1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord… Romans 1:1-7 (NASB) Read verses 5-7 on the site.

As I have mentioned many times on this blog, I grew up going to church. The churches our family attended as I grew up were all SBC churches. None of them would qualify as “liberal.” Some people might say that they leaned somewhat toward “fundamentalism.”…. Continue reading →

13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:13-19 (NASB)

I have read and heard countless arguments about our sanctification. Some say that we are sanctified by our religion. Some say that we are sanctified by God and we have nothing to do with it…. Continue reading →

1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. 2 And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.  Genesis 41:1-7 (NASB) Read verses 5-7 on the site.

My walk with the Lord since He had mercy on my back in January, 1986 has not been a continual upward climb along the straight path to the celestial hills that are close unto the celestial city…. Continue reading →

In Psalm 112 the prophet praiseth the felicities of those that fear God and condemeth the cursed state of those who contend with God.

Psalm 112 1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man, that (a) feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. 3 (b) Riches and treasures shall be in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever. Continue reading →

In Psalm 111, the prophet giveth thanks to the Lord for His merciful works toward His Church. He also declareth wherein true wisdom and right knowledge consistith.

Psalm 111 1 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart in the assembly and Congregation of the just. 2 The works of the Lord are great, and ought to be sought out of all them that love them. 3 His work is beautiful and glorious, and his righteousness endureth forever…. Continue reading →

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4 (NASB) 

The Church in the early part of the 21st Century is very sick. This sickness has not happened all at once. Instead, it is the result of centuries of compromise after compromise on the part of Christian leaders and their followers to adapt the Gospel and the Church doctrines to conform to what men want. That process is called “Pragmatism.” As a result, the Church has lost its savor…. Continue reading →

This is Monday, June 28, 2021. It sure is a Monday. As I got up this morning to take Sunrise photos before doing my morning devotions I found that the dreary rain and dark clouds were still with us. I took a few shots then went back inside. I sat down with my Spurgeon’s Morning by Morning, my Tabletalk Magazine, and Greek Word for Today word study devotionals before praying. However, I was in a dark mood that seemed to match the weather. I have issues both with the Department of Safety of Oklahoma and the Social Security Administration…. Continue reading →

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:1-4 (NASB)

One of the first books I placed in my personal Christian library was a gift from a good friend years ago when we were both in the same church where I was a Deacon, Bible Study leader on Sunday mornings and Precept leader on Sunday evenings…. Continue reading →

10 “They will all respond and say to you, ‘Even you have been made weak as we, You have become like us. Isaiah 14:10 (NASB) 

Part of my morning devotions is to read the morning devotion for the day from Spurgeon’s Morning by Morning. Today’s devotion really got me to thinking about the large numbers of Christian leaders who are going hard after Social Justice in all its forms….

I have read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress several times and I must admit that part about the “back way” or “back-door” into Hell has always disturbed me and it should you too.

“Art thou become like unto us?”—Isaiah 14:10. Continue reading →

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. 11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:8-12 (NASB) 

The title of this article may surprise many. The current attack by those whose theology has been corrupted by Woke-ism seem to be all about placing their liberal, Marxist, CRT philosophy up there on par with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ or at least they insist that it is an essential part of it…. Continue reading →

28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Luke 14:28 (NASB) 

I really struggled with the title for this post. In fact as I began typing here I have changed it twice more. I wrote my first post about pragmatism in the visible church back in 2008 while doing battle almost daily against the Purpose Driven paradigm and the Emergent Church. That post was titled Pragmatism. However, two years earlier I wrote a 6 part series titled The Compromised Church. I reposted it in 2008. Continue reading →

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39 (NASB) 

A few months ago, on Good Friday, Dr. Josh Buice posted the following on Twitter:

As we behold the slain Christ on the cruel cross on this Good Friday, we must never forget the truth! Continue reading →

17 One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. 18 And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. ” Luke 5:17-21 (NASB) Read verses 20&21 on the site.

I have known many through my many years who professed to be Christians, but who held to doctrines that placed the burden and veracity of their salvation on themselves…. Continue reading →

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Romans 4 (NASB) See verses 7-25 on the site.

I saw a satirical cartoon this morning before my wife and I went to worship service at our church. It showed an artist’s conception of the gates of Heaven, but above the door was a sign that said, “Under New Management – CRT.” Below the sign was an artist’s conception of Jesus being removed from the premises…. Continue reading →

15 He *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:15-19 (NASB) Read verses 18-19 on the site.

The following definitions are from the New Oxford American Dictionary:

e·van·gel·i·cal| ˌēvanˈjelək(ə)l | adjective of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion. • of or denoting a tradition within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of the Bible, personal conversion, and the doctrine of salvation by faith in the Atonement. Continue reading →

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NASB) 

People who are genuine Christians are Born Again. Their hearts have been regenerated. They are New Creations. That means that their hearts now regard Christ spiritually rather than through the flesh…. Continue reading →

15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Matthew 7:15-23 (NASB)  Read verses 19-23 on the site.

The last SBC President, J.D. Greear, was so obviously a shill for the left, i.e. liberals, that whatever he said or did was really no surprise and most of us considered him something of a doofus…. Continue reading →

17 And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? 18 HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” 21 And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?” Mark 8:17-21 (NASB)

The mortification of sin has been a topic that we have looked at a great deal over the last several months. Why? It is vital for our Christian maturity to learn to walk in repentance and that requires that we learn how to mortify the sin(s) that cling close to us…. Continue reading →

8 The LORD is their strength, And He is a saving defense to His anointed. 9 Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever. Psalms 28:8-9 (NASB) 

The genuine Christian walk is actually part of a war. Each believer’s walk is a battle or skirmish in that war. As we see in Ephesians 6:10-20, this war is not specifically against other people. Even if heretics or apostates rant and rave against us or terrorists from some pagan religion threaten our lives, our war is against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…. Continue reading →

5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. Romans 13:5 (NASB) 

Part of daily devotional time is to pray for personal holiness along with wisdom, discernment, and Christlikeness. Why do I do that? Just take an honest look at the visible church all around us. What is missing? Yes, we have religion. Yes, we have growing churches. But if you take a good, long, hard look at the spiritual maturity of most professing Christians in the U.S.A. what do we come up with?… Continue reading →

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4 (NASB) 

Much of what we see in the “Post-Modern” version of “Christian” teaching is that if Jesus were here now He wouldn’t be a Christian. In other words, the “Church” has got it wrong…. Continue reading →

1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:1-13 (NASB) Read verses 5-13 on the site.

When I encounter a believer who is legalistic, no matter how well versed they are on the Biblical passages they specialize in, I know I am dealing with someone who is spiritually immature…. Continue reading →

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 (NASB)

How important is it for Christians to be pure in heart? If we look at Jesus’ statement from Matthew 5:8 we see that those who are pure in heart shall see God. What does that mean? Is this a promise that the only ones who do attain a pure heart will be in eternity with God? Or, does it mean that our English/American understanding of the terms used in this statement by Jesus are inadequate to convey the truths correctly?… Continue reading →

1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Titus 2:1 (NASB) 

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:6-11 (NASB) 

Our enemy is quite clever in his deceit. He knows exactly what buttons to push to incite us to step into conflicts or situations designed to do damage to our faith and our relationship with our Lord…. Continue reading →

21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21 (NASB) 

The message of salvation that is normally preached or taught in the vast majority of churches these days has been contaminated with Humanism. The focus is on becoming a Christian for some great benefit or reward from God. Masses of people respond to that false gospel as well…. Continue reading →