The 3 C’s Of Life

Life is made up of choices that change our present and future.

When I was struggling to put myself back together after years of abuse before I was a true believer I began seeing a therapist. I was broken and lost. I had been to many, and was convinced there was no hope for me. My thoughts were it was just another one that people insisted me to go to. Their choice, not mine.

If I would have had I choice, mine would have been to crawl in a hole and die. That’s harsh I know. But after 30 years of pain and suffering my mind was definitely not in a good place. I was broken in a way no one could fix (so I thought). As I walked in the office, I seen people sitting there and immediately thought “I wonder if these people as messed up as me.”

When I entered the office and met the therapist my head was I swivel mode. Looking for anything that would tell me what kind of person the therapist was. The pictures, the hangings on the wall that were supposed to make you feel better, you know the ones that say, “good things are going to happen.” I saw nothing like that just a few scenic pictures.

As we began he asked about my life. And like any time before I told him some but I had secrets I wouldn’t tell anyone. Those were between the devil and me.

As I continued in therapy, I was complaining about my husband. All in my version of course.

After a few times in therapy, he told me something that changed me and the way I saw life. He called it the 3 C’s of life:

  • Choices
  • Chances
  • Changes

These three choices are in relation to situations and in particular our life situations that we may not be to happy with. Every circumstance we find ourselves really boils down to this.

1. You can remove yourself from the situation

2. You can change the situation

3. You can accept the situation fully

Ultimately we all have choices in life, we all have the ability to choose, the issues come when we don’t feel empowered to make right choices that will benefit us or make our lives better.

The therapist I was so discouraged about seeing changed my life. I slowly began to learn how to change my life for the better. And eventually told him all the secrets I was holding onto that only the devil and I knew. I began healing.

The Bible tells us in Luke 8:17 that “nothing is hidden that will not come to light.“

We have to work on empowering ourselves to make the choices, or at least to be comfortable with how the situation may pan out.

We have to develop self-awareness to realize that we can create our reality and that there may be some things we can’t change right now, but we can work towards being able to.

Sometimes we will find ourselves in situations that we aren’t happy with, it’s in those times that we have to ask ourselves whether we can change it, remove ourselves from the situation, and if not then how can we accept it and embrace what it is?

This little lesson that took about 5 minutes to learn completely changed my life. It’s simple, direct and to the point.

False gods And Idols Today

“False gods and idols that are worshipped today can be just about anything, from a statue representing money to a living person like self. Anything that is held above the Lord God is a false god or idol. We need to examine our lives to make sure we are not holding anything above the Lord God” -Exodus 20:3-6

It was common in ancient times for people to worship gods made out of wood or stone. These false gods were idols that didn’t exist but were created and carved by the skill of man. Deuteronomy 32:16-17 tells us that “those who worship false gods wittingly or unwittingly, pledging their allegiance to evil spirits who desire to usurp God’s rightful place.

The false gods and idols that are being worshipped today can be called power, fame, materialism, lust, and the great “me or I self.” The sad thing is these false gods and idols are taking over the lives of the people of the Lord and replacing His love and compassion He had for them.

Psalm 135:15-18 explains “idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not, eyes have they, but the seen not; they have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone one that trusts in them.”

Exodus 20:3-6 reminds us that “we shall have no other gods before Him. We shall not make unto us any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; we shall not bow down our self to them, not serve them; for I the Lord they God am a jealous God, visiting the inquire of the fathers upin the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

If we look at these false gods and idols we can see that they are being worshipped and that there are images that are being created by man. The also gods of money and materialism have been around forever and that includes during the time Jesus was on the earth. He posed the question in Matthew 16:26 when He asked; “For what is a man profited, if he gains the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? With the temptation of Jesus by the devil who took Him up into an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. Satan told Jesus that if He would fall down and worship him. Then Jesus said to him, *Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve Him only.” (Matthew 4:8-10).

Materialism is greediness, and covetousness that desire to have more and more. There is such a good in the lives of many people that they are looking for anything to fill this void. Yet they never have enough. There is no amount of money, possessions like cars, houses, even clothes that can fill that void. There is no smoubf of food, friends or anything that causes they adrenaline rush that will be able to fill that void. It is only the love of Jesus that can fill that void.

Jesus tells us “that those things that come out of man is what defiles the man. It is from within, out of the heart of men that proceeds evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, deceit, lust, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness all of these evil things come from within, and defile the man” -Mark 7:20-23. We are warned to “take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which we possess” -Luke 12:15.

1 Corinthians 10:19-22 gives us a clue as to what an idol is. An idol is anything that is offered in sacrifice. It is also the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: it would be like we having fellowship with devils. We cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: we cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the tables of devils.

The worshiping of just and sexual sin has grown rapidly in the world today. The idol of lust is found in all aspects of society today. There are billions and billions of dollars spent on pornography, and prostitutes both men and women and children are sold for sex like property. Lust has taken over television, video games and all forms of media. The worshipping of the idik of lust in ruining the trust of marriages, corruption of our youth. Eventually, it even leads to abortions being used as a form of birth control, transmitting sexually transmitted diseases.

The Bible tells us that whosoever looks on a woman with lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28. Romans 1:27 likewise also with men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was met.

We learn in James 1:14-15 that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished; brings forth death. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not from the Father but is of the world. The world passes away, and the lust thereof, but he that does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16-17).

The most popular false god in the world today is self. It is when a person places themselves and their needs ahead of God are when it becomes an idol. The idol of self can take many forms depending on the many ways a person puts their will and their own desires before the will and desire the Lord has for us.

We all know those types of py do not seem to care what anyone thinks just as long as they can “spew” their own mouths, thoughts, and opinions. They only care about their time, their money, and their impression of their purpose dealing with themselves only. The only thing that comes first with them is themselves. Their marriage, children, and families are never more important them themselves.

The idol or false god can crush marriages. The worshipping of self can lead to physical or sexual abuse. This type of false his hurts and destroys anyone who gets in the way. They push away or reject anyone who does not serve their purpose. Power and fame are also false gods that attach to the self. It becomes the authority of the lives of people that most often replaces God. Power and fame becomes the ruling power of the lives of individuals who are full of arrogance and tyrannical power.

Even the crimes today including drug abuse are idols of worshipping self. These false gods or idols that are being worshipped are ultimately sinful, destructive, and controlled by someone else. Eventually, when someone is giving intovwotshio of the sekc in one form of another, that person is really worshipping the devil and under his control.

We are to know that in the last days, perilous times will come. “ Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, I’m thankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, despisers if those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:2-4).

Gentleness or meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in the goodness and control over any situation by the Lord. The gentle person id not occupied with self at all. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and not of human will. Those who have Christ have crucified flesh with the affections and just. If we live in the Spirit then we should also walk in the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-26.

The Bible talks of the inner man which is the soul, conscience. If the inner man is what it should be the Father of our Lord Jesus of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Jesus Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, they you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, depth, and height, and to know the love of Jesus which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of the Lord God (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Once we realize that the Lord shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Let it be hidden, concealed, secret part be hidden in our hearts, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealing with us as good, and therefore without disputing it resisting (1 Peter 3:4), False gods and idols can do nothing for anyone except cause destruction and falling away from the Lord.

That being said, we are humans and doing the best we can do and to try and do better than we did yesterday. Repent often, and love the Lord your God putting Him first in everything we do.

How To Stop Overthinking God’s Way

What does the Bible say?

Most people don’t realize that the Bible gives us solutions to every issue we will ever have in our lives.

Overthinking is an issue we all have these days. I know when covid happened there were a lot of people who were overthinking and causing people anxiety and stress. But any kind of situation that concerns us can cause us to overthink.

King David describes the stress of overthinking in Psalm 6 where he writes that “My soul is in deep anguish” and “I am worn out from my groaning” yet he celebrates God’s intervention to help him in 6:9 “The Lord had heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.”

Psalm 42:5 sheds light on how overthinking is harmful for the soul and presents a solution to that problem: “Why, my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

Jesus addresses exhaustion that comes from life’s stresses, including overthinking, in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls; For me yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Here is Jesus encouraging you to find relief from overthinking and all other stress through a relationship with Him.

Colossians 3:2 urges, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” The Bible assures us that it’s possible to take control of your thoughts. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul writes, “We demolish agreements and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” it’s by taking every one of our thoughts captive that we can fight off overthinking and find peace of mind.

While overthinking is a challenging issue to deal with, the Bible offers us power so that we can experience peace of mind.

I have been an over-thinker all my life. Learning from the Bible has taught me to calm myself down and reduce this to a minimum. Here are a few tactics I use,

  • Ask The Holy Spirit To Renew Your Mind

Romans 12;2 advises us “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is -His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” When we overthink our minds can get stuck in a pattern of repeating thoughts that do more harm the good. We can fight it off by asking the Holy Spirit to renew our minds regularly. The Holy Spirit will help you at any moment when you pray for help. It’s also wise to ask for His help when you begin each day, so you can see the situation from an accurate perspective on a regular basis. As you make this a regular habit it will become easier.

The Bible calls the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities can lead to a healthy mind.

  • Turn Your Worries Into Prayers

Philippians 4:6-7 urges us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving give your requests to God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.” whenever you notice yourself worrying about something because you’re overthinking it, take that thought captive by praying about it. Refuse to dwell on anxiety, instead talk with God about what’s concerning you, asking Him to help you with that situation and give you peace about it. Worrying just wastes your energy, but prayer always works because it invites God’s power into the situation. Choose to trust God will answer your prayers at the best times in the best ways. When worries are persistent keep praying persistently, following the advice of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray continually.” The more you pray when you catch yourself worrying, the more you’ll be able to overcome overthinking. Prayer focuses your thoughts on God, and Jesus assures us in Matthew 6:33-34 that seeking God is much better than worrying, “But first see His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34). Each day has enough trouble of its own.

  • Focus On Positive Thinking

Overthinking can cause negative thoughts spiral out of control. You can fight that off by focusing on positive thinking. Philippians 4:8-9 encourages us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is no key, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lively, whatever is admirable -if anything is except praiseworthy – think about such things… and the peace will be with you. Bible verses about positivity show that choosing positive thinking can help you move closer to God, which will empower us to overcome overthinking and trust in God in deeper ways.

  • Be Still

Rather than letting thoughts run wild through your mind with overthinking, choose to rest your mind by reading God’s word and praying about them (mediating the Bible) this brings God’s presence closer to you. “Be still, and know that I am God.” God encourages us in Psalm 46:19. When you trust God, you don’t need to overthink, because God will fight for you in any situation.

Exodus 14:14 assures us that, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” You can strengthen your ability to still your mind by developing prayer and meditation habits you enjoy and will be motivated to practice regularly. My pastor uses playing his guitar during his time with the Lord and singing the scriptures. I prefer to spend time outdoors in nature when I spend time with the Lord. When you incorporate something you enjoy with spending time with God,it becomes easy to make it a habit. And in the process, your faith will grow stronger, eloping you trust God more and be still with him in peace.

Learning what the Bible says aboard overthinking gives you the wisdom you need to stop the stress of unhealthy thoughts running through your mind. As you practice ways to overcome overthinking, you’ll experience more peace, and be free to notice and enjoy God’s presence with you, no matter what circumstances you face.

The Most Expensive Thing In The World

There are many things that have penalties. At present I am suffering the penalty of loving sugar than I should. We find penalties for poor diets. We find penalties for failing to recognize the limits of our bodies, perhaps after spending the day hiking and not bringing enough water. Maybe we’ve learned about penalties because of poor spending habits.One thing we notice though is that penalties inherently bear negative consequences.

The word penalty comes from the Latin word “pain.” Penalties come in the form of pain which comes after the penaltyb breaking a law, rule, or contract at least according to the dictionary.

Do the Scriptures warn us about penalties? Well, that depends on who you ask. In our ordinary lives, we get a variety of answers to the same question. For example, “What do you think about the president? Unlike the ordinary spheres if our world, In matters of being a believer in God, we don’t want to merely gather together the opinions of others. We don’t want to make assumptions. We want the truth. So with that in mind, what does the Bible have to say about penalties?

Every penalty in Scripture in connected to sin. Sin is our unwillingness to love God. Sin may involve failing to do what is right. But in all things, sin is dishonoring the name of God, it is an undervaluing of His character and a rejection of what He stands for,

All sin deserves eternal punishment and separation from God forever. Sin is easily overlooked in our world, but God sees all things and cannot ignore unrighteousness. He would have to deny His nature. God’s holiness necessitates that sin be punished.

Jesus speaks about the future punishment of the wicked in a parable of the marriage of the king’s son in Matthew 22:13, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The same end is echoed in other scriptures, but what is sufficiently presented is that everyone who denies Christ, who fails to repent of their sins and believe in Him, shall receive the penalty of their sins, which is death – not physical death, but spiritual death. “For the wages of sin is death” -Romans 6:23.

Why do those who are believed talk about punishment at all? It’s done for the sake of love. Love drives us to yell in the middle of the night when we find a neighbor’s house is on fire. Love leads us to pray every day for our children when we know they are lost. Love calls us to action. All sin leads to death, and if we are indifferent about reality we ought to wonder if our hearts are for flesh or stone.

Just in America in 2023, 510,000 abortions were estimated to have been aborted. And people wonder why what’s happening in America got so bad. You can’t kill that many human beings and God sit and do nothing. Isaiah 59;7-8 tells us,

“Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know, and there is not justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them know peace.”

Deliberate sin is a conscious rejection of grace. We shouldn’t be surprised when sin leaves us lost in fear and doubt, feeling like we have been cast away from God. Jonah literally ran from God, and God chastened him for his sin. (Jonah 3:4).

Judas’s sin was collecting blood money, that dripped pure and red from the righteous Lamb Himself. Still, that same blog could’ve covered his sin if he had repented instead of just feeling guilty. The end result was Judas hanging himself.

When you start reaping the whirlwind of of the sin you have down, remember God is merciful. We must own our sins and recommit to walking God’s path, believing that His Fatherly face will again shine on us.

Sin is never free. There is always a cost.

Failure to start on God’s path will result in serious injury. Reflect on on the manifold cost of sin can warn souls against wandering from the safe path of faithfulness.

Snacks

What snack would you eat right now?

I would eat a Quest Protein Bar. It’s z fast easy snack that’s very low in sugar and only 140 calories. At 140-190 calories z bar and 20-21 grams of protein.

I began eating these when I had knee surgery. Protein helps repair damaged body tissues and form antibodies to help fight infection and produce collagen which is essential for scar formation.

Crazy Business Idea

Come up with a crazy business idea.

Some pet owners want more for their fur babies than just mete boarding when they have a choice to leave them for vacation, business trips, or even an extended time in the hospital. I think a pet hotel would be an excellent choice. One that offers upscale facilities, food, and entertainment.

Some added services would include:

  • Private suites
  • Runs in the park (as opposed to time and an enclosed dog run
  • Grooming, including teeth cleaning at an extra cost
  • Pet massage
  • Aquatic activities

The Jewish Jesus

Within the Christian faith, there are no ethnic divisions or racial walls. Nevertheless, at the center of Christianity is Jesus, and Jesus is a Jew.

Jewishness of Jesus -Yeshua

The movement which began with Jesus the Jew has grown to include every tribe and nation on earth. The Christian faith has crossed over every cultural line and social barrier. Yet all to often, the Jewishness of Jesus -Yeshua is lost among believers. Many people. Jews and Christians alike, are astonished when they first realize that Jesus is a Jew.

Jesus was born to a Jewish mother, in a Jewish family. Like all Jewish sons, He was circumcised on the eighth day. In keeping with Jewish tradition, He was given His Hebrew name on the same day He was circumcised. He was named Yeshua. Yeshua means “salvation.” He was named Salvation because He will “save His people.” He people are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Jewish people.

Jesus was raised as a Jew within an Orthodox Jewish community. Nazareth, His hometown, was a thoroughly Jewish village pioneered by descendants of King David. Keeping with the ancient Jewish tradition, He had His hair cut when He was three years old. He kept the festivals and the Sabbath. He ate only kosher. He ate matzo on Passover; He fasted on the Day of Atonement.

He dressed as a Jew. He did not wear a mixture of wool and linen. He wore fringes on the corners of His garments. He wore Tefillin (phylacteries).

He had a Jewish education. He learned Hebrew. He learned the Hebrew blessings. At age 5, He began to learn the Torah (Bible). He went to the Synagogue every Sabbath. He taught from the Holy Books of the Jews. He taught about the God of the Jews. His disciples were all Jews. They called Him “Rabbi.”

Theology often parts Jesus against Judaism. But the anti-Jewish Jesus is not the Biblical Yeshua. He is a creation of the anti-Semitic and anti-Torah climate of the developing gentile church.

The gospels in the Bible portray Yeshua as a faithful and deeply committed Jew operating within the context of First Century Judaism. Although His interpretation of the Torah (Bible) was often at odds what that of His contemporaries, He never abolished the Law of God. He repeatedly demonstrated His affection for His people. He compared Himself to a shepherd and Isreal to His sheepfold.

Yeshua is a Jew. The Yeshua of the gospels is not a one-size-fits-all mystic. To remove Him from His Jewish context is to misunderstand Him. He lived as a Jew, He taught as a Jew, He prayed as a Jew and He died as a Jew. His blood was Jewish blood. The sugb above the cross said, “Yeshua of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

Someone used Artificial Intelligence to create an image of what Jesus really looked like. This is what He looked like, and it’s different than all the images that we have come to recognize.

Jesus As A Jew

Don’t Become Stagnant

Do you remember the “Rubik’s Cube” that crazy cube made up if rows of colored squares that would rotate in every direction? The idea was to line up the little squares in a way that all six sides contained only one color. If you had one you probably remember how badly you wanted to solve it.

That “Rubik’s Cube” is just one thing in a long list of things I started with great enthusiasm, that went by the wayside as j lost interest in them, things that I started and lost interest in.

I’m sure if you think back through you life it wont take long to compile a list of things you started with great enthusiasm and lost interest in too.

We lose interest as we begin to see ourselves as unable either to physically or mentally complete the project. We are unable to understand the basic concepts that would allow us to finish whatever it is that we have started. We decide that even while others may be able to don’t, we can perform at that level. We can’t make it work.

There was no shame in that “Rubik’s Cube,” hidden in the back of the closet and forgotten about. It probably saved hours of frustration.

The problem comes when we do the same thing happens with our spiritual life or even our beliefs. I remember being on fire for God, it started out that I was full of enthusiasm and excitement, and I wanted to shout it out from the rooftops how good God is.

Many people lose this enthusiasm and excitement over time, they lose their focus. They decide it doesn’t work for them. The joy they experienced with salvation stagnates with neglect into the traditions and soon they become disillusioned with the entire experience. Some fall away and never return and others remain in the church long after they gave given up on experiencing a meaningful relationship with God. They hang on to the habit of going to church but no longer expect to experience growth.

Let’s look at Revelation 2:4-5 you will find a better to a stagnate church in Ephesus,

“But I have this against you, that you left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and so the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of it’s place, unless you repent.”

If you have lost your first love, I urge you to repent. If you have traded the Gospel of Jesus for a ceremony called church. Or set aside the teachings of Jesus for the traditions of men. It today’s world it is easy to backslide. In our busyness, it’s easy to put God off for another time but another time never comes.

For a person to remain an active believer we have to do more than merely attend a weekly worship service. If we are to remain in Christ and not fall away we must forever be active in Christ.

If we are to continue in His service do not become disillusioned we have to understand few stages of growth and maturity through Christ. There are three stages of being a mature believer. That maturity is not a destination to be reached but a continual journey that should be experienced and enjoyed.

Stage 1.

Surrender. Surrendering in the Bible is different from what we it means in the world. The world identifies surrender as humiliation, But the Bible identifies it is the willingness to surrender your life, your desires and your will to Jesus.

Today there are many who have professed to God but have never surrendered their lives to Him. They have fallen for the lie of an easy salvation that requires one to only stand up and express a belief to obtain eternal life. I do not believe that one can repeat a canned prayer off a 3×5 card and have a surrendered life to Jesus. And salvation cannot be earned by good works, it comes by grace through faith, it is the gift of God not works, so that no one can boast.

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 19:2)

There are many.p in this country on church rolls, listed as members who will be nothing more than fodder for the fires of hell unless they surrender their lives to Jesus. If you think you can have the assurance of eternal life because you stood up and made a public profession of Jesus and then put your Bible away on a shelf like an unsolved puzzle to gather dust, then you are mistaken, without surrendering to God, you are a candidate for hell.

Matthew 21:28-31 tells of an account of 2 sons in the vineyard,

“”But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, some, go, work in my vineyard. He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise, And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,” but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’

Those who place their faith in public profession that produces no work are no better off than the son who said he would but then did not go.

A stagnant believer that produces no fruit is no surrendered to Christ. We cannot always be a good judge of the fruit of others but we should a least check our own branches for fruit.

If we are truly surrendered to God there will be growth because if you are surrendered then you will be in submission and if you are in submission there we will growth.

We must come to the knowledge of our own sin, we must come to the knowledge of salvation that we have been offered by the blood of Jesus which brings us to a state of love and appreciation for a God who would sacrifice His Son for us. Our surrender is an acknowledgment of our love for Gid, it is a step that we confront the first and greatest commandment,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” – Matthew 22:37.

Stage 2

Submission. This is the process of learning and applying God’s rules for our lives as we learn to let others see Jesus living in us and it is during this process that we discover in our attempt to serve God that we serve those around us. It is in our state of submission that we, imitating Jesus, learn the second greatest command,

“Love your neighbor as yourself” – Matthew 12:31

If we are to be like Jesus then we must live as He lived and He tells us clearly in Matthew 20:28,

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

And as we seek to serve Him we are told in Matthew 25:40 what we must do as Jesus proclaims,

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Doing for others is serving Jesus. It is a never-ending process that we build on the rest of our lives as we aspire more and more to be like Him.

Submission: learning to love our neighbors will lead us to the third stage.

Stage 3

Sharing. By submission to His will for your life the Holy Spirit will build such a great love within you for others that you will not be able to sit on the sidelines while a world full of lost people, each one made in the image of God, goes to hell for lack of the gospel message. As we grow and mature into the third stage of maturity we find ourselves compelled by compassion to reach the lost. We must take the literal and personal command from God as individuals,

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” -Matthew28:19-20

I am still growing in this process. I will continue to mature as a true believer in Christ until Jesus returns.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged as we face the challenges of this life, but we cannot afford to lay our belief in Christ aside like some incomplete puzzle that we have lost interest in. Our salvation is at stake as well as all those who will ultimately be affected if you stay on track in our spiritual growth and maturity.

It doesn’t matter where you are in the process but it does matter whether or not you are still involved in the process.

Incredibly Attached

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

One of the things I was attached to was my Siamese cat. My father breeder Siamese cats and sold them. Usually, I was not allowed to touch them as kittens. They were for profit only. I think my father got tired of me asking for a cat. And finally gave in and let me have one. He was a Chocolate Point Siamese and I named him Arthur. He became by emotional support pet forever.

Between him and music, it took my mind off what was going on in my life. Arthur finally died of old age, then I turned to music even more to get through my tough spots as a youth.

Avoiding Deception In The Last Days

I believe many people are concerned and even worried about the difficult events that have been happening in America, and around the world. People of all political perspectives are not sure what’s coming next. A majority of people wonder why certain events are occurring. People are accusing one another of being evil.

I believe that Jesus and His Apostles warned us about what we are experiencing. 2 Timothy 3:1 is where Paul was looking into the future when he made the statement, “In the last days difficult times will come.” These times have been here for some time and these times will become more difficult.

Typically, when we talk about the last days, we think about the 7-year tribulation, the battle of Armageddon, and the second coming of Christ. And while those events are important to talk about. We need to focus on the deceptions that will occur in the last days. This can help us wisely understand what we have and will be experiencing.

Let’s look at 5 truths about deception in the last days.

The first truth is that Jesus warned the disciples about deception related to His second coming in Matthew 24:4-5, He said that would occur before the 7-year tribulation,

“See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many.” (NASB)

Jesus warned us twice to not be misled. The Greek word misled is planar, it can also mean “deceived.” Jesus is warning us not to be deceived. Jesus warned His disciples about a very large number of receivers. That warning about deception is already in progress. In Matthew 24 Jesus tells us that during the last half of the tribulation, deception will explode and be extremely convincing because they will use great signs and wonders to mislead.

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold I have told you in advance” -Matthew 24:24 (NASB)

The deception will be so powerful that only the elect believers can escape the deception. That means unbelievers in our country and around the world will be deceived. The tribulation period will be a time of tremendous deception. That is why Jesus warned His disciples. He said, “Behold I have told you in advance.” He wants believers to not be ignorant.

The second truth is to avoid deception about truth. Paul warned us that truth and righteousness would be twisted or distorted in the last days. In 1 Timothy 4:1-4 he wrote,

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as a branding iron” (NASB)

Paul says in the later times just before the second coming of Christ, deceitful spirits will increase. The demons will use people who have a seared conscious. The demons will use men and women who are insensitive to sin and evil. What will they teach? The answer is given in Matthew 24:3-5. They will distort biblical truth. Their instruction will be deceptive. The result of their instruction is given in in part in2 Timothy 3:1-5,

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, relivers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied it’s power; Avoid such men as these” (NASB).

In 2 Timothy 3:8, we are told that such people are opposed to truth. They reject biblical truth and seek to deceive. In the last days evil will be considered good, and good will be considered evil. People will increasingly become more insensitive to sin, their consciences will be seared and their hearts hardened to others. This means in the last days evil will explode.

Interestingly there is an article called Imprimis that’s titled “Orwell’s 1984 and Today.” It is a snapshot of the future.

We have cut the links between child and parent and between man and man, and between man and woman. No one dares trust a wife or child or a friend any longer. But in the future, there will be no wives and no friends. Children will be taken from their mothers at birth, as one takes eggs from the hen. The sex instinct will be eradicated. Procreation will be an annual formality like the renewal of a ration card…There will be no loyalty, except loyalty toward the Party. There will be no love, except, the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy…All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always -do not forget, Winston – always there will be intoxication of power, constantly growing subtle. Always, at every moment there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face.

O’Brien

We may not agree with every comment, but we are living in a world where biblical truth is increasingly hated and considered evil. The trend he describes is occurring.

The third truth is to avoid deception about the antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 gives us another warning. This warning is about an evil leader who will appear in the last days -at the beginning of the tribulation. Paul warns us,

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself about every so-called god or object of worship.” (NASB)

This verse is about the antichrist. He will be the leader of a nation. He is called the “man of lawlessness.” That describes his character. He will not be subject to God’s moral law of to any government laws. This lawless man will be a proud man who does not feat anyone! He will be the ultimate evil man. Eventually, the antichrist will seize control of the world and then rule the world. Paul warns people not to be deceived by him. That means this man will initially appear as a nice man, but through deception, he will gain control.

Thessalonians 2:8-10 gives us more information about this man. We are told,

“Then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will day with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one who is coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and will all the deception of wickedness for those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” (NASB)

There are three things about the antichrist in these verses. First, the antichrist will come “in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all deception of wickedness.” That is, he will be very politically powerful. His primary tool will be the art of great deception. Like a magician, he will skillfully deceive people into believing one thing while actively doing something else. Second, we are told that people will be deceived. That is, the vast majority of people will think he is doing good. They will trust him. Everyone but true believers will be deceived by him. Why will they like his magic tricks? We are told that those who will be deceived are those who “did not receive the love of the truth.” That is referring to non-believers. They reject biblical truth. Third, this lawless man will be killed by Jesus at the second coming of Christ. The antichrist is the ultimate deceiver.

So far, we have been warned about false Christs, false teaching, and the antichrist. Who is responsible for all of these? The answer is Satan. Satan’s role in deception in the last days. It comes from Satan who is the architect of deception. He will aggressively work to deceive the world. He is “the deceiver.” In Revelation 12:9 we are told,

“The devil and satan, who deceives the whole world.” (NASB)

That is, Satan is the master deceiver of the world.

Revelation 13 describes the future antichrist and false prophet. In verses 3 and 4, we are once again told the antichrist will deceive the world so that the whole earth follows and worships him. The world will think this man of lawlessness is a wonderful leader. Why! Verse 2 gives us the answer. The dragon or the devil or Satan empowers him (Revelation 12:9).

Verses 11-18 introduce us to the false prophet. He will be the leader of a false religion that will span the world. Verses 13-14 says,

“He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceived those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life” – Revelation 13:13-14 (NASB)

The false Prophet will deceive everyone on earth too. His worldwide religion is described in Revelation 19:23 as a deceptive organization. It will be a false religion that suppresses Christianity. Revelation 19:20 3;10 the devil, the antichrist and the false prophet are described as deceptive.

This helps true believers understand that in the last days, the great evil and deception will be orchestrated by satan. Those who reject divine truth are the ones who will think the antichrist is wonderful. Then evil men will become even worse. Ephesians 6:12 says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

What’s God’s purpose in deception in the last days?

It is explained in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12,

“For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness.” (NASB)

We are told that God will send a deluding influence on the world or a deceiving influence so that they will believe what is false. That is, God will cause the world to be deceived. Why would God do that? God gives us the answer. He will do it, “in order that they all may be judged who did not believe in the truth but took pleasure in wickedness.” God will intentionally cause those who have already ultimately and finally rejected Jesus and are indulging in the pleasures of sin to be completely deceived. He gives them over because they have rejected Jesus. Then when God judges them, His judgments will prove He is righteous. They will prove they deserve hell.

What is to be learned from all of this? Jesus and Paul have warned us not to be deceived in the last days about the second coming of Jesus, the distortion of truth, the increase in evil, and the rise of the antichrist. They warned us that satan will be the master deceiver and will cause worldwide deception. God will cause those who have rejected the truth and enjoyed sin, to be decided and to believe lies.

I believe that the tremendous increase in evil, lies, and deception that we have been observing for decades is not just due to people being sinners. It is the handiwork of satan, which God is increasingly allowing as we more quickly move to the end. As God releases control, we will see how mankind will become when God stops restraining evil and deception.

Matthew 25:34 tells is that God the Father made plans for His kingdom from the foundation of the world. What we are seeing is the execution of His plan. We are marching faster now toward the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The Lord willing, maybe those who are living in these days might someday soon discover that Jesus told His disciples that His second coming will be obvious to everyone when it occurs. In Luke 17:23-24 Jesus said,

They will say to you, “Look there! Look here! Do not go away, and do not run after them. For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.” (NASB)

When He returns everyone will see Him. When Jesus comes in a blaze of light and everyone around the world will see Him. We should pray, Come quickly, Lord Jesus! come.

My Mission

What is your mission?

My mission is and always will be to help people not make the same mistakes I have in life. And let people know there is someone out there who has love and cares for them even when they feel like they cannot love and care about themselves, God loves us.

The world can be a very dark place if you rely on other human beings. Because human beings will ultimately hurt you, and can lead you astray. God doesn’t.

“All my life I’ve been told I belong at the end of the line, with all the other not quotes, with all the never get it rights. But it turns out I’ve been the one you’ve been looking for all the time, I am a nobody trying to tell everybody all about somebody who saved my soul” – Casting Crowns

My mission is to share what I have learned, to pass on my knowledge and freely give the knowledge that I have freely received.

When we look to the right of us and see, there was no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul. (Psalm 145:4). Very few people in life care for your soul, stay close to the ones that do,

If I help make one person in my life, by telling of my journey and struggles I have endured in life then I have accomplished my mission. Jesus would have left the 99 to save the one.

Living A Very Long Life

What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

My concept is probably a bit different than everyone else. I believe that we have naturally ruined our chance to live very long lives at least in America. We have been eating “toxic foods” for years. By choice or ignorance. For example, Nutmeg has something called myristicin that can cause seizures, hallucinations and others.

Along with that with add MSG, Sodium Nitrite that is known for causing cancer. There are many more additives that are in our foods.

The point is they want to use scientific methods to have us live longer lives. While we continue to eat all the garbage they put in our food. Which I think is pointless.