Will God continue to forgive me? Am I saved?

My Daughter was due at summer camp for 8am. We let the dog out in the back yard as we were getting ready. She came back to door with dark stains around her neck.

This wasn’t our first rodeo, and we immediately knew what it meant. The horrid, putrid smell of whatever she rolled in hit us.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. I immediately ran up stairs and lifted her sixty pound body into the tub.

Turns out, dogs like the smell of certain animal feces or dead animals. She had done this before. It’s apparently a primal instinct of theirs and they find it weirdly enjoyable for many reasons.

As usual, she seemed relatively pleased with herself and immediately tried to rub it onto her pillow bed.

I washed her in the tub, removed her bed cover and then put her to dry in the empty room by the bathroom.

I then searched the yard to locate the area, found it and removed it.

Usually once the culprit is gone, things go back to normal until the next time.

Except not this week.

Day 2, she came to the door covered again. In the tub, rinse and repeat. There was another anew spot in the yard.

Day 3 she found yet another spot, did it again. I think we have an animal problem…

There is a lesson here, I promise you.

A sermon popped about online about God using animals to teach us something. It had nothing to do with rolling in smelly things but it was suddenly clear to me what God was trying to show me with my dog.

It was about struggling or falling into the same sin at times. Maybe one you have already repented several times to.

You struggle and war with it. You succeed… yet at times you fail. You ask God to forgive you, but you eventually do it again. You are not alone.

“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again…” Proverbs 24:15 NLT.

Whether it’s lust, lying, gossip, pride, addiction or name your sin. We all have sin that we need to work on.

I know there are some judgmental Christians here who will say we are condemned to hell for just one sin. They may even use certain scripture to justify this.

Yes, Jesus did say to the prostitute, “you are forgiven, go and sin no more.”

But here is the reality, if you repented once in your life for..say…lying, would you lose salvation if and when you did it again?

We tend to categorize sins by severity, but as far as salvation and repentance is concerned, can one send you to hell but not another?

No one is without sin:

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 1 John 1:8 NLT

The following verse is key

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 NLT

So why do we keep sinning? Like the Bible says as a “dog returning to his own vomit” or a “washed pig returns to the mud.” (Proverbs 26:11, 2 Peter 2:22)

Or a dog to stink that is…

Paul says in Romans 7:18-24 NLT

“I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22I love God’s law with all my heart. 23But there is another powere within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24Oh, what a miserable person I am!

Some will say that if you struggle with a repeat sin, you have lost your salvation and they use the following scripture:

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left” Hebrews 10:26 NIV

Wait, so If I continue to “sin” any sin…that is…after accepting Jesus then his work on the cross doesn’t count?

So Jesus only died for sins before your salvation, but none after?

I heard one famous preacher asked this question and what he said was disappointing. He indicated there might point in which Jesus would stop cleansing us for sin.

Under that assumption there is some secret point of no return in your sin count in which Jesus’s death no longer matters? Or maybe God just got fed up with you?

“Ok, you reached the 550 sins, 551 is a ticket to hell.”

I want be clear here, one should strive to be righteous and holy as the scripture says, but only Jesus is without sin.

As well intentioned as these messages are to scare straight. They don’t match the gravity of the actions on cross.

Hebrews 10:26 is referring to apostasy.

This is basically leaving the faith and walking away from God.

We need to look at the greek here in the original text for some clarification.

The word used for deliberately or willfully is “hekousiós.”(Strongs 1596)

Thayer’s greek Lexicon study says:

This is sin committed willfully “tacitly opposed to sins committed inconsiderately, and from ignorance or from weakness)

The Topical Lexion says “ this is in full awareness and with deliberate intent. It stands in contrast to anything done by compulsion, ignorance, or external coercion.”

Miriam Webster defines compulsion as

“A very strong urge to do something.”

We all know as Christians what we are doing is wrong when we sin. So most sin is intentional or “willful” let’s not pretend.

But most believers sin under weakness or compulsion…giving in to temptation.

Paul said in Romans 7:23 there was other power within us that is at war with our mind. Paul is talking about the battle with our flesh.

That’s why we have God’s law or the ten commandments to show us what is wrong, yet we are bo longer condemned to hell for it.

Paul interestingly enough says that knowing something is wrong, can make it more of a temptation.

I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”^{[a] 8} But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! Romans 7:7-8 NLT

So knowing that we all intentionally or willfully sin, based on that justification then none of us are saved.

So what is Hebrews 10:26 really saying?

It’s about accepting and embracing sin vs struggling with it.

This is lack of conviction, Godly sorrow and ultimately faith. This is what leads one or even a generation into apostasy.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret” 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV

You are in danger when you lose the fear or just don’t care.

Hebrews 10:26 is about willfully walking away from and accepting to live in a lifestyle of sin.

It can also about those who were never saved to begin with.

Consider this powerful statement from Pastor Josh Howerton from Lakepoint Church

“You can’t lose your salvation, but you can fake it.”*

So let’s get back to my dog. Scripture says If you fear the Lord but fall into sin, he is quick to cleanse you ( 1 John 1:7, 1:9).

Every time my dog rolled in the stink, we were quick to clean her. Every time she does it in the future, we will continue to clean her. There is no point in which we stop or abandon her to remain in filth.

Of course we want to prevent her, but short of following her around the yard every moment, I can’t always.

We still love her despite her rolling in filth because she is our dog.

And we who fear the Lord are God’s children.

The Lord will continue to cleanse us as well when our faith and trust is in him.

In fact, he paid for all of our sins: past, present and future. There is no limit to this.

God showed me this whole revelation this morning because salvation has been on my mind.

I don’t want my dog to keep getting dirty and God doesn’t want us soiling what He made clean either.

Yes we should be making every effort to remain clean. But understand those efforts aren’t what is keeping our salvation.

We’re not living on a Salvation scale that says + 5 points today, -5 points tomorrow based on our actions.

But we also have to stop returning to that which makes us dirty.

Salvation is something so much greater than human understanding, actions or power.

It is a shame that certain sects of Christianity have portrayed it as something so feeble and vulnerable to human will power.

The improper messaging has made us a slave to salvation.

The message of sin and grace is then divided in absolutes resulting in either being a slave to your own salvation, or mistakenly un-convicted and a slave to sin.

A gentle warning for believers: If you view your sin life as spotless after salvation, you’re on a pedestal really high to fall from.

And it’s going to hurt when you fall.

Sometimes the biggest weapon the enemy can use against believers is themselves.

Nick

Photo credit Connie Kwan (@conniekwan)/Unplash free image.

*

The response is always some designer fashion mogul. It’s iconic as Hollywood gets.

It’s also a gross display of idolatry…but we’ll save that for another day.

Romans 13:13-14 says not to participate in wild parties and immoral living but…

“Instead clothe yourself with the presence of Jesus Christ.”

I don’t often wear Jesus. If am being honest I have been told that I instead wear my emotions.

Not exactly draped in light and holiness for others to see.

Often times we think of being clothed in Jesus in the outward sense for others to see. That is to display Jesus as an example, but this scripture can also be interpreted for your own personal well being. Think of it like bringing Jesus with you.

We wear Jesus also as a garment to protect our mind, body, and soul. That is if we were tempted to sin, we would theoretically have to intentionally remove that Garment of Jesus. This also applies to fear, worry, or negative emotions.

Perhaps the analogy of a rain coat makes sense. One must intentionally remove it or choose not to wear one in the first place to get wet.

Of course the more common thing with born again Christians is that

It’s like knowing the scripture and truth but forgetting to apply it when temptation, trouble or trials come.

It’s as if we have short term memory when it comes to faith. Much like the parable of the sower:

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matthew 13:20-23 NIV

So we have to think of having Jesus’s presence with us each day. And no, it’s not something material you can physically wear as a reminder. The thought comes to mind of the “WWJD” (what would Jesus do?) bracelets that used to be popular.

Unfortunately even wearing a cross necklace around your neck isn’t enough to stop you in the heat of the moment of sin, temptation or worry.

The presence of Jesus is very real and something we have to learn to be cognizant each and every moment. I will be the first to admit, I am terrible at this.

We tend to forget his presence in the daily temptations trials.

The presence of Jesus isn’t just some feel good Christian lingo. It comes from the Lord himself.

“…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 ESV

“…You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:17

“…Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 ESV

Walking with God daily shouldn’t be difficult for Christians but for many it is.

The funny thing is that I wouldn’t leave the house without with my wallet, car keys, and concealed weapon.

This popular concept is referred to in the preparedness community as your EDC or every day carry.

If I can be conscious enough to make sure I have these items, I should be conscious enough to make sure I am spiritually prepared as well.

After all

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV

I often forget that this very ministry the Ephesians 6:11 Armory is based upon wearing the armor of God.

As a cop for 14 years, I wouldn’t have ever went on the road without my ballistic vest, yet I can be spiritually forgetful of God’s presence and armor.

Despite my writings, I struggle with the same weaknesses some of you do. So this is never in a condescending tone, but from a place of understanding. Too many Christians preach from a pulpit of self righteousness. No one is without sin. The question is what sin/s do you struggle with?

As Christians we have to take care of each other. We have to remind each other of the power of God and tools we have access to. With the worries and temptations of life, it is all too easy to forget.

The second part of Romans 13:14 about clothing yourself in the presence of Jesus says

“…and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Particularly for any of us that struggle with lust. Unfortunately we live in a world now where clothing is optional…let alone the clothing of Jesus.

All the more reason we have to clothes ourselves with Jesus against temptation. This is a challenge.

Prioritization is key here.

I have never forgotten to put a seatbelt and in all my years of Law Enforcement never went to work without my vest.

I may have forgotten my wallet once or twice.

In fact, I guarantee one thing for all us. None of us ever forgot to leave the house without clothes on. And no one had to remind you either.

As silly as any of this sounds, it should drive the point home that we are more than capable of prioritizing God presence.

So next time you leave home, remember don’t forget to put the presence of Jesus on for everything you can face.

Hopefully one day it will be as second nature as putting on your other clothes.

Authors note:

Guys..real quick. If you like these devotionals please like them and share them. It’s hard for me to tell if they are leaving any impact otherwise. Someone recently did pledge money and while I am flattered and truly appreciative of that, this substack will continue to remain free. I have felt no call otherwise from the Lord. But thank you to that person for the thought.

Thanks

Nick.

We as humans have history of expectations in relationship. We tend to view things as transactional. Subconsciously it is about what we get in return.

Many of us do this in our faith life with God.

We have become conditioned for rewards. I remember as a child going to go the toy store for a good report card. We equate behavior with blessings.

Now to some extent there is a Biblical backing for this:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

“Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.” Exodus 23:25 NIV

“For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase…” Deuteronomy 30:16 NIV.

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” Proverbs 16:20 NIV.

Now, I want to be clear here this isn’t a message about prosperity. I feel much of that has been sensationalized and misrepresented anyway in the Christian community. God wants us to prosper.

He does not want us to live in lack, sickness, and need. There is plenty of scripture that support that. And of course, sometimes blessings and overflow are of a spiritual nature not just material.

This is about our attitude in our relationship with God.

Do we pray/ have faith with expectation of always receiving something in return?

I know I have been guilty of thinking that being “good” will bring God’s blessings while being “bad” brings punishment.

And again, I think this goes back to conditioning as young children.

I personally have to repent at times for the mentality that God owes me anything. After all this is just another form of works based thinking.

Ephesians 2:8 reminds us we are not justified by our works or actions but by God’s grace alone. As far as salvation is concerned, we cannot earn it, it is freely given through faith in Jesus Christ.

But what about blessings?

Well, one can easily point to certain scriptures and say God can provide blessings for abiding in his ways. On the other end of things, scripture also says that sin can separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2)

But for our faith in Jesus Christ.

“God I did this, now why I am suffering?”

When we do this… we create a strain in our relationship with God when things don’t go our way. It is the challenge of faith that God will come through while balancing impatience and expectation.

And God will come through, it just might not be how or when we expect it. But we…I …have to learn not to base our prayer life and relationship with the Lord on it.

We cannot have a results driven relationship with God. This is hard, because in the past, God may have responded to us certain ways, but that doesn’t mean He always will.

What we can be sure of though is, the response or lack of response to our prayers, is ALL for our benefit.

In fact, thank God for unanswered prayer because we aren’t the best judge when it comes to our future.

Silence and waiting is difficult. It can definitely feel like God isn’t there. But we can’t only praise God when we get our way and give Him the cold shoulder when we don’t.

I struggle with this because even when I “let go” and give to God, there is an expectation of reward for doing that too. And this is where we come back to the blurry lines of transactional faith.

The only solace here is that that God knows we are human. We make steps in maturity when we can identify this.

It is ok to believe God will take care of us. That is the basis of faith. Daniel believed God would deliver him from the lion’s den. God will move in our circumstances.

The take away from this devotional is that Praise shouldn’t be based on circumstances or how God responds to them.

We know from the story of Job, that God can give and take away. Our only expectation should be the salvation through acceptance in Jesus Christ.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 NIV.

Anything else God gives us in this life, is a by His will and should be treated with the utmost Thanksgiving.

Ultimately though this is about three things:

Heart, humility and posture before the Lord.

I feel used, taken advantage of…and well cheated, if not betrayed. Every day, I have been waiting.

Without getting into the weeds of things. Each day that passes has been extremely frustrating. The uncertainty and void of information has left me waiting around in anguish in my own feelings from sadness to self pity and even anger.

And that’s really what this is about…feelings. They can bring down so much weight on us. As someone of faith, I am supposed to have a positive outlook, but as the days, weeks, and months go by, I have my moments of negative emotions.

The reality is though, I am not alone, there are people who are fighting their own battles, wondering as well why God has yet to move on their circumstances.

It then makes me question in this moment, there HAS to be a reason, things have not happened yet. Perhaps, I am not supposed to take this job, or maybe I am missing something else in God’s will. I was listening to a sermon by Jonathan Cahn, about this very issue. He spoke about not trying to outrun God, and being patient.

Then I think, maybe it is patience is what I am supposed to work on. Here’s the problem with patience…it’s painful.

It is said that patience is a virtue. The Bible calls it a fruit of the Spirit.

Romans 12:12 NIV says:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

There is a call here for pause during a period of waiting and pray.

And things don’t always come quickly

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25 NIV

Psalm 37:7 NIV says

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

Of course if I am being honest, this doesn’t make things any easier in the moment. And that is really the key word here…the “moment.”

Feelings pass, but fruit, the fruit of the spirit stays. If I am to work on fruits of the spirit, I have to learn to let negative emotions like anger, sadness and impatience pass. I was reading about this online in a secular context of cognitive behavioral therapy.

It was advised to “ride the wave” of the emotion, while recognizing it will pass.

The thought comes to my mind of being in the waves of the ocean. A large wave approaches, the key is getting ahead of the wave before it breaks. Once there, you ride it up and over, letting it roll by and break after you. If you remain in the surf, chaos ensues, you get knocked down, lose your sunglasses, etc.

This can be applied to lust, anger, sadness, or fear. Studies have found on average, what we think of an “emotion” in the scientific sense lasts on average ninety seconds.(1) This is usually brought on by some trigger and the result of a chemical reaction in the brain(1.)

Now when I first read this, I thought well I can dwell on a negative emotion a lot longer than ninety seconds and certainly have!

And that’s the root of issue, an article from 4C Mental Health suggests that we are the ones who chose to be stuck in the rip current of moment. According the article, continued feelings after the initial ninety seconds are:

“usually by reinforcing it with thoughts, interpretations, or memories.”

The article references a 2014 study in Emotion Journal that states negative emotions remain, because of our constant replay of the events or triggers.

For example, when I think about my circumstances, I begin to get upset. When I talk about it and I often do, I become frustrated, repeating certain conversations, and fixating on past events and future unknowns.

The more I do this, the more I feel things are of control. Of course in reality, they are. When we feel out of control, we become fearful…anxious. That’s why we have to surrender this control to God. In the Bible when God says “Be Still” the Hebrew word used is “raphah”(Stongs 7503). This word means to “relax, let go, to be idle” or even limp.

Interestingly enough the best way to deal with a rip current in real life is to remain calm. A rip current like a negative emotion may pull you away but not under. The mistake people make that drowns them is from the exhaustion of trying to swim against it.

I recently told my wife that I felt so much anger about the situation. At the end of the day, this is what the enemy wants. He wants us angry and afraid, losing faith.

I can’t imagine why God would let me be in this position while others are getting taken care of. But then again, I am the one who needs to be in control of my emotions, not God. Getting angry at God never did anyone any favors in the Bible.

It is me who needs to regain control of my emotions.

This could be why I am in the very position I am in now.

I go back to how God has worked in the Bible and even in my own past. Sometimes God allows less than ideal circumstances in our lives to work something out in us.

I don’t suppose this revelation will make things any easier in these circumstances. But I have to believe God isn’t going to abandon me or you either.

Of course things don’t always seem fair on surface, but what might not seem fair in the natural might be favorable in spirit.

“How Long Do Emotions Last? The 90-Second Rule (And Why You Stay Stuck)” 4C Mental Health.

https://www.4cmentalhealth.com/blogs/exercises-and-worksheets/how-long-does-an-emotion-last

Have you ever wonder why Jesus referred to God as father? It is an example of a loving relationship and respect. God the father of Israel, the father of Jesus, the father to all.

Throughout human history, fathers were always seen as the head of the tribe, household and church. The father was the physical and spiritually leader.

Somewhere along the lines though this changed. The enemy has waged a multi front war against family. Young men are expected to be less masculine and women are more increasingly seeking life without them.

A disturbing trend recently in social media was asking women if they rather be stranded with a man or wild bear.

A saw a news article about two women who designed their own “barbie dream home” to live together “free of men.”

A few years back, there was even a movement not to recognize father’s day.

I’ve mentioned this before but Morgan Stanley projects almost half of young women from 25 to 44 are going to be single and childless by 2030.

The enemy has a strategy here: divide and conquer.

Together men and women are stronger than apart. God created men and women to have families and raise children.

• “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 127:3 ESV

• “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord…” psalm 128:3-4 NLT

• Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 ESV

• “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” proverbs 18:22 ESV

• An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. Proverbs 31:10-30 ESV

Sure not everyone is called to a life of marriage and family, but ultimately men and marriage are a reflection of the trinity and ultimately of Jesus and the church.

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” Ephesians 5:25 ESV.

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior” Ephesians 5:22 ESV

It’s no surprise Jesus is even referred to in scripture as the bridegroom.

A husband and a father are meant to reflect God’s attributes and should never be reduced to anything less.

This is why the enemy wants to sabotage everything to do with men, women marriage and family.

A strong spiritually healthy man is a threat to the enemy. He is no different than a shepherd who guards his flock. He is the spiritual guardian of the family.

A man, a father, and a husband must set boundaries for himself and his family.

He must stand at the threshold with shield and sword.

And must be vigilant.

The research below shows just how important fathers are.

According to statistics taken from

“afathersplace.org”(1)

[“Research shows that when fathers are involved, their children are:

• 2 times more likely to go to college

• 80% less likely to spend time in jail

• 75% less likely to experience teen pregnancy”]

Imagine how much the greater impact a spiritually discerned father can have.

Protect and Defend.

A father’s and mother’s job for that matter is to protect and defend their child from potential danger and influence. This doesn’t mean to live in fear but it is also the responsibility of the parents to avoid unnecessary risk. And we aren’t just talking up physical risk here but mental and spiritual.

Proverbs 22:6 says

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

As adults, our grown children won’t have us by their sides to guide and protect. This is the time to instill a foundation.

As small children living in our household we have every right to train them and prepare them for the world to come. And preparation, doesn’t mean allowing them the freedom to make mistakes.

As adults they will have plenty of time to do that on their own without our guidance. That’s why the scripture emphasizes training them now for later.

In the meantime our job is risk mitigation. That means making smart and decisions through prayer as parents of what we allow and don’t.

While we can never eliminate all dangers for our children, it is our responsibility however to mitigate them.

Outside Influences

Books and television about evil things, magic, horror, spells, etc are all gateways to the occult used by the enemy. Did you know they sell Ouija Board in the kids game section of Five and Below? Sexually immoral material is snuck into so much of children’s and teenage fiction. The goal is indoctrination. What culture and society might deem normal, may very well be in opposition to Biblical values.

Remember Romans 12:2 ESV says

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

And that means even among your family. We don’t go to the world for answers.

We obviously cannot control the amount of time at school with friends, but we can also be mindful of their friend group and watch for changes of behavior or speech that come from exposure to others.

Rose Colored Glasses:

The mistake people make is assuming nothing bad ever happens. While we don’t walk in fear.

Proverbs 22:3 NLT says:

“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

The world is unfortunately an evil place and enemy’s goal is to “steal kill, and destroy.”(John 10:10)

We are already facing so much evil in this fallen world, when it comes to our children, nothing is more important than all aspects of their safety to parent. Why potentially expose them further?

Respecting Family Boundaries:

As the father and spiritual leader of the family it is importance that family rules and boundaries are respected and supported by both the spouse and extended family.

Grandparents, there isn’t much said about your role in the bible, but it is one of support.

In the words of John Piper of Desiring God.

“We grandparents should put out of our mind once and for all the thought that going around our children to get to our grandchildren is right. It is not right. We have no right to do that. Those children are told by God to be responsive, to be obedient to their parents. Their obedience and responsiveness is to us secondarily and derivatively. And what that means for us grandparents is that we defer to the parents of our grandchildren, which means we defer to our children.

“... It is not our place to be lenient where the parents are strict. It is emphatically our role to reinforce with happy unity the parenting that our kids are trying to give their kids, our grandkids, assuming, of course, that it is safe and wholesome. There should be a united front.”(3)

While you might be strong in your opinion, you don’t want to create an attitude of secrecy, defiance, and disrespect in the child towards their parents.

Parents should pray and submit to everything about their family to God.

If they are in prayer, the Lord gives them the necessary wisdom about their family. What they decide for the safety and boundaries of their family is therefore from God himself. You don’t know what danger the Lord is staying through the rules and decisions of the parents.

And as a father, you are the protector of the house and the buck stops with you.

A father’s job according to Ephesians 6:4 ESV is to bring children “…up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

And “manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive.” 1 Timothy 3:4 ESV.

The Divine Framework.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. John 5:19 ESV.

Jesus said “I only do what the father does.” In the same way this is how our children will ultimately look at their parents. This could be in a positive or negative way. Children are very impressionable.

This is why it’s important to remember as parents, our kids are always watching and listening. Each day we shape their environment.

Discipline is Necessary.

Lastly a family structure requires discipline. Discipline causes discomfort but the scripture says:

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 ESV.

These rules and boundaries are designed to keep our kids safe while they have been entrusted into our care. In reality, our children are God’s children first. We have the awesome job, yet great burden to protect them and so they can go on to the mission that the Lord calls them to do.
Jesus said

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline…” Revelation 3:19 ESV

And ultimately a family requires love, discipline, respect, and structure.

A United Front.

Lastly a husband and wives must be a united front. Children will play sides, manipulate, and pit parents against one another for their own gain. If they sense a weakness in the front, they will exploit it. But this is where understanding what all the scriptures say above about marriage and understanding the authority God has granted for decisions.

Ultimately for Christians, the spiritual and physical security of the family falls on the father. However that doesn’t make the mother’s role any less important. Showing your children and others you are in unison over matters of the family is imperative for the safety and stability of a family.

I close with Mark 10:7-9 NLT

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,c 8and the two are united into one.’d Since they are no longer two but one, 9let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

Reference:

1. “Importance of Fathers and Statistics” https://www.afathersplace.org/why-it-matters/fathers/

2. Piper, John, “Spoil the Grandkids?, A Better Way Forward.” Desiring God, Episode 843, April 22,2016 https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/spoil-the-grandkids-a-better-way-forward

The mind and body say “is this really happening?”

Because of this, danger isn’t immediately perceived as danger or the response is a lack of one.

Recently a news reporter when viral for an attempted shooting at the White House. During her live report, gun shots were clearly heard in the background yet she didn’t seek cover and continued to question what she was hearing. We need to more mentally and spiritually aware that the enemy is around and he will attack.

1 Peter 5:8 says

“because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”

This doesn’t mean we walk in fear and paranoia; it simply means we understand that things can happen.

Scripture says:

“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” Proverbs 22:3 NLT

Now on a spiritual level, this is super important to a believer. Why because, the day may come when you are attacked. You have to recognize where this attack is coming from.

An example is my past struggle with PTSD. For you it might be anxiety, fear, negative thoughts, anger or lust or perhaps all above. In some cases attacks can also be physical and health related as well.

When this happens, it’s important to remember where the attack comes from. Even in the Army, when attacked, we would immediately call out “The 3 D’s” distance and direction and description. This is after all…warfare…albeit spiritual.

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12

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

I was on my way at to church this morning and my daughter said “Daddy is that man alright?” I looked and saw an older man sitting in the grass next to a electric bike.

I felt he wasn’t ok, I looped around, myself and someone else stopped. He was drenched in sweat and bleeding from the arms and elbows. He fell and couldn’t get up and his right arm was in pain, likely broken. We called a rescue.

We got to church, half way through the service , a young man was having a seizure and people were visibly upset. A woman in the congregation broke out in prayer while others raised hands. The pastor, a former paramedic instinctively jumped in to help.

Rescue arrived to treat the man and removed him, suddenly there was another emergency with another individual who suddenly gone down with a possible cardiac incident.

Interestingly enough, At the beginning of the service they had someone on stage who went on a mission trip to Africa, talking about he had a cardiac incident upon arrival in this trip. They found his heart enlarged and two blockages, they went to operate days later and everything was gone, a miracle.

Now I do not believe what followed with the two emergency situations was just a coincidence. The enemy sought to scare the congregation, and many were crying and flustered. The enemy wants people bewildered and confused even in church.

Two emergencies back to back? How can that be, what is going on?

This is when I knew something was off. The enemy was seeking to distract and disrupt and sow fear from the message. Church was ended early, people went to pick up their upset kids. My daughter was even crying.

At one brief moment, I too felt dizzy and I saw stars forming in my sight. Likely, A physiological response paired with being over caffeinated with my black nitro cold brew. But I have experienced this before and wasn’t going to be the third person to go down. Not today Satan, I know what this is.

My point goes back to knowing and recognizing the tactics of the enemy…and drinking less caffeine of course.

Joking aside, our body does things when in emergency mode. Where the mind goes the body follows and vice versa. And likely, this is what happened to the second individual who went down.

As people were walking out, I witnessed a young college aged girl patting her chest and panting, gasping almost another victim of the enemy’s scare tactics.

You rotten devil, how dare you attack our house.

But this should be a wake up call to the congregation and believers that the enemy is active and will use dirty tactics to influence and frighten the body of Christ.

And we need to be aware of this when it happens no different than being aware of someone trying to rob you in an alleyway. We need spiritual situational awareness.

And hey you might think I am over analyzing this. It was just a medical emergency. Well you know what they say

“Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern."

I will commend overall everyone’s actions including those who prayed fervently in the congregation. We cannot be shaken by the enemy’s distractions. Instead according to Hebrews 12:28 we are an “unshakable kingdom.”

That is we need to be unmoved and unimpressed by the works of the enemy. Today my concern was not only for the health of the two individuals that had emergencies but for the spiritual health of the congregation who witnessed it.

I understand many people aren’t use to traumatic incidents. Unfortunately as a veteran police officer of 14 years in patrol. I had an unhealthy overdose of it.

The average person experiences 2-3 traumatic incidents in their life time. A police officer experiences 60-90 times more than that believed to be around 200 traumatic incidents in their career.

And on a spiritual warfare level, many of us also aren’t used to seeing manifestations and demonic attacks. Even if we do see them, most of the time, we don’t attribute the enemy to them. And that goes back to the knowing where attacks come from.

Now not everything is a demon of course, but I would like to point out

Jesus was approached by people with, mental health issues, paralysis and even seizures and epilepsy. He didn’t refer them to a doctor, He casted a demon out.

Now that’s not suggestive that we don’t need medicine and doctors. But it should be a wake up call to the church.

I will leave us with the following scripture to ponder.

Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.d”

Matthew 17:15-20 NLT

It is generally understood that the Bible is the best selling book of all time, yet the least read. Statistics and polls back this up, but it begs the question, why?

Some will say it is because it is hard to read or understand. But with multiple translations and countless online resources available, I don’t believe that is the reason.

No, the real reason is because it contains uncomfortable truths people don’t want to hear.

• God created two genders man and women(Genesis 1:27 and 5:2)

• God knew us and formed us in the womb(Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139)

• Sex is only for the marriage bed( Hebrews 13:4, Matthew 9:16, 1 Corinthians 7)

• Man shall not lay with man and women with women. (Romans 1:26-27, Genesis 19:1-13, Leviticus 18:22, 22-30, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Timothy 1:10, Jude 1:7)

• Love your enemy and do not rejoice in their the downfall (Proverbs 24:17-18, Matthew 5:44)

• We will be held accountable for every word.(Romans 14:2, Matthew 12:36)

• Husbands and wives should submit to one another.(Ephesians 5:22-25 1 Peter 3:7)

• Sexual intimacy is normal part of marriage and should not be withheld (1 Corinthians 7:2-5, Genesis 2:24, Proverbs 5:15-19, Matthew 19:5, Song of Solomon)

• Divorce is only permitted in specific circumstances (Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:22, 19:19, 1 Corinthians 7:15)

• Looking lustful at a women is adultery(Matthew 5:28)

• God has an everlasting covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:20, Jeremiah 31:36 Genesis 12:1-3, Ezekiel 37:26, Romans chapters 9,10,11)

• Jesus is coming back, all will stand before Him(Matthew 24:27, Revelation 1:7, Titus 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 5:2, 2 Peter 3:8…)

• Rejection of the gospel will lead to eternal separation and judgement. (John 3:36, Mark 16:16, Revelation 20:15)

And we haven’t begun to talk about what the scripture says about drunkenness, foul language, idolatry and money.

The ones in bullet points alone are enough to create controversy and conviction in the body of Christ, let alone the unbelieving world.

Most of these issues are labeled social, societal and political in nature, but at the very root, they are biblical.

There really shouldn’t be any debate or controversy in the church for what is written in scripture.

Unfortunately some churches won’t even touch most of these issues.

Don’t talk about sin, judgement, and hell.

Don’t talk about marriage and sex.

Don’t talk about Jesus’s return, the antichrist, and the end.

It begs the question what are Christians believing and churches teaching then?

Personally it doesn’t matter to me when you believe the rapture happens as long as you understand Jesus is coming back.

I was recently shocked to hear a catholic friend of mine didn’t believe that the world is ending and Jesus was returning.

Christian site Gotquestions.org says:

“The second coming of Christ is referenced many times in Scripture, with over 1,500 passages in the Old Testament and one out of every 25 verses in the New Testament mentioning the Messiah’s return.

In reality the number is believed to be closer to 1,845 references(DrDavid Jeremiah.blog)

And regarding the end of the world, there is actually a whole book detailing it(Hint, it’s the last one.)

As Christians we don’t get to make our own truth…or Christianity for that matter.

“Yeah, but I believe….”

Sorry to cut you off…because this isn’t the Gospel-Your-Way or custom Christianity.

I’m not sure when it became a cherry picked experience.

You can’t claim the faith but support world.

Personally this is one of the most arrogant and prideful things to do to God, is to question his word.

As the remnant, we must preserve and maintain what is true, even in the face of adversity.

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3 NLT.

People will go to great lengths to dispute biblical truths to fit what they want to hear.

When we talk about reading scripture; it is really not about reading it but rather retaining it.

The verse above illustrates that God’s word and truths of the Bible should be carried with us.

It is impossible to remember every scripture and verse word for word. But we can often recall its essence.

The more we read the bible, the more we begin to remember its messages it in our lives. In a way, the Word of God should cling to us and saturate us as we absorb it over time.

The English Standard Translation of Psalm 119:11 says I have “stored” your word in my heart. This indicates ownership and possession of it. That is I didn’t just read it…I own it, bring it with me and treasure it.

It is really a reflection of Psalm 119 as a whole. The writer of the Psalm reflects an longing and desire for God’s word and commandments. It isn’t just a will to follow them, but to be “in love” with them

“Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.” Psalm 119:127 NLT

You see the writer desperately wants to follow God but acknowledges the importance of knowing Him through his decrees.

“I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. 119:15-16 NLT.

The problem is most of us want to know God but aren’t willing to accept all of his ways.

We don’t want to be in love with the word, because the word convicts us. Truthfully, some will say they don’t even “agree” with everything in the word, yet still wish to be Christian.

But the psalmist says

“keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions. I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.” Psalm 119:29-30 NLT.

The choice to follow God means to follow his word and live by his ways. And yes, this is a challenge and we will at times fail.

Yet how many Christians are lying to themselves and just dismissing God’s word.

I’ve seen many Christians cherry pick from the scripture what they chose to accept and follow.

If only we had the desire to follow God’s word the way the psalmist does.

He writes in verses 33-36:

“33Teach me your decrees, O LORD;

I will keep them to the end.

34Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;

I will put them into practice with all my heart.

35Make me walk along the path of your commands,

for that is where my happiness is found.

36Give me an eagerness for your laws

rather than a love for money!

And this is the posture we need to have about the word of God and towards the Father in general.

There needs to be a willingness and a passion for God’s word. One we value more than money or Gold that is kept “close to our chest”’so to speak.

The more we consume the word of God. It becomes a subconscious within us, hidden and stored. It guides us directly and indirectly through a scripture we may have read in the past and it is there in the background of our lives.

This is why the word of God is so important to faith. It is a life blood for the Christian, as important if not more than mere food and water for survival. This is exactly why Jesus told told the enemy in the wilderness

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4

Oh come on now, that one wasn’t even planned in this devotional.

What we need is a renewed heart for the words and decrees of God. A passion, love, and a yearning for understanding of his ways.

And this is how we truly get closer to God.

If you haven’t been already ahead of this subject, this can be certainly daunting. I honestly wouldn’t even expect your local church to speak on it either, though they certainly should. What I am about to tell you is not some crazy fringe information. It is biblical.

The Three “Heavens”

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.” 2 Corinthians 12:2 ESV.

Let’s be clear. The apostle Paul is not talking about three levels of heaven. Rather he is referring to realms of existence.

Commonly this is referred to as the first “heaven” being our sky and atmosphere on earth. The second heaven being the space and stars. The third heaven being God’s dwelling place or heaven, as we generally think of it.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 ESV

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Paul is saying we are in a spiritual battle with powers of darkness in heavenly realms. Well evil doesn’t exit is God’s heaven, so that leaves two other places: our atmosphere and in space.

There exists another world parallel to the one we can see, feel, and touch. This is the place where spiritual being such as angels and demons operate and do battle. As a Christian you need to accept this first and foremost and understand it. Yes…we are not alone.

There are things that exist in the spiritual realm outside our comprehension and understanding which are either are good or evil. Understand, spiritual beings are not necessarily bound to our dimensional rules of time and space. They also may need certain things, perhaps even bodies, technology or craft to operate how they want to inside our world.

The Pre Flood Incursion.

Everyone knows the story of Noah’s Ark and the Flood, but do you know why God flooded the earth?

Humanity had been corrupted beyond saving that it warranted destruction.

But there was one event which is only alluded to in Genesis 6 that sparked this corruption.

“1Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. 2The sons of God saw the beautiful womenaand took any they wanted as their wives.” Genesis 6:1-2

Who are the sons of God? Angels. More of that in a second.

Verse 4-5 says:

“In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.

5The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.”

Wait what?

The angels took women as wives and bore children who became giants and “heroes and warriors” of ancient times. Sounds a-lot like greek mythology doesn’t it? Perhaps some of those figures were based on actual half human/half god “warriors.”

Well how could that happen. Honestly I do not know, but the bible tells us it did. Essentially humanity’s seed was corrupted so bad, God had to clean slate and start over.

Genesis 6:13

“13So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!”

The Watchers

If one didn’t know anything else, this is really the only direct reference to this event in the bible. Except there are actually several manuscripts and extra biblical ancient texts that are solely about this event.

You may have heard of The Book of Enoch. Lets start by clarifying who Enoch was and what is this text.

Enoch was a prophet mentioned in the Bible. The Book of Enoch is considered a non biblical ancient reference text. The first book of Enoch, which makes up the initial thirty chapters was found among the dead sea scrolls and believed to be written by Enoch himself.

This book is included in the Ethiopian bible, however not recognized as scripture among Christians that’s why it is omitted. It was believed however to be a reliable reference text of the time among jews including Jude and Jesus himself.

What did the book of Enoch entail? The details of the Genesis 6 incursion. It tells us there were a group of angels assigned to be watchers on the earth. They essentially left their posts in pursuit of human women.

The book of Enoch even names those angels involved and details the pact they made amongst themselves. After fear of punishment of this horrible deed, these angels ask Enoch to go to God on their behalf. God rejects this and they are bound in chains for this.

Jude 1:6 ESV says “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day”

So what happened to the spirits of the Nephilim, the offspring of the punished angels and human women when they died.

Well these spirits were not made with God’s authority. So when they died, the belief is they became homeless disembodied spirits, roaming the earth.

The following is taken from 1 Enoch 15:8-9, 11-12. (please note this is not in the bible as scripture, but from the book of Enoch)

Enoch 15:8-9

[“And now, the giants who were born from body and flesh will be called Evil Spirits on the Earth, and on the Earth will be their dwelling. And evil spirits came out from their flesh, because from above they were created, from the Holy Watchers was their origin and first foundation. Evil spirits they will be on Earth and ‘Spirits of the Evil Ones’ they will be called.]

Verse 11-12

[And the spirits of the giants do wrong, are corrupt, attack, fight, break on the Earth, and cause sorrow. And they eat no food, do not thirst, and are not observed. And these spirits will rise against the sons of men, and against the women, because they came out of them during the days of slaughter and destruction.]

Friends, what was just described here is where what we know as evil spirits, come from. They are likely not fallen angels themselves because both the 1/3 angels who rebelled from heaven when satan fell and the watchers of the Genesis 6 incursion are said to be in the bible “bound in chains.” Until the end of time.

So what is causing all the trouble and evil in the world then? Who are these principalities and forces of darkness references in Ephesians 6:12? Well the verses in Enoch above seem to answer that. The spirit of the dead giants/Nephilim and of course Satan himself.

These things are roaming the earth causing havoc against humanity. They are supernatural, operating in and among the world, but outside of our full understanding.

Because they are homeless, they seek a home. This is why they possess people, animals and objects.

Mark 5:9-12 NLT:

“9Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.11There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12“Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

The Veil

There is obviously some sort of veil that exists between us and the spiritual realm.

As the end time comes that veil of separation maybe thinning.

"Do not follow the ways of other nations; do not be disturbed by unusual sights in the sky, even though other nations are terrified. Jeremiah 10:2 GNT.

Return of the Days of Noah: Signs in the sky.

In the gospels in Matthew 24, and Luke 21, Jesus is speaking to his disciples about the end times before He returns. Let’s see what he says.

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37

What was happening in the days of Noah? The earth was corrupted. Could that mean there is another incursion and a return of the hybrid human/Nephilim? We don’t know, though some speculate this is a possibility.

But here’s what Jesus says:

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Luke 21:25-26 ESV.

The Antichrist and great falling away

The bible in end times describes a person and system which will rise to power to control and deceive many. Before this however, eschatological experts believe something will trigger this. It is possibly an event that will cause a great falling away of faith. Let’s see what the scripture says:

• “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5ESV

• “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,” 1 Timothy 4:1 ESV

• “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:24 ESV

• “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.” Matthew 24:10 ESV.

There will be a rebellion and falling away from God and faith. People will begin to follow and worship other things. Great fear from signs in “the heavens” or sky will come over people. All this will lead to the rise of the antichrist, the man of lawlessness.

Aliens and AI:

Many have speculated, my self included what role both “alien” disclosures and artificial intelligence will play in the rise of the Antichrist and his system.

In a world where transhumanism, that is merging of man and machine is being spoken about one can only imagine the possibilities.

Is the merging of man and technology a new form of hybrid humanity?

Perhaps a different approach of the evil powers to corrupt the seed of humanity and lead to worship of a greater “intelligence.”

Or maybe the “unseen” evil spirits are looking for physical and or digital “bodies” to operate within?

Now that ufo/ufo files are being released, who will control the narrative of what these things are?

Some speculate that they will be worshiped as God or a new age religion. Perhaps even “science” will even try to tell us they are our creators and the Bible was mistaken/false.

Do you see the danger here?

Something will cause a great rebellion and falling away of faith, and it will have to be an earth shattering “revelation” or event.

And the Bible warns us of all this.

What can you do?

I will preface with this scripture

8Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powersa of this world, rather than from Christ. 9For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.b 10So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:8-10 NLT

As believers you can be prepared and not naive to this things. Churches today unfortunately don’t like to talk about scary topics like sin and hell, let alone end times the Nephilim or “aliens.”

A weak “church” in a greater sense of the word, is an unprepared church.

As the end times unfold towards the return of Jesus, you will begin to see and hear things that are unexplainable. You will see signs and wonders in the sky.

People will be deceived, scripture says even the elect.(Matthew 24:24)

You must get in the word of God and ground yourself in it. Pray against deception, ask for wisdom and the gift of discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10) and exercise your authority in Christ.

Luke 10:19 (NKJV): "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you".

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT:“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV): "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."

Mark 16:17-18 (NLT) “17These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.e 18They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Finally walk in security of your faith and not in fear. Be mindful but not afraid.

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 ESV.

Author of Peace, not confusion.

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:33

This scripture can be applied in so many aspects in our life; from our own thoughts and minds to even how we worship.

And let’s talk about specifically about worship because that is what the context of this verse addresses.

If you have followed me for some time, you may have seen my aversion to the ideas of denomination and religion.

I don’t write this lightly. I truly believe there is good in all denominations and worship of God. But denominations place limitations on the word of God, especially when specific ones claim to be the sole authority over scripture or the true church.

Prepare to be Offended.

If you subscribe to a particular denomination this may offend you, but can you put your feelings aside? Feelings don’t equal facts.

In 1 Corinthians 14, this chapter address the order of communal worship or “church.”

The point of the scripture above was that worship in a group setting shouldn’t be chaotic.

But I want to break down the greater meaning of verse.

It’s easy as a Christian to be confused. There is so much division and varying dogma in the Christianity. Christianity is more fractured in beliefs and denominations than most other world religions.

Why is that? The enemy seeks confusion.

In the scripture above, the emphasis is that God is not the author of confusion with worship.

It’s important as a believer when different Christian beliefs and topics cross your path to understanding this.

In the age of the internet, you will read and watch so much that can leave confused. You can over saturate yourself even with secondary issue Christian content.

The way to combat this is to go directly to the Bible. Unfortunately many Christian religions have directly contradicted scripture with their own interdenominational doctrine or extra biblical literature.

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

With that said, we are going to focus on what scripture says vs religion. Religion adds dogma and doctrine, scripture is the Word of God.

Growing up Catholic

As someone who was raised Catholic and attended catholic school through high school, I struggled with many of the beliefs of the Catholic church. It was well…confusing.

I remember the moment my faith was questioned in theology class discussing topics of the trinity and creation. They made it so complicated and confusing that I wasn’t even sure what the Catholic church believed itself on the topic.

The reality though is that God and the salvation of Jesus is so simple. We have been given the answers and the Holy Spirit to fill in the gaps.

In my last devotional, I wrote about how Jesus said the day was coming when we would worship God in spirit and truth.

How wonderful, so why the need for catechism, or extra biblical texts, and ceremonial procedures and doctrine that are contradictory or completely omitted from the scripture?

The “Original Church”

History vs Tradition.

The most common statement among Catholics is that they are the true, original church of Christ tracing from St. Peter.

First let’s distinguish the difference between the traditional church of Christ and the historical Roman Catholic Church.

The statement is that Jesus started the catholic church with Peter in 1st century AD after his death and resurrection.

In reality Jesus started the Christian church.

What existed were Jewish followers of Jesus that carried on His ministry to both Jews and Gentiles across the world. We see this in the book of acts.

What we know as Catholicism today with the Papacy, priests, Vatican etc, began in the 4th Century under the Roman Emperor Constantine, who couldn’t, despise his tries, eradicate Christianity, so he legalized it instead.

The saying goes if you can’t beat em, join em. Later, in the 6th century was Pope Gregory I.

We are a far cry, well…six hundred years actually, from Apostles in sandals and tunics breaking bread and “shaking dust off their feet” spreading the good news.

So the RCC tracing of its roots to Peter is moe of self declaration than factual. Catholicism and Orthodoxy are both off shoots of the “followers of the way” as the apostles were called in the book of acts.

Sacerdotalism: Living in the past.

Much of what we see in Catholic mass is a copy of Levitical law and old covenant atonement in new clothes.

In the New Testament is a priest required for reconciliation?

The Catholic response generally is James 5:16(NIV)

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

This is a scripture about Christian fellowship in prayer for one another and a weak argument for the need of a priest.

No, instead you are reconciled once and for all through the actions of Jesus, the final priest, on the cross. But yes confess to each other so you can know what to pray for your Christian brethren.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says Jesus was the great high priest who ascended into heaven and we can now approach God boldly and directly with confidence (see last devotional “In Spirit and Truth.”)

Prior to Jesus, the high priest was the only one who could enter the tabernacle under the law and old covenant.

Can anyone break bread and drink wine, in remembrance of Jesus. Does the scripture put a limit on this or how and when it can be done or who does it?

Lets go to 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 NIV where this is address in worship.

“On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.f Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.”

“As often as you drink and eat it.” What is he talking about, celebrating the Lord’s supper.

I might need to have a catholic priest handy.

Does it say only a priest can do this? Actually come to think of it where does it even mention priests in the new testament church?

Well 1 Peter 2:9 calls us believers “ a royal priesthood.”

The scripture does talk about church leaders or “bishops”…lets see what it says:

“This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader,^[a] he desires an honorable position.” ² So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.^[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. ³ He must not be a heavy drinker^[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. ⁴ He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. ⁵ For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? 1 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT.

So a leader of a church can be married and should have children who respect him and he should be faithful to his wife. This doesn’t exactly sound like going into seminary does it?

The Catholic answer to this is that this scripture is referring to the “wife” “family” and “children” here as “the church.” However that is clearly not what the scripture says.

Ok so where does this belief originate?

Sacerdotalism originates from the old covenant Jewish law which did require a mediator that was a priest. These priests had to be from the tribe of Levi and direct descendants of Aaron.

Spotless animal sacrifices and blood was needed to atone for sins, because Jesus had not come yet.

This…no longer exists. It was a necessary replacement until Jesus was the final sacrifice to make us able to stand before God. I reflect much of this in all my devotionals but perhaps it’s time to be more blunt of the hypocrisy seen in many churches and denominations.

Unfortunately, the Catholic church in particular doesn’t want you to figure this out, their whole structure and model is based on this.

The Mary Factor

Mary, we love her, the blessed mother of God.

The Catholic church teaches some extra biblical beliefs about her.

The immaculate conception. Growing up catholic, I thought this referred to Jesus being born of a virgin. It actually is the belief that Mary was keep sinless from her conception at birth and throughout her life.

Except the Mary Portrayed in scripture acknowledges she needed a savior.

“46Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

The Catholic defense to this taken from “Catholic Answers” is “God can save a person in multiple ways, and Mary was saved by God in more than one sense…(Catholic.com)

The Catholic church teaches Mary’s perpetual virginity that is that she remained a virgin even after Jesus birth.

What does the scripture say?

Well it says the opposite, Joseph Mary’s husband

“…did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Matthew 1:25 NLT

Oh yeah and Jesus had siblings, brothers and sisters mentioned in Matthew 12:46, Luke 8:19,Mark 3:31 John 7:1-10, Acts 1:14, Galatians 1:19

“Then they scoffed, 'He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers — James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.” Matthew 13:55 NLT.

But the Catholic church says they are “cousins”…except the scripture doesn’t use the greek word for cousin.

Ok…maybe it’s just different translations taking liberty over Mary and Joseph’s intimacy. The KJV says he did not know her until after Jesus was born. Wonder how others translate this?

The greek word here is “ginóskó” which is a verb but with a large contextual application. In previous scripture Mary finds out she is pregnant and this word is used when she stated she did not “know” a man.

The common belief is that based on tradition and culture of the time Mary and Joseph were betroth as an arranged marriage.

The Catholic belief is that this scripture of course isn’t referring to sexual intimacy but let’s look at how the majority of translations have interpreted it this verse.

Various different translations use words like:

• intimacy

• Consummate

• Union

• Slept together

• Sexual relations

• Intercourse

• Marital relations

• Know Sexually

• Make love.

• Kept a virgin until

Out of 64 translations 41 (65%) use one of words above for this scripture. But Catholicism is insistent on perpetual virginity.

So where does this teaching come from?

Well according to Catholic Answers themselves this is using their words a “dogmatically held belief” that they will go six ways to Sunday to try to justify with everything other than scripture.

The Catholic church also teaches Mary never died but “assumed” in body to heaven. The clarify Jesus “ascended” by His own Power, Mary however was “Assumed.”

This belief was added to the catholic catechism in the 1950s, so prior to that it didn’t exist.

Catholics argue that Enoch and Elijah were taken up to heaven, why not Mary? The issue is as those instances are written in scripture where with Mary it isn’t. They will make a reference to a scripture in Revelation of the woman and the dragon but it’s meaning is more of an “assumption” on their part(pun intended) than an actual reference.

They have also taken the liberty to say the Catholic church is the sole interpreter of scripture and that the Pope is infallible, meaning he cannot say anything wrong or make a mistake.

Of course non of this is biblical.

Is it in the Bible to pray to Mary or saints as an intercessor? No again, you can approach God openly and boldly after Jesus as scripture says.

However past tradition which has recently been addressed under the current Pope, held that Mary was a path to salvation as “co-reedemer and mediatrix.”

Father Dwight Longenecker writes in Catholic Answers of his visit to a Monastery in an article titled, Mary, Mother of Salvation:

“I had sensed God’s presence in a very real, but feminine way. The femininity disturbed me because I knew God isn’t feminine. The monk smiled and said, “Don’t worry. That’s not God. It’s the Virgin Mary. She is the Mediatrix. She wants to help you with your prayers and bring you closer to God.”

Father Dwight said something interesting here… the feminine presence “disturbed him.”

No true holy presence should disturb someone, this is usually an indicator, that spirit is not from God.

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV

I think despite Mary’s grace as Jesus’s mother, there is some concern in her being raised to a level of deity and worship in the Catholic church. So much so that I have seen catholic women influencers say her name held the same of not greater power to cast out demons and or be saved. When Acts 4:12 NLT says

“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

As far as a mediator scripture indicates we have the Holy Spirt for that purpose as a direct intercessor to God as one of a triune God.

Romans 8:28 says “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Where did praying to saints and Mary come from? Doctrine and traditions of men. It’s important to note Jesus himself rebuked the Jewish Pharisees of his time for the same thing.

“…for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” Mark 7:7-8 NLT

It’s not hard to see how the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin of that time now parallels the Roman Catholic Church. It’s almost as if from the fancy robes, ceremony, and structure, is modeled right after it.

Well these traditions were “divinely inspired” some will say….

Really….to add to or contradict scripture?

I find it really interesting that Catholic Answers needs to even have articles dedicated to defending the church’s position to people raising legitimate scriptural objections to various catholic dogma.

The Book of Mormon and Jehovah’s Witness believes their texts are divinely inspired to. Yet, they as well make several extra biblical additions and contradictions.

Beliefs such as Jesus and Satan were “spirit brothers” (LDS) and that Jesus was not God [a deity] (JW) define those religions core beliefs.

Except scripture and Jesus himself state that he exists before the world, and He and the father are one. His deity is expressed in multiple verses (John 1:1, 14, Colossians 2:9, John 8:58, John 10:30, Hebrews 1:3, Romans 9:5, Isaiah 9:6, Philippians 2:5-7)

My point. Religion is leading you astray from the inspired word of God. If you aren’t an astute student of scripture, you can miss this.

Many of us are conditioned to believe certain things about religion from our culture and upbringing. If Catholicism, LDS, or JW is all you know then you will be blind to much of the truth no different than our jewish brethren today who’s hardened hearts can’t see that their own texts and prophets pointed to Jesus.

I am not saying attending a Catholic church is bad, I got married in a Catholic Church, but at some point you have to see through what it is: spoon fed, controlled Christianity. Your faith is much more than this.

Religion is something the antichrist will use in the last days to get people to worship him. It won’t always look or appear evil in nature either.

When we start to see Muslim prayer rooms opened at the Vatican and the Pope blessing sinful lifestyles and marriage, this should raise an alarm.

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 1 Timothy 4:1 NLT.

I implore you don’t take my word for it, read the scripture for yourself and make your own decisions, but most of all pray about it.

And remember that confusion doesn’t come from God.

The driver of the truck appeared to hit someone or something else, and then we saw it speeding away down the highway without stopping.

I looked in the back seat, my youngest daughter was sleeping and my oldest listening to music on her headphones, both oblivious to the potential danger that could have been. We slowed and keep our distance.

It made me think, how much our children trust us with their lives and how unafraid they generally are when mom and dad are “at the wheel.”

They don’t walk around in fear with us, they just feel safe. If only we could have such confidence and trust in the Lord.

We all worry to some degree; whether about safety, health, or finances, it’s hard not to. The world around us is broken and imperfect. The possibilities of “what if”can be endless in our minds.

The Bible says though that we can ask for wisdom about these things but we must do it in faith. James 1:6 ESV says:

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

The NLT version says “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone”

The greek word used for faith here is “pistis” which can also mean trust, assurance, and confidence.

And herein lies the key; in most of our troubles or circumstances, we struggle with trusting God.

With children their trust is automatic, it’s not something parents have to earn from them. Kids don’t need proof of our abilities to feel safe around us.

In reality, despite that inherent trust, we aren’t perfect and can make mistakes.

The small child-parent relationship of trust is really only a shadow of the true safety that lies in the arms of God.

Except most of us don’t quite grasp this, and God is often not the first, but the last person we run to…trust for that matter.

It’s usually not until we read scripture or see a post, or devotional like this that we are reminded that we cannot rely on ourselves or others. In fact as we got older even as children, we had to learn that this was true of our own parents. They are human too.

Unfortunately with many believers, myself included, trust with God isn’t automatic, and not the default sense of security that it should be.

Sometimes as Christians we separate the ideas of faith and trust in two different categories. In reality, they are spiritually one in same, yet by definition slightly different.

Faith lies in our belief, but trust requires us to put it into action.

In the Gospel of Matthew we read about the soldier who asked Jesus to heal his servant. The soldier had the belief that Jesus could perform this miracle or he wouldn’t have asked him. What impressed Jesus though was his certainty and trust.

“But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Mathew 8:8-9 NIV

This soldier understood Jesus authority. And yet sometimes we as believers we easily forget the power of God and His ability to control the seemingly uncontrollable.

While it is easy to say we have faith, it’s another things to show it by our actions.

Trust is the ultimate surrender, and ultimately sign of faith. It’s also the greatest investment we can make into God.

And so today we repent to God for not trusting Him fully in our circumstances.

“Lord, forgive me for not placing my trust in you first. Remind me that I cannot rely on myself or others to navigate the situation that I am in. I am reminded of your omniscient presence in all things and hand on my life. That you work out all things for the good of those who love you.” Still my mind and body with the peace of the Holy Spirit and the surety of your actions and intentions of good for my life. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Check our “Inner Child”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people comment this online about a particular domination. Like the Pharisees of Old, they have made their methods of worship an idol rather than actual worship of the creator Himself.

When you arrive in heaven it’s not going to matter what denomination you were part of.

Jesus warned “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees.”

The Pharisees were religious zealots, and self righteous hypocrites. They idolized the law and doctrine so much they missed their own messiah when he arrived.

Unfortunately, modern Christians do much of the same.

So called “ministries” online have placed themselves in a position of authority and judgement over others in the body of christ. I don’t know about you but that is a dangerous place to put oneself.

Remember Jesus said “let the one without sin, cast the first stone.”

Problem is most of the topics people are being condemned over in the Christian world are not scriptural, but rather doctrinal in nature.

The Pharisees for example complained the disciples didn’t do the ceremonial handwashing before eating. Jesus responded

“⁷ Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’^[d]

⁸ For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” Mark 7:7-8 NLT

We like to add to what God gave us or come up with our own ideas of what worship should look like.

“Beware the yeast of the Pharisees.”

I recently saw a YouTube video titled “If you pray like this, it’s demonic.”

I can’t imagine speaking to God in prayer would in anyway that would be demonic.

Remember when Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, she questioned about the proper way to worship.

“So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,^[c] where our ancestors worshiped?”

²¹ Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. John 4:20-21 NLT

At the heart of this is a denominational belief in ancient form. What Jesus explains next in verse 23 and 24 is key:

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. ²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

What does it mean to worship God in spirit?

Jesus was alluding to how worship and relationship would change upon His death. Gone would be the tabernacle, the high priests, and animal sacrifice.

These were all shadows pointing to what Jesus would soon fulfill.

Jesus is the final high priest and the final sacrifice…the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,^[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God is now approachable on personal level in spirit( verse 16).

Jesus bridges the gap and brings us to a personal relationship with God that we can as the verse says “approach him with confidence.”

The greek word use for confidence here is “parrésia” which means “plainly, open, and bold”(Strongs 3954)

That is without barriers, procedure and mediators, but in spirit.

Jesus says in John 4, God is spirit and He is “looking for people to worship Him in this way.” Isn’t this amazing God wants a personal no-barriers relationship with you.

Has religion become an idol or barrier in your walk with God? Have you become too comfortable with a relationship being spoon fed to you through ceremony, procedure and doctrines?

Are you only experiencing God only third party and through a human filter?

There is a freedom outside the confines of structured faith.

There is worship in spirt and truth and you have access to it.

I was reading the final moments of Jesus’s life in each Gospel and I noticed a pattern of three.

The bible is no stranger to numerical symbolism. Numbers like forty and seven are highly prevalent in scripture.

The scripture says across all Gospel accounts of the crucifixion says that Jesus was on the cross for three hours.

He was crucified at noon and died at three o’clock.

“At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.” Matthew 38:45

There were three crosses on that hill (Jesus and the two thieves).

“Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.” Matthew 27:38 NLT

The scripture said there was a sign which read “Jesus King of Jews” written in three languages.

“and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek so that many people could read it.” John 19:20 NLT.

Jesus was pierced in three places (both hands and his feet).

There were three women at the base of the cross…and they were all named Mary.

“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.” John 19:25 NLT

Scholars and historians widely believe Jesus was crucified on the 3rd of April, 33AD.

Jesus ministry lasted approximately three years, which was measured by three passovers. He was believed to be 33 years old when he was crucified.

“Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.” Luke 3:23 NLT

The obvious aside, the cross represents the triune nature of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.)

I did some quick searches on the meaning of three in the bible and in Hebrew and here’s what I found.

“Three, shelosh[f.], sheloshah [m.] means harmony, new life, and completeness.”(crosswak.com)

Jesus death was a completed work. It brought harmony with our relationship with God, rectifying the wrongs of original sin between man and God.

Lastly it brought about our new life through resurrection and defeating death.

In the physical world you need at least three dimensions of something (height, weight and depth).

The triangle being 3 sides is one of the strongest geometric structures in existence.

Three is also the foundation and start of a family.

Our lives (on earth) have a beginning, middle, and end.

But the good news, for believers there is life, death, and resurrection.

Happy Resurrection.

Enough said…end of devotional…till next time.

Just kidding.

I struggle with wanting things. I like cars, watches, and guns. I have dreams and aspirations. I am a man with hobbies and goals and there is nothing wrong with that. I suppose you are the same.

But the unsettled spirit behind wanting more and more is a dangerous path. The same path that led Adam and Eve to disobey God.

1 Timothy 6:8-9 NLT Reminds us of the dangers of seeking more than what we need.

“So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.“

Ever get something you really wanted and been like “ok…now what?” That feeling of temporary and fleeting satisfaction?

And this is not just about money or objects, it could be about a job or an achievement. Perhaps you waited forever for that executive title or promotion only to finally get there and still feel unfulfilled.

That new car, it’s exciting for a little while.

Seriously question; Do you really believe if you had everything you ever wanted, you would be happy?

I’m willing to wager you’d be rather unhappy. I personally wouldn’t want that.

I remember one day in prayer about this and Lord speaking in my spirit said “but will you tire of me to?”

This hit hard. I didn’t like what God said…of course I was thinking “No God! Never…” but is that really the case? God was clearly making a point to me.

It should make us pause. Is our faith only superficial? Are we loving God with all our heart, mind, and soul? Or is our faith just another thing we will get bored with?

“I love you God” but people also love their spouses, yet commit adultery.

At the root of all this is contentment issues.

Why is it we are never satisfied? Perhaps it’s because we are looking for the wrong things to satisfy us.

Obviously one can be searching for happiness in material objects, titles, or status only to find disappointment. But what about on a faith level?

Sometimes people seek out “church” or religion for satisfaction but are met with disappointment.

We can worship things of God, over God himself without knowing and that eventually leads to faith fatigue.

It’s important to learn that God is not the church or religion, God is relationship.

I’ve heard people say they “tried church” but walked away discouraged and hurt. This is what happens when your faith is in the institution and not the I AM himself.

And God’s name, Yahweh (I AM) is just that…a statement that He is all you need.

So how do we achieve true contentment? The answer seems to be filling ourselves with God himself. This in turn leads to true godliness.

This means learning to control our desires for the things outside of God.

When we talking about “filling our cup” It’s supposed to be with the presence of God.

The problem is like most of us…it is already filled with other things.

Can our spiritual health affect our physical health?

When I worked in jail, I would often transport inmates to doctors and hospitals for appointments. In doing so I began to see a trend: sin creates sickness.

I had been on a 12 hour hospital shift with a jail inmate. I watched as the doctors came in and handed him a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 cancer that had spread inside his head.

The inmate had no idea, after hearing the news he lamented to me about being an alcoholic and in jail because he attacked his elderly mother. He told me that he did not remember doing so but seemed to accept his fate as punishment.

On another occasion, I had brought an inmate to the eye doctor for on going vision problems. The eye doctor informed him he had sexually transmitted disease that in the later stages was now progressively affecting his vision.

This is a reminder of 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT to “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.”

Among other things the bible warns us about pride, anger, bitterness, envy, and jealousy as forms of evil, disorder and sin(James 3:16, Hebrews 4:31, Ephesians 12:15 Colossians 3:8)

The scripture from proverbs compares these to “cancer in the bones.”

This is a warning that a sinful life can lead to health problems. Sin is a toxin to the mind, body and soul.

Anger and other negative emotions can even lead to spiritual and even physical death.

In fact researchers at Columbia University proposed that “repeated episodes of negative emotions like anger might have a cumulative effect on cardiovascular health.” (NIH.gov)

The research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on May 7, 2024 stated that “Over time, ongoing anger might lead to permanent damage and increased risk for cardiovascular disease.”(NIH.gov)

Sin affects our physical, spiritual and mental health.

The good news is the proverb says a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body.

A peaceful heart is a content heart. It isn’t seething in jealousy, anger or unforgiveness. It doesn’t keep one awake planning revenge or re-living trauma or moments of anger. A peaceful heart is doesn’t worry, or live in fear.

I learned personally what fear, worry can do physically to the body. When I was a police officer at the start of PTSD, my body acted out before my mind did. I was seeing all kind of doctors for eye problems, limb numbness, reflux, and headaches.

Now granted not everything health related is from sin. Well… ultimately it is from original sin but not always a direct result from your sin. Not every illness is a demonic attack or judgement from God.

Please understand if you have a condition or illness, I am NOT saying you caused it or brought it upon yourself, especially if you are with the Lord. No, you can blame Adam and Eve for that. We live in a fallen world.

What I am saying is bad things generally happen more to bad people when they dwell in bad circumstances. It’s amazing how a life of drugs, crime, and sexual sin will age and degrade someone’s health.

But the caveat here is that in God we can have that a peaceful heart and live a long life.

Scripture says that “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.” Proverbs 16:31 NLT.

Then again if you’re prematurely grey, you’re probably doing something wrong. I am joking of course…I already lost my hair, so I have no room to talk.

But what we can learn from the scriptures is that longevity and health can be affected by how we live our lives. That is we can bring disease and sickness upon ourselves.

We can harbor negative emotions that take a toll on our bodies and become aged in body and spirit.

Or…we can choose to make our heart right and walk in righteousness. When there is spiritual healing, the mind and body often follows.

Is there any sin in your life that might be contributing negatively to your health? Repent and release it God.

“He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:3-4 NLT

Reference:

“Anger May Harm Heart and Blood Vessel Health.” National Institute of Health May 14, 2024 https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/anger-may-harm-heart-blood-vessel-health

In Psalm 105, the writer calls Joseph’s time in slavery a “test of character.”

“…Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet with fetters
and placed his neck in an iron collar.
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
the Lord tested Joseph’s character. Psalm 105:17-19 NLT.

This scripture illustrates that God allowed these things to happen to Joseph so he could entrust him to his calling. This was not to see if he could entrust him.

You see God already knew Joseph destiny.

In fact He knows all of our destinies because He has ordained each one us for them.

“For I know the plans I have for you…” Jeremiah 29:11

Psalm 139:16 says “… all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.”

And Ephesians 1:11 says that we are predestined according to his purpose.

So Joseph’s slavery was not a test of pass or fail but rather a preparation.

The Hebrew word used in Psalm 105:19 for “test” confirms this. The word “tsaraph” means to refine or purge away, as a process to remove impurities (Strongs 6884).

We see this again in Malachi 3:3 where the Lord is referred to as “a refiner and purifier of silver…” when it comes to those who will serve Him.

Psalm 105: 21-22 continues

“Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.

So the take away here is that before God can allow our destiny to be fulfilled, He must prepare us for it.

He must bring out in us that which we were created for.

Remember even Jesus had a process that he needed to go through to fulfill his calling. He told his disciples:

“The Son of Man must suffer many things… Luke 9:22 NIV

You see, it is not so much a test of character, but a method of reaching it.

And God will always do this when preparing us for the season.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19’ESV

“17How precious are your thoughts about me,b O God.They cannot be numbered! Psalm 139:17 NLT.

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23
And while we often think God doesn’t care about the small things, it’s sometimes in those small things that he shows us he cares.

We had just disembarked a cruise from a family vacation. My oldest daughter is not quite a teen yet and still is holding on to some innocence.

She had just gotten a pearl ballon the night before and was treating it like a prized possession. As we were lugging all our bags off the ship and out to the parking lot a sudden burst of wind swept her ballon out of her arms.

In a panic she screamed and chased after it as the wind took it away. She immediately began sobbing with heartbreak over this ninety-nine cent piece of rubber. The temptation is to say it’s just a balloon, but to her it represented something more. Sure…it won’t last forever…but in the moment it was special. She is a very passionate and emotional child and it is what makes her so special.

As we walked back the car, the cruise we just spent a week on seemed pale in comparison to that lost ballon.

I knew I had to walk back to pay for the parking at the meter and I prayed “if you could…please let me find that balloon.”

I walked among the crowd and chaos of thousands of people getting off the cruise, I kept looking around hoping that maybe somehow someone had caught the ballon and I could plead with them to hand it over.

After paying for the parking at the meter and exhausting my efforts, I gave up and turned to walk back to the car. As soon as I turned, I spotted the balloon on the ground tucked between the fence and trash can.

What a relief… it seemed like a miracle.

I wanted to see my daughter happy. In the scheme of things, it’s a balloon and it means nothing…but in the moment it meant everything.

I don’t expect things like this to always happen of course but I do believe there was a message behind it.

As a parent, it crushes you to see your child upset. Whether it’s a lost pacifier, broken toy, balloon, or their first breakup. No one likes to see their child hurt. And we forget, God feels the same way. He wants to be there for us to comfort us.

It’s a reminder for parents to remember what being a hero looks like and the joy it that comes when you can save the day.

And yet…it is also a reminder that sometimes the balloon will fly away and there will be nothing we can do about it but be there for support them in their heartbreak.

It’s the deeper reality that although God cares so much about us and our happiness, he will not always intervene. That sometimes pain is also meant for progress and growth.

But overall it is the truth that God is in everything always working behind the scenes.

As far as the balloon, it made it home safe. It will eventually lose air, but that is another day. Being a hero in the moment is small victory. In reality it doesn’t compare to the everyday things we do for our children that go unnoticed by them.

And yet as children of God…it is also a reminder how we do the same with our heavenly farther.

In most games, there is requirement that must be met to move to the next level. Sometimes this is gained through experience points or “XP”. The more points you get by playing and completing tasks or defeating enemies, the closer you get to unlocking the next stage or leveling up your character. As your character or avatar gets higher in levels, the more stronger and powerful you become.

Here’s the catch though as you become more powerful, so do the challenges and your enemies. Of course this requires you to continually “level grind” to gain experience points before you can take on the even tougher enemies.

Level grinding is a term used to describe the player having to do repetitive actions, side quests and other things to increase their “XP” and thus move to the next level of their character. The reality is sometimes you just aren’t strong enough or spent enough time at your current level to move on.

In a traditional RPG or role playing game, you might start out as a level 1, come across a level 10 enemy and you will instantly perish. But later when you’re a level 30, and come across a level 10, they will instantly fall.

There is a lesson here, we as Christians when we face seasons of wait and struggle are just level grinding. I often wonder why certain scenarios and situations played out the way they did in my life. Why were there static seasons, seasons of setbacks, failure and disappointment.

Of course this could reflect anyones life as well. You may be thinking: Why did I lose my job? Why do I have this issue in my relationship? Why is my kid misbehaving? Why am I sick?…and so on.

Now the next question is usually “When will this stop?”

Perhaps the answer is only we gain enough experience whatever it is we need to before God allows us to move on to the next level.

“For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” Hebrews 5:13-14 NLT.

In each stage, we are being taught something. Perhaps dealing with issues such as control, trust, patience, anger, worry, forgiveness…the list goes on.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Then as we progress forward the enemies that were once giants to us in lower levels of faith are now easily defeated.

“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deuteronomy 28:7 ESV.

Are there situations in your life looking back, that you would be able to handle much differently now versus then? Chances are if you are in the Lord, the answer is yes.

It’s a reminder that sometimes we have to put the hard work in and grind in a each stage of life. Yes, it can be frustrating, our cries and prayers can get repetitive, but perhaps we gain more experience and resilience each hour and with each day.

I was fighting a difficult “boss” character in one of my games. It was extremely difficult and seemed unfair and impossible. I replayed that battle at least 20 times. I found the more I was aggravated, the more mistakes I made. It wasn’t until I had to slow down, learn the enemies behavior and the timing of their attacks that I eventually defeated them. And realistically, this is how the game developers designed the game to be played…strategically.

God does the same thing with us, he creates situations where we are forced to adapt, change our mindset, and method approach, even if it’s riddled with failures.

Just like a game designer, God sometimes allows problems and challenges to continually grow us. And in each season, we can look back and say it was solely because of him, that we progressed to a new level.

I know it’s hard, I know it’s lonely, I know you’re tired and frustrated. However it’s not all for naught…there is a purpose and that purpose is your progression.

The Doctor asked me a serious of strange questions to include something along the lines of “Would you rather be near a babbling brook or still pond?”

Psalm 23:1-3 ESV says:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…”

What is meant by “Still waters?” The original word in the Hebrew used in this verse is “menuchah” which means “comfortable, ease, quiet, place of rest.”(Strongs 4496).

God doesn’t want chaos to rule our lives. In contrast, one might picture a stormy sea.

But if I honestly were to be asked the question now, I would probably chose a “babbling brook”.

Why? In my mind when I think of still water, I think stagnant. Stagnant water is usually not refreshed by a spring or another source. The water is conducive to bacteria growth and I just get the picture of a lifeless swamp in my mind.

However, this is obviously that is not what Psalm 23 is intending for us to picture. Instead as the Hebrew wording suggests, it is a place of rest.

We all live such chaotic lives, we could use a little stillness in our lives, but perhaps not too much…

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” proverbs 13:14 ESV

Still waters in the psalm represent a place of rest in the presence of God.

Psalm 37:7 NLT says “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.”

I was stirring in bed the other night, my mind racing about what is to come of my job. It was in that moment I thought of how God commands us to stillness.

“Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10 ESV

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39 ESV

Stillness isn’t just about relaxation, it is a call to obedience and faith. Just as a parent might tell a fidgeting child to “sit still”, God is doing the same to us.

To reiterate Psalm 37:7 NLT says “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.”

It’s a reminder that stillness is also about patience. If we believe God is going to do something for us, then we need to trust Him to do it.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:32 that worry is what dominates the thoughts of unbelievers and that we should instead seek God above all of our problems.

Lamentations 3:24-25 ESV Says:

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him.”

There is a common theme in the scripture that I forget sometimes. It is that God is enough. He is our fill and Psalm 23 says “I shall not want.”

The translation of “want” seems to have a dual meaning here. According to Strongs Concordance the Hebrew word that is used can mean either “lack” or “want.” To lack is to be without something but “to want” is to desire or long for.

Either way, as someone who struggles with contentment, this scripture speaks to me in both ways. That is “I will not lack and I shall not want.”

And really the only thing we should desire is God.

I will leave you with this:

With impatience, we might want something; but in stillness and obedience can we fulfill what we lack.

And Yes…you might have to read that again.

The realtor walks you out to a field of ruins, rubble, and dead landscape. Trench lines, from former fighting positions are still scattered about. In the distance is the enemy lines over the horizon.

“I’m telling you this is going to be a great piece of land to build on one day”He says.

As you hear the sound of mortar fire far off in the distance, you are reminded of the still pending threat from opposing army.

“So how will you be paying?”

Now most of us, would say “you’re crazy.”

But what if God told “go ahead buy the land.”

That’s exactly what the prophet Jeremiah did. The land was under threat from being taken by the Babylonians yet God promised

“…Someday people will again own property here in this land and will buy and sell houses and vineyards and fields.’” Jeremiah 32:15 NLT.

And so Jeremiah without hesitation dropped 17 pieces of silver signed the deed and sealed it in clay jar to preserve it until that day.

It makes me wonder, would most of do the same? In a way it boils down to the essence of faith. Can we trust in something we can’t yet see.

Hebrews 1:11 NIV says “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Probably one of the biggest things we have to have faith on is the promise of eternal life in Heaven after death.

“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2

Though we see things in this world as they are now, God promises that

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4 NLT

Of course right now, this is hard to imagine. But God is asking us to trust in the resurrection and redemption offered through Jesus. Like Jeremiah, we sign and seal our eternity with Jesus, through Faith and preserve it through out our life.

Ultimately, this life is a walk of faith. From putting food on the table to our eternity. We cannot see the future and everything beyond the present is uncertain.

It begs the question, in this world can we really be certain about anything? Outside of involving God in our plans, no.

Uncertainty can be painful. As I write this, the company I work for is relocating out of state. As the shelves empty of product, the uncertainty builds. Promises were made about promotion, and remote positions, yet people are being laid off one by one daily.

It’s a reminder that although we are not guaranteed anything in this life, all things will work out for those who are called to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

But some might say “God doesn’t care about something like your job”

But scripture says “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 NIV

And that we aren’t to worry about anything because “… your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Matthew 6:32 NLT)

God doesn’t want us to live in worry but instead rely on him through prayer with everything (Philippians 4:6-7).

I know this sounds easier said than done but a large part of finding peace is not just through pray but surrender.

The other part is through confidence. The confidence that God can do the impossible and make a way even when you can’t see one.

“Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters.”

Isaiah 43:16 ESV