Category Archives: ‘Come unto me

What’s Your Excuse Now??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #435

16 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Form of godliness?, Choices And Consequences, Choose Wisely, Choose You This Day!, Choosing Jesus or The World?, It's Your Choice, JESUS, Jesus Built A Bridge, Jesus Is Coming Again., Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves!, Joy of The Lord!, Judgment, Judgment Is Coming, This is the Way, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, What's In Your Heart?, Where are you leading those following you?

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What’s Your Excuse Now

??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #435

We live in a culture filled with ready-made excuses—I’ve been deprived, neglected, poor, sick, my parents didn’t do right, they are too strict, too lenient, to tight, to extravagant, I saw it on social media, all my friends are doing it!  I……fill in the blank________!  Jesus talks about our choices—it’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test coming!  And you don’t know when it will come.

“Wherefore by their fruits

ye shall know them.

21 Not every one

that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will

of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:20-23

Jesus continues on in this passage to give us an amazing example of the import of our choices.  There are choices we make that seem unimportant, and we often think if we make it look good, it doesn’t matter what our foundation is; but Jesus makes it clear that without a proper foundation life will fall apart when the storms come—and they will come!  And please remember that JESUS IS THE ROCK! (The Rock of Ages, if you would!)

“Therefore whosoever heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth

these sayings of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.”Matthew 7:25-27

What foundation are you laying?  Is your confidence in the substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of Jesus for sin?  Or is your confidence in the world or anything other than the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord!  I pray that you will forsake the excuses and cling to Jesus!

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth, and

the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

There is a day of accounting coming, I pray that you will take care of business with Jesus—HE is the only way to salvation!  Don’t excuse yourself right into hell.

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face

the earth and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever

was not found written in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

Your choices matter—and there will be no excuses to give.  Please be ready to meet Jesus—He is coming soon!

“And, behold,

I come quickly;

and my reward is with me,

to give every man

according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega,

the beginning and the end,

the first and the last.”  Revelation 22:12-13

Amen and Amen!!!

Remember, just saying so doesn’t make it so!!!

What’s your excuse?

What’s In The Mirror??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #434

14 Wednesday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, God's Wisdom, Godliness will be opposed, Godly Character, Good Stewards, Have you not seen?, He Died That We Could Live, Only One Way, Open The Door to JESUS, Opposition, Opposition to Godliness, Order my steps, Perseverance, Trusting God, Trusting Jesus?, Truth is True, Turn to God's Word, Uncertainty--God HAS the answer, Victory IN Jesus!, Wait upon the Lord, Walking by Faith or Sight?, Walking With Jesus

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What’s In The Mirror??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #434

“But who may abide the day of his coming?

and who shall stand when he appeareth?

for he is like a refiner’s fire,

and like fullers’ soap:

3 And he shall sit

as a refiner

and purifier

of silver:

and he shall purify the sons of Levi,

and purge

them as gold and silver,

that they may offer unto the LORD

an offering in righteousness.”  Malachi 3:2-3

“And I will bring the third part through the fire,

and will refine them as silver is refined,

and will try them as gold is tried:

they shall call on my name,

and I will hear them:

I will say,

It is my people:

and they shall say,

The LORD is my God.”  Zechariah 13:9

The refiner is said to have put the metal into the pot—the refining pot—and as it melted, he would skim off the dross (the impurities), and heat it again, then repeat until he could see his reflection in the melted metal.  Oh, that Jesus would see His reflection in me!  So often we/I want to be used of God, but we aren’t willing to stay in the refining pot and let God remove the impurities in my life!  Even as Jeremiah teaches us and wants us to hear what God is saying to you and me today!

“The word which came to Jeremiah

from the LORD, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house,

and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house,

and, behold,

he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay

was marred in the hand of the potter:

so he made it again another vessel,

as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

6 O house of Israel,

cannot I do with you as this potter?

saith the LORD.

Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand,

so are ye in mine hand,

O house of Israel.”  Jeremiah 18:1-6

God wants to work in my life and yours if we are willing to yield ourselves to His care, His work and His design to conform us into the image of our Lord; but Jesus made it clear that the refining process is painful, and when we follow Him, we will encounter the same kinds of things that HE faced!  Are you encountering opposition?  Know that Jesus faced it also, unto death!  He went to Calvary for you and me!

“These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me

before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you. 20

Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him

that sent me.”  John 15:17-21

When we consider Paul’s words to the Roman believers it becomes quite clear that living for Jesus isn’t the snap that many try to make.  It’s not just doing things, being in the right ‘crowd’, or even doing ‘godly works’; rather it means trusting Jesus with all that He is teaching me day by day, through thick and thin, through the simple and the most difficult, when I understand and even more when I don’t!  God’s Word is true in all things; we must take the time to dig into it and study it so that we come to know our God through it!  Let’s consider a portion of Romans chapter 8, and while these are lengthy passages, I think they say what we need to hear.  I hope you will find this helpful!

“There is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus

hath made me free from the law

of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do,

in that it was weak through the flesh,

God sending his own Son

in the likeness of sinful flesh,

and for sin,

condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law

might be fulfilled in us,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.”  Romans 8:1-4

“But if we hope for that we see not,

then do we with patience wait for it.

26 Likewise the Spirit also

helpeth our infirmities:

for we know not what we should pray for

as we ought:

but the Spirit itself

maketh intercession for us

with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts

knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession for the saints

according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together

for good

to them that love God,

to them who are the called

according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to be conformed to the image of his Son,

that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate,

them he also called:

and whom he called,

them he also justified:

and whom he justified,

them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us,

who can be against us?”  Romans 8:25-31

God is faithful even when we don’t understand.  Joseph is one of my favorite Old Testament examples of this amazing principle.  God gave Joseph prophetic dreams, and upon sharing them in excitement over God’s revelation, his brothers hated him.  Without getting into the debate over Joseph’s attitude, I see Joseph as a young man of character, and after all of his trials, he remained faithful to God and trusted to God’s care!  After bringing his family to Egypt and burying his father, his brother’s feared that he would take revenge upon them for their actions in his youth, and they pled for his grace.  He shared one of the greatest passages on our trust in the sovereign control of God.  I love it and try to remember Joseph’s example every day.  I pray that it will speak to you today!

“And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead,

they said,

Joseph will peradventure hate us,

and will certainly requite us

all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying,

Thy father did command before he died,

saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph,

Forgive, I pray thee now,

the trespass of thy brethren,

and their sin;

for they did unto thee evil:

and now, we pray thee,

forgive the trespass of the servants

of the God of thy father.

And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18 And his brethren also went

and fell down before his face;

and they said,

Behold, we be thy servants.

19 And Joseph said unto them,

Fear not:

for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you,

ye thought evil against me;

but God meant it unto good,

to bring to pass,

as it is this day,

to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not:

I will nourish you,

and your little ones.

And he comforted them,

and spake kindly unto them.”  Genesis 50:15-21

What do you see in the mirror?  God’s workings and the trust that you can rest in, or are you still trying to work it out yourself?  May God speak to your heart today, and I pray that you will find the confidence to rest in God’s faithful provision—He is the great refiner, if we will but rest to His faithful provision.

Amen and Amen!!!

I Was? I Am? I Will Be??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #433

11 Sunday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Redeemed By HIS Blood, Redemption or Rehearsal?, Redemption Through HIS Blood, Reflecting HIS glory, Regeneration, Religion isn't enough?, Relying on self or Jesus?, Repentance, Responding Rightly, Sanctified To Serve!, Satan's lies., Saved by grace, Saved by Grace Through Faith, Saved FROM Sin, Serve The Lord with gladness., Serving God or Using God?

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I Was? I Am? I Will Be???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #433

The question I would like us to consider today is “who” was I; who am I, who will I be?  Yes, good questions, yet the condition that we must not forget, is to remember that it is all about Jesus!  If I don’t know Him, then my past, present and future will rely mostly on the choices that I make, and the Proverbs tell us how that turns out!  (See Matt. 7:13-14)

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Proverbs 14:12

If I do know Jesus, if I have come to Him for salvation in repentance and faith, trusting in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin—it’s the key–coming to Jesus!  I must first and foremost hear the voice of the precious Holy Spirit who convicts of sin—I must see, hear and receive the truth of my condition—sinner.  As I have often said, only desperate people come to Jesus; desperate in the sense of seeing my own sin, knowing that there is nothing I can do about it, and that only by grace through faith can I become God’s child, coming into HIS kingdom.  How about you?

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:10-13

 Jesus came to save us from our sin—not just the penalty of our sin, but from our sin.  Paul reminds us that Jesus came to redeem us from sin, not just save us from hell, but to save us from sin—its power, its penalty, and eventually from its very presence!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what is that

good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.”  Romans 12:1-2

Paul calls us to live a life yielded to Jesus’ rule in my living—which Paul says is my “reasonable service”, because I have been redeemed and transformed by the work of Calvary—the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from sin!

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,

and walk in darkness,

we lie,

and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light,

as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.”   1 John 1:6-7

It goes all the way back to the promise to Joseph about who Jesus was!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Notice that the angel didn’t say “he shall save people from the penalty of sin” (which He does); but his reference was to the truth that Jesus saves us from our sins!  If we claim Jesus’ name and continue to live in sin, something is wrong; and I’m not talking about slipping and falling into a sin, but a continuous life of sin, calls us to question who saved us and from what?  Sin should mark who we were, what we were—not what we are after being redeemed by Jesus’ blood!

Peter calls this to the attention of the recipients of his first letter to the scattered believers, and we need to take note of his admonition to us today!

“As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts

in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

Be ye holy;

for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father,

who without respect of persons

judgeth according to every man’s work,

pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition

from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:14-19

And Peter goes on to remind us of Jesus’ example of holy living in an unholy world—no excuse!

“For what glory is it, if,

when ye be buffeted for your faults,

ye shall take it patiently?

but if,

when ye do well, and suffer for it,

ye take it patiently,

this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called:

because Christ also suffered for us,

 leaving us an example,

that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin,

neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled,

reviled not again;

when he suffered,

he threatened not;

but committed himself

to him that judgeth righteously:      

24 Who his own self

bare our sins

in his own body

on the tree,

that we, being dead to sins,

should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray;

but are now returned

unto the Shepherd and Bishop

of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:20-25

Jesus left us an amazing standard of faith, obedience and perseverance; Jesus obeyed His father, and we are to do likewise.  We have been called to not only trust our salvation to Jesus, but also to recognize the example that He set before us, knowing that what we were was “sheep going astray”; but we are now “returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls”!  We were strays—but now we are sons of God, born again children of God—all because of the blood that “cleanseth us from all sin…”; and having returned to our shepherd we are called to follow HIM—to be followers of Jesus, that we might show others the way to The Lord—to heaven—to a holy, transformed and redeemed life—those who are called to endure suffering patiently?  Ouch!  We have bought into the lies that Christians are to have blessing without suffering.  We are healed from the disease of sin, not eternal, perpetual healing in this flesh!  Jesus told us we would suffer with Him when we are following HIM!

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you

out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not

him that sent me.”  John 15:18-21

This Jesus, the sinless (See Hebrews 4:15) Son of God, came to die for our sin, and to leave us an example of the cost of aligning ourselves with Him and His Father!  He spoke the truth, and they hated Him without cause (See John 15:25), and He clearly said we will suffer the same for speaking truth, especially when it is an unpopular truth.  So what we see is that when we were without Jesus, we were lost in sin, we had no hope!  But when we come to Jesus, we are among those who have eternal life in this world, life by His power, grace and truth, in eternity in His very presence!  It’s what Jesus said He came to do—knowing it would cost Him His life on Calvary!  What price are we unwilling to pay to honor, thank and serve our Redeemer? Jesus changes what was into what is, and what is into what will be; just what John Newton shared in one of the world’s most beloved songs!  I “once was lost…but now, I’m found…”; and “when we’ve been there ten thousand years…”, we’ll have “no less days to sing God’s praise…”!  (From Amazing Grace, by John Newton).

So, are you ready to turn to Jesus and find new life, and press on to eternal joy? It’s why HE came.  Don’t let the great liar rob you of all that Jesus came to deliver—for YOU!

“I am the door:

by me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not,

but for to steal,

and to kill,

and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life,

and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life

for the sheep.”  John 10:9-11

And HE did!!!  For you and me!!!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test!!!

Amen and Amen!!!

But One Thing…??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #432

09 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding In Jesus, Are You Ready, Be Steadfast, Be Still and Know, Behold the Lamb of God, Believe God?, Believe IN Jesus, Believing God's Words, Born Again, By Him We Live, Crucified With Christ, Deceit or Discernment?, Discernment, Distractions, Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus, Follow Jesus, Following Jesus, God's glory NOT mine!, He Opens Blinded Eyes to SEE, He was born to die for our sin, Hear ye HIM!, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Listening To God

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But One Thing…????  A Word from THE WORD!!! #432

As we continue into this new year, I’d like us to check our perspective; I want to be in tune with Jesus and His Word.  That is such a difficult thing to do consistently, but it is doable, yet I think we often miss the target because we are so easily distracted by this world.  Jesus confronted a young man in his ministry.

“And Jesus said unto him,

Why callest thou me good?

there is none good but one,

that is, God.

19 Thou knowest the commandments,

Do not commit adultery,

Do not kill,

Do not steal,

Do not bear false witness,

Defraud not,

Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him,

Master, all these have I observed

from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him,

and said unto him,

One thing thou lackest:

go thy way,

sell whatsoever thou hast,

and give to the poor,

and thou shalt have treasure

in heaven:

and come,

take up the cross,

and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying,

and went away grieved:

for he had great possessions.”  Mark 10:18-22

Here a seeking young man wasn’t able to comprehend the truth (at least at this time…we don’t know about his future, and some think a young man who later came to Jesus…), and I think this is a story from which we can learn a lot; but we must realize that “One thing thou lackest…”. What are you and I lacking?  Faith? Trust? Obedience? Prioritizing Jesus, His Word and His direction for our lives?  It is so easy to forget that following Jesus is what He has called those who believe to do—taking up my cross doesn’t mean just living with the aches and pains of life—it means dying to self and living for, with and unto Jesus each day.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Paul told the Colossians believers what it meant to belong to Jesus, and it’s one of my favorite, and most concise definitions of our relationship to Jesus—in redemption and forgiveness of sins!!!

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:12-14

And as Paul spoke to the Galatians, we must consider ourselves as dead to self and alive to Christ Jesus!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

And in all simplicity, how do you have a relationship with Jesus?  Only one way; by being born again into God’s kingdom through the blood of The Son of God, Jesus Christ The Lord.

“Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God…

… 5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God…

…. 16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son

into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name

of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”                     John 3:3-5, 16-19

What do you lack?  Are you ready to follow Jesus?  Here are His demands.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself, and

take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake

shall find it.

26 For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give

in exchange for his soul?”  Matthew 16:24-26

I pray that if you already belong to Jesus, you will join me in a renewed commitment to draw nearer to Jesus and follow Him more closely and undistractedly!  If you don’t know Jesus, I pray that you will call on Him today in repentance of your sin and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—my sin and yours!  His arms are waiting for you!

Amen and Amen!!!

Counterfeit Or Genuine??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #430

05 Monday Jan 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, A Witness--Good or Bad???, Abiding IN Jesus or the World?, For Such A Time As This, God Knows, God Knows His Own, God Who Sees, God's Ability for our Inability!, God's glory NOT mine!, God's grace is sufficient...always!, God's Righteousness Not mine, God's ways are not our ways, Godliness will be opposed, Godly Wisdom, Good Stewards, Gospel, Jesus IN You!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus Knows, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' standard?, Lies That Defeat Us, Like Jesus NOT Each Other, Listening To God, Living For Jesus, Living in Christ, Living Right, Living TODAY!, Mindset on Jesus!, My Help Cometh from THE LORD, My sheep hear my voice..., The Word

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Counterfeit Or Genuine???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #430

There is so much going on around us that claims to be of God, yet how can we know what is genuine—whether in our own lives or the lives of those we encounter (particularly on the media—of any kind).  So how are we to know what’s counterfeit and what’s not?  Simply put, there is only one way and that’s to dig into The Word of God!  First and foremost because it’s what God calls us to do, secondly it is the only way to discern truth from error, and there is a lot of error going around dressed up as ‘truth’!

One of the questions that I want us to consider today, is “If you belong to Jesus, why is your lifestyle denying Him, by denying what His Word says?”  If we have genuinely been born again to new life in Jesus, why are we so often, in essence, slandering The One that we call LORD?

“Study

to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman

that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings:

for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker:

of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

18 Who concerning the truth have erred,

saying that the resurrection is past

already;

and overthrow the faith of some.

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God

standeth sure,

having this seal,

The Lord knoweth them that are his.

And, Let every one

 that nameth the name of Christ

depart from iniquity.”  2 Timohty 2:15-19

We are called to study—to dig in to God’s Word with diligence—that we might “shew thyself”—to display, live honorably and openly to the world as a true follower of Jesus—not bringing shame upon our Lord.  Are we able to “shew thyself approved unto God”?  Or are we not truly His, but faking it, living a lie, trying to go along to get along!  I pray not!  Whose approval are you seeking?  Does your speech betray Jesus?  Do your morals betray what His Word teaches?  Are your choices based on the worldly rather than the “way, the truth and the life” of Jesus! (See John 14:6).  Who are you following? People say pretty things, they sound good to the ear, but we are to try “the spirits” and not just go along to get along.  Paul warns us of those pretty sounding words.

“Preach the word;

be instant in season,

out of season;

reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts

shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears

from the truth,

and shall be turned unto fables.”  2 Timohty 4:2-4

I truly believe that what Paul warns us of is surely upon us.  Check out this list.

“This know also,

that in the last days perilous times

shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy,

3 Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures

more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.”  2 Timothy 3:1-5

In Blanche’s paraphrase, men will adorn themselves with religion without any relationship to Jesus!  They’ll use His name and claim His power but is will simply be a “form” not reality—biblical reality!  As we noted above in 2 Timohty 2:19, God knows His own, and while you can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time—you can’t fool GOD.  Jesus had something pretty severe to say to this, let’s look.

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth

the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:20-23

God knows!  And the day will reveal it—sometimes before then, the truth will be revealed!  God’s timing is always perfect!  And in a closing passage, one that is not very popular today, but it’s God’s Word and we need to know that truth is still truth whether people receive and believe it or not!  But let me preface this passage by saying that the key is Paul’s declaration of his confidence in the Corinthian believers, who “were” once participating in these behaviors, but he makes it clear that when Jesus saves us, there is a change!

“Know ye not

that the unrighteous

shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

Be not deceived:

neither fornicators, nor idolaters,

nor adulterers, nor effeminate,

nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous,

nor drunkards, nor revilers,

nor extortioners,

shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you:

but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified,

but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,

and by the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Some of the greatest words in all of scripture, “such were some of you: but…”!!!!  Amen and thank you Jesus—such was I–but I have been saved, born again by the Spirit of God; I’ve been washed, sanctified, and justified by the work of Jesus!  His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for my sin!!!

How about you?  I pray that you will come to Jesus if you haven’t, and if you have been born again by the power of the blood, that you will make this a year of new beginnings in your devotion to our Lord and Savior—Master of all creation, including me!  Praise His holy name and thank you Jesus for saving me.  Look to the cross my friend, HE went there for you too!!!

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son

into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten

Son of God.”  John 3:16-18

Amen and Amen!!!