Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

Thursday, September 17, 2026

I Don't Want to Learn Today!

 


Heard this story from my husband today and wanted to share this believing God is in the midst of it!  Here given by my husband:  we call him “Little Man” the grandson of maintenance personnel at the dam. In this, a five year has a good word for folks if you are 5! Yes, he came to grandparents at about 3 am. He is dropped off to finish his night rest and get ready for the day. Little Man pokes Umpa, and speaks…..

At this point it is Little Man who continues to ask if school is that day…being today and a Wednesday. He tells him yes, it is a school day. And response….Little Man speaking, : Umpa, I don’t want to learn today! Umpa in his wisdom says Little man might as well get use to it because it is something that happens every day no matter if you’re going to school or like Umpa going to work.

With errands his parents had to do started early that day, so grandparents take Little Man to school. But his heart was set for that day off from learning.

Out of the mouths of Babes, he surely spoke as the five year old, still we can see forty- somethings and twenty- somethings do the very same thing. For yes, if working, you learn something each day you go to work. When one actually rolls the body out of bed to get a start on that learning, they find they might need to know a new computer update. That might know of some changes to the work area. They also learn CPR.  As working with children for many years, I also learned that you learned about the people you work with and the very work you are to do in that specific day.

Proverbs 1:2-7,20-23, 33 NKJV To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, 3 to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion----5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son hear the instruction of your father and do not forsake the law of your mother, 9 for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

20 wisdom calls aloud outside; she raise her voice in the open squares. 21 she cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words; 22 How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge. 23 Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.     And verse 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely. And will be secure without fear of evil.

1.            Instruction in wisdom, justice, judgment and equity: Proverbs 2:9-10…..NKJV……Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path 10 when wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul.

2.            How desperate are you to be protected from those who enjoy doing evil, whose paths are crooked, whose house sinks down to death…God feeds the hungry. God only has the wisdom required!

3.            From verse 8 hear instruction from your parents, this will enhance one whose God is the Lord and whose paths are made straight.

4.            A wise man will hear and increase learning. A man of  understanding will attain wise counsel…to understand a proverb and an enigma…those words of the wise and their riddles.

5.            If you lack an appetite for God’s word , ask Him for a spiritual appetite: Psalm 42:1 as the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God?

We should have that spiritual appetite for God and His word. And what about “Little Man”……… should he not have one for physical learning: that using our brains to think on subjects like reading, arithmetic , and writing our own names?  Should we be thinking on learning those important things to get through life created for us to live? Little Man is set on a “ great fishing day with Umpa”. He would like that fun day. But we must consider him who does not work will not eat. ( found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10  )

As the young child, we must encounter school days. We must learn to read, write and do math at many levels. The same is knowing God by encountering Him: His providential grace is of Him. And we have  seen that God works providentially to draw very different people to Himself. He does it through the same gospel message, proclaimed by His servants. The same is true when people are actually taught to read, to do math correctly and write not only your name but many written on topics one should study to get that diploma.

To Know God is to Encounter Him: 2 Cor. 3:16-18 NKJV Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is Spirit & where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1.            We reflect what we behold, Are we beholding God in our sights? Has He captured our eye?...James identified Jesus as the glory in James 2:1; He is the glorious manifestation of the presence of God among His people!

2.            What you behold in Him you will speak; see a facet of God & be excited

3.            What do we see in Jesus to be thankful for Him, be thankful in Him and glory in His presence

4.            Jesus came to reconcile us back to God, not just to bring us  a pass to stay out of hell but to actually have a relationship with Him the Father through Jesus Christ;   We go from glory to glory by the Holy Spirit

Residing in Glory :Eph. 1: 2-12 Amp..bible….2 May grace (God’s unmerited favor) & spiritual peace [ which means peace with God & harmony, unity & un-disturbedness] be yours  from God our Father & from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 May blessing (praise, laudation, & eulogy) be to the God & father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual given by the Holy Spirit) ……..4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated & set apart for Him) in love.                                                                                                                                                  

1.            You & I had favor with God thousands of years before we were born

2.            My husband & I planned for our daughter…..a place for her ( a home) a room, things for comfort and food for nourishment, comfort in warmth…she has shoes, clothes….she had a space

3.            He destined us to His grace, that unmerited favor and spiritual peace to be in harmony with Him: Are you asking Him about the things He has planned for you and have you asked where your place is…???

But many today want the fun without learning much and rely on “free” stuff so they can sleep late and eat all day at home. Many want to get without giving anything as of themselves to work and take care of a family.

Ephesians 1: 5 For He foreordained us ( destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [ because it pleased Him & was His kind intent]----- 6 [So that we might be] to the praise & the commendation of His glorious grace (favor & mercy,) which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.                                           

Ephesians 1: 7 In Him we have redemption (deliverance & salvation through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings & trespasses), in accordance with the riches & the generosity of His gracious favor. 8 Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight  & prudence),   …you can use this in business, to make decisions…as in a corporate board or to a town meeting… or in your home and within your marriage!

Ephesians 1:9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure, (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed & set forth in Him. 10 [He planned] for the maturity of the times & the climax of the ages to unify all things & head them up & consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven & things on the earth.11 In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) & we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen & appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, who works out everything in agreement with the counsel & design of His [own] will. 12 So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined & appointed to] live for the praise of His glory!  That is a beautiful thing!

1.            From v.10 consummate them in Christ: Isaiah 9:6 Government is on His shoulders

2.            Man will no longer have dominion for the ruler-ship will be in the rightful place: Jesus Christ

3.            A beautiful  thing indeed: He is perfect, His word proven, Psalm 18:30

He will Implant His thoughts into Our Minds: 1 Cor. 2:9-12  NKJV 9.But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God…  THIS IS in Jesus Christ!         

Spiritual Health Needed in These Days: We are to live lives that reflects the favor of God we have. What we do for the Lord will always flow from faith/ love that honors God. ………We are to grow in godliness as the darkness appears:  1 Thess. 5:1-10  NKJV  But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.  2 For you your-selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.  3 For when they say, "Peace & safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.& they shall not escape.  4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.  5 You are all sons of light & sons of the day.

Dialogue is present when Love Protects! Seeking His counsel, spending times of refreshing with Him; and by loving Him and walking closely with Him through every day, we enter into a sheltered place of promise not only regarding our health but the love that protects. This is salvation, a walk of regarding God, and resting in that refreshing time with Him.

John 14:24-27 Amplified Bible 24 Anyone who does not [really ] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. 25 I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Comforter  (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And he will cause you to recall ( will remind you of, bring to your remembrance ) everything I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled].

Jesus had dialog with the Father: 24 Anyone who does not [really ] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. 25 I have told you these things while I am still with you.

1.   The person fearful, intimated, cowardly and unsettled will walk with hands outward, not to worship God but to complain in their muddied water…muddied condition…a muddied environment!

2.   Holy Spirit gives clear counsel, gives us ability to remember everything Jesus spoke when we know what He has spoken

3.   Jesus said: “do not permit” yourselves to be the agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly and unsettled; Peter was warned: love others as I have loved you; Being a disciple of Jesus we are to love other disciples of Jesus, We are to love our neighbors as ourselves!

From verse 27 “Peace I leave with you”: Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.   Christ’s peace is to control our thoughts and emotions. AND to Be the thankful! Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1.   Phi. 4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.  We are to focus our thoughts on that which is pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy.

2. "The Psalms will certainly speak to your heart when dealing with any sickness or disease. I rely on it daily! Psalm 27: 1 The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Maintaining God’s peace by focusing with interest & ambition heavenward to cultivate His values: Colossians 3:1-16 NKJV  If then you were raised with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, & your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire,& covetousness, which is idolatry. 6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

1.   So Paul lists those things we once lived in as to: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, covetousness which is idolatry

2.   These come under the wrath of God and pertain to disobedience...........  Why stop these? Because the wrath of God is coming upon those who participate and practice that disobedience.

3.  Idolatry is the activity of the “human heart” :It starts in the heart, craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God. This covetousness, a disordered love or desire, loving more than God what ought to be loved less than God and only for the sake of God.

4.   Jesus warned Peter! Peter was to make note to “love one another; as I (Jesus) have loved you, that you also love one another. It is a heart ordered right in God and in His image!

Colossians 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

1.   Living under that old man lifestyle : we are to put off anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language

2.   We are to speak no evil

Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10  &  have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all & in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy & beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, & forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

 The new man does not lie: but only gives what is that renewed knowledge of God and according to the image of God;  New man is merciful, kind, humble, meek, longsuffering and always forgiving 

Colossians 3: 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Bond of perfection is God’s love: Put it on! With the Holy Spirit, hardness will turn soft, will turn from “me, myself and I” to God’s purpose on earth! AGAIN  From Colossians 3:1 we are to seek that which is from above, the heavenly, not the worldly. We must discipline ourselves. We know that we are to "put off" those things that do not reflect the image of God and to "put on" the characteristics that do.

It is easy to see those who walk in lawlessness. We pray for our leaders and we vote for righteous leaders.. And we will become those daily who reflect the glory of God.

We are not Little Man, for we are not five years old. We are supposed to be the mature. Not lying to others but renewed as the New Man. Your five and may want ice cream at bedtime, or go for a walk in a rainstorm, but the renewed man is one knowing he must learn everyday to reflect the beauty of our Lord. Truly we are those who have salvation, repentance to turn from wicked ways, it is seen as a place where we have put on love and have the peace of God to rule in our hearts. We are seated in heavenly places!

Enjoy the day Little Man, for one day you will grow up with responsibilities. We pray for you all…… those who are our future in this nation.

     Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Those Echoes

 


1 John 2:6  NKJV  6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Christians are to do as Jesus did. The implication in the larger context is that those who claim to be Christian must live morally, as He did. We are to follow His example and to have the same ethic as He did - especially as it echoes what He says in John 8:28-29, which strongly implies that His behavior was drawn directly from God the Father.

So the very emphasis in 1 John 2:6 is pointing plainly to the way one should live their life!

To some, Christianity is little more than an intellectual exercise. Some of these people may study frequently and spend long hours doing it. Somehow, though, it never translates into the practical aspects of living; it is purely intellectual. They do a lot of research, but their lives never really change.

I knew a lady some 30 years ago. She was a teacher indeed for the word of God. She knew so many passages. She could quote King David, King Solomon, and even Paul! But when it came to tithing when she came into large sums of money, she turned the other cheek to another direction. She considered it her money.  I though knew enough ,that one must tithe those tithes for that is money that is God’s. You know that 10%. She went from living in a nice home and then to divorce, not tithing, to living in her apartment, and then living in here car. In some four years she was living in a mission for women.

WARNING! Those echoes!

Those whose relationship with God is largely based on feeling do so, for their feelings are transient - they come and they go, they change - these people's lives are constantly up and down and highly irregular. They blow hot and cold. John stresses that a Christian must follow the same pattern of life as Jesus lived, and He did not fly from pillar to post based on his emotions!

We are baptized because we have sinned and because God commands it of us. He wants us to make a public statement of our commitment and the giving of our life, the sacrifice of it, to be raised in the likeness of Christ's resurrection.  Christ did not fit any of those parameters. The fact that He did it makes a point: He was baptized to do what was going to be required of us, those who would follow Him. Therefore, He did it as an example. He never offered an animal sacrifice. Why? It would not be required of us. Even so, it would have not have been technically wrong for Him to do so, even as Paul went through one of the Old Covenant rituals in the book of Acts.  Jesus Christ kept the Sabbath and the holy days, and those whom He personally trained also did. That is a powerful lesson. We cannot go wrong following His example, regardless of whether a specific law is stated.

As that child I remember to listen for trains. I had to pay attention if riding my bike of the hazards of crossing if those gates were down. No signal rang out, not flashing lights, but those gated bars came down indeed. It was on the back country of Texas. Of course, many cities have grown up and their warnings have come to fruition.  Still somehow today in the 21st century, people die in Portland , Oregon due to being run over by a transit train on rails. Many for young people with ear buds on with loud music playing out. Others they are hit while riding bikes. Amazing!

Remember that Rebuke Chastening Scourging

John 15:1-5 NKJV  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (2) Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (3) You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (4) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (5) "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Jesus speaks about four kinds of branches: 1) those that bear no fruit, 2) those that bear fruit, 3) those that bear more fruit, 4) and those that bear much fruit. We will focus on the branches that bear no fruit. To get a clearer understanding, we need to understand a few points.

Jesus is the vine: In the vineyard, the vine is the whole grape plant. Vineyard keepers traditionally keep the vine at waist height—36 to 42 inches. The vine ends in a large gnarl from which branches grow in either direction along the trellis.

God the Father is the vinedresser: The vinedresser is the keeper of the vineyard. His task is to cultivate each branch so that it will bear as much fruit as possible. God will do this with love (I John 4:16), for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

We, the members of God's church, are the branches: In the vineyard the branches are the vinedresser's main focus because they produce the fruit. They must be carefully tended to produce the highest quality grapes and the biggest yield.

But, what is the fruit analogous to in this metaphor? What fruit are we to bear? Tracing the words "fruit" and "good works" through the Bible results in the conclusion that they are used nearly interchangeably. We can see this in Titus 3:14: "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful." Colossians 1:10 is similar: ". . . that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." In practical terms, fruit represents good works or godly living. If we are not doing such things, then we are like the branches that are not producing fruit.

Fruit, or good deeds, are evidence of what is inside a person. In Matthew 3:8, John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to "bear fruits worthy of repentance." In other words, they were to produce evidence in their actions that they had repented.

Is it possible to be in Christ yet produce no fruit? John 15:2 may seem to say that the Vinedresser cuts off every barren branch, but we need to look more closely at the words "takes away." This Greek verb, airo, actually means "to lift from the ground," "to lift so as to carry," and "to carry off." The translation "takes away" suggests cutting off, but in Greek literature, airo never means "cut off." "Lifts up" or "raises" is more correct in terms of vine dressing.

In his book, Secrets of the Vine, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson has a conversation with a vineyard owner from Northern California, who says, "New branches have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground, but they don't bear fruit down there. When branches grow along the ground, the leaves get coated in dust. When it rains, they get muddy and mildewed. The branch becomes sick and useless."

Dr. Wilkinson, thinking about John 15:2, asks, "What do you do, cut it off and throw it away?"

"Oh, no," the vineyard owner replies, "the branch is much too valuable for that. We go through the vineyard with a bucket of water, looking for those branches. We lift them up and wash them off. Then we wrap them around the trellis or tie them up. Pretty soon, they're thriving."

What about those young today who need some tying up to the main branch? Yet, many people do not know where their children are at throughout any day!

Are we not more valuable to our Vinedresser than branches in a vineyard? Certainly! So how does our Vinedresser lift us up? We can find an answer in Hebrews 12:5-6: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." The intervention of the Vinedresser in John 15:2 is similar to the discipline a parent gives his or her child. God is our heavenly Father, and we are His children. The two metaphors are parallel.

There are three degrees of discipline or lifting up in Hebrews 12:5-6:

The First Degree, Rebuke: A rebuke is a strong verbal warning. When our children begin to misbehave, we rebuke them. Some parents can do this with just a look. God rebukes us by pricking our consciences through Bible study, sermons, and our interactions with each other. Does this help you?

The Second Degree, Chastening: If the child does not listen to rebuke, a parent might intensify the punishment by sending him to his room, restricting his activities, or taking away his privileges. When God chastens us, we may feel anxiety, frustration, or distress. Pressures may increase at work or at home, in our health or in our finances.

The Third Degree, Scourging: "To scourge" is to afflict with blows, to inflict physical punishment. The scourging Jesus received before His crucifixion caused Him excruciating pain. With rebellious children, a good paddling often does the trick, causing pain without injury. When God scourges us, the pressures of our chastening intensify: Instead of problems on the job, we may find ourselves without one. Instead of being merely sick, we may be deathly ill. The spouse may file for separation. Bankruptcy may loom over us. Today one cannot touch their child for fear of being sent to  the police for their display of punishment.

These are our Vinedresser's ways of lifting us up and washing us off. They are godly discipline designed to put us in the right position to begin producing fruit again.

What about the rest of John 15:2? Pruning is indeed cutting, and cutting hurts. It might seem like punishment, like "lifting up," so we need to distinguish between the two. The Vinedresser lifts up, disciplines, because we are not producing fruit. We have become spiritually sick and useless, so He needs to spur us to repent and to return to fruitfulness. The Vinedresser prunes, however, because we are fruitful! That is when we need to count it all joy (James 1:2) and yield to His pruning shears, so that He may produce more fruit through us.

We have young people dressing for bedtime when going to school. Many business’ like Ruth’s Chris has to step up their rebuke on  many citizens who desire to wear jeans below their backside, wear T-shirts that are dirty and have a smell. And then want to complain at a “great Steak House”!

Why is fruit-bearing so important and valuable? Jesus gives us the answer in John 15:8: "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." He continues in verse 16, "I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain." Paul echoes this Ephesians 2:10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." With Passover only days away, we would do well to inspect our "branch" of God's work to see what fruit God can expect from our corner of His vineyard.

Here we see a WARNING!

Found in Genesis 19:1-11 …it is in verse 2 the angels spoke that they could sleep in the open square and Lot insisted strongly that they stay with him.

In that biblical fear of GOD one can see the mild respect that is deep & abiding in a reverential fear to that which appears as sheer terror. A Terror can cause one to release a scream from the throat to the body collapsing on the floor. Fear can motivate one to fight or flight; & once the response kicks in, terror moves us to take immediate steps to defend ourselves physically or seek protection by running from the danger. Lot took steps to guard the angelic beings from God! Men there in Lot’s town desired others like themselves to hurt and destroy!

Many  today will not respond to Him in any manner. They do not see Him, & from that attitude, they have no immediate concern toward Him. Fearing God is not like our reaction to a lion suddenly jumping out of the jungle & confronting us on the path. But both can be deadly. The lion will attack if you move, for he has seen you. Or how about one lady jogging in Florida during the day and is followed by a great snake: Burmese Python?  God has seen you, knows your frame: Psalm 103:14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

Word given that anyone living near an ocean should pay attention when all volcanoes are erupting and earthquakes shaking the ground under your feet, that an echo will be heard of large volumes of water coming your way! Will we hear, will we get out of the way of danger or just hang near the ground, wearing garb that is shabby, bodies smelly with sweat and give some kind of words that is far from what God has said.

Fruit, or good deeds, are evidence of what is inside a person. Let us remember that in Matthew 3:8, John the Baptist tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to "bear fruits worthy of repentance." In other words, they were to produce evidence in their actions that they had repented.

Stay out of danger and let the Lord lead His WAY!

 

       Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


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Sunday, April 5, 2026

A Threat Against Loyalty

 

Defining Loyalty Will be Found in Our Character: Luke 14:26-27 NKJV 26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. (27) And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 
         1. Loyalty to Christ is found in these 2 verses

     2. Entering into the New covenant, our loyalty should be toward Him

     3. Peter confirmed this word: Acts 5:29 We ought to obey God rather than " men.”

     4. Our character will determine where we go in life and find what rules it!

At the beginning of our conversion usually during counseling for baptism, we are asked to consider this passage seriously. Verses 26-27 are particularly important because loyalty to Christ is the issue in this context. Jesus makes it plain that, after entering into the New Covenant, our highest loyalty is to Him.

This is extremely important because the character of every life is determined by the loyalty that rules it. Peter confirms Jesus' words in Acts 5:29, saying, "We ought to obey God rather than men." He made this affirmation following Jesus' crucifixion.  Persecution was imminent against the fledgling church. However, we must understand that the world is always a threat against our loyalty to Christ.

Heard on the news where the new mayor of New York refused to mention anything of Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. We have to have that "sacrifice" God ordained.

Loyalty to Jesus Who Rules

  Ephesians 4:17-24 …..NKJV….17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (dealing deceitfully) 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus; 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  (like living with big egos)……23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and holiness.

Lewdness: ( from v.19)  one who has the characteristic nature to act out his arrogance & contempt in public. ( We see ignorance and that contempt in public when people refuse Jesus.)

Every person has character, and  the character of every life is determined by the loyalty that rules it. 

Slaves of Sin No More : Romans 6:12-23     NKJV……12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that dorm of doctrine to which you were delivered.

18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness,  and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those thins is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Alignment with God into His Presence : Romans 5:6-11    NKJV.......6 For when we were still without strength in due time Christ dies for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ dies for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

From Romans 5: 11 we also rejoice in God because we have a present fellowship with God through Jesus. We are to understand and know that the two: Sanctification and justification are not the same.

Each has a different process but within the same pattern God has provided to us. His purpose is they both began at the same point of salvation. In that profession and confession of our faith in Jesus, we are the forgiven, the justified and sanctified.

But it is Justification that aligns us with that standard of God’s law. It is that God activated card that brings us into His presence.

AND Sanctification is that inward spiritual work that Jesus Christ works in us.

Jesus confirmed that word when He spoke this: John 14:18: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

As our High Priest, He continues that work in us after our justification. He not only washes us of our sins by means of His blood, but He also labors to separate us from that which is of the  natural love of sin and the world.

Jesus said this: John 5:17    NKJV  17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

Philippians 1:6   NKJV    Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

This good work: Philippians 1:6..is in physical and moral sense. It conveys that of producing benefits.

God in His mercy sent Jesus. In HIM, we have the benefit of life eternal. He made us holy. In that work which is continuing, it is possible for us to be the godly witness before men.

If God's only purpose was to save us, He could end the salvation process with our justification. Certainly, His purpose is to save us, but His goal is to save us with character that is the image of His own.

PATTERNS: Spirit –filled relationship with Jesus..Acts 3:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:29-31 Now Lord look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Boldness: parrhesia (par-rah-see-ah) unreserved, freedom of speech with frankness, candor, and cheerful courage. It is divine enablement that comes from the Holy Spirit and not by man!

Jesus reminded them in John 8:31-32 this: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word you are my disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

Abiding in Jesus makes us free continually when we abide in Him continually. We are to know His word and repeat it in our speaking!

He was speaking that which you will know from Him as truth is that which sets you free. It is abiding in His presences and makes one free. It also represents that we stay within His boundary being active within that pattern He has divinely produced. It does not happen in one moment but many moments of our lives.

Our giving time to Him and His presence is a costly thing. It is an investment not to be taken lightly. Within God and His pattern for life is abiding, then pressing forward in that once given freedom through His son Jesus. Jesus did this all the way to the grave. He kept reaching out to His Father and in that Resurrection with great light would bring Him forth unto the new DAY! In that day of rest, we are new, living out in the light and truth of God and not by some word of a liberal!

If we can discipline ourselves to work at a job, then we certainly can discipline ourselves to be active in reading about, and pursuing Jesus. It is not “hey God, I will catch you up on my leisure time.”

Was thinking of the young woman who had been kidnapped at birth and raised by another woman. The whole of this young teen now is based on a lie. Even though she had seen what she thought was a good life, still all of it is based on the false which is a lie.

We start each day either that which is based on God and His Word or of the other. If our lives are dealing with us in the middle, and the choice is only us then we have no hope. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ! Truly Jesus is the Son of God. Truly He has risen to give us life abundantly.

 Jeremiah 10:23-24 says that the way of man is not in him to direct his steps.

We have to understand that, when we come to God, we are admitting to Him through repentance that our salvation is not internal—it is not something we can produce. In the same vein, the right way to live is not within us. It must come from outside, and that "outside" is God. Thus, we ask God to direct our steps. At baptism, we are asking God to make us into the image of Christ and to rid us of the perversions of human nature that have produced this world.

Psalm 101:7    NKJV……He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.

That continue means: shall NOT BE ESTABLISHED…

Matthew 26:57-60   NKJV…………….57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high Priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests, the elders and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “this fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” 62 and the high priest arose and said to Him, “do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “ I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” 64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless; I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.

Sacrificial love toward other people will be decreasing, but the real cause is that the relationship with God is cooling off. People want more sin and more freedom in that sin!

Matthew 24:9-13       NKJV  9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 “And then many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many 12 and because lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

In Closing:  Philippians 4:8  to think on that which is true and noble not fantasy…

Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy ----meditate on these things.

Proverbs 25:19 instructs us, "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint." Faithfulness always indicates a person who deals truthfully; he can be trusted. Yet, dealing with unfaithful people is usually painful because one never knows whether they will come through. Or if you truly will see them in your need.  Thus, our evaluation of ourselves comes down to this question: How can God trust us if we are not striving to be honest now? More want to be entertained and the very thought of work is just terrible for them to handle.

Whatever may be going on in your neighborhood or community, Jesus and His Strength will be required. We must remain in Him and His peace to take the next step through a darkened path. He will set us on His straight and narrow and see we have all the light we need to get to end of days. His truth is every lasting!

  


   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

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Tuesday, January 20, 2026

That Character or Lack Of

 

Whose character traits do we want to carry through to the grave? Matthew 5:48, "Therefore you shall be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." Colossians 1:28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 

Character is based on knowing God. Jesus defines eternal life as "to know God". This "know" suggests a very close intimacy, just as a husband and wife are intimate in marriage. (Genesis 4:1) The word for "eternal" is the word Aionis translated as to not only duration but more importantly that quality of life. Living endlessly is not necessarily good. True eternal life is the life of God. It is possessing that has the meaning of experiencing some splendor, that lives in the glorious fruits here on earth. Martin Luther King is still talked about today, although they want to change his speaking. 

An example of this is found in Psalm 9:10 "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Those living by faith do not trust in what He is called, for that would be mere superstition. Their faith is in what He is, His character and nature, which they have experienced by seeking to live His way. ( David spoke to Israel and the giant Goliath, that he spoke: "1 Samuel 17:45 " You come to me with a sword, with a speak and with a javelin, But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will take your head from you." "And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

Passing through the barrier is to have focus interest and ambition heavenward. It is casting away specific vises and cultivation of certain virtues. Those pertaining to the sensual indulgence, attitude, speech and prejudice of the mind must die.

I am truly amazed every year, when Martin Luther King day arrives, people are wanting to change his vision to suit their agenda. When he spoke of his dream it was that his children would have character to exist in this life now. It would not be by the color of their skin. Yet, today, we have people who choose to put fleshly things on the altar of their own religion.1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, 4 and these things we write to your that your joy may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

WHAT is DEMONSTRATED and seen here is our response to people based on the kind of character they have demonstrated. Fools will be dealt with differently than with those who are the wise!

Matthew 16:1-4 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that he would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ ‘Hypocrites!’ You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left them and departed.

1.   From verse 4: Jesus’ description of Israel’s religious leaders is reminiscent of Deut. 32:5 where Moses rebuked Israel for rejecting Yahweh.

2.   Deuteronomy 32:5-6 NKJV They have corrupted themselves; they are not His children, because of their blemish: a perverse and crooked generation. 6 Do you thus deal(repay  )with the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?

3.   The relationship with the LORD is ruined when His children no longer act like His children.

4.   They had become a grotesque mockery of what God created them to be.

Matthew 12: 39-40 NKJV  39  But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

An attitude that demands the miraculous sign as that condition for belief does not and will not please God. Jesus told Thomas: John 20:29 “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Seeing always follows believing!

A spiritual adulterous exhibition was presented by the scribe’s and Pharisees because of their rejection of Jesus. These were both blind and in opposition to His authority : He the wise, they the fools!

We see this today in the present hour. You have the few wise and many fools! You have those trying to stop I.C.E. agents from doing their jobs. This present age is choosing Barabbas over Jesus!

 Proverbs 27:20 Hell and Destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.                                                                                                      

People’s eyes have that capacity for lust,  envy & greed. The Rich Man in Luke 16 had wealth but had no wisdom: Proverbs 17:16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense [literally, “heart”]? (17:16). The rich man had no heart for the man who begged for crumbs at the rich man’s gate.  Have we asked God for His heart concerning the lost?

Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But only in expressing ( or revealing) his own heart . Here the wealthy man is capture in the flame and cannot pass to Abraham, yet he wants Abraham to send Lazarus to quench his thirst in that flame. He wants the same to be done for him in hell as it was in his palace or notable estate he owned. He wants word to be given to his five brothers to not come to this place hell but repent.

But the rich man is told “if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.”

 Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But only in expressing ( or revealing) his own heart . God gave us His wisdom to have knowledge and  understanding. He is not about destruction but restoring WHEN REPENTANCE APPEARS! He is about repentance His plan for each man, woman and child. God is not willing that any person should suffer the judgment coming but for all to repent and turn to Him.  ( seen in Luke 13:3-5; 2 Peter 3:9)

We can see a glimpse of those creatures from hell. We can see where the door to the bottomless pit is opened and smoke rises as the smoke of a great furnace.

Revelation 9:2-11 NKJV And he opened the bottomless pit, & smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 & they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for 5 months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die & death will flee from them. 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, & their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair and their teeth were like lion’s teeth. 9 & they had breastplates like breastplates of iron & the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men 5 months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name of Apollyon.

1.   Locusts or (grasshoppers) thick as smoke come up out of the abyss

2.   Not regular locusts like the insect that eats plants/destroys trees; These are locusts that are demonic that torment people; target those who do not have God’s seal on them; from v. 7 they have faces like those of men, they have intelligence ;Their wings make a great sound, noisy, terrifying ; These creatures have a leader: Abaddon in Hebrew & in Greek Apollyon…meaning destruction/destroyer ; They will be tormented by what they worshiped on earth; God will not allow these men to die, but just be tormented/These will attack for 5 months. They, being demonic are grotesque, with lion-like teeth & human like faces & breastplates of scales.

3. Reminds us of those designed by the movie makers, where robotics have the face of men, have some intelligence, but also have awesome and terrifying sounds in wings.  Philippians 1: 27-30 .. 27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come & see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 & not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, & that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, 

Those who encountered Jesus demanded more and more signs. In Matt. 16:1-4 and in this occurrence to perform one from heaven. Demanding a sign, even though a sign was given by John the Baptist of the Messiah present with them. In their dullness they saw no history being made within their generation. The Son of God stood before them and they knew Him not!  Ephesians 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. Hell is a real & those who are bound to that place have a fierce & hostile character toward those who have the image of God. Those held in justice, that righteousness of a holy God find faith their lifeline & the character points to Jesus, wisdom of great light leading us who believe & choose to be wise in Him!

People on what is considered the  "left" want you to love what they love, but is wrong in every way. They want you to kneel to their likes and plans. Yet, God is moving and He is always working. He reveals Himself daily and are we seeing Him in this hour? Warning going out about tsunamis and great earthquakes are on the horizon here on the west coast, and who is awake for such an event? There is a ring of fire in the Pacific Ocean ramping up for something big, there is a multitude raising voices about people recruited for "rapid response" teams all designed to swarm I.C.E. and  there are more grocery stores who are having less on their shelves. Ready or not, your character will be seen and heard! What a "poor woman" on commercial spoke: " she spent all one hundred dollars on her groceries  for family. Well, I can tell you here in this area, a couple can spend almost $500. Not sure what planet she is on but she is not being truthful.

That character you have or have lack of is about to be revealed!



   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 


Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching


Now Posting to Rumble 
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