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STORING UP

10/10/2025

October 10, 2025 STORING UP

Romans 2:4-8 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to His deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good, seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious, who do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”

Even though it may be painful, it is better to hear the truth than not to hear it. This passage may be painful and unpleasant to digest for some, but clearly it is a message we as believers need to hear. Whether we realize it or believe it or not, by the life we live, we are in the process of storing up for the future. The all important question is what are we storing up. By the way, what is written here is not written to condemn or cause us to fear; it is written to remind us that we can be storing up what is good and what will lead to great rewards. Many, including believers, have a tendency to live as though this life is what its all about, forgetting that there is a day of reckoning coming for all-including believers. We are saved by grace and not by works or deeds-that’s a sure fact. However, throughout the scriptures, you find numerous admonitions to be about good deeds. It is super critical to understand the call to do good deeds; it is not to gain God’s approval or to earn His love or to get a pat on the back from others-or even from God. Good deeds are rooted in the goodness of God!!! We have a new identity and we have been and are being transformed into His image and because He is good, we are to be about expressing His goodness through good deeds. Doing good deeds with the right motive not only pleases God and blesses others, it also blesses us. Doing good deeds has a way of eliminating being focused on self. It is a sobering thought, but one day ‘God will render to every man according to His deeds.’ Let His kindness lead us to repentance and to turning from our ways and let us live in a way that expresses the goodness of God. It is simple: because He is good, let us be expressions of His goodness. Jesus came not to be served , but to serve.
1 Timothy 6:18-19 “Instruct them to do good deeds, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Blessings, Buddy

WALKING LIKE MERE MEN

10/8/2025

October 8, 2025 WALKING LIKE MERE MEN

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not waking as mere men?

This verse is a wake-up call for believers; it is a sober reminder that believers can live as those who do not know the Lord. Even though one has trusted Christ as Savior and has received the Holy Spirit, they can still live as men and women of the flesh. It is a sad reality, but believers, those who have been joined to God, can live as mere men. The evidence or fruit of living as mere men is jealousy, strife, division and the such. So, the all-important question is whether we are living by the Spirit or by the flesh. If we are believers, we are primarily spiritual beings; we are a spirit with a body-not a body with a spirit. It is a major transition from fleshly to spiritual. The comparison is dramatic. The fleshly life is one of selfishness, strife, jealousy, pride, brokenness, and the like. Life lived by the Spirit is, or can be, one of peace, hope, serving and blessing others, joy, and much more. We are not to remain babes in Christ; we are to grow up and to walk in our new identity as sons and daughters of God, a people who live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. In God’s word we find solid food; food that nourishes and brings about growth.
Galatians 5:16-17 “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

Blessings, Buddy

BUILDING YOURSELF UP

10/6/2025

October 6, 2025 BUILDING YOURSELVES UP

Jude 20-23 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save some, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”

We are to be pro-active in the faith. Considering we have been called by God, considering the gospel and the faith we have been given, and considering that we are members of the family of God, there is no time to coast on the spiritual journey we are on. It is no light matter to be called children of God. Some tend to wait for God to ‘zap’ them or to do whatever He wants to do in their life; that perspective is far from the truth of the gospel. It is God who works, but we are clearly called to work work with Him as He works in us. We have the responsibility of building ourselves up in the faith-and note that it is a holy faith, given to us by God. Faith is a gift that must be exercised and built up. We are called to pray and it is through the Holy Spirit that we know how to pray and what to pray for. A powerful reminder that Jude gives is for us to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God.’ That is super important. There are times when we may find ourselves operating outside the love of God where we become anxious, impatient, critical, and self-centered, or whatever. The good news is that we can keep ourselves in the love of God; we can choose to respond and to think in ways that are pleasing to the Lord. Another major truth we find in this verse gives us a healthy and godly view of life on this earth. Sometimes we live as though this life is the main deal-that’s a huge mistake. This life is momentary and in this life we have tribulations. The big deal is that we are waiting for the mercy of Jesus to be revealed in greater ways than we can imagine and we are waiting for the inheritance we have as His children, and we are waiting to be taken to be with Him in heaven for all eternity. So, let us be consciously aware that it is our responsibility to build ourselves up on our holy faith-the faith that God has given us.
2 Peter 3:17-18 “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity.”

Blessings, Buddy

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW

10/4/2025

October 4, 2025 THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW

Colossians 1:9b-14 “ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Life lived in the kingdom of God is far different from life lived according to the world. If we take just the few verses above and meditate on what is said, we will be amazed; in fact, it may sound to good to be true. (There is one qualifier to experiencing what we read in these verses. If one is a believer, then he or she is forgiven and loved by God; however, if a believer chooses to live according to their flesh, they will not experience life as God designed.) Let’s look at some of the key words and truths we find in this passage. It is God’s desire that we be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE of His will-no more wondering and guessing about what His will is for us. He will give us ALL SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING; we will know how to navigate life and will not live in confusion, but be enabled to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. We CAN PLEASE HIM IN ALL RESPECTS; we can live with a clear conscience and enjoy being used by Him. We can bear fruit in EVERY GOOD WORK and we can INCREASE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; He wants us to know Him and He will gladly reveal more of Himself to us. As we walk in the life God has for us, we will be STRENGTHENED WITH ALL POWER, according to His might! We no longer have to live defeated and unfulfilled. God’s work in us brings about ALL STEADFASTNESS AND PATIENCE. Because of all that God does in us, we will JOYOUSLY give thanks to our Father who has made us a member of His kingdom. We have been DELIVERED from the domain of darkness, and TRANSFERRED to the kingdom of God’s Son. In Christ, we HAVE BEEN REDEEMED and FORGIVEN. These are amazing, transforming truths; they are not in theory only, but are fruits of the work of God in us that find expression in life. In spite of the difficulties we face, nothing can deter what God does in those who love Him and walk in His ways. May we embrace who God says we are in Him.

Colossians 2:6 “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

Blessings, Buddy

BEING A VESSEL OF HONOR

10/2/2025

October 2, 2025 BEING A VESSEL FOR HONOR

2 Timothy 2:20-22 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee youthful lust, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the name of the Lord from a pure heart.”

We set the course of our life; we continually make choices and decisions that determine our actions and our mindset. It is a sobering thought, but we either qualify or we disqualify ourselves for being useful vessels for the Master. Do not misunderstand; being loved by God is not based on our works; but our being useful in His kingdom is dependent on us making ourselves useful to Him. According to the passage above, we make ourselves useful to Him by cleansing ourselves of anything about our life that is not pleasing to Him. (In the verses preceding the verses above, Paul list some of the things that we are to cleanse ourselves of.) In verse 15, we are instructed to “Be diligent to present ourselves approved to God as a workman who does not need to ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” The message to us in this passage is clear, and it has very practical implications for us. The first point is that we must not live on auto pilot, having the mindset that ‘I am who I am-I was born the way I am.’ As believers, we are called to grow in the faith and in the knowledge of God; believers should be in an ongoing state of change because we are to always be growing and maturing; we are in the process of being transformed from image to image. Second, we are to lay aside, or put off anything that is unlike God-could be certain thoughts, certain things we do, anger, impatience, dishonesty, laziness, a argumentative spirit, selfishness-and the such. It is good to occasionally examine ourselves and see if there are things we need to lay aside. God values a pure heart. God is for us, and He desires for us to be a vessel for honor, sanctified, prepared for every good work. The good news is that because the Holy Spirit lives in us, it is not difficult to lay aside what we need to, and it is easy to ‘pursue righteousness, faith, and love and peace.’ So, let each of us prepare ourselves to be vessels of honor to the Master, ready to be used in any way He chooses.

Colossians 3”12-13 “And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

Blessings, Buddy

IN HIM

9/29/2025

September 30, 2025 IN HIM

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirt of promise, who is given us as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

The words ‘in Him’ are found throughout Ephesians 1. Indeed, the overriding message of the gospel, and what makes living the Christian life possible is that we are in Him. We could not over-state the impact of what it means to be in Him. When one believes the gospel and accepts Christ as Savior, he or she is sealed in Him with the the Holy Spirt of promise. And here is a point we must not miss; we are God’s own possession-we are no longer our own. Living with the conscience reality that we are His possession has a great impact on our lives. What a blessing to know that it is God who owns us! As His possessions, He will work out His purposes for us and He will conform us to the image of His Son. Even though a believer may not understand that they are God’s own possession and even though they may resist walking in the ways of God, God will in His own time and in His own ways compete His work in them. But, we should not resist God or live according to our ways, but rather work with Him as He works in us. We are abundantly blessed in the here and now as a result of our union with Christ, but yet we have an awesome inheritance reserved for us. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a pledge of the inheritance that is ours. I encourage us to read the first chapter of Ephesians and as we read, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more to us as to what it means to be in Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9 “but just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Ephesians 1:4-5 “I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech, and all knowledge,”

Blessings, Buddy

WE HAVE RECEIVED

9/28/2025

September 28, 2025 WE HAVE RECEIVED

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.”

It is a big deal; we have received the Spirit who is from God. Let that sink in. Yes, we human beings have the Spirit of God alive in us. And that makes a monumental difference in the life we live here on earth. We are no longer natural men and women. God has given us many things, and the Spirt of God makes these things known to us. One thing that God gives us is wisdom and this wisdom is not learned, but given to us. We access this wisdom by having our hearts turned to Him and by having a desire to learn of Him, and by reading His word with the mindset that His word is wisdom, is truth, is inerrant and life giving. The culture is constantly telling us to follow along; but the wisdom that is from God enables us tp discern the lies and enables us to act and live out of His wisdom. The point is that God has freely given us many good things; He is a good God who is eager to bless His children. That does not mean that we never experience trials and difficulties, but it does mean that He is there to help and comfort us in such times. We do not understand it now, but we can be assured that even in difficult and trying times, He is working all things for good to those who are called according to purposes. It is important, an essential that even though we live in flesh and bones, we are spiritual beings; we are not a body with a spirit, but a spirit with a body. Being spiritual beings who have been joined to God and who have received the Spirit of God, we can now live life the way God designed it to be lived. There are many believers who know God as their Savior, but have not come to the place where they live according to the Spirit; they are trying to live the Christian life in their own strength. Even though living according to the Spirt is a supernatural way of living, it does not mean that we are ‘weird’ or strange beings; it does mean that we know who we are in Christ and we hear and follow the leading of the Spirit and we reflect the life of Christ. The Holy Spirit will at times give us specific words to share or certain actions to take. Even though we are not weird, the world will not understand the life we live. So, let us thank God that He has given us many good things, most importantly, His Spirit.
Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”

Blessings, Buddy

BUT GROW

9/25/2025

September 25, 2025 BUT GROW

1 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
Colossians 1:9 “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”

If we are not growing in the ‘grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior,’ we are not living according to the gospel and we likely regressing spiritually. No growth implies a problem, while growth implies health. It’s easy for us as believers to get to a place where we think we have pretty much arrived spiritually and we are content with where we are with the Lord. Don’t misunderstand; it’s a mystery, but we can be content, but still be moving forward in our spiritual growth. Growth requires energy and it requires setting growth as a priority. The primary way of growing in the knowledge of God is by studying His word, AND by obeying His word. Another mystery; embracing His word and doing what the word says fuels growth. What we do not need is knowledge for the sake of knowledge. We need knowledge (of God) as a track to run on. The knowledge of God leads to life, peace, joy and to all we need. When we have spiritual wisdom and understanding, we can live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord and in a way that
bears good fruit. So, if need be, reduce screen time, eliminate distractions, and set aside time to read and apply the word of God with the view of gaining a greater understanding of God.
2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Blessing, Buddy

DO NOT BE ASHAMED

9/23/2025

September 23, 2025 DO NOT BE ASHAMED

2 Timothy 1:6-8 “And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, and not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

Some believe, and rightly so, that the evidence of being filled with the spirit is boldness. I must confess that at times I find myself being timid when it comes to sharing the gospel. I wonder why would anyone hesitate to share what the Creator God has done in their life. The obvious question for each of us is since the evidence of being filled with the Spirit is boldness, are we bold in sharing our testimony and are we bold in living out the gospel. This is not to condemn us, but to cause us to examine our lives and determine whether or not we are timid when it comes to sharing our faith. It does not mean that if we are not timid then we will to be on the street corners wittinessing to everyone that passes. It does mean that we will share our testimony with others as the Spirit leads. As Paul implies in the passage above, we may suffer or be rejected by sharing our testimony, but if we are, we are in good company with Paul and a host of others. We do not have to be obnoxious or or have a ‘holier than thou’ attitude when we share our testimony; we can be bold in spirit but at the same time have a gentle and compassionate spirit. There are many many ways that we can express what God has done in us; again, the Holy Spirit will lead us and will let us know what we are to share. It is critical for us to remember that God has called us by His grace for His own purposes and we are now His ambassadors representing Him here on earth.
I Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give and answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Blessings, Buddy

September 21st, 2025

9/21/2025

September 21, 2025 YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

If you live in a culture that is directly dependent on agriculture, when there are no crops and no sheep or cattle, you are in a dire situation. In our culture where there is an abundance of food, we may have difficulty understanding being in such circumstances; however, we can find ourselves in what seems to a barren land in other ways. To say that we can rejoice in the Lord in such times may sound far-fetched. Yet, because Habakkuk knew God and because of his faith in God, he could rejoice in the the Lord, no mater the circumstances; and yes, even if it meant death, he would still rejoice in the Lord. It’s all about knowing God; when we truly know God, we trust Him-always, in the good and the bad. Knowing God has a way of ridding us of fear and doubt; and knowing Him brings about His peace in us. There are many things that would distract us from a simple, child-like faith and trust in God who loves us and cares for us-even in dire situations. True life, and eternal life which we already have, is much bigger than the life we live here on earth. So, when things look bleak, when there seems to be no hope, when it looks like we have no provision, and when we see no way out of our pressing difficulties, let us make the choice to rejoice in the Lord because He is God and He loves us; God is not limited in any way. We hear it often ‘God works all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.’ Whether we understand that are not, that it is true. May we rest in the goodness, faithfulness, and the power of God.
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Blessings, Buddy