Four kinds of Christians JESUS SAID Would Not Enter The Kingdom

 

Jesus gave a warning to people who label themselves Christians

The most dangerous word in the churches today is the word SAVED. Millions believe one altar call prayer, the "sinner's prayer,"  has sealed their eternity, but Jesus told us 4 stories that shatter that illusion. Listen closely and take heed if this fits. This was Jesus speaking. Not my opinions. Four kinds of people who thought they were in and found out they weren't.  It's time to search ourselves as 2 Corinthians says, 'Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith." It's time to check our own spiritual standing.

#1 The man who wanted heaven but kept his treasure. A rich young ruler knelt before Jesus asking Him how he could inherit eternal life. He told Jesus he had kept every commandment there was to keep since childhood, He was moral, sincere, desperate. Jesus looked at him with love and called him to sell everything he had and to come, follow Him. The rich man actually walked away grieving. By the man GRIEVING shows us the reason he walked away. Its shows us the actual condition of his heart. Understand,  why is there a scripture that says, "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God" said Jesus in (Matthew 19:24)? But it wasn't that the man was rich or possessed an abundance. Rich people can get into heaven too. The warning is: The man was sorrowful because keeping his riches meant more to him physically than the spiritual condition of his soul. Jesus said it to reveal the mans true intentions. It's very difficult for wealthy people to rely on God instead of their money. You can't want heaven and still walk away from it if your hands are too full of the world. This is the message.

#2 The workers who had power but no relationship. On judgment Day these will stand before Jesus and say, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name? And in Your Name cast out many devils, and in Your Name done many wonderful works?" (Matthew 7: 21-23) PAY ATTENTION! "These" are not atheists. These are miracle-working, sermon-preaching CHRISTIANS and Jesus will answer with the most terrifying sentence in scripture .. "I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work iniquity." Not "you lost your salvation." He'll say, "I NEVER KNEW YOU." Why?? You can do God's work and be a complete stranger to GOD'S heart. Jesus is going to reject people at the final judgment who "claim" to follow Him but do not have a real, personal relationship with Him. The warning is: most assuredly because these CHRISTIANS kept practicing deliberate, habitual sin, lived in rebellion against GOD'S moral law and fake righteousness while their hearts remained far from GOD.

#3 The "branches" (CHRISTIANS) that were connected to the Vine (Jesus)- "I am the Vine you are the branches. IF you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit"(John 15:5) THESE DID NOT BEAR FRUIT, they were "fruitless." Scriptures goes on, "Every branch in Me that doesn't bear fruit, He takes away" (verse 2). Notice, the branch WAS IN THE VINE, connected, looking alive, appearing real, healthy .. the CHRISTIAN IN JESUS singing songs, attending church, praying but producing nothing. Lip-service. You see, the warning is:
 true faith shows up in CHANGED BEHAVIOR. That's the "fruit." And changed behavior manifests a true  life and relationship with the Lord. Connection without transformation cut down and thrown into the fire (John 15:6).

#4 The guest who got in AND got thrown out.  Let's first establish the guest. A guest is someone who receives an invitation. The King (represents Jesus) walked into His own wedding feast and found a man without a "wedding garment." This is important. The man was indeed invited (as we have all been invited to come to Jesus) but the point is, he came on his own terms (represented by his own clothing and not a wedding garment). He tried to enter in and be a part of salvation without the wedding garment of what the King provided. All saints who go through THE DOOR-Jesus in life ("I AM THE WAY") were present and all dressed in pure white linen robes, representing being clothed in the purity and sinless righteousness of Jesus (Revelation 19:8) the warning is: this man had on what is considered filthy rags.. IE: his own human attempt to get to heaven with a facade of self-righteousness, another religion, philosophy or belief system, his own efforts, moral goodness, charitable works, or whatever. The King then orders his servants to "bind the man hand and foot and throw him nto outer darkness." Note: Being in the building, the room, the Church, the wedding hall is not the same as being dressed for the wedding!

If any of this hits close to home, that's not condemnation. That's mercy knocking. Did it wake you up? You can change course. Don't let the altar prayer you prayed 10 years ago remain stagnant. Are you producing fruit? Are you changing from the inside out? It's past time to start growing, maturing, and bearing fruit. Time grows shorter and shorter with each day that passes. You're not getting any younger! For a list of the fruits your life should be producing refer to Galatians 5:22-23 in your Bible If you don't have a Bible, ask Google!

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

A Destructive Religion To Our Own Transgressions

 

-an historical reckoning-

There was an interview on social media (VIA You Tube) where a woman of a certain Abrahamic "religion" (you can guess which one) being born of the lineage of Ishmael was speaking. Only her eyes were visible behind the black veil and traditional attire. She was very adamant expressing that we (non-Muslim Christians) misinterpret their teaching and their culture. She went on to say,"Non Muslims are not pure of heart" and therefore we are "misinterpreting hadiths" (hadiths are recorded history and traditions set forth by their prophet, Muhammad). Neither do we understand the parts of the Quran according to her, where it explains how Muhammad took a 6 YEAR OLD LITTLE GIRL for his bride. As I sat patiently listening I realized what was being said was more than just words. She was actually revealing something. She was uncovering her religion as one of pedophiles! "It's your own perverted Christian minds," she continued, "for us to assume that Muhammad's relationship was lascivious and proves you have dark hearts."

Then a video began playing. I watched intently sitting there in utter disbelief as a fiery anger began to burn in my stomach. I was looking at a innocent, baby-faced, 6 year old "Muslim" that could not have been more than three and a half feet tall. She was already dressed in a head-covering shawl and she was "married!" Married to 70 year old, white-headed, scraggly bearded "husband" who was 64 years her senior! She was only as tall as the height of his hip bones! A tiny, defenseless, weeping child with no ability to understand anything IE: the sexual concept of reproduction, supporting or handling an infant, raising a family, being a "wife, "handling household duties, etc. Yet, this is what was expected of her never to be questioned! Think of it ..

A six year old child hasn't even developed their final molars yet! 

A six year old child hasn't even reached reproductive maturity to lactate or have a baby.

A six year old female reproductive organs are small; inactive. EVERYTHING IS SMALL, incapable of "accommodating" an adult male anatomy, physically or mentally. But it will be forced on her because that religion and CULT-ture consider females to be dogs, "property," born solely to pleasure and serve men then cast aside when done.

Then to add insult to injury, a six year old child is entirely incapable of consent. It is completely and catastrophically wrong! This is no more than child rape. Allowed, accepted, and promoted.

Within that same interview a photograph of an 11 year old girl was introduced, in a full hijab, whom they deemed to be A "WOMAN" (who had begun her menses) and was obviously very pregnant AT 11! A menstruating 11 year old GIRL is no more of a woman or mother than an 11 year old boy who can produce sperm is a man or a father. The way I see it, the example set by their false prophet and the teachings perpetrated within their wicked book are exactly what has allowed that CULT-ure to devolve into one that honors and celebrates "un-aliving" women. A CULT-ure that uses rape as a weapon of war, allows  little girls to be bought, sold, violated, ravished, and forcefully bred by and for mature men. There's really no misinterpreting that WHATSOEVER. There is so much more regarding violations in this world altogether that God does not condone, but for now I'm pointing out: honor "unaliving," beheading, copulating with children, education of women not allowed, every woman must stay covered and accompanied by a male chaperone when leaving the house. If she happens to raise her eyes in the direction of a male she can be falsely accused of adultery and stoned. If she is raped, she must prove the violation by 2 male witnesses. If she cannot prove rape (and they never do) she is the one who will lose her life as an adulterer! Women cannot travel long distance (considered more than a day)  w/o a "mahram"- husband or male relative. Women must ask their husbands for permission in nearly everything. Females aren't considered valuable and receive 1/2 the inheritance of males.  MILLIONS of women are actively being beat, abused, restricted, buried up to their neck, stoned, flogged with as many as 100 lashes, and even un-alived under the guise of this so-called peaceful religion.

With all this on my mind, the following day I was reading in Deuteronomy 7: 1-4 20, 16-17 where God instructed Moses and the Israelites regarding the ancient tribes of Canaan: Canaanite, Amorite, Hittite, Perizzite, Hivite, Jebusite to drive them out of the land and utterly destroy them all to prevent Israel from adopting their detestable, religious practices of those nations. It kind of bothered me if I'm being honest. Not Gods righteous judgments per say, who can argue against GOD, but the wording "utterly destroy them" seemed harsh so I wondered what they did that angered God to the point of total destruction. I thought of the interview and photos I saw the previous day. HERE IT IS .. this is what angered God:

Their idolatry: multiple deities primarily Baal and Asherah.

Their child sacrifice: to the god of Moloch.

Their incest and immorality: forbidden by Levitical law.

Their occult practices: witchcraft, sorcery, mediumship.

Their generalized corruption--"the iniquity of the Amorites" had reached its full, uncorrectable measure over centuries.

Then it dawned on me. Has not history repeated itself? here in America? Have we not gone centuries ahead and have returned to the same iniquities:

1) Child sacrifice to the god of Moloch through the deliberate, induced, abortions estimated 200,000 abortions DAILY worldwide? DAILY!! 88% of these women are unmarried engaged in fornication.  Only 0.4% to 1 % can be attributed to rape or incest. The rest are due to mother health issues.

2) The worship of multiple deities such as VISHNU, BUDDHA, SHIVA, LUCIFER, ASHERAH, MOLLECH, DAGON, BAAL, and BAPHOMET to name a few. Statues, pictures, and posters of Baphomet are unashamedly being displayed everywhere.

3) Incest, pedophilia, sex tapes, pornography gender defining,  (LGBT&Q+) all biblically forbidden but accepted as alternative lifestyles

4) Witchcraft and sorcery. Ouija boards, tarot cards, crystal balls, psychics, medium, necromancer's, fortune tellers, divination, channeling .. all include connecting to the underworld.

TODAY'S CORRUPTION has reached its full, uncorrectable measure, soon making way for judgment across America and around the world. Warning signals are being witnessed and experienced everywhere: floods, fires, earthquakes, war, viruses, pandemics, new diseases, animal, bird, and marine death, signs in the heavens, ALL HAPPENING WITHIN THE SAME TIME FRAME. And that's the key. Scoffers shrug their shoulders and say, "there's always been earthquakes, pestilence, famine, drought, wars. Nothing has happened yet. Nothing ever happens." There's something everyone seems to miss. Though those things have happened in the past, no time in the past have ALL of them happening within close proximity of each other. This is important. Why? Jesus said, "When you see ALL these things, know that the end is near, even at the door"(Matthew 24:33). So, what are the "ALL" these things Jesus was  referring to? Seismic events (volcanoes), earthquakes, flash floods, wildfires, weather disturbances: cyclones, tornadoes, tsunamis, derechos, oversized hailstorms, glacial collapses, CME's (coronal mass ejection), red moons, a BLUE moon (May 31, 2026), pestilence, diseases, viruses, outbreak of ticks, avian influenza (affecting chickens), H5N1 Bovine disease, Oropouhe virus, influenza D virus, screw worm, SAT-1 foot & mouth disease of cloven-hoofed animals, look these up: ASF, PEDV, PRRSV, Alpha-gal syndrome, Powassan, Lyme, return of measles, the return of polio, an up tick in whooping cough, diphtheria is aggressively re-emerging, dengue fever and zika virus, walking corpse syndrome-zombies. There has never been a time in human history that "ALL THESE THINGS" were happening in the same timeframe. Are you seeing (or hearing) about ALL THESE THINGS? You can look any of these up. And I haven't even gotten into the killing of Christians, a falling away from churches, rise of false prophets, on and on.

Is anyone out there waking up yet? These signals are signs (sorrows the Bible calls them) in an attempt to wake you and shake you. To purposely get you to ask the question, "What's going on?" These things were written as a warning before the rapture of the Church.  Read of them in any bible. Remember, Jesus said, "When you see ALL these things, know that the end is near, even at the door"(Matthew 24:33).  TODAY'S CORRUPTION has reached its full, uncorrectable measure, soon making way for judgment across America and the world. It will be an inevitable reckoning for a nation's choices.

It's not too late to turn your heart to Jesus to be included in the rapture of the believers and escape GOD'S final wrath upon a sinful, stubborn, closed minded, morally lost world that refused throughout a lifetime to change.

My concern today are the unsaved of any religious belief, doctrine or philosophy, scoffers, atheists, adopted beliefs so far off from what JESUS TAUGHT or what's logically correct. The sands of time have nearly run to the bottom of the hour glass. The bulb on the bottom is almost full. The hands on every clock in every country reads 1 minute to midnight.

Friends, if you are without Jesus and you want forgiveness for all your past and present sins, then:

1. Know God loves you and wants you to find your way back through Jesus. The proof was in His dying on a cross for your sin, taking your place. It HAS NEVER BEEN HIS WILL YOU DIE WITHOUT SALVATION (John 3:10)

2. Acknowledge the need for a savior-Jesus. You cannot save yourself none of us can. You need GOD'S grace and forgiveness that's the only way (Romans 3:23)

3. Direct your plea to Jesus who is KING of kings and LORD of lords. He made a way for you if you confess and believe (Romans5:8)

4. Say a heartfelt prayer and ask for all your sins to be abolished by His grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Then trust and follow Him (Romans 10:9)

JESUS PROMISES ETERNAL LIFE WITH SAFETY, HAPPINESS, BLISS, FREEDOM, INSTANTLY when you acknowledge Him as your Lord just like the thief on the cross beside Him (Luke 23:43)

Then nothing will ever separate you from GOD'S love (Romans 8:38-39) His salvation offer is universally offered to every person, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, past background, depth of sin. There is no sin, no matter how big, ugly, or egregious that's unforgivable or bigger or stronger than GOD'S love, mercy, forgiveness, grace. Come while you still can.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

For Every Woman Wondering Her WORTH

Jesus publicly taught women when women were excluded from religious education at that time. There is a "religion" growing exponitally here in the US, claiming to be a "religion of love." Yet nothing could be further from the truth especially regarding women and little girls as young as four!

Jesus spoke openly with the Samartian woman at Jabob's well ( John 4: 4-42) even when His own discipes were shocked that He was talking with that woman. Jesus allowed women to travel with Him, learn from Him, follow Him, etc. Jesus actually touched the woman everyone thought was unclean (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5: 25-34, Luke 8:43-48). Ceremonially, religious, unclean. He defended the woman everyone else threw in the dirt in her shame in John 7:53 thru :11. They reasoned amoung themselves, "we should stone this woman. (sounds like that religion of "love").

But Jesus? Jesus lifted her head, lifted her dignity. And then in the most important moment in human history, when Jesus rose from the dead, HE CHOSE WOMEN TO BE THE FIRST TO BE THE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION even though a woman's testimony didn't hold up in a court of law during that time (sounds like that same religion of "love"). Jesus entrusted women with the first proclaimation that He Is Risen.

Jesus didn't treat women as property (though the religion of "love" does).

Jesus didn't treat them as temptations to be covered up (but the religion of "love" does)

Jesus didn't treat them as spiritually inferior  (there we go again, just like the so-called religion of "love").

Jesus treated women as image bearers of God .. worthy of dignity, worthy of discipleship, and essential to the mission of the Kingdom of God. You cannot understand how Jesus treated women without understanding how radical it was in the world He entered in that time.

Jesus dignified women in a time women were cast aside like dogs and treated as 2nd class citizens. Jesus disrupted that culture to show the value and the virtue and the dignity and how important these women were to the Kingdom He was ushering into the world. Christianity IS THE MOST PRO-WOMAN religion in the world. So ladies, I want you to know Jesus loves and respects you. Your worth is not up for debate. Your worth is a solid fact, not an opinion according to Jesus. You don't need to be perfect, (none of us are) to be incredibly valuable. You just have to be you. God only made one of you which declares how special, a one-of-a-kind, you are. You are capable. You are valuable. And JESUS LOVES YOU!

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

It's not what you're doing that condemns you, it's what you're not doing.

 

It's not what you're doing that condemns you, it's what you're not doing. 

It's not your sins that will condemn you. Why? Because over 2,000 years ago Jesus already died and took the legal punishment FOR YOUR SINS! All of them. Before you ever even committed them He had YOU in mind! He had you covered. Surprised? That's not what you usually hear or have heard, is it? That's what JESUS was doing through His death on that cross! Making a way for you BUT YOU MUST BELIEVE. Acts 16:31, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."  He made the sacrifice - shed His blood - bore your penalty in His own body - thus securing your complete redemption through His finished work. It is a sacrifice of absolute, unrestricted grace motivated by love. Then, right as Jesus was taking His last breath, He spoke these final words, "It is finished," Proving our reconciliation and restoration with GOD was fully accomplished. 

HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO SEE IT

Do you realize the weight of what I've said?? The sacrifice for your sins was paid 2,000 years ago. Yes.. Murder, adultery, pedophilia, molestation, abortion, perversion, any sins done with the body number one. You say none of these apply to you so you won't be needing Jesus? Hold up. There are 7 deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and slothfulness. Have you ever been guilty of any of these? Any wrong choices that led to sin separated you from GOD. Sin cannot dwell where GOD is, that's why we need sinless Jesus Christ as our advocate before the Father. Jesus died for THE SINS OF THE WORLD. It is finished. The way was made. Yet many refuse it. Jesus said,"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one come to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). BUT ..

This is where people fail. It is their willful rejection of Jesus Christ as the propitiation (appeasement) and only true Savior. THEY JUST DON'T BELIEVE THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT. The Bible explicitly identifies unbelief as a serious sin and the foundational reason people face condemnation. Without Jesus, an unbeliever has no covering to hide their sin from GOD at the judgement seat, whereas the believer does. The believer is not perfect, just forgiven. The gospel of John 3:18 says,, "Whoever believes in him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son." You say, "Condemned already? I'm already condemned?" Yes, BECAUSE we are all born into sin (Psalm 51:5) We are by nature, sinful (Ephesians 2:3). That's just a fact. Hell is not proof God is cruel. The cross is proof that He is not.

You may be asking, So if Jesus died for my sins, and did so 2,000 years ago, then why do I need to be saved as I hear all the time? Answer: Because of what you're NOT DOING ..

Believing.

Belief unlocks the door to salvation. Jesus paved the way beginning with forgiveness of sin (if you will believe). Let me paint a picture for you.

Say you are walking through heavy brush which nearly reaches your chest. Your arms begin flailing in a swimming motion to move back thorns that are hooking into your clothing and skin causing immediate, biting pains. You're struggling through a dense undergrowth creating a strong resistance against your legs, making you have to push forward with great effort. The journey is intense, exhausting, just a highly irritating sensory experience.

 Then after what seemed like hours upon hours you see a clearing as a narrow path off to your right lacing itself through the bramble and extending as far as the eye can see.

People on the narrow path call out to you, "Come out of all that. The path is clear over here." (but you ignore them).

"Don't keep going. The struggle never stops," (but you ignore them).

"Trust me, I took that same path once. That's not the way." (but you ignore them).

"There's a better way than the way you're headed." (but once again you ignore them).

Metaphorically in a spiritual sense, this describes the unbeliever (the skeptic, cynic, agnostic, or atheist) REFUSING to believe or hear anyone calling, urging, asking, pleading to come out from among the thorns and take Jesus at His Word. Unbelief is serious because it's actively, deliberately with clear intent refusing God's truth set before you (Luke13:3). Everyone is given the chance to believe, to change, to be eternally saved. Some believe. Some won't. I didn't say some don't. I said some WON'T. Won't is a key word. Won't is a refusal- a strong CHOICE. A person who says, "I don't believe that" can change their mind with enough evidence. A person who says, "I won't believe it" is obstinate and stubbornly refuse to change their mind EVEN WHEN SHOWN STRONG PROOF.

Remember, It's not what you've done, it's what you haven't done. 

In conclusion. Jesus took your sins upon Himself. He's shown you the clear pathway leading to God. He's cleared the way. You can start on a new, sin free journey today by believing what Jesus did for you, acknowledge you're past and present sins to Him ("with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" Romans 10:10), and desiring to make an effort to change proving your serious and sorry (which is repentance). When your heart is there, accept Him as the one true Lord He is, able to save you through belief. 

 If you have any questions you can ask in the comment section or drop an email listed in my bio.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Significance of Hyssop

Not many know that I am an advocate for the therapeutic use of herbs based strictly on several biblical reasons:

GENESIS 1:29 "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."

GENESIS 9:3 "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

PSALM 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

PSALM 104:14-15 "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man: That he may bring forth food out of the earth."

-IT'S RATHER OBVIOUS HERBS ARE IMPORTANT-

I was searching for a new organic tea and happened upon an offer for HYSSOP tea. I paused for a moment, then in a loud whisper spoke into the air, "Hyssop. hyssop? hyssop! Wasn't that mentioned as mixed with vinegar or something they they gave to Jesus during His crucifixion?" So I looked up the scripture. John 19:29 "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon a hyssop branch, and put it to his mouth." Then as usual, my spirit was filled with curiosity! I was looking for a new tea to drink and somehow wound up writing an entire  blog. So ask yourself, "what if any, is the significance of hyssop in scripture (Exodus 12:22, Psalm 57:1, Leviticus 14:4-6) BUT ESPECIALLY THE HERB BRANCH USED TO CARRY THE VINEGAR TO JESUS' MOUTH as He was dying on a cross. Does the hyssop branch signify something deeper? Indeed it does!

 There is something very important in hyssop, especially mentioned in John 19:29. The Bible does not explicitly say, “hyssop represents cleansing,” When you put the passages together as I discovered after my research, there is a striking biblical pattern.

 1. The first major appearance of hyssop was at the Passover — Exodus 12:22 God told the Israelites to take hyssop, dip it into the blood of the Passover lamb, and put that blood on the doorposts. Think about what is happening:

Hyssop → blood → doorway → deliverance from death. The hyssop itself had no magical power. The power was in God's provision through the blood of the lamb.

2. At Jesus' death — John 19:29. This is where John 19 becomes extraordinarily interesting. John specifically says: “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” Are you curious as to why John would even bother telling us it was hyssop? I mean, He could simply have said, “They put a sponge soaked with vinegar up to Jesus' mouth.” But instead he identifies the plant! And Jesus is dying at Passover time. Jesus has already been identified in John's Gospel as: “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” So IMO you have this remarkable biblical picture:

Exodus:Passover lamb dies → its blood is applied with hyssop → God's people are spared from death. Calvary: Jesus, the Lamb of God, dies → His blood is shed → humanity is offered deliverance from sin and death. That connection is not something I would dismiss as coincidence.

 3. Hyssop also appears in cleansing rituals. Look at Leviticus 14:4–6. Hyssop is used in the ritual for cleansing someone who had been healed from leprosy. The priest uses hyssop along with blood and other elements in a ceremony declaring the person clean. Again, notice the recurring ideas: hyssop --> blood --> cleansing--> restorationThat makes the crucifixion reference even more interesting.

Jesus' blood isn't merely about His physical death. Throughout the New Testament, His blood is associated with cleansing from sin. Hebrews 9:14 says Christ's blood cleanses our conscience. 1 John 1:7 says:“the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” And then there is Psalm 51:7 I think this is actually one of the strongest connections David cries:

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” Now notice what David is asking for. He isn't asking God to wash dirt off his body. He's asking God to cleanse him from sin. So hyssop becomes associated with the biblical imagery of cleansing. And that brings us back to Jesus. At the cross, the One who is completely innocent is being treated as the sin-bearer.

Hyssop repeatedly occurs in contexts involving purification, blood, cleansing, and ritual application. Then John deliberately mentions hyssop at the death of Jesus, the Lamb of God, during Passover.

The research was laborous but I think you can agree there is a connection between Exodus 12, Psalm 51, Psalm 69, John 19, and Hebrews that makes the whole picture of blood, cleansing, suffering, Passover, and Jesus' final words come together in a surprisingly coherent way. All this over the study of 1 herb, hyssop. I think I'll go purchase that tea now.

Until He Comes,

-Pat- 

Something About God

 

"Trust the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. In allyour ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3: 5-6

Something About GOD GOD has a habit and a pattern of separating people before He expands them. Nobody likes separation. Not from a relationship, friendship, job, family, a dream that you've been holding onto for years. Separation hurts because it feels like loss, but WHAT IF it isn't loss? What if the separation is just preparation? Joseph, for example .. GOD didn't send him straight to the palace. He allowed him to be separated from his father, his brothers, his home, his reputation, his freedom BEFORE he handed him a throne. GOD has to separate you from the life you've outgrown BEFORE He introduces you to the life He prepared. And again, take Abraham. The first thing God said wasn't here's your blessing. It was, "leave your country, your relatives, your father's house and go to the land I will show you." Sometimes GOD doesn't even reveal the destination until you trust Him to leave what's familiar. How about Elijah? GOD told him to go to a brook, Cherith, and every day He sent ravens to feed him. The brook gave him water and everything Elijah needed was there. And then? One day that brook just dried up! Imagine that for a second. You're obeying GOD. Doing exactly everything He told you to do. And then, one day the very thing that was sustainimg you just disappears. The Bible doesn't say Elijah sinned. It doesn't say GOD abandoned him. The brook dried up because that season was over. Here's what GOD showed me. The brook was never Elijah's source GOD was. The moment the brook dried up GOD already had a wndow waiting in Zarephath. The provision changed but THE PROVIDER didn't. Some keep praying for GOD to bring the brook back but GOD is saying: I dried it up because I'm trying to move you. Maybe the relationship ended because your purpose just couldn't grow there. Maybe the friendship faded because your calling was getting too crowded. Maybe you lost the job because your identity was tied into your paycheck. Maybe the door closed because you would have never walked away on you own. Ultimately, God will guide us from a rocky path we're onto a clear path whih points straight ahed. Jesus was led into the wilderness BEFORE He stepped into public ministry. David lived in caves BEFORE he lived in the palace. Joseph went to prison BEFORE he was made ruler over all Egypt. The pattern isn't punishment. The pattern is preparation. Don't confuse GOD'S pruning for GOD'S rejection. Jesus said in John 15:2 every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. GOD doesn't prune dead branches. He prunes fruitful ones. So maybe what feels like God is taking something from you, it's actually GOD making room for something you can't carry until your hands are empty. Some doors didn't close because GOD let you, they closed because He refused to let you settle for less than where He's leading you. Give God your whole heart instead of just part of it. Pray daily. Make it a habit to let Him be a part of every choice and action you make. When you do, GOD PROMISES to help clear your way and lead you in the right direction. Trust His plan no matter temporary silence, the passage of time, or if you think He's forgotten. HE HASN'T. He's working things out for your good IN HIS TIMING. Until He comes, -Pat-

3 End-Time Signs (inside the Church)

Let me be clear up front. I AM NOT PREDICTING THE END and I'm not addressing non-believers. This blog deals with things that will be going on with Christians before Jesus returns.There are end-time warnings many Christians are missing. The last one is already INSIDE THE CHURCH. The biggest danger may not come from the outside world -but from what is happening inside the church and inside our own hearts. The Bible reveals 3 end-time warnings we cannot afford to ignore and that's why I am blowing a trumpet today.

Sign 1: The Great Exhaustion. What is that you ask? Daniel 7:25 says the enemy will wear out the saints of the Most High. Not destroy them. Wear them out. Many Christians today are not losing their faith because of difficult questions or theological debates. They are losing their strength because they are exhausted. Besides normal things like work, bills, phones, child rearing, constant noise, etc. we could add to that: attacks from SATAN: wordly distractions, mental distress, temptation, assaults on faith, stirring fear, deception, etc. So slowly prayer becomes less important. GOD'S voice becomes harder to hear. The enemy doesn't always need you to deny Jesus, sometimes he only needs to keep you busy until your spirit falls asleep. 

Sign 2: The gospel of "self." 2 Timothy 3 warns us about the last days, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves. We usedto call it pride. Today it is often ceebrated as, "living my truth" and "protecting my peace." When a culture replaces: THY WILL BE DONE with "Let my feelings be validated," we are seeing exactly what te 2nd chapter of Timothy verse 3 warned about. The greatest danger is not only rejecting GOD. It is putting ourselves in His  place.

Sign 3: Scoffers inside the house. 2 Peter 3: 3-4 says, "In the last days scoffers will come walking according to their own desires, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" Many people assume these scoffers will only be outside the Church, but look around! Today the attacks against holiness, repentance, judgment, eternity, AND THE RETURN OF JESUS are sometimes coming from inside religious spaces. Jesus warned us because He wanted us to stay awake. Jesus did not give us prophecy so we would live in fear. He gave us prophecy so we would BE READY. Jesus said in Luke 21:36, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that will come topass and to stand  before the Son of Man." We do not know the day or the hour. But we know the season. And this season should wake us up! The question is, ARE YOU READY?

 Until He Comes,

-Pat-

We Are God's Husbandman and Fellow Laborers In Christ

 

 "For we are labourers together with God: you are God's husbandry, you are God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:9

 What is God's husbandry-what does it mean?“ God’s husbandry” means God’s cultivated field or farm—something that belongs to God, is cared for by God, and is meant to grow under His work. The verse is 1 Corinthians 3:9. In older English, “husbandry” can mean farming, cultivation, or tilled land. So Paul is saying:

*The Church (believers) are like God’s field.

*God is the owner.

*God’s servants are workers in that field.

*Spiritual growth is something God produces in us.

In the context of the chapter, Paul had been explaining that one servant plants, another waters, but God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). So “God’s husbandry” emphasizes that:

*1. The Church is not man-made or owned by leaders.

*2. Christians are being grown and cultivated by God.

*3. Different ministers have roles, but God is the one producing life and fruit (John15:5)

Then Paul switches images and says, “ye are God’s building” moving from a field picture to a construction picture. Both mean the same basic thing: you belong to God, and He is the one at work in you.

A simple paraphrase would be: “We are workers serving God, and you are God’s field—God’s place of growth—and God’s building.” We are the building (Jesus uses the word "building" as a metaphor), the Temple made without hands (Mark 4:58) in whom He dwells, and the apostles and prophets were the foundation, and Jesus the Chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2: 19-22). Peter refers to US as "living stones,  built into a spiritual house." Christ, US, joined together to become a Holy Temple. God is too great to be contained or confined to a physical building. HE DWELLS IN US! In every believer.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Canceling Jesus

 

There is a growing number in the Church canceling Jesus. Even if He came right now they would still cancel Him out. The same Jesus they talk about, the same Jesus they read in their Bible, the same Jesus they quote when life gets hard. They would cancel Him. I'm not talking about a Christian who is true to Christ..I'm talking about people who claim to know and love Jesus but don't want to truly follow Him. Those who associate themselves with Christ but are not truly ready to obey Him. Those who conform to the ways of the world but still want to associate themselves with Jesus. THE CHURCH is full of nominal Christians.

Jesus would not tell people to live their truth. *He would tell people to repent (Mark 1:15)

Jesus would not tell people to follow their heart. *Jesus would tell people to deny themselves (Matt 16:24, Luke 9:23,Mark 8:34)

Jesus would not tell people sin does not matter. *Jesus woud tell people to go and sin no more (John 8:11)

To truly follow Jesus faithfully seems much too burdensome in their eyes. They desire one foot in heaven and one carnally where they still can keep some of their sins and hope Jesus will overlook their continued rebellion. They would lose their minds, because let's be honest.. people do not hate God, people hate being told no! They hate  accountability. They hate conviction. People hate being told that not everything they want is good for them. 

This generation have bible verses in their bio's online and a cross on their neck but idols in their hearts. That's why Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments." 

NOT "if you love me quote bible verses".

 NOT "if you love me wear a cross." 

BUT "IF YOU LOVE ME, OBEY ME." That's where people get uncomfortable BECAUSE ..

*obedience requires sacrifice.

*obedience requires self control.

*obedience requires you to tell your flesh NO. And this generation does not like hearing that. They're not having it.

Denying flesh, breaking old habits, and really standing on God’s business requires a change that the Holy Spirit helps produce. A real partnership, a real love relationship, and faith that the love in the relationship is enough. God’s love is enough. 

People want heaven, they just don't want holiness (being set apart from the world) and that's a problem because Jesus never came to be a mascot. He came to be Lord. And if we're being honest, if Jesus started preaching the same as He preached in biblical times peope would call Him judgmental! They would call Him toxic, sensative, and controversial .. all words that dominate modern culture discourse.  Unfortunately, truth has a way of making people uncomfortable. It did back then and it still does now.

Until He Comes,

Pat

When Did America Lose Its Soul?

 

-a moral and spiritual warning about the direction of the nation-

America has fallen deeply into an abyss of sexual immorality and moral confusion, and what was once recognized as sinful is increasingly celebrated, normalized, and defended. Abortion, pornography, sexual promiscuity, the objectification of the human body, and the relentless pursuit of sexual gratification have wounded the moral fabric of our nation. Behind this increasing darkness is not merely a cultural or political problem, but a spiritual one—a battle in which evil seeks to distort what God created to be sacred, turning something intended for love, commitment, and life into something exploited for pleasure and selfish desire. When a society repeatedly rejects God’s standards and calls good what He calls sinful, it should not be surprised when it begins to reap the consequences of its choices. Isaiah 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter."

When did America codify sexual freedom? I'll date myself by looking back. It was most likely in the early 70's (1973-1974?) the same time I was breaking away from worldly views and lifestyle to become Christian. As I began in-home Bible study classes with a group of ladies, there was so much more going in in the spiritual realm than my conversion. Three things stand out as a turning point for America and not in a good way, as neither of these three changes I'll mention are acceptable in God's eyes. And as I was turning more toward God back then, the world was drifting further away from Him rejecting divine truth.

1st: Roe VS Wade: baby killing.

So watch this, once you codify total sexual freedom, do you still have total sexual fredom if you still have to take responsibility for the "products" of your sexual freedom? .. Babies?? No, I would argue you're totally liberated. I'm not talking freedom in the sense that our founders meant of course not, but YOU'RE TOTALLY SEXUALLY FREE when you can treat abortion as birth control!! If you can murder the baby, now you can really sexually do whatever you want, and take no responsibility! So you're "free".

2nd: The Endangered Species Act. 

The same year we declared open season on the smallest humans, the same year!! .. we gave greater legal protection rights to sea turtles (1973), porpoises (1973). I'll expon in a minute.

3rd: The United States Supreme Court removed their obscenity laws in 1973. And for the first time in American History, PORNOGRAPHY became legal.  Easy .. make it, ship it, sell it. It's all good. Has reached a global market of over $190 billion dollars!! My America counts for$24 billion to $76 billion dollars annualy according to my Google search.

***Roe VS Wade (abortion) sounds like Molech (child sacrifice).

***Animal worship sounds alot like Baal. (animal sacrifice to secure good harvests)

***Porn (porneia from the Greek) sexual liberation-sounds like Astaroth (a high-ranking arch-demon traditionally described as a powerful Great Duke of Hell. -- I looked up all these things.

In the same year, all three LEGALLY CODIFIED! Could it be that America came into agreement with the demonic trinity that year!!?

America cannot continually sow seeds of sexual immorality, violence, selfishness, and disregard for God’s commands and expect to escape its rotten harvest. Scripture warns that whatever a person—or a nation—sows, that will it also reap (Galatians 6:7). 

Yet, God’s judgment is never the only message; there is still a call to repentance. The way back from this darkness is not found in greater tolerance of sin, but in turning our hearts back toward God, acknowledging what we have done, seeking forgiveness, and choosing righteousness over the corruption that has taken hold. A nation that has fallen from grace can still humble itself before the One who is able to forgive, restore, and heal—but it must first recognize how far it has fallen.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Don't Go In The Way Of A "STRANGE WOMAN."

 

I was having a discussion on line with a man regarding Proverbs Chapter 7. In short, the chapter warns men not to go in the way of a "STRANGE WOMAN." As our conversation advanced, he then began berating all women as evil harlots, starting at EVE (he said) and continuing all the way to today. He was pointing to Proverbs chapter 7 as the PROOF HE WAS 100% correct, stressing as he put it, "all women, every one of you whores seduce men to get what you want." Needless to say, he had a deeply negative and distorted view of all women, portraying us as inherently immoral and sexually manipulative. He took the warning about the ‘strange woman’ and turned it into a blanket of condemnation. I agreed with him in as much Proverbs 7 was describing a literal immoral/sexually seductive woman, while also using that literal description to teach a much broader, spiritual lesson about temptation and destruction, adding it's where the crux of the lesson lies. So even though there is a literal warning about sexual immorality as prostitution, I don't think that is the entire meaning of Proverbs 7 and I told him to look deeper. He didnt want to. So I'm going to point out a deeper meaning of Proverbs 7 as a kind of metaphor.

First, what does “strange woman” mean? In Proverbs 7, “strange woman” does not simply mean a woman who is unfamiliar or foreign. And though it refers to a woman who is sexually immoral, adulterous, or outside the boundaries God established for sexual relationships, I don't think that is the whole meaning. I think the deeper lesson is much bigger than prostitution or sexual seduction. I see a deeper lesson in that the young man in Proverbs represents someone who knows better but deliberately walks toward temptation. Here's why I see it that way. Notice how the chapter begins: “Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye”

(Proverbs 7:2). Then the man goes near the very place where temptation is waiting. That's significant. The lesson isn't merely: “Men, don't visit prostitutes.”It is more like:

“Don't put yourself in the path of temptation, listen to its seductive promises, and convince yourself that you can play with sin without consequences.” The woman becomes a picture of temptation itself. And Proverbs tells us exactly where it leads.

I'll break it down. The man is attracted by what looks pleasurable and exciting in the moment. But Proverbs says, “But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell” (Proverbs 7:23) See, that's the contrast: Temptation says: 'This will feel good. You deserve this. Nothing will happen." Wisdom says: "Look beyond the moment. Where does this road end?' Think of it this way.. first, I'm not discounting this describes the sin of prostitution. It is literally speaking about sexual temptation and an immoral woman, but the lesson is much broader than simply not going in the way of prostitutes. The  point I want to make is, the woman represents the seductive nature of temptation and the destructive path that sin can lead us down. 

The "strange woman" is literal, making a point to grab your attention but she is also representative. Maybe you've never seen it that way before. The Bible frequently teaches through a real situation that carries a larger spiritual principle. I see it all the time. So in reality, Proverbs 7 can be understood on two levels: Literal level:

A warning against adultery, sexual immorality, and being seduced by an immoral woman. Spiritual/moral level: A warning about temptation itself — anything that looks attractive, promises immediate pleasure, and ultimately leads a person away from God and toward destruction. I think Proverbs 7 teaches us that as well. One thing is DOES NOT TEACH is, that all women are evil and their goal is to seduce men.

The fact that anything that looks attractive, promises immediate pleasure, and ultimately leads a person away from God and toward destruction applies to both men and women! A woman can be tempted by something other than a man. A man can be tempted by something other than a woman. The underlying danger is the same though: sin disguises its destination while advertising its immediate pleasure, period. There's a beautiful connection to the rest of Proverbs too: Wisdom herself is portrayed as a woman calling out to people, while the immoral woman also calls out to people. In other words, Proverbs presents two voices calling for your attention — the voice of WISDOM leading toward life, and the voice of TEMPTATION leading toward destruction. That is really the heart of Proverbs 7 for me. 

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-

Don't Sell Yourself Short

 

Have you been comparing yourself to somebody else, or wishing you were them? ---> IE: They are a better speaker, a better singer, more popular, more successful, more healthy/fit, fit in so much better socially than you can due to shyness? And so you're thinking ..

What's wrong with ME?? But maybe nothing is wrong with you. Maybe the Good Lord simply didn't create you to be "them." Let that sink in.

The Bible says, we are God's workmanship. It really does in Ephesians 2:10. OR another way of understanding it is, we are GOD'S crafted work of art. That means He made YOU with intention. You were made for a purpose. Your life has meaning. He didn't make you to look or be like somebody else. Even your fingerprints are unique - unique ONLY TO YOU! So you, therefore, are unique to Him! There is no other but you in his eyes. When I understood this I nearly melted! Why? Because I thought of my own dogs and cats present and past. I love/loved each and every one deeply, but not one were the same personality, intelligence, agility, or talent. But my love was the same for each! All were unique. And so are we in GOD'S eyes!

You are His individual masterpiece, beautifully woven into the fabric of life by His Hand, each thread a quiet testament of your purpose. Maybe you are a gentle listener. Maybe you are good with guiding children. Maybe you are drawn to sit and comfort the elderly or physically disabled. Maybe you are a great peacemaker by bringing people together. Maybe you're a storyteller that can entertain the blind. Maybe your talent is teaching in a classroom. Maybe you're the person people call when they need somebody to pray. Maybe you are that neighbor who takes food to the lonely senior lady across the street whose spouse passed away. Maybe your passion is animals where you rescue and save the abused and abandoned. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE WHAT GOD HAS PLACED IN YOU.

Where do you think you got your singing voice? Your uncanny ability to draw when you never took an art class? Your emotional intelligence to sense moods and read a classroom? How about those who have an internal deep compassion and exceptional emotional strength when handling patients with physical and mental deficits? People will usually answer, "I was just born with it." Well ..

They would be right. Psalm 139:14 says God made each of us and that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (the word fearfully used here means great awe, reverence, deep respect). You were made with a holy respect and great value, set apart from others. You don't have to become anybody else other than who GOD made you to be. He wants a relationship with the one He made. That's YOU. He wants to share in your ups and downs, success and fears, sadness and happiness, your worries and concerns, good times and bad, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I WILL GIVE YOU REST"  (Matthew 11:28). 

I so want you to realize, you were created with a stamp of uniqueness. Psalm 139:13-14 states God knit you together in your mother's womb and made you in a way that is wonderful and unique. So there's no need to be somebody else or fashion yourself like them. GOD already has that mold. So don't sell yourself short. He wants you as you. And He's given you something whether you recognize it or not.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

God's Silence Is Never His Absence

Something from John chapter 7 has hung with me after reading this morning because it applied to me and maybe you too. I better understand something and am going to share in hopes it might help you insome way.

Jesus' brothers were telling Him 'if you are really the Messiah, go to Judea, tell them, and let them see who you really are.' What they were trying to say there was .. Jesus, now is the time, go. But Jesus answers them, "My time is not yet come." I thought about his response. Then it hit me ..

Jesus was not in a hurry. He wasn't trying to prove Himself to anybody. He wasn't letting people tell Him when to move. He was following the Father's timing. I believe this is something we all struggle with from time to time. How many times have we prayed, "Lord, can you do this now" OR "Open a door and fix this now, change my situation."  Sometimes God simply says, "Not yet." We don't like hearing those words, do we? I don't. But the words, NOT YET, doesn't mean GOD isn't listening to you, it doesn't mean He's forgotten about you. And it definately doesn't mean He's not working.. 

Sometimes God is doing His greatest work in us before He ever does His greatest work for us. You see, He's teaching us to TRUST Him. He's growing our faith. He's reminding us that He's GOD, AND WE ARE NOT. So think about this: if Jesus waited on the Father's timing, why do we think we have to rush ours? Maybe the hardest part of following Jesus isn't taking that first step, maybe it's waiting for Him to tell us WHEN to take that step. So if you are currently in a season where you've been asking, "Lord, WHEN??" Don't give up. Keep praying. Keep obeying. Keep seeking. Keep trusting Him. Because GOD'S timing is never late! And when He opens that door, you're going to realize that He wasn't making you wait. He was making you ready! 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

DISCERNMENT

 -Guilt Always Changes Behavior-

There are 12 "fruits of the Spirit" and 9 "gifts of the Spirit" mentioned in the Bible. People  who study are aware of these. My blog will look at one important gift mentioned in 1 Corinhians 12:10 called discernment. Let's define it first.  Discerment is the ability to judge well, see what is hidden, and tell the difference between right and wrong, or truth and lies. There are many people that don't like when you have discernment they can see what is hidden. People really don't like when you see between truth and their lies. 

We are living in such a time that discerment is necessary!

Luke 12:2 says, "For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be made known." This is the reason a lot Christians move to expose things. Spiritual discerning people have a high sense of awareness. Spiritual discerning people can notice things other people can't. They notice patterns and they also notice any shifts. Sometimes God will allow the discerners to sit back and just observe. Why? To try the spirit(s) in people (1 John 4:1) seeing if that person is changing, making a change, deceiving or being honest according to the written Word. People will get angry at Christians to whom God has given this gift, because people cannot hide true intentions, motives, or actions from someone with discernment. That same discerning has been given as a gift to hold a fellow believer accountable if they've moved away from truth, believed lies, or fallen to deception, fabrications, or falsehoods. Spiritual discerning people do not react fast because they also have the fruits of the Spirit as first mentioned above, and patience is one as well as self control. Most of the time spiritual discerning people already know enough before they bring up the topic. But that person waits to see if there is a change or if honesty actually shows up. 

Conviction creates tension. That's why most people don't like spiritual discerning people because it makes them uncomfortable. Some people will say 'you're crazy' or 'you think too much' or 'don't dwell on things so much' or 'you're being too serious about things.' 

EVEN NON CHRISTIANS WON'T LIKE YOU because of this gift.

1. The apostle Peter in his first book, chapter 4:4 warned people that people would think it strange you do not run with them.

2. 2 Timothy 3:12 warns all who live a godly life in Jesus will be persecuted for it.

3. John 15:19 mentions the world will hate you UNLESS you belong to the world.

What they are saying is the gift that God gave you angers them because it exposes them. It's the Spirit that expose. Truth shines in darkness and dispells it. It's like entering a dark room. As you reach your arm around the corner and flip on the light switch, IMMEDIATELY THERE IS NO MORE DARKNESS. Darkness is swallowed upin light! People don't want the Spirit of Truth through you.. dispelling lies, deception, falsehood, darkness. Why? Darkness cannot overcome light John 1:5. Sneakiness thrives in darkness. All a Spiritual discerning person is doing is noticing inconsistencies. They are not judging  a person personally, but rather shining Biblical truth on error. 

A true follower of Christ is given the Holy Spirit including "gifts" as the Spirit disperses to those whom God knows will use according to their several or respective abilities (Matthew 25:15). A Christian should absolutely feel convicted when they do wrong. Christians are to correct other Christians. However, there are some people who are not followers of Jesus Christ and have not God's Spirit living in them (I didn't for nearly 45 years of my life) so they are not going to get that conviction. That's why people with spiritual discerment point out things because it is that SPIRIT (John 16:8) that admonishes only as guidance to show people they need a Savior (as I once did) to shepherd them to truth AND forgiveness. 

Guilt Always Changes Behavior. When someone has a clear conscious they move differently, but a person who is guilty becomes defensive when Truth enters their ears like a lightswitch flipped on in a dark room and your immediate reaction is just a reflex to the truth being exposed. Another way to say it is, when Truth shines in, a guilty person automatically puts up a defensive shield. It's easy to get defensive when a truth we're not ready for, suddenly sees the light.. I did. 

Has this blog offended you? Ask yourself why.

In conclusion, be honest with yourself. Facing hard facts causes emotional pain not because reality is inherently cruel, but because it shatters the comfortable illusions, false beliefs, (maybe no beliefs at all) and ego-protecting stories we have built in our minds. We can feel threatened when we admit and face our personal failures, mistakes, or lack of self control. I speak from a past life. No more. I now live a life through the Spirit. One  unchained that left me exhausted by maintaining falsehoods of many kinds. I am washed. I am cleansed. I am clean. I am forgiven. I am free. I am whole body, soul, mind, and spirit.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

True Worship

 

-3 kinds God won't accept-

The Bible gives us a warning about how we worship because not every kind of worship is acceptable to God. Curious? I'll let the WORD answer and start with Malachi 1:10, "I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts. Neither will I accept an offering at your hand." 

So what kind of worship does GOD reject?  

FIRST: When your lips worship but your life doesn't. Isaiah 29:13 says, "For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do homor me, but have removed their heart far from me." Jesus quoted this in Matthew 15. They looked religious. They showed up. They sang the songs, but their hearts were far from God. And that warning still applies today. You can worship on Sunday, then live completely differently the rest of the week. Your words, your money, your choices, your private life, they reveal what you truly worship. 

Worship isn't one hour on Sunday. It's the life you give GOD every day.

SECOND: Would you give GOD your leftovers? In the book of Malachi chapter 1, Israel brought God blind, sick, and lame animals while keeping the best for themselves. God challenged them, "Offer it now unto thy govenor. Will he be pleased with you or accept your person?" Think about that. Would you give your worst to someone you truly wanted to honor? Then why give God your leftovers? Leftover time, leftover energy, leftover attention. GOD doesn't deserve what's left. He deserves your first.

THIRD: When worship is emotion without truth. Jesus said in John 4:23,  "but the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him." Notice: Spirit and Truth, not emotion alone. You can cry during a worship song, raise your hands, feel something powerful, but emotion alone isn't true worship. True worship leads you towards GOD'S truth, towards repentance, toward oibedience, toward a CHANGED LIFE! God isn't looking at how loudly you sing. He's looking at how you live when you walk out the door.

So, ask yourself, is my worship truly reaching GOD?

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

The Law Of Truth

 

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5

TRUTH  is not something we create. Truth is something that we discover. Truth does not change because of our feelings or our opinions or even experiences. Jesus said in John  17:17, "Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth." From the beginning the battle has ALWAYS been over t-r-u-t-h. Remember what happened in the garden? Satan (represented by a serpent) didn't start by convincing Adam and Eve there was no GOD, he simply got them to question what GOD really said. By twisting the TRUTH of what GOD told Adam and Eve, Satan tried to make Eve doubt what GOD commanded. Satan was mixing the truth with distortion.

This is how the law of truth operates. Watch closely. Whatever truth you choose to believe that becomes the foundation you build your life on! The WORD of GOD is truth whether you believe it to be truth or not. It's still truth!  Believing something does not make it true, and rejecting something doesn't make it false. If you believe lies about GOD, or about yourself, or your purpose in the Kingdom, you're life will follow those lies. But when GOD'S Truth enters into your heart, it begins expose those things you believe that were never meant for you. 

The world says, 'follow your heart.' However, GOD'S Word tells us in Jeremiah 17:9, "mans heart is deceitful above all things." AND IT NEEDS CHANGED AND IT NEEDS TRANSFORMED. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Truth is not just information we learn. TRUTH is a person that we follow, and that person is Jesus Christ. Followers don't just read the Bible to know more, we read it so GOD can change us. GODS truth reveals His character, His wisdom, His promises, AND THE WAY HE CREATED US TO LIVE. The more we surrender to that truth the more His truth begins to transform the way we think, the way we speak, the way we act, the way we love other people, and the way we choose to live. THAT is the law of truth. 

What you build your life on will shape the person you become. The closer you decide to walk with the One Who is Truth, the more you become transformed by that truth!

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-