Don't Wound the Wounded

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:1-11 ESV)

We need to not treat the people of this earth like the Pharisees treated the woman caught in adultery. We need to treat people like Jesus treated them. He spoke the truth in love to them. He wasn't soft on sin. But he was loving and kind to unbelievers and to true believers in him who followed him in obedience to his commands in holy living, even when they failed in one way or another (not in habitual and deliberate sin). But he spoke the truth to them, in love, perhaps even sternly, at times.

He was even kind to Judas when he knew that Judas had betrayed him to death. He was only truly harsh with the religious hypocrites who judged others harshly while they were sinning greatly against God, and while they were teaching what was false and were trying to lead the people astray. And he exposed them and their hypocrisies and their heresies and their false teachings so that his followers would not be led astray by them.

Video Talk

July 24, 2020

https://vimeo.com/441220720

The Spirit Himself Intercedes for Us

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:18-21 ESV)

We read in verse 17 of Romans that we are children of God, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, PROVIDED (IF) we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. And we read in verses 1-16 much of what that suffering entails. For, it necessitates that we die with Christ to sin daily, that we deny self, and that we walk in obedience to our Lord, by the Spirit. It requires that we now walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh doing what our sinful hearts desire.

But the suffering also includes being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. For, if truly we live by what is taught here in Romans 8 and in Romans 6, and in other such passages of Scripture in the Bible, we will be hated, and we will be persecuted for our walks of faith and for our obedience to our Lord. And that is also because we are living and we are speaking the truths of the Scriptures (not perfectly) and not the lies which are so popularized today. And we are refuting the lies of the enemy, and we are exposing them.

But what suffering we must endure in this life pales by comparison with what life will be like when our Lord comes to take us home to be with him forever and our suffering will be no more. Our tears will be wiped from our eyes. Sin will no longer be a present reality. Wickedness will be no more. We will have no more pain and sorrow, and we will be with our Lord face to face. Amen! Oh, I so look forward to that day. Life on this earth keeps getting harder and harder to bear the more wicked that it becomes. It is so heartbreaking!

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:22-25 ESV)

Groaning doesn’t mean complaining. It doesn’t mean being disgruntled and argumentative. It means that we long for the day when all this will be over, when we won’t have to suffer any longer, and when evil will be no more. We long for the day when we can be with our Lord for eternity. I can’t even begin to comprehend what that will look like, but I know it will be glorious! A life with our Lord without evil. So awesome! But sadly so many people who resist the Lord will not be ready and they will not see Jesus face to face.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27 ESV)

The ”weakness” being spoken of here is not to be translated as deliberate and habitual (addictive) sin. The Lord does not help those who refuse his counsel day after day and who chart their own course and who go their own way and who willfully and premeditatedly sin against God and against their spouses and children and other people repeatedly, fully intent on doing what they know is evil and is against God and is cruel, mean, and hurtful to those they sin against. So if we will not cooperate with God, we have not his help. 

But while we still live on this earth, we are going to have pain, sorrow, heartache and sickness. Sickness is a normal part of life. Every year people get viruses, and every year people die from complications resulting from those viruses or resulting from a combination of health conditions. So, it is not out of the ordinary to have such situations as these we are presently facing. But things are progressively getting much worse, and the Bible warns us of all the sorrows of these last days before the return of our Lord.

And we are going to face temptation to sin against God and to be afraid and to doubt God and his sovereignty. Even though Jesus Christ set us free from our slavery to sin (if we died with him to sin and if we are now living for him and not for self), still we will be tempted. The devil will still be after us trying all different kinds of ways to get us to fail, to get us to sin, to get us to be afraid and to doubt God and his sovereignty over our lives, and to get us to put our trust in other humans to “save us” rather than to trust in God alone.

And the devil is working hard within the government, within the media, and within the gatherings of the church (or the false church) to get us to turn away from the truth of God’s word and to now follow after the lies being spoken by humans in their cunning, craftiness, and deceitful scheming. Deceit is all around us and being thrown at us day after day. And so many people are believing the lies and are following the lies and not the truth, and that is a very sad reality. So we pray regularly for revival for our nations.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263 

Pride and Prejudice

In flesh, we all are filled with pride.

In flesh, the will of God denied.

In flesh, we think more than we should

Of whom we are and what is good.

In flesh, we look at others grim

When we compare them to us dim.

In flesh, we fill our minds with lies

When we our sinful hearts deny.

In Spirit we confess the truth

That in our flesh we are uncouth.

In Spirit we repent of sin

And let the Spirit dwell within.

In Spirit we on God rely,

And do His will, we not deny.

We live for Him, forsake Him not,

For by His death our lives He bought.

An Original Work / May 9, 2024

Provided We Suffer With Him

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:9-17 ESV)

What came right before this was Paul stating that if our minds are set on the flesh, and so we live and we walk according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, its end is death, not life eternal with God. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” But the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (see Romans 8:1-8).

So, when this says that you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if, in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you, we have to read this in the full context of at least verses 1-17, and in the context of the whole of the book of Romans. For Christ is not “in us” just because we say he is. For we are not “in Christ” if we are still walking (in conduct, in practice) according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit, and if we deliberately and habitually are sinning against God and other humans, who we are supposed to love, and if we are not walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands, in practice.

For what does this say next? We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh, we will die. And in Romans 6 Paul said that if sin is what we obey, we will die. But if obedience to God is what we obey, in practice, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. And this is the essence of the gospel message, that Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross that we might die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, and that we might walk in obedience to his commands in holy and godly living.

But if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the body (flesh), then we will live. So, what is that saying to us? Same message over and over again all throughout the New Testament. It is the gospel that Jesus taught and that his NT apostles taught, but that not many seem to be teaching anymore. So many people today are teaching an altered gospel and an altered God/Christ and an altered church in order to attract the world into their gatherings and so as not to offend the ungodly with the truth of the gospel: If we die to sin and obey our Lord, we have eternal life in him.

For it is all who are being led by the Spirit who are the children of God. So, what is this saying? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? It means that we are being guided and directed by the Holy Spirit in the way that we should go and that we are following the leading of the Holy Spirit in doing what he says we ought to do. For we are not being led by him if we are not following his lead. Thus, we cannot continue to walk according to the flesh, still yielding our lives over to the control of sin and of the flesh, and be “in Christ” and be children of God and heirs to the promise.

Now many people quote verses 16-17 independent of verses 1-15, and so they will teach anyone who makes a profession of faith in Jesus Christ that the Spirit now bears witness with their spirit that they are indeed now children of God, based upon lip service alone. But we are heirs with Christ PROVIDED (conditional upon) we suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him. And the first way we suffer with him is via dying with him to sin in order that we might now live to his righteousness in his power. And then we suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness, like he did.

All of God’s promises have with them conditions, which we can know if we read the Scriptures in their appropriate context, and not out of context. Like so many people quote John 10:28-30 and they apply those promises across the board to all who profess the name of Jesus. But verse 27, which they leave out (why?), tells us who those promises are for. His sheep (his followers) listen to him, and he knows them, and they follow (obey) him. And they have the promise of eternal life with God, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of his or the Father’s hands.

[Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Php 2:5-11: Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 9:28; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]  

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263 

His Loving Arms

May 31, 2011: I was babysitting my one-year-old grandson at his house yesterday. He had a stuffed toy musical turtle that played notes when you pressed on the squares, with notes pictured on the squares. So, I began playing notes for my grandson when this tune began to form. So, I recorded it from the toy onto my phone, and then when I got home, I transferred it to the keyboard and then to paper. When the tune was recorded, and the chords figured out, then the Lord gave me the words. This is from the Lord Jesus to me and to you.

Jesus is asking us to hear him calling to us, to realize that he died on the cross so we could go free from sin, and to trust him with our lives today. Then he will wash our sins away. The call is urgent, so he is saying, “Don’t delay!” He not only has made the way possible for us to be forgiven of our sins, and to be set free from the control of sin over our daily lives, but he is also our sympathetic and compassionate high priest who feels and who cares about our suffering. When we accept his invitation to let him into our lives, he will be there for us to see us through all of our heartaches, and to show us much comfort and love. 

His Loving Arms  

An Original Work / May 31, 2011

When I’m with you, hear My call.

I died once, shed blood for all.

Hear Me calling you today.

I’ll wash all your sins away.

Don’t delay to let Me in.

I’ll purify, cleanse within.

I’ll heal all your heartaches, too;

Wrap My loving arms ‘round you.

I love you, won’t you love Me?

I’ll give life eternally;

Wipe away tears from your eyes,

When I meet you in the skies.

https://vimeo.com/127504171 

Those Who Live According to The Flesh

In the book of Romans, chapter 7, Paul described for us the struggle with sin that we have in our flesh natures. The good we want to do, we do not do, and the evil we don’t want to do, we end up doing. And Paul came to the conclusion, “Oh, what a wretched man I am!” But then, he asked, “Who will rescue me from the body of death?” And, then he answered the question with, “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” We, who believe in Jesus Christ with God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in him, are rescued! We no longer have to be in bondage (slavery) to sin! (see Romans 6:1-23)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:1-8 ESV)

There are many people professing faith in Jesus Christ whose minds are still set on the flesh, who are still living according to the flesh, who are still being controlled by the flesh and by sin and not by the Spirit of God. Their minds are hostile to God and to the teachings of the Scriptures, for they do not submit to the Lord and to his commandments. And so they are not able in their flesh to be pleasing to God for they are still living to gratify the sinful cravings of their flesh. And the end result of this state of mind is death.

And for many of them, it isn’t that they don’t know what the Scriptures teach. It isn’t that they don’t know right from wrong. It isn’t that no one has ever encouraged them to have changed hearts and minds of the Spirit of God via being crucified with Christ in death to sin and being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer in slavery to sin. It isn’t as though they have not been encouraged to get rid of the sin in their lives and to now walk with God in holiness and in obedience to his commands.

But instead of having a pure and moral and upright relationship with God, via submission to him as Lord of their lives and self-denial and dying to sin daily and following the Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, they practice what is immoral, vile, corrupt, and dishonest, and they use trickery and scheming to try to mask their sin, hoping that no one will know. They may give an outward appearance of righteousness and of having their sins under control, but it is all a façade, a dishonest display to try to fool others.

For they are not lovers of God, but they are lovers of self. What is of upmost importance in their lives is their flesh and pleasing their flesh and doing what they want to do regardless of what God wants them to do or who they hurt in the process. They are the self-indulgent, not the self-controlled. For they are living in addiction to sin, and their lives are not committed to holiness and purity and honesty and faithfulness. Their marriage is not with God but with self, and their bond is very twisted and perverted and self-serving.

They are those who make promises but who do not keep them, who promise to be faithful, but remain faithless. They say they are doing one thing while they do another. They say they love God and that they are in fellowship with him but while they continue in their sinful patterns of behavior and while they continue to not walk in obedience to his commands, in practice. So they make false confessions of love when truly hate is what is motivating them to sin against God and other humans, deliberately and habitually.

And in Romans 6 we read that if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ our Lord. And in Romans 8 we read that God, “by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (vv. 3-4). Do you see what this is saying?

We are not “in Christ” by a verbal profession of him as Lord and Savior of our lives. We are “in Christ” when we die with him to sin and we now walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, by his grace and in his power. We cannot live according to the flesh to please the flesh in disobedience to our Lord, in practice, and be in relationship with God and have salvation from sin. So if we want to be “in Christ” and not under condemnation then we must die with him to sin and now follow him in obedience to his commands.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263 

Come Out, My People

"Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

“'Come out of her, my people,

    lest you take part in her sins,

lest you share in her plagues;

for her sins are heaped high as heaven,

    and God has remembered her iniquities.'”

Revelation 18:4-5 ESV

Video Talk

https://vimeo.com/434224486

July 1, 2020

Slaves of Sin? Or of God?

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:17-23 ESV)

Now, these words are being addressed to those who were once slaves to sin, meaning that they are no longer living in slavery (addiction, bondage) to sin. Sin is no longer their practice, but now righteousness and obedience to the Lord and to his New Covenant commands are their practice. Now they are slaves of righteousness. And the standard of teaching to which they are committed is what Jesus taught and what his NT apostles taught, which is not what is predominantly being taught in America today. 

Yet, we are still human beings living in flesh bodies in a fallen world with all sorts of evils and temptations everywhere you look, pretty much. And so many people today are teaching a diluted, altered, and corrupted gospel message, which also corrupts the grace of God. And so even those who have been walking faithfully to the Lord in obedience to him may be tempted to be drawn into false teachings which may make no (or little) demands for holy living and for walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands.

And so the truth of the gospel is being reinforced here. Just as once we presented our members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, we are now to present our members (bodies, minds, hearts, souls) as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For Jesus died on that cross so that we would be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness.

For when we were slaves of sin, we were free in regard to righteousness. Do you understand what that is saying? We cannot be slaves to sin and to righteousness at the same time. It is one or the other. Either sin is our practice, and what we obey, in practice, or righteousness and obedience to our Lord are what we practice. So we are not righteous in the sight of God if we are still slaves to sin. The two don’t mix. And this doesn’t mean we are perfect and that we never fail, but that sin is no longer our practice.

And then really pay close attention to verses 21-23, for many people are teaching Romans 6:23 out of context, and they are making it say what it does not say, if taught properly in context. For the free gift of God is not given to those who are still walking in sin. For God’s gift of grace to us is not freedom to keep walking in sin, only now without having to feel guilty. For what does this say? If we are still living as slaves (addicted) to sin, the end of those things is death, not life eternal with God.

But now that we have, IF we have, been set free from our slavery to sin, and we have, IF we have, become slaves of God, the fruit that we get leads to sanctification (holiness), and its end is eternal life with God. So when this says that the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, we have to read that verse in the context of the whole of Romans 6, and in particular in the context of verses 21-23 which makes it very clear what it all means. If sin is our practice, it will lead to death.

So, we don’t just pray a prayer or confess belief in Jesus Christ and now all our sins are forgiven (past, present, and future), and so now we have heaven guaranteed us when we die, and it can’t be taken away from us, but regardless of how we live. For the free gift of God’s grace instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions (lust), and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For God’s grace frees us from our slavery to sin so we now become slaves of righteousness.

So the free gift of God, although we do nothing to earn or to deserve it in our own flesh, is not without cost. It is not without rules and regulations which we must follow. For the gift is deliverance from our slavery (addiction) to sin, and it is empowerment of God’s Spirit to now live in moral purity, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and in obedience to our Lord’s commands (New Covenant). The gift is not freedom to keep living in sin while claiming Jesus as Lord and heaven as our eternal destiny. So please see this!

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Just a Closer Walk with Thee  

Hymn lyrics by Anonymous/Unknown

Music by American Melody

“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you” (2 Co. 13:4 NASB).

I am weak, but Thou art strong;

Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I’ll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

When my feeble life is o’er,

Time for me will be no more;

Guide me gently, safely o’er

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Ks49apflE 

Caution: This link may contain ads

Pointless! Pointless!

“Pointless! Pointless!” the argument says

From those from Jesus their lives they’ve fled.

They see no hope in their battle ‘gainst sin,

Because Christ Jesus they’ve not let in.

They’ve not surrendered their all to him,

But they’re still controlling everything.

They want their vict’ry, but they won’t let go,

The flesh is still so much in control.

The life they say they want, they desire,

Surrender to God’s will is required:

Death to sin, then living to our God,

Walking with our Lord in righteousness.

But they’re not willing, their flesh is in vain.

In their sinful practices they remain.

Stubbornly holding on to all their pride,

They keep hiding all their sins inside.

An Original Work / August 13, 2021 

Don't Make Sin Your Practice

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:12-16 ESV)

Because Jesus Christ gave his life up for us on that cross in order to put our sins to death with him, so that we might now die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness, we are not to let sin continue to reign in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its passions and desires. For Jesus Christ delivered us out of our slavery (bondage, addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him with our lives in holy living. So sin should no longer be what we practice. Obedience to God in righteous living should be our practice.

In other words, sin is to no longer have mastery (control) over our lives to where we are compelled to obey it and to submit to it. We should no longer be those who deliberately and habitually sin against God and other humans. Our lives are no longer to be controlled by hate, lust, adultery, selfishness, pride, self-will, lying, cheating, stealing, unfaithfulness, and moral impurity, and the like. We are no longer to live lives which are out of control, but we are to be those who are exercising self-control, by the Spirit.

Now this says here, “Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace?” “The Law” being spoken of here is the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, including the requirement for circumcision. They were all the things which could be done in the flesh, and were external, but without anyone having to have a genuine heart change of the Spirit of God. But God’s moral laws never went away. They are taught all throughout the New Testament.

For Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow our Lord in walks of obedience, then we have eternal life. And he also said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say ‘No!’ to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

[Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 6:24; Hebrews 10:26-31; Hebrews 12:12-17; 1 Peter 2:24]  

For, if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience (to God) is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ, our Lord. For if we say that we are in fellowship with God, but while we walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, we are liars. And if we claim that we know God, but while we do not obey his commands (New Covenant), in practice, we are liars, and we do not live by the truth. For it is those who practice righteousness who are righteous in the eyes of God.

[Romans 6:1-23; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10]

For Our Nation  

An Original Work / September 11, 2012

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Trust Him with your life today.

Make Him your Lord and your Savior.

Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.

He will forgive you of your sin;

Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.

On our knees to God we’re praying,

Seeking God to give us answers

That are only found in Him.

God is sovereign over all things.

Nothing from His mind escaping.

He has all things under His command,

And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling

You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing

In our Lord, and interceding

For our nation and its people

To obey their God today.

He is our hope for our future.

For our wounds He offers suture.

He is all we need for this life.

Trust Him with your life today.

https://vimeo.com/379406352

Faithful Friend

"For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." ~ Hebrews 2:17

When I was a child, I accepted Jesus’ invitation to his great salvation. From that moment on, he not only became my Savior and my Lord, but he became my very best friend. He has remained so throughout my life. I know I can always count on him to be there for me day or night, in joy or in sorrow, and in sickness or in health. He will never leave me nor forsake me. I know I can depend on his word to me, and I can trust fully in his grace. He is completely faithful in all that he does, and he is fully trustworthy.

I want to know him above all else. I want to speak and to sing in agreement (accord) with him and with his word. I want to feel what he feels, to hear what he is saying, to heed his call upon my life, and to follow him all of my days.

Faithful Friend 

 

An Original Work / April 13, 2011

My loving Father; precious Lord, 

To You I lift my voice in accord –

I hear Your pleas; I heed Your call

To worship You only, who ransomed us all.

O Gracious Father; faithful friend,

I know You’ll be with me to the end.

You sent Your Son to die on a tree

So from sin and death I can truly be free.

Oh, Jesus, Savior, King of kings,

You are the Lord of everything.

You died in my place, so I could be free

To serve You only, so all may believe.

https://vimeo.com/115946088 

Are We to Continue in Sin?

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:1-6 ESV)

God’s grace to us is not free license to continue living in sin free from guilt and punishment. His grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

[Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2:8-10; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 2:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 15:58; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6,16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 5:3-6; Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:9-14; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim 2:21; Tit 3:8; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 1:17-21; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22] 

For, if by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ we truly were crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of live in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness, then why in the world would we desire to keep on sinning? Why would we want a gospel message that tells us that all we have to do is make some type of profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all our sins are forgiven, heaven is guaranteed us, and it can’t be taken away from us, regardless of how we live? How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Now when we believe in Jesus Christ with this faith that comes from God and is gifted to us by God, and is not of our own doing, we are baptized into his death. We are buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. And that death and that newness of life in him involve us denying self, dying daily to sin, by the Spirit, and us walking in obedience to our Lord in living holy lives, pleasing to God (Luke 9:23-26). 

Now, with regard to this term “baptism,” although the new believers in Christ were usually baptized in physical water upon profession of faith in Jesus Christ, it is not the physical water which puts sin to death in our hearts and lives and which causes us to die with Christ to our old lives, to deny self, and to now desire to follow our Lord in obedience to his commands. This is a spiritual baptism whereby we are being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Sin is being put to death in our lives so we can now obey our Lord.

And this baptism into death can take place apart from water baptism, as well as water baptism is no indication that this spiritual baptism has ever taken place at all. Not everyone baptized with water dies to sin. So I believe that our water baptism is more of an outward sign of an inward faith which has already taken place, and that this baptism into death is of the Spirit of God. And the only baptism that can literally bring about death to sin and living to God and to his righteousness is the one done by the Spirit and not in water. 

[Matt 3:13-17; Matt 10:11-12; John 1:29-34; Mk 10:37-39; Ac 9:15-18; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 18:7-8; Acts 22:12-16; Rom 6:1-7]

For when we go through this baptism into death in order that we might now walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, our old self (sinful nature, lifestyle, and practices) is crucified (put to death) with Christ in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we will no longer be enslaved to sin. Amen! This is the purpose of our salvation from sin. And it is the purpose for why God forgives us of our sins, not that we can keep living in sin, but so we can live free from sin in obedience to God.

But please know this. If we continue in our sinful practices, and if obedience to our Lord and holy living are not what we practice, we will die in our sins. We will not have eternal life with God regardless of what faith in Jesus Christ we profess with our lips. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father in heaven. And many professers of faith in Jesus Christ will stand before God one day professing to know him, and he is going to say, “I never knew you. Depart from me you workers of lawlessness.” 

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263

In Troubled Times

On March 21, 2020, I did my first video talk (devotion). Public speaking is not my forte, but the Lord was encouraging me to do this. So, what I did is I just talked about what the Lord was putting on my heart, about what was going on in our world at that time. And then I read a Scripture, and then I just shared what I was getting out of it at that moment, as related to the times in which we were living at that time, and as the Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart. So this was not preplanned other than the Scripture.

This video, “In Troubled Times,” was originally recorded on March 21, 2020, during the beginning of the Pandemic, but the message is not limited to just that period of time. For it is a message of hope and healing during times of trouble and distress, which definitely applies to where we are in the world today, too. So, I hope and pray that you will watch it and that it will encourage your heart.

Also, I believe the Lord would want me to begin sharing with you daily the video talks he has given me over these past 4.5 years, beginning with this first one, until they run out, which should take about 331 days plus, especially if he is giving me new ones along the way, too. 

In Troubled Times

https://youtu.be/ZFiz_L9O8LE

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Through Our Lord Jesus Christ

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5 ESV)

Rehash

The faith by which we are justified and have peace with God originated with God, it comes from God, it is persuaded of God, and it is gifted to us by God. It is NOT of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. So we don’t get to determine what that faith looks like. God does. His word does. And his word teaches that such faith results in us being crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness.

So, we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, that leads to righteousness and to sanctification and its end is eternal life with God. And Jesus said that if we would come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow Jesus in walks of obedience to his commands, then we have the hope of eternal life in him.

[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23]

The grace in which we stand, by God-persuaded faith, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works,” “which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

So, God’s grace to us is not just forgiveness of all sins so that when we die we get to go to heaven and so we escape hell. His grace, which sent Jesus Christ to that cross, was for the purpose that, by faith in him, we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and that we might now walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, and that we might no longer walk in sin. So if we claim to be in fellowship with God, and that we know God, but we still walk in sin, and we don’t obey his commands, in practice, then we are liars.

[1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10; cf. Romans 6:1-23]

Suffering

One of the biggest causes of our suffering is persecution. And we are persecuted when our walks of faith are genuine to where we are dying daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we are walking in obedience to our Lord’s commands, in practice, by God’s grace and in his power. For we are no longer living like the world, desiring the sinful passions of the flesh. And so the world will not love us as its own. And if we are sharing the truth of the gospel, we will be hated and persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

But our suffering is not limited to the subject of persecution, for there all sorts of trials and tribulations which we all face, as human beings, while we still live in these flesh bodies, and while we still live on the planet earth. Yet all that we suffer in this life falls under the sovereignty of God and is for our ultimate good to teach us perseverance and holy living and steadfastness of faith and to develop within us godly and moral character. And it is to draw us closer to our Lord in walks of faith and obedience to our Lord.

So, although suffering is definitely not pleasant as we are going through it, if we respond to the suffering as we ought, by the grace of God, it will help us to grow to maturity in our walks of faith in the Lord, and to make us more compassionate and caring toward others who are suffering. And the suffering will teach us to rely on God and not on ourselves, and it will make us stronger and more determined to stay focused on what God has purposed for us and to follow his will and purpose for our lives in obedience to him.

[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-19; John 15:1-21; John 16:33; John 17:14; Acts 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Eph 6:10-20; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg 

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God's Sweet Amazing Grace

God’s sweet, amazing grace

I have met face to face.

He gave His life for me,

From sin to be set free.

It teaches me to pray

And walk with Him each day,

Say “No!” to sin and self,

Put Him not on a shelf.

From grace I learn to walk

And not of faith just talk.

It teaches me to live

For Christ, my life to give.

His grace, it honors Him,

The Word of God not dim,

It teaches to obey

Our Lord in every way.

An Original Work / December 23, 2022

The Gift of God's Grace

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26 ESV)

This here is an example of one of those passages of Scripture which must be read in its full context in order for us to get the correct understanding of what it is teaching. I know that the books of Galatians and Colossians cover the same subject. So to get a really good handle on this subject it would be good if you could read all three books in their full context. For the full context is especially critical with regard to this particular subject. 

Let me summarize my understanding of what was taking place then. Then I will look at how this passage of Scripture can be applied to our lives today. For just like the word “works” is used in the Scriptures in two different ways, one in a negative sense, and one in a positive sense, so is this word “law.” But when it comes to Paul teaching on this subject he is generally using the word “law” to refer to the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, including circumcision.

So, when he said that the righteousness of God was manifested apart from the law, he is not talking about the commandments of God under the New Covenant and God’s moral laws. He is speaking of the liturgical and ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant, which were done away with when Jesus Christ died on that cross for our sins. They were all the things which were external that could be practiced without it doing anything to change the human heart or to lead anyone to repentance and obedience to God.

And the reason that Paul had to cover this subject so much was that there were Judaizers among the believers in Christ who were convincing many of them that they had to add on to their faith circumcision and some of the Old Covenant ceremonial laws and customs. But then we have people today who are distorting this subject and they are teaching a “lawless” faith in Jesus Christ which is of the flesh of humans, and not of God. But Jesus didn’t die on that cross so that we could now live in sin guilt and punishment free.

So many are teaching a faith that is of human origin and not the faith that comes from God, and is persuaded of God, and is gifted to us by God, and is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. And they are diluting the meaning of faith to be some sort of words we pray or confess, or to some acknowledgement of who Jesus is and to what he did for us on that cross, or to some emotional acceptance of a false grace of God. And then they are promising them heaven, but regardless of how they live.

That is not the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is not the grace of God which is bringing us salvation, and which is training us to renounce (say “No!” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus said if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old sinful lifestyles, we will lose our lives. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, then we have the hope and the promise of eternal life.

For “faith” in Jesus Christ means “persuasion of God.” And in the Scriptures, God persuades us as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of our need to die with him to sin and now live to him and to his righteousness in walks of obedience to him and to his commands. And we are taught that faith that is of God results in obedience to his commands and in holy living and us no longer walking in sin. And we learn that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience, that we won’t have eternal life.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:23-31; Hebrews 12:1-2]  

Yes, God’s grace to us is his gift to us, but his grace requires that we die with him to sin and now live holy lives, pleasing to him, and that we no longer walk in sin. And that is his gift to us, because we can only live like that by his grace and in the power of God, and because of what Jesus Christ did for us in dying on that cross so that we can die with him to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness (Romans 6:1-23).

So, don’t buy into the lies which are telling you that the faith to believe in Jesus Christ requires nothing of you other than your profession of faith, and that no works are required of you, and that you do not have to obey the commands of our Lord. That is a man-made gospel which is not of God and is not in agreement with the gospel that Jesus and Paul and the other apostles taught. For if we continue living in sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

A Sure Foundation

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 

    “See, I lay a stone in Zion, 

   a tested stone, 

a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; 

   the one who trusts will never be dismayed.”

 

“Listen and hear my voice; 

   pay attention and hear what I say…

His God instructs him 

   and teaches him the right way.” 

 

In that day the LORD Almighty 

   will be a glorious crown, 

a beautiful wreath 

   for the remnant of his people. 

He will be a spirit of justice 

   to him who sits in judgment, 

a source of strength 

   to those who turn back the battle at the gate.  

~ Isaiah 28:16, 23, 26, 5, & 6

Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, Messiah and King is our sure foundation for our salvation and for the Christian life. He gives us all the strength, wisdom and understanding we need to live godly and holy lives while we wait for his return. 

We turn back the battle at the gate when we use the armor of God, with which he has so amply supplied us, for combatting our enemy Satan, and for resisting the devil, and for fleeing temptation. Amen!

We can always count on our Lord. He will never fail us. He will never leave us or forsake us. We can always depend on him, no matter what we are going through, and no matter how many enemies rage against us. Our Lord is with us.

A Sure Foundation  

An Original Work / May 27, 2011

Based off of Isaiah 28:5, 6, 16, 23 & 26

This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“See I lay a stone in Zion,

A precious cornerstone, 

A sure foundation;

The one who trusts will ne’er be dismayed.”

This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“Listen and hear my voice speaking;

Hear what I say to you; 

Please pay attention;

Your God instructs, teaches the right way.”

In that day the Lord Almighty

Will be a glorious crown for

The remnant, His people; 

He’s the source of strength to

Who stands against evil; turns from sin.

https://vimeo.com/127503171 

If You Call Yourself a Christian

“But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’” (Romans 2:17-24 ESV)

Rather than go into all the history behind this and try to explain what all was taking place then, I believe the Lord Jesus would have me take from this and apply it to our lives and world and church today. So I am going to change “Jew” to Christian (or to professing Christian, more appropriately). And I, as led by the Holy Spirit, will share with you what I am getting from this passage of Scripture today which can also be applied to us today.

As best as I understand, this would be speaking of a true legalist, one who religiously goes through the motions of religious practice and all the religious rituals and customs and traditions that they were taught from early on in their lives. Like, they were baptized, and they maybe went through catechism, or some kind of religious training. Then they joined “the church,” and so they tithe their 10%, and they religiously attend Sunday morning “worship services,” and they might serve as pastor or elders or deacons, or whatever.

Now none of that alone is wrong, mind you, as long as it is being done biblically and under the direction of the Holy Spirit. But it can be similar to the Jews following all the liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, and dietary laws and restrictions, including circumcision. They are all things which can be outward and performance only, and they can have nothing to do with heart change, attitude change, and behavior change, nor with true faith in practice in obeying the Lord’s moral and righteous requirements. 

And there are many within the gatherings of the church who pride themselves in their religious performances and in the following of a bunch of religious rules, many or all of which may be created in the minds of human beings and have nothing to do with surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ in submission to his will and purpose for our lives in dying with him daily to sin and now walking with him in holiness and in righteousness – in the power and working of God’s Spirit now living within us who are his by faith in him.

Like many people are baptized as a religious rite, or in order to join “the church” (institutional churches), but they may not have ever believed in Jesus Christ with genuine faith which dies with Christ to sin and now lives to him and to his righteousness. And many attend religious services once a week (or more), but not all of them are there out of desire to follow Jesus with their lives, and to minister to the body of Christ in the ways that are of God. But many are there more as a social gathering with their friends.

And so we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who go through the motions of religious practice, but it does nothing to change their hearts and to turn them from sin to now follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands (New Covenant). They appear religious, and some may appear righteous, but many of them are hypocrites who put on an outward appearance of being religious but who do not live what the Scriptures teach. And some of them may teach what is right, but not live it themselves.

Now not everyone is like this, but there are those who “play religion,” while Jesus Christ is not truly their Lord (Owner-Master), for they do not submit to him and to his Lordship, and they have not surrendered their lives to Christ, but they are still living according to the flesh. And so outwardly they may appear religious, and they may even be teaching what is right to others, although not many do, it seems. But they do not practice what they teach to others and so they are hypocrites. And that is the message here.

We can’t just go through the motions of religious practice, and do all the “right things” in the eyes of other humans, according to religious rituals and traditions, and consider that we are Christians in the eyes of the Lord. For Jesus taught that if we want to come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, we have eternal life.

[Luke 9:23-26; c.f. Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24; Titus 2:11-14]

Just a Closer Walk with Thee  

Hymn lyrics by Anonymous/Unknown

Music by American Melody

“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you” (2 Co. 13:4 NASB).

I am weak, but Thou art strong;

Jesus, keep me from all wrong;

I’ll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

When my feeble life is o’er,

Time for me will be no more;

Guide me gently, safely o’er

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,

Daily walking close to Thee,

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Ks49apflE 

Caution: This link may contain ads

No Other gods Before God

 

Judged According to Our Works

In context, Paul was writing to all those in Rome who were loved by God and called to be saints, i.e. all those called to be set apart by God, different from the world, because they were being conformed by God to the likeness of Jesus Christ. So he wrote this to the church, the body of Christ. But just like today, perhaps not everyone who gathered together with the church were true followers of Jesus Christ. And some who were followers of Christ may not have been living fully in line with the gospel of Jesus Christ, either. 

He wrote to them about the gospel, that the righteous live by faith. Then he explained to them that those who live in unrighteousness, who do not honor God with their lives, and who follow after the lusts of the flesh, and who worship and serve the created rather than the Creator, that they are under the wrath of God. And he warned those who had hard and impenitent hearts against hypocritically judging others, and against making sin their practice, for if sin was their practice, they would not escape the judgment of God.

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” (Romans 2:6-11 ESV)

And this is critical that we understand the message here, because this applies to all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, as well as to all who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ. We are all going to be judged by God according to our works. And this is not “works salvation,” for these are the words of God which he spoke through his servant Paul, and this is written down for us today that we may know and understand that we cannot just profess faith in Jesus Christ and then go on living however we want.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” And to follow Jesus is to obey him. And he also said (and I am paraphrasing part of this here) that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our sinful lifestyles, we will lose our lives for eternity, but if we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow Jesus in obedience, we will have life eternal in him. (see John 10:27-28; Luke 9:23-26)

And John wrote that if we claim that we are in fellowship with God, but while we walk (in conduct, in practice) in darkness (sin), we are liars. And if we say that we know God, but while we do not obey his commandments (New Covenant), in practice, we are liars, and we do not live by the truth. And whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as God is righteous. But whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. So if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not love for others, we are not of God.

[See 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17, 1 John 3:4-10]

And Paul wrote that if sin is what we obey, it leads to death, but if obedience (to God/Christ Jesus) is what we obey, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ Jesus, our Lord. And he wrote that the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk (in conduct, in practice) not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. And he warned us that if sin is what we practice (deliberately, habitually) that we will not inherit the kingdom of God, but we will die in our sins.

[See Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:14-24; Ephesians 5:3-6]

So, you see that it is those people who, by God’s grace, and by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, and in the power of God, are in the practice of daily putting sin to death, by the Spirit, and who are walking in obedience to the Lord and to his New Covenant commands, in practice, and who make righteousness their practice, instead of sin, who have eternal life with God. But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury, even if they profess Jesus.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

A Believer’s Prayer 

An Original Work / July 31, 2012

With my whole heart, Lord, I pray 

To be Yours, and Yours always.

Lead me in Your truth today.

May I love You, and obey.

Lead me in Your righteousness.

When I sin, may I confess;

Bow before You when I pray;

Live for You and You always.

Love You, Jesus, You’re my friend.

Life with You will never end.

You are with me through each day,

Giving love and peace always.

You will ne’er abandon me.

From my sin You set me free.

You died on that cruel tree,

So I’d live eternally.

Soon You’re coming back for me;

From this world to set me free;

Live with You eternally.

Oh, what joy that brings to me.

I will walk with You in white;

A pure bride, I’ve been made right

By the blood of Jesus Christ;

Pardoned by His sacrifice.

https://vimeo.com/114796263

They Call Them Old

They call them old. 

They call them sheltered.

They say they’re bold.

They say they’re fettered.

They say they’re crazy,

That they’re insane.

But they’re not lazy,

The truth explain.

For that’s opinion,

But not in truth.

They’ve no dominion,

They are uncouth.

They make their judgments,

The truth not matters.

But they’re redundant,

They’re empty chatter.

For they’re not following

The Word of Truth,

But they are swallowing

A rotten food.

God’s humble servants

They now ignore.

They follow merchants

And want for more.

They’re lazy people

Who want THEIR way,

For they are sheeple,

They’re easily swayed.

So don’t surrender

To their opinions.

Our Lord, defender,

He has dominion.

An Original Work / May 24, 2023

Judge with a Righteous Judgment

“Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32 ESV)

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:1-5 ESV)

Now, this is one of those passages of Scripture which is often taken out of context to declare that all judging is wrong and that all of us are equally guilty of committing the same sins, so not one of us has the right to stand in judgment over another. But that is not what this is teaching. This is speaking of hypocritical judging of others, when we judge others for their sins but we are truly committing the same sins, or worse. This is speaking to a very specific group of people, not to everyone.

These words addressed here are to those who are making sin their practice, while they look down on others who practice the same, or much less. These are people with hard and impenitent hearts who are not repentant over their sins but who go on sinning against the Lord and against other humans, even knowing that they deserve death, but possibly while often denying it. And so they take a superior attitude as though they are not also guilty of walking in sin while they look down on those who may have sinned even less.

And so they give themselves a pass, as though they deserve a pass, but the others do not. And I see this a lot with people who adopt the cheap grace gospel as their security, believing all their sins are forgiven and heaven is now guaranteed them, but while they continue in deliberate and habitual sin. They regard themselves as righteous in the eyes of the Lord because of a profession of faith they made in Jesus Christ. And so they will cast judgment on the unbelieving world while their sins oftentimes surpass those of others.

Yet not one of us has a right to judge others for their sins if we are ourselves habitually and deliberately sinning against the Lord and against other humans without genuine repentance. And especially this is egregious if we are literally committing the same exact sins as they are, or if we are committing greater sins while we judge someone who did little by comparison. An example of this is if we were living in adultery against our spouse but we got angry at someone for throwing trash on the ground.

Now some of you will say that sin is sin and therefore all sin is equal. Not in the eyes of the Lord. For he divides us into two groups. The one group is those who are still walking in deliberate and habitual sin, in practice, who are not walking in holiness and righteousness, and who are not obeying our Lord, in practice. They are the true unbelievers. They are the true ungodly of this world, not just those who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ. For we can profess faith in Jesus and still walk in sin and die in our sins.

The other grouping are those who have died with Christ to sin and who are living to God and to his righteousness, in practice. They are not perfect people, but they are not living in sin. Righteousness is what they practice, by genuine faith in Jesus Christ, in his power, and they are those who are obeying our Lord’s commandments, in practice, although not necessarily with absolute perfection (1 John 2:1-2). We are regarded by God as those of genuine faith in him who have the hope of eternal life with God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

And we who are following the Lord in obedience to his commands are instructed in the Scriptures to judge sin for what it is, and to judge the church and sin within the church. And we are instructed to test the spirits to see if they are of God, and we are to make judgments every day about what is right and what is wrong, and what is just or unjust, or what is moral or immoral, so that we reject what is wrong and that is evil, and so we reject the lies and we expose them, and so we lead others away from sin to God.

The judging that is wrong for us to do is hypocritical judging; judging others unfairly by ourselves, assuming that they are like us; judging by appearances (without any facts); judging unjustly by not giving someone a hearing to learn what he does; and judging others according to the flesh and not by God’s standards. But we are to judge known sin in the life of a brother or sister in Christ with the intent to help them to come out of that sin, especially as it is impacting the entire body of Christ. 

[Gal 6:1-5; Jas 5:19-20; 1 Co 5:1-13; Matt 7:1-5; Jn 7:24,51; Jn 8:15-16; Rom 2:3; 2 Co 10:12; Jude 1:22-23]

So, don’t judge hypocritically, unfairly, unjustly, by your own self, by appearances only, by the flesh, by your culture, by your traditions, and without even listening to others to hear their side of the story. Judge with a righteous judgment based upon the teachings of the Scriptures and with a purpose to help, not to hurt, and to restore, not to cast aside, and to lead in a path of righteousness, not to condemn. Even if you warn of God’s judgements against those who walk in sin, it should be with a heart of love.

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/379484387

Your Love Offering

So many times I think we take our God’s love for us for granted, and what he did for us in saving us from our sins and in setting us free, and we forget to thank him for all that he has done for us. So, this song is a song of thanks to God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – for his/their love offering to us. For God the Father sent his One and Only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so we could be free, not only from the penalty of sin, but from our slavery to sin, and so what we can now be empowered of God in living holy and godly lives, pleasing to him, in obedience to his commands.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4 ESV)

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6 ESV)

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” (Romans 6:12 ESV)

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16 ESV)

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:20-23 ESV)

Your Love Offering  

An Original Work / September 13, 2011

Thank You, Lord, for Your love,

Dying on a tree,

So we’d be forgiven,

Live eternally.

Thank You for Your kindness, 

Your love offering, 

When You shed Your blood,

So we could be set free.

Thank You, Lord, for Your cross,

Dying for our sins,

So we’d live in vict’ry,

Purified within.

Thank You, Lord, for Your life

You gave for our sin,

Giving us a new life,

We’re made whole within.

Thank You for Your mercy.

You paid what we owe.

When we turn from our sin,

Your grace freely flows.

Thank You, Lord, for conq’ring

Death and sin and hell,

So we’d walk in freedom,

With You now to dwell.

Thank You, Lord, that You will

Soon come for Your bride.

Perfectly You made her

To with You abide.

Thank You for Your Spirit;

Our God, three in One, 

Giveth us salvation,

Through God’s only Son.

Thank You, Lord, for Jesus!

He’s our King of kings!

He will reign forever!

Our praise to Him bring!!

https://vimeo.com/126318258 

God Has the Final Word

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:18-23 ESV)

God, in his infinite wisdom, chose to reveal himself to all humankind through his created works so that we are all without excuse if we refuse him in favor of the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. Thus, we can see the power and wisdom and glory of God in all of his creation, if we are willing to see God for who he truly is.

But if, although we can see who God is in what he has revealed to us, we do not honor him as Almighty God, the creator of the universe, and we do not give him thanks, but we become foolish in mind and heart and behavior, instead, and we end up worshiping the created rather than the creator, by our life choices, then his wrath is against us. For if we choose the path of sin and adultery and idolatry and sexual sin and lying, cheating, and stealing, then by our unrighteousness we therefore suppress the truth that we know.

But we have a choice! God has given us that choice to choose him by him revealing himself to us. But if we choose to follow the ways of the world and of the flesh and of selfish desire, and to make other humans our idols, in place of God, or to make sin our practice, and not godliness, and not holiness, and not obedience to our Lord via God-persuaded faith in him, then even if we profess to know him intimately, and we claim to be in fellowship with him, his word says that we are liars who don’t live by the truth.

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:24-25 ESV)

God will not force his will upon us. He will give us all the opportunity to honor him as God, but if we suppress the truth we know of him, in favor of the lies, he will let us go, at least for a while, until he decides that it is time to pour out his wrath on all who chose their sins over him, or until he knows that our hearts are ready to receive him and to follow him and to honor him, and then he will call out to us to repent and to follow him in obedience to his commands and to be his servants in doing what he has called us to do.

But please know that if you choose sin over God, even if you profess to know him, that you will not have eternal life with God unless you repent and you now choose to follow him with your lives. Also know that when you sin, you are not sinning only against God, but you are sinning against other humans who you are supposed to love, perhaps even your spouses and your children or your parents. That will crush them in spirit. So you don’t sin to yourself alone. What you do and how you act impacts the people around you, too.

For if you sin sexually, the sin is not just against God, but it is against your spouse, or perhaps against your children, too, and it is against the person you are sinning with, even if it is with yourself, and even if it is just in your own imagination in your fantasies about someone. For when you lust after another to whom you are not married, or even if you lust after your spouse in ways which are dishonorable to him/her, then you are degrading that other person and you are treating them like dirt for you to stomp on.

The first sins mentioned in verses 26-32 have to do with homosexual relationships. God does not approve of homosexual relationships. For he created man and woman to be the ones joined together as one. Marriage is to be between a man and a woman. But when a man or a woman prefers sex with the same sex, that is dishonoring to God. And I believe that includes anyone choosing sex with themselves over sex with their spouses, which may also include the use of same sex pornography. 

But this passage of Scripture is not limited to sexual sin or just to homosexual sin, but it includes a whole list of sins which are committed by those who reject the Lord in favor of their sinful appetites. And these include covetousness, malice, envy, murder, deceit, gossip, slander, haters of God, the insolent, haughty, inventors of evil, the foolish, heartless, and ruthless, etc. And it concludes with: 

“Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32 ESV)

And that is a very sad reality. For many who commit such atrocities absolutely know better, and they know what the Scriptures teach, that if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, that we will die in our sins. We will not have eternal life with God, regardless of what our lips profess. But they deny the truth that they know so that they can continue in their sinful practices without feeling guilty and while claiming that they have eternal life with God. But God has the final word!!

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263