Satan's Bait

I have a love for fishing because as a little girl, I grew up fishing with my dad and my brother. One of the first things you learn about fishing is to present the bait but hide the hook. That always presented a challenge for my small fingers when attempting to wrap greasy, slick bacon on a tiny bluegill hook. The truth is when fishing you're actually tricking the fish. It's a deception bottom line. The concept is the same with Satan. If you consider the tempter, even he presents the bait and hides the hook. He presents sin as fun, satisfying, profitable, and pleasurable while concealing the miseries and pain that always accompany sin. Surely this is part of what Scripture calls the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Satan tempts us to believe that our happiness and fulfillment require us to indulge some sin whether a sexual affair outside of the marital bond, the murder of an unwanted baby in the womb, or engaging in some sexual perversion, etc. The “passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) seem irresistible, in part because temptations alleged benefits.  Far from providing benefits, however, sin is the very thing that cripples us. When we commit sin, wrath, misery, shame, and loss are always close behind. 

Sin is bad for many obvious reasons; one of them is that it wreaks havoc in a man's soul. It promises satisfaction but delivers emptiness for a moment of pleasure. Sin always leads to more and bigger sins. It either makes us feel guilty and ashamed (which is bad enough), or creates moral numbness in us so we no longer feel guilt and shame for it or for committing more sins (which is worse). What is moral numbness? One example is the "bait" of fornication or adulterous "love." Why? Because it presents itself as pleasurable and satisfying but we can become so entangled by the thrill, the want, the desire, or even the need to be "loved" that it masks shame and guilt to the extent we are no longer convicted. Satan doesn't let you know he has hidden these hooks because he presents only the bait. Satan used this ploy successfully in the Garden of Eden. He told Eve that the forbidden fruit would open her eyes, thus causing her to be like God (Genesis 3:4-5). The serpent presented the bait and said nothing about the hook. It took one attractive, juicy, healthy apple pleasing to the eyes that took away Paradise in an instant. We need to consider not what Satan offers, but what we will lose." Our flesh is weak if we are not rooted and grounded in Christ. Salena Gomez has a song title that says it all, "THE HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS".

The bait Satan dangles always looks attractive. We are duped into believing that sin leads to happiness. Even when our conscience screams we are wrong in what we are about to do, the bait is too attractive to turn away. Satan knows WHERE our weak points are and he strikes at those areas. Obedience to God's Word is the only sure route to satisfaction though the flesh will try and convince you otherwise. God's laws are guidelines given by a loving Creator who desires for those He created to flourish. Holiness— not sin— leads to real, lasting, happiness. Holiness in this sense does not mean perfection, it means separated unto God ... to be under His will, His purpose, His desire for our lives outlined by His instructions. The sin nature in us rebels against this truth, which is why we often struggle with obedience to God. Satan exploits these traces of sin in us and fans our doubts about whether God's way is truly the best way. 

When we are tempted, the assumed benefits of sin appear large-just like a worm appears large on a fisherman's hook. The worm tastes good to the fish when he swallows it but along with the worm comes a hook! Expect Satan to entice you with bait that has a special appeal to you. Satan, like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish. What whets your appetite? You need to guard those areas. The truth is, sin's hook is painful. It injures, damages, enslaves and sometimes disables. Sin leaves long-term (and occasionally life long) scars. The Word of God is the only powerful weapon that can defeat the temptations of Satan. God’s words are bountiful and complete, and they reveal in total clarity all the various corruptions and weaknesses of man, as well as all the cunning schemes and temptations of Satan. As long as we accept all the truths expressed by God, put more effort into His words, see things according to the truth and take His words as the standards for our actions, then we will be able to see through all of Satan’s cunning schemes and defeat all its temptations. 

The Scripture is filled with instruction on the subject of temptation. Jesus said “temptations to sin are sure to come” (Luke 17:1). But Jesus said that when we pray we should ask God to “lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13).  Always remember that God is aware of the temptations you face. Not only that, but He is also compassionate about your struggle with sin. Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Anyone who has tried to be good, pure, righteous, and loving in his or her own strength knows that it can’t be done. But, through the Holy Spirit, God is making you like Jesus, and what God begins He always completes. The Bible says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). And Paul made a statement of fact about us that provides comfort: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

It’s also vitally important that Christians remember that Satan, our enemy, is a defeated foe (Colossians 2:15 and Revelation 20:10). We are playing in a ball game whose outcome has been determined, a contest that’s already been decided! The victory has already been won. Satan will come out on the short end of the stick. You can count on it because, on the cross of Christ, Satan’s end was secured. You and I have access to One who understands and who can do battle with the enemy and win. So avail yourself of that access. When temptation comes, the Christian’s prayer should always be: “Father, I don’t understand the power that is against me for evil, but You do, and You have promised help. I now claim the victory that You have already won for me on the cross.” Therefore, when you encounter temptation, get on your knees, and pray.

Until next time,

-Pat-

There Is No Gray Area

When you consider SIN, it is important to realize that there is no “gray area” in God's eyes. You are either free from sin, through God's grace in Christ, or you die in sin –  The outcome depends on what course you choose to take. You can choose either to die to sin and live in Christ, obeying His will, or you can turn a dead ear to the Lord's commands, remain disobedient, and die in your sins (John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Mark 16:16). So many choose to ignore Life and it makes my heart heavy. I, too, was once indifferent, closing my ears to such teaching or preaching. It's why I'm so concerned for the lost because I remember how closed off I was. I know what that feels like. I know how the mind thinks. It is not easy to break through a wall of apathy. It certainly wasn't in my case. Today I hope something said here will sink deep into your heart to open your ears if you are a person ignoring the Spirits call to seek liberty in Christ Jesus.

In the reality of human existence, there are indeed only two spiritual choices for each of us – liberty or death. It doesn't get any more clear than that! We stand condemned before God because of our sins. Period. No one is exempt. The apostle Paul pronounced, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 – NKJV). The sins we have committed convict us of a frightening penalty, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The only relief from this 'spiritual' death sentence is to be freed from that which condemns us to it – our sin. Ironically, that freedom requires a death of its own. Paul illustrates this death when he states in Romans 6:3-7, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin."

Christ, who knew no sin, died to liberate us from our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ Gives Us “Liberty” From Sin. To gain that liberty, we must die with Him. HOW? By crucifying our former sin-condemned self THROUGH REPENTANCE, then burying the “old man” THROUGH BAPTISM into the death of Jesus. Because our sinful self has died and been buried with Christ, we who have undergone this process stand freed – at liberty – from sin! Liberty from sin, however, does not imply liberty to do whatever we please (Galatians 5:1,13; 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Corinthians 8:9)... "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire." In other words, we haven't been given liberty to misuse it by returning to our sinful old ways. In fact, the totally opposite is true; “God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). You see, by freeing us from our enslavement to sin, Christ has liberated us for the privilege of becoming enslaved to Him and to His commands. Some would complain that that's not much of a trade – one slavery for another. But when the alternative is spiritual death (eternal separation from God – Isaiah 59:2), that's actually an excellent exchange. And might I also add, being 'enslaved' to Christ is not uncomfortable. If anything it is comforting! When we are saved we are no longer enslaved to sin, but enslaved under the love and mercy of Christ. According to Scripture, prior to being saved “we were enslaved to sin;” -- sin was our master — being enslaved to sin and its dominating influence meant “we were in bondage to it” -- we were “enchained” to it. Our “innate sin nature” defines who we really are — “sinners” (Romans 3:9-10, 23; Gal 3:22; Lk 18:19). By definition, sin (in the Greek hamartia) means to “miss the mark;” thus as sinners, we fail to meet God’s standard of righteousness. If we think of sin as only being that which is “overtly evil” (lying, stealing, immorality, malice, anger) it is deeper. Sin is the governing principle or power that completely dominates the unbeliever’s life.  Essentially the reality is this — when we have a self-orientation in life, rather than a God-orientation, we are being ruled by sin instead of righteousness.

Paul stated about the believer, “You are no longer a slave, but a son” (Gal 4:7) “You have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons… you are children of God” (Rom 8:15-16). Romans 6:17 illustrates that our liberty is not acquired by being passive. Becoming free requires action on our part – obedience from the heart of that to which we have been delivered by the instruction of God's Word. That obedient action entails what Paul described earlier that I mentioned – being baptized into Christ Jesus, into His death (Romans 6:3). Even our Lord emphasized the importance of baptism being relative to our salvation when He said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). You cannot mince His words. You can choose either to die to sin and live in Christ, obeying His will, or you can turn a dead ear to the Lord's commands, remain disobedient, and die in your sins (John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Mark 16:16). Which do you choose? (Deuteronomy 30:15-19). These words of Moses from Deuteronomy 30:15-19 (NIV) could be the very words I speak in 2020. "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees, and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" because there is no “gray area” in God's eyes.

Until next time,

-Pat-

When A Lie Is Repeated

I want to begin this blog with a story about three cheaters. 

A Hindu priest is carrying a goat. One of the cheaters comes and tells him, how can you, a holy man, carry a dog? To which he responds, "Are you blind? This is not a dog! This is a goat!" A few minutes later another cheater tells him the same thing. Now the man is confused. Not sure what he is carrying. A little later the third cheater tells him the same thing, "How can you, a holy man, carry a dog?" The man throws away his prized goat and runs away. The moral of the story is: When a lie is repeated several times, it does not become truth; but it does become easily acceptable and convincing. Today we live in a pluralistic, polytheistic, agnostic or atheistic culture and have been bombarded with lies from all directions so that the very truth of God and His Word is questioned not only by people of other religions but by some of the very people who are called by the name of Christ. So often we hear the lie 'all the roads lead to the same place and all religions are just different ways to reach God.' Theology impacts life. What you believe determines how you live. Your world view, your value system, your lifestyle, and things you do and do not do; all is determined by your theology. That is why we have to make sure what we believe and what we believe is the truth or not. We are people of convictions. And our convictions are not formed by the lies we hear in the world, but the truth we learn from the Word.

However, if God is really God, a Supreme Being, transcendent, infinite, over and above every created thing, including humans, any attempt to physically reach God will leave a person frustrated and unsure of what is possible. God says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). If God were seated on a high mountain, that mountain is too high for anyone to climb! Solomon thought so. Read his words,  “When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though a man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, ‘I know,’ he cannot discover” (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17). What he is saying is, a man in his own fallibility just does not know and cannot know God. And if you think you know, you do not even know that you do not know! How can the finite human being reach this God then? How can you know Him? How can you have a relationship with this inaccessible God? How can you fill the hole in your heart? How can you have a meaningful and joyful life? There is no way a puny human being can do that by his own human efforts. 

The only way a finite human being could reach God, and have access to the infinite and transcendent God, is if God Himself came down to the human level and made Himself accessible. The only way a man can know God, can have a relationship with Him, is if God revealed Himself to man. And that is exactly what God has done in Jesus Christ. The Word that existed from the eternity past, the Word that was with God and the Word that was God… all things came into being by Him; and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. This Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-3, 14) ... JESUS! HE and HE ALONE is our mediator. The Creator of the entire universe became flesh, incarnated Himself in the human body, and made His dwelling among people. Instead of man trying to reach God and failing miserably, God Himself reached down to man. There is no other way for man to reach Him or to have a relationship with Him, apart from Jesus Christ as God’s provision (Philippians 2:6-11, NIV). No religion, no doctrine, no theology, no sect, no creed, no divinity, no cult will ever save you or be the paths that lead to heaven. All roads DO NOT LEAD TO GOD! But if you hear that enough it becomes what you believe, but believing does not make it the truth! For instance, I can believe there is only one moon because I physically cannot see any others. But the truth is, as of October 2008, there are 213 known natural moons orbiting planets in our Solar System! THERE IS BUT ONE WAY TO GOD, regardless of what you may have heard, been told, or believe to the contrary. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME" John 14:6 (emphasis mine).

History is crowded with men who would be gods but only one God who would be man! This is what makes Christianity unique among all the world religions: instead of man trying to reach God and failing miserably, God reached down to man and made Himself accessible to whoever wants to come into relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God so loved people that He provided the way of salvation, the way to come into a relationship with Him, by sending Jesus Christ into the world. By first coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ anyone can attain the relationship with God and live eternally in the presence of God. It is only in Christ that we have access to God. "There is no other name under heaven by which a man can be saved" Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other." Christianity makes sense. All other religions are man-centered. Christianity is God-centered. In all the other religions man takes the initiative and fails miserably. In Christianity God takes the initiative and fulfills the plan of salvation. Paul said, “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:5). God has given us enough light in His revelation that we can trust Him and be grounded in the Truth He has revealed so that we are not beguiled by all the lies we hear around us. 

Until next time,

-Pat-

You've Been Born Naturally

You've been born naturally but have you been born spiritually? What if you go to church, have answered an altar call, been baptized in water, and read a Bible? Does that mean you are "born again?" This is a very important question. Have you been born spiritually -- or "FROM ABOVE" -- as the American Standard Bible quotes in John 3:3?
KJV: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." I want the readers of this blog to examine their salvation experience. Why? Because you are basing all eternity on it! You're not basing eternity on you attending church. There's nowhere in the Bible that says you go to heaven if you attend church. Let that sink in. It says you go to heaven IF you've been born again (or born from above). What does that really mean? I'll explain, but first, 2 Corinthians states, "examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith." So, according to that verse, we will do that in this blog.

In John 3:2 a man named Nicodemus came to Jesus saying, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus immediately points out that a complete regeneration is needed (being born again from above) IF Nicodemus wants to enter heaven. Jesus uses an analogy to birth. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus thought he understood Jesus as meaning literal childbirth, thus his remark that it would be impossible for a grown man to enter the womb again.
Jesus answers again with more clarity, "Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ” (Verses 5 – 7)” It is quite clear Jesus is referring to "spiritual" birth, which should be understood as a “birth from above.” No living person today can enter their mother's wombs again to be born. Therefore Jesus' reference to BEING BORN AGAIN is not literal.


It should also be understood that the term “born again” indicates a definite second step that has to be taken deliberately. It is not something that happens automatically. A person must be born of God or “born from above” to enter heaven. Jesus is actually warning us in the passage from Matthew that not everyone will go to heaven. Most people think He's referring to those sinners such as murderers or rapists, adulterers, etc. These verses are specifically addressing CHRISTIANS! How so? Watch carefully. He said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." NOTICE, Jesus isn't addressing Hindus, Buddhists, or Muslims here! These religious beliefs don't consider Jesus as their Lord, do they? Jesus is addressing those who call Him, Lord! There is only one set of people that consider Jesus their Lord ... Christians!! In Matthew 7:22 Jesus points out that many, that's M-A-N-Y will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in your name?" Tell me ... Do Hindu's prophecy in Jesus name? Has a Muslim who practices Islam ever cast out a demon in the name of Jesus? NO! Jesus is talking about people who call themselves Christians. Jesus continues, "And then I will declare to them, I NEVER knew you; depart from Me you who practice iniquity" (some versions have practice lawlessness). Many. and again I say many as Jesus said many, have accepted the ideology that Jesus is the Son of God, but have NEVER accepted Jesus as their Lord ("I NEVER knew you.") Those are two radically different things! The proof is, those who hold only to an ideology continue to live in their sin! There is no change in them.

So, how can YOU know if you've been spiritually born again from above? You can know. John tells us, "These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life." Here's how you know. It's when your life has truly turned from who you were without regret, without question, hesitation, and without opposition. Many of us come to the altar in hopes of being saved. We recite all the prayers and say all the words we were told are needed IE: "Jesus I make you Lord and Savior of my life, come into my heart." Things are okay for a while, but some go right back into their old ways. MANY PEOPLE stay right there. That's key. They stay there. I'm addressing the "many" as Jesus did. They never change despite knowing better and they never seek to have a relationship with God because they believe that one trip to the altar locked in their salvation forever. But that isn't true! There is a definite second step that has to be taken deliberately. There are many who go the altar, say the prayer, and continue to live in and out of sin having no intentions of living a life in Christ. They may have even got baptized in water in the church and in front of the entire congregation! After my own trip to the altar in 1972, many years passed until I was actually born from above though I believed I was a Christian! I remained in the same sin I went to the altar for Jesus to forgive. I thought my altar call was enough. Had I died anywhere in that span of time and stood before Jesus, would He would have announced, "Depart from me, Pat, you were continually a worker of iniquity (sin/lawlessness). And I would have pleaded, "But Lord, didn't I start going to church? Wasn't I telling people about you? Wasn't I reading the Bible? Lord, I even got baptized in the church -in water- in front of everyone- remember? How can you reject me?" It's important to note, many well-meaning "Christians" come to the altar to be saved but the journey stops there! Instead, they remain in sin, having no conviction or desire to live right. Jesus rejects those that WORK iniquity (lawlessness/sin) as pointed out earlier. Other synonyms for the word WORK in the thesaurus is strive (in), cultivate, pursue. Some people claiming to be born again continually pursue sin. That's why I'm challenging Christians to examine their salvation experience. Why? Because you are basing all eternity on it!

So what is being born from above then? How can you honestly know you are? It's when you finally realize how miserable you are in your sin. When you can acknowledge you have no power over it. When you confess you NEED Jesus and surrender yourself fully to Him and humbly admit He has got to take control because you cannot. That is surrender. Many people sing, "I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee my blessed Savior I surrender all" but nothing could be further from the truth. To surrender is allowing Jesus to come into your heart and change you. You welcome it! Surrendering will be easy and obedience to Him something inviting. When you surrender your will to God, real change begins. Your goal in life will be fixed on things above. If you have doubts about whether you are really saved or not, you probably aren't. We should be shouting Christians, not doubting Christians. Somebody once said, if you could have it and not know it, you could lose it and not miss it. But the truth is, if you have salvation, you know it; and if you know it, you will not lose the knowledge of your salvation. Doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body. Pain is a warning, a signal that something is wrong. SO IS DOUBT! "And hereby we do know that we know Him (and are saved) if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked (1 John 2:3-6).
Until next time,
-Pat-

I'll Be Your Eyes When You Cannot See

"I'll be your eyes when you cannot see." That is was what I whispered to my 11-year-old cat, Lucy, as she finally snuggled into my lap after a bit of hesitance and difficulty trying to jump up. With an ever-developing cataract, Lucy's perfect eyesight has been slowly diminishing. I thought about my promise to her and what it meant. When she is unable, I'LL BE THERE. When she can no longer see, I'LL BE THERE. When she needs my help, I'LL BE THERE. And if that isn't enough, then I'LL CARRY HER!
Lucy does not realize the devotion I have for her.

Oh, if we could only believe that about God!

When we haven't been able to see (the outcome of a situation), HE has been our eyes.
When we have been unable (to solve a problem), HE has been there to intercede.
When we have needed help (in any fashion), HE has been there to assist and solve.
And when we couldn't take one more step, HE has picked us up and carried us.
We do not realize God's devotion to us.

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble"
Psalm 91:2 "This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.
Isaiah 25:4 "You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat."
Jeremiah 16:19 "Oh Lord my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress."
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?"

GOD IS WITH US ALWAYS, yet we fear. Why? "Where can we go from His Spirit? Or where can we flee from His presence?" asks the psalmist, David. He said if we ascend to heaven, God is there. If we make our bed in hell, behold He is there. If we dwell in the remotest part of the sea, God is there. We need to trust OUR REFUGE, OUR PLACE OF SAFETY, OUR SHELTER, especially now in these trying times ladened with distress, trouble, and storm. Take to heart this verse if the current volatile riots scare you. It's from Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices." We are not to be dismayed or worried about anything, including the current social unrest, racial tensions, rioting, looting, political divide, etc. In these times we can be tempted to feel like God has forgotten us. HE HAS NOT! Psalm 23:4 reminds us, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me." God is living and He is among His people. Why are you anxious about what's happening? One of the promises of God I keep within my heart and mind is a verse from Isaiah 35, "Be strong, do not fear, your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution. He will come to save you."

There is much controversy regarding the president of this country. People have claimed he was appointed by God for "a time such as this." Others foolishly claim he's the devil incarnate. I want to remind EVERYONE, both believers in Jesus Christ and those of other faiths. God told us in the Bible that He alone is in control, and so much so, that Donald J Trump could not be sitting in the oval office without his presidency being a part of God's eternal plan whether you like God's decision(s) or not. Why? Because nothing, absolutely NOTHING is outside of God's will! Times, seasons, situations, and circumstances are all allowed and destined to work toward the culmination of God's Kingdom purpose for this earth and every soul living on it. I am dismayed by the amount of "professing" Christians that curse our current president and fail to remember that David Himself in his second chapter, verse 21 clearly tells us that God raises up kings (rulers) and He also disposes of them. That includes presidents! We are in the midst of seismic conflict threatening not only American society but every government on earth involving good versus evil. So no matter whether you believe Donald Trump is a godly or evil president, your opinion matters not, he is president because he is supposed to be there, and as Christians, you should not only know this but acknowledge it. Time, seasons, situations, and circumstances are all allowed and destined to work toward advancing God's will. Even though we cannot currently see the outcome, GOD IS THERE. Don't forget that! Nothing surprises Him because everything is being orchestrated by Him. Despite man's free will, God still uses His wisdom to complete His work over centuries of time. Do not fear. Do not be anxious. Do not curse or regret the governmental powers that be. Trust God, for He is our eyes when we cannot see and He knows the future!

Until next time,
-Pat-

PROFANITY. What's The Big Deal?

Question. Are you as sick of hearing profanity being uttered as I am? We are exposed to it at the supermarket, over the back fence, at ball games, from co-workers, and even from the mouths of children! It fills our novels, movies, and is profuse on television — in fact, it is a pervading evil influence in today’s society.
We hear it — not just from sailors (“cuss like a sailor”), or from the French (“pardon my French”) — but from all segments of our society. It used to be the case that a gentleman would never use profanity in the presence of a woman — and deep down he knew he shouldn’t use it anywhere. At least that's the era I grew up in. Now, women can swear with the best of them. Small children, who have not learned to discuss much of anything yet on an intellectual basis, can spew forth some real doozies of the “four-letter” variety. I read an article recently that found the use of profanity during the so-called “family hour” (8:00 to 9:00 Central time) is up 58 percent from two years ago. And the nature of the language (sexual explicitness) is getting qualitatively worse.


The Bible is not silent on the proper use of human language. So what's the bid deal. Everyone curses, right? Paul wrote: “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear” (Ephesians 4:29). According to the bible concordance I use, the term “corrupt” is the Greek word sapros, akin to sepo (“to rot”). It denotes that which provides no good service. Our words in the presence of others ought to be such as build men up, rather than debasing them (Job 4:4). Again, the apostle wrote: “…but now also put away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful (filthy – KJV) speaking out of your mouth…” (Colossians 3:8). The term signifies that which is base, characterized by shame and denoting “foul or filthy” language. There can never have been a time in history when so much filthy language is used as it is today. And the tragedy is that today there are many people who have become so desensitized to unclean talk that they are unaware that they are even using it.


Profanity is such an invasive influence; it’s a mind-maggot. Think of that four-year-old boy from the supermarket! Profanity gnaws its way into the recesses of one’s thinking, and, if harbored, will make its presence spontaneously felt at the slightest provocation, even in a child! This is what happens when we allow ourselves to be unnecessarily and regularly exposed to its vileness. We may soon begin to “cuss” mentally even if we don’t verbalize profanity outright. We can’t cut ourselves off from the whole of society, no, but we can attempt to minimize our exposure. Discretionary habits are a start. I cannot count on my fingers and toes combined how many times I've tolerated an incident of cursing, only to be angry by the second incident, and eventually changed channels by the third occurrence.

It is a totally different world today. I can recall that I only heard one curse word growing up. It's true. Just one. And even at that, I was so naive I had no idea I was even being cursed at. I could not have been more than seven years old at the time. A neighbor boy had walked three houses down to my house asking if I would like to play kickball. I remembering declining his offer. After several other attempts to convince me that kickball was a lot more fun than "riding your stupid bike," I still declined. With that, he blurted out, "YOU SOB!!" (except he said the words I cannot type). What I heard, however, was, "You son of a DITCH." In my naivete, I believed he was calling me a literal ditch and in my neighborhood, this was before sewers. Dirty water would flow down the street and into the ditches in front of all the homes. So I knew in my own innocent mind he was calling me something "filthy" although not in a cursing sense. I ran home and told my mom, "________ just called me a son-of-a-ditch!" The look on my mom's face is one I remember to this day. She knew what he had said.

How refreshing it is to be able to relax occasionally, watch a program or movie, without being inundated with verbal trash. The Word of God is very clear regarding the communication that comes out of our mouths, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks - the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Proverbs 15:7). Some might say, “Why are you nitpicking? Why squabble about these things?” The answer is simple, we serve a precise God. He is to get glory in all that we do. And this includes how we think and speak about him. If we are saying things that attack, undermine, blur or otherwise detract from a truth that God means to get glory from—shouldn’t we stop? When you are a follower of Christ, you are representing the Lord, not only in what you do but in what you say, think, and feel. If you are praising God one moment but cursing up a storm in the next moment, your witness as being one in mind with God is exposed as weak. God wants only what is pure and noble to come out of our mouths. When our mouths are spewing out expletives, it dishonors God and who He is to us. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, it should change how we view ourselves and how we present those changes into the world: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
For your convenience, I've listed some scriptures below regarding this subject if you're interested.

Until Next Time,
-Pat-

James 3:10 - Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Ephesians 5:4 - Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

James 3:6-8 - And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (Read More...)

James 1:26 - If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.

Proverbs 21:23 - Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

2 Timothy 2:16 - But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Psalms 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalms 141:3 - Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Luke 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Proverbs 4:24 - Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Matthew 5:37 - But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil.

Psalms 34:13-14 - Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Proverbs 6:12 - A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.