Thoughts ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZONPRTOFF dateof comment Look Inside Data Conditions:Order: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31| Dateof Comment 09/02/2026 I have been hearing a lot about authority. We have people in our ministry who carry authority like our military, law enforcement, and fire fighters. They all need our respect. Peter talks about these people: 1 Peter 2:13-17 NIV 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. In verse 14 the statement about governors is true if you live in states like Florida, South Dakota, or Texas. But the rest have the tendency to punish those who do right and commend those who do wrong. Our state of Colorado sent a women to prison because she kept back data to show proof of election fraud. It is hard to honor those who do that to other people. What does honor mean? In the Bible, honor means to assign high weight, value, or worth to someone and to treat them with deep respect and reverence. Biblical Languages and Root Meanings Old Testament (Hebrew - Kavod): Literally means "heavy" or "weighty". To honor God or a person means to treat their presence, authority, or position as weighty and significant rather than light or trivial. New Testament (Greek - Time): Means value, price, preciousness, or respect. It is the act of recognizing someone's worth and showing them appropriate dignity. Who the Bible Says to Honor God: Acknowledging His supreme worth, creator status, and absolute authority through worship and obedience (Revelation 4:11). Father and Mother: Valuing parents' God-given role and position, commanded in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12). The Elderly: Showing deference and respect to older people (Leviticus 19:32). Authority Figures and Leaders: Respecting governing rulers, bosses, and church leaders placed in positions of responsibility (Romans 13:7, 1 Timothy 5:17). All People: Treating every person with basic human dignity as creations of God (1 Peter 2:17) Even though I have no desire to put a hit out on anyone at anytime, it is difficult to have honor for people who are committed to the ways of the enemy. It seems to me it is like rewarding people for bad behavior. But I have to remember to ask God to change their ways for him. Jesus died for these people in authority too. 09/01/2026 This sure sounds like a promise for our lives. Psalm 128:1-2 NIV 1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. 2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Some of you may be saying that sure does not sound like me. But what do the words fear, obedience, blessings and prosperity mean: Fear In the Bible, fear is defined in two major ways: as a negative emotion of terror or anxiety to be overcome, and as a positive posture of awe and reverence toward God 1. Negative Fear (Being Afraid)Definition: A painful emotion, dread, or anxiety caused by the expectation of evil, danger, or punishment. Biblical view: Scripture repeatedly commands believers not to give in to this kind of fear. It is seen as a lack of complete trust in God's goodness or presence. Key Verse: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God." — Isaiah 41:10 2. Positive Fear (The Fear of the Lord)Definition: Translated from the Hebrew word Yir'ah, it means a deep sense of wonder, profound respect, and reverential awe. Biblical view: This type of fear is commended. It does not mean being terrified or running away from God; rather, it means taking God seriously, recognizing His supreme authority and holiness, and honoring Him. Key Verse: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." — Proverbs 9:10 Obedience In the Bible, obedience is an intentional, heartfelt choice to hear God's word and willingly do what He says. It is not just following rules or forcing outward compliance; it is an active expression of love, trust, and submission to God as the ultimate authority. Key Meaning of Biblical Obedience Rooted in Love: The Bible teaches that obedience naturally flows from a loving relationship with God. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 14:15) Better Than Sacrifice: God values a sincere, yielded heart far more than empty religious rituals. As 1 Samuel 15:22 states, "To obey is better than sacrifice." An Act of Trust: Obedience means believing that God's ways and wisdom are better than human desires or worldly standards. Why Obedience Matters Proof of Faith: Obedience is the tangible evidence that a person truly believes and trusts God. Building a Foundation: Following God's instructions protects believers and builds a stable spiritual life that can withstand hardships (Luke 6:46). Blessing and Fellowship: Walking in obedience brings inner peace, a closer relationship with God, and a life aligned with His purpose. Blessing In the Bible, a blessing is the impartation of God's favor, grace, and life-giving power that enables a person or creation to flourish, thrive, and fulfill its purpose. Core Meanings of a Blessing - Life and Abundance: When God blesses, He shares His life-producing energy. The first blessings in Genesis are directed at animals, humans, and the Sabbath, empowering them to multiply and prosper. Divine Favor and Protection: It represents God's active presence, looking upon someone with grace and bestowing peace, as seen in the classic Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24–26). Spiritual Inheritance: In the New Testament, blessings shift toward ultimate spiritual realities, such as forgiveness, redemption, adoption into God's family, and eternal life through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Spoken Good Will: A blessing can also be a pronouncement or prayer from one person to another (like a father blessing his children), invoking God's goodness upon them Prosperity In the Bible, prosperity means thriving, flourishing, and experiencing overall well-being and success aligned with God's will, rather than just possessing material wealth. Key Aspects of Biblical Prosperity Spiritual Well-being: Having a close, growing relationship with God, wisdom, and peace.Physical Health: Having strength and vitality to fulfill purpose.Provision and Stewardship: Having enough resources to meet daily needs and help bless others, rather than hoarding riches. Hebrew and Greek Roots: Words translated as "prosper" often stem from concepts like shalom (peace, completeness, and soundness) and making successful progress in life. Biblical Perspective vs. Materialism God as the Source: Scripture views God as the provider of all good things, where true security comes from His presence rather than money. Money may be in the picture too if you heart dictates that you can handle it without losing your soul. Warnings on Riches: The New Testament warns that chasing wealth as a primary goal leads to temptation and ruin (1 Timothy 6:9), contrasting with the Prosperity Theology Overview which links faith directly to financial gain. There is more to this story and it may or may not excite you ladies: Psalm 128:3-4 NIV 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord. 08/30/2026 How many of us make plans each day without consulting God? It is safe if you decide what to eat or what to wear without consulting God. If your timing is off on your big decisions, it could come back and bite you. James talked about this: James 4:13-17 NLT Warning about Self-Confidence 13 Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog; it's here a little while, then it's gone. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. 17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. How many problems would we avoid if God was consulted first. This was a problem in the Old Testament too: Psalm 127:1 NLT 1 Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. When making life changing plans, let's get God involved. When God is for you, he will send angels to protect you and bless your endeavors. 08/28/2026 Paul always talked about running a race in his letters. It was not a metaphor. He really wanted us to get moving so we are not the worse people at serving God. He knew there would be a prize for performance. James dealt on this further: James 2:14-26 NLT Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well, but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds." 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."b He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. Even though there is nothing wrong sitting down in an easy chair, but is it keeping us from finishing the race and proving we have faith. Sometimes, I have sat too long in that chair myself and I need to be more constructive with my time when it comes to God's dream for my life. Let's be go getters for Jesus Christ. 08/26/2026 I just talked about how God uses discipline to mature us. James also says we need perseverance to mature: James 1:2-5 New International Version Trials and Temptations 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. The NLT switches "perseverance" with "endurance". James 1:2-5 NLT Faith and Endurance 2 Dear brothers and sisters,a when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. Those words are definitely different. Which would our King want us to follow? These are the difference between perseverance and endurance: Endurance means surviving and withstanding difficult conditions, while perseverance means actively pushing forward to reach a goal despite obstacles. Well NIV wins because our King loves perseverance more then endurance because he has a goal for each one of us. 08/25/2026 The coolest thing I notice about a person who has a close relationship with Jesus Christ is this: Psalm 112:6-9 NLT 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. 8 They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. 9 They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. If you do not believe me just think about Paul and Jesus's disciples. This described them to a tee. That personal relationship with Jesus really does transform our faith and behavior. 08/24/2026 Ladies, do you have a man that you wish would grow up. I have had some hints like that. Do not fret, this is a common problem. Hebrews talks about disciplining our life. Hebrews 12:5-10 NLT 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. I have seen parents who have disciplined children and it is a beautiful thing to see. We should be like that towards our Lord. Jesus is preparing us for the day God reveals his glory. He wants a disciplined body that can disciple the new converts. We are the first thing they will see and we need to set the example how a true Christian lives. I do know that some of you men may be more disciplined then your wives but they usually seem to mature more quickly than we do. Both men and women all need some form a discipline when it comes to our Lord. We are what the world sees when it comes to God. Do not let our lack of discipline dishonor the name of Jesus! 08/23/2026 Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT) I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Sometimes we may wonder if this is really true. I have even heard this from well known evangelists. One asked the question "Do you continue to pray even if your prayers seem to go unanswered?" Another one who has the gift of healing said "I have prayed for a person in a wheel chair and they leave in that same wheel chair." God also revealed to him that flesh is strong in the body of Christ today. This effects our prayer life when we are not focused on God. For example, there are some amazing worship teams out there. One pastor commented on that desire for recognition in many of those worship teams. We should do everything as though it was for our Lord only. We all should let God alone set into motion our talents to be recognized, not our selfish ambition. God always hears our prayers but we need to ask the question, "Do I have selfish ambition because I am praying for this?" God will get his church in order. If you all believe these are the last days this will happen: Joel 2:28 NLT The Lord's Promise of His Spirit 28 Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. God glory is going to spread over the entire earth. This is necessary to fulfil what Jesus said, "Matthew 24:14 NLT 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come." Mark 13:10 NLT 10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. There is always amazing things that happens when God reveals his glory. When this all comes to past, watch how fast your prayers will be answered then. But for right now, let's get our hearts in order to get that prayer life now! 08/21/2026 Little Johnny'''s teacher asks the class to talk about what their fathers do for a living. Little Suzy raises her hand and says, "My dad is a doctor! He saves people's lives." Little Billy raises his hand and says, "My dad is a firefighter! He rescues people from burning buildings." The teacher turns to Johnny and asks, "Johnny, what does your dad do?" Johnny replies, "My dad is dead. He was a stripper at a club for men." The teacher is absolutely mortified, quickly changes the subject, and goes back to her desk. At recess, she walks up to Johnny and says, "Johnny, I am so sorry about your father, but is that really true?" Johnny whispers, "No, he actually plays for the New York Jets, but I was too embarrassed to say it out loud. This one made me laugh. We all need a laugh once in a while 08/19/2026 To me it does not require much faith to know that our universe was created by a real God. Since no other god has challeged our God for the title of creator, it proves our God is the one. I have never observed anything crossing the species line or a rock becoming life. More proof a God is needed to make this work out: Hebrews 11:3 NLT 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. What takes faith is believing an explosion created the universe. God calls it stupidity. Jesus calls it "Satan casting out Satan". Lets leave God out of the equation just using science. Engineers use the second law of thermodynamics: total entropy (disorder) of an isolated system must always increase over time during any spontaneous process. My body is changing negatively over time has proved the engineers right. Even my car which is beautiful does not look as good as it did when I bought it. I am sure you all see the same kind of things occurring like I do. The creationist use the law of creation: total entropy (disorder) of an isolated system must always decrease over time during any spontaneous process. The creationist says you have to wait millions of years to see their law work. The reason they do this is because they know that you will never actually see their law work during your life time. The creationist hates God because he stands for holiness. Plus having no God means I can live my life the way I want. If both of these laws are true it would be like mixing matter with anti-matter. You Trekies know about this. Jesus talked about this type of confusion: Mark 3:22-26 NLT 22 But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, "He's possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That's where he gets the power to cast out demons." 23 Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. "How can Satan cast out Satan?" he asked. 24 "A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. So it goes with the two laws. My vote is wth the 2nd law of thermodynamics which is always true when using science. Only God and his Son have the power to overcome decay and create something from nothing. Creation is physically impossible no matter how you look at it without God. As Paul said when God created the universe, he made sure everything points toward him. Romans 1:20 NLT For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities'''his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. This one describes the creationist to a tee: Romans 1:25 NLT They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen 08/18/2026 We talk about living for Jesus which is a good thing. But most people do not want to talk about what happens when we decide to reject him or abuse his gift of grace. Whoever wrote Hebrews laid it on heavy. Grace is not a "Get out of jail free" card: Hebrews 10:26-31 NLT 26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27 There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28 For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us. 30 For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The Lord will judge his own people." 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The message says the same thing. Hebrews 10:26-31 The Message 26-31 If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he'll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: "Vengeance is mine, and I won't overlook a thing" and "God will judge his people." Nobody's getting by with anything, believe me. We have the ability to break our King's heart. Why should he not get angry at us for not caring. If you truly love someone you will recognize when they put an effort out for you and you will appreciate it. Jesus's death was not like receiving a trinket. He gives you paradise instead of the lake of fire. All he wants is to have a relationship with you. When you have that relationship though, Jesus will shake his head every time when you think of doing something dumb. Jesus is Lord, treat him like he is Lord!!!!!!! 08/16/2026 They have things today called SSD's (solid state drives). They are great for speed doing computer stuff but are poor for long term storage if they are not refreshed frequently. God calls them brains in the biological world. When we don't refresh our brains, we start losing data too. God knew this would happen and gave use instruction on how to refresh our memory. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT 4 '''Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.a 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. God repeats himself just in case you have forgotten already. Deuteronomy 11:16-21 NLT 16 "But be careful. Don'''t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. 17 If you do, the Lord's anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you. 18 '''So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. David talks about those who do not refresh their minds and the problems they create. Psalm 78:10-16 NLT 10 They did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his instructions. 11 They forgot what he had done - the great wonders he had shown them, 12 the miracles he did for their ancestors on the plain of Zoan in the land of Egypt. 13 For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls! 14 In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire. 15 He split open the rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring. 16 He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river! David describes multiple times how the people forgot! Pay attention to the devastation God's people went through by not remembering. Psalm 106:7-23 NLT 7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord'''s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. 8 Even so, he saved them''' to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. 9 He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert. 10 So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes. 11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived. 12 Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise 13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel! 14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God'''s patience in that dry wasteland. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. 16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the Lord'''s holy priest. 17 Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels. 18 Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. 19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. 20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. 21 They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt''' 22 such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. 23 So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them. We read God's word to learn who he is and to retain what we have already learned. It is interesting that when I read God's word before doing these comments, I sure missed a lot of input. Now I look for input that can be used for all of us. What is even more weird is how you experience the same things that I go through. It must be a Holy Spirit thing. God has shown me how valuable you all are. He wants all of you to grow with me. I see where I need improving and I will tell you about it. I want people to bathe in the glory of God and not have you go through what the people of Israel chose to do just because they forgot. 08/15/2026 What would Jesus say about the faith of today's Christian and the church. He definitely would be disappointed. With all the comments people put on social media, you can see the lack of faith. I have even questioned God on his slowness of taking out the bad guys. There is spiritual warfare going out there. Our Admiral God has a battle plan in the works. He would rather take out 1 million bad guys in strategy then take 100 thousand out now. Just as those who have a lower rank in the military, they do not question the Admiral. Since our God is the ultimate strategist, we should trust what he has laid down behind the scenes. If God gave us his plans, the gossipers would reveal them to the enemy. I asked AI to define biblical faith. According to the Bible, faith is the confident assurance in God and His promises, even when they cannot be physically seen. It is active trust in who God is and what He does, rather than just knowing facts about Him. The closest the Bible comes to a direct definition is Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 11:1 ESV By Faith 11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Other then standing up for the principals of our King, maybe we should be quiet and let God work. So many times we feel we are experts on things but our thinking returns void. God tried to teach this principal to his people to keep their faith alive. Joshua 6:8-11 NLT 8 After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams' horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord's Covenant followed behind them. 9 Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. 10 '''Do not shout; do not even talk, Joshua commanded. "Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!" 11 So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp. The entire camp did this for 6 days keeping their mouth shut. Our words can diminish the faith of those around us. Even worse they can dishonor the name of God and Jesus. God does not need our advice on anything. When we speak we should say things that honor our Kings name, encourage the faith of the believers around us, and challenge those things that do not represent God's word. Last, but the most important, is to trust God who has full control of what is going on. 08/14/2026 Have you ever thought about why when you truly give your heart to Jesus that your interests change? It is in the power of his blood that this happens. Hebrews describes the process: Hebrews 9:11-15 New International Version The Blood of Christ 11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance'''now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. In the old days when the high priests when into sacrifice there was animal blood everywhere. Boy, I bet that was a mess. After conquering death, Jesus on the other hand shed his blood for us already and he can walk into the holy places perfectly clean. There he pleads our cases to the Father while forgiving our sins. His blood gives us the appearance of being righteous before the Father. He only does this for people who want a relationship with him. But he does NOT represent us if we are ashamed of him. Matthew 10:32 NIV "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven." Luke 12:8 NIV "I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. Don't let your pride get in the way of coming to Jesus. You better know where you are going to spend eternity. Apart from Jesus it will be a time of agony. 08/12/2026 John the Baptist and Jesus both talked about repenting. Did you you know there is a difference between forgiving sin and repenting? I first asked AI what it thought about this: In the Bible, repentance means a deep, complete change of mind, heart, and direction. It is not just feeling sorry or guilty for doing wrong. True biblical repentance is an active choice to turn away from sin and turn toward God. Jesus does forgive sins but he is looking for repentance as AI defines it. He even warns in Luke 13:3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. If you do not see change in your life where it is looking more like Christ each day, you have never truly repented. Your salvation is in jeopardy and it is time to let the baggage go. 08/11/2026 Habakkuk sure can read my mind. I have asked God the same questions: Habakkuk 1:1-4 NLT 1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision. Habakkuk'''s Complaint 2 How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! "Violence is everywhere!" I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. 4 The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. God did reply to Habakkuk. Since Babylon is not coming again I thought it would be fun to use current events in the reply: Habakkuk 1:5-11 Blue Mustang for America 5 The Lord replied, "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it. 6 I am raising up a man who the they call President Donald Trump, the snowflakes call him a cruel and violent man. He will march across the world and conquer other lands that challenge America's values. 7 These foreign nations are notorious for their cruelty and do whatever they like. 8 President Trump and the US military are swifter than cheetahs and fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their jets charge from far away. Like eagles, they swoop down to devour their prey. 9 Those nations are all bent on violence and meddling in our elections. Their hordes advance like a desert wind, sweeping captives ahead of them like sand. 10 They scoff at America and scorn all she represents. The US military simply drops bunker busters against their bunkers and captures them! 11 The US military sweeps past like the wind and are gone. But those nations and those who commit treason in this land America are deeply guilty, for their own strength is their god." 08/09/2026 Now you know in a nutshell why Jesus had to come to this earth as a man. Hebrews 2:14-17 NLT 14 Because God's children are human beings, made of flesh and blood, the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. There is a lot more to suffering and testing then just growing in Christ. We use our experience to help others grow in Christ too. If Jesus did it, he expects the same from us: Hebrews 2:18 NLT 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. 08/08/2026 Satan is beatable because he's predictable. The Bible says he's like a fisherman. He's only has 3 lures, 1 John 2:16-17 The Message 15-17 Don't love the world's ways. Don'''t love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world-wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important-has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out-but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. In another translation; 1 John 2:16 NLT 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. Satan's 3 lures are: There is the lust of the flesh. The enemy tries this one first. He knows that we all have desires but can he turn it into an over desire or addiction. Sex in the confine of a marriage pleases God but if it controls you to the point you become promiscuous it becomes a sin. Drinking is the same way. For most people, there's nothing wrong with it. Here's where it becomes a problem. When there's that voice that says, "That sure tasted good. Let's have another one." Now you are up to 4. It is approaching bedtime and you start to think, "Man, 1 or 2 more will help me sleep better." All of a sudden, it's a thing. You treat it as a good thing, and when you start to put your hope or your joy in it. Now it's become a sin thing. The enemy will not only use this against you but will try to control you with other addictions. All this separates you from God. Jesus enjoyed eating and was fasting. He faced this one: Matthew 4:3-4 NKJV 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Well if I cannot get him with food, I know men love to draw attention to themselves. Time for Satan to switch lures: Lust to the eyes - It is a desire to have a thing. Just whenever you've seen something and you fixate on it. And you keep saying, "I gotta have it. I'll never be happy unless I have that thing or do that thing." I want to get a Mustang GT500. If I say, " I want this car, but the timing is not right." If I put it on the back burner and continue to live my life the way God wants, this is not a sin. If I begin to fixate on the car, my thoughts are drawn more and more to it. And here's the problem is, when you start putting your hope in something and in your heart you start thinking, I can't be happy unless I have this car. And now all of a sudden, you're taking a good thing and elevate it to a God thing. And now it's become a sin. Lots of times we want things because it will make us look cool in front of people being able to do it. Satan was hoping it would work on Jesus. Matthew 4:5-7 NKJV 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Well, if I cannot get him to show off, I know men love to be great and rule over other men. Time for Satan to switch lures: Pride of life - It's not a desire to have a thing. Pride of life is a desire to be a thing. This is a fight, it's about things like status and control. This is about living for the applause of people, instead of the, applause of God. A good example of this is Hangman in TopGun Maverick who thought he was the best pilot in the world. He could back it up until Maverick proved he was better. People want nothing to do with you when you are in this state except if money can be made. Your throne cannot exist with God's. When you set up your throne, you will separate yourself from God. Satan will use this against you until he destroys you. Satan was hoping he could apply this tactic to Jesus: Matthew 4:8-10 NKJV 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" When none of Satan's lures could capture Jesus, this is what he did next. Matthew 4:11 NKJV 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. The enemy does not have any more lures because he usually gets what he wants with those three. Let's continue to disappoint him. This is not to say the enemy will not come back to try again because Paul talks about spiritual warfare in Ephesian 6. Stay focused on the things of God and the enemy will chase after the easier targets first. When you challenge the enemy, do like Jesus did and say, "It is written". It is a tactful way of saying to the one who knows scriptures better then any of us, "You moron, you should have known what God wrote about this." In the end God's truth will always win." Psalm 149:4 NLT For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Psalm 46:1 (NLT) God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 08/06/2026 Most of us think angels are cool. Angels are talked about a lot in movies and even in the word of God. They deliver God's messages and can take out a legion of men with their power that God gave them. Daniel and Paul talks about the spiritual battles they are fighting for us. They can move about invisibly or take shapes as people. This ability to do all this makes them pretty cool. No one talks about the fact that angels make bad decisions like we do. We call it sin. Satan and 1/3 of the angels rebelled against God and were kicked out of heaven because of a bad decision. What is so interesting that Jesus did not come for the angels but he laid his life down for you and me. Hebrews 1 talks about this great thing Jesus did for us. The angels even worshiped Jesus when he came into this world as a man. I do believe the angels enjoy their job when God has them watch over us. The next time you think your efforts as a Christian are in vain, think about this: Hebrews 1:13-14 NLT 13 And God never said to any of the angels, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet." 14 Therefore, angels are only servants - spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. Jesus was fully man and fully God. No angel was mentioned as a part of Jesus's DNA. Those who have seen heaven still see the scars Jesus bears as a reminder to us to the great thing he did for us as a man. We also are made in the image of God. I truly believe that God looks like Jesus. Jesus told Philip: John 14:9 NLT Jesus replied, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don't know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? We are extremely valuable to God. He would not have sent his Son if this was not true. 08/03/2026 Have you ever thought of yourself as insignificant? It may seem everyone else is better than I am when it comes to serving God. Let me tell you what Paul said about a so called insignificant man. I bet some of you are like Philemon now. Philemon 4-7 NLT Paul's Thanksgiving and Prayer 4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God's people. Imitate Philemon so you can bring joy, comfort, and refresh the hearts of those around you. Paul's message stated to Philemon that you have affected me and the many people around you positively. Don't give up. We all can be like Philemon! My goal is to make sure when people encounter me that when they leave that they are more encouraged then when they came. We should be like Paul and pray that we all can be like this. So when you see a brother or sister struggle, pray and give thanks for them. I too, will try to make more effort to pray for special people in my life.
