8 But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. Psalms 52:8-9 (NASB)
I am no different than you. What I mean is that I have dreams of having something better in the future or someday becoming a professional photographer, et cetera. I have always wanted that…. Continue reading
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O sons of the mighty,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name;
Worship the LORD in holy array. Psalms 29:1-2 (NASB)
Much of the confusion within the visible church along with watered down versions of the gospel being preached rooted in pragmatism are due to the proponents of such things seeking glory for themselves. A genuine and proper handling of God’s Word and the Gospel will always be done within the context of ascribing all to the Lord for His glory alone.
“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name.”—Psalm 29:2.
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. 1 John 1:1-4 (NASB)
What sort of Christian message is it that is not Christ centered? Christ must be central to all that we teach or preach. The cross must be presented as God’s solution for Man lost in sin with no hope of salvation without His divine help by His grace…. Continue reading
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2 (NASB)
No-Lordship salvation teaches a form of grace that is weak and ineffectual. Some have referred to it as “sloppy grace.” Perhaps a more common name for it is “Cheap Grace.” Cheap Grace is that which appears free, but has little value. It has not the power to change lives…. Continue reading
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:22 (NASB)
The visible Church in our time has been compromised for the most part by human philosophy and has succumbed to the pressure from the world to not emphasize God’s truth as absolute. Professing Christians who discount the Word of God as absolute truth are actually placing their intellect, their beliefs, and the counsel of their own hearts above the Word of God as it relates to authority and truth…. Continue reading
Yes, we are to be discerning. Yes, we are to be Christlike. Yes, we are to have godly convictions and not be in love with this world. All that describes us as we we mature into the believers our Lord wants us to be. However, the path is not always a smooth one. No, part of this journey to the Celestial City takes us through severe tests of our faith as well as having to deal with people, governments, and even religious people who are under the control of our enemy…. Continue reading
I received from several sources today links to John MacArthur’s sermon from this last Sunday. Some even created a 7 minute section of his sermon, posted it, with the warning that it would soon be deleted by YouTube so we should watch and share it soon. I watched it. I shared it. I downloaded it. I have a copy of it. The link to it is below. I suggest you watch it, but before you do let me tell you why it is important. Continue reading
41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:41-44 (NASB)
One of the aspects of our Christian faith that we lose sight of sometimes, and it gets us in trouble when we do, is how vital it is that we remain totally amazed that we ever got saved at all…. Continue reading
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Ephesians 2:1-10 (NASB) Read verses 4-10 on the site.
Carefully read the passage above. How are we saved? Is it by our own worth? Is it by our own works? It it by anything we do? If you say yes to any of those then try to find support for it in those verses above…. Continue reading
1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:1-4 (NASB)
33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NASB)
Wokeism which is made up of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality are focused on the here and now, the temporal. It is focused on restructuring Christianity and society by first tearing it down and then starting over…. Continue reading
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.
6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar. Psalms 42:5-6 (NKJV)
It is a good thing that we realize that our Soul is cast down, that our spiritual fulfillment is just a shadow of what it once was not that long ago when we walked close with our Lord. Some of you reading this are in the valley…. Continue reading
27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:27-30 (NASB) Read verses 29-30 on the site.
God awoke this believer from a spiritual stupor in 2004. From my rebirth in January 1986 through the end of 2003 I rode a roller coaster of faithfulness and backsliding to the point that I despaired of ever being able to be consistent in my walk…. Continue reading
22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:22-23 (NASB)
Our enemy is working overtime to distract us from the truth. What do I mean? We have pressure from corrupt governments all over the world attempting to become totalitarian…. Continue reading
1 Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” Ruth 2:1-2 (NASB)
My wife and I just returned from a trip to the Colorado Springs, Colorado area for some vacation relaxation. She had never been in that area. I had, but it was when I was just a child back in the late 1950’s…. Continue reading
5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5-6 (NASB)
There are really only two mindsets. There is the natural man mindset that we were all born with then there is the transformed mindset that comes as a result of being transformed by the renewal of our minds as a way of life and walking before the face of God. (Romans 12:1-2)…. Continue reading
13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” Exodus 14:13-14 (NASB)
While I rejoice as there are so many Christian leaders whom God has raised up at this time to tell the truth about the growing apostasy within the visible church…. Continue reading
There is a push in the United States to make it illegal to preach the truth from God’s Word where it pertains to the sin of homosexuality. Of course the emphasis of those laws or initiatives is to protect the rights of certain people based on their sexual preference, which is also called gay rights. They say that to preach what the Bible says about homosexuality is to foment hate; therefore, the laws are placed under the umbrella of hate crimes. Continue reading
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals. 19 Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 1 Kings 18:17-19 (NASB)
There was a time when the English and American cultures were decidedly “Christian.” Those days are long gone. Whatever it is that God is doing through this, the “Remnant” of genuine believers within the visible Church must awaken and become prepared for what is coming…. Continue reading
8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NASB)
We are commanded to have unity among the brethren, but that unity must be based on our union with Christ. Jesus prayed that His church would have unity through Him in John 17, but how does the Bible describe it? Here are a few passages. The first two describe union with Him as Christ being in us. Continue reading
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NASB)
Suffering is part of life. It is part of the curse that fell upon all creation after Adam’s sin. (Genesis 3) There are some preachers who have taken sections of the Bible out of context to make it say that suffering happens only to those who “have sin in their life.” Well, I suppose part of that is true….
1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:1-3 (NASB)
In the English translations of the Old Testament when we encounter the word “Lord” we are actually reading the Hebrew word “Adhōnāy.” On the other hand, when we read the word “LORD,” it is is completely different Hebrew word, “Yehōwāh.” “Adhōnāy” is actually a title for God meaning “sovereign one.” “Yehōwāh” is the sacred name of God…. Continue reading
1 “I love You, O LORD, my strength.”
2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:1-2 (NASB)
This walk before the face of God is according to the ways of God not according to the ways of men. God’s good work in our hearts to grow us unto Christlikeness resembles the work of a good diamond cutter who shapes an uncut, rough gemstone from something that is not worth much in its raw state into a polished, faceted, and extremely valuable diamond that appears to have a brilliant fire within with innumerable facets reflecting that light in every direction…. Continue reading
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV)
There are so many who want to attack the teachings I post with their extra-biblical arguments, which are mostly based in tradition. There are many topics where the numbers of those doing this drop drastically, but when it comes to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and how it relates to what is hot in the visible church “right now” my spam bucket seems to fill up fast. Continue reading
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB 2020)
I have learned to never be surprised when I teach a group of believers about our Justification that no matter how mature most of them are, there is still various misunderstandings about it….
3 I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God. 6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 1 Corinthians 2:3-7 (NASB 2020)
When we observe those “Christian Leaders” espousing the social justice of Wokeism, which is rooted in Marxism, it should make us wonder at what motivates them…. Continue reading