Idols? What Idols?

I was conducting a self-examination the other day analyzing my attitudes, obedience, and faith in the Lord. My goal is to please God, remain strong in my faith, study to be wiser in what He desires of me, and to correct any misconduct displeasing to Him. It's always a good idea for everyone who walks in the faith of Jesus Christ to get in the habit of doing the same: 2 Corinthians 13:5: EVS "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves," ... 2 Corinthians: 11:28 EVS "Let a person examine himself," ... Galatians 6:3-5: EVS "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work," ... Psalm 139: 23-24 KJV "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Running through my own spiritual inventory and checking things off, God spoke to me and said, "Don't forget about idolatry." Puzzled by what I had just heard I stopped for a moment and grimaced. "Idolatry? What?? I don't worship idols, God. That's one thing I know I do not do!" No sooner had those words left my lips than I heard, "Look it up." Well, that was quite disturbing! I KNEW I didn't have idols nor did I idolize anyone. There are no posters of football players or movie stars on my walls. I don't consider anyone on this earth my "hero." I don't own or worship a shiny car. I don't purchase or brag about the latest fads or jewelry or idolize any musical artists, nor do I worship money or kill myself to obtain it. I needed help to know what the word idolatry meant. Maybe you do too.

According to Colossians 3:5 Idolatry is linked with covetousness. This is key! When we want something so much, we "covet" it. When that happens, that item, thing, material good, or even our own selves becomes the idol. In other words, we seek it rather than God. This is not a new concept. God warned His people in Exodus 20: 3-5 KJV "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them to serve them" ... The message God was telling them and us today is that HE ALONE is to be worshipped. Our attention, focus, and praise are due to the Creator of the universe and not to ourselves or anything made with our hands. One thing that crossed my mind is, we have this illusion that WE are lords of our world, that we control the earth through science, the weather by things we've built, space through our inventions, and so forth. It's an illusion and it builds our self-esteem to godlike proportions. Not even realizing it, we reject God's Word and HIS description of how HE created heaven and earth and how everything is HIS (1 Corinthians 10:26, KJV "For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.") When we place ourselves in the position as lords over the earth through science and how the earth came to be by our own wisdom, we cling to and accept the nonsense of things like atheistic evolution. Some people are insistent the earth is flat and even claim they have scientific evidence of such. I can prove their evidence wrong by one simple scripture, Isaiah 40:22 NIV "He (GOD) sits enthroned above the CIRCLE of the earth, and it's people are like grasshoppers" (He is so high up, and looking down, we look like grasshoppers.) That verse does not say triangle, rectangle, polygon, trapezoid, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, cylinder, decagon, heptagon or cone!! It says CIRCLE! The earth is round, people!


It's sad, but we also worship at the altar of materialism because it feeds our need to build our egos through obtaining more "stuff." Our homes are filled with all manner of possessions. I'm guilty as well. When I first purchased my house there was nothing in my garage but 2 cars, a lawnmower, a couple of brooms, paint cans, and a few garden shovels. Today, we're lucky to be able to fit 2 cars amongst all the material things purchased over 20 years! In fact, it was very recent that I mentioned the need to buy a storage shed for the backyard to transfer things there from the garage. We build bigger and bigger houses with more closet space and storage space in order to keep all the things we buy, much of which some people haven't even paid for yet! This insatiable desire for more, better, newer stuff is nothing more than covetousness. Some people use the term, "I have big eyes." It was last week that I said, "If I ever sell this home I am going to buy one with bigger closets and more storage areas" -- and there are no children or grandchildren in my house! It all belongs to me. I'm guilty too! Why wasn't my focus when speaking of finding another home to find one that is more energy efficient? It says something about me and it's an area of my life I'm going to have to confront. Satan's trap is to keep our minds focused on ourselves, on things, fads, the newest, the better improved, etc. until our desires are to please ourselves! By God telling me not to forget idolatry, it was His gentle way of telling me that I can even focus too much on myself and have! Who doesn't want to trade in their I-phone that still operates perfectly fine for a phone that takes better pictures, can send and receive money in messages, and practically cooks for you! Or who of us have mechanically sound cars that have lusted after the new cars and trucks that have so many new technological features? We have big eyes. All idolatry of self has at its core the three same lusts that enticed Adam and Eve from the beginning of the human race. 1 John 2:16 KJV says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not if the Father, but is of the world."

Other things we may not realize we worship rather than putting God first are our own ego's. Second, we also worship at the altar of our own pride and ego. This often takes the form of obsession with careers and jobs. Millions of men—and increasingly more women—spend 60-80 hours a week working. Even on the weekends and during vacations, our laptops are humming and our minds are whirling with thoughts of how to make our businesses more successful, how to get that promotion, how to get the next raise, how to close the next deal. In the meantime, our children are starving for attention and love. We fool ourselves into thinking we are doing it for them, to give them a better life. But the truth is we are doing it for ourselves, to increase our self-esteem by appearing more successful in the eyes of the world. This is folly. All our labors and accomplishments will be of no use to us after we die, nor will the admiration of the world, because these things have no eternal value. King Solomon said it well in Ecclesiastes 2:21-23. As Christians, we are to put to death all things earthly in us. Paul lists those things in Colossians 3:5 NIV "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." That's pretty clear! These were actions, lusts, and the desires of the former man before you were saved. "You were slaves to them who by nature are not gods" according to Galatians 4:8 NIV. "Can you cry out to any idol and have them save you when you are in trouble?" says Judges 10:14.

Idolatry is clearly sinful to God. It can include both the literal worship of material idols as well as worshipping other things or giving higher priority to anything other than God. And there are still numerous things I did not list. Did you know that Leviticus 19:4 KJV warns, "Turn ye not unto idols, nor make yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God." The word molten in the dictionary is defined as "metal or glass liquefied by heat." The first thing I thought if was trophies given out for sporting achievements. Is it a sin to be recognized for an achievement? No. But don't worship your trophy until it becomes an idol you worship. There is nothing wrong in owning a home, a car, an I-phone, or any such thing. God is clear, however, not to let these things become an idol, to worship them or the obtaining of them more than your desire to obtain God! How serious is it to be an idolater? Revelation 22:15 KJV says in the end of time judgment falls upon sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, and IDOLATERS! The way to overcome idolatry is to love God completely, replacing sinful practices or habits with God-honoring practices, and doing everything to the glory of God. It's time to get your spiritual house in order! Until next time ...
-Pat-
**EVS=English Standard Version
**NIV=New International Version
**KJV= King James Version

Life Sucks! Or Does It?

For many people, this world is distressingly unpleasant. Woody Allen once said, "Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable." Not really. The fact is, attitude is everything for better or worse. The way we perceive the world has a powerful effect on the results we obtain. A negative attitude is almost a guarantee that life will be more difficult and less fulfilling than it should be. Illustration: One year my best friend and I went to the Missouri State Fair. After walking around for hours we decided to stop for a bite to eat. I love State Fairs! It is a day where diets don't matter. At least in my book. That day the air was filled with the smell of kettle corn, BBQ ribs, snow cones, and cotton candy. I was in the mood for one of those long, deep-fried corn dogs on a stick. After paying $4.00 I took my chubby corn dog, found a picnic table, and sat down. Soon after my friend sat down with her chili covered corn chips. I was practically drooling on myself when I took my first bite. "Oh yum! Now, this is heaven," I said (picture above.) As my teeth sunk down for a second bite, the entire corn dog fell off the stick and plummeted to the grass below. For a moment I couldn't believe what had just happened. I was somewhere between disbelief and anger. There was my corn dog lying on the ground, $4.00 wasted, and I was still hungry! I looked up in disbelief when my friend quipped, "It's all fun and games until you lose your Weiner." That's all it took for me to see the situation in a different light. Instead of feeling anger and disappointment, I actually saw the incident as humorous. We laughed about it for the entire day and kept replaying it over and over. Things could have been different though. I could have chosen to be angry and distraught over the fact I wasted $4.00. I could have let it ruin my day. A pessimistic outlook in any situation will adversely affect your health too. This was true of many patients I spoke with while employed in the mental health field. I recall one patient who burst into my private office, threw herself down in my chair, and began weeping profusely! "I have been chemically depressed for years," she said, " I've tried Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, even suicide and nothing can lift this heaviness from me! Life sucks. My job sucks. My husband sucks. Even the dog sucks. Everything sucks. I just want to die!"

What do you do when life sucks? I've heard it said, 'when life throws you lemons, make lemonade.' But what happens if life throws you something bigger and more bitter than lemons? Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt abandoned, betrayed, ignored, insulted? What do you do? Do you reach out to God in prayer? That's great if you do, but what do you pray for? What is it you pray about? Do you tell God what happened to you and finish off with an amen? There is something you must never forget. I'm speaking of a three letter word. That word is BUT. You probably don't realize it, but it is a very powerful word when praying, especially when life sucks! I know, I know ... it's such a small word but it packs a big punch. How so? Well, that little word has the power to take you in a completely different direction. I compare it to the switch used on the rails trains ride. Have you ever seen a railroad man standing on the tracks as a train approaches? He won't ever stand in front of a train unless he is operating the switch at a railroad junction which will guide the train from one track to another. That's the word, "but." It will completely change the direction and power your prayer carries. It will be the switch that God will notice. I'll give you an example prayer: My life sucks right now, God, everything seems to have turned upside down and is spinning out of control, BUT I know you love me, care for me, and will never forsake me because I trust in you. Your Word promises me safety and shelter! Look at what King David prayed in Psalm 13 (emphasis mine):


Psalm 13:

How long will You forget me, O Lord? Forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long should I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest my enemies say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
BUT I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing unto the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me.


In the first four verses of David's psalm he seems to be crying out 'my life sucks and you don't seem to care, God.' How many of us have ever felt like David? I highlighted the word BUT in the psalm. David threw in that powerful word "but." Then everything changed. David then points himself back to the fact that he has and continues to trust in God's love for him, in the Lord's salvation, and because he chooses to praise God and declare that he has been dealt with bountifully by God. This isn't always easy to do when you're in the midst of your own crisis, and it certainly necessitates a prior belief in the goodness of God, but it can be done! Almighty God has a plan for our lives, and His plans are never derailed! Life IS NOT divided into the horrible and the miserable. I love this verse from Jeremiah 29:11, "I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future" (New International Version). It is always important to plan and prepare for life. But if your plans have suffered a setback, don't let discouragement overtake your mind. God loves you, He knows all about it. His plans will unfold in His timing. Life is a blessing, not a curse. Every breath we take is given to us by God. Keep that three-letter word near when you pray. Declare His promises, declare His Word, then trust Him to work things out. Until next time ...
-Pat-

Where Are You Rooted?

What is the logic behind people that plan ahead by purchasing a health insurance policy when they aren't exhibiting illness or disease? Or why do people purchase car insurance, or life insurance, or home-owners insurance? I think the answers are obvious.
We prepare for so many things we consider necessary, yet, we hesitate and some even reject the idea when it comes to the protection of our souls! Why? Jesus Himself IS our insurance policy to eternal life in heaven. What an offer! Why then would some Christians disobey His Word, disagree with His commands or neglect their salvation? Is it because they intend to sell their soul for just a little more fun? Is the answer because 'no one is going to tell me what to do'? Is it because in reality they only call on Jesus when they want or need something? Mark 8:36-37 says, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Why are so many people unconcerned about the protection of their soul?

The attraction of sin is very strong. It has destroyed non-believers and some professing believers for generations long before you were ever born. You may enjoy sin for a while, but soon you will discover the effects and you'll be left empty with guilt in your right hand, shame in your left, and damnation at your feet. There will be a day you will have to face God without Jesus as your insurance policy. We all know what happens here if we have no health, life, car or home insurance. YOU'LL PAY THE PRICE. Or another way of saying it, you'll pay the consequences for your decisions. The same is true in a spiritual sense. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Notice the word "wages?" That's payment. You will pay for your sin with spiritual death if you do not stop sinning! That death is eternal separation from God in the abyss -- Hell, Hades, Gehenna, Bottomless Pit, Lake of Fire --whatever you want to call it. The only way to assure you will not have to pay the wages you owe is through Jesus Christ and that, by accepting His Blood sacrifice for you on the cross. He alone is your insurance policy for your soul from the moment you "take it out" to the moment you die. It's lifetime coverage as long as you remain on the policy! There are no monthly installments or fees. The coverage is absolutely free.


With health insurance, car insurance, life insurance, and home-owners insurance you have to commit to paying your premiums every month. You may receive a few pardons for being late a few times, but you still have to commit to making your payments or you will lose coverage. Although Jesus' policy will never cost you money, and He will pardon you from time to time, there is a required commitment ... A commitment to read, to learn, to grow, and to mature in Him. Let me see if I can make this more clear. When we come to Jesus for salvation, for our insurance policy into heaven, we repent of our sins and make a commitment to follow Him. The only way to follow Him is to know what He wants of us. To know that, we have to read His Word for the instructions. When we begin to read, we begin to learn. As we learn, we begin to know more. As we know more we begin to appreciate and love Him more. When we love more, something begins to happen ...we begin to change inside; we mature in a spiritual sense! That is the Holy Spirit working in us. Then when mature, we begin to bear fruit. The one thing The Lord wants from us is to bear fruit. What fruit? The Bible tells us ..the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23). Why does God want that of us and why must we do it? Because it shows our commitment to Him. If you love Him, you seek Him. If you seek Him, you will grow and mature in His knowledge and then the fruit will become apparent! You begin to bear His characteristics. That's what it means. You become a "new creature," a "new-man," you're born again. What happens if we don't bear fruit? Besides proving you are lazy and not committed you are considered an unfruitful branch. Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches (John 15:5 KJV). If we abide in Him (remain in the Vine) WE WILL BEAR FRUIT! "Every branch that does not bear fruit is taken away" **removed! (John 15:2 KJV).

A good illustration is the thunderstorm storm that produced a squall and moved through my neighborhood last summer. Some called it a microburst. Many trees were uprooted and others, though still rooted, had broken limbs. When a tree has broken limbs, those limbs become separated from the life-giving properties of the tree. What is done with the broken branches? Generally, they are cut down and taken away because once the connection to the tree has been broken, they wither and die. No leaves will ever bloom from that branch again. It is the same for a fruit tree. If you had 1 apple tree that you bought specifically so you could have fruit but it never produced one apple, or if you had 100 apple trees in a grove and 2 failed to bring forth fruit, chances are you would cut them down and carry them away because they bore no fruit. "Bearing fruit" in the Biblical sense is a phrase used to describe the outward actions that result from the inward condition of a person's heart. If you read Galatians 5: 16-24 you will see the contrasts works (fruits) of the flesh compared with those of the Holy Spirit. In our sinful nature, we bear fruits such as adultery, idolatry, jealousy, fornication, anger, sinful vices, etc. BUT the fruits we bear of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, etc. As Christians, we want to bear fruit in keeping with our relationship with God. We seek to do things outwardly that demonstrate that we have been made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). If you continue to purposely sin after receiving Christ and are entangled in fornication, adultery, perversions, homosexuality, jealousies, rage, lying and so forth, those fruits are a witness that you are still living in your sinful nature. These are not "fruits" of a person rooted in Christ. What comes from your heart are the things that tell God who you are. Are you purposely staying in some sin? Do you justify your fornication because you "love him" or you "love her" so somehow God will overlook your sexual sin? Do you practice homosexuality and justify it because you believe you were "born that way?" Are you considering killing a baby in your womb through an abortion because of your own indiscretion, using the excuse "but God wouldn't have me ruin my life with an unwanted child." What are you reasoning within yourself and telling God? What do your fruits expose?

Being firmly rooted in Christ will furnish your soul those same things we seek through a variety of insurances: guaranteed protection but without a price! Bearing fruit in the Christian life requires abiding in The Vine! When we are connected and intentional about our relationship with God, we produce the fruit The Holy Spirit cultivates within us. He does the work! Our fruit-bearing is simply a result of what He does because of the intents of the hearts. Jesus said, "You did not choose me, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide..." (John 15:16) because He wants us to bear His image on earth. He wants us to be transformed into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18). As the Holy Spirit works in us He sanctifies us, but He cannot work if we continue to purposely remain in certain sins! As we yield to Him, He sanctifies us and it is then we become more and more like Christ in actions, thoughts, intentions, and deeds. It's a process, a process of growing. Understand, it's not about doing good works or attempting righteousness in our own strength. Rather, it is about intentionally growing in our walk with Christ, inviting the Holy Spirit's work of transformation in us, and actively obeying God in all He calls us to do! As we seek Him and lay down our own fleshly desires for His better ways, we will bear lasting fruit and serve as healing and light to a world in need of that one insurance policy; Jesus! When we plant our seeds in others, more fruit will abound across the world. (Matthew 5:13-16). Until next time ...
-Pat-

Homosexuality: The Seed and The Soil

I received an email question from a reader in Alaska asking if I would explain what my feelings are on homosexuality. Thank you for your question.
Homosexuality is a difficult subject to address. Not because I don't have an answer but because much of the world is undecided regarding it IE: are we born that way, is it really wrong, etc. And regardless of the Bible clearly describing it as an abomination, people refuse to believe that homosexuality is even spoken of in the Old or New Testament so they won't hear anything on the subject. But the subject is mentioned in God's Word! So I am happy to be sharing what I know about it here in this forum. My experience has been that even if shown the exact scripture location people refuse to hear what the Word of God says about it. To be clear, I am not writing this blog to condemn or hate homosexuals. I am writing to answer the question posed to me. My answer will come from what I have learned by reading, studying and understanding the Bible. First, God calls homosexuality an abomination. Have you ever bothered to look up the word abomination? It means "a thing that causes disgust or hatred." Some synonyms for abomination are an atrocity, disgrace, outrage, evil. Here is one scripture regarding the law of ancient times and is found in the old testament, "You shall not lie with a man as with a woman, it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22). This scripture is clearly telling us, Men, do not lie with another man (sexually) as you do with a woman. It is an atrocity, evil, and a disgraceful outrage and it is disgusting to God and He hates it. One thing happens when men and women "lie together." This verse is specifically speaking of sexual contact. I have had people say, "That's the Old Law. Things are different today!" Is murder still wrong today? Is adultery still wrong? The law has never changed. There are others that swear homosexuality was never talked about in the New Testament. Yes, yes it was. Still, people refuse to believe it.

Again, here is a clear and understandable scripture from the New Testament which literally addresses both homosexuality AND lesbianism. Romans 1: 26-27 KJV, "Even women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise, also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly (improper), and receiving in themselves that recompense (penalty) of their error which was meet (which was due)." I want you to notice how this scripture mentions the words "nature" and "natural use." When men and women have an attraction to each other, that's natural, No? When a man has intercourse with a woman that is nature, no? So it can be determined that lying with the opposite sex and the natural instinct of sexual attraction not only exist between a male and female, but it's how God intended it because it follows nature! Therefore, male with male or female with female (homosexual/lesbian) attractions are not "natural". They are in fact, AGAINST NATURE. Why am I saying that? According to the verses above a homosexual union is referred to as "an error." Read the verse again, Romans 1:26 & 27. I want you to remember that word error. I'm going to prove BY THE WORD and BY NATURE that the 'formula' in a homosexual, gay, or lesbian relationship is an error. There is nothing natural about it. It is a lie of Satan. It is a deception that catches literally millions of people on this planet.

Let me explain homosexuality in a way that might be clearer to some. This will be in my words now, my own analogy.
A scientist takes a tomato seed from California and a tomato seed from Rhode Island. He wants to combine the two so that he will produce a tomato plant that will be able to endure the heat of the California desert or the harsh winter cold of the northeast. He wants a plant that will continue to grow year round regardless of weather. He begins his experiment. He lays both seeds side-by-side in a Petree dish. He waters them and sets the Petree dish on a sunny windowsill. After 2 weeks he checks his seeds. Watering them again and providing plenty of light he leaves them again, checking on them periodically week after week, feeding, watering, attending... after 6 months the scientist realizes his experiment is a failure. The seeds did not produce. They were unfruitful.

Likewise, a female scientist in Rhode Island wants to be the first inventor to develop the richest organic soil available to farmers. One that can be used in any barren part of the world even if there is drought. This soil will produce a crop even without rain. So she sends for soil from the fertile fields of Kansas, and the small Qatar Peninsula off western Asia. When the soils arrive she cannot contain her excitement. She opens the containers, mixes the soils together, lightly and lovingly packs them down in a big clay pot. She waters the soil and places the pot on a sunny windowsill. After 2 weeks she checks the pot. Nothing has happened. Watering again and providing plenty of light she leaves again, checking on the pot periodically week after week, watering, attending, etc... after 6 months she realizes her experiment is a failure. The soil did not produce. It was unfruitful. Both experiments did not produce because seed and seed cannot produce a plant without soil. And soil mixed with soil will never be fruitful unless a seed is put inside the soil! Likewise, a man with another man cannot "produce" offspring. Neither can soil of itself produce a plant, a bush, a tree, etc unless a seed is placed inside of it. The two scientists are in error! Their "formula" was wrong. Had only the scientist combined the seeds from California and Rhode Island and planted them into the soil from Kansas or Qatar, there would have been a crop. In fact, the seeds from California and Rhode Island could have been planted in any soil and it would have produced a plant. This is how you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that homosexuality is the wrong formula. God said in Genesis 1:28, "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY." How can homosexuals or lesbians multiply NATURALLY? Homosexuality and lesbianism is an error. The formula is wrong. Can you see it? Can you understand it?

Here is the bottom line. If men were meant to be with men and women were made to naturally be with women, the human race would have died off. That was not and is not God's plan. He wanted us to fill the earth, to bring forth, to be fruitful. The scientist's formula, if adopted as correct, would have killed off every plant, tree, shrub, flower, or herb on the earth. Homosexuality, had it been God's formula, would have killed off humanity. It is Satan who comes "to kill, steal, and destroy" (John 10:10) Satan is sifting people like wheat, killing, stealing and destroying them just as he wanted to of Peter. Do you know what the process of sifting wheat was? How could it apply to you? In short, harvesters gathered wheat from the field. they would beat that wheat against a hard surface to break it up. This process of beating, beating, beating dislodged the grain from the stalks and the husks. Satan not only wants to beat you over the head with lies, errors, temptations, etc. that you become so whipped, so confused, so unsure what is right and what is wrong that your spirit separates from God and you fall to the ground in his arms. He's got you. Please read the Bible for yourself. Look up the scriptures I've placed here. Satan is cunning, deceitful, sly, deceptive. Homosexuality is an error. In the beginning, it was not so (Matthew 19:4) "Have you not read that in the beginning from the creation, He made them MALE AND FEMALE, and said 'for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?" That is marriage...1 male, 1 female. That is one flesh...the male and his female. This, therefore, are my thoughts and God's words regarding homosexuality. Until next time ...
-Pat-

Plugged In

It's 10 PM. You're getting ready for bed because you have an early 5 a.m. call. What is the result when you fail to charge your cell phone overnight and then slip it into your pocket as you head to work? Or what happens that same morning when you slide two pieces of bread into the toaster, walk away, and return one minute later only to find the plug detached from the outlet? Does your cell have a charge? Is your bread toasted? What are the results? Nothing! Nothing fruitful happens. These are simple and understandable examples of what happens in the spiritual realm when we do not plug into Jesus through His Word. The Bible (The Word) is but one powerful vehicle whereby we remain connected to God. Why is that important? The Word of God is like a Vine and the source of our covenant relationship with God. We are the branches that develop off that vine and if we become disconnected, we produce no fruit. "He who remains in Me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 KJV). Picture a robust peach tree with fruit blooming forth from every limb. Picture that same tree getting whipped around in a wind storm and one of the branches gets torn away and falls to the ground. What happens to the green leaves of that branch after days of being cut off from the source of the tree? You've seen it! The once, healthy green leaves begin to wilt, dry up, turn crispy brown and eventually wither away. What happens to the fruit on that same broken branch after its source of energy and moisture from the roots of the tree are no longer being supplied? The fruit begins to rot! Notice the five words that stand out in the scripture above. He who REMAINS in me. We must remain in Him, abide in Him, stay connected and plugged into the Power Source because without Him we will not grow, we will not bear fruit and in fact, John 15:6 (NIV) says we will be cut off if we don't remain in Him. "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." The only way to be filled with all the fullness of God is to stay connected if we don't want to wither away from our only Life Source.

Some of us claim we have spiritual lives but really aren't doing anything with them. Though connected to the Power Source they aren't really "plugged in." I'll give you another simple and understandable example of what I mean. How many of you have a DVR, a Roku, or cable box that has a light on the front that stays lit when your TV is turned off? You know those three things are drawing some kind of power which keeps the indicator light on, yet none of them are operating the television even though the small indicator light tells you they are receiving electricity. The DVD unit or a Roku unit as an example, are extracting some power yet without the full power between them and your television, making them basically useless because they are not operating in the full capacity they were made for. This example reminds me of people who are "connected" to God verbally but aren't really committed and plugged in enough to want to grow and bear fruit. They will keep siphoning the power of very little knowledge from the Word (Vine)... just enough to keep from dying altogether. Yet they aren't nourished enough to bear fruit because they don't feed enough to grow up into a tree and bear fruit themselves thus feeding others from their bounty.


It is a scary thing when we don't remain in Christ because if cut off from the wellspring of God's Spirit, we begin to wither and die. Reading God's Word is vital! It gives us the instructions on how we conduct and lives our lives. Scripture says, "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). The primary way God speaks to us is through the Bible. You should really want to search what purpose God has for you. The more you read, pray, and converse with Him, the more He will reveal His knowledge. Will God reveal how to be a neuro-surgeon, plumber, or painter? No, there are plenty of trade schools and colleges for that. But He will teach you how to get and keep patience, kindness, charity, knowing your purpose, revealing what happens after death, how to have and maintain peace and happiness in the midst of turmoil, principals to help you cope with problems and anxieties, how to live in harmony and so on. The entire book was inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). As you read it, you will begin to understand the heart of God and why He left us His words. It's a book of wisdom, a book of prophecy, a book of love. I know there are parts of the Bible that are complex and hard to understand but with time, with sincerity, with determination to know ... "God rewards those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). And, He will reveal things to you that will have you leaping for joy, Psalm 25:14 " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." When you seek Him, want to know Him, love Him, you will say as Psalm 91:10-11 "He is my refuge and my fortress. No evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. He will put His angels in charge over you, to guard you and keep you in all your ways." I say to the reader as in verse 1-2 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Here is the sum of it all: Jesus said, "I AM the vine. You are the branches." DON'T LOSE YOUR CONNECTION! Only a connection to the Vine gives life. Only a connection to the Vine produces fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). He is the source of our life, apart from Him, we wither and die. By holding fast to the disciplines of prayer, study, fellowship, and availability to serve, we are assured of fellowship with other believers in the Body of Christ and an everlasting place in the Kingdom of God. Until next time ...
-Pat-

Power To Become

There is an intriguing verse in 2Timothy 3:2. It reads, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." To be clear, the reference is made concerning weak women who were being taken advantage of by false teachers. Paul notes that these women were "always learning" but were "never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." This verse can be applied to people today who are always seeking the newest, latest, most appealing to the ear spiritual teaching they can find. This is sometimes referred to as a person who is "so open-minded that their brains have fallen out." At some point, a person needs to recognize truth and accept it, rather than constantly bouncing from one church to another, one opinion to another, one belief to another. The verse specifically states they were "unable to come to the knowledge of the truth." It does not say these women were unable to come to the truth but unable to come to THE KNOWLEDGE of the truth. This is important. Why? Because for the Christian there are many truths: God exists, Jesus walked the earth, there are 10 commandments, there is a heaven, etc. But what is so fascinating is that Timothy is specifically pointing to a knowledge of the truth that even though people are ever learning are unable to come to it. Why is that? Let me ask this. Is any one person's salvation secure if they believe God exists? Is any one person's salvation secure because they believe there was once a man named Jesus? Is any one person's salvation locked in because they believe heaven is real? Believing these statements, even though they are biblically true, will not secure a place for you in heaven. Even Satan believes these things to be true but he has no place in heaven! How do I know? Because Satan can and has quoted scripture--Matthew 4:6 as an example. How can Satan possibly quote scripture if he has never read it? He knows very well God exists, Jesus reigns, and that there is a heaven because he and his angels were kicked out of that realm! He also knows hell awaits him.

1 Timothy 2:4 uses the same term "the knowledge of the truth" and equates it to being saved. Interesting, no? What, therefore, is 'the knowledge of the truth?' Let's look further.
It is a fact that people are often changing from one church, one religion, one belief, one teacher or pastor and are ever learning, ever looking, ever searching for a convenient truth but without ever coming to an understanding of God's saving truth in Jesus Christ. Searching for truth isn't wrong but unfortunately, people often seek out numerous pastors that support teachings that appeal to their human senses but are, in fact, false doctrine. They may sound good, like the name it-claim it- you can have it religions; sermons that do not condemn abortion or homosexuality but instead candy coat God's message, or other messages that conflate labeling sin as being judgmental or those that actually won't admit certain behaviors are sins. These messages of preachers and pastors have a "form of godliness" but deny the power thereof says 2 Timothy 3:5. What? Did that say they deny the POWER thereof? Power? What power? These pastors and their messages look good and sound good on the outside, but they are far from godly truth. There is knowledge and there is a godliness given to those who obey the things of God, a divine revelation, a roadmap and guide to becoming sons of God. John1:12-KJV reads, "But as many, as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name." Other versions say "the right to become sons of God." What you should be looking at is, God gives a believing Christian the power to become sons of God. Let that sink in! The definition of the word "become" is: the beginning to be! Think of that. True believers are given the power and right to begin to be the sons of God. It is a process, a journey, a beginning! Do I have your attention?


Just because you believe there is a God, does that automatically make you a son of God? If you believe there was once a man named Jesus, does that make you a son of God? If you go to church on Sundays and like what your pastor preaches, does that make you a son of God? If you wear a cross around your neck, help the poor, tithe 10% of your income, continually pray and even see miracles through your hands in the name of Jesus, does that qualify you as a son of God? Jesus said no! He said, "Many will say to me in that day saying, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?' And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me you that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:22-23). Now, wait a minute! According to this verse, these people did great things, wonderful things, even to the point of having the power to prophesy and cast out demons! Every believer knows the only way to cast out a demon is by the Holy Spirit within them. So if the Holy Spirit was living in these that followed Christ, how in the world could Jesus say He never knew them? His answer is in the second part of that sentence... "depart from me you that work iniquity." What is iniquity? It is sin, wickedness, evil, vices, etc. So then, even though these so-called followers " had Jesus" were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, were given the power to prophesy, were even given the power to cast out demons (and I'm sure all that being true, the power to heal through the name of Jesus as well) there was one "power" one "knowledge of truth" they did not bother to hear, heed, or do that disqualified them. Can you guess what it was? OBEDIENCE! They did not turn from their iniquities according to Jesus statement. They WORKED iniquity. They made an effort, they labored to keep their old ways. They purposely chose to continue committing sin. Today there are those within the body of The Church of believers that call themselves Christians but do the same thing! They will tell you it is impossible to give up certain vices or apply their definition of "impossible" as an occasion to continually and purposely sin (1 Peter 2:16). Why do they do this? Because they believe they are "saved" regardless of their continued actions and for them, disobeying the Word of God isn't an issue. Their mantra is "once saved, always saved." Jesus proved that to be wrong in Matthew 7:22-23. Does anyone really believe you can be a Christian, believe you're going to heaven, yet not turn from your adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, continual lying, and your perversions? The verses go on to teach that whosoever hears and does what Jesus says is likened unto a wise man, but whoever does not obey what Jesus teaches will be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. He explains why in verse 27, "and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and bear upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Let me open your eyes. A Christian who listens to and goes along with any other instructions besides Jesus' words (found in the Bible), if they gravitate toward candy-coated, flesh appealing sermons, if they read every how-to-be prosperous book and never search the Bible that contains real riches, if they let themselves get carried away by every wind of doctrine that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy, those rain storms of false doctrine will be like a torrential rain that erodes the sand away upon which they have built their foundation of faith! Great will be their fall. Only Jesus is the sure foundation, our solid Rock. "They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). If you turn from the knowledge of the truth, you will be so laden with doctrines of men you will follow anything that sounds better than the truth of God and you will slide back into sin. False doctrine corrupts the mind and encourages the flesh. As long as people follow men, religion, traditions, or cults, deemed as 'cleverness or supposed spirituality' --which in turn makes them feel clever and spiritual too -- they will be flawed from the beginning of their understanding because it will be based on human intellect and knowledge and not in God or His knowledge. It is God's knowledge of the truth, that same power, that changes and transforms you and it won't matter how diligently you attend church or do good things if you do not turn away from your sin. Yes Jesus forgives sins, yes Jesus washes you clean, but if you are truly walking in the Spirit you will not purposely REMAIN in or return to the sin He set you free from. Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, there is no excuse that you cannot turn, stop, repent, renew. Remember, every believer is given the power TO BECOME SONS OF GOD! Until next time ...
***Recommended reading: "POWER TO BECOME" by David A. Bednar
-Pat-

I AM

Truths: I am a woman. I am petite. I am olive skinned. I am the fourth child of five. I am living in the Midwest. I am a taxpayer. I am a senior.
These are all truths. I AM these things, they are absolutes! It is not that I "might" be a woman;" "I could be a resident of the Midwest;" "I may be the fourth sibling born of five;" "it's a possibility I am a senior" ... NO, I AM! Period.

Here are ten of many "I AM"s of God:
1. John 8:58 "Before Abraham was, I AM."
--(IN THE BEGINNING was the Word and the Word became flesh and lived among us. He is eternal. Was, Is and is to come. The Almighty)
2. John 14:6 "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
--(He is the only Truth. No man comes to the Father but by HIM.)
3. John 15:5 "I AM the Vine, you are the branches."
--(We need to be rooted in Him alone and must depend on Him for nourishment to grow.)
4.Revelation 1:8 "I AM the Alpha and the Omega."
--(He owns time. Everything runs on His timing: by Him, with Him, through Him.)
5. John 11:25 "I AM the Resurrection and the Life."
--(There is no existence in heaven without Him. His resurrection overcame hell and death)
6. John 8:12 "I AM the Light of the world."
--(In Him is no darkness at all. Heaven has no need of the sun for Jesus, the Lamb, is the light thereof.)
7. John 6:35 "I AM the Bread of Life."
-- His WORD is our sustenance. We cannot grow, know His instruction, or overcome sinning without renewing our minds in it!)
8. Revelation 17:18 "I AM alive forevermore and have the keys of hell and death."
--(Jesus is KING. It is Jesus alone who determines who enters heaven and who will be cast down.)
9. John 10:11 "I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."
--(He loved us enough to die for us that we might have Life.)
10. John 10:9 "I AM the door. If any man enters by me he will be saved ..."
--(Jesus is the only way, the only door, the only path, the only entrance into heaven.)

Just as it is an absolute truth I am a woman, these scriptures regarding Jesus are absolutes as well. " There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him [through John's testimony] everyone might believe. He was not the Light, but he came to bear witness of the Light." John 1:7 AND, "This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down: and we know his testimony is true." (John 21:24). The above statements were made by John for one reason ...that you might believe JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY. Jesus was Truth. He was Light. He lived among us. He was crucified, died, was buried and then resurrected (overcame death) for YOU so you could live forever with Him if you believe. There is no other Door. There is no other Way. There is no other Light. There is no other Shepherd. This was and is the truth John testified to. The same John whom the Bible said was sent by God and that his testimony is true! Exodus 3:14 is an amazing statement by God Himself to Moses. God said, "I AM that I AM." God told Moses to go to the children of Israel and say, "Tell them I AM has sent me to you."

GOD IS THE ALL IN ALL. The "I am that I am" He said. He was JESUS IN THE FLESH who came to earth to show us, tell us, guide us, instruct us how to find our way to God. Think of that! JESUS WAS GOD HIMSELF (taking on the flesh of man). Why is that so hard to believe? He is GOD! He can do anything! Look to the heavens. See all the stars? The Moon? The planets? The sun!! The sun is roughly 109 times the diameter of the earth. Did you know about 1 million of our earths could fit inside the sun? And that is just the sun. They're all hanging up there by design! If God could make that, do you not believe He could cause Himself to be conceived inside of Mary's womb without a man, to then be born, enter this world as Jesus, live as we do so that He could show us the way Home? WHY? Jesus had to become a man (yet sinless GOD) to be able to bleed and die to redeem us. The only way to do that was to have a body... a body in order to pay the penalty for sin (Hebrews 10:1-8). And that, because without the shedding of blood as the great I AM tells us, there is no remission of sins. Jesus had to become flesh, a human (yet still God) to satisfy His own demands to eradicate sin. We cannot enter His Kingdom in a sin state. And face it, we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) --that is a fact, an absolute. Every single human being has strayed from God. Every one of us at some point has, therefore, spurned God. Paul said of every person in Romans 2:10 " It is written, none is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks God." That was true of me once as well. God (as the man Jesus Christ) came to rule, reveal, and redeem.

To the unbeliever, to those of the world, to those yet without Christ, do you see your need for Jesus? Do you recognize He is the only redemption available to you? It is only through His sacrifice and His grace that you can be saved because all have sinned because of our Adamic nature--that proclivity to commit sin. When Adam and Eve defied God, they sinned and they died "spiritually." That means they, AS WITH US, became separated from our Creator. And by so doing, they as well as us, lost fellowship and communication with God because SIN SEPARATES US FROM A HOLY GOD. It is only in Christ we can be made one with God again and have the holy, sinless, original spiritual image restored back to us (VERY IMPORTANT TO READ John 17:22, Colossians 1:27). How can this happen for those separated from God? Believe Jesus is God, the great I AM. Be sorry you have rejected Him all this time. Confess it. Repent of the sins you have committed through life and vow to follow Him. Begin reading your Bible. His Word will transform you. It will instruct you how to live and it will begin revealing Gods wisdom, knowledge, and instruction. Your desires to commit the sins you once did begin to fade and lose their appeal as His Holy Spirit works in you. Feast on that Word as much as you can. After all, He said, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. It has the power to keep you and sustain you to the end. Until next time...
-Pat-

Your Odds? 1:1

I received sad news today regarding a friend's health. It doesn't look good. If it were not for the fact she is a believer and for giving her heart to Christ many years ago, I would be completely losing it. I thank God that as Christians, you and I have an eternal hope beyond this "tent" in which we temporarily dwell. There seems to be no greater fear than that of death. One thing is sure, there is no escape from death "there is a time to be born and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Dying is a fundamental fear and no wonder! Consider the odd's ...one in every one person will pass away! We will never escape the death of our bodies. One thing my husband used to say while jesting was nothing is certain in life except death and taxes. I have two thoughts on that. Anyone could most certainly avoid taxes if he is clever enough or if he hires the right lawyer. Secondly, as true as it is that our physical bodies will expire, a term we call DEATH, the fact is, ALL OF US will actually live on eternally! We don't really die. Some pass to an eternity of bliss. Others not so much. Who are the ones that will experience heavenly bliss or the others a life of separation, darkness, and torment? You could go to any graveyard and read the headstones ... buried there are young, old, male, female, brothers, wives, husbands, daughters, even babies! But nowhere will you read on those carved stones where the departed went! So how can we know if anything lies beyond the grave? Today I'm hoping this blog will settle your heart and mind that there is life after death and that you need to think seriously about the fate beyond your physical body.

Though not one grave marker will indicate what awaited the departed, the Bible does. For all believers and non-believers, death is not the end of the story! Paul tells the followers of Christ in his writings that we have nothing to fear no matter what we die of, how we die, when or where we die. Why is there nothing to fear? Because God left us a promise in Paul's writing 2 Corinthians 5:1, " For WE KNOW (he says...we know) that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens"-KJV. Let's read the NIV version, "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." I like the comparison made of our bodies to a tent. Why? Have you ever gone camping in a tent? Have you ever had a problem with the aluminum poles slanting or collapsing in the wind? Have you ever had your tent leak in the middle of a rainstorm? Or the outer shell tear? Well, I have. Just like a tent, our bodies wear out with age. They sag, they wrinkle, they aren't as strong, aren't as resilient, or colorful, or protective as they once were. Like the aluminum poles of a tent our bones eventually collapse, our foundation weakens, we leak!! Face it, our bodies don't last forever. Consider the difference in the passage between the tent and a building. Isn't a tent basically flimsy? They tear and wear out. They are not meant to be a permanent fixture! They are meant to be replaced. A building, on the other hand, is built on a solid foundation, they are strong and never meant to be moved out of their place. Someday we will leave this "tent" and head home to our surer foundation, Jesus Christ, and our home in heaven prepared for us by God Himself. Death is not the end. It is not annihilation. It is not the finish and you most certainly will live on in heaven or hell! There is no in-between. If you want a simpler term to understand what "death" is for all believers in Christ, call it a trade-in! One day we will trade in our old, broken- down, barely working, hardly seeing, difficulty walking or 'unable to do anything' bodies for a new glorious, disease-free, worry-free, age-free body.

Death will be as easy as taking off an old, battered coat for a brand new one (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). When my friend passes she will immediately receive her new resurrected body, and for me, that is enough to know she is with Jesus and will have no more pain, no more disappointment, no more struggle, no more worries, no more disease, no more being hurt, etc. In a way, I am a tad bit jealous of all those who have gone before me that gave their lives and their living to Jesus. They are now clothed in His love and experiencing what my eyes have not seen nor ears heard what God has given to those that love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9). Because God created us as individuals, no two people are alike, that makes each of us unique to Him. Before the fall of man, our bodies were not carnal or mortal. How do I know? Because of Genesis 1:27. It says we "were created in the image of God" and John 4:24 says "God is a Spirit." It was only after the decision made to disobey God that Adam and his wife (and every human family born from that beginning seed including you and I) lost our original "covering" which was sinless, pure, and righteous...the very essence of God. I believe it is THAT IMAGE to which we will return. I also believe we will look like ourselves ...same face, same basic personalities, etc. but with such a glorious, holy presence. Each of us will be so beautiful, our countenance beaming without the ugliness and weight of sin.

This is our hope of eternal salvation. I do not view heaven as a place where people float on clouds or sing hymns as we do here! "No eye has seen or ear heard what God has prepared for those that love Him," says 1 Corinthians 2:9. I do believe praise, rejoicing, and songs will be on our lips. How could it not? But I also believe heaven must be a lot like earth before sin corrupted God's creation! After all, God created a place of magnificence referred to as a garden or a paradise. I love the beauty of this earth from the waterfalls to the Amazon rain forest. From the Kansas wheat fields to the snow-covered Colorado rocky mountains. The warm Gulf waters, to the brilliant leaves that paint our trees in Fall! It was all created by God. It is His handiwork. How much more beauty will our eyes behold in heaven where there is no sin, no evil, no darkness at all. There is no night there, indeed not even a need for the sun, for the Glory of Jesus lights the place (Revelation 22:5). Can you imagine? For all believers, including my friend, it's going to happen. God has promised it! You have a 1 in 1 chance you are going to die. You also have a 1 in 1 chance you will live forever. You only have a 50% chance that it will be in heaven. What is your choice? Until next time ...
-Pat-

Talents

One morning this week I awoke around 4 a.m. Usually, when I'm awakened that early the Lord has something to say and He will place whatever that is it on my heart. Sure enough, still sleepy-eyed He brought the parable of the talents to my mind. He laid out in a quick visual order how He wanted it presented in another blog. He used members of my family as an example to make it clear. So here we go. The parable is found in Matthew 25: 14-30. It is best if you read it now or even later if you can. Most Christians are familiar or somewhat familiar with the verses. But in short, Jesus told a parable about what the Kingdom of heaven is like. He made clear to me that he was speaking about the KINGDOM OF not the actual "location of" heaven but rather how it works, it's governing if you will. Well, that got my attention! The verses tell of a man who would be traveling to a far country and before leaving left his servants talents (a talent was a weight of currency for Romans & Greeks. Today its a word used equivalently to aptitude or skills) ... in the parable the man gave 5, 2 and 1 talents to his servants respectively and did so ACCORDING TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES. When the man returned the parable explains that he asked how each of his servants used their talent(s). Now to what the Lord showed me.

I have 3 siblings and without using their names, I'm using them in this blog AS AN EXAMPLE ONLY to help explain this parable.
Jesus informs my siblings and me that He is going away for a time but would return one day. However, before going He gives us each a skill, a "talent" (or talents) and He wanted us to use them to multiply His Kingdom here on earth. And when returning we knew to expect that He would collect what was gained by investing our talents.
Jesus came to my first and eldest sister. To her, He gave 8 wonderful talents.
Jesus came to my second sister and gave her 5 talents.
To me, well I received 2 talents.
To my youngest brother, Jesus gave 1 talent.

After a long time, Jesus returns. He approaches my oldest sister and asks what she did with her 8 talents. She answers, "Look, Jesus, I took the 8 talents that you gave me, bought a ticket to New Guinea, built a missionary there and low and behold after a few years I was able to build 3 more! There are pastors, preachers, and helpers bringing people to Christ. Jesus smiled and said, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." Jesus approached my second sister and asks how she used her 5 talents. She answers, "Look, Jesus! I spent my 5 talents just on paper and pens. And with that, began writing novels about the love of Jesus and His saving grace. And wow, my books sold! Many people who didn't know you before learned about you and turned their lives to you!" Jesus smiled and said, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." Then Jesus approached me! "Well, Pat, what did you do with the 2 talents I gave you?" "Lord," I said, "I'm not an author but by chance, though I was nervous, used the 2 talents you gave me to speak clearly and began writing blogs about what you've taught me, hoping that I might give clarity to those who find the Bible hard to understand. I'm not sure I've gained much, but I did as you wanted. I did not waste my talent." Jesus looked at me with eyes of love and a sweeping smile across His face and pronounced, "Well done my faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord." To my youngest brother, Jesus asked the same ..."And what about the 1 talent I blessed you with? How did you use it?" Instead of "investing" what Jesus gave him, my brother buried his in the ground and answers, "I fear you and I know you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you never scattered seed. So I hid my talent in the ground. I never used it. Here have it back." Jesus replies, " You wicked and lazy servant! You knew I was coming back and that I was expecting you to do something with the talent I gave you! I'm taking the talent from you and giving it to your older sister!" This is what I saw. What is meant by this?

The underlying tone of the younger brother, besides being lazy is, he thought Jesus was being harsh, unfair, and fearsome to even ask him to use his talent. He simply didn't want to make the effort so he hid his talent by burying it in the ground hoping his slothfulness would never be discovered. And note! The younger brothers answer to Jesus indicates he thought he shouldn't be blamed or punished for his slothfulness because after all, he answered Jesus basically saying, "Here have it back Jesus, at least it wasn't wasted." WRONG! An unused talent given to you by God is a wasted talent. Notice how this brother tried to put the blame on Jesus instead of taking responsibility for his own actions ...I know you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you never scattered seed. So basically because he thought Jesus was being harsh he blamed Jesus for his own lazy actions! The "talents" in the parable represented by money (because money invested gains interest) represents the various TALENTS God gives HIS SERVANTS/His followers to use and multiply His Kingdom on earth. What is the conclusion then? Jesus said in Matthew 25:29-30 " For unto every one that has, there shall be more given, and he shall have abundance: but from him, that has not it shall be taken away even that which he has. Therefore, cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." WHY was the brother who hid his talent punished so severely? The deeper theme of the parable is not money but loyalty! Loyalty to the master is demonstrated through faithful stewardship. Stewardship is a lifestyle and its how Gods Kingdom was set up. It is the lifestyle of one who accepts God as loving Maker and Savior. Willingly we serve Him with our talents. One last note: it doesn't matter how much talent you have, a lot or little, but that whatever you have been given, you are to use it to serve and promote The Kingdom of God. It could be a talent in writing, teaching, preaching, counseling, blessing others, visiting the sick, witnessing, standing for Christ, not being ashamed of the gospel and posting scriptures on Facebook, volunteering in your church body, uplifting the downtrodden, clothing the poor, etc. Whatever shows the world the love of Jesus and expands the good news of the gospel is our duty as stewards of that gospel. And did you notice, no matter how much or how little each servant invested, all of them were rewarded the same? Never think you have too little to offer to make a difference! Until next time ...
-Pat-

Open or Closed?

There is a simple fact. God wants His people to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Sadly, many of us are not doing so. The cares of this world consume our minds day in and day out. Though we are faithful to feed our bodies when hunger calls, we so often fail in feeding our spirit which also requires spiritual food to survive. Feeding on God's Word to keep us strong and healthy should be just as important as three balanced meals we provide our bodies each day. Why is it that we can easily be driven to read the latest novel written by a famous author, or to spend an entire afternoon at a local book store skimming through dozens of books until we find the most interesting one to purchase? Yet for some, it is so difficult to pick up a Bible and read a few passages. A vine growing up a wall without a solid root or light will die. Without a solid root in Christ and without His Light of the Word, our souls shrivel up spiritually. But that doesn't seem to concern a lot Christians. Why? How do those of us in Christ grow in a proper and healthy manner? 2 Peter 3: 17-18 tells us to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ so that we can be on guard and not be carried away by lawless men and fall away from our position in Christ. Today, our world is more lawless than ever. The temptations greater than ever. We better not only feed on The Word of God but throw in a few more reading sessions for dessert! As believers in Christ, we began our walk with Him at the new birth. We called it being born again. This is what separates the gospel from religion. Worldly religions are man's efforts to reach up to God, but Christianity is GOD REACHING MAN through Christ. Not religion, but a relationship! After birth comes growth. Think of a baby. From the moment a baby is born it begins to grow. Spiritually, our souls are the same way but it needs God's Word to do that! Many Christians are spiritually starving.

How can we know we are growing in Grace and knowledge? What happens? Is it difficult? Some would define this growing as becoming more saved than at the moment of conversion. Others, it is becoming more pardoned than when converted. And yet others, it means somehow becoming more justified than at salvation. But that isn't so. Christian growth is: learning more of what God wants, and that only comes in knowing what His Word guides you to do. It is living more of the love Jesus taught that is so very important. The evidence of spiritual growth will manifest in several ways:

*1. An increase in love (1Thessalonians 3:12; John 13:35; 1 John3:14; 1 Corinthians 13). And I tell you, we are nothing without love! We are commanded to love AS CHRIST LOVED. We weren't asked and it was not a suggestion. We were commanded to love! And trust me, it's not always easy. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, "Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not arrogant, it does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
I don't know about you, but I'm still growing! True love, true Godly love is not easy.

*2. An increase of faith (Romans 10:17) "Faith comes in hearing and hearing BY THE WORD OF GOD." We must read to build up our faith.

*3. An increase of the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10) "So you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." AND (Proverbs 2:6) "For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

*4. An increase in the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) Which is: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

So we must ask ourselves, are our Bibles open or closed? Are we increasing in godliness, in patience, in love, in forgiveness, gentleness, joy, and peace? Have you taken inventory lately? What kind of fruit are you producing in your life because without the Light and the Water of the Word you will not grow. You will become stagnant and eventually, your hope will wither, your faith will wither, and your belief will die! Once that happens, the world will pull you back into its grasp. 1 Peter 2:2 says, "Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." If you truly love God you will never outgrow your desire for His Word. You will always need His Word in order to grow, thrive and survive. And regardless if you realize it or not, every little bit you feed upon nourishes your soul and before you know it you begin to see the fruits of your growth ... you love more, you forgive others where you couldn't before, you're more patient, you have peace in the midst of trouble, you have self-control over things that once controlled you, etc. This is how the Holy Spirit works in you. Like the precision of a surgeons knife, cutting out all the cancerous sin infecting your soul, He renews your mind. And where your mind goes your body follows in obedience! Walking in His way becomes easier and easier. Worry begins to fall away, stress no longer has a place in you, you become free of the world.

This is why His Word is so important to feed upon. It is the power that transforms you into Christ's image! 1 Peter 1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." How can we be holy?? For many people, the word holy denotes the idea of being a morally good person but the idea of holiness in the Bible is so much bigger than that! God shares His holiness with us only THROUGH Christ, the putting on of Christ, and the putting off the old man... Ephesians 4:22-24 " Put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." That's really what we should be: one who is cloaked, who is clothed, who is garmented with the character, the disposition, the attitude, the habits and virtues of Jesus Christ. We are to put HIM on...making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts! And Colossians 2:6 says, "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, you've put Him on, so walk in Him." As we lose ourselves in His marvelous Glory by studying The Word and communing with Him through prayer and meditation, we find that the Spirit of God is moving us from one level of life to the next, closer and closer to the very image of Jesus Christ. Look to God and depend on Jesus to bring you to the place of growing in His Grace. After all, He is " the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Until next time ...
-Pat-

Reincarnation?

I have probably drawn a lot of people to this blog solely due to the title, REINCARNATION. I hope I have. It's an interesting subject; reincarnation. It's also called rebirth or transmigration and is a part of the Samsara doctrine of cyclic existence. Reincarnation is the central tenant of all major Indian religions: Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. It is, therefore, a religious belief. Does the Bible confirm reincarnation? The word reincarnation derives from Latin and literally means entering the flesh again. People hold the notion of reincarnation for many reasons. For them, it makes sense. But does it really exist? Can we physically come back? Can the soul enter flesh again for another actual birth? I definitely believe in rebirth! The Bible does teach rebirth! However, rebirth and entering a womb for a second, third, fourth or even a fifth time and returning to this earth is not what I believe, nor is it the truth. Here is the Truth: There was a man by the name of Nicodemus who basically was asking Jesus regarding reincarnation after Jesus told him that no man will ever see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again. Nicodemus misunderstood what re-birth Jesus was implying (and so do all Eastern religions who preach reincarnation). Nicodemus asks Jesus, John 3:3 " How can someone be born again when they are old? Surely they cannot enter into their mother's womb a second time to be born?" Before I continue, wasn't Nicodemus basically asking how can a man be reincarnated without him actually using the word reincarnated? Jesus told Nicodemus what rebirth is..." Verily verily I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again." Jesus distinctly points out the difference between a flesh/womb/reincarnated rebirth, and a non-flesh/ spiritual rebirth. Jesus is pointing to spiritual rebirth, not a physical one! Reincarnation is having to do with the flesh and is nothing more than a man-made religious belief. Had a flesh reincarnation been the rebirth to which Jesus was implying, Jesus would have simply answered Nicodemus, "Yes, you must be reborn through the womb," but He did not!

Consider another truth that there is no such thing as reincarnation. I'm going to put this as simply as I can. GOD'S WORD SAYS: "It is appointed unto men to die once after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The Maker of the Universe, the One who made us flesh, the One who breathed the breath of life into each of us and made us living souls said WE DIE ONCE. Reincarnation requires you to die again and again and again. So who is right? God or religion? God or mans logic? God or your own personal feelings and interpretations? God or the many books of fiction that line the shelves of libraries and bookstores? God or what so many want to be true? Do we really want the truth no matter how disappointing that truth may feel to us? Do you think God would lie to us because I don't! Let me give you a few more things to consider about flesh and death.

1. James 4:14 "You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." If you really had more lives to live, the word "vanish" would have been excluded from the text! **If reincarnation were a possibility, that last line would have said, 'for you are a mist that appears for a time, disappears, then returns anew.'
2. Ecclesiastes 3:2 mentions there is "a" time to be born and "a" time to die (singular). ** If reincarnation were a possibility that should have been written, 'times to live and times to die. (plural).
3. Psalm 90:12 "So teach us the number of our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." ** If reincarnation were a possibility perhaps it should have read 'teach us the number of our lives. (plural)
4. Job 14:5 states mans "days are determined." (the word determined means set) **If reincarnation were real, wouldn't you think that should have read, 'mans lives are not determined for they are numerous!'


You and I are dying. Each day we awake we can subtract one day from our "appointed time" Job 14:5. Only God Himself knows how many days He has ordained/appointed for you or I. He alone is the author of life and death. He has the power to shorten or prolong our lives. Genesis 27:2 " I don't know the day of my death." Psalm 31:15 "My time is in Your hand." That said, since we are not certain of seeing tomorrow, wouldn't it be madness to put off the necessary work of repentance today, especially because no other earth life will ever come according to the scriptures I've shown you? After our death will come the judgment as I noted above (Hebrews 9:27). So then if you neglect to ask for forgiveness and repentance today and be reborn as Jesus instructs (because without being born again He said no man will enter the Kingdom of God), if you refuse to heed His warning that He sent His only Son to save you from your sin (John 3:16), upon your death you may hear the words, " Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand with no regard; you refused all my counsel, and wouldn't have any of my reproofs: I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock you when your fear comes; when your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. (NOTE! I think this calamity, distress, desolation is hell) Then will you cry out to me, but I will not answer; you will seek me quickly, but you will not find me. Because you hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 1:24-29).

This is the day of grace. You have but one life, this life. It will be too late to seek mercy when the day of judgment comes. There is no other flesh birth awaiting you. If you die without Christ, the Bible says it would have been better for you if you had never been born (Mark 14:21); for it would be better to have had no existence at all, than have a miserable eternity in hell. This is the portion of every unpardoned, unconverted sinner. My advice is the same as found in Isaiah 55:6,7 ..."Seek the Lord while He may still be found, call upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." There is a rebirth. There is no reincarnation. Until next time ...
-Pat-

What's In A Name

True lovers and followers of Jesus Christ have been given the revelation that Jesus was God in the flesh. God (in flesh as Jesus) came to this earth to witness the TRUTH (John 18:37) and He WAS THAT TRUTH (John 14:6). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and THE WORD WAS GOD. He, Jesus, was at the beginning with God. All things were made by Him (The WORD), and without Him was nothing made that was made" (John1:1-3). In reality, God has come to us in 2 distinct ways to ensure we know the way back to Him. In ancient times He came through the flesh and was called The Son of Man because he was born of a woman. And He also came (and is still with us today) called The Word of God (the Bible). When Jesus spoke in Matthew 18:20 He said, "I am with you always, even unto the ends of the world" He told the truth! Jesus remains with us alive through His Word! His Word is more than just letters written on paper. His Word is alive!!! Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intents of the heart."


John said, "These things are written (in our Bible today) that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in His Name." The apostles and disciples of old were actually able to both see, hear, and walk with Him. Today, we are able to continue to hear Him through The Word. John said that if you believe this, you can have life in His Name. What does it mean to have life in His Name? Revelation 19:13 says, "And He (Jesus) was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: AND HIS NAME IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD. There is life in the Word of God! Then John 1:14 testifies, " And The WORD (Jesus) was made flesh (He became human) and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." So, it is His Word (in Bible form), that is His Truth, it is Life, it judges the thoughts and intents of your heart, it is living, it is active in transforming us, and it will always remain in the believer's heart. Wasn't it Jesus Himself that said, I AM the way, the truth, and the life?" He was the way when he was upon earth in flesh, and The Word is still the guide for believers and unbelievers. Jesus inspired His Word to be written and go across the globe after His departure from earth. It is meant to awaken faith in unbelievers and sustain faith in believers.


There is healing in The Name of Jesus. As Christians, we have that same vested power. (John 21:25; Luke 7:1-10; Mark 16: 17-18.)
We have authority in The Name of Jesus. Demons will flee at the mention of His Name. (Luke 4:41; Acts 7:55, Luke 10:17)
We have victory in The Name of Jesus. Jesus conquered death in its entirety and it affected the entire human race. (Job 14: 5-12; Corinthians 15:55; Romans 8: 38-39)
GOD is still alive and working through His Word. He still honors His promises. It was through this same Word that I knew God was real and alive. The Catholic church never gave me that nor did religion ever lead me there. It was through the Bible that I learned of the grace of God, His unfailing love and HIS plan for my life. It put me exactly where I am today, shouting the wonderful Name of Jesus! "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes: to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:15-16). The Word has the power to change you. If you want to change your life, read the Bible and the Holy Spirit will begin working in you and through you. This power is found nowhere else but in the gospel of Jesus Christ. What power do you ask? " The power unto salvation!" Once you come to the knowledge that Jesus is Who He said He is and you repent of your sin your life will begin to change! His Word is then unlocked to you. His Word has the power to heal your heart from hurt, the power to show you how to love, how to forgive others, how to live peaceably with all men, it gives you the power to be content in the midst of tumult, its power fills you with hope, peace, and wisdom. It gives you strength and makes a way out of temptation, it delivers you from trouble and engulfs you with blessed assurance of a sure place in heaven. What a beautiful Name it is! Until next time ...
-Pat-

Possession VS Oppression

Lately, I've been shaking my head amid all the political craziness on television. It's insanity! On one occasion I became more frustrated by the minute and caught myself comparing a particular female in Congress (mentioning no name) as having a demon possessed soul. After saying that, it dawned on me that maybe I should write a blog and explain the difference between being demon-possessed and demon-oppressed because there certainly is a difference. Let me first say that it is impossible, virtually impossible for a born-again Christian to be demon possessed! The Bible assures us that when we come to Christ believing with a sincere heart, confess our sins, accept Jesus as Lord, we get adopted as children into God's family. And that, because Jesus has redeemed us by His Blood sacrifice on the cross. While we once belonged to the kingdom of darkness, we have now been grafted into the Kingdom of Light! We are "GOD-POSSESSED," literally. Our hearts become His home. Without Him, you are demon owned, and servants of sin. You either have the Lord or you don't. You are either walking with Him or without Him. When you die there are only two results. A person lacking salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a candidate classified as demon-owned (possessed). If you study the scriptures you'll understand the gravity of this. By default, we are born into sin. This is why Jesus came...to "save the lost and to set the captives free (Romans 6:22, Galatians 5:1,). Notice the word "captive?" Unless you are saved, you are a captive of Satan, he has you. He owns you. Possession can manifest in an extreme manner or not. 

Each person is born with a propensity for sin, selfishness, rebellion, lying, greediness, wrong-doing, etc. The demons know this! They prey on our natural propensity to do wrong. Demons can study you from the moment you are born and determine how the inescapable consequences of sin can be used to ruin you (1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.") And, demons are masters at taking their time to complete their destruction of you. If it takes 5 years or 80 years to ruin you it isn't a problem for them. They have nothing else to do, right?  If you are without Jesus, you are without hope. You see, the word possession simply implies ownership! IE: She possesses a beautiful smile, he possesses a great personality. How many books do you possess? My grandfather possesses great wealth, etc. Who owns your heart? 

On the other hand, demon-oppression occurs when demons torment you. This can happen to both believers and non-believers alike! Oppression is not possession. Oppression is torturous. Christians are not exempt from demon-oppression. Demons cannot possess or destroy a born-again Christian, but Christians can be oppressed by the minions of hell. Demons can incite, agitate, upset, cause illness from worry and otherwise make things miserable for their victims. What Christian hasn't been tormented mentally at some point? Demons love to magnify situations so that you'll begin to worry and doubt if God is actually hearing and or helping you. Their goal is to make you lose faith. A demon can make a man who has anger issues very explosive and violent or act in a rash and unpredictable way. I saw that very thing when I worked for a psychiatrist. Demons will often exacerbate a person's proclivity to be paranoid or schizophrenic. When these demons do these things, mental health experts are not only baffled but often times are frustrated because they feel they have failed in some way. But medications make little difference against demons that oppress! We absolutely can be tormented by destructive evil forces and many of us are. Paul was! 2 Corinthians 12:7 "Therefore, to keep me from becoming conceited I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me". Besides attacks on our soul or bodies, attacks can target our thoughts and can be the source of emotional and or psychological issues. I believe that is what I was seeing regarding the female Congresswoman. There was and has been an inordinate amount of confusion, fear, division and wayward behavior within our current government. It is so important for Christians to put on the whole armor of God each day as spoken of in my last blog. Don't doubt the existence of demons or evil spirits. Read your Bible! Colossians 1:16 tells us that God's creation has two components: visible and invisible!
Until next time.
-Pat-

Spiritual Threat of Unseen Powers

This past weekend I was in the stall of a public bathroom when I overheard a mother to her child, "Put the soap on your hands, now! Scrub, scrub, scrub! Under the water, under the water. Get your hands in there!" The whimpers of the child testified she was not enthusiastic about the reasons mom gave her to wash her hands. There was a scuffle. Raising her voice, the mother recited a long litany about the existence of germs, flu, viruses, and disease.  The poor child withstood the harsh chastisement and excoriation that would be fitting for a hardened criminal. This incident caused me to pause and think about how we are very conscious with regard to protecting our physical bodies from germ invaders but are lax when it comes to the more dangerous spiritual invaders. Many people, including some Christians, don't believe that there is a spiritual threat of unseen powers all around us every day that lie in wait to "infect" us with the sins of worry, hatred, jealousy, greed, perversion, etc. all in an attempt to beat us down, rob our joy, steal our hope, and destroy our souls. I am concerned about Christians who often disregard the existence of demonic powers and allow themselves to be unprotected against spiritual illness.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6, verse 11 to "Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Wiles are cunning strategies employed to manipulate you or persuade you into doing what you want, even if it's wrong! You know that voice. We've all heard that voice ... "Just try it once. What will it hurt?" or "He has a wife but you love him, and if you love him how can the affair be wrong?" Those voices are non-other than Satan whispering into your conscience. He is the enemy of God and his goal is to undermine God's work in you. Why? Satan doesn't want us reaching our goal (Proverbs 21:5), to finish this race (Acts 20:24), to trust in God (Proverbs 3:5-6), he wants to impede and hinder us. He is hoping we will fall away and go back into his dark world of sin and death (Proverbs 4:23). Satan's hands are dirty with "spiritual germs"  that can be all over you, invading your mind, soul, and yes- even your body unless you arm yourself every day with God's holy, protective armor. The Bible says God's armor is your only defense against the wiles of the devil. This armor is available FOR THE BELIEVER (Isaiah 59: 16-19). If you are a Christian, you should be aware what those pieces of armor are: Belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. If there were no invisible forces and evil powers ("an unseen world" as defined by Paul), why did he bother to tell us to be prepared for such a thing then? You've heard the devil's voice tempting you and trying to persuade you to do wrong, especially if you've given your life to Christ!  Satan already has those of the world who love and wish to remain in their cesspool of sin. But what about you? Have you armed yourself with the protection God has allotted to His faithful? 

Spiritual threats are far more dangerous than the germs we attempt to wash from our hands or the viruses we fight with antibiotics. The invisible dark forces are constantly in competition for our attention, for our hearts, our souls, for our very lives! Many people laugh at this truth or at the very least, don't take it seriously enough so that they might protect themselves. The most dangerous enemy is the one you cannot see! We live in a dangerous world both physically and spiritually. But we are not without hope. Just as there is a way to fight the unseen world of germs and bacteria that invade our physical bodies, there is a way to fight the unseen entities of evil. Your armor is your protective covering. You must wear all of it on a daily basis, not leaving off one piece or you will make a way for evil to creep in. Satan and his horde of demons are quiet, tricky, and cunning. He offers you a moment of pleasure in exchange for your soul. He appeals to your flesh to destroy your spirit. The cost is too high!  Putting on your armor every day has nothing to do with being saved if you are a true believer IN AND FOLLOWER OF Jesus Christ. Believers are saved but our flesh, being human, is weak. The devil knows this and plays to it.  God knows our weaknesses also (2 Corinthians 12:9) and has made a provision for us out of His love and mercy so that the invisible forces of darkness cannot undo all the good work Jesus has done in us. I urge you to read the scriptures in this blog, learn what the armor of God is, why it's available, and then don't hesitate to arm yourself with its protection.
Until next time
-Pat-

My New Year Wish

My New Year Wish:

We're not perfect but we are improving. Resolving to be more spiritual is not a hard date to keep or a hard bar to jump over. It's a daily resetting of mind and soul. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is God's will - His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).
It's trying again when you "fail" and knowing you can never fail if you're trying! It is Grace.
May 2019 be your best year yet as you transform into the person God meant you to be.
Happy New Year.
-Pat-