Forgiveness is part of being a Christian just like breathing is part of being human.

"....if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also MUST do." Col.3:13b

It's not optional, nor is there a "unique circumstance" or person who is immune from God's command. Jesus also warned if we do not forgive ,we will not be forgiven -Mat.6:15. How do you enter Heaven if you're not forgiven? I like C.S. Lewis quote:

— 'To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.'

This sounds harsh but DO NOT call yourself a "Christian" if you refuse to forgive even one person (or at the least, repent now if you do claim Christ). Forgiveness is part of being a Christian just like breathing is part of being human. I do not say this without knowing what it's like to be deeply hurt and betrayed, I was nearly stabbed to death by my own father, so I am not speaking as a naive person who "doesn't understand" what you're going through. It's hard, but possible if you remember all that Christ forgave you and how it cost His life to forgive you, then give it to Him. If you think you "haven't been that bad," or as bad as the offender, so it'st not the same, just remember your sin was enough to put Jesus on the cross too. If I can forgive my father, if Christ can forgive you, what is your excuse? Will your excuse stand against scripture successfully in judgement? No. Do not hold people (or yourself) hostage to your resentment that you have no right to hold, regardless of who you are or your circumstance. Taste the freedom of forgiveness and move on!

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Mat.5:7

Hard hearts don't let go easily

Exodus 7:14 "So the Lord said to Moses: “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go. "

Just as Pharaoh did not let go of the people of Israel due to a hard heart, so we don't let go of sin because of a hard heart. Sin hardens the heart so that the heart will not desire to rid itself of sin. It is looking for a place to stay and call home, so it gets the owner of the home to be comfortable with it's presence.Like a salesmen knocking on your door with a tempting product, it introduces itself as a kind stranger to be welcomed in your home. The more sin is allowed in and practiced, the harder the heart gets,sin turns from an acquaintance,to a guest, to eventually owner of the house! When sin introduces itself as a kind salesmen, it only advertises the pleasurable aspects of it's product without the side effects or cost, i.e, Satan to Eve in Genesis 3:5, "..and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.."..Never mind you'll die and know the pain/sorrow of evil as well.

Satan sells the alcohol's buzz- not the car wreck, the sex- not the broken relationship or the unwanted pregnancy/STD, the porn- not the broken marriage from unreal expectations/discontentment, the laughs- not the destroyed career/friendship by gossip.. etc.

Salesmen are trained to talk about cost, last and little... They'll skim over it after they see the product is desired by the prospect and they know they are ready to buy, convinced it is worth it regardless the price. Some salesmen (like the devil), will get you to sign the contract without even knowing it's full cost. Jesus puts up the cost first and clear with no fine print (Luke 9:23).

Like a neighborhood cat at our door, we can feed sin and cause it to grow and become a welcome visitor (Gen 4:7), or we can feed our hearts with God's word and cause our love of God to grow. That is why it is so important to remember our first love (Rev.2:4), One: because He commands and deserves it of course, and wants an intimate relationship with us. Two: because without loving God as we should we will start to love this world in ways we should not.

Your heart will inevitably love something,it is designed to love, direct that love to God, not to self or sin, which is love perverted, as Satan perverts all good things by taking them out of their boundaries and twisting them to another purpose than God originally intended (like sex, made for marriage, is perverted by fornication. Fornication illegitimately takes the reward of a lifelong commitment it has not made). A loving relationship is not easy and takes work, but the Lord must have our hearts, because when we possess them they are wicked and deceitful to our own spiritual ruin (Jer.17:9). But when we abide in Him and return to Him, what peace and good fruit will flow from our hearts and lives (John 15:4/Isaiah 26:3/Psalm 119:9-11) !

When Suffering Doesn't Make Sense

I spent years trying to make sense of a particular suffering that didn't make sense. Regardless of any suffering, God can turn it to a testimony. We go through trials, it is part of life. What is always in a legal trial? A testimony. You do not have to just sit and suffer as the trial goes down, but be a witness in your trial as to who God is and what He has done in the midst of it. Not all suffering is sent by God,though God does test us. Ultimately all suffering is because we live in a world fallen by sin and suffering reveals how truly ugly sin is and it's consequence, it warns us that because of sin there is suffering, so we need to hate sin as we see all the destruction it has brought forth. God does allow suffering though, just like He allows us to be tempted, yet He does not tempt anyone. When God allows, we must let the fiery trial refine us and our character,revealing what is hidden in our hearts and letting God turn our hearts to Godly character. Responding the right way to what God allows is critical, instead of failing the test of being found faithful and allowing a bitter root to grow and destroy us from the inside (Hebrews 12:15).

God allows trials to increase our character,  as we read here:

Romans 5:3,4

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

James 1: 2-4

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Psalm 119:71
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn your statutes."

God's ultimate goal, is to make us like His Son, so if suffering makes me more like Him with His character traits I would not otherwise have, I welcome what God will use to make me like Jesus.

Of course in the suffering you think “How could you allow this God?” But you do not see the story from the other side and what He can accomplish through you if you allow your trial to turn into a testimony. For years, I did not see or understand the fruit of how God was going to use my suffering; After being forced away from the town I grew up in and loved, also suffering great physical/mental/emotional and even spiritual, trauma from an abusive father who ended up trying to kill me and almost did (much blood was donated to keep me alive). I now can say I have seen the fruit in eternal value. My testimony allows me to have empathy toward hurt people and share the reason for the hope in me (1 Peter 3:15) that doesn’t make sense to this world. I have seen the lost come to Christ who had experienced other traumas and when they heard how God saved me from despair, attempted suicide, from hatred and anger, how He gave me the power to forgive, and the joy on my face, they realize they are not hopeless either and some have accepted Christ.

Note this:  If just one soul gets saved , as a result of God using the circumstances in your life, to create a testimony to reach their heart, in a way that someone who hasn’t suffered could not, it is worth any suffering you have endured.  

I do not say that ignorantly or hypocritically as I intimately know the suffering of near death,abuse,loss of justice (no jail time for attacker as he got off with insanity defense) and years of trauma to the point of madness that brought attempted suicide. God lifted me out to help those still in it.Ask God to make your temporary suffering have eternal value. Even 90 years of suffering would be worth one soul not suffering forever and by far worse.  So whatever your suffering has been, small or major, be sure to keep the right attitude and confidence in God to use it for His glory and ask Him to be glorified in it.Ask Him to use it as a testimony for people suffering similarly. If you have been divorced or abandoned or raised in a broken home, reach out to the lost who are going through the hurt of broken relationships, if you have suffered trauma, reach out to victims similar, if chronic pain, reach out to those physically hurting and depressed from it. When people who are suffering without Christ see how you overcame because of Him, or, how you are currently dealing with it and having joy that doesn’t make sense; it will draw them to want to know the reason for the hope that is in you.

Don’t allow bitterness to ruin your story and defeat the purpose God can make for your suffering. With great suffering can come a great testimony. Even tiny insignificant suffering, like being stuck at a long red light, instead of fretting something you can't change, use that time to sing a praise song to God, you might wish it stayed red longer...       

The bible mentions patience and perseverance in suffering, there is also here where Peter writes:

2 Peter 1:5-11

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

Wonderful, eternal  promises in the next verse 10-11:

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

 You need to understand this and grow and live in God's word so you are prepared for trials ahead and so you don't turn from Christ out of an unexpected event in life that can easily bring bitterness. There is also a suffering you need to be prepared for because it is completely voluntary and avoidable, yet shouldn't be avoided, because there is a much greater eternal suffering if you refuse it, because to refuse it is to deny Christ, and Christ promised if we deny Him He will deny us (Mathew 10:33), How can you go to Heaven if the only way in there denies you? That suffering I am referring to is promised to the Godly (2 Timothy 3:12), it is persecution, not a popular promise to claim out of scripture...but it as much a promise as any other promise in the Bible, something prosperity preachers tend to avoid "naming and claiming." Persecution is avoided by the unfaithful 'among' the Church, when they deny Christ in order to escape the suffering of persecution; whether it be from Universities mocking you and failing you, keeping you from a degree you have put so much time and debt into because you won't do immoral assignments, employers firing you for not condoning sinful co-worker behavior,witnessing or for posting truth online, friends forsaking you, whomever. Count the cost (Luke 9:23,24/Luke 14:26-33), for all who desire to live Godly will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12, this includes Americans too) and prepare yourself, as we are in a spiritual war.

If you are suffering right now, have suffered, or will in the future, you need to lean on the everlasting arms and let God make something good out of it, so that your suffering is not in vain, and to spare someone else from eternal suffering. Stay in walking and trusting in God’s word, because your own heart will deceive you (Jeremiah 17:9) to feel so sorry for yourself, that you are blind to the desperate need of the hurting world around you, and it will keep you from knowing Joy in suffering. Make Satan regret that he attacked you by using it for the glory of God.

p.s.-

In case you were wondering about the 'hate' for families that Jesus referred to in Luke 14:26, it doesn't mean to actually hate someone, because that would contradict Christ's second greatest commandment to love everyone as yourself. It is meant as comparison, We must love Christ far above all to where our love for others could be mistaken as hatred -compared to- our love for God. We must be willing to choose him over the approval of our families,friends,job positions, whatever, even if it means losing those things because they reject the truth (Jesus) that we are devoted to with our lives. We would hate losing Jesus more, than over losing family, because of them rejecting Him, and would thus choose to lose anything over denying Christ or compromising for a 'watered-down' faith for the sake of 'peace' in the home. This hatred can also mean, as Paul described, counting everything loss for Christ (Philippians 3:8), like if God called you to the mission field in some distant land (we're all missionaries technically, but I am describing an actual physical location move) it would require you to lose everything as you know it, even losing time with Godly family, possessions, and the American Dream...are you willing to give that all away if Christ so called you? He knows your heart, so don't just say "yes!" to that to make yourself feel 'Christian'. Count the cost, if you're not willing to pay, do not call yourself a Christian (that sounds harsh, but the truth is harsh to those who hate it), since Christ demands all, and He Himself gave all for you. He doesn't demand all with hypocrisy, He has not given any order He wasn't been willing to do Himself, Our mighty good leader led by example, just look at Genesis 22:2 when God gave Abraham a test of sacrificing his one and only son,whom he loved...which God would actually end up doing Himself in John 3:16. That is why it sounds so familiar. Give everything you have to Jesus, that doesn't mean you gotta go be a homeless preacher, (like I used to think before reading Timothy in the Bible, In Timothy, Paul rebukes men who don't work and provide for their family -1 Timothy 5:8-), however, the willingness to part with anything at anytime for any cost must be in your heart towards God, even if it does cost you your job or where you live, or if you have to switch jobs in order not to commit immoral tasks like the Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis,was willing to give up.

I know this is a long "p.s.-", but that verse needed clarification, especially for those young in the faith, and it is related because it too is a form of suffering.
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"It's a new wife!"

In America, we trade spouses like new cars. Imagine if the Price is Right game show said, "It's a new wife! The all new wife comes with everything you expected the first one to have, newer body and hair, less nagging, different baggage, and a lifetime of personal fulfillment!" We'd be appalled. Yet that is what people do. They leave and when they get that New Spouse they jump for joy in what they've won, ignoring and despising what they had.


In Genesis 20:3 we read:

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”

God threatened greatly a man for coming close to taking Abraham's wife. Notice God wasn't mad because she was -Abraham's wife-, but simply because she was "a man's wife." He hated the thought of a marriage being broken by another person. What God has put together let no man separate.May we regard marriage the same way God does so we are not stricken by Him. Why does the church re-marry unbiblical second marriages? We have ignored scripture, God forgive us and bring us to repentance. Remarrying is only permissible if the first spouse dies or has broken the marriage through adultery (1 Corinthians 7:39/Mathew 19:9). The victim can remarry, it is not a loophole for the adulterer to remarry. I forget sometimes how serious marriage is, with how our society, even in the church, has treated it. Thankfully through God's word, the culture's standards are tuned out of my ear and I hear God's standards through His word. I must take heed to them and not the culture or even the modern church's loosened standards. You want God to speak to you? He already has. Read His word. If you're looking for some 'new thing' or 'revelation' for God to say to you, could it be because you don't like what He has already said in His word? The devil may very well offer you a new word your flesh would like to hear, to have it your way, like he did with Eve saying, "Did God say?" He does that all the time with people trying to justify second marriages in the church. Even so, "Let God be true and every man a liar." 

"Then men began to call on the name of the Lord."

"Then men began to call on the name of the Lord." At first I didn't know what the Bible meant by that (what'd they do before?), then I thought about where it was placed. In Genesis 4 we read of Cain's lineage, how he begot Enoch, etc.. then we read of Seth having a son, E'nosh. If you notice it didn't say men began to call on the name of the Lord, after mentioning Cain's children. It said it after Seth's lineage (Gen.4:26).Seth was a Godly replacement for Abel. It's so important to model Godly behavior to your kids and raise them "in the way they should go" (Prov 22:6) and in the admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:4) so that they and their children will begin to "call on the name of the Lord." I think this nation largely fell in part, to parents either being apathetic, poor role models of Godliness,or, not wanting to "push their views" on their kids. How tragic! Who would want their child to explore any other 'view' since Christ is the only way? They would perish in hell and their families with them! That is not giving your kid freedom by leaving him to his own beliefs, it is bondage and damnation. For Christ alone has the words of life (John 6:68). Plus, it is disobedient to scripture not to raise your kids in the admonition of the Lord. When I think of the warning of causing a young one to stumble, how it'd be better to be cast into the sea (Luke 17:2)....the responsibility of parenthood is a sobering thought. Your kids won't be perfect because your not, but they sure can know and grow in God's word and see you as an example on how to follow Christ. Can you honestly say to your kids like Paul did to the Corinthians, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." ? (1 Cor.11:1) They will imitate you regardless. I came from a home of a Godly mother and a wicked father, but by the grace of God I am what I am today. There's no foolproof guarantee your children will choose you if you are in a marriage like that, but they sure better see it in your life. I saw the peace and life my mom had that my dad did not, and I saw his destruction. Be that light and example and pray your kids and spouse will be drawn to it. If both mom and dad are pursuing God,all the better. If your family is away from God,or you've already blown it, God is merciful! Repent and start today! His mercy is new every morning and He is not bound by circumstance of your mistakes. You may be called a hypocrite at first, but if you are consistent, your actions will silence such accusations (1 Peter 3:16/2:12). They might could be won over by seeing your Godly conduct (1 Peter 3:1,2). It is worth the chance. It is worth it alone for yourself to be found faithful and unashamed at Christ's appearing. Do you have concern for the lost to know Christ? For your child to know Christ? If it doesn't bother or concern you, than you probably need Jesus just as desperately. God bless!

Do you love you? I love me too!

Question: Who loves them self more than they should,extremely values their own opinions, selfish, proud, and self seeking? 

Answer: Look in the mirror

We all are guilty of loving ourselves too much... This is why we must die daily to ourselves if we are to walk the Christian talk and love God above all, as He says we must do (Luke 9:23/10:27). There is no good in ourselves (Luke 18:19/Romans 3:10), any genuine goodness coming out of us is Christ in us (Philippians 2:13/Galatians 2:20). Abide in Him, because apart from Him you cannot bear good fruit (John 15:4), but when you abide in Him, the fruit will naturally start to grow and produce,being evidence of a truly changed heart...

Missing out on Jesus for good things.

Luke 10:41-42.And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha was a great woman of God , but the Church today, mostly and sadly remember her for the wrong things (like we do with the disciple Thomas, he wasn't the only doubter). We've all done what Martha the human-like-us did, getting busy doing good things, even things for God,but forgetting to stop and realign priority, and remember loving intimacy with Jesus is far more important. Because if we don't abide in Him, we can do nothing (John 15:4). Look at what Jesus says to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2, very busy church doing good things, but probably became "mechanical", and forgot loving Christ.Love serves joyfully, legalism serves miserably. Sometimes we miss on fellowship with Jesus because we get distracted by things in life: a crazy schedule, a tv show, even church activities... when we have a chance to do something and then stop and choose Christ instead, He is well pleased to be in our company. Get alone with God. Close your door and pray, and choose Him over something else you'd love to do since He must be loved above all anyways. He will bless you with His presence. As He says you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart. It is so easy to try to split your heart into partial loyalty to Him and something else. Don't miss a moment God wants to have with you. I find this a challenge when I want to binge watch an old favorite show or am even volunteering somewhere. Relationships take purposeful work to develop and grow. Put the time and effort in God you would put in a lover. Pursue Him like you loved Him. I say all this to myself as well.

Our fruit reveals what "kind" of tree we are.

Genesis 1:11-12,25

11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.


"After his kind..." 

I think how the tree made seed after it's kind, and grass etc, Pecan trees make Pecan trees, apple trees make apple trees, Cats make cats, not dogs, etc., then I think about the fruit in our lives, oh how it comes after it's kind! If the fruit in our lives is bad, it is merely because it is after it's own kind (the source of it, ourselves, our hearts), if it is good, it comes from it's good source, Christ in you (John 15:4). What "kind" of fruit is coming from you, it's origin? What do you see coming out of your life and the results? Do you have the fruit of the spirit? You should if His spirit is in you, it only makes sense. If you don't have the Spirit, you won't have the fruit of it. Go through it's list (Galatians 5:22-23), and examine yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5) to see if you are really Christ's since you would possess His "kind" of traits as His child.:The fruit in your life will determine the nature of what source it is coming from (Mathew 7:17-20:).

"Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

Are you a spoiled child?... of God?

When I grew up, my childhood playgrounds were made of wood that gave you splinters, metal slides pre-heated to 200 degrees by the open sun, and merry-go-rounds that made you dizzy with a concussion if you got spun off. If you’re old and reading this you’re probably laughing or horrified with memories, if you’re young, believe it or not we had the time of our lives and are better for it! Nowadays with safety in mind (for good reason) and sue-happy parents, we now build them with heat-resistant, splinter-proof, plastic and you don’t see as many of the questionable playground equipment where you can fall off or spin until you lose your lunch. I get the reasons. Kids are safer because of them. In case you haven’t noticed though we’ve taken a concept for safety and keeping from any type of harm and applied it in ways to our own hurt. We treat kids and youth, and even ourselves, with kid gloves and grow up with a deep lack of character and preparation for the real world. We want our whole lives including our kid's, to be sheltered in plastic from harm but this is a grand illusion. There is a rare disease few people have who literally feel no pain and they must constantly be supervised because they are unaware of any injury such as a broken leg or open wound. Pain is a warning of a truth in order to prevent greater harm. Our hurt is a clear signal from our nerves that something has gone wrong and needs attention: "you have a broken leg" that needs mended, "you have cancer" that needs treated, and spiritually speaking..."you have sin" that needs forgiven.If pain is ignored and not yielded to,it can lead to death. Someone who is never exposed to any suffering of life, may be unaware of the suffering of their lost soul, and deeply lack character. As Agur told God not to bless him with too much, because he was afraid he would become proud in heart, and feel like he had no need of God in Proverbs 30:9. God allows suffering from sin in part, for us to realize our dependency and desperate need for Him so we do not become proud, and also because if there is this much destruction from suffering here from sin (all suffering, even in non-sinful cases, is ultimately because of sin entering the world, and death through sin) , there must be spiritual suffering as a result of sin as well.It reveals the true ugliness of sin and our fallen condition .  The lack of preparation for suffering in the world can be spiritually fatal. It is a disgrace to send a kid, spiritually unprepared, off to college where professors will mock their faith, co-eds will tempt with pre-marital sex (even at the Christian Colleges),drinking etc.  They will enter into relationships and jobs where they are not protected in the four walls of a church or homeschool (not knocking homeschool, it is great if done right, and I have done both public and homeschool). We have a small chance to be real with them about life and let them know there will not always be a design of a ‘plastic playground’ to keep them from harm. God allows trials to increase our character,  as we read here:

Romans 5:3,4

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

James 1: 2-4

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

I am not saying be pessimistic and tell them not to dream big or to be negative about life; but you and your kid or youth had better be biblically prepared for the real world and armed with scripture to counteract the lies that this world will certainly bombard them with. The world awaits them with open arms to pull them down. It will do so if they are not walking in God’s word.

Another reason to be real with them is because they need to understand when trials come, how to make sense of suffering that doesn’t make sense. I have had my share of suffering, (even horrific such as being nearly stabbed to death and PTSD many years thereafter). Of course in the suffering you think “How could you allow this God?” But you do not see the story from the other side and what He can accomplish through you if you allow your trial to turn into a testimony. For years, I did not see or understand the fruit of how God was going to use my suffering. After being forced away from the town I  grew up in and loved, also suffering great trauma, I now can say I have seen the fruit in eternal value. My testimony allows me to have empathy toward hurt people and share the reason for the hope in me (1 Peter 3:15) that doesn’t make sense to this world. I have seen the lost come to Christ who had experienced other traumas and when they heard how God saved me from despair, attempted suicide, from hatred and anger, how He gave me the power to forgive, and the joy on my face, they realize they are not hopeless either and some have accepted Christ.

Note this:  If just one soul gets saved , as a result of God using the circumstances in your life, to create a testimony to reach their heart, in a way that someone who hasn’t suffered could not, it is worth any suffering you have endured.  

I do not say that ignorantly of hypocritically as I intimately know the suffering of near death,abuse, and years of trauma to the point of madness. God lifted me out to help those still in it.Ask God to make your temporary suffering have eternal value. Even 90 years of suffering would be worth one soul not suffering forever and by far worse.  So whatever your suffering has been, small or major, be sure to keep the right attitude and confidence in God to use it for His glory and ask Him to be glorified in it. Ask Him to use it as a testimony for people suffering similarly. If you have been divorced or left, reach out to the lost who are going through that, if you have suffered trauma, reach out to victims similar, if chronic pain, to those physically hurting and depressed from it. When people who are suffering without Christ see how you overcame, or, how you are currently dealing with it and having joy that doesn’t make sense. It will draw them to want to know the reason for the hope that is in you. Don’t allow bitterness to ruin your story and defeat the purpose God can make for your suffering.       

The bible mentions patience and perseverance in suffering, there is also here where Peter writes:

2 Peter 1:5-11

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

Wonderful, eternal  promises in the next verse 10-11:

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

So I know this devotional kind of split into two parts; from spoiled unprepared kids, to, people who have suffered. But they are very inter-linked. Because like it or not, kids/youth will grow and face suffering and you do not want them to turn from Christ out of an unexpected bitterness of life, or denying Him to avoid the suffering of persecution from Universities, employers, friends, whomever. So prepare them and prepare yourself as we are in a spiritual war. If you are suffering right now, have suffered, or will in the future, you need to lean on the everlasting arms and let God make something good out of it, so that your suffering is not in vain, and to spare someone else from eternal suffering. Stay in walking and trusting God’s word, because your own heart will deceive you (Jeremiah 17:9) to feel so sorry for yourself, that you are blind to the desperate need of the hurting world around you, and it will keep you from knowing Joy in suffering. Make Satan regret that he attacked you by using it for the glory of God.

"Water World"

Mathew 14:28-33

28.And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 Then those who were in the boat came and[c] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Peter was walking on water, he must have felt on top of the world, literally. He was so confident he actually asked Christ to to enable him to come to Him on the water. As the winds blew his confidence turned to doubt. He was already defying laws of gravity, yet the winds intimidated him. Have you ever been so sure about standing with Christ at first, but then later some wind of circumstance intimidated you to doubt, and you went from walking above this world to sinking in it? When Peter got distracted and took his focus and confidence off Christ, he sank. He cried out to the Lord to save him, and Jesus' restored his footing above the water.

What distraction,sin, or circumstance, did you start to focus on and take your eyes off Christ which caused you to sink from where you stood with Him? Cry out to Jesus like Peter did and ask Him to restore you back to standing with Him (He can do it immediately like He did with Peter) . Regain the confidence you had when you first called on Christ. Or, if you've always been under the 'water' of this world of sin, and realize you have never been saved in the first place, call on Jesus like Peter did, Peter did not swim his way back to on top of the water, he had no confidence in himself, he simply called on the Lord to save him, and Christ did all the saving. Peter only had to trust, Christ did all the work to save him (Ephesians 2:8,9/Romans 10:13). 

For the falling believer, read what Jesus wrote to the church of Ephesus about remembering the height from where you fell (Revelation 2:5). What are the first works? I believe it is the first and greatest commandment (Mathew 22:37). Unless we serve Christ out of love and abide in Him, we will serve ineffective out of legalism. Jesus said,  "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." John 15:4

Paul gave great examples of Christian service and said if he did it without love, he is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

So without abiding in Christ and loving Him as we should, we will remain fallen,not bearing fruit, and nothing without love. Serving out of love is how we must serve or we will burn out. If you're burnt out, follow Jesus instructions (Revelation 2:5/John 15:4). Get refreshed by His living water and drop the weights (even non-sinful things) and sin that have hindered your running in the race (Hebrews 12:1). Something I'm working on as well (there are a lot of 'weights' God may reveal if you ask Him to, that may be painful to give up, but if you do, joy follows greater than the pleasure the weights you let go of gave).

p.s.- I highly recommend listening to Audio Adrenaline's song: "Walk on water" in relation to this article.

Mistaken for Jesus, are you?

Mathew 14:1,2

"1.At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

2.And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him."

John the Baptist walked so close to the Lord and resembled His love and actions that he was mistaken for Jesus (they technically had mistaken Jesus for him, because John was here first, but that's because he was already showing and living out the love that is in Jesus Christ beforehand, but you get the idea). We need to be resembling Jesus so much in our lives to this world that when they encounter us, it's as if they have encountered Jesus. They need to feel the love and care Jesus showed, and also hear the gospel boldly without it being watered down. Is your life so upright and loving to others that the world could look at you and know you belong Jesus? Herod thought John was risen because of the mighty works Christ did. I wonder how many will realize Christ is risen when they see us doing mighty works for God.

Christian response to Homosexuals

You've probably seen people on the news holding signs that say, "God hates you!" They irreverently show up to funerals and scream at people's faces. They do an incredible disservice to the message of the gospel because they contradict this truth: Christ did not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Luke 5:32). God loves all, including homosexuals. Christ died for the homosexual as much as He died for anyone else.When a homosexual says, " I was born this way," I respond, "I also was born with a sinful nature that opposed God." The bible says regardless to whatever sin you were born fond of (i.e. lying,gossip,drunkenness,fornication,homosexuality); that 'you must be born again' (John 3:3). I do not agree anyone is born homosexual, but I am trying to convey the point we are all corrupt in sin and naturally desire to do evil from birth, til we are saved, and that any sin, whether we consider it to be a  "big sin" lifestyle or "little sin," will still take the lost to hell. A straight fornicator is just as hellbound as a homosexual is. When I was born, no one had to teach me to lie,steal or hit, or hate even, it was my sin nature I inherited from Adam and Eve. I had to be taught to tell the truth, to share, and to love others. It was contrary to my nature, and until someone becomes born again by repentance and trusting in Jesus to save and change them, they will remain in a sinful nature with desires that are contrary to God.Behavior modification is temporary for any 'bad habit' (sin), because what is truly needed is a heart transformation.Because 'the heart is deceitful above all things' and 'desperately wicked' (Jeremiah17:9) All our hearts are that way til we come to Jesus to change it. The source of sin is in our heart. Out of it comes murder,adultery,evil thoughts,etc. (Math 15:19) 
Ask God to change your heart through His saving power in Jesus Christ.You hear of catholic priests who molest little boys, why? because those priests came to a religion, but not a relationship with Christ to change the heart itself. So they tried to deny their sinful nature and cravings of lust, but eventually fail and give in because until the heart is changed by Jesus Christ, it remains full of wicked desire.Religion cannot contain the evil desires.It only suppresses 'urges' and eventually a meltdown of indulgence occurs.Instead of being a sheep (saved) naturally doing what sheep do, you're still a wolf (unsaved) just containing your desires in a cage of religion you put yourself in, that will not always hold you. Only Jesus can change the heart itself not to desire evil things. Christ came to set us free from the bondage of sin and death. He came to bring us freedom from sin. Not freedom to sin, as some mistakenly pervert grace to mean. So am I "anti-homosexual?" I would correct the phrase to be 'anti-homosexuality' because I hate the practice of it, but not the person who does it,The same as I am "anti-lying," "anti-lust," "anti-drunk," etc. I hate the sin, not the sinner. God hates the sin, but He lovingly died to rescue the sinner out of the sin. Jesus was a friend of sinners, but the goal was to free them from it, not keep them in it and condone it. God can free and change anyone, from the drunk, the pornographer, to the homosexual. We all need to be saved from our sins because any sin condemns us and separates us from our maker. If we break even one commandment, we are guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). Who hasn't ever once lied,lusted or hated before? Guilty of all sin then. But again, 'you must be born again' if you are to overcome any sin at all.Some homosexuals falsely argue that you cannot separate the two by 'hating the sin and not the sinner' because it is who they are, so they equate it with hating their very personhood, so as to excuse themself from judgement by saying 'God made me this way so you must hate me also', but once again, you MUST be born again regardless of whatever sin you embrace as being "part of who you are". Part of the cost of following Christ is to part from your sin and die to 'who you are'(self and self-will) and to become like Him and who He is (Luke 9:23/Galatians 5:24) doing His will (Mathew 7:21-23/Luke 22:42). For "He must increase, I must decrease." John 3:30. That is a cost most are not willing to pay because they love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). You will not desire to do this til you understand your need for Him to save you and what Jesus lovingly and willingly did for you on the cross, and then come to Jesus Christ in repentance (turning from sin/self-righteousness), and in faith (putting your trust in what He did for you on the cross and resurrection, and who He is: Savior and Lord), and allow Him to change and transform your heart. You must see what a sinner you are and what a Savior He is. God does indeed love the sinner, for that is who He came to save, to save from what? The sin that He hates and will punish in His wrath. No sinful pleasure is worth hell, and I can tell you from being a filthy, rotten, even religious, sinner for years in rebellion against God,seeking my own sinful pleasure, that it is far more pleasurable to know Him and the weight of sin and guilt lifted off me, with sweet sleep at night knowing no more fear of hell or God's wrath. I sleep with peace because I have peace with God through His Son and know He loves me and I belong to Him. I couldn't do that before I knew Him. Neither can you love God or desire to honor Him with your life before you come to Jesus as the sinful person in need of a savior that you are. Jesus said, 'if you love me you will keep my commands,' so the unrepentant sinner cannot love Jesus because he/she is living a life of breaking His commands. Christ forgave adulterers,prostitutes,thieves,murderers, etc, but they had to come to Him, forsake their sin, and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. God forgave the woman caught in adultery, but told her 'Go and sin no more.' He did not say, 'you're forgiven, now you can do whatever you like.' He forgave her as Savior, He commanded her to sin no more as Lord. Anyone who comes to Christ to be saved will not be turned away (John 6:37). 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble' (James 4:6). So humble yourself before Jesus Christ, be broken of your sin against God and ask for His mercy and to save you and change your heart.God is rich in mercy! His blood can cleanse any sin and is more powerful than any sin or addiction.

On a separate note to those already saved: We do not water down the message, thus presenting a diluted ineffective vaccine to cure, and thus producing a false convert with false assurance of salvation, but we better bathe our message in love when we do present it uncompromised. We will still be accused of hatred no matter how kind and lovingly we present the truth, because the world hates the truth.They hated it when Jesus said the truth, and you are not going to out-love Him.The world redefines love as 'tolerance' and condoning approval of sin, instead of love being a kind warning to keep them from death and destruction (just like when a child says, "you hate me!" because they didn't get their way). So they will accuse you of hate speech and bigotry. But still, we will kill our witness and contradict the gospel if we do it with a hateful, self-righteous attitude, or if we lose our temper, which can easily be done to a hostile mocker if you don't guard your emotions when things get "heated". That is partly why Peter says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" 1 Peter 3:15 

Ask yourself when witnessing, or debating, am I doing this with meekness? If not, you need to stop and check yourself so your witness is not contradicted by the ugliness you will otherwise portray on your face and tone. We are to be indignant about sin, but we are to not sin in our anger, and need to realize we will turn people off if we do. Another point is, do you debate for the sake of winning an argument? Is that your objective? To 'one-up' the other?Or is it to win the sinner over because you are lovingly concerned for their well-being? I have been guilty of the wrong motives, and still do from time to time, but I am trying to evaluate myself while witnessing to see, "what do I look like on the outside?" Does this person (whether they agree or oppose me) know that my concern for them is genuine? OR, do they feel like a project or a means to win an argument? If I have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).  Love through your life,your conduct, your words, silence their accusations by your good deeds.

Mouse trap, the bait of sin. (poem)

I saw a mouse get caught for some cheese,
giving his life for a little snack.
I thought how foolish, to die for a treat.
I'm sure he wished he could take it back,

Then I remembered what the bible says,
for us to lay down our sin.
It easily entangles us in a trap,
chains disguised by enticement.

Like a bear trap, 
it just takes one wrong step,
to get caught there and be bound.
It will leave nothing but regret,
but through repentance, freedom is found.

Like a monkey who puts his hand in a jar,
for a peanut won't let go,
he is trapped by his own fist he's made,
to be free he can't hang on.

Whatever sin you are holding,
know this one thing is true,
whatever you won't let go of,
won't let go of you.

So open wide your hands,
lay your sins at Jesus feet.
Let go and take hold of His hand,
and be holy, for so is He.

-Nathan Glass ©2015

Slave's freedom. (Poem)

As I call upon your name,

I will give you thanks.

You have loosed my bonds,

You have broke my chains.

With hands free to raise,

I will give you praise.

Your merciful kindness, has set me free.

When I called your name, you came to save.

Now redeemed, I sing amazed.

All you do, your word is true.

Oh sanctify, my heart for you.

I am all yours,

Bought with a price.

Your precious blood,

Has given me life.

My soul is filled with joy,

With words I cant express.

In you I will delight,

In your holy presence.

Oh lead me now,

To always seek your face.

To love with all my heart,

And keep running the race.

Turn my heart, back to you.

Sanctify me, in your truth.

Your word a light, unto my path.

Let me walk, after holiness.

Glory to God,

Risen and alive!

My soul ransomed,

Now hidden in Christ.

All praise be, to God who reigns.

His own right hand, mighty to save.

Give thanks to Him, for His goodness.

Who takes sinners, and makes them righteous.

Jesus Christ, you made all things.

Even the tree, by which you hanged.

Your own hand, providing salvation.

Saving from, every tongue, tribe, and nation.

-Nathan Glass ©2015

Double Mind takes away Sound Mind (Devotional)

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Double-mind takes away Sound Mind.

If you have a double-mind (or a dirty mind), you will not have a sound mind, because "a double minded man is unstable in all his ways." James 1:8, and because..

you are walking in the flesh, and not walking in the spirit, it therefore corrupts your mind, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6-11.

What causes doublemindedness?

lustful thoughts or fantasies

focusing on the things of this world, being earthly minded instead of heavenly minded

indecisiveness on whether you will serve God or self (which ultimately causes you to serve self). indecision is decision.

thinking lowly of others or exalting yourself as if you're better or more special

entertaining bad thoughts through unGodly sights (what you watch or look at: ie, tv,computer, even things or people out in public), sounds (what you listen to, ie music, tv), reading material that pollutes pure thoughts through dialogue or filthy language

What causes singlemindedness or a sober mind?

Initially it is first given to one who becomes born again and "is a new creation", 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Timothy 1:7

An unbeliever cannot have a sound mind that honors God. Romans 8:7

For God has not given us (His born again believers) a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

How do we keep or restore a sound, sober, single mind?

'To be spiritually minded is life and peace',Romans 8:6, so 'set your mind on things above,not on the things that are on the earth', -Colossians 3:2, and 'walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh,' Galatians 5:16, and take "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5, so that'd be like if your mind were an airport, make Christ your security checkpoint of thoughts (passengers) entering your mind and let Him examine and refuse and turn away what is on His 'no fly' list and arrest any 'illegal trespassers' or 'stowaways' and kick them out. Your mind is His airport so to speak, and He is to be in charge of admission of what comes in and what goes out, in order to keep harm or disaster from a plane (yourself) falling to destruction.

1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.…

These things need to be done diligently and daily, for Paul says "I die (to self) daily" -1 Corinthians 15:31, and we must "take up our cross daily" as Jesus said -Luke 9:23 .

Colossians 2:6

6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

How did you receive Jesus? Through repentance and faith, so how do you walk in Him? Through repentance and faith, it is not a one time thing you look back to, it is a daily thing you do as a follower of Jesus Christ. We 'die daily' to ourselves and 'have crucified the flesh with it's passions and lusts to the cross". Galatians 5:24

Before you go and face this world and your mind gets exposed to it's filth, go and face His word, get up a little sooner (ask God to help you) and spend time in prayer and the word before you head out in a spiritually hostile world. We are in a spiritual war and you will face temptation daily, even in the safety of your home, so be prepared before you start the day, start it with Jesus in His word to guard your mind and you'll be off to a good start.

You need a helmet to protect your head from injury, so what is your spiritual helmet?.....

Ephesians 6:10-18King James Version (KJV)

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

So we suit up in His armor and we pray up.

God's word, the remedy to keeping your mind unpolluted from this world:

Psalm 119:9-16

9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules[a] of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

Philippians 4:8

"8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Don't just leave your mind empty, fill it with Godly wholesome thoughts,think about God's goodness and all He's done. Your mind craves to think, and you can't just leave it empty or neutral, so don't fill it with evil thoughts. When tempted by bad thoughts, fill it with scripture, rebuke Satan as Jesus did, with scripture, such as "abstain from sexual immorality..." etc. 'Therefore submit to God (first part, crucial, but rarely mentioned when this verse is brought up). Resist the devil (second part) and he will flee from you." James 4:7

If we love God, we will keep His commands -John 14:15, the bible says 'love thinks no evil' 1 Corinthians 13:5, so ask yourself if you are loving Him with all your mind? Confess to Him what areas you have failed to love Him in with your thought life and repent. Identify the sources of what causes you to stumble in your thought life, a movie,game,book,website,friend, etc and guard yourself from it (or even rid yourself of it) so that you are truly walking in repentance and protecting yourself from future harm.

I even had to give up certain news sites that seemed innocent, because their ads were very unGodly and unavoidable and were gateways to sin. So even seemingly innocent things may be a threat to a sound,sober, and single mind in Christ. Evaluate honestly all threats and pray on how to handle each one and guard yourself in His word.

Word in Closing:

Why is it important to have a sound spiritual mind? It is life and peace, there is no peace or life with a double or worldly mind:

5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity (actively opposed/hostile to) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Pray what David prayed sincerely -Psalm 139:23-24,

"23Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."