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-

A Sound Mind (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

"God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Are you full of fear, doubt, or anxiety today? I want you to grab a piece of paper. An 8x10 size will be perfect. If you cannot grab one then picture you have one in your hand and follow this exercise in your mind:

Take the piece of paper (literally or mentally) and tear it in half. Take the two pieces you just tore and tear them in half. Now you have four pieces. Do it one more time. Look at the divided pieces. Is it still paper? Yes, it is still paper BUT it is no longer whole! This is exactly what anxiety does to your mind. Jesus said something extremely powerful in Matthew chapter 6. He said, "Do not worry about your life." We can read read this in English, and we assume Jesus is saying .."just relax, chill, stop stressing." But the word He uses here for worry in the original Greek is the word merimnao. One of its meanings is to be pulled apart mentally. Oh, it gets deeper than that. That word comes from the root merizo which means to divide, to separate, and to TEAR INTO PIECES (like the paper you tore in the exercise). So..

Jesus isn't just telling us just relax, chill, stop stressing. He's telling us DO NOT LET YOUR MIND BECOME DIVIDED. Think. Who loves division more than anyone? The enemy. His entire strategy is separation. Sin is what separates us from God. Division is what separates us from one another. Anxiety is what separates your mind from trust. The context of this passage is so important because a couple of verses earlier, Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters." Then immediately after He said, "therefore, do not worry." Why did He say it in that order? Because He understands a divided heart always leads to an anxious mind! Worrying isn't just about fearing what's to come, its allowing your heart to become divided between what God said and what your circumstances are saying. 

The strangest part is science is finally starting to catch up to what Jesus taught thousands of years ago. There was a related research paper on this subject where a couple hundred people were followed over three years. This is what they discovered. They found that the more people fixated on their symptoms, the worse those symptoms got over time. Not only did the article report more severe symptoms, but their MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING DECLINED. It lterally got worse! The more fous and attention they gave to the problem, the more power that problem seemed to have. I'm not saying the validity of those symptoms aren't real. The symptoms ARE REAL. What I'm saying is, your focus can become a catalyst that perpetuates them. 

What if the enemy doesn't even need to destroy you? All he has to do is divide you. Divide your trust, divide your attention, or divide your focus. Because if he can divide your mind into a thousand different directions, he can keep you from, "Seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). Maybe this is why Jesus never said, "Seek first love," or "Seek first peace." He said, "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD" because when your heart is whole, then your mind can start becoming whole again.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Kirk Cameron Goes The Way Of Annihilationism

 

I recently read, much to my dismay,  Kirk Cameron has pivoted on his belief of hell, moving from an Eternal Conscious Punishment (AS SCRIPTURE TEACHES) to Annihilationism. Let's dig into it.

Personally, I believe in eternal conscious punishment which teaches that hell is forever, that people in hell remain conscious forever, and that they continue suffering forever.

Kirk Cameron has reversed his course from once believing Bible scriptures, to believing Annihilationism in regards to hell, which teaches that the wicked eventually stop existing altogether, that hell fire does not torment without end, but ultimately consumes its victims until there is nothing left.

Today, I want to debunk the idea of Annihilationism and prove it is a dangerous belief that leads people away from Biblical truth.

Biblical truth, and one I adhere to, will be quick, exact, and understandable through the simplest scriptures I'll post. We have to refer to Luke's account, chapter 16: 19-31 to begin. There is an account of a Rich Man and Lazarus.  In the account, scriptures say, the rich man (looking up-meaning he was "below")  WAS IN TORMENT and Abraham (who was already in paradise-"up") was asked by the rich man to send Lazarus so Lazarus could dip his finger in water to cool the rich mans tongue. Here is the exact scripture-pay attention to the words used:

 "IN HADES, where he was IN TORMENT, he looked up and saw  Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, Father Abraham,  have pity on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME [Luke 16:22-24]. ] Pretty clear, wouldn't you say?

It goes on. Abraham replied that there was an impassable great gulf between the two of them: from heaven (comfort/paradise) and the place of torment below, suffering, and separation from God forever] (Hades) verses 25-26. Here is the exact scripture:

[Luke 16: verse 26] "Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from there."  ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.

Jesus frequently used the imagery of Fire, of Weeping, of the Gnashing of Teeth to describe the place of punishment for those who die without Christ.

Matthew 25:41 Jesus uses these words, "Depart from me you who are cursed, into everlasting fire"

Matthew 25:46 Jesus uses these words," And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteousness into life eternal."

Jesus words spoken by Him negate Kirk's Annihilationism view altogether. JESUS HIMSELF said it is fire, it is eternal, it's punishment is everlasting. 

By changing or negating the word "fire" into a metaphor waters down the terrifying WARNINGS Jesus was trying to give about the reality of judgment. Scriptures testify judgment is real, painful, and permanent!

Jesus spoke about hell more than any other figure in the Bible mentioning it more times than He did heaven! He spoke about it as real and the terrifying consequence of rejecting God. Minimizing hell or declaring, as Kirk says, "that the fire does not torment without end but ultimately consumes its victims until there is nothing left" is dangerous. Why? If a sinner hears such a reckless dogma instructed by a man of great influence, especially one with such a "Christian" reputation as Kirk Cameron, and expounding there is no Hades (Luke 16:23 says there is), no Torment (Luke 16:23 says there is) no CONTINUING FLAME (Luke 16:23 says there is), no retribution but simply you'll be no more-"there's nothing left" is dangerous because it leads people to believe there is no consequence for sin and encourages them to continue living that way.

Ask any non-believer, "If you knew there was no hell as Christians believe, no fiery flames the Bible mentions, no punishment other than when you die you'll be dissolved and simply no longer exist, would you stop everything wrong or the pleasurably sinful things you've done, are doing right now, and will do in the future? I guarantee they will answer NO. Where there's no assumed retribution, there is no effort to change from sinful behavior.

The Bible warns to be aware that people in the end times (which we have entered, see my other blogs) will twist, distort, rewrite, change the definitions of Biblical texts, misinterpreting biblical teachings, etc You can refer to:

A) 2 Peter 3:15-16 where he speaks about,"ignorant and unstable people distort things he taught as they do to other scriptures which leads to their own destruction."

B) 2 Timothy 4:3-4 where Paul warns Timothy "a time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine but will surround themselves with teachers who suit their own desires, turning away from truth and toward myths.

C) Proverbs 30:5-6 Speaks about God's WORD is true without fault not to "add to His words lest he reprove you and you'll be found a liar."

D) Revelation 22:18-19 Warns against adding to or taking away words written in biblical prophecy or " anyone adds takes away from the words words of this prophecy will have plagues written in this book added to them, likewise anyone who "takes away, changes, removes from the words of this prophecy will lose their part in the book of life and holy city."

E) Galatians 1: 8-9 Paul strongly warned against changing the core message of the Christian faith! "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

You do not find a clean, confident, articulate Annihilationist position anywhere in the mainstream of Christian thought until the nineteenth century. In other words, it is a historical fringe view. That does not mean Annihilationism is impossible or inherently wicked. It simply means this: if you hold it, you are standing on brand-new interpretive ground that the Church—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant—never walked for eighteen centuries. For me, scripture is crystal clear. There is a heaven. There is a hell. BOTH ARE ETERNAL, FOREVER, NEVER ENDING. The body may return to dust, but the SOUL, our conscious, lives on experiencing the punishment of what hell is in every sense of the word. Think of hell like a nightmare. You are physically asleep in bed but your conscious takes you to places that feel real... you cry in dreams, you're scared in dreams, fear is real in dreams, you can be physically injured AND FEEL IT in a dream, you can be shot, murdered, raped, at the hands of a psychopath, lost not knowing where you are, you can see monsters while dreaming, smell, feel see, hear, etc BUT YOU AREN'T THERE PHYSICALLY, YOUR CONSCIOUS IS! THAT IS HELL... not having a physical body but feeling like you do unable to die and end the suffering that takes place there. And what takes place there is horrific.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Your God Is Manipulative

 

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which is lost.”

I was confronted the other day by someone questioning my Christian belief. The conversation went something like this...

I just can't believe in a GOD who would send me to hell just because I don't believe in Him.

I said, Why is that?

Because that's an ultimatium--believe in Jesus or go to hell. That sounds manipulative. That's your God! I can't get behind that.

Let me ask you something. If a building is already on fire and someone kicks the door open and says, 'Come out, this is the only way.' Is that an ultimatium or is it a rescue?

What do you mean?? 

Spiritually you were already going to hell. I was already going to hell. That's not God being cruel, that's humanity choosing sin. And that's justice. God does not send innocent people to hell. The fact is, there are no innocent people in hell. NONE. God's standard is perfection. Not better than your neighbor, not "mostly" good.. perfection. But it's found only and attained only through grace by belief in the sacrifice of Jesus. Let me ask you this. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever lusted? Have you ever hated someone? Have you ever been pridefull?

Yes, who hasn't?

Well, then you are guilty. We all are. Just like you said, who hasn't? We're ALL guilty!

So you're telling me its believe or just burn?

No, it's GUILTY but RESCUE! You weren't standing on neutral ground and God came up and just shoved you toward the fire. You were ALREADY fallen. But He caught you before you hit the ground. See, Jesus didn't come to threaten you, He came take your sins upon Himself and release you of yours. The cross was not and is not an ultimatum, it was a substitution! Justice says, "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) but Jesus is saying, "I'll pay it for you. 

But why make belief the condition?

Because love can't be forced. Salvation is not a hostage situation.  It's a gift. If someone pays your debt you still have to accept it. If you refuse it, the debt doesn't disappear. God IS NOT SAYING believe in Me or I'll torture you. He's saying  you're already dying. BUT I MADE A WAY. Take it. Hell is not proof God is cruel. The cross is proof that He's not.

(IF ANY READER IS WRESTLNG WITH THAT SAME QUESTION. IT MEANS THE DOOR IS STILL OPEN.)

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

Today Just A Prayer

 

A PRAYER FOR MY READERS

HEAVENLY FATHER, I come before You to quiet this persons heart and mind. All the overthinking, the stressing, the worrying, the obsessing over things they were never meant to control. The timing, the outcome, the future, what people will think what people will say. None of that is in their hands, but every bit of it, it's in Yours. You promised not some things, but "ALL THINGS work together for good" (Romans 8:28).

Jesus, the same way you turned water into wine, I'm asking You to turn their anxiety into peace, their sorrow into joy, their fear into faith, their setbacks into setup's, their "what-if's" into even if, their WHY God, into WOW God. Lord, you don't hand your hardest battles to the weakest soldiers. If there's a Goliath standing in front of this person, it's because you already see David standing inside of them.

 

Maybe the road is harder because the calling is higher. Maybe the way is longer because the blessing is bigger. They may not understand this chapter in their life, but they can trust the Author who's writing it. So I pray to stop putting a period where you place a comma, because as long as they're breathing, You're still working. And You say You're working ALL things together for THEIR good. So if it's not good yet, it's because You're not finished it!

Father, rewire the way this person thinks from "what if something bad happens" to an EVEN IF it happens God has still got me because fear is nothing but fath pointed at the wrong future. And 99% of what they're worried about right now will never happen. Let them walk away from this page lighter than they came here or felt in months. Put a smile on their face rght now knowing they are seen, known, and loved by You. You have them. They have you. And if they "have," they have everything they need. 

In the Name of Jesus, Lord of lords, and King of kings, I pray. Amen. 

Until He Comes, Keep Praying,

-Pat-

You keep treating provision like luck instead of proof."

-It's amazing how God will find a way to speak to you.-

LISTEN AND LET HIM SPEAK TO YOU TODAY

It's 2:05 a.m. 

I'm wide awake in the dark talking to God from my hospital bed about having a limited income and things around me getting so much more expensive. I began questioning how much more can I withstand from greedy companies taking advantage of the sick, disabled, the elderly, etc. --or anybody for that matter. It seems the world has lost its marbles and covetousness has consumed them. I went on pleading my case reminding God it wasn't that I needed financial support so I could go attend a concert, go on vacation, indulge in some monetary adventure, purchase the latest clothing, or keep up with the Jones's. I simply needed an increase in funds to afford the ever growing physical needs required for a lifelong disability.

ln my spirit I HEARD A GENTLE VOICE.  "May I ask you a question?"

I stopped dead in my tracks.

Me: Yes, Lord.(listening carefully)..

God said, "Why do you stress every time prices increase .. but forget Me every time I bring you through?

Me: I don't do that, Father!

God said, "Yes you do. You keep treating provision like luck instead of proof."

Me: (gasping) Oooh!

God said, "Didn't I make a way before?"

Me: You did.

God said, "Did funds come through to pay your hospital bill?

Me: They did.

God said, "Have groceries filled your cabinets each week?"

Me: Yes, God, they have.

God said, "Didn't doors open when you thought there was no way?"

Me: "Yeah. That's true. A miracle actually."

God said, "So why do you keep acting like this current season is bigger than Me?"

Me: God, I'm just tired. The world around me is collapsing. I can't stop the madness. It's everywhere.

God said, "No, you're not tired. You're fearful. You have more faith in your Social Security check being cut off than my ability to provide."

THAT HIT ME HARD!!

God continued, "You keep checking your bank balance more than you checking with me."

I chimed in, "BUT GOD, I have to make sure I have .." (He interrupted)

God said, "But nothing child, everytime you're allowing numbers and circumstances to steal your peace. But your security was never supposed to come from numbers. It was supposed to come from knowing who your Father is."

Me: I know. I do.

AND THEN HE SAID SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET.

God said, "If I can feeds birds that don't work jobs, take care of flowers that don't pay bills, and sustain the earth itself, what makes you think I have forgotten you?

TEARS INSTANTLY FILLED MY  EYES AND I SAID, " GOD I'M SORRY."

God said, "You keep asking for help while speaking lack over everything. 

Me: "How do I do that?"

God said, "Because you're calling yourself needy every day. Stop talking defeat. Stop talking lack. STOP TALKING DISASTER. Your words have been agreeing with fear and doubt more than faith."

Me: I'm sorry, God.

THE LAST WORDS I HEARD IN MY SPIRIT WERE ..

GOD: "Let me tell you, you're not struggling because I abandoned you. You're in a season where I'm teaching you to trust me beyond what you can handle."

Me: "I believe that God. (I closed my eyes). 

"OH, ONE MORE THING, said GOD ..

"Stop stressing over what I already promised to supply. If I say it's done, it's done."

Today I want to encourage believers that our Father "will supply all of your NEEDS according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). Then David, in Psalm 37:25 assures us, "I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread." It requires us to "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 46:10) I'm not implying  that we, as believers, are exempt from hardships, but rather, God will not abandon or leave us to fend for ourselves in times of trouble." He has pulled through for me in my most difficult times. Being human. sometimes I let worry master my emotions when I know better. I hope this blog has reminded someone else that God will provide for those who faithfully follow Him.

Until HeComes,

-Pat-

 

Moral And Spiritual Decline Of America

America is, above all, the hearts and minds of its people.

And the trend line is moving hard in the wrong direction. Things are getting worse, not better. There are intensifying strong loyalties to certain groups and negative views to downright hatred of outsiders. Social-media platforms are getting smarter at manipulating human cognition. The political system's defects are worsening. And America's public-policy failures are deepening. We have uncontrollable U.S. debt, low student achievement, income and wealth inequality, loss of American identity and patriotism, widespread belief that our political system is broken, BUT MOST OF ALL, SIN.

So much so that what's wrong is now considered right and what once was right is now deemed wrong (Isaiah 5:20). Isaiah spoke those similiar words to warn ancient society about losing their moral compass. God says, "WOE to those who call evil good, and good evil." Here are some:

*Once-forbidden vices — weed, gambling and porn — are no longer confined to back alleys or rented out of state motel rooms. It's in the open and accepted.

*Online pornography was already ubiquitous before AI. Now, deepfake technology has created an entirely new category of harm that barely existed two years ago. 

*Today, young children encounter porn online, with the average age of first viewing estimated to be 10 years old!

*A normalization of profanity, with the f- word used openly everywhere, from political leaders to the biggest podcasters, to athletes praising “Jesus f*****g Christ.” This alone is a symptom of moral degeneration!

*The inclusion of transgender educators or visiting transgenders into schools to "entertain" CHILDREN is subject to intense public debate, reflecting deep disagreemets over child development and parental rights.

These are only a few "accepted" behaviors now.

The Bible also lists several spiritual and moral causes for the fall of a nation. Key factors include turning away from God, social injustice,  pride, corruption of leaders, and rejecting moral truth. America can check-mark every one of these! Perhaps our decline can be explained by a recent Gallup poll I saw that reported belief in God among U.S. adults has reached a new low. Belief in God provides a moral anchor and a moral compass, rules and regulations from an objective and absolute source of truth and decency. Breakdown of faith breeds the belief there are no absolutes- a subjective interpretation of right and wrong. When morality is determined by popular opinion instead of objective truth, by needing to be compatible with comfort and convenience rather than mission and service, by the pursuit of pleasure and happiness, rather than sanctity and holiness, the result is moral decline. Period. 

America cannot continue on this path and ignore  the laws of GOD without retribution.   

The Bible warms "God is not mocked " (Galatians 6:7). People always reap the exact kind of harvest they plant. Eventually all offeners will pay the piper. America is no exception. Here are examples from scripture of what happened to nations and or peoples when moral fabric declines, crashes, and burns.

1. The prophet Isaiah pronounced woes upon Israel for their sins, including moral perversion.

2. Moral perversion was calling evil good and good evil, putting darkness for light and light for darkness, putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

3. The message was for Israel at that time, but the principles apply today. Sin has degrees, and sometimes becomes exceptionally sinful, leading to calamity.

4. Moral perversion is worse than amorality. It is a complete denial and reversal of moral standards.

5. Moral perversion can be seen in individuals, nations, and the world. It was seen in Israel, leading to their captivity. It was seen in the Roman Empire, leading to its fall.

6. The "new morality" is not new. It is as old as the pre-flood world and Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible predicts it will happen again before Christ's return.

7. Sin never satisfies, so people turn to greater perversions. The perversions are unintelligent and contradictory. They show the power of sin and an uneasy conscience.

8. The main causes are a failure to understand human nature, life's meaning, frustration, and aimlessness. People don't know they are made in God's image.

9. This leads to disaster, judgment, and hell. But there is hope in the gospel, which provides forgiveness, a new heart, and new life.

1o. The gospel transformed the Corinthians and can transform anyone. It provides a holy, happy life of joy, peace, and purity.

We can't even see how sick we are because what use to be consider evil is now accetable!! Where do we go from here?  The White House cannot heal us. The government cannot save us. Religious institutions cannot transform us. Meditations won't free us. Crossing our fingers and hopingfor the best is foolish, and sticking our head in the sand is what got us here in the first place.

Only a massive spiritual awakening can turn the tide. We are too far in.. on the eve of destruction. Our country has felt like a powder keg ready to ignite for awhike now. Every one I know from believer to non-believer feel something is off. .The root of what ails America is spiritual; therfore, only God can heal us IF we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways, THEN He'll hear from heaven, forgive us, and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).  May it start with you and with me!

Until He Comes, 

-Pat-

 

Message To The Land I Love .. AMERICA

In the past I have “flown over” books of the Old Testament, I admit, I never found as interesting as the New Testament so I didn't spend a lot of time there. What a mistake I made in disregarding these books classified as "Minor Prophets." MINOR not because they are less important, but simply because they are shorter books. Any reader of the Bible will immediately recognize all their names .. Hosea, Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah, Jonah, Micah (my step-son carries his name) Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and finally Malachi. A total of 12 as in the New Testament 12, symbolizing a complete and organized people of God. These uniting the Old Testament tribes of Israel with the New Testament apostles, representing the fulness of the Church and God's perfect order. I believe these "24" are the elders seated around the Throne of God mentioned in Revelation 4:4. I'm mentioning these 12 Minor Prophets for a reason.  All 12 warned and prophesied God's judgment upon people who repeatedly broke their covenant agreement with God. The prophets delivered warnings so the people would turn back from their sins.

It is their repeated warnings of judgment that reminds me of all the warnings being shouted out, called out, preached out, and written out to another nation today. America. But as then, our calls are being ignored. America is in trouble. Sin was just as effective and deadly then as it is now. God still judges sin and calls for man to repent of that sin before it is too late. America's grievous sins are mounting up to God's nostrils.  God still offers forgiveness through His mercy and grace. I want us to look at the "Book of Hosea" and see its message to the northern Kingdom of Israel regarding the terrible State of Affairs. As I read, it was as if I was looking into the sad state of affairs in America, "Home of the Brave, land of the Free. The LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. When God looked down to examine the hearts of men what did he find? Well, Hosea tells us what He did not find – the things GOD was looking for. Truth! Mercy! Knowledge of God! My eyes read those words and I heard echoes from Genesis 6:5: "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Today, the Church spread across the world- His people/ His Church – are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and have turned unto sin. God sees us in the same position as the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah:

 Void of righteousness!

 Void of Truth!

 Void of Light!

  DELIGHTING IN SIN

I read this in, Hosea 4:2 "By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood." In the first 11 words they are guilty of breaking 4 of the Ten Commandments! They broke free from all restraints as a dog breaks free from its leash. The blood of their victims pools together, crying out for justice just as the the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-10 were crying out from underneath the altar asking justice for their blood being shed! Readers, can you not see our present world in those words? Read the front pages of any newspaper in America! Glance at any news web site! Good is called evil and evil is called good! The prophet Isaiah nailed it when he said in 5:20, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!'

How can that be? Hosea tells us in 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

WARNINGS KEEP GOING OUT -- Our society is void of truth! America had God’s truth. America rejected God’s truth. America will be judged according to God’s truth.That rejection of God is manifested in Idolatry. Look at verses 12 & 13, "My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.  They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery." Just as Ancient Israel rejected God for worthless idols, so has America. Oh, there doesn't need not be statues or figures for anything placed above God in our hearts can be an idol. Money, fame, power, greed, lust, selfishness…

That rejection of God is through all society as it was during Hosea's warning:

Hos 5:1  "Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.' 

Hos 5:2  "And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all."

Hos 5:3  "I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled."

I see three groups of people in these verses. First, the general populace – the house of Israel. Second, the religious leaders – the priests. Third, the aristocracy – Ephraim. Why is Ephraim the aristocracy, the ruling elite? Does the word ELITE sound familiar?? Ephraim was the most powerful tribe. SAME WITH A CERTAIN SET OF THE RULING CLASS TODAY! Let me say that I despise those that seek to divide our nation through inciting class/racial warfare. I am not here to say the problem is not the poor or the rich or the rulers or the young or the old. I’m here to say that as a whole and then no matter how you slice it, our society is becoming more and more corrupt.

Rejection of God leads to seek answers outside of God. Hos 5:13  "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound." The wages of sin came due with interest. Where did they turn?  Not to God! They turned to the pagan Assyrians, who would soon conquer them! AMERICA IS ON THE VERGE OF BEING CONQUERED!

They call today the Information Age. We can find answers to almost any question in a matter of seconds through the Internet and now even faster through AI!Yet in all that searching we fail to look to Truth itself. We fail to go to God! We turn to celebrities and their “expert opinions”. We turn to scientists and their knowledge. We turn to political leaders and their influence. And we fail to turn to God! It is His Truth that we have rejected! It is His Judgment that surely must fall if He be Just at all! It is He who can grant mercy and forgiveness! And we will go anywhere to anyone but to Him. 

WHAT CAN WE DO??? Well, I’m glad that God is merciful to us sinners! He has provided the remedy then and thank HIM for now. How? What is the trigger to stop God’s anger? Hos 6:1  "Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up." Just because God may judge our sin does not mean He casts us off. He bids us to COME. What a wonderful word! Hear the words of Christ in these verses:  Mat 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Mat 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Mat 11:30, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

What is the message for the world today?  Come!

Rev 22:17, " And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Oh, what America needs to do is to come to Jesus! What sliding Christians need to do is to come back to Jesus! What does it mean to COME?  It means to come from where we are. That is repentance in a nutshell.  We change our mind and our direction. We turn from sin to the Savior! We turn from sin’s wages to the Great Shepherd’s care! We turn from a curse and death to blessing and life! It means a change in heart and not just action. God does not want us to make the appearance of turning to Him, He wants our hearts to be truly changed.  If we do not turn, they we will be like the Israelites we read about here. Hos 6:7, " But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me."

What happened to them? History tells us the judgment came. The Assyrians conquered them and carried them away captive. WE ARE BEING CONQUERED TOO, slowly! The hope for our nation is that those of us with God’s Truth will heed that truth and repent. When we change our ways, we may affect the wicked to change theirs. Though not written to us, we may learn from the words God spoke to Solomon 2 Ch 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. I PRAY AMERICA WAKES UP AS WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT.

Util He Comes,

-Pat- 

To You It Is Given

Matthew 13:11

"Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."

Did you know there exists a book called the "Book of Enoch" mainstream Jewish and Christian "authorities" never included in the official scriptural cannon? There is one bible that did retain it as a part of their official scripture. That bible is The Ethiopian Orthodox Bible (which can be purchased today.) The book of "Enoch" is attributed to Enoch who was the great-grandfather to Noah.  THAT ALONE SHOULD SPARK AN INTEREST AS TO WHY THAT BOOK WAS REMOVED FROM THEN EXCLUDED FROM SCRIPTURE WE HAVE TODAY. Was there some important information in Enoch's testimony someone didn't want us to know about? 

ARE YOU CURIOUS?

Christians are well aware of who Noah was. He wasn't just some guy on an Ark with hundreds of animal species to save from a worldwide flood. Noah was the only man with a wife and 3 sons. He was righteous and obediently following the Lord out of every single human being on the face of this planet at the time of the flood. There were approximately 195 million people on the earth (assuming historical geneologies are accurate and that man lived to be 850-900 years old) up to year 2438 --time of Noah when the flood took place. That was 1656 years after Adam! My point? Noah was 1 man out of millions who was righteous and blameless (not corrupted) and walked faithfully with God (Genesis 6:9). Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). He was also refered to as a preacher of righteousness  (2 Peter 2:25). The point is, it's why he was saved from the destruction of the world by flood.

Why was the world destroyed by a flood? Let's explore the real reason. First, the book of Enoch was removed not because it spoke of giants on the earth as it also does in our own translations over 2,000 years later mentioned in Genesis 6:4, not because it tells you where the giants came from (the Nephilim-offpring of the fallen angels), not because it names the fallen angels as THE WATCHERS (Daniel 4: 13,17,23), and it wasn't because it was too dangerous. The Book of Enoch was excluded for a reason darker than that. First though, a little about Enoch because he too walked with God just like Noah did. HE PLEASED GOD like Noah did, so GOD never allowed Enoch to experience the grave or death. God "took" Enoch up (Genesis 5:24)-- no dying-- raptured (if you will) seen in Hebrews 11:5.  Do you see a pattern? 

Watch ..

1. Noah walked with God (a relationship) He was righteous in God's eyes (obedient). He was therefore saved from destruction that was coming upon the world through a flood.

2. Enoch. Likewise, a righteous man who pleased God-obedient-had a relationship. He was saved from hell, grave, and death. Enoch was swooped up alive. Taken up  OR .."raptured."

3. Christians, we are called the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21)--those who maintain a relationship with God, please Him by staying faithful to the end even through enduring the corrupt, morally wicked, cruel, decaying world who hates us because of our belief WILL ALSO BE DELIVERED FROM GOD'S WRATH WHEN JUDGEMENT COMES. Those Christians, still alive when Jesus comes again will be TAKEN UP as Enoch (raptured) and saved as Noah from the destruction predicted to come as found found in these references (2 Peter: 3, Revelation 16, Malachi 4:1, Revelation 3:10, Luke21:36).

The Book of Enoch doesn't only tell you where the giants came from, it tells you why they might still be walking among us today! The "hybrids" born from this unnatural union were no ordinary children (Genesis 6:4).  They were The Nephilim, giant bullies, tyrants, who filled the earth with violence (Genesis 6:​13). The Bible describes them as “the mighty ones of old", the "men of renown” (Genesis 6:4). They left behind a legacy of violence and fear (Genesis 6: 4-13). They were huge (Numbers 13:33). If you can get a copy of the book of Enoch (they are everywhere) open to Chapter 6 verse 20. It tells us that 200 angels .."the WATCHERS" CAME DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS, led by their Chief Samjaza (you can even look it up on Google). These did not descend to admire creation. They came down with an appetite!! Literally. They lusted after mortal, human women (Genesis 6:1-4) and TOOK unto themselves wives, and from that "union" came the offspring called Nephilim, sometimes referred to as Anakim or sons of Anak -THE GIANTS! Enormous creatures!! Scripture tells us they devoured everything.. the crops, the cattle, and when that wasn't enough, they turned their hunger on mankind itself: Numbers 13: 32-33 "So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Also mentioned in  1 Enoch 7:3-4- and is part of knowledge that was left out of bibles. God looked down on all this and was so grieved that scripture says He was sorry He actually made man! Because it wasn't just the Giants. The WATCHERS were teaching humanity things heaven had not permitted: (sorcery) witchcraft. the forging of weapons (war-mettallurgy) fostering hatred and murder, the painting of faces- womens make-up we call (cosmetics) promoting vanity, (astrology) -using sun moon and stars to evaluate  behavior or charater traits, (divination)- fortune telling. Other things like magic -supernatural powers, enchanting - (forbidden secrets), Aligning with self and not God called (mantras) ...predicting present and future hidden things outside normal human senses (clairvoyance),  on and on. All these things plus the human spirit and DNA now tainted being mixed the celestrial with terrestrial!  (Genesis 6:12) So God said, "enough!" Thus instructing Noah to prepare provisions for the Ark to sustain and keep him safe through God's judgment.

Are you aware God bound those "WATCHERS" in chains of darkness under the river Euphrates, who ARE HELD NOW to be held until there until the end times to be released?? The bible says, when the river is dried up is when they will be released according to Revelation 9:14. THE RIVER EUPHRATES HAS BEEN SLOWLY DRYING UP PEOPLE (you can look that up too). We have already entered into the last days (plural). You need to realize the wording in the bible, "There were giants in those days and also after that" (Genesis 6:4) See the wording?? AND ALSO AFTER THAT! Before the flood and after it!!! Somebody survived the flood. WHO? HOW? Because as I've pointed out before, souls never die. The Nephilim bodies may have drowned in the flood but their spirits didn't. Their spirits were disembodied. Evil spirits look for human bodies to inhabit! THINK ABOUT THAT. Look at our world today and tell me evil spirits do not inhabit people and it grows more evil and corrupt year after year after year ! "Satan roams through the earth seeking whom he may devour" 1 Peter 5:8.

We are living in the end times, right now. Things can be understood as ramping up if you're paying attention. Sand in the hour glass has nearly run every grain through. Jesus is coming soon and will take His Bride off this planet (rapture) to a place of safety so she will escape the tribulation coming. When that happens, the Great  Tribulation begins. It must take place because the world once again has become so corrupt. Seek to know God through Jesus Christ before time runs out. If you need guidance how to do that, write to me at the email address found in my Bio.

 Until He Comes, 

-Pat-

 

 

As It Was In The Days Of Noah -get ready-

Jesus said, My hand will be on the door knob-- "even at the door" (Mathew 24:33). When is Jesus coming? The Bible says to watch when you see everything that you read happened in Noah's day and Lot's day. 

THESE THREE THINGS WILL BE YOUR SIGNS IN UNDERSTANDING THE END: Noah, Lot, and Jesus.

Whether you believe in pre-tribulation, mid tribulation, or post tribulation, the Bible says, Jesus said, "therefore  be ye also ready." I'm not concerned WHEN Jesus is coming back, but believe me when I say I'm going to be ready, period. When He does appear I'm prepared. However, the Bible does promise that we (believers) are going to be snatched (raptured) out (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Jesus warned the coming of the Son of Man will be like it was in Noah's day AND Lot's day. Have you read it? Understood it?

Let's look at what was going on in Noah's day. In Noah's day the Bible says"the whole world was wicked" (Genesis 6:5 and 6: 11-13). But before God judged the wicked, He made sure Noah was in a safe place .. the ARK! And metaphorically, the Ark is  representative of the rapture (safely away from all the evil which had engulfed the earth) and once he was in that "safe place" THEN God brought judgment and destruction. So that's Noah.

The second sign is next. Look at Lot as an example. He warned those around him. He told us that two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, were totally and morally wicked and corrupt. God went on to reveal that before He judged those cities, HE MADE SURE Lot, a righteous man of God, and his family were in a safe place as they were escorted out by two angels. Once Lot and family were in that "safe place" THEN God brought judgment and destruction upon the wicked.

So God has revealed to us, warned us IN HIS WORD (the Bible) that how it WAS in Noah's day and how it WAS in Lot's day is how it's going to be in OUR day before He comes! So, the rapture of believers is actually God saying, I need to bring all of you into a SAFE PLACE before I judge the wicked.'

In Noah's day, to be safe required him to be in a boat. In Lot's day it required him to be in another city. In our day, it requires us to be off the planet!! This time God is going to judge the whole world after the rapture and THEN God will move to bring judgment and destruction.

There's one more thing that's going to hurt I must say. BRACE YOURSELF. Remember when Jesus said the world will resemble the way it was in Noah's day? Lot's day? And Just like that NOW when He returns? Sadly In Noah's day only 8 peole got saved. EIGHT!! Few in other words.  In Lot's day there were only a few that got saved. And Jesus said when it came to HIS Kingdom, many would go to hell. He said few there will be that will be saved. And this is the big clincher, it also says about Lot's day- only one sin was called out and confronted. Only one is mentioned. The sin of sexual perversion. What has filled our world today? A plethora of pornograhy, X-rated movies, sex trafficking, sexual abuse and rape of children/women, voyerism, exhibitionism, frotteurism, teachers raping students, a Baphomet statue has been erected in the Capitol building, halfclothed transsexuals are invited into grade schools for activities with 5 year olds?? Sexual mutilization of little girls! LGBTQ (strictly forbidden in both the old and new testament), cultic worship, adultery, fornication, lasciviousness, incest, beastiality, sadism, masochism on and on. This moral decay and widespread perversion.. describing the "future era" or "the last days." NOW.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

For The Skeptic Who Questions 'The Whole Jesus Thing'

Jesus died for the sins of the world. READ THAT AGAIN. Do you understand the impact of those words? Before you scoff, mock, laugh at, or criticize, I challenge you to read this blog if nothing more than to solidify the point of view you hold that you believe is true. But to be balanced and honestly challenged, you'll have to open a Bible to see if the things I say in this blog are really there. If you've never opened to read a Bible, how will you know I'm telling you the truth?

Jesus died for the entire world! THE WORLD! ..not just Christians, but including every athiest, agnostic, pedophile, molestor, call girl, male escort, homosexual, abortoinist, adulterer, liar, thief, the morally corrupt, the skeptic, the mocker, the Buddist, the Hindu, the Islamist, the Catholic, every faith, creed, and belief, the rich, the poor, black, white, yellow, brown, red, extortioist, murderer, rapist, etc. it doesn't matter where you stood or where you are right now.. Jesus died FOR YOU no matter  WHAT you've done in the past or are still doing!.  (1 John 2:2, John 3:16, 1 Corithians 15:3-4.) 

Let it sink in!

Have you ever once in your life thought about the phrase people so often scoff at, "JESUS DIED FOR YOU." ??

What are the words? Their meaning? The impact? The sigificance? Jesus freely gave His life (though innocent of any crime) then died on a cross to banish the consequences of every sin, misdeed, immoral act, or transgression you've ever commited.

He exonerated you, but you didn't believe it! He paid the price for your sins- all of them, but you didn't deserve it, all so you can never be held accoutable. Did you hear that?

You "can" go free, you "can" be washed, you "can" be cleansed of all of it, for good, forever! That was the purpose for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross! He took your just due punishment for your sin and filth upon Himself. It is the innocent for the guilty. The atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10, Romans 3:25). 

No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you've done (and most still doing) He set you free BUT you don't believe it. That's a problem. JESUS NEVER FORCES ANYONE TO BELIEVE and the proof of that is, He gave you free-will. Belief activates forgiveness through repentence. But by disbelieving, individuals will be accountable for their own sins, they will forfeit eternal life in heaven and face spiritual separation from God once the body expires. However, the soul-your soul- will live on because SOULS NEVER DIE. Spirits live forever either eternally with God or without Him in eternal damnation.  Jesus gave HIMSELF as a ransom to make reconcilliation and eternal reunion with God possible. We don't deserve heaven because of our fallen-sinful state (Romans 3:23).  We could never come up out of eternal death/separation or judgment of  God because of our sins. You simply could not, cannot, be in the presence of a Holy God in such a sinful state. We are flawed. So what does all this mean? Jesus died for you to set you free. "Me? Set free?" You may still be asking or thinking, "So what! That tells me nothing. That does nothing." 

In simple terms, here it is ..

Imagine standing before a judge. You've been convicted because of avoiding multiple speeding violations so that the tickets, the accumulated debt in the thousands, is more than you could ever pay. With a big clack, clank, and a loud thud, a guard slams the barred door behind you. You've done it this time. You're  locked up. You have no bail money. Your friends cannot pay your debt. You're stuck, convicted, incarcerated. You haven't the means to free yourself. It feels hopeless. You have no answer.  You knew better than to disobey the speeding laws but it was so much fun at the time. Not so much now. The next morning you are awoken by the stumbling, clattering of keys. A jailer has open your cell gate and a raspy voice announces, "Come on, let's go. Someone paid all your fines. Get out." And even though you are 100% guilty, your freedom rested upon the fines being paid. You can now be released of your debt. That's what Jesus has done for you in a spiritual sense. Not only did He pay to set you free with His own blood, He wipes out every consequence of sin to never be remembered, judged for, or punished. (Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 3:34, Hebrews 8:12) 

When the Bible says God forgets our sin, it means He chooses to never hold them against us or bring them up again. Because God is all-knowing, His "forgetting" is an active, living choice of grace rather than a lack of knowledge. Let me reinterate. When you are saved:

*God "BLOTS OUT all your transgressions" and remembers sin no more (Isaiah 4:35)

*God REMOVES your sins as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)

*God removes all future judgment-He will never use your past, forgiven wrong, to punish or condemn you (Romans 8:1)

*God views you as the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corunthians 5:21)

*God replaces your record of guilt with a clean slate (Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 5:9)

Again, all these scriptures are in the Bible to prove Jesus died for all, will forgive all, UPON BELIEF OF WHAT HE SAID. You cannot just say, "okay, I get it. He died for me. I accept the story." No, saying and believing are two different things. Verbal worship and real belief are miles apart because what people say and what they truly believe are very different.

Let's go one step further...

Go back to the jailed scenario above. What if the jailer came as before, announcing you're free to go but you don't believe it? You scoff, "Yeah, right." He reassures you, your debt has been paid in full and you can walk. Again, you stay in your cell believing it's too good to be true or that the jailer is lying and off his rocker. Then voices echo from other cells .."Oh man, Go, you've been freed." and "Dude, I wish I knew the man that set you free." But still, you refuse to believe anyone paid your debt, or to listen to others around you encouraging you to believe. This is the current scenario. Jesus has freed people imprisoned for commiting sin, but many scoff He even exits. They don't want to hear it. Even when others are screaming 'go, believe it, Jesus will set you free'. Or even when others wish they had believed and are telling you while you still have a chance.

Today my words are those of the Savior:

*Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

*John 6:37 "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." This is the appeal Jesus makes regarding spiritual relief.

*Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

*John 12:47 "For I have not come to judge the world but to save the world."

*2 Corinthians 6:2 "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation."

Tomorrow is not promised. I know this all too well. I lost a brother with no warning at all. He was fine one day and gone the next. Life is like a vapor or a mist (James 4:14). NO ONE CAN GUARANTEE THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TOMORROW making immediate action essential. Not only that, but scriptures tell us the longer you delay or postpone a spiritual decision, leads to a hardened heart.. as in not wanting to hear anything about Jesus, the Bible, or salvation. Are you there now?? (Hebrews 3:15)-- it's like a fading conviction! Over time, the desire to change or respond to God's forgiving grace can diminish, making it harder to take that step later. Are you there now??

Choosing salvation through Jesus brings peace, purpose, and a relationship with God starting in this present life not just the afterlife.

What can you do? 

1. Admit in prayer to God that you have sinned/are sinning and cannot save yourself acknowleging your choices have fallen short of God's perfect standard. (Romans 3:23) Then repent in sincerity and ask for forgiveness.

2. BELIEVE! What? That Jesus Christ is GOD in the flesh (John 1:1 and 14, 1 Timothy 3:16, Colossians 2:9 TELLS US THAT), that He did die on a cross for your sins (1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5 TELLS US THAT ) that He rose from the dead on the 3rd day (1 Corinthians 15:4 TELLS US THAT) to overcome death for all who will believe. (Acts 16:31 TELLS US THAT).

3. Confess your faith to surrender and trust Him and what He said. TURN from your old ways and sinful habits and vices and confess Jesus as LORD over you now (Romans 10:9)

That's it. Turn to Him in a childlike faith and trust and He'll do the rest. Come with a sincere heart and desire to be changed and saved from an eternity in darkness without Him. He will then give you the power to turn from your ways as you walk and believe everyday. Even if you fall and mess up, He is there to forgive because you belong to Him. You are a "babe" in Christ at this beginning point (spiritual infancy) as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, Hebews 5:12-14, 1 Peter 2:2. Being a babe in Christ is a metaphor.. describes a new or immature believer who needs basic spiritual instruction. Parents don't punish newborns since they have learning and growing to do. Just come in faith as a spiritual baby, you'll grow slowly with no punishment or condemnation as you learn. As long as you don't make a practice of sinning simply because you believe you can now get by with sinning because you've been saved. Mistakes and slip up's will not condemn you as you grow and learn. Learning to be what God desires is a slow, learning process as you mature in HIM. He is loving, He is patient, He is patient and kind toward His followers.

I hope this blog has helped to clear doubt, skepticism, and unbelef. For those willing to be freed, the barred gate is open. It has been open since the moment Jesus stepped on this earth to heal and give the gift of salvation. Final thought: A Christmas gift sitting on a table having a tag with your name on it is of no benefit unless it is opened. A gift with your name on it has been waiting to be opened for approximately 2,031 years, offered to you from a Savior born in a crib. Will you open it?

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

 

Three Biblical WARNINGS before 'Jesus Returns

Before Jesus returns, He gave 3 urgent warnings about being ready. Are you interested in knowing what they are? Many people believe they are ready for the big day when Jesus returns to rapture His true followers up to Himself. But Jesus said some who expect to enter His Kingdom will discover too late that they cannot. WHY?? Here are 3 warnings from scripture every believer needs to hear and cannot afford to ignore. Why? Because ---

1) Hearts that still LOOK BACK. When Jesus spoke about His return, He gave one surprising command: "Remember Lot's wife." She escaped Sodom with her family, yes, yet she looked back! Why? Because although her physical body left that city of perversion, her heart never did. Jesus explained the principal, "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also" (Mattew 6:21). Many people follow Jesus outwardly, but their hearts still belong to this world .. their comfiort, their plans, teir possessions, their OLD life. When Jesus comes back, your heart will run toward what you treasure most. Do not wait until then! Surrender everything, everything that competes with Christ today.

2) Lamps without oil. Jesus told the story of 10 virgins (Christians) waiting for the bridegroom (Jesus). All of them looked ready. All carried lamps. ALL expected to enter but only 5 had oil burning bright (The HolySpirit). They had the "appearance" of faith but without a real relationship with God. They had the appearance --> many people attend church, pray, call themselves Christians, but they rarely seek God, obey His Word, or walk closely to Him. And here's the frightening truth: oil cannot be borrowed. In other words, nobody else's faith can save you .. not your parents, not your pastor, not your spouse. Your relationship with Jesus MUST BE YOUR OWN. The scriptures says, "And the door was shut."  It Closed. Not a chance after that :(

3) Repentance that came too late. Hebrews 2:17 says, "Esau sought the blessings with tears, but he found no opportunity to reverse what he had chosen." Esau traded something eternal, his birthright, for temporary satisfaction, thinking he could make it right later. Many Christians (as well as unbelievers) do the same. They feel conviction but keep saying, "I'll think about it later," or, "I'll take God seriously someday." But "someday" is never promised. "Seek the Lord while He still may be found, call upon  Him while He is still near" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

When Jesus returns, there will be no second opportunity. Regret cannot reopen a closed door. If you are reading this message, please do not ignore it. His return is evident now by everything happening all around us. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

SIMPLE FACTS

 

God is not a Democrat.

God is not a Republican.

-His values are not hard to find.-

He is pro life (Genesis1:27)

He is pro border (Nehemiah 2)

He is pro law and order (Romans 13:4)

He is pro male and female (Genesis 1:27)

He is pro Israel (Genesis 12:3)

Now tell me, which party line up cloest with that list?

I'll Always Back These Same Principles.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

When They Won't Listen ..

One of the hardest things about following Jesus is realizing some of the people you love the very most do not believe in Him nor do they want to. They plug their ears rejecting anything they "think" you might be getting ready to say even when you havent spoken a word yet. That creates a kind of tension many Christians struggle with deeply because you love them, you care about them, but you don't want to lose that relationship by sharing your faith. But at the same time you know that truth matters.

Alot of Christians stay silent because they're afraid. They're afraid  of the awkwardness. They're afraid of the rejection. A lot of times they're just afraid of losing the relationship. I understand that fear. I'VE BEEN THERE. I've had the hard conversations as well. I've lost friendships along the way too, I have even felt the harsh rejection of family members. But here's the question we have to wrestle with. If we truly believe that Jesus is the only way to Life, then HOW can we stay silent forever?

 It's like this, if my best friend was about to walk out into traffic without paying attention right in front of a semi, I would not whisper, "When you get a chance you might think about moving because a truck is coming." NO.  I would yell out with everything in me, "MOVE!! You're about to die!" You see, love warns. Love doesn't quietly watch destruction that's about to happen because it's afraid of making things uncomfortable, and yet people think warning someone spiritually is unloving. I disagree. I think the MOST UNLOVING thing that you could do would be to say nothing. But know .. I'm not talking about screamng at people, or acting self righteous. Nor do I mean treating unbelievers harshly or forcing coversations constantly. That isn't Christ-like. Jesus was full of both truth and grace. Not truth without love and not love without truth. He was both.

Sometimes truth will divide. Jesus already said following Him would even divide famlies! Not because Christians are supposed to become hateful but because truth confronts sin! People don't usually mind Jesus UNTIL repentence enters the conversation. UNTIL obedience enters the conversation. UNTIL their lifestyle gets challenged. Then suddenly things get uncomfortable. We need to remember this  .. WE cannot save people. GOD IS THE ONE THAT CHANGES HEARTS. Our responsibility is to love genuinely, speak truth faithfully, and never ever be ashamed of Christ- EVEN WHEN IT COSTS YOU SOMETHING.

One of the biggst lies today is the idea that love means never confronting sin. That is false. Real love warns. Real love tells the truth. Real love points people to Christ even when it feels uncomfortable. If Jesus is truly who He said  He was-the Way, theTruth, and the Life, hiding Him from peope is THE MOST UNLOVING thing  we can do.

Until He Comes,

-Pat-