3/27/24 BEWARE FALSE PROPHETS

03/27/24 BEWARE FALSE PROPHETS

God deserves better from His people.

 

So-called "Jehovah's Witnesses", deny the physical resurrection of Jesus, but instead "commemorate" their view of the death of Jesus. They also deny the Deity of Christ, therefore they do not believe in the Jesus of the Bible. They are not Christian.

 

Sadly, most American churches, which claim to be Christian, substitute the crucified and resurrected Lamb of God with pagan fertility symbols ("Easter," rabbits, eggs). Most children call that special day of celebration, "Easter" instead of resurrection and they think of rabbits and eggs, rather than Jesus and the empty tomb.

 

In both of the above situations we see the success of Satan in turning people away from the salvation that comes from the resurrected Christ.

 

I grew up calling it "Easter" and I colored, and "hunted" eggs, and I liked getting an Easter Basket with Jelly Beans and Chocolate Bunnies. But when I realized that Christ was being robbed of His honor and glory by honoring symbols of pagan fertility religion, I changed. Unhappily, no one, Christian or otherwise, led me into the truth, I had to come to this position on my own. I did not learn it from cults or Christian teachers, pastors or leaders. I came to realize that it was wrong, detrimental, to refer to the resurrection of Christ in pagan terms, and it was demeaning to celebrate His resurrection

through pagan symbolism. I came to my understanding simply by reading and thinking about the Scriptures, history, culture and the spiritual implications, which are connected with the 'EASTER" and the pagan trappings associated with the Biblical truth of the resurrection.

 

I realize that most Christians have no idea that their use of and focus on "Easter" has pagan roots or that such a focus is used by Satan to undermine faith and understanding in young people. When someone wishes me, "happy Easter," I know they are intending to communicate best wishes, in honor of Jesus and His resurrection. I know this. I usually respond with, "Happy Resurrection." I don't attack someone because of their misinformation or because of their shallow teaching. But neither do I follow them in their darkened understanding.

 

My problem along these lines is not that folks misunderstand, but I hope to help folks see the error incorporating pagan concepts into the greatest Divine event in all of human history, which is the miraculous incarnation, holy life, sacrificial death and physical resurrection of God the Son. I hope folks will stop identifying this Divine and redemptive act in pagan terms.

 

I also realize that few pastors hold my point of view. Again, I do not discount their love for God or their testimony, but I don't accept their lack of understanding as the acceptable standard. I choose rather to look at this issue Biblically and historically, rather than traditionally and socially. It is one thing to not know the truth, it is another thing to reject the truth. He that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

 

Here is a main problem. When a person encounters light, but refuses to walk in that light, then they are more likely to refuse other light from God. I am especially disturbed when people have been taught, and have been raised in truth, but then choose to turn back to the beggarly (impotent and bankrupt) elements of life. It hurts when I see friends and loved ones accept and incorporate pagan terms and celebrations (which rob God of His glory), especially when it is associated with redemptive work of God. They know better, yet they willingly support and promote such darkness, after having received light. God does not give us light, in order for us to put that light under a basket (in this case, an Easter basket). He gives us light to change our own inner being, our thinking, our speaking and our doing. We are here to lead folks out of darkness, not join or encourage them in their darkness.

3/24/24 IT IS A SHAME

03/24/24 IT IS A SHAME

IT IS A SHAME

 

When most American church folks hear someone address the paganism associated with the word, "Easter," and the imagery of "Easter Bunnies," and, "Easter Eggs," and scorn the notion that the Resurrection of Christ is associated with paganism, idolatry, fertility goddesses and worship, pagan representations of the Son of God and His physical victory over death, those church folks think that it is a Christ-less cult (such as the Watchtower cult).

 

Actually, the true cult mentality is found in those who align the Resurrection of Christ with harlotry and idol worship practices of the pagan Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome and Northern European people. They wish one another Happy Easter in place of, "He is Risen." They prefer pagan fertility images of rabbits and eggs, instead of the image of the Cross and the Empty Tomb. They teach their children to love paganism rather than embrace the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.

 

They tell us that children can't grasp the idea of the Cross and the Resurrection. They tell us that "Easter" is a time of fun and games rather than holy joy and celebration for the Redemption of Christ.

 

It is not that children are unable or unwilling to embrace Christ, the Cross and the Resurrection, it is that adults don't understand the true holiness of the event, the season and the Divine provision. It is more acceptable to the world to glorify rabbits and eggs than to honor the only, true and living God, Jesus Christ, without Whom no one is saved.

 

Don't be surprised that offering children a substitute for the truth will lead children to hate the truth and love the lie. For those who try to celebrate both the Rabbit and the Lamb, remember, you are leading little children astray. If your child is not led astray, it is no less horrific that you are contributing to the blinding of other children.

 

You can't mix light and darkness, truth and deceit, life and death, God and Ishtar (Eostre, Isis, Astarte), especially when the misrepresentation is blasphemous. Easter celebration in the church is not an innocent error, it is an heretical deception.

 

IT IS A SHAME that pastors and parents have either promoted or allowed the imagery of pagan deities and secular ideas to be lifted above and replace the Salvation God provides through His Son's death and resurrection.

IT IS A SHAME that Christians who have been taught the truth have bought into the devil's attack on the Cross and the Empty Tomb.

 

(this parenthetical was added when I came back to read my post...

IT IS A SHAME for churches to associate the Death and Resurrection of Christ with rabbits and eggs. Quit glorifying pagan fertility images and idolatrous goddesses. Quit leading your children away from God. Quit pampering the flesh and quit appeasing a lost world and quit being deceived by the god of this world. Also, quit complaining about your church children not getting saved or following Christ. If you are going to offer them eternal truth, disguised as Fairy Tale or laced with spiritual strychnine, you are the cause of their confusion and rejection.

 

Remember, there is no Biblical directive to hunt eggs, but we are told to, "Seek the Lord...".

 

And don't try to tell me that "Easter" is Biblical because of Acts 12:4. The Greek word refers to the Passover, and has nothing to do with the pagan, idolatrous concept of fertility deities. It is a terrible mistake in the King James Version and must not be considered the actual word of God.)

 

Don't blaspheme and corrupt the God of glory by associating Him with perversion and idolatry.

3/24/24 IT IS BLASPHEMY

03/24/24 IT IS BLASPHEMY

As you know, if you read my posts, I teach that Jesus was sinless, and as the sin sacrifice, He bore our sins, suffered and died as our sacrifice, conquered death through physical resurrection. He took away our punishment and penalty, but He did not become sin or a sinner. The sacrifice satisfies the justice of God; the sacrifice does not become the sinner.

 

It is blasphemous to say that Jesus became our sins.the sacrifice suffers and dies because of the sinners sins, the sacrifice does not become the sin or the sinner.

 

If the sacrifice becomes either the sin or the sinner, then who saves or makes atonement for the sinner sacrifice? Jesus' blood sacrifice satisfied Divine justice by being the spotless Lamb of God, not be becoming a murderer, a liar, a child molester, a sodomite, or a blasphemer. If Jesus became any sin or sinner, then His sacrifice would have been unacceptable.

03/24?/24 sinning religion

03/24?/24 sinning religion

What do I mean when I refer to, "Sinning Religion?"

 

"Sinning religion" is the heretical belief that God does not save His people from their sins, or that the Lamb of God does not take away the sin of the world, or that believers cannot, and do not quit sinning after conversion, or that God does not cleanse believers from all unrighteousness, or that Christians are not able, nor required, to obey the commands of God, or that God only declares sinners to be delivered from sin, rather than actually delivering believers from sin's penalty, pollution and power. This is only some of what I refer to as, "sinning religion."

 

This religion is espoused by many who call themselves Christians and hold to some form of Calvinism and/or Reformed Theology.

 

When I use the phrase, "sinning religion," I am not referring to the people who sin, but to the belief system they follow, which adheres to the belief that God does not deliver us from all unrighteousness in this present evil world, and does not acknowledge that believers are transformed from darkness to light, and conformed to the image of God's Son. Though there is sin and sinners and sinful living found among people who are part of every Christian organization and every doctrinal position, I am referring specifically to systems and organizations which deny actual deliverance from sin and deny actual and practical holiness of heart and life as part of their belief system.

 

The Bible teaches that believers ("saints," holy ones, according to the New Testament), are capable of sinning after their conversion, but they can and must repent (change their direction and their mind concerning their life) if they want to follow Christ and if they intend to continue in the grace of God.

The Bible teaches that sin separates from God and/or God separates from sin.

The Bible teaches that believers must be delivered from sin by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.

The Bible teaches that God desires, and is able and willing, to save us from all sin in this present evil world.

The Bible teaches that God saves us from sins committed and from sin inherent to our fallen nature (the Old Man, the Carnal Mind, Double Mindedness, the Law of Sin and Death, the Wretched Man that I Am).

The Bible teaches that believers salvation transforms us completely and God enables us to keep His commandments and to do that which is pleasing in His sight.

The Bible teaches that God requires, enables Christians (those who believe and follow Christ) to keep ourselves unspotted from the world; keep ourselves from idols; keep ourselves in the love of God.

The Bible teaches that God will keep Christians (those who believe and follow Christ), by His power.

The Bible teaches that God is able to keep us from falling and He is able to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding great joy.

 

And this only scratches the surface, as to why I reject sinning religion and call people to true salvation.

03/22?/24 jw visit

03/22?/24 jw visit

Guess who visited me today. One of the deceived who claim to "commemorate the death of Jesus." In reality they don't even know the Christ of the Bible, nor understand His sacrifice on the cross or His victory over sin and death.

 

A car drove into my driveway pulled back into the road, and pulled into my neighbor's driveway (brother Wade's property). Since they had come onto my property I had reason to at least talk to them. I had no idea who it was in the car, but as I was approaching, it became evident who they were. A black lady and a child exited the car, and the lady was carrying a pamphlet, with which I was familiar, having several in my own possession. (see photos below).

 

We talked for about a half an hour, standing in a driveway.

 

I have watched, over the years, as the Watchtower organization, falsely calling themselves, "Jehovah's Witnesses," a name hijacked from Isaiah 43:10 (often referred to as J. W.s), has twisted and re-framed its false interpretations of Scripture until their own people don't know what their organization believes today. They claim to believe that which their organization clearly denies, the claim not to believe that which their organization clearly espouses, they contradict themselves repeatedly.

 

I hope to do a video recounting my witnessing to this particular false witness.

 

I started my conversation, as I usually do, by asking if she believed the Bible, the whole Bible and everything the Bible said. After assuring me that she did (several times), I asked her if she would believe that Jesus raised Himself from the dead, if the Bible says that Jesus would raise Himself from the dead. By the way, the only possible answer to the second question must be, "YES," if the answer to the first question was, "Yes."

 

For instance:

#1 Do you believe the Bible, the whole Bible? (J.W. answer, Yes)

#2 If the Bible says that Jesus said, He would raise Himself from the dead, will you believe it?

 

The only right answer to the second question must be, "Yes," because the first answer was, Yes, I will believe it. If the answer to the second question is, "No," then the answer to the first question must be, "No."

 

On this occasion, the JW hesitated, being confused with what to say. I eventually helped her, explaining her dilemma, but I persisted with the question. She still had a problem with this supposed hypothetical.

 

I eventually moved to the issue Christ's RESURRECTION from the dead, knowing that Watchtower does not believe in actual resurrection, but rather, "manifestation of a body," or "appearance of a resurrected body."

 

She adamantly claimed to believe in the actual resurrection (as other JWs have told me in the past) and claimed that the official JW belief is in the resurrection rather than a manifestation of different body.

It did not get any better.

 

I brought up concept after concept, and passage after passage, dealing with Jesus being God (creating all things; raising Himself from the dead; His physical resurrection; Christ is Jehovah because He is the First and Last, Beginning and Ending, Alpha and Omega and there can only be ONE Who meets that criteria). I know that these are Biblical concepts and I gave passages to verify it. I also know that Watchtower does not believe these things and I know the passages they misuse and mistranslate and misinterpret, and I told her what my Bible says, what the Greek says and contrasted that with the erroneous translation and interpretations of the Watchtower.

 

I asked her questions, knowing what her errant answers would be. I even told her how Watchtower tries to answer these questions, then showed her how Watchtower was in error.

 

I asked her if she was to discover that Watchtower was wrong and I was right about these issues, would that cause her a problem.

She said, "No."

 

As I pointed out her errors she said it was a matter of personal interpretation. I then referred her to what Peter said, concerning, no Scripture is of personal interpretation; we must understand Scripture as God has revealed it.

 

She also said that the doctrine of the Trinity does not make sense. I pointed out that there are many things in our lives that are beyond our understanding, but we believe those realities exist.

 

I also pointed out that we can understand what God has said, at least sufficiently to believe in those things, if we believe what He has said.

 

I pointed out that if she wrote a letter to someone, using personal information, then that person would understand what the letter meant; however, if an outsider read her letter, we would not understand the personal communication. At that point, no one has the right to interpret her letter, based on persona, incomplete information. In order to understand what she meant I would need to find out from her, rather than making it fit my narrow understanding. She agreed, but would not accept Biblical witness on the bases of Biblical revelation. She insisted on human reason rather than Divine revelation.

 

Bottom line... you better be thoroughly trained in the word of God, knowing what it says and the background in what was said.

 

Darkness was creeping through my neighborhood, seeking to envelope the weak, the blind, the unsuspecting.

 

Beware, be ready.

3/21/24 DASH-CAM MESSAGE

3/21/24 DASH-CAM MESSAGE

BEING READY TO SERVE AT ALL TIMES

 

I saw this "memory" of a DASH CAM video I made five years ago. It is still timely.

BEING READY TO SERVE AT ALL TIMES.

03/19/24 LEAVING THE PAST WITH GOD

03/19/24 LEAVING THE PAST WITH GOD

I pointed out earlier today that I looked at old family photos, while I took my exercise walk. It was like taking a stroll through time.

I leafed my way through the 1940s (family photos before I was born) and laughed my way through parts of the '50s and '60s.

 

The past for everyone is a mixture of good and bad. I had pensive moments, sad moments, regretful moments. It hurts to think about personal and relational brokenness. It is somewhat haunting to know how some situations eventually developed.

 

If it was not for the goodness and grace of God, some of our past memories would overwhelm us. In fact, God's grace and goodness not only saves us from the torturous memories of previous sins and relationships, He saves us from the life of sin, failure and emptiness. I am not only forgiven, I am transformed, I am a new creature.

 

I have hurt people in the past. Sometimes it was because I said or did something I should not have, sometimes it was because I was simply thoughtless and sometimes they were hurt because of a misunderstanding. In any case, I have regretted being part of someone else's pain. I can take steps to make it right, but reconciliation will depend on the other person's response to my apology.

 

However, when people believe on Christ for reconciliation, repent of their sins, confesses faith in Christ, then God regenerates, cleanses and forgives them and He restores them to a right relationship with Himself. This is freedom from sin and judgment. This is joy and peace and love and hope and newness of life.

 

Unhappily, not everyone experiences God's saving grace and they carry their own guilt, while presently living a life of spiritual futility. Not only are they not experiencing God's forgiveness for their own sins, they are unable to get over, or get past the sins of other people, or for their own reasons, they keep up a wall of separation.

 

When strolling down memory lane it is important to go with Jesus. Thankfully He heals our brokenness, and He also guides us into a better future.

3/14/24 GOD LEADS THOSE WHO FOLLOW

3/14/24 GOD LEADS THOSE WHO FOLLOW

Just because a person says, "God led me," it does not mean that God actually led them.

 

If a person is not following the directives of God in their personal daily life, neither are they following God in the larger, public areas of their lives or ministries.

 

Following personal desires, peer pressure, false teachers, ease of life, praise of men are often mislabeled as, "God's leading."

 

Too often when people leave churches, claiming it is, "God's leading," they are actually leaving because they do not want to be confronted with Biblical truth, they are not willing to submit to Biblical authority, they do not like being an humble and submissive part of the body, they think too highly of themselves and seek their own glory rather than God's glory.

 

The comedian Flip Wilson would say, "the devil made me do it," when in reality it was a selfish choice to do something wrong. In that case, the devil got blamed for something that was the fault of human wickedness. This happens with people today.

 

Another way that people excuse their wayward thinking and doing is to say, "God led me." God gets blamed for human wickedness. But God is not fooled. God knows the truth and God will judge according to truth and righteousness.

 

Folks need to quit blaming or "crediting" other folks for their own wrong decisions. Do right, and if you do wrong, then do that which is right, "fess up," repent and truly follow God.

03/13/24 To Be Or Not To Be...

03/13/24 To Be Or Not To Be... 

"To Be Or Not To Be," is not the question. Being is essential.
"What To Be and What Not To Be," is the question. What to be is our God given choice in Christ.

Our doing and saying, stems from our thinking and our thinking arises from our being. The kind of being we are determines our thinking, saying and doing.

We have all inherited, from fallen Adam, a proclivity (predisposition, inclination, propensity, bent, desire) to sin (willfully disobey what we knew to be morally wrong), and we all chose to continue in our sins. Our sins separated us from God and the wages of our sin is death. The only satisfaction to Divine justice for our rebellion against God is death. Our "being," our sinful condition, determined our rebellious state.

However, God loved the whole world, even though we were sinners (rebels against God). God loved us so much that He was willing to satisfy our debt by giving His only begotten and sinless Son to die for us. Through the Gift of His Son and His Holy Spirit, God imparts His Divine nature to believers, and makes it possible for us to receive forgiveness, new life, reconciliation, transformation, a right mind, righteous intentions, a clear conscience, self control, willingness to submit to God. In other words, believing in the death and resurrection of Christ, we become a new creation, a new creature, a NEW BEING.

We are new beings through regeneration, impartation of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, cleansing, Divine empowering and leading.

The New Birth is our deliverance from the shackles and pollution of the old life, our old self, our sinful being, and it is deliverance into righteousness, peace, joy, newness of life, becoming a godly being.

With this transformation comes newness of life. Our life springs from our being and when our being is in the image of Christ, then we turn from sin, we obey God, we walk in love and truth, we keep His commandments and do those things which are pleasing in His sight. 

God also tells us, through John...
(notice the phrases I have marked *between the asterisks*).
1 John 2:1-6
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, *that ye sin not.*
*And if any man sin,*
*we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:*

2 And *he is the propitiation for our sins:*
and *not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.*

3 And *hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.*

4 *He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.*

5 *But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:*
*hereby know we that we are in him.*

6 *He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.*

dlg...
This just scratches the surface of being Born Again, of being Transformed (from sin to salvation), of being Conformed (to the image of God's Son), of being a New Creation (a new BEING).

Becoming a New Creation, a New Being, is being enveloped in wonder, love and praise.

Becoming a New Creation, a New Being, is beyond our imaginings.
(notice the phrases I have marked *between the asterisks*).
1 Corinthians 2:6-10
6 Howbeit *we speak wisdom among them that are perfect:* yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak *the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:*

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written, *Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.*

And...
(notice the phrases I have marked *between the asterisks*).
Ephesians 2:1-10
1 *And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;*

*2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.*

*4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)*

6 *And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:*

7 *That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.*

8 *For by grace are ye saved through faith;* and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 *For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.*

03/12/24 SELF DESTRUCT

03/12/24 SELF DESTRUCT

We started watching our country self destruct in slow-motion, and just like that, we are at warp-speed.

Proverbs 6:15
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Proverbs 29:1-2
1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

03/12/24 WALK AND TALK

03/12/24 WALK AND TALK

Shallow preaching and teaching and/or Silent Believers in Bible study will send people looking for truth elsewhere.

We don't need chaos, but we do need communication.

03/11/24 VALIDATING A BELIEF

03/11/24 VALIDATING A BELIEF

When I consider the Christian validity of a belief or a behavior, I look for New Testament instruction.

A quick overview includes...
Is it commanded by God?
Is it commended by God?
Is it condoned by God?
Is it condemned by God?
Is it compatible with the New Testament narrative?
Is it confirmed or contradicted by other doctrines in the New Testament?
Is it consistent with God's revelation for the Church, and His eternal nature?

Addendum to my above post.
There are other ways of looking at the above list, which is primarily a positive viewpoint, in other words, a "what is good" list. The following list is basically the same, but it is a negative or reverse approach, in other words, a "what is not good" list.

Some of the points in the first list are presented as a negatives, which I repeat (in parenthesis).

In my own study of a subject in Scripture, I look for...
Is it forbidden, as in a negative command, "you shall not?"
Is it a reproved or rebuked belief or behavior?
Is it a corrected belief or behavior?
(Is it condemned?)
Is it contrary to the New Testament narrative?
(Is it confirmed or contradicted by other doctrines in the New Testament)?
Is it in conflict with God's revelation for the Church or with His eternal nature?

If folks apply these questions to their study, I think a lot of Christians will be surprised with the Biblical revelation concerning some of their closely held views. 

In the near future I hope to give a list of subjects, which should be examined with these positive and negative (reverse) considerations.

03/09/24 Dash-Cam Message signs

03/09/24  Dash-Cam Message signs

We should not be sign seekers, but neither should we ignore the signs of the times, which God sets before us, and they must always agree with the revealed word of God, the Bible.

Dash-Cam Message 

Submission to Loonies, Perverts and Dictators.
Be alert to the Conditions, Signs and Warnings along life's highway.

You can Ignore them, Run against them and Run over them, but you will definitely come face to face with the consequences of your foolishness.

03/08/24 NARCISSISM

03/08/24 NARCISSISM

Narcissism is when a person self righteously wears a crown that should be cast to the feet of Jesus.
(click on list at end of post to enlarge it)

Secular Humanism is the enemy of God, the Bible and Christian living. Even the names (Secular and Humanism or Humanistic) give it away (though it is seldom realized by the supposed intellectually astute).

Secular and Humanistic education and psychology are traps of destruction, into which Christians are often lured. Part of the success of the deception is that the trap is baited with Christian truth.

If you want truth you must know and agree with God's revelation. When it comes to the dark side (sinfulness) of human ontology, thinking and behavior, the Bible gives us the origin, the nature, the principles and the manifestation, as well as the solution to the problem of that darkness.

Pride is at the root of most sin. Pride is, "exaggerated self esteem." Pride is the sin that turned the arch-angel Lucifer from submission to rebellion against God.
Pride was part of Adam and Eve's failure and fall.
Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pride is inherent to the sinful nature. It is not a learned attitude, but it can be cultivated and encouraged. Pride must be realized, confessed and turned from. Left alone, it is likely to morph into a monstrous controller.

We are seeing more and more examples of extreme pride today. As sinful as pride is, it can become more powerful, more obvious and more life encompassing.

Psychology often addresses human ills, but of course the problem of pride is seen as something that can be dealt with on the natural level, which may include psychological therapy, medical treatment or re-socialization training.

Remember, pride is exaggerated self esteem. Therefore narcissism is exaggerated pride, or self esteem taken to the extreme.

Though there are problems in Secular and Humanistic psychology, there are also some valid observations, gleaned from life and found in Christian Scriptures. At the end of this post I include a list of twenty-four signs of Narcissism, which I found on Google search. 

This post is simply a warning that pride can and will take over a person's life. In fact, there is so much of this extreme pride in our society that it is almost epidemic.

This should not be a surprise to Christians, since God's word tells us that pride and self love will rise and permeate society.
(notice asterisks *)

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that *in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 *For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, *boasters, *proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, *false accusers, incontinent, fierce, *despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, *heady, *highminded, *lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 *Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

God not only warns us to avoid such people, He warns us to guard against such a life.
James 4:6-11
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, *God resisteth the proud, but *giveth grace unto the humble.
7 *Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. *Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and *purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 *Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11 *Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Pride starts early in life. The time to deal with it is in our youth.
1 Peter 5:5-6
5 Likewise, ye younger, *submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and *be clothed with humility: for *God resisteth the proud, and *giveth grace to the humble.
6 *Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

3/8 DASH=CAM

03/08/24 (TIMOTHY) VIDEO FISHING FOR SOULS

After we spent time at the landing near the old Beaufort Bridge (5 years ago), Timothy and I talk about fishing for souls.
I love my calling, I love my family, I love the life God has given me.
My constant prayer is that I will do the best I can with what I have. 

I have some other fun videos of me and Timothy riding around. We often talk about serious things as well. It is not unusual for my grand children to watch me witness to strangers while we are out and about. After talking to someone at the landing we got back in the car. I turned on the camera, just for fun. This is an example of a normal conversation between me and Timothy. I am sorry that I turned the camera off, because the conversation got better as we went along.

As you can see, Timothy was not at his physical best. He was tired and dealing with allergy problems.
Bill and Lydia, I appreciate you letting me spend some time with him. I want to spend more time with all my grandbuddies. Love them all. As they get older, time is limited.

03/07/24 VIDEO Walk and Talk.

03/07/24 VIDEO

Walk and Talk. Two approaches to Bible study.

03/06/24 FREEDOM OF WILL IS NOT SIN

03/06/24 FREEDOM OF WILL IS NOT SIN

FREE WILL IS NEITHER LIBERTINE NOR ANARCHY
(Free will is the God given ability to choose between options, which God either provides of He allows.)

We can choose from some realities that exist.
We cannot choose from all realities, since some realities are not congruent with other realities, and some realities are not consistent or compatible with our nature or spiritual status.

We can align ourselves with existing realities, whether good or evil.
We cannot create realities.

If it is a good reality, God is the Creator of that reality.
If it is an evil reality, God has not created it, but He allowed it,
An evil reality is a corruption or rejection of a good reality.
All realities are either in submission to God or in rebellion to God.

We can only experience reality based on our relationship with God.
We cannot add to it nor subtract from it.
There is both a positive and an negative side. A right relationship with God avails us of the positive and a wrong relationship with God aligns us with the negative.
"Choose ye this day."

God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
We do not create good and perfect gifts.

God gives us everything necessary for life and godliness.
We do not create or provide that which is necessary for life and godliness.

There is a false doctrine that says we can create our own realities.
We do not create the blessings of God.

We either receive or reject the blessings of God.
We are either qualified by grace to receive the blessings of God or we are unqualified and we do not receive the blessings of God.

God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
God gives spiritual and natural blessings arbitrarily.
God gives atonement for pre-born, newborn and infant children, which covers their inherited sinful nature from Adam,
God gave His Son to die for the sins of the world.
God gives sinful people the opportunity to be forgiven.
God gives provision and protection to all men, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of the sunshine and the rain.

The idea that we can create our own reality goes something like this:
If our mind conceives an idea
and if we believe that idea,
and then we verbalize our faith,
then we will create whatever we speak, whether positive or negative.
This is sometimes called, "Positive Confession and also known as, "Name it, claim it," or less fondly as, "Blab it grab it."
"Name It, Claim It," is a claim to self sufficiency, a robbery of God's glory, a deifying of self.

We either live by God's Divine will, which is possible by obediently trusting God alone, or we trust in our ability to create our own deliverance and live according to our own selfish will, regardless of the source of our self orientation.

We cannot speak reality into existence.
Only God has that power.

We can agree with God and we can trust God, for that which God wills and provides, or we can resist and reject that which God commands, in which case we will either become a partaker of God's blessing or the subject of God's displeasure.

There are people who believe that man has the same power as God, and further believe that humans have the power to create our own realities. This false belief stems from, and circles back to the false notion that humans are little gods, which has morphed into the idea that men are gods and that men become god, and masquerades under the misnomers of, "Prosperity Gospel," "Positive Thinking," Possibility Thinking," "Positive Confession."

Having the power of God in us does not make us God or make us equal with God.
Having the nature of God (being a partaker of Divine nature as born again believers in Christ) does not make us God or make us equal to God.

The blasphemous idea that we either are gods or become gods or that we are God, comes from people who mingle Biblical truths with devilish or worldly wisdom. Sometimes this lie is swallowed by non-suspecting, but well-intentioned Christians. But, as someone has said, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." It is not enough to sound Biblical, we must be Biblically sound in our beliefs.

For instance, some people will say, "every promise in the Book (the Bible) is mine."

This sounds great, but it is not true. There are some promises of God that were spoken to and intended only for certain individuals (such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph [OT], Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Mary, Joseph [NT], Peter, John), and there are some promises of God that were spoken to and intended only for certain groups of people (such as Israel or the Levitical Priesthood, or the Church or the Apostles).

Sometimes the promises themselves are misunderstood, but some people "claim" those promises for their personal use, to do that which God never intended for that person or anyone else to do.

Since the "Name It, Claim It" movement (The Word Of Faith Movement) was based on errant theology and new age philosophy, then the development of that movement has taken the wrong path doctrinally. The path that it has taken leads to major doctrinal errors. It has led to the, "little god" belief system, which has morphed into the false, "I am God" belief, which is now being touted by popular false teachers. 

Though the idea that we can create our own reality by speaking it into existence is erroneous, there is a sense in which our words can either bring blessing or cursing.

If we believe the truth and speak the truth, truthfully and accurately, then we open the door of our hearts to receive that which God wants us to have. We can receive what God provides, we cannot create our own blessing or destiny from nothing or from our own ability or from a faith which is not based in Divine reality, purpose or rule.

In fact, we can believe and confess ourselves into blessings or we can believe and confess ourselves into cursings. Positivity does not create blessing, and negativity does not create chaos. However, those who trust God and give praise are opening themselves to the deliverance and work of God. Those who complain, cry, bemoan their lives are opening themselves to the defeat and oppression of the devil.

There is a vast difference between believing God for His provision and creating your own blessings.
On the other hand, the door to defeat and destruction is opened when doubt and complaint rises from the heart and spews out of the mouth.

We don't create our own reality, but we do choose our own reality, depending on whether we trust and submit to Christ.

Being, thinking, speaking and doing are grounded in our relationship with God.

If you go about with a negative, complaining, fault finding, defeatist attitude and behavior, you are denying the presence and power of Christ.

Spewing doubt and despair is not neutralized by offering a quick incantation of empty praise.

Being a Christian does not mean we will have a life with no conflicts or difficulties, but it does mean that we will be victorious. Sometimes the victory is not obvious, but remember, God has a purpose for us, which may be through troubles and trials. "All things WORK TOGETHER for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." "We walk by faith, not by sight."

03/05/24 HEAR AND HEED

03/05/24 HEAR AND HEED

As a preacher of the gospel, I warn people about the impact sin has on individuals, families, communities, nations and the world. 

To ignore the warnings is to embrace the coming judgements. 

Don't get swept away by the coming judgements of God. Call on the One Who has called you to turn from sin.

03/13/24 "A STORM IS BREWING," REALLY???

03/13/24 "A STORM IS BREWING," REALLY???

I received this from ACLJ. They do some good work, for which I am thankful.
However, I laughed when I read the heading, and thought, "This is what I told this group, and other Christian law firms and pastors and media people 40 years ago, but they were not interested in our situation.

The storm was already brewing, and David (yes, this David), cried aloud, but I was told by Helms and Coble and Sizemore in N.C., Kennedy of Fl., Robertson and Falwell of Va., and many other lesser lights of government and church that it was not their jurisdiction and/or not their bailiwick and/or they told me and my people to leave North Carolina, or I needed to "obey" the State, or my beliefs and my position was not Biblical or what I said was true, but the price of obedience was too great.

Now, 40 years later I am being told that a storm is brewing.
I have weathered a few hurricanes on the coast of North Carolina, and I can tell you there is a massive difference in, "a storm brewing," and cleaning up after deadly devastation. 

So let me say again, there ain't no storm coming, cause it is already here.

Read my comment below, where I explain why I post this information. 

Folks may wonder why I retell this information. It is because we need to realize that we did not get here overnight and we did not accidentally end up in this chaos. People rejected the warnings, and they even said that I was wrong. Well, how did that turn out for you.

The problems and the threats were real and they got worse and they have not gone away.

Sadly, people still reject the truth, even though the conditions are much worse than they were 40 years ago.

Don't be one of those who gets carried away in the storm of chaos.

3/4/24 NO NEED TO DECONSTRUCT TRUTH

3/4/24 NO NEED TO DECONSTRUCT TRUTH

A very basic way to approach some supposed contradictions concerning the Deity and Humanity of Jesus.

Simply stated...

Jesus is God.

Jesus is man.

Two natures in one Person.

 

Keep it simple..

If it is a human realm issue, it is His human nature.

If it is super natural realm issue, it is His Divine nature.

Yes, it is more complicated than this, but after all of the theological understanding and explanation, it still comes back to these basics.

 

We can't understand everything we see in the Bible, but whatever the Bible says, we can trust.

Knowing that the Bible is true prepares us to learn Biblical truths that are difficult and beyond our comprehension.

 

Light (truth) leads to faith and faith leads to obedience and obedience leads to more light, and so on...

You can build your life on Biblical revelation without being an expert in the details.

There are experts in the details who have no real grasp of the basic message of God's word and have no relationship with God.

Remember...

If it is related to the human realm, it has to do with Christ's human nature.

If it is related to the Divine realm, it has to do with Christ's Deity.

When Jesus did the things that only God can do, it was His Divine nature.

When Jesus did the things that only relate to man's condition, it was His human nature.

 

Jesus never gave up His Deity, but as a man, Jesus chose not to exert Divine power or prerogatives.

For instance, God cannot be tempted with evil, but Satan did try to tempt Jesus.

Jesus overcame His temptations, but He did not overcome them by His Divine nature.

Jesus was tempted, in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus resisted temptation by trust in God's word.

There was nothing in His victory over temptation and sin which is not available to all believers, through faith in and submission to God.

There were things that the man Jesus did not know.

There were problems that the man Jesus suffered.

 

Jesus chose not to respond to earthly troubles as the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus only used powers that other children of God are able to use. As a man, Jesus was not omnipotent.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus only knew what could be known by human beings. As a man He was not omniscient.

In His Messianic mission, as a man, Jesus was only in one place at a time. As a man He was not omnipresent.

 

There were occasions when Jesus either exercised or enjoyed Divine intervention. But those times did not interrupt His Messianic mission as the perfect human sacrifice.

In fact, Jesus Who is God, learned obedience, as a man. In His submission and growth as a man, Jesus proved Himself to be qualified as the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

 

In this simple presentation there is plenty of "meat" to take. There is no reason to fight over the bones.

Jesus responded in a very similar way when the Disciples asked Him if He was about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus did not go into an in-depth explanation. Jesus told them, in so many words, it was none of their business. Here are His words, from Acts 1:7-8

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

 

Sometimes we need to be satisfied with what He has made clear. We never need to press Him for that which we want to know, in order to satisfy our own curiosity or selfish purposes.

03/03/24 IT IS ENLIGHTENMENT, NOT REVELATION

03/03/24 IT IS ENLIGHTENMENT, NOT REVELATION

Do not boast in your own wisdom, and then shame other Christians who believed God was leading them in a different direction.

God's eternal, revealed truth, clearly found in His word is applicable on all men. However, we are each allowed to seek the Lord and follow Him according to the knowledge, wisdom and grace given to us personally, as long as it aligns with His revealed word.

Just because you made a decision that worked out for you, don't strut around like you just came down from Mt. Sinai. Love and humility goes along way in communicating salvation to others.

03/03/24 STEPS AND MISSTEPS also REPOST

03/03/24 STEPS AND MISSTEPS also REPOST

Don't take your blessed relationships for granted, even the ones that you expect to be sure in your life. We can always depend on God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), He never changes, nor can He change. He blesses those who faithfully follow Him and He judges those who turn from Him. He is faithful.

Humans are subject to change.
This is good for the sinner who turns to God.
This is good for the believer who is growing in grace and knowledge.
This is bad for the believer who refuses to move forward, the believer who turns back from following God.

Those who are in Christ (presently, continually, obediently) will change from glory to glory, from faith to faith and grace to grace.

Here is a post I made in 2021 concerning STEPS AND MISSTEPS OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. I hope it is helpful.
11/05/21 STEPS (and missteps) OF SPIRITUAL LIFE
There is a lot of talk about "Progressive Sanctification," in the Christian life, most of which is erroneous and is an excuse for coming short of God's will and calling.

When God brings a Christian to a point of decision, such as Total Commitment (aka death to the Old Man, Entire Sanctification, the fullness of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit) or God leads (requires) the believer to turn from a specific behavior or God leads a believer into a new direction, but the believer is not willing to obey God, then they use the idea that they are "progressing" in their walk. But it is not progression when we refuse to follow fully, it is sin, which must be faced and we must repent (abandon) all known sin.

Usually, if repentance is quick to follow a sin, then the believer can move forward in the grace of Christ. However, depending on the impact of the sin or depending on the time between the sin and the repentance, the person may lose anything, and everything, up to their own soul. If they do not confess and repent of that sin, they will not be restored and they will lose their soul. 

ENTRANCE
God reveals Himself to us, while we are in the darkness of nature's night (spiritual darkness of the unregenerate).
God calls us to a living and loving relationship with Himself, through Christ's atoning death and resurrection.

OBEDIENCE AND GROWTH (EXPECTED)
As we walk in His light, He gives us more light.
God leads the faithful believer out of temptation.
God convicts the errant believer, even when he is yielding to temptation.
God convicts the backslider after he has disobeyed, and God calls him to repentance.
Sin (deliberate disobedience to the known will of God) separates us from God. It only takes one sin to separate us from God, rather than a habit of sin or a life of sin, or an ongoing practice of sin.
Remember Adam?
How many sins would it take to disqualify a "savior" from being a savior?
James tells us that God has given us His word, so that we might not sin.
God told us through David that God's word that we might not sin against God.
The Bible teaches that when we break one commandment, we break all the commandments.
As soon as we sin against God, even once, we need an advocate and we have an advocate with God, Christ Jesus the righteous.
There is never a reason for sin and backsliding.

REBELLION (UNNECESSARY)
If we are not obedient, we walk in less light and His light in us is diminished.
We fail to walk in light by either stopping in our spiritual journey or turning aside from God's path or going back to sin in open rebellion.

Sometimes our failure to walk with God is negligence and it sometimes seems negligible.
Sometimes our failure to walk with God is obvious but gradual and unalarming (though it should be alarming).
Sometimes our failure to walk with God is a sudden and significant departure from an active and vibrant relationship with God.
In any case, failure to walk in God's light is willful disobedience to the known will of God and there is no excuse for backsliding.

BACKSLIDING (REPENT OR FALL AWAY)
The backslider can and must repent or he will eventually fall away completely (apostatize) and irrevocably. Repentance will restore a broken relationship with God. Failure to repent and be reconciled to God will end a relationship with God.
God gave us His word to save us from sinning, and also, if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus the righteous.
God gives us everything necessary for life and godliness.
He that is born of God does not commit sin.
He that sins is of the devil.
Jesus came to save His people from our sins.

MATURITY HAS TO DO WITH INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN GRACE, PURITY HAS TO DO WITH INSTANTANEOUS DIVINE CLEANSING FROM ALL SIN
God calls us to salvation (justification, sanctification, purity and maturity).
There are instantaneous, crises, Divine works of saving grace, which leads us to growth in grace.
Some realities come by crises transformations, some realities come by growth in grace.

Conversion of a sinner to a saint is a Divine, instantaneous, crisis work of saving grace, which includes justification, regeneration, adoption, sanctification. At the time of our salvation we are forgiven of our sins, delivered from the power of sin over us and transformed into a new creation.

Entire Sanctification of a believer is the Divine, instantaneous, crisis work of grace, which purifies the heart of the believer from all sin (the inner inclination to sin aka the sinful nature, through the Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:8-9).

After our conversion (the reception of a new nature), we begin to realize that we still have an old sinful nature that wars against us and our walk with God. Though God enables us to obey Him in our new life (our new walk with Christ), we suffer an inner struggle that often ensnares us in sinful action.

God's plan for us is to be cleansed (not forgiven) of the sinful nature. Remember, as in natural life, there is a difference between birth and cleansing. Cleansing takes place after the baby is born. Likewise, the born again believer has life, but he is in need of a cleansing.

This cleansing comes to the believer when the believer willfully trusts God for complete cleansing and deliverance.

At the time of our Entire Sanctification we are cleansed, delivered from our inherited sinful nature (the Old Man, Carnal Mind, Double Mind).

Along with the instantaneous works of grace there is continuing, advancing steps of growth in grace, walking in the light, going from glory to glory, faith to faith, grace to grace in the healthy Christian life. This is popularly referred to as "progressive sanctification."
The term is unfortunate because it has become an excuse for rebellious people to NOT make full surrender through self sacrifice and self denial, but rather expect total cleansing to just happen through growth.
Some spiritual realities are grown into and some realities are reached by deliberate steps of faith.
It is better to use the phrase, "grow in grace and knowledge," since "progressive" implies slow, incremental change.
Growth in grace is essential, but it must not be confused with the Divine work of purifying the Christian heart.

Growth in grace occurs when we walk in the light of God's word. We need to eat, drink and breath in order to stay alive. This is true for our spiritual self as well as our natural life. The spiritual man needs the life giving properties acquired through reading God's word, praying, meditating, trusting and obeying God. Spiritual food, drink and breath imparts spiritual life, and life results in growth in grace.

God calls us to Himself and He convicts us of our sin over a period of time.

Whoever accepts, receives, yields to the call of God is instantaneously and miraculously transformed from a sinner to a saint, and is changed from darkness to light and becomes a new creation in Christ.

Sanctification (being holy by being set apart from sin and set apart to God) begins immediately by cleansing the Christian from his past sins, cleansing the Christian's conscience, cleansing the Christian's daily behavior.

There is Divine work and there is human submission involved in the experience and life of salvation.

Only God can do the Divine part of salvation (such as call, convict, forgive, sanctify, regenerate) and God will not do the human part of salvation (such as believe, repent, confess, obey), though He enables the convert to do that which God requires of him.

Here is God's intended life cycle of a Christian. 

CONVERSION
(including saving faith, confession, repentance, regeneration, justification, initial sanctification, adoption, obedience). 

GROWTH IN GRACE
(through obedient faith, study, fellowship, walking in truth, following Jesus and Holy Spirit, self denial). 

ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION
(by recognizing the corruption of the heart that remains after conversion, and recognizing the will and ability of God to deliver from that inner corruption, and making complete surrender, total commitment, and asking God to cleanse you from all sin by filling you with the Holy Spirit, which purifies our hearts by faith). 

CONTINUED AND AGGRESSIVE GROWTH IN GRACE
(not only has the good seed been sown in our hearts, the evil root of unbelief has been rooted out, allowing us to grow unhindered by personal and inner conflict).