begins at sunset on September 22 (tomorrow) and ends at sunset September 24.

Yom Kippur begins October 1 and ends October 2. It is the holiest day of the year.

A Long Blast - this is called 'tekiah.' There is usually a long blast followed by three short blasts (shevarim) and then another long blast (teruah). This last blast represents God hearing and answering our prayers.

The Mountain - this is where God resided when He came to earth back then.

Why am I telling you all of this? Rosh Hashanah is this coming Tuesday. Jesus said we "will not know the day or the hour of His coming." But He WILL come back. And He's right, I don't know the day or the hour. No one does. But I REALLY think it's going to be during Rosh Hashanah. Which year? I have no idea.

But look at all the events taking place in the world right now. Would the Lord remove His children from this evil BEFORE He punishes this world? He put Noah on the Ark before the flood didn't He?

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." - 1 Corinthians 5:52

Whenever the Lord returns we who believe will become changed. Physically changed. I'm not sure what that will be like or what we will look like but we will hear the shofar and we will get to approach the holy mountain! AND we will get to see Jesus!!

The Feast of Trumpets Song

Psalm 22

Everyone has heard of Psalm 23, right? "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want," and so on. But Psalm 22 should sound pretty familiar as well . . .

"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" (v1)

Yeeees, those are the very words that Jesus spoke on the cross, just before He died. They were His "father" David's words, a thousand years before the crucifixion.

As one continues to read this Psalm it will soon become very apparent that this entire chapter, written by King David, was about Jesus. It depicts Him was on the cross, dying for all of us. David wrote what God placed on his heart.

I encourage you to read the entire chapter and see how many New Testament verses you can find. There are several.

Psalm 22

But the one phrase I want to talk about today is found in verses19-21

"¹⁹But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.

²⁰Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.

²¹Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen."

David isn't talking about animals here. He is referring to people who act like these animals. He's not talking about fuzzy little puppies when he mentions "the dogs." Back in David's time, dogs were mostly vicious feral scavengers.

In David's day these "animals" in Psalm 22 were probably referring to Saul and his army, and the Philistines. In Jesus' day they were the Pharisees and the Romans, AND even the Gentiles. Yep. You and me.

"²⁵The woman (a Canaanite woman - a Gentile) came and knelt before him (Jesus). “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” - Matthew 15:25-27

So, who are "the dogs" of today? Hamas? Hezbollah? Russia? Unbelievers? Charlie Kirk's shooter? Could be. Yet even these would be welcomed by Jesus if they repented and came to Him on their knees.

To learn more about these dogs and what all of this means, click on the link below. It's short.

The Power of The Dog - GotQuestions.org

A Turning Point?

Am I the only one who thinks that Charlie Kirk's organization's name - Turning Point USA - is prophetic in nature? I don't think so. Look at the arrow in their logo. It's turning 180°! And to the right!! His recent assassination HAS to become a turning point for our country, and us as individuals, or this nation is doomed to destruction.

"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." - Ecclesiastes 10:3

There was a prayer request made on the floor of the House last week - a prayer for Charlie Kirk's family. Yet many not only refused to pray but audibly voiced their decent. What's wrong with praying for someone's family?

The Utah governor gave an update the day after Charlie's death. In it he praised the people of his state noting that there was no rioting, or looting, or setting buildings on fire as a result of Kirk's murder. Interesting. Why do you think those things didn't happen? 🤔

This incident needs to become a "turning point" - a repentance. Repentance literally means turning one's life around. Merriam Webster describes it this way:

Repentance - "the action or process of repenting especially for misdeeds or moral shortcomings."

And what does 'repent' mean? "To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life. To feel regret or contrition. To change one's mind."

"Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." - Luke 13:3

If you are reading this, and are pleased that Charlie Kirk died, it is YOU who needs to repent.

"Oh, you're just a fascist. A white supremacist."

Really? I'm a Christian.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:43-45

If Charlie Kirk's killer repented while in prison, Charlie himself would want to be the first in line to congratulate him.

I pray therefore for those in our world who hated Charlie Kirk and refused to pray for THEIR enemies. In the end, THEY are the ones who will perish. So says the Lord our God. Charlie Kirk is alive and well and with Jesus right now. Who then is the victor?

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” - 1 Corinthians 15:55

The Lone Apple

I don't know about where you live, but we had a warm spell in January or February with temperatures in the 50's for about a week. Trees started to bud actually. Then it froze, hard. As a result, we lost one tree in our front yard and our apple tree in the back yard is on its last legs.

Still, despite all the dropping leaves (it's still summer) our apple tree has managed to produce one single apple. Normally, we get at least a dozen or so. My wife likes to make apple crisp and applesauce with the fruit. Not with just one lone apple.😭

Think about that kittle apple for a moment though. One lone apple from a dying tree. This is an example for all of us.

When we reach the end of our lives, will we still be producing fruit? Or will we simply dry up and die? Hard to say at this point. But consider what cost these trees their very lives.

They were just going along, living life, just like they always have done. Until they were tempted into "waking up" by a premature spring. The buds, their "new life," were vulnerable and tender. When faced with a trial, the colder temperatures, they began to fade.

Are you going through a tough time right now? Don't let the change in your emotional seasons effect your faith in God. He's the only thing that can truly save you.

Our one tree has given up and has died. But our little apple tree is still producing fruit, even though it has struggled to do so. It will be interesting to see how many apples God blesses it with at this time next year.

To finish up, my wife brought this 'lone apple' into our house last week. Soon it will be joined by other apples from a different orchard and it's joy with be complete.

What fruit will you bear today?

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." - Matthew 7 - 16-20

God's Timing

I was feeling pretty low after Charlie Kirk got shot. I loved that guy like a brother, which he was, and still is. A brother in Christ.

The Packers were playing on Thursday Night Football but I didn't feel like watching. How can anyone be cheering at a time like this? I just don't get it.

So, I got up out of my living room chair and went down to my basement office. Time to read God's Word. Only tonight it wasn't helping. 2nd Chronicles is a conglomeration of kings not doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. I've had enough of 'disobedient kings' on the news lately.

Feeling kind of numb, I was just sitting there, mourning for a light that had gone out, when my phone lit up. It was a message from a friend. Actually, it was a prayer that was sent to me. Ya know . . . that was exactly what I needed to hear, exactly when I needed to hear it.

Has that ever happened to you? Can you sense when someone close to you might need a friend? Do you reach out to others when you think that they could be hurting in some way?

Here's an even deeper question. Do you think that God, seeing our needs, prompts the Holy Spirit to deliver a messages of hope through an intermediary? I sure do.

God's Holy Spirit prompts us to do and say things for our good and for God's glory.

"Do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you will say." - Luke 12:11-12

It seems to me that you and I need to be wary of the thoughts the come into our minds. We think they come from our OWN brains, but really we are also subjected to what Satan whispers into our ears and what God leads us to believe. Just remember this:

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." - John 16:13

We really need to be that person who picks up the phone and calls someone because suddenly, for some unknown reason, a concerning thought pops into our head. Send a text, make a call, say 'Hi' to someone on the street. It might just be exactly what that person needed to hear.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16

A Dickens of a Day

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."

That the opening sentence of Charles Dickens' classic 1859 novel about the French revolution - The Tale of Two Cities. It is also a perfect open for what happened on Wednesday.

First, a funeral. Believe it or not, that was the best thing about that day. The ceremony was held at my former church so there were many familiar faces in the building. And lots of hugs as well. An incredible amount! And lengthy!

When I got in my car to leave, I checked my phone. And that's when 'the worst of times' began. That's when I first learned that Charlie Kirk had been shot.

Let's go back to Dickens for a moment. His opening sentence contains the words 'Light' and 'Darkness.' I take that to be biblical in nature. Good vs Evil, Satan vs "The King of Kings and Lord of Lords' (Revelation 21). There is truly a spiritual battle going on in this world.

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" - 2 Corinthians 6:14

And now to 'The Revolution.' It seems to me that Charlie's assassination could be the beginning of a second revolution in this once great nation of ours. And just in time for our 250th birthday too. I fear that it may even be bloodier that the first one.

Charlie Kirk was loved and respected by many, at both ends of the political spectrum. But not everyone loved what he was doing. From what I have seen so far, this was a well-planned and "executed' killing.

Charlie Kirk was, and still is, a Christian. Charlie is with the Lord right now, but those of us who are still alive on this planet are entering into a new phase of this Right vs Left battle. Things have now become changed.

Let's go back and look at Jesus' crucifixion. The disciples all scattered at Jesus' arrest, but after his resurrection, they all went to their death defending Him and preaching the Gospel like never before.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming days and months. But I know one thing for sure; in the end, our Lord and Savior will be glorified.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Test and prove what pleases the Lord. Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." - Ephesians 5:8-11

Give Thanks

Oh, what a way to wake up in the morning - with a song on the heart and words of praise on the lips! It makes me imagine what heaven will be like, singing praise and worship songs to God.

The mother of a friend of mine died recently. Of course, the family was sad. They will miss her dearly. But there was also great rejoicing, because she knew the Lord and iswith Him today.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:8

Sadly, that is something the lost will never experience.

I mentioned waking up with a song on my heart, the words playing on repeat in my soul. I don't mind that at all. It's a wonderful thing and I thank God, "with a grateful heart."

Give thanks with a grateful heart

give thanks to the Holy One

give thanks, because he’s given

Jesus Christ, his Son

And now let the weak say I am strong

Let the poor say I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks,

Give thanks

I can only imagine what it will be like, to be in the presence of the Lord. But I CAN tell you this: I can hardly wait. It is not a conscious effort on my part to sing these sings, but a joyful outpouring of the Holy Spirit to God The Father.

"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. ²I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. ³Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His Name together." - Psalm 34:1-3

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

Give Thanks - Gaither

The Thief In The Night

"For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2

This "thief in the night" wording in the Bible is not just a one time thing. It appears several other times in the Bible as well. Matthew 24:42-44, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 3:3, Luke 12:40, etc.

Why is this concept repeated so many times? And each time it refers to the time of the end. Today though we will just be examining the suddenness and unexpectedness of this "thief in the night" event.

If we think about a thief breaking into our home, what characteristics of that event would we find? Secretive, sneaky, no warning, not prearranged, "in the night" (less visible). You get the idea.

And BOOM! It will happen just that fast. Paul tells the church in Corinth than it will happen in "the twinkling on an eye," implying great suddenness. There will be no warning and it will happen so quickly that there won't be time to do anything or to say, "Hey, wait for me!" Nope. Too late.

Can you understand the frustration of believers then, when they try to tell others about these things and the people just don't want to hear them? It's incredibly frustrating. Why? Because we love them. And we don't want to see them miss out on one of the most wonderful things that will ever happen on this Earth. God rescuing his children from the coming wrath.

One day soon that "thief," and He is in no way a criminal, will come and "steal away" all those who believe in Him. And none of them, NONE, will be sorry to leave this place.

"Maranatha" is an Aramaic phrase that is found only once in the Bible, in 1st Corinthians 16:22. It means "the Lord is coming" or "Come, O Lord."

Maranatha! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

This question remains: Are you ready?

The Unknown God

There are stories about Jesus appearing in dreams and people becoming saved as a result. How wonderful! To go to sleep as an unrepentant sinner and wake up healed, forgiven, and saved. None of that is OUR doing, but His.

The problem with dreams though is that they quickly fade. Unless someone writes it down upon waking . . .

Have you ever received a spider bite? At least that's what I am assuming it to be. It was itching like crazy at 3am so I got up to put some ointment on it. It didn't help. It was still itching as I sat in my living room chair . . . and fell back asleep . . .

Suddenly, I was walking through a big church and I was quickly becoming aware that I was all alone, in a crowd of busily talking people. Why is no one talking to ME? Where is the love I heard so much about?

So, I sat down, dejected. Why is no one talking to ME? I walked around some more. Nothing. Lots of activity, but no conversation. So I sat down again, alone.

That's when she sat down next to me and, placing her hand on my leg, compassionately asked, "What's wrong?"

"No one's talking to me. No one, except for you."

The conversation continued. I would say something and she would reply, inching closer and closer as we talked.

People began to stare. There were looks of disgust towards us and what was taking place in THEIR  church. But then the people disappeared and I was now talking with a man.

The conversation continued as it had with the woman. Still sitting in the same two chairs, in a row of chairs, in a church.

Then I awoke, and the itching from my spider bite was gone.

And then came this passage to mind from the Book of Acts:

"So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. ²³For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, ²⁵nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. ²⁶And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, ²⁸for:

“‘In him we live and move and have our being.’" - Acts 17:22-28

Have you ever read The Song of Solomon (aka The Song of Songs)? It's the story of a romantic couple from a woman's perspective. But the book is really about a love relationship between believers and Jesus. The believers are the woman.

Are we as intimate with Jesus as we are with mere humans? We should be. Even more so. I'm not talking about anything sexual here. Rather, we should be opening up our hearts to Him and sharing everything with Him. Not just a prayer here and there, but everything.

I have no idea who the man and the woman were in that dream, but I got the message. We need to be sharing the love of Jesus, even with those in the church, but especially with those who are alone and hurting.

Forget about current world events and the human leaders of these earthly nations. "Preach Christ and Him crucified." - 1 Corinthians 2:2

And also this . . .

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

Trust in the Lord!" - Proverbs 3:5

FoTS - Self-Control

Well, here we are at the last Fruit of The Spirit listed in Galatians 5 - Self-Control. I hope you have enjoyed these brief Bible Studies as much I have enjoyed writing them. Self-Control is something we all could use more of, especially these days.

Here's a perfect example of self-control - blood sugar. When we eat too many carbs our blood sugar goes up. So does our weight. That's not good. But those carbs are SO good tasting! And there's the battle. Self-control is needed when we become tempted by those doughnuts and muffins.

But there is another kind of self control we need to keep in mind, beyond what tempts us in the bakery aisle at the local convenience store. Satan's temptations. He absolutely loves to tempt us away from following God.

Temptation is the cause of many a sin. We need spiritual self-control. Here's an example from our Lord, Jesus.

Jesus was tempted three times in the dessert by Satan. Each time Jesus refused and even rebuked Satan with scripture.

Adam and Eve are another example. A little more self-control on both of their parts and we wouldn't be in this mess we're in today.

We need spiritual self-control, and God's Holy Spirit provides it.

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

That "way" is the Holy Spirit. And that's the real question regarding the fruits of Spirit. Is the Holy Spirit living in you?

Questions:

1. What is the biggest temptation facing you right now?
2. In what ways can you exhibit self-control?
3. The family is over and talking about Aunt Susan's drinking problem. What do YOU do?
4. James tells us that God will never tempt us (James 1:13) but He WILL test us (James 1:3). Is that test (temptation) something we can pass (self-control)?
5. When no one else was around, what is something you did that you wish you didn't?

Post-Op

God has blessed me with many friends in this life. I met with several of them this past week, two are recovering from recent surgeries. Both were more energetic than they were before their operations. Both were free from their previous ailments. Their smiles were bigger and their eyes were brighter.

Obviously, my friends were both glad they had made the decisions they did. Both were feeling far better than they had in the past. That got me thinking . . .

"And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Mark 12:16-17

Jesus, the great physician, spent a lot of time ministering to those who needed to hear His healing words. There are numerous examples of His physical healings in the Bible too, but they were just a fortaste of what Jesus REALLY was interested in - their SPIRITUAL healing.

"All I know is, I was blind and now I see," said the man born blind. He was speaking of his physical healing. But he is also an example of spiritual healing saying, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped Jesus (John 9). We are all "blind" . . . until we meet Jesus.

I love ALL of my friends. And what do friends do? Do you remember the paralytic man whose friends tore a hole in the roof and lowered him down to Jesus? What did Jesus do? He forgave the man's sins. That was his primary need. THEN Jesus healed the physical.

"And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven." - Luke 5:20

Do you have someone in your life who is in need of spiritual healing? These days, it seems, there is an endless supply. Love someone enough today to tell them about the spiritual healing power of Jesus. He can absolutely change their lives. And their future eternity.

FoTS - Gentleness

This fruit of the Spirit is a little different than the rest. Words like 'quiet' and 'empathy'

come to mind. We can picture someone struggling with something and a friend approaching with gentle, quiet words of caring compassion and encouragement.

In Matthew 11 there are a few verses at the end of the chapter that speak to this. They are from Jesus.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Gentleness is like a butterfly on a flower, treading gently, searching for sweetness, then moving on when it finds none. Gentleness can also be found in the hands of a child as it holds that same butterfly. It is the knowledge that what we are holding is fragile, precious.

Despite what we present on the outside, inside we are all fragile. We have bruises and scars on our hearts. That's what Jesus is getting at in his words above. HE is gentle. He will give us rest.

Questions:

1. Have you ever held an injured bird in your hand? What emotions did you feel?
2. When you pray, are you gentle with your requests before God? Or are they more like a grocery list?
3. Rebuking someone can be done in several ways. Are you gentle when you correct others?
4. When "the roads are slippery" do you give it the gas? Or accelerate slowly?
5. When someone confronts you, do you prefer that they yell? Or do would you prefer a calm conversation?

May God guide us through our interactions with others. May we always be gentle with the friends and family that He has given us. And may our actions reflect the gentleness of Jesus, holding a child on His knee. This world needs what we have in our hearts. Let us give gently, this gift that we have received. Amen.

Blue Moon

Our limited knowledge of the universe was on full display this past week as NASA announced the discovery of "a new moon" orbiting around the planet Uranus. It's always been there. We've just never known about it until now. The James Webb Telescope is credited for making the discovery.

Here's an idea. Why don't we take that telescope, turn it around, and point it at ourselves. Who knows what we might discover!!

Maybe it's just the way I think, but when I read this "news" story about this "new moon," my first thought was about the amazing power of God. He created ALL things.

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, ¹⁵and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶And God made the two great lights - the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night - and the stars." - Genesis 1:14-16

Here's something else that we cannot see or feel or touch. God. Yet, He is surely there, whether we acknowledge His presence or not.

I lived 53 years of my life thinking that I knew God. I needed a "James Webb telescope" in MY life! And God provided just what I needed. Now I KNOW He exists. How do I KNOW it? He changed my heart with the truth of His Word through the Holy Spirit.

Who else can change the human heart but the one who made it in the first place?

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." - Ezekiel 36:26

What new things has God revealed to YOU lately? Are they newsworthy? If God has changed your life, spread the news! Who knows, there may be an knowing creation of His, waiting to be discovered. Waiting for a new heart.

Listen to the song while thinking about Jesus.

Blue Moon - The Marcels

New Moon Story - NASA.gov

FoTS - Faithfulness

Here's a true saying: As faithful as a dog is to his master, so a Christian should be to God.

Faithfulness has an eternal quality to it. A devotion. It is something that accompanies love. And there is a certain amount of sacrifice in there as well. Today's Fruit of the Spirit is #7 of 9 on our Fruit of The Spirit journey.

The first example of faithfulness that pops into my head in the Bible is that of Job. He did a lot of whining and complaining throughout the book but, even though trial after excruciating trial, he never gave up on God.

"In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." - Job 1:1

In a single day, Satan took away his camels, donkeys, and sheep, killed all his servants, and killed all of his children as well. Yet, this is how Job reacted:

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

    and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

    may the name of the Lord be praised."

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” - Job 1:20-22

Wow! Now that's faithfulness!

Another biblical example of faithfulness is Ruth. She stuck by Naomi when the going got tough. Even after Naomi told her to go back home.

"And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” ¹⁶But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God." - Ruth 1:15-16

Questions:

1. Who, in your life, exhibits Ruth's faithfulness?
2. What does faithfulness require from us?
3. Jesus praised the "good and faithful servant." Are you worthy of such praise?
4. What could you do today as an example of faithfulness?
5. What does being faithful to God look like in today's world?

Past Tense

News hits harder when you're not expecting it. That's why hearing about my friend's death has left me feeling pretty empty.

Sandy, a former coworker of mine, was not a believer, but seemed to be interested. I visited her and her husband several times after I retired. I spoke to them both about the love of Jesus. However, there is a big difference between 'interest' and 'surrender.'

My friend told me that she had done too many bad things in her life to ever have hope of being forgiven. Oh, my dear Sandy. You did not know the grace and mercy that awaited you! And that's the problem. People don't KNOW about the life-giving power of Jesus. And why not?

We are not doing enough preaching and people are not doing enough believing. We need to be praying more than we do because we can't MAKE people believe. Only God and His Holy Spirit can do that.

My friend Sandy is gone now and I can't change that. But I CAN change my effort to speak to others about Jesus. I can increase the frequency and intensity of my prayers. And who knows, maybe Sandy finally did place her faith in Jesus before she died. I cling to that hope and seek comfort in the One who wishes that NO ONE should perish.

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9

But there IS a time limit. Our own mortality.

Did you notice that my words about Sandy were written in the past tense? Was, seemed, visited, spoke, etc. If my friend is a child of God (present tense) I wouldn't be mourning. I would be celebrating.

Jesus spoke about this.

"Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. ³⁸Now He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” - Luke 20:37-38

"Is," not 'was."

May my boldness increase, Lord. May my words speak the truth in love to those who need to hear. May the world come to know your life-changing power, and may your love rain down on those who thirst. Only in the shelter of your wings can they find peace and eternal life in your presence. Lord, we thank you and praise you for this gift you have given us. May we use it for your glory and not ours. For you Lord are the life giver and sustainer. Have mercy on my friend's soul, Lord. It is in your precious name I pray. Amen.

Ancient of Days - CityAlight

FoTS - Goodness

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23

Today we are talking about goodness. In a Biblical context, 'goodness' is a morality issue. It means to do what is morally right - doing what is right in God's eyes. Obedience to God's will for our lives is what it's all about.

Examples of goodness then can be found in the Ten Commandments. Starting with #5 we have "honor your father and mother." #6 - do not murder. #7 - do not commit adultery. #8 - do not steal. #9 - do not lie. #10 - do not covet.

But goodness goes beyond NOT doing bad things. It also means doing GOOD things. James tells us that "faith without works is dead" in James 2:26. Our good deeds are evidence that God's Holy Spirit lives in us.

Yesterday I went to the UPS store. After I had finished my business there, I left. On my way out the door I noticed someone approaching, arms full of boxes, so I held the door open for them. They said thank you.

After I got into my car I witnessed another person trying to get into the same store with an even bigger load of boxes, and I just sat there in my car. Why? Was it too inconvenient? No. Timing. This girl had clearly done this before and I would have gotten there too late.

But the point it this. I should have made the effort to do good. Maybe I will return to the UPS Store one day and spend some time opening doors for others. It would actually be a great opportunity to share the Gospel.

Questions:

1. When was the last time you did a good deed for someone?
2. The Boy Scouts have a saying "Do a good turn daily." Have you do that today?
3. What are you doing now that is against God's will?
4. In the drive-thru, pay for the person's order behind you in line. Pray for them as you drive off (that wasn't really a question).
5. When you're standing in the checkout line, let someone go ahead of you. How did they react?

The Sword of The Lord

Trying to be faithful to the Holy Spirit's leading can be a difficult task, especially when no words are being spoken. We sometimes think we see "signs," but are they from God, or from someplace else?

(Sign #1)

In the spring of this year, on a Sunday morning, I saw three boys hanging out together in our church's vestibule. They were just talking by themselves. So, I approached them.

"Are you guys going to VBS this summer?" I asked. Suddenly they all got quiet, almost standing at attention. Oh no! An adult!! (Actually, I was their Vacation Bible School teacher the previous year).

"Uh, no. We graduated out. We're too old."

(Sign #2)

Then, on my way to worship a few weeks ago, a thought popped into my head. It concerned those three boys I just mentioned. I spoke to our pastor about it. He liked the idea.

Someone once told me, if you get an idea suddenly, proceed with it. If it is from the Holy Spirit it will succeed. If not, it will fail. Perhaps it was from this guy . . . Gamaliel.

"But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. ³⁵Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. If it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” - Acts 5:34-35, 38-39

(Sign #3)

I asked two of these boys to help me with some work I was doing at the area high school. When I went to pick up one of the boys he HAD to show me the sword he had just purchased.

"It's Strider's!"

(Lord of the Rings)

As we worked that day, I asked one final question.

(Sign #4)

"Do you miss VBS?"

"No," was the answer.

I began connecting the dots. Of course they didn't miss VBS. They're not kids anymore. They're young men!

And there it is: For the past few weeks I have been creating a young men's Bible study, tentatively called The Fellowship of The Sword. 

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:17

I'm kind of excited. Stay tuned!

God blesses us all of the time. We are the ones who miss many of His blessings, or mistakenly think they come from somewhere else.

"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

"God blesses those who obey him; happy the man who puts his trust in the Lord." - Proverbs 16:20

"Psalm 34:8