How do you know you are saved?

 

I have heard some Christians says they don't feel they are really saved. So, How do you know you are saved and belong to God? We can see three distinct markers of salvation in scripture. 1 John gives three signs of a real spiritual life and none of them are feelings. MARKERS YOU CAN LOOK AT IN YOUR OWN LIFE.

Think of it like vital signs. When a doctor checks your pulse, your blood pressure, your temperature, he's not asking you how you feel. They are reading markers that tell them whether the body is working the way it should. John did the same thing for your soul. 

Marker one: BELIEF. 1 john 5-1 " Whosoever  believes that Jesus Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him." John wasn't talking about general belief in God, he was talking specifically about Jesus being the promised Messiah. God the Son who came in the flesh. The false teachers of Jesus day denied that. They said Jesus did not come as God in a human body. So the 1st marker is easy enough. Yes or no. Do you believe the scripture that says who He is? Not do you feel it, but do you believe it?

Marker two: OBEDIENCE. 1 JOHN 2: 3-4 "And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. Whoever says, "I know Him" but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." This isn't legalism or perfectionism. John already said in chapter 1:8 "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." So John is not saying you never sin, he's saying the direction of your life matters. A saved person isn't perfect but they're bothered by their sin. They don't make peace with their sin because they can't. They repent when sin is exposed. Obedience isn't the price of salvation, it's the pulse of salvation. If you're fighting your sin, if it bothers you when you fall, you keep getting back up, that's not failure, that's a vital sign.

Marker three: LOVE. This is the one John hammered the hardest. 1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brethren. Whosoever does not love abides in darkness." Not because we feel alive, or because we had an emotional experience at a youth camp, but because of our love of fellow believers. And John got specific in John 3:17 "But if anyone has this worlds goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" He didn't say love is a feeling you have toward other Christians. He said love is what you do when you see another believer struggling and you have the ability to help. You need to understand.

These three markers:  belief, obedience, and love don't earn salvation, that's already done. Jesus paid for that on the cross. These markers don't create life they confirm it. If belief is there, if obedience is the direction you're pointed,  the love for Gods people shows up in actual life, and not just your feelings. Those are the vital signs of salvation. John said it plainly in 1 John 5:13 "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that you have eternal life." Not hope. Not feel. KNOW. Assurance of salvation isn't built on your feelings, it's built on a life that faithfully pursues Jesus.

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

I'm Too Dirty Too Be Saved

 

Have you ever felt because you've done so many bad things in life that you are beyond saving?  That, not even God could help you now? I'm here to tell you nothing could be further from the truth! No one is beyond saving regardless of what they've done or are still doing at the present time. Luke chapter 10 verse 19 says, "For the son of man came to seek and save the lost."  Notice: not only to save, but to SEEK the lost. He knows you are a wandering soul in need of salvation. This verse implies active rescue. Jesus actively seeks out sinners, rather than waiting for them to come to him. Follow this ..

Do you have a child who was ever caked from head to toe from playing in a mudhole? Or perhaps you remember doing so when you were a child.  I'm talking covered from head to toe .. even in the hair and ears? Everywhere, just all over mud! Hopefully as a parent you would laugh a little bit, maybe you were a little annoyed, or even somewhat disappointed because you told them not to play in the mud but they did anyway. You have to go through all those emotions but at the end of the day as a parent, you're not going to look at your child  and say, "You disgust me. Get out of my house you are no longer mine because you're covered in mud." NO. You aren't going to say, "You disgust me-get out of my house-you no longer belong to me because you're so filthy."

That dirt, yes, it changed their appearance, maybe it changed the condition of what they looked like and the condition of their clothes, but it didn't change the relationship you had with your child. Hopefully, after you got through those emotions and laugh a little bit, you looked with mercy and said, "Come on, let me help you get cleaned up." That is the picture of God, the heavenly Father.

When you feel like you're covered in the mud of life, from the muddiness of betrayal, the muddiness of addiction, or pornography, molestation, homosexuality, drunkenness, sexual affairs, or any dark secret you keep, you feel dirty because of sin. God doesn't look at you and say, "You disgust me! How dare you get dirty? Get out of my house you don't belong here anymore." That's not the heart of our heavenly Father. The enemy is going to lie to you. The enemy is going to tell you that God doesn't want you because you're dirty. The enemy is going to tell you that you should be ashamed. The enemy is going to tell you that you're beyond saving, you're too far gone, too dirty, and too hopeless to deserve the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ. Satan can also convince you there's no way you deserve heaven  because of the things that were done to you. Satan will whisper in your subconscious that God doesn't want you now.

Our heavenly Father is looking down on this earth today. Right now. He sees YOU. And He's saying, "Come on, let me get you cleaned up. Just because you got dirty doesn't mean you have to stay dirty."  Sadly, too many people get hung up on how dirty they are, like they are different somehow. You may be thinking: 'but you don't know what I've done. You don't know what's been done to me.' You're right. I don't but God does and we are all dirty. He told us in His word, Romans 3: 10-12, " There is none righteous, no, not one."  And why? He tells us again, Romans 3:23, (because)"ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No sin is worse than another in God's eyes. Sin is sin. Black is black. Wrong is wrong. It is sin, any sin, that keeps us separated from God not the degree of it. Don't let the devil convince you that your sin is greater than mine. So instead of being concerned how dirty you are. What you should be concerned about is .. WILL YOU LET HIM CLEAN YOU? If you don't know where you stand with God, or how to approach or ask Him for help, drop a comment below. I would be happy to talk to you and point the way. 

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

Let This Sink In

 

The Bible tells us Jesus died for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). Let that sink in. Really sink in. It  doesn't say Jesus died for just "good" people, only those who go to church, those who tithe 15%, just the ones who say morning prayers regularly, or one country over another, etc. He died for the sins of the WORLD-  you! Regardless of anything you've ever done. Anything. He offered His life while people were yet (and are) sinners. He didn't ask nor does He require you to fix yourself or straighten up first then He'll accept you.  "While you were yet sinners Jesus died for you" (Romans 5:8) This demonstrated His unconditional love for humanity.

To the atheist, the agnostic, the hypocrite, the doubters and sinners as a whole. Did you ask to be saved? No, you didn't. But Jesus laid down His life for YOU already, shedding His blood as a living sacrifice for you as  A GIFT.. His gift of eternal life without fear of damnation. And  if you believe it, turn from the evil you're doing, repent of it, follow Him, because He alone is the pathway to God. Here's a simple way to understand it. Someone buys you a gift. You never asked for a gift, but because they love you bought something of great value. You may not have heard that was done, maybe you did. Nonetheless,  that gift was placed on your kitchen table with your name on it. You heard from others you were given a gift and where to find it. Curios, you go to see what this could be about. The gift is there. It's yours. No cost to you. The question is, 

1. "Will you accept it?" Will you open and receive it? You have free-will to ignore it and walk away. No one will force you to open it. 

2. "Will you laugh, shake your head, and refuse the gift thinking there's a trick behind this kindness. Again, walking away.

3. "Will you accept it" even though you didn't deserve such a valuable gift? It's free. No gimmicks. No payback. Someone loves you dearly.

There are people that hear, "Jesus died for your sins." But instead of asking why, they respond back, "well I didn't ask Him to" -like it was forced on them.  The Bible says "all have sinned" all fall short of the His glory. The truth is, an unwashed sin life keeps us completely separated from God. Sin was not a small issue. It was a real problem and instead of leaving humanity there, God stepped in. This is the point: if you had to ask for salvation first then it wouldn't be Grace, it would have been a transaction and the gospel is not a transaction, The gospel is a gift. 

Jesus didn't die because you asked Him to. He died because you needed Him to! Before you even have the awareness to ask, God had already made a way. That is not control. That is mercy.

Don't reject a gift because you didn't ask for it. You decide what to do with it once it's in front of you. Because whether you ask for it or not, the offer still stands: forgiveness, restoration, new life. Not earned. Not negotiated. Given. So don't miss it as many do. Actually hear the truth clearly. You need Jesus for absolution. He is the only .. Way, Truth, and Life and He has made the way for you if you will accept His gift.

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

Christianity or Islam

 

Christianity or Islam

(Reasons and evidence for choosing Christianity)

1. "Muhammad said, "Kill the infidel." 

*Jesus said, "Love your enemies." Hmm, I prefer Jesus over murder. The Prince of peace.

2. "Muhammad before he died said, "May Allah curse the Jews and the Christians." 

*Jesus before He died on a cross said, "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing." HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED HIM!! He was forgiving them.

3. Muhammad waged 84 wars and raids in a span of 12 years of his life.

*Jesus did not have any wars or raids in His whole lifetime. In fact when the disciples wanted to start a war in a city that wanted to reject Him, and did reject Him, Jesus rebuked the disciple, and He said (basically) 'Don't do that, that's not how My Kingdom runs.'

4. Muhammad had 11 wives and sex slaves. 

*Jesus had no wives. He honored women. He protected women. Women loved and love Jesus now because He was and is holy and pure in every interaction He had. Children as well! 

5.  Muhammad married a 6 year old, had sex with her at 9.

*Jesus - the children ran up to Him In purity, holiness, and meekness. Jesus was gentle as a bold masculine man. And this is where people need to understand Jesus as a bold man-- how could children run up to you? You must be very meek, humble, and loving for children in ancient times to love you as a man. 

So Jesus, born in Bethlehem, is for me the most beautiful figure across history. There is no one to compare to Jesus. There is no one like Him. Not only that .. don't forget that JESUS HEALED THE SICK. That is is actually recorded in history. WHO on earth could  do what he did?

He did heal the sick.

He did raise the dead.

He did walk on water.

He did cast evil spirits out of people.

He did die on the cross.

He did rise from the dead

AND HE'S COMING BACK. He said he would. He never told a lie.  I believe Him.

Extra Biblical evidence is easy to look up if you want. Forget Islam, forget Christianity- forget any religion. Just look at history! It's recorded. There were 500 eye witnesses who saw Jesus afer His crucifixion too. The choice should be a simple one.  Pay attention to words and actions of Jesus and Muhammad. 

People ask me why I'm a Christian? THAT'S WHY  I AM A CHRISTIAN.

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

SIGNS YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

                                SIGNS YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

                 (The Heart Of The Father For The Christian Lifestyle)

You think it's signs and wonders, dreams, goose bumps, and prophetic chills. You think it's tongues on command or fire that makes you look powerful, but the Spirit doesn't show up to impress.  He shows up to correct. The Holy Spirit doesn't  make you feel chosen. He makes you feel convicted and safe enough to change. You know you have the Spirit when repentance becomes daily hygiene not public apology. When 'Lord, search me' is harder than 'Lord, use me.'

The fruit isn't flashy, it is actually inconvenient. Love that stays when it could leave. Joy that survives bad news. Peace that doesn't need control. Patience that bites its tongue. Kindness with no audience. Goodness when nobody is watching. Faithfulness when quitting would be easier. Gentleness that doesn't mean weak.  Self control that shuts doors before sin finishes knocking. And here is the plot twist.. The Spirit doesn't give you power to sin safely. He gives you the power to say no quietly.

You have the Holy Spirit when you stop asking, "How close can I get to the edge" and start asking why does this grieve Him? You don't just confess sin, you turn away from it. Not because you're scare of hell, but because you're scared of losing intimacy.

You don't justify anymore. You don't blame anymore. You don't call conviction shame just to keep your habits. 

THAT IS THE SIGN! Not perfection, not performance, but a heart that breaks fast and runs home faster. If repentance is alive the Spirit is present. And if that fruit is growing, even just slowly, He's already working. 

No checklist.

No hack.

Just evidence.

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

Let's Go For A Walk

The devil cannot make hell look beautiful, so he makes beautiful roads that lead there. These are roads that we've all walked, believer and non-believer alike. Unfortunately, some Christians are still walking those roads. They can't seem to find the exit ramp, but then, maybe they don't want to? Hear me. You can know the truth and still not be walking in it.

How so?

You can understand alignment, you can hear the teachings, you can even agree with everything that's being said, and you still live the exact same way. There's a difference between knowing the truth and walking in the the Spirit. Galatians 5 tells us to, "WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND YOU WILL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH." The Bible doesn't say if you "think" about the spirit or you "just learn" about the spirit.  It says WALK IN THE SPIRIT..  

So how do we walk?

First, let's look at general terms. Walking means movement. Specifically, you're in touch with the ground. It connects you to your surroundings, it propels you forward, When you walk you improve your  health. You think more clearly. Walking helps to reduce mental chatter from everywhere around you, stress, and anxiety. Simply, it's movement toward a goal. And guess what? So is WALKING IN THE SPIRIT.

SO ..

Believers in Christ? That should be our goal moment by moment. 

We have knowledge, but we haven't built the walk. We know what's right but in a moment we still react. We still fall. We still have the same thoughts. We still move due to of the same habits. And it's not because we don't love God. It's because we haven't learned to walk with God in real time.

Your thoughts? They are seeds.

Your seeds become beliefs.

Your beliefs shape your actions.

The actions you do become habits.

The habits will shape the direction you take in life.

If we don't deal with how to control our thoughts or our habits, we're gong to keep living the same way. Walking in the spirit is not a feeling. It's not emotionalism. It's not waiting for something to come over you or walking around with constant tingles. It's learning how to respond in alignment with God right in the middle of real life, even when you're frustrated, when you're tempted, when you're emotions are overwhelmed, and when old thinking patterns are holding you back. That is where the walk really happens. 

Now, let's look at "walking" in spiritual terms .. Walk in the spirit specifically means, you're in touch with Jesus which grounds you and connects you to the Father in heaven, it propels you to move in His Word, to learn more, and desire to be more like Jesus. When you walk in the spirit  and follow biblical guidance there, it often leads to better physical outcomes and well-being- improving your  health. You think more clearly too as the Word refreshes your mind to become perceptive and discerning. Walking in the spirit also helps to reduce mental chatter the world is always throwing at you through deception and distraction, stress, and anxiety. Simply, walking in the Spirit is also movement toward a goal; heaven. And guess what? When you walk in the spirit as the Word lays out as your guide, you will find the sinful habits or things you used to do or agreed with- that same old lifestyle where Satan kept you a prisoner will no longer have the same appeal. Following Jesus involves a profound lifestyle shift ("go and sin no more" John 5:14, John 8:11), where true believers are called to deny selfish desires .. a new nature that leads to a transformed heart that desires righteousness and attitude toward sin, to hate what God hates (take up your cross and follow Me). And though we  can struggle under the weight of the cross (our old ways and habits) we fight sin and sinful tendencies with the help of the Holy Spirit.  The new nature now is that we no longer have the desire to live a lifestyle of willful, habitual, or unapplogetic sin.

Following Jesus involves a continuous process of being refined and moving away from sin rather than claiming instant flawless perfection. If we don't get this part, all the rest is just information. I don't want to just know truth. I want to WALK in truth! 

 Until He Comes,

-Pat-

How Can An Ancient Text Still Be Relevant Today?

 

I have been confronted many times by non-believers who say the bible is outdated, antiquated, and therefore not in touch with modern society. I disagree. SO .. how can an ancient text be relevant today?? Well, despite being written thousands of years ago, the Bible continues to speak to modern concerns:

identity

justice

love

fear

purpose

hope. 

The cultural details may feel distant, but the core human experiences are strikingly familiar. People still struggle with moral decisions, relationships, and the search for meaning, do they not? The Bible’s enduring influence comes from its ability to address those universal questions while pointing readers toward principles that transcend time. Its relevance isn’t found in mirroring modern life exactly, but in illuminating it from a deeper, often challenging perspective. One clear way the Bible remains relevant is in how it speaks to personal identity and purpose—questions people still wrestle with in the 21st century. In a world shaped by social media, career pressure, and constant comparison, many people ask, “Who am I, really?” and “What gives my life meaning?” Biblical themes emphasize identity rooted not in status or achievement but in relationship with God and intrinsic worth. 

Here's an example, teachings found in Psalms explore:

human emotion 

fear

joy

doubt

confidence

.. all in ways that feel strikingly modern. It's why I personally find myself reading the book of Psalms often, People still turn to those passages during anxiety, grief, or uncertainty because they articulate feelings that haven’t changed across centuries. It’s also highly relevant in how it addresses relationships and ethical living. Issues like forgiveness, justice, humility, and love are just as complicated now as they were in ancient times. These principles show up in modern conversations about restorative justice, reconciliation, and even mental health, where letting go of bitterness can have real emotional impact.

And what about the subjects of suffering, anxiety, and hope—things that haven’t disappeared with technology or progress? Despite advances in medicine and science, people still face loss, depression, and uncertainty about the future. The Bible doesn’t pretend those struggles aren’t real; instead, it gives language and perspective for enduring them. Books like Ecclesiastes wrestle openly with questions about meaning, mortality, and the seeming randomness of life—questions that sound very similar to modern existential concerns. At the same time, the Bible offers a long-term view of hope and restoration through a relationship with Jesus Christ, which many people find grounding when life feels unstable.

Finally, the Bible continues to influence larger cultural and societal values, even for people who don’t consider themselves religious! People are still asking questions the Bible does address if people would take the time to read it! Its relevance today isn’t about being ancient or modern—it’s about continuing to speak into questions that haven’t gone away.

Until He Comes-

Pat

Are You Being Deceived?

 

Here is an important question for everyone. How was Eve tricked by Satan in the garden? The same way many are being deceived today. Are you being deceived?

How was Eve deceived? Satan simply altered/changed through partial truth the words of  God. God commanded Eve regarding not eating the fruit of just ONE tree and Satan  exaggerated God's command to EVERY tree. Eve caught and corrected Satan by responding with the original truth that God said they were told not to eat of just one particular tree .. the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan, however, was determined to carry out his plan of deception by enticing her flesh, ADDING (that if they ate), "your eyes will be opened and you'll become as god's knowing good and evil."  This was a false promise of enlightenment. Again, Satan used "partial truth" because their eyes were opened, but to their own nakedness and shame. This moment marked the beginning of the fall. Just as the Word continues to be altered today. 

A. In the garden: The alteration-the lie- the enticement- the promise-the fall from grace. B. Today: the alteration- the lie- an enticement- and the promise you can be your own your own god/your own gender/anything you want. This is Satan's voice; a spirit of error - the desire for independence from God's moral authority.

When anyone rewrites, adds to, leaves out, or alters the Word of God to change and become a lie and then you believe it, you are being tricked by Satan. You cannot possibly know what's true or not true unless you study the Bible yourself. Let's take an example of altering God's Word that's relevant to today to get a clearer picture of what I mean.

There's a lot of talk in 2026 that the Bible supports gender nonconformity. Let me say conclusively, no, it does not. This is exactly how unread, un-studied, and unlearned people are misled, and making claims with zero biblical foundation. Let me be very clear, the Bible does not celebrate modern identity categories whether transgender, pangender, xenogender, genderqueer, non-binary, to name just a few. Scripture reveals who God is and then it calls us to align with Him, not the other way around.

I heard a trans person (his words in capital letters) say, "THE HEBREW PHRASE DESCRIBING JOSEPH'S GARMENT IN THE BIBLE, KETONET PASSIM, LITERALLY MEANS A DRESS WORN BY WOMEN."  This is lie, and it is what I mean by you have to diligently study the Word to discern truth from falsehood (2 Timothy 2:15). The Hebrew term used in Genesis is ketonet passim, that is correct. However, it does not mean "dress worn by women," it refers to a long ornamented robe and it's typically to distinguish authority, royalty or special favor. Genesis 37:3 -Joseph's father favored him so he made him a robe/coat/tunic of many colors. The gay community has associated and compared  this robe on Joseph to a male wearing a dress, and the "many colors"  as representing the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet). Can you see the deception? The unlearned and the deceived alike seem to pull from one verse and make it transform into what they want. But you can read in 2 Samuel 13:18 a royal daughter wears a similar garment. She was royalty not transgendered. But look at the leap misguided people make today:  "SHE WORE IT. IT IS A WOMAN'S DRESS, SO THEREFORE JOSEPH WEARING IT MEANS SOMETHING ELSE". No, that is not what the Word means and that's not how context works! This is what happens when you take one verse, ignore the context, and force a modern idea into ancient text. (I will write a blog at a later date on how an ancient text can still be relevant today). What was changed here concerning the  ketonet passim (robe) worn by Joseph? The  change in the Word of God which I heard spoken was  propagating and encouraging the lie, "JOSEPH'S FATHER EMBRACES HIM FOR WHO HE WAS, DIFFERENT, QUEER AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING."  Oh my. Surprise, surprise! That is not in the text at all. Nowhere in the Bible is there even a hint Joseph was different, queer, trans, or non-conforming! Again, the Word of God was spoken in partial truth-- Joseph WAS wearing a long, colorful robe, but in no way was it a woman's dress! The untruthful language is a deception by Satan to fit the LGBTQ narrative as a whole.

Finally, what the Bible does say is that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons (Genesis 37:3). Joseph wasn't favored because of some identity claim. He was favored because he was born later in Jacob's life, and was the son of the wife Jacob most loved. The robe was not about identity. The robe was about favoritism. AND that favoritism is exactly what caused tension between Joseph and his brothers. THIS is the pattern yet again! Take a real moment in scripture and then insert something that was never there. The unlearned man continued, "JOSEPH'S BROTHERS, HOWEVER, THEY REACTED VIOLENTLY, TRYING TO ERASE HIS IDENTITY. SOUND FAMILIAR?" No, reader, they did not try to erase Joseph's identity as this man is suggesting happening today. He is misinformed and misleading. Joseph's brothers were jealous (Genesis 37:4, 37:11), that's it.. Joseph was clearly favored. He was given status. He was set apart from them. Because of that they hated him. This is not about identity politics! This is about jealousy, family conflict, and ultimately God's plan unfolding through suffering. None of these transexual claims come from text. They come from projecting modern ideas INTO BIBLICAL TEXT and that's dangerous because it doesn't just confuse people, it rewrites what God actually says and leads other astray. Scripture warns us about people like this! They will turn away from listening to the truth and they will wander off into myths (2 Tim 4:3-4) -- a falsehood, the spirit of error. The man I pointed out today distorted scripture. You don't reshape scripture to fit your life! You let scripture reshape you! 

Until He Comes-

Pat Phillips

Sin and Iniquity

 

The words sin and iniquity are terms often used  in scripture.  Do  they mean the same thing? Yes and no. Both are related to doing bad things or going against what is considered right. They have slightly different meanings and scripture makes a  distinction  between the two, so it is important to know this difference when walking out our faith. Let's break it down.

**Sin can be defined as  a wrong action that goes against God's rule of law or His moral principles. It is usually seen as something you do, think, or feel. Sin is an individual wrong. It’s the moment  you lie, steal, commit adultery, harm someone, take the Lord's name in vain, etc. It's desire or lust turned into action. In each of these cases, a person makes the choice to do something wrong. This is the world. We are  all guilty of sin.

**Iniquity on the other hand  is a deeper and more serious kind of wrong  especially concerning a so-called person of faith.  Iniquity is when a person doesn't commit just any sin but he or she develops a likeable, intentional, repetitive cycle of that unabashed sin, continuing in it without remorse, guilt, or any forward intention of repenting or wanting to change (AND HERE'S THE KEY ) ..  it's habitual despite knowing God's law regarding what they are doing.   

Simply said:

Sin = A wrong action against the law of God. We've all missed the mark (Romans 3:23)

Iniquity = A pattern of doing wrong and repeatedly doing wrong when you know it's against God's WORD. 

Word  to the growing Christian, If you steal something once (sin) even if out of need, you might feel bad about it and not do it again. You repent, ask forgiveness, and move on. But that same Christian, if you steal something as an example, do it over and over and over knowing it's wrong and without ever feeling convicted, guilty, or repentant,  it’s more than just a bad action, it’s iniquity. A quick example might be pre-marital sex but the excuse is made, "but we're in love and we're going to get married anyway so it can't be wrong." Dear Christian, fornication is fornication. God never compromises His laws.

It's important to note, though the word "iniquity" appears in scripture several times, it does especially when God is describing judgment or punishment. God is angered by iniquity and addresses habitual or deeply ingrained sin warning it leads to judgment.  In Luke 13:27 Jesus is speaking, "Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." Meaning? The following verse is similar: Matthew 7:23 Jesus said He will say to people who desire to be let in heavens door and who believe their on claim to have followed and believed in Him,  "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity."  Notice Jesus didn't say He knew them once, or a long time ago, He said NEVER KNEW! Habitual sinner you were never saved even if you went through all the motions. Iniquity keeps you outside the Kingdom walls. Jesus uses the words, "you that work iniquity" OR "workers" of iniquity, indicating  habitually working in sin often masking their behavior under a pretense of goodness. Further, a "worker" is someone who invests effort into doing, planning, and practicing evil deeds.. Psalm 6:8 points this out as does Matthew 7:23. It implies lifestyle of repeated active rebellion against righteousness, rather than just occasional mistakes, slips, or a temporary lapse in judgment or failure. If you claim to be Christian, faithfully going to church each week, studying the Bible, being a good person, even being baptized, yet you are habitually sinning without repentance and turning from it, you are caught up in iniquity. You need to repent while there's still time. Jesus is coming soon.

Until He Comes-

-Pat-

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

 

One of the most common questions people wrestle with has been: “Why does God allow suffering?” This question shows up everywhere—from personal tragedies to global disasters—and it can shake faith at its core. Have you ever asked yourself or heard another say, "why did she have to die like that" or " why would God allow an innocent baby to get brain cancer?" The hard truth is, we learn and grow from suffering directly or indirectly, and the Bible doesn’t give a single, simple answer, but it offers a layered perspective. It teaches that human freedom plays a role; from the earliest stories, people are given the ability to choose and with that comes the possibility of harm. At the same time, suffering is not presented as meaningless. Many passages point to growth, perseverance, and a deeper dependence on God emerging through hardship. While that may not erase pain, it reframes it as something that can be transformed rather than wasted. Examples:

Job, Joseph, and Daniel. 

1. Job lost children, wealth, and his health yet remained faithful to God despite immense suffering and pressure to curse God.

2. Joseph endured betrayal by his brothers, slavery, and false imprisonment but trusted God's providence and became second-in command of Egypt.

3. Daniel was thrown into a lions den and saved.

and there were others: Naomi, Jeremiah, Hannah, even Paul the Apostle.

These individuals often faced situations where they had to abandon self-reliance and rely completely on God, often discovering His power through their weakness 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10. The question becomes especially intense when the suffering involves people who seem to have done nothing to deserve it—children, the vulnerable, or those caught in circumstances beyond their control. The Bible doesn’t ignore that tension; in fact, books like Job are built around it. Job is described as righteous, yet he loses everything, and the story deliberately resists the idea that suffering is always a direct punishment for wrongdoing. His friends try to force that explanation, but they are ultimately corrected. The message there pushes us away from simple cause-and-effect thinking and toward humility about what we can fully understand. One way the Bible approaches innocent suffering is by placing it within a larger, broken world rather than tying it to individual guilt. From early on, it presents humanity as living in a condition where things are not as they should be—where injustice, disease, and death exist alongside good. In that sense, suffering isn’t always targeted; it’s often the result of living in a reality where freedom, natural processes, and human choices intersect in painful ways. That doesn’t make it feel fair, but it shifts the question from “Why this person?” to “Why is the world like this at all?”—a deeper and more complex issue.

Another point is that the Bible portrays God as entering into suffering rather than remaining distant from it. Jesus was described as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3), a man who weeps with those who mourn (Hebrews 2:18), and John 11:35 described as a sympathetic High Priest sharing in human weakness to provide comfort. In the New Testament, the life of Jesus Christ centers on someone who is described as innocent yet experiences betrayal, injustice, and death. That doesn’t answer every philosophical question, but it reframes the issue: God is not depicted as detached from human pain but as participating in it. For many believers, that becomes a source of comfort—not because it explains suffering away, but because it suggests that suffering is seen, shared, and ultimately not the final word. I suppose this question doesn’t have a fully satisfying  answer—and maybe it’s not meant to. Any explanation that neatly justifies innocent suffering risks minimizing its weight. What the Bible seems to offer instead is a combination of honesty and hope: honesty that suffering, even of the innocent, is real and often inexplicable; and hope that it is not meaningless or permanent. It invites trust without demanding blind acceptance, and it leaves room for lament, questioning, and even protest. Which admittedly I have done some myself. In that way, wrestling with the question may actually be part of a deeper kind of faith rather than a failure of it.

Until He Comes-

-Pat Phillips-

A Lost Sheep

 

LUKE 15:4

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine… and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” 

When first reading this years ago, I didn't understand  leaving 99 sheep for one? It sounded like an  irresponsible thing to do. But as I've studied over the years, verses have become more clear.  Why leave ninety-nine sheep for one? It feels inefficient. But picture it in everyday terms. If a mother has three children and one wanders into danger, she doesn’t say, “Well, I still have two.” Love doesn’t calculate percentages. The value of the one isn’t reduced because there are many. The shepherd isn’t neglecting the ninety-nine; he is revealing his heart. The sheep isn’t rescued because it was the smartest, strongest, or most deserving, It was rescued because it was His.

Now think about the sheep. Sheep don’t usually rebel dramatically; they drift. They nibble a little farther, get distracted, look up , and suddenly they don’t recognize where they are. This is what happened to me. I became too distracted by Face Book, spending too many hours distracted by updates, posts, showing off my beloved dogs, visiting pages, commenting, etc.

That’s how most people wander. Not with fists raised at God, but slowly, subtly, preoccupied. And when a sheep is lost, it doesn’t find its way back by strategy. It needs to be found. The shepherd goes searching. That tells you something powerful: God’s pursuit is not passive. He doesn’t just stand at the gate hoping you’ll figure it out. He moves toward the lost.

And here’s the part that undoes people: when he finds the lost or wandering sheep, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. Not scolding. Not lecturing. Carrying. The shepherd absorbs the weight of the wandering sheep. That’s grace. The ninety-nine represent those who already know they’re safe with him. But heaven celebrates over one who is restored. The story isn’t about math — it’s about mercy. And the heartbeat behind it is this: no one is too small, too lost, or too far for Him to go after. I know. He came for me!

Until He Comes-

-Pat Phillips-

"Cleanse me from secret faults."

Hmm, secrets faults? What are secret faults? God’s law shows what sin is (Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4). Looking into the law helps us to see ourselves and what we need to change (James 1:23-25).

Still, David realized that we have blind spots. We may not recognize some sins in our own lives, but they are not secret to God. Asking God to cleanse us of secret sins implies more than just asking Him to forgive them. We need God to reveal them to us so we can commit to change and seek His help to overcome these sins.

The godly man is not only concerned about avoiding committing sins willfully, but also with extracting those hidden sins that are committed unknowingly: 

jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, laziness, desire for control, passive-aggression, inability to apologize, lying to avoid a conflict or protect our ego... all flaws often kept "secret."

Because we so often allow our carnal natures to dominate us, we remain blind to many of our sins and character flaws until God reveals them to us through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes “secret faults” can even be wounds, defenses, habits formed long ago that operate automatically. We don’t consciously choose them  they just run in the background.

 Notice the order in this Psalm right after asking cleansing from secret faults, David says: “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins…” (verse13). There’s a progression ... Secret faults → hidden, subtle/Presumptuous sins → willful, bold, rebellious/Hidden things, if not cleansed, grow into hardened things. And this goes right along with  Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart… and see if there be any wicked way in me.” That’s spiritual maturity ... inviting examination. “I may be wrong in ways I don’t know. Cleanse even those.” That’s safe ground spiritually.

Until He Comes-

-Pat Phillips-

 

Neither cast ye your pearls before swine

 

Matthew 7:6 taught, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." I understand the first part, but what is meant by "lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

This is a part of the Sermon on the Mount taught by Jesus Christ and is a metaphor (“don’t give holy things to dogs” & “don’t cast pearls before swine”). The second part "lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" explains why. Imagery is being used. Pearls are something valuable (wisdom, truth, sacred teaching). Swine (pigs) are creatures that cannot recognize the value of pearls. Dogs (in the ancient context anyway) are often wild scavengers, not beloved pets. Let's break it down:

A. “Lest they trample them under their feet…” If you throw pearls to pigs, they don’t recognize them as valuable, treat them like dirt, and step on them or crush them. Meaning people who cannot appreciate wisdom or sacred truth may treat it with contempt, mockery, or indifference.

B. "And turn again and rend you.” The word rend means to tear apart or attack violently. The idea is that once the pigs realize the pearls aren’t food, they may become frustrated or aggressive or turn on the person who threw them. Not only will some people reject or disrespect valuable truth, they may also attack, ridicule, or harm the person who offered it. Putting the whole verse together the full thought is essentially ... don’t offer sacred or valuable things to people who are incapable of appreciating them, because they will both destroy the value and may turn against you for giving it.

You could translate the whole idea like this: don’t waste profound truth on people determined to scorn it—they’ll trash it and may attack you for saying it. Subtle point many miss. This verse isn’t saying never share truth. In the broader teaching of Jesus, it’s about discernment—recognizing when someone is genuinely open vs. hostile and determined to ridicule. Knowing when not to engage is part of wisdom. Proverbs 4:7.

Until He Comes-

-Pat Phillips-

How Do You Really Know If You're SAVED?

 If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I really saved?” You’re not alone. 

Some people are confused when it comes to this subject.  I get it. Some people will tell you it's a matter of “just believe” (just agree Jesus is your Lord and Savior). Others believe they have to do more and earn it. Still others simply believe the act of walking to the front of a church after the altar call is sufficient. So which is it? 

" Am I saved"  is one of the most important questions anyone could ever ask. And the answer isn't found in opinions or denominations. It's found in the words of Jesus Himself. Start with John 14:6. Jesus said, "I am The Way, and The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me." THAT'S IT. Jesus didn't say He was "a" way, or "one of many ways," He said, " I am THE way." Salvation begins and ends with Jesus. It is not earned by your behavior. It is RECEIVED by belief! Genuine faith by the Son of God who died and rose again for you.

Here's where people get confused. Salvation is not about doing more. BUT, it is also isn't about repeating a prayer and then walking away unchanged. When you truly give your life to Jesus something inside you changes. Your desires, your heart, your direction. You don't become  perfect overnight. But your spirit is made new. That's what Jesus meant in John 3:3 when He said, "Truly truly, I say unto you, unless a man be born again, he will cannot see the Kingdom of God." The word born-again doesn't mean a checklist. It means transformation. It's the moment God takes you from spiritual death to spiritual life. And yes, real faith produces fruit (the 9 characteristics of a life led by the Holy Spirit- see Galatians 5:22 for that list).  Matthew 7:17-18 also reminds us, every healthy tree bears good fruit. Now, fruit doesn't save you, it's the manifestation you're direction has changed. You're new. Alive.  "Born-again."

So to the person wondering, Am I truly saved? Here's what to remember: you don't get saved by doing more. You get saved by surrendering more. You don't earn God's love, you respond to it. You don't climb  your way to heaven! Jesus already brought heaven down to you. If you've accepted Him, REALLY accepted Him trust what he said in John 10: 28, "I give them eternal life and they will never perish. And no one pluck them out of my hand." That's security. That's assurance. But don't mistake that grace for permission to live however you want. If Jesus is your Savior, he is also your Lord. That means we follow Him. Not to be saved, but because we ARE saved!

If you're still wondering if you are really saved, ask yourself this:  "Did I just say the words or did I surrender my life? Because when Jesus moves in, He does not rent space. He takes over.

Until He Comes,

Pat