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LET NO DECEIVE YOU

6/15/2025

June 15, 2025 LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the tradition which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”

In the first part of chapter 2 Paul is exhorting believers to be aware of the fact that our enemy, Satan, is all about deception. To this day, in the world in which we live, deception is the norm. The scriptures define Satan as an angel of light-he is a master schemer and deceiver. If it was not for the grace of God and Jesus coming to disarm Satan, all would be deceived. We need the wisdom of God if we are not going to be one who is deceived. There are many deceptive tactics that our enemy uses. It’s interesting to see how Satan tempted Eve, and then Adam to sin even though they lived in a perfect environment. Just as as example, many today have been led to believe that more is better-that more material possessions would bring us more happiness. Don’t get be wrong, there is nothing inherently evil in possessions; it’s just about knowing that possessions do not satisfy the longings of our souls-only God can do that. There are many deceptions. Another example is that even believers can be deceived to believe that the goal is Bible knowledge, while the real goal is a transformed life. But here is the good news: we do not have to fall to the lies of the enemy and be deceived. We can live in the truth; we can be renewed in our minds; and we can have the decrement that God gives. Even though that apple looks really delicious, we can pass it by. Just as Paul is encouraging the believers of his day to ‘stand firm,’ we also must continually stand firm in the gospel that has been given to us. We do not have to be fearful but we are to be wise to the schemes of the enemy and not be deceived but be strong in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 “But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you Iike a thief; for you all are sons of light and sons of day, but let us be alert and sober.”

Blessings, Buddy

CONTRARY TO NATURE

6/12/2025

June 12, 2025 CONTRARY TO NATURE

Acts 20:35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

We were born selfish with a nature to please ourselves first and foremost. But, when we accepted Christ as Savior and was born into His family, He gave us a new nature-a giving nature. We know from Romans that it is possible for us to revert back to living according to our old nature; to walk according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. When we understand who we are, when we understand our new identity as sons and daughters of God, giving becomes a part of us, and as we give, we are in return blessed. Giving out of our new nature eliminates giving with reluctance or under compulsion; instead, we find joy in giving and look for opportunities to give. The amazing thing is that as we give, we receive; and the measure we use, it will be measured back to us. We often think that giving refers to the giving of money; however it is much broader than that; it includes time, extending kindness, giving thanks, and so much more. Primarily, we can have a spirit of giving that finds expression in all we do. Someone said that “We should give in order to get more so we can give more.” There is some truth in that, but I think we just give because that is who we are; we give with no expectations. Perhaps the greatest motivation for giving is that God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9;10-11 “Now He who supplies to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”

Blessings, Buddy

GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS

6/8/2025

June 9, 2025 GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 “..and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing our retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-for our testimony to you was believed.

God’s word is a word of love and grace, but it is also a book of warning. Those who are wise will take to heart the whole word of God and will adjust their lives accordingly. It is an unwelcomed word and and unpopular so often even among believers today, but rest assured that there is a day of judgement on the horizon. The thought of judgment coming can be frightening or it can be something we look forward too. Not to be compared to the judgement referred to here, but it is like in high school getting report cards-if we have studied and have made good test grades, we look forward to getting the report card. If we are experiencing afflictions and persecutions, know that relief is on the way. When Jesus returns, He will make all things right and evil will be no more; and those who know Him and believe in Him will be amazed with the glory of His power. Some have the view that there will be no judgement for believers but the scriptures say otherwise. I do not fully understand what it means in the above verse when it says He will deal out retribution to those who do not know God AND to those who do not obey the gospel. Whether I understand that or not, I hear the warning-I (we) are to obey the gospel-and the gospel is good news. In Hebrews 10 there are warnings to believers; verse 29 is a warning to those believers who has insulted the Spirit of grace. 1 Peter 4:17 says “For it is time for judgement to begin with the household of God; and it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Let us not misunderstand grace; the grace of God does not remove all responsibility of us living as unto the Lord or to the call to obey the gospel. The grace of God enables us to live according to the gospel. We have no need to fear God, but we need a healthy fear of living according to the ways of God. 2 Corinthians 13:5 instructs us to examine ourselves-to make sure we are living in the faith. So, let us hear and act on the whole counsel of God. We can daily live in such a way that we will welcome His sudden and unexpected return-that will be a glorious day beyond our imagination.
Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Blessings, Buddy

WHO IS WISE

6/7/2025

June 7, 2025 WHO IS WISE

James 3:13-18 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambitions exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Wisdom has a way of being expressed. One can walk and live in the wisdom that is from above (from God) or he or she can walk and live in the wisdom that is not form above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. You can be sure that where there is discord, arguments, rudeness, envy, jealousy and selfish ambition, the prevailing wisdom is not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom that is earthly. We choose one or the other; and our choice is revealed in our behavior. The earthly wisdom produces no good fruit; if fact, it produces bad fruit. The obvious ills of our culture today is the result of living according to the earthly wisdom; everywhere we see the disastrous fruit of living according to the wisdom of man. The great news for us is that God makes His wisdom available to us! Those who avail themselves of the wisdom of God are those who are wise and understanding, and they are identified or recognized by their good behavior. What a blessing that we are not bound to living according to the wisdom of this world. The wisdom that comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, and without hypocrisy! We have the blessing of being ones that bring the wisdom of God to all situations we encounter; we can be those who speak for peace and offer godly advice; we can defuse potential explosive confrontations. (There may be times when the wisdom of God is rejected, but nonetheless we were able to speak the wisdom of God.) For us, we have the opportunity through our ‘good behavior’ to show the wisdom of God-not in a bragging or prideful way, but in humility with boldness. Let us root out anything in our hearts that stems from earthly wisdom. God is gracious; He has given us the opportunity to be expressions of who He is-and it is through our actions and through our spirits that we do just that. We are not saved by our behavior or our works-but be assured that we are called to be about good works, righteous works, because we are righteous in Christ.

James 1:5 “If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight than silver.”
Blessing, Buddy

THE PURSUIT THAT MATTERS

6/4/2025

June 4, 2025 THE PURSUIT THAT MATTERS

Hebrews 6:1-3 “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,”
Ephesians 4:13 “Until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

We have a tendency to plateau off in our spiritual growth and our pursuit of growing in the knowledge of God. Matthew 5:48 is an interesting verse: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” At the outset, understand that this is not about reaching a sinless state; it’s about maturing and growing in the knowledge of God and growing in the faith. To my understanding, the word perfect is referring to maturity. The key point of this is that as believers, Christ is in us and we are in Him-and that has great implications to say the least. In our own strength we cannot mature spiritually nor grow in the knowledge of God. But because we have been joined to Christ and because we experience His life in us, we can reach “mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13b.) In other words, the life we live can reflect the life of Christ-that is what Christ desires and has made possible. This does not come about unless we are about learning of Him, pursuing Him and discovering our identity in Him. If we have a ‘casual’ mindset regarding our growing in the faith and moving on to maturity, we will remain immature. We may think that we have arrived to a place where we understand the gospel and therefore have no real motivation to grow in our relationship with God. However, pursuing God and growing in Him is a life-long pursuit and the more we learn of Him, the more we see of just how awesome He is and how much more there is to learn of Him and more to experience with Him. The clear goal that God has for us is that we move on to spiritual maturity-that we become more and more like Him in every way. How we respond to adverse circumstances, to things that would aggravate us, and to the unpleasant things are an indication of our spiritual maturity. That is not meant to condemn us but to show us that there is room for us to grow in the knowledge of God and what it means to be joined to Him. So, let us move on in our spiritual journey with the Lord-there is more ahead!
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both and forever.

Blessings, Buddy

WHY DID JESUS COME

6/2/2025

June 2, 2025 WHY DID JESUS COME

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

Some of the thoughts shared in this blog come form the book The Crucified Life by AW Tozer. There are contradictory beliefs and view points among believers and the conflict centers around a very important doctrine of the New Testament. Some have the view that Jesus came to help us, and some have the view that Jesus came to put an end to self. There is a major difference in these two views. Believing that Jesus came to help us can actually promote the self life; it puts the emphasis on us. The opposing view, that Jesus came to put and end to self, may sound quiet radical to some. Obviously, a lot could be said about these two views and how they play out in our lives. But, let’s keep it simple. If you read the scriptures with an open mind without preconceived ideas, I think you will discover that Christ wants to live His life through us. We are in Christ and He is is us-for a purpose-that His life might be expressed through us. This is what Paul is saying in Galatians 2:20. Paul was saying that his ‘self’ had been crucified and that now Christ was living in him. It may be difficult to grasp the fact that as believers we (the old self) has been crucified with Christ and we have been raised up with Him to new life. Dying to self, saying no to the flesh, is an ongoing process; we are to choose daily to walk according to the Spirit and not to the flesh. Romans 6:11 tells us “Likewise recon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is the nature of the natural man to make self number one in his life; the idea of dying to self is a foreign idea. However, in the ways of God, we find life when we die to ourselves. We may think we can find life apart from God, but that is a futile effort. Being joined to God and experiencing His life in us is the ultimate life on this earth. The good news is that when we experience Christ living in us, we are fulfilled in life. As believers, we are no longer mere men and women; we have the Spirit of God living in us and we now experience life to the fullest when we discover and become aware of the fact that we have died and our life is hidden in Christ. (Jesus does help us; but He is up to much greater things in us.)
Colossians 3:3 “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Blessings, Buddy

BE ON YOUR GUARD

5/31/2025

May 31, 2025 BE ON YOUR GUARD

Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

One blessing of God’s word is that it gives us directions and instructions for life and it gives us warnings-you might say a ‘heads up’-to what might derail us in our walk with Him. The verse above is such a verse. Obviously, greed is one of those things that derails us, and it can be subtle-like it comes in unaware. There are many forms of greed according to this verse. The lie that the enemy speaks to us is that possessions bring us fulfillment and that more is better. Life is more than possessions. What we must get into our understanding is that possessions do not fill our deepest longings. In fact, the abundance of possessions can be a real problem because it takes time and money and attention to maintain or manage possessions. Do not get me wrong; possessions are not the problem; being a good steward of possessions is the issue. Whether we have an abundance of possessions or we have little is not the issue; the issue is whether we see possessions as being what satisfies us, or is it the life of Christ in us that satisfies us. In our culture, incomes vary greatly and many have an abundance of possessions. If not on guard, one can become envious of those having more and that can be a form of greed. This may be difficult for those in affluent societies to grasp, but the quality of life is not dependent on possessions. Our culture continually promotes the lie that says happiness comes with possessions; and that is why we must be on guard. As said above, possessions are not the issue; at the same time, it is generally true that having an abundance of possessions is often a distraction and can even become a burden that robs us of life. So, let us be on guard, and let us understand that the life God has for us can be enjoyed to the fullest no matter how many possessions we have or do not have. God, not possessions, is the source of life. 1 Timothy 6:17 is a clear word dealing with riches; “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” So, it is the wise person who can enjoy the things God supplies, but at the same time know that ‘things’ are not what satisfies our inner longings.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

Blessings, Buddy

A HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

5/27/2025

May 27, 2025 A HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

Romans 5:3-6. 8:24-25 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God been poured out within out hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hoes for what he sees? But if we hope for we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

These verses go a long way in dispelling discouragement. When our focus is on the present and when immediate circumstances are contrary to our liking, the natural thing is to become discouraged or even become angry. But the ways of God or unlike the ways of the world and unlike what is natural human response. God does not expect us to enjoy tribulations, but He does tell us to ‘exult’ in or tribulations. To exult ‘signifies a state of profound joy, triumph, and rejoicing; a joyful expression of worship, gratitude, and recognition of God’s goodness and sovereignty.” Wow! We are to do that in the midst of tribulation? The answer is ‘yes.’ To exult in tribulation, we must be able to believe the end results and the benefits that will come to us if we exult instead of complaining when the difficulties come. Exulting in tribulations produces in us perseverance, proven character, and hope. Even though we do not see all that God is doing and will do through the tribulation, we can hope with all assurance that God is at work in us. When we know the love of God that has been poured out into our hearts, we are confident that He will complete the work He has begun in us. The Christian life is not based on concrete evidence and facts; it is lived by faith in all that God has done and said. Our part is not to live by what we see with our eyes or live strictly on what is logical. Let us be the ones who live according to the ways of God; and let us look beyond the immediate to the glorious future that God has for those who walk in His ways.
Hebrews 6:18b-20 “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Blessings, Buddy

WALKING WORTHY OF THE CALLING

5/24/2025

May 24, 2025 WALKING WORTHY OF THE CALLING

Ephesians 4:1-3 ”I, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We have been bought with a price; we belong to another; we have been and are being transformed; and we have been called by God to be His people. We are called to live according to the ways of God-according to the gospel of God. In God’s word we find specific instructions as to how we are to live as children of God. Today, I will just list some of the specific instructions for life we find in Ephesians. Be reminded that the reason for trying to keep God’s word is not to gain His love or approval, but because we belong to Him and because of His great love for us. So here are just some of the instructions for us as believers: speak the truth in love: grow up in Christ: lay aside the old self: be renewed in the spirit of your mind: put on the new self which is in the likeness of God: do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil and opportunity: labor, performing with your hands what is good so that you have something to share: speak no unwholesome word but only words that are good for edification: do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God: let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you: be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love: do not be immoral: walk as children of light: be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time.
The commands and instructions of God or not to burden us, but are given to set us free to live as sons and daughters of God. Also, the commands of God point us to our new identity; when we discover who we are in Christ, it is our heart to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord; keeping His word becomes our delight.

Ephesians 4:13, 5:8-10 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.” “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consist in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Blessings, Buddy

HAS GIVEN UNDERSTANDING

5/20/2025

May 20, 2025 HAS GIVEN UNDERSTANDING

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

We did not find God; He revealed Himself to us while we were yet in darkness. How blessed we are that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding that we might know Him. Not only did He give us understanding, He has placed us in Himself. Being given the understanding to know Him and being in Him is the greatest gift we could ever be given. We did not achieve this on our own; it is a gift from God and a work of God in us. The philosophy of the world is based on lies; just one example of the lies of the world is that we need to be about getting the things we want and doing the things we like in order for us to be ‘happy.’ Just as we are blessed to have been given understanding, we also have come to know the truth as the truth is in Jesus, and we are in Him. Even though we are surrounded by the lies of the culture, we can live a life based on truth. So, let us know that we do not have to live in confusion, doubt and fear because we have been joined to Christ and He has given us understanding. May we be about pursuing an ever increasing understaning of what it means for us to be in Christ.
John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Blessings, Buddy