Sermon Notes

A God-Honoring Life

Tough Love

2.9.2025

Introduction

The love of God is the baseline that is to rule all of our personal interaction.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We are to act and respond in love…

The Love of God is not something we feel, it’s something that we do.

Do the loving thing…

We all are imperfect in this. All of us. No exceptions.

Spiritual growth is seen in how we handle relationships. And in how we deal with challenging personal relationship situations.

Spiritual growth is shown not in how we deal with the people we get along with, but how we deal with people who mistreat us, take advantage of us, or do things that rub us the wrong way!

A couple of weeks ago I talked about loving our enemies.

Last week we began talking about the other side of love.

Because God loves us, He corrects us!

No one will love you the way God does, and no one will shoot straight with you like He does either!

Hebrews 12:5-11 (NLT)

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6 For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” 7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? 10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

In our relationships, there is a place for tough love.

vs 6 – Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth

The Amplified Bible

It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

Yes, love is kind and caring, but love must also confront when another person’s actions hurt others.

When we are persecuted for being a believer, we turn the cheek, we love our enemy.

But when someone’s actions harm others, we must speak up!

Love stands for what is right, and it will expose hypocrisy, and will take a stand and defend the innocent!

Proverbs 27:5-6 (NKJV)

Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. (6) Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Good News Translation

Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don’t care for him at all. (6) A friend means well, even when he hurts you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder–watch out!

Love stands for what is right, and will stand up for others when their rights are being violated.

Love will not stand by idly when God and His standards are being attacked. Love will confront wrongdoing in deference to the good of all involved!

How can you tell whether to turn the other cheek or to challenge a situation?

Here’s the deciding factor: When others do you wrong, you don’t retaliate. Remember, love doesn’t take account of the evil done to it; doesn’t pay attention to a suffered wrong.

But love will hold accountable those whose actions hurt others. Love always puts others first. And when someone is being hurt or unjustly dealt with, love will come to their defense.

Love will challenge the behavior of the alcoholic who is being irresponsible and leading his family into poverty or extreme debt.

Love will challenge the person who abuses a child physically, emotionally, or sexually, and will do what is necessary to stop the hurtful actions.

I’ve called law enforcement on a number of occasions when I saw that laws were being broken and pain was being inflicted on the innocent.

When I called the authorities, I was really acting out of love, because love “finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth.”

I have stepped in and challenged husbands who for many years physically and psychologically abused their wives.

I’ve encouraged parents to confront the irresponsible child in their 20’s that lives in the home and doesn’t work. The parents were actually acting out of selfish motives to allow this behavior to continue! They were only thinking of themselves, and not of the needed maturity in the life of their son or daughter!

Notice what Paul had to do when a church member chose sinful living over purity:

1 Corinthians 5:1-6 (NLT)

I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. 2 You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.

3 Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. 5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.

6 Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?

If I choose to say nothing about a dysfunction in my home, choosing to say or do nothing, then I become as dysfunctional as the person committing the offense.

The term codependency or a codependent person refers to the family who sits by and allows the alcoholic etc to ruin the family and the future of the children.

Notice the last part of the chapter:

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NLT)

When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

There are people that I will not associate with! Why? Because what they have said or done has injured the body of Christ, and to fellowship with them sends the signal that I think what they have done is ok.

Notice how Paul deals with a person living an irresponsible life:

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 (NKJV)

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

Did he say take them to lunch and act like all is well?

Did he say leave them in the group or position they are in and act like all is well?

No! He said that we are to withdraw from them.

(7) For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; (8) nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, (9) not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. (10) For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. (11) For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. (13) But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. (14) And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. (15) Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Paul deals with a person who is dividing the church.

Titus 3:10-11 (NLT)

If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. 11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

Living Paraphrase

If anyone is causing divisions among you, he should be given a first and second warning. After that have nothing more to do with him, (11) for such a person has a wrong sense of values. He is sinning, and he knows it.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NLT)

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.

Acts 20:29-30 (NLT)

I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

2 Timothy 4:14-16 (NKJV)

Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Love is patient, kind, humble, forgiving, and believes the best on one hand.

On the other hand, love steps in with discipline when a person’s actions hurt others.

Action Points:

1. Are you willing to enact tough love in hurtful relationships in your life?

2. Are you willing to lovingly challenge irresponsibility when it hurts a person or others who are involved?

3. What is the difference in loving your enemy and standing up for what is right?

A God-Honoring Life:
The Other Side Of Love
2.2.2025

Introduction

The love of God is the baseline that is to rule all of our personal interaction.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We are to act and respond in love…

We all are imperfect in this. All of us. No exceptions.

Spiritual growth is seen in how we handle relationships. And in how we deal with challenging personal relationship situations.

Spiritual growth is shown not in how we deal with the people we get along with, but how we deal with people who mistreat us, take advantage of us, or do things that rub us the wrong way!

Last Sunday, we examined the importance of loving our enemies: blessing them with our words, doing good to them, and praying for them.

This love the HS placed in us is powerful!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Today, we are going to address what I call The Other Side of Love.

vs 6 – Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

The Amplified Bible
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

Weymouth’s Translation
She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth.

The Living Paraphrase
It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.

The Passion Translation
Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.
Love is not weak. It is unselfish.

Last week, in addressing loving your enemies I mentioned that when others do you wrong, you don’t retaliate. YOU turn the cheek.

Remember, love doesn’t take account of the evil done to it; it doesn’t pay attention to a personal wrong committed against it.

Love doesn’t make a list of wrongs done to you individually.

But when things happen that affect another individual or group of people, love will hold a person accountable.

God’s love for us is based on His justice…

God could not just forgive and forget our sin! Adam, the first man’s sin affected us all. God HAD to deal with Adam’s sin because of His justice, and because it affected every single human.

Psalms 89:14 (NLT)
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

God doesn’t forgive our sin just because He loves us; His justice demands that He be fair when He forgives; fair to Himself and the laws He established to govern the universe; and fair to His enemies, and fair to man.

You see, towards the human race as a whole, God doesn’t act
as though we did nothing wrong.

His justice and holiness means that He must deal with sin, which is disobedience to His known will. He must deal with our sin by the payment of a just penalty. Jesus took our sin penalty so that we could be freed from sin!

God did not pauperize us when He forgave us. The justice behind His love gives us dignity.

And so when something occurs and it affects others, not just you, then the loving thing to do is to stand with what is right and what is true, and call it out! Be willing to stand for what is right when someone does something that affects a lot of people!

That is not popular in a day when people hide behind an internet wall.

God had to do that with our sin, and Jesus’ sacrifice paid for all of our sin!

The redemptive thing to do when someone’s actions hurt others is to call it out!

The God Kind of Love will challenge hypocrisy, irresponsibility, and sin!

Love is kind to everyone, does not respond in kind to wrongs committed against it, and will be silent toward personal persecution.

But, love will defend the weak and stand for truth when unfair actions hurt others.

Notice Jesus’ attitude towards hypocrisy and injustice:

Mark 11: 15-19 (NKJV)
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.'” 18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening had come, He went out of the city.

Luke 11:37-54 (NLT)
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. 38 His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40 Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? 41 So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. 42 What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 43 What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. 44 Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.”
45 “Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.” 46 “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 47 What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. 48 But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! 49 This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’
50 As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—51 from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation. 52 What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.” 53 As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. 54 They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

Jesus showed love by revealing the hypocrisy of the hypocritical religious leaders of His day.

Notice the scriptures’ attitude towards irresponsibility:

Love also stands for truth when dealing with irresponsible people.

It is love to call out irresponsibility in someone when it hurts and affects others.

Proverbs 27:5-6 (NKJV)
Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Message
A spoken reprimand is better than approval that’s never expressed. 6 The wounds from a lover are worth it; kisses from an enemy do you in.

Good News Translation
Better to correct someone openly than to let him think you don’t care for him at all. 6 A friend means well, even when he hurts you. But when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder–watch out!

Proverbs 28:23 (NKJV)
He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.

The Living Bible
In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery.

Message Paraphrase
In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated far more than bootlicking flattery.

Notice how Paul deals with a believer who is setting a bad example for others:

When someone does something that brings harm to others, love will call it out!

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 (NKJV)
But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Titus 3: 10-11 (AMPC)
[As for] a man who is factious [a heretical sectarian and cause of divisions], after admonishing him a first and second time, reject [him from your fellowship and have nothing more to do with him], 11 Well aware that such a person has utterly changed (is perverted and corrupted); he goes on sinning [though he] is convicted of guilt and self-condemned.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NLT)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.

Sin is like yeast in a batch of dough!

If you do not confront the wrong in a person that may affect others, then do you really love them?

Paul deals with a person who is dividing the church.

Titus 3:10-11 (NLT)
If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. 11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

Living Paraphrase
If anyone is causing divisions among you, he should be given a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with him, 11 for such a person has a wrong sense of values. He is sinning, and he knows it.

Acts 20:29-30 (NLT)
I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

Notice how Paul dealt with a believer living in open sin:

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 (NLT)
When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

Here Paul deals with a man who is persecuting him and affecting the church:

2 Timothy 4:14-16 (NKJV)
Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. 15 You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. 16 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

Love stands for what is right!

And love will speak up when a person’s wrong way of living hurts others!

Bottom line, when people do things that aggravate and affect you, turn your cheek, as Jesus said.

But when someone does something that hurts others, address it!

Action Points:

Do you keep lists in your head and remember when people treat you in a hurtful way?
Is it an act of love to call a person out for their actions that hurts others?
What is the difference between keeping personal lists towards an individual who hurt you and addressing an issue publicly that a person has done that might harm a group of people?

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What Are You Doing With Love? (Part 2)

How do you treat your enemies?

1.26.2025

Review

We have a mandate to love. Period.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Romans 13:9-10 (NLT)

9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Jeremiah 31:33 (NKJV)

Romans 2:28-29 (NKJV)

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 5:5 (NKJV)

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

There is no spiritual growth without growth in love.

1 John 3:14 (NLT)

If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.

1 John 4:7-8 (NLT)

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:20-21 (NLT)

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.

Every step out of love is a step from light to darkness and sin.

We tie God’s hands, and we invite the demonic ream to hinder life when we do not allow love to rule us!

James 3:14-16 (KJV)

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

James 3:14-17 (NIV)

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

The love of God shuts down the demonic kingdom!

1. We are called to love people, even those we don’t like.

2. Love is the default we are to live by when others harm us!

3. Love refuses to harbor judgments, bitterness, unforgiveness, and malice when wronged.

Today:

4. Love treats enemies kindly!

Philippians 2:3 (KJV)

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3-4 (TPT)

Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. 4 Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests.

You don’t always have to prove your point.

2 Timothy 2:24 (NKJV)

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 (TPT)

Stay away from all the foolish arguments of the immature, for these disputes will only generate more conflict. 24 For a true servant of our Lord Jesus will not be argumentative but gentle toward all and skilled in helping others see the truth, having great patience toward the immature. 25 Then with meekness you’ll be able to carefully enlighten those who argue with you so they can see God’s gracious gift of repentance and be brought to the truth. 26 This will cause them to rediscover themselves and escape from the snare of Satan who caught them in his trap so that they would carry out his purposes.

The demonic realm is invited to do life with you when you choose strife. Instead, choose love:

So, here is the big question today – How do you treat a person who is like an enemy towards you in their attitudes, their speech, and their behavior?

Matthew 5: 38-44 (NKJV)

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV)

You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Paul:

Romans 12:20-21 (NKJV)

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Peter:

1 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

Again, listen to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:

1 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP)

…it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

(44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

This is completely the opposite of what you feel like doing.

Matthew 5:44-48 (MSG)

I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.

Luke 6:27-36 (TPT)

Love Your Enemies

But if you will listen, I say to you, love your enemies and do something wonderful for them in return for their hatred. 28 When someone curses you, bless that person in return. When you are mistreated and harassed by others, accept it as your mission to pray for them. 29 To those who despise you, continue to serve them and minister to them. If someone takes away your coat, give him as a gift your shirt as well. 30 When someone comes to beg from you, give to that person what you have. When things are wrongly taken from you, do not demand they be given back. 31 However you wish to be treated by others is how you should treat everyone else. 32 Are you really showing true love by only loving those who love you back? Even those who don’t know God will do that. 33 Are you really showing compassion when you do good deeds only to those who do good deeds to you? Even those who don’t know God will do that. 34 If you lend money only to those you know will repay you, what credit is that to your character? Even those who don’t know God do that. 35 But love your enemies and continue to treat them well. When you lend money, don’t despair if you are never paid back, for it is not lost. You will receive a rich reward and you will be known as true children of the Most High God, having his same nature. For your Father is famous for his kindness to heal even the thankless and cruel. 36 Show mercy and compassion for others, just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all.

A Word to my Enemies

You are not really my enemies at all…in reality you are some of the best friends I have.

I speak sincerely when I say that there can be no spiritual growth in believers’ lives without the chastising work of a real enemy. When a friend highlights all my good qualities and praises me from their heart of true friendship, I feel nothing but love for them.

But when I hear of an enemy who has unjustly brought shame upon me, I find that an attitude of self defence and of “righteous indignation” rises up in me to counter this enemy. This response I have to my enemy produces in me a conviction from the Holy Spirit that my response to my enemy is self-centered and carnal. It is then that I can see how wrong I am and I can finally see the things that I didn’t know were in my responses.

When I see how I treat those who are unkind and harsh towards me, the Holy Spirit gives me the urge to repent of my harshness and so with sorrow of heart I cry to God, and He delivers me from what I have seen in my life. My selfish tendencies were hidden, lying dormant, until you, my beloved enemy, brought them to light with your crucifying process.

The prophets of old would never have had the glory of being stoned for the Word of God – no martyr’s crown could ever have been won by early Christians without real enemies.

You see, I cannot crucify myself, and friends will not do it. So it takes you, my enemy, to bring me to the cross that Jesus has asked me to take up as I follow Him. And to the cross I must come, if ever I am to change my responses and see the likeness of Jesus in how I treat others.

But there is much progress yet to make before my life begins to bear the image of Jesus. There is much I must yet learn. And you, my enemy, are teaching me. I have learned that the road to Christlikeness is by the way of the cross. And without you I would not have found the way.

I’m sure if you knew the good your efforts are working out in my life, you would not want to help me so much. But the work is being done, and I have learned to love you because of it. “Love your enemies,” Jesus said, and I wondered how I could do it. But you, my enemy, have taught me how to love. For because of you I have grown in God, increased in His grace, and partaken of His divine nature.

Your work has been sharp and cutting, and many times I was hurt and wounded deeply. But out of these trying experiences I have come forth a better Christian, and further on my way to being an overcomer. I doubt that you will receive any rewards for your lies and your efforts to destroy me, for “woe unto them through whom these offenses come.” But I want you to know that though your loss may be great on the Day of Judgment, I love you and appreciate the ministry you have had in perfecting and changing this life of mine.

Author Unknown

Lastly, here is a compilation of different translations of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 that I’ve had in my files since the 1980’s:

I CORINTHIANS 13:4 – 7

Let me describe love. It is slow to lose patience; love stays in difficult relationships with kindness, and it always looks for ways to be constructive. There is no envy in love. It is not possessive and never boils over with jealousy. Love makes no parade of itself; it never boasts, nor does it puff up with pride. Love is never arrogant and never puts itself on display, because it is neither anxious to impress, nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love never gets irritated and is never resentful.

Love holds no grudges, and it keeps no record of evil done to it. Love refuses to be provoked and never harbors evil thoughts.

Love is not rude or grasping or overly sensitive, nor does love search for imperfections and faults in others. Love does not compile statistics of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love celebrates what is real and not what is perverse or incomplete.

Love never does the graceless thing. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. Love never insists on its own rights, never irritably loses its temper, and never nurses its wrath to keep it warm. Love is not touchy.

Love can stand any kind of treatment because there are no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust. Love bears up under anything; it perseveres in all circumstances. Love’s first instinct is to believe in people. If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best in him, and always stand your ground in defending him. Love never regards anyone or anything as hopeless. Love keeps up hope in everything. Love’s hope never fades.

Love keeps on keeping on! It trusts in God in every situation and expects God to act in all circumstances. Love goes on forever. Nothing can destroy love. Nothing can happen that can break love’s spirit. In fact, it is the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.

Action Points

1. Do you think about love as the most important thing in all of your relationships?

2. Do you seek to respond in love when others do you wrong and say things thst are just not true about you?

3. Do you practice loving those who act like enemies by praying for them and seeking in some way to do something good for them?

4. What do you need to change so that others see the love of God in your life?

What Are You Doing With Love?

1.19.2025

Introduction

Paul mentions the harshness of people towards each other before Christ returns:

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (AMP)

But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God,

2 Timothy 3:3-4 (BBE)

3 Without natural love, bitter haters, saying evil of others, violent and uncontrolled, hating all good, 4 False to their friends, acting without thought, lifted up in mind, loving pleasure more than God;

2 Timothy 3:3-4 (Int’l English ERV)

They will have no love for others and will refuse to forgive anyone. They will talk about others to hurt them and will have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 People will turn against their friends. They will do foolish things without thinking and will be so proud of themselves. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure.

Jesus mentioned that just before He returns, society would take a turn towards hurtful relationships.

Matthew 24:12 (NKJV)

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:12 (NLT)

Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:12 (BBE)

And because wrongdoing will be increased, the love of most people will become cold.

Matthew 24:12 (CJB)

And many people’s love will grow cold because of increased distance from Torah.

Matthew 24:12 (WNT)

And because of the prevalent disregard of God’s law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

Matthew 24:12 (AMP)

And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,

Matthew 24:12 (NCV)

There will be more and more evil in the world, so most people will stop showing their love for each other.

Matthew 24:12 -(Message Paraphrase)

For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes.

How’s you love life?

How are you doing with loving people who mistreat you and say things that should not be said to you or about you to others?

We are called to love people who don’t like us, who disagree with us, who say mean and nasty things about us. How are you doing with that?

Jesus prayed for the soldiers who beat and crucified Him Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

Stephen, the first martyr of the church, prayed for those who stoned him: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.

After Jesus was resurrected He told Mary to go tell my disciples and Peter that I am alive. Jesus made a point to love Peter even though Peter had denied Him.

Jesus taught us that we should love our enemies and pray for those who use us to their advantage.

Yet, today, there is venom, anger, animosity, revenge, vitriol, hatred, malice, sarcasm, blasphemous words, vindictiveness, and division everywhere in our culture.

We are called to steer clear of this!

Questions:

How do you treat people who mistreat you?

How are the changes in our society affecting you and your interactions with those close to you?

How do you respond to people who purposely do and say things to “get under your skin?”

What do you do when people attack you and say things about you that just are not true?

How do you respond when you are accused of something that you just did not do?

There is a real “edge” right now on our culture.

I think that the internet has given people a forum to say what they normally would not and then not be held responsible for it!

The public dialogue in America has sometimes become caustic, bitter, angry, defensive, accusatory, and sometimes lacking the normal respect and kindness that should be the baseline in relationships.

God created us to be relational. We do best when surrounded by those who care about us.

We do not do well in isolation. Isolation is a sign of pain.

Here is some help for your relational challenges:

1. We are called to love people, even those we don’t like.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Romans 5:5 (NKJV)

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

1 Peter 4:7-8 (NKJV)

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

Proverbs 10:12 (NKJV)

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.

1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 3:14 (NKJV)

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

1 John 3:14 (Passion Translation)

Yet we can be assured that we have been translated from spiritual death into spiritual life because we love the family of believers. A loveless life remains spiritually dead.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (TPT)

Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ, 2 I had to nurse you and feed you with “milk,” not with the solid food of more advanced teachings, because you weren’t ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready to be fed solid food, 3 for you are living your lives dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. Ask yourselves: Is there jealousy among you? Do you compare yourselves with others? Do you quarrel like children and end up taking sides? If so, this proves that you are living your lives centered on yourselves, dominated by the mind-set of the flesh, and behaving like unbelievers.

2. Love is the default we are to live by when others harm us!

Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

1 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

3. Love refuses to harbor judgments, bitterness, unforgiveness, and malice when wronged.

Romans 12:9-21 (NLT)

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”

says the LORD. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Ephesians 4:29-32 (NLT)

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Mark 11:25-26 (AMP)

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.

1 Peter 4:8 Amplified

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].

Proverbs 10:12 Amplified

Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions.

Love does not broadcast other people’s failures…

“Did you hear about…” Love will keep quiet about it!

Some people make it their job to share negatives…

4. Love disarms those who treat you like an enemy.

Philippians 2:3 -KJV

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3-4 (Passion Translation)

Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. (4) Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests.

You don’t always have to prove your point.

2 Timothy 2:24 -NKJV

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, (25) in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, (26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 (Passion Translation)

Stay away from all the foolish arguments of the immature, for these disputes will only generate more conflict. (24) For a true servant of our Lord Jesus will not be argumentative but gentle toward all and skilled in helping others see the truth, having great patience toward the immature. (25) Then with meekness you’ll be able to carefully enlighten those who argue with you so they can see God’s gracious gift of repentance and be brought to the truth. (26) This will cause them to rediscover themselves and escape from the snare of Satan who caught them in his trap so that they would carry out his purposes.

The demonic realm is invited to do life with you when you choose strife. Instead, choose love:

Matthew 5: 38-44 – NKJV

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. (39) But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (40) If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. (41) And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. (42) Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. (43) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (46) For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (47) And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? (48) Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

This is completely the opposite of what you feel like doing.

Matthew 5:44-48 (Message)

I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.

Luke 6:27-36 (Passion Translation)

Love Your Enemies

But if you will listen, I say to you, love your enemies and do something wonderful for them in return for their hatred. (28) When someone curses you, bless that person in return. When you are mistreated and harassed by others, accept it as your mission to pray for them. (29) To those who despise you, continue to serve them and minister to them. If someone takes away your coat, give him as a gift your shirt as well. (30) When someone comes to beg from you, give to that person what you have. When things are wrongly taken from you, do not demand they be given back. (31) However you wish to be treated by others is how you should treat everyone else. (32) “Are you really showing true love by only loving those who love you back? Even those who don’t know God will do that. (33) Are you really showing compassion when you do good deeds only to those who do good deeds to you? Even those who don’t know God will do that. (34) “If you lend money only to those you know will repay you, what credit is that to your character? Even those who don’t know God do that. (35) But love your enemies and continue to treat them well. When you lend money, don’t despair if you are never paid back, for it is not lost. You will receive a rich reward and you will be known as true children of the Most High God, having his same nature. For your Father is famous for his kindness to heal even the thankless and cruel. (36) Show mercy and compassion for others, just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all.”

Lastly, here is a compilation of different translations of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 that I’ve had in my files since the 1980’s:

I CORINTHIANS 13:4 – 7

Love holds no grudges, and it keeps no record of evil done to it. Love refuses to be provoked and never harbors evil thoughts.

Action Points

1. Do you think about love as the most important thing in all of your relationships?

2. Do you seek to respond in love when others do you wrong and say things thst are just not true about you?

3. Do you practice loving those who act like enemies by praying for them and seeking in some way to do something good for them?

4. What do you need to change so that others see the love of God in your life?

Will You Live a God Honoring Life This Year? (part 2)

Are you prepared for the good and the bad together?

1.12.2025

Review

Live your life in the light of eternity.

As the return of Jesus seems to be closer than ever, the most important thing in life is to be right with Him, and to find out what He wants in your life, and fulfill it!

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV)

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

God wants you to put Him and His Word first place in your life. He wants you to love your spouse. He wants you to be close to your children and discipline them. He wants you to work hard and be industrious and not waste your time on things that in the end don’t matter. He wants you to live honorably in all your relationships, to accept responsibility for your failures and not blame others, to love and forgive without reservation, and treat others with kindness and respect.

The Antichrist spirit that is rising worldwide wants you to abandon yourself to even whim and desire, because you only live once. It seeks to move you away from strong family ties with spouse and children. It urges you to give in to every base thought and feeling you have, to live for the now. Just forget the future! It urges you to anesthetize yourself with excess – partying, overeating, drinking, drugs, sex, excessively watching movies, excessively scrolling social media, playing online games (for the younger) and just filling your life with whatever you can to forget the hardships that we all face! That spirit urges you to downplay your relationship with Jesus and keep your life filled with other things.

Pain seeks pleasure.

Psalms 16:11 (NKJV)

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

So, which way will you go this year?

Will you exercise self-control?

Or will you go with the crowd and give yourself to all sorts of excesses?

Today:

Are you prepared for the good and the bad together?

The church age is coming to a close and we are entering the period of the Second Coming of Christ, which is a time of judgment!

Ephesians 1:10 – JB Phillips

For God had allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this: He purposes in His sovereign will that all human history shall be consummated in Christ, that everything that exists in Heaven or earth shall find its perfection and fulfilment in Him.

God wants to use you to minister His life to people this year.

Will you let Him?

Our mission statement here at Victory is – Helping People Become Who God Created Them To Be.

If you haven’t figured out what gift God has given you to use in service to others, we can help you.

Victory Pathway is scheduled for Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4:00 pm. There we can help you understand what God is saying to you as to your giftings from Him.

We have a spiritual gifts test that we provide you in our second Victory Pathway class that can help you understand what gifts God has placed in you to serve others.

This is a time to be careful with yourself and be self-controlled instead of being controlled by the winds of our changing world!

We are in an intense spiritual battle right now!

God has called us to live self-controlled lives in an out of control world!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT)

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

I just don’t know of a more accurate way to say it than The Passion Translation!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (TPT)

But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce and difficult for the people of God. 2 People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly. 3 They will become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they will be ferocious, belligerent haters of what is good and right. 4 With brutal treachery, they will act without restraint, bigoted and wrapped in clouds of their conceit. They will find their delight in the pleasures of this world more than the pleasures of the loving God. 5 They may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!

One other description of today that is so applicable is Jesus Words to His disciples about the world just prior to His return:

Luke 21:25-28 (AMP)

And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn] at the roaring (the echo) of the tossing of the sea, 26 Men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the [very] powers of the heavens will be shaken and caused to totter. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great (transcendent and overwhelming) power and [all His kingly] glory (majesty and splendor). 28 Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near.

Luke 21:34-35 (TPT)

Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Remain passionate and free from anxiety and the worries of this life. Then you will not be caught off guard by what happens. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or careless in living like everyone else. 35 For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all, like a downpour that drenches everyone, catching many unaware and unprepared.

The time people refer to as The tribulation is coming – a period of 7 years – and is one of the most difficult times the world has ever known. Get ready for it.

Daniel 12:1-2 (NKJV)

At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

The other side of the challenges is the return of Jesus and eternity with Him!

I see two things happening right now:

A move of the Spirit of God.

A deep darkness covering the earth.

Isaiah 60:1-3 (NKJV)

Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people;But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

1. A move of the Spirit of God

This will precede the judgments of the Day of the Lord during what is called The Tribulation just before Jesus returns!

The first part of those seven years is the wrath of the Antichrist against those he doesn’t like – Christian’s and Jews. And there will be a move of the Holy Spirit during that time.

The last couple of years of that time will be the wrath of God against those who reject His Kingdom and rule on the earth. And we will be removed by the rapture before the wrath of God comes.

Many believe and teach that we will leave here before the global government comes to power.

I see it differently.

We will be here for the first part of this time when the global government begins, but then will be raptured away before God’s wrath comes!

Joel 2:28-32 (NLT)

Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. 29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. 30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives. 32 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved,

Acts 3:19-21 (NLT)

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.

For this to occur, we must be willing to humble ourselves.

2. A deep darkness covering the earth.

Again, both revival and judgment happen at the same time.

But before Jesus returns, the antiChrist will seek control!

Let me mingle some current events with what the Bible reveals. This is NOT being political. It IS showing you how practical the application of Scripture is to current events.

President elect Donald Trump is hated profusely by the many because he refuses to be a globalist! Pray for him.

Satan is desirous to take over the world through the use of a global government that is overseen by a globalist person the Bible calls AntiChrist.

There seems to be three components to the global government:

A worldwide political system.

A worldwide economic system.

And a worldwide combined religion.

The spirit of Antichrist is loose worldwide, looking to install a global government to lead every nation politically, financially, morally, and spiritually.

The motive behind this spirit of Antichrist is to replace God and His Son Jesus Christ with a new set of standards for living and relating to one another.

The spirit of Antichrist wants to remove any acknowledgement of God, Jesus, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments from the world.

1 John 2:18 (NKJV)

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22-23 (NKJV)

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

The spirit of Antichrist wants to do away with the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses, which is the greatest set of laws ever given to mankind to help sinful people honor God and get along with each other.

Demon spirits that promote immortality in every form and that promote lawlessness are seeking entrance into American life just like they are in the rest of the world!

Every time a person commits an immoral act they are bowing their knee to demon spirits and the spirit of AntiChrist.

The Antichrist spirit has a goal: for all to be the same; for everyone to be exactly equal; for no one having more than another, and for all being told by this global government what they can do, say, think, and value, and what they cannot do.

The goal of the Antichrist spirit is a complete absence of morals. Anybody can live any way they choose. Lying, cheating, stealing, lusting, all forms of sexual behavior as legit, and all bowing to the will of the global government for the greater good, and for world peace.

That is one of the reasons for a huge persecution of Christians and Jews during the reign of the Global system (AntiChrist).

It is a trick, a lie, a ruse, and a scheme to rob God of His place and to rob His Son’s place in the world!

Here is what is clear from scripture that is coming – a judgment on the whole system is coming!

Every system that Satan has set up to rule the world will be destroyed by Jesus in His Second Coming.

In the book of Revelation, there is a clear pattern that shows what is coming.

Revelation 4 shows God as the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Revelation 5 shows God with the earth’s title deed in His hand in the form of a scroll with seven seals.

Revelation 6 shows the seals being broken.

1st seal – White horse – antiChrist.

2nd seal – Red horse – War.

3rd seal – Black horse – Inflation.

4th Seal – Green horse – Death.

5th seal – Martyrdom.

6th seal – Cosmic disturbances.

7th seal – Trumpet judgments begin.

The scroll in God’s right hand is unrolled and in it are the contents of the rest of the book of Revelation!

The judgment of God on His enemies begins.

Before the judgment of God comes, Christians are Caught Away in the Rapture of the church!

Then – after we are gone, Trumpet Judgments begin, which begin the judgments of God!

Meteorites hit the earth, polluting the fresh water and salt water, and burning the vegetation.

The sun darkens.

Demonic spirits come up from the underworld.

Then, there are seven laver or bowl judgments in Revelation 16 that will complete the cleansing of the earth from Satan’s rule.

All of these judgments will come on those following the global system and its leaders, all who are against God.

My friend, that is all in the future! Get ready.

The rise of the global system and the move of God that Joel saw seems to be coming next.

Time is short. The good and the bad will move together.

Get ready for God to use you to minister to people!

Action Points:

1. Are you born again and ready for heaven? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?

2. Are you solidly grounded in the truth of God’s Word?

3. Are you preparing for God to use you to help others?

Additional information on Revival:

Mark Barclay – July 1987

The following is an end-time vision given to an established, seasoned minister of the gospel, Dr. Mark Barclay, and told in his own words. My heart was quickened when I read it and I thought: “This vision needs to be circulated to the body of Christ worldwide for we are seeing the increasing effects of it being unfolded in this hour, although it was given more than 25 years ago.”

If you are skeptical of these things I would encourage you to listen to your heart as you read it and allow the Holy Spirit to bear witness with you.

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. … But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. For as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in Him” (1 John 2:20, 27)

Here then is the vision told in the minister’s own words:

“In 1987 I was a speaker at a camp meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I spoke during the Thursday evening service. Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin spoke during the Friday evening service. I remember that I had just flown in from meetings in Paris, France. I mentioned to my wife how much I would like to stay and hear Dr. Hagin speak. She agreed.

As Dr. Hagin entered the pulpit, he began to pray in tongues. When he started, I started. A moment later, I was caught up in a vision (I was told later that it was probably more like a trance). As I went into this vision, I remember how Dr. Hagin’s voice was getting quieter and quieter, until I could hear him no more. It was so quiet all around me I felt like I could hear my own heartbeat.

All of a sudden I felt evil, as if it were surrounding me. Anger rose up in me, and fear tried to get a grip on me. Suddenly, something caught my attention out of my left eye. I turned hard to the left to see what it was. I saw the circumference of the earth, from one edge to the other, and this horrible black, dark cloud was rising up over the horizon. Somehow I knew it would eventually fill the entire earth.

An alarm went off in me, screaming to me to run away from it as fast as I could. I felt like I should scream at it, to stop it in its tracks by using the name of Jesus. I began to rebuke it and started to say, “In the name of Jesus … ” I didn’t quite get it out, and the Lord said, “That will do you no good.”

“What?” I said.

The Lord said, “Son, you cannot use My name to stop what I prophesied. I am not causing this dark cloud, but I did prophesy it would happen in the last days.”

I remember in the vision that I asked the Lord “What is this? What is this evil, tempestuous, dark cloud?”

The Lord said, “This is what I showed My prophet, Isaiah (Isa. 60:1-2). This is every evil thing you can name. It is every demon, it is every disease, it is sickness and bacterial attacks that haven’t even been discovered yet. It will cause humans to do things to humans that aren’t even human. It is filled with insanity, and many people will lose their mind and their faculties. It is murder, terror, rape, abuse, terrorism, torture and much worse. It is filled with deceptions, heresies, perversions and filth.”

Some things the Lord showed me I have not had permission to speak.

I also saw people—many, many people. Some were running into the dark cloud, and some were being sucked into it. It reminded me of this very powerful Shop-vac I have. It will not only suck up the dirt but also my tools, if I don’t pay attention.

I saw many people screaming with terror and actually being dragged into this cloud. Though they were refusing it and resisting it with all their strength, they still did not possess the power to stop it.

I was so disturbed when I saw a cross on someone’s pocket or jewelry. I remember saying to the Lord, “Who are those people being drawn into this filth and terror, wearing the Christian symbol of the cross? Who are these people, not even resisting? And who are these people, resisting with all their might but it does them no good? They just keep disappearing into this horrible, evil cloud of gross darkness.”

The Lord answered me and said, “Oh, these are those who do not have clean hands and a pure heart. They have been warned but ignoreqd the warnings. Some even wanted this filth as their lifestyle.”

I asked, “Well, who are these wearing the cross?”

“Oh,” the Lord said, “These are the people who claim Me as Savior. Many of them have desired this filth and even fought for it. They make excuses but are not excused. The ones who are resisting thought My prophets were exaggerating and from the old school, and they denied the warnings. Now that this evil has come, they possess little to no power, and certainly not enough to resist and overcome this horrible onslaught of enemy power. Only those with clean hands and a pure heart will be able to totally resist this. It will cover the earth.”

There was much more to this, but I began to come out of the vision and once again heard Brother Hagin speaking in tongues from the pulpit.

I asked my wife what had happened, and she said, “Nothing, he hasn’t done anything but pray in the spirit.”

Page 2 of 3

I began to realize that nobody seemed to see this vision or get caught up into this trance but me. I held my wife’s hand a little tighter and began to pray fervently in the spirit. As I did, I got caught up in the spirit again.

Just like before, Brother Hagin’s voice got quieter and quieter until it was gone. I found myself alone again. It was so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat. Suddenly, a piercing light hit the corner of my right eye. It was so bright that I instantly shrouded my head with my hands and arms. It reminded me of the intense light that my optometrist uses to examine the back of my eyes. Actually, it was much brighter than that.

Everything within me said, “Turn and look into it. Turn now, and run into it.” Yet there was this hesitation because it was so bright it seemed to shine through me. Finally I gave in to it and looked directly at it. With both eyes I saw the depth of this bright cloud. Just like the dark cloud I had seen before, it was coming up over the horizon of the earth. I could tell that it was going to cover the planet. I just knew that I knew that nothing could stop it.

I remembered asking the Lord, “What is this? What is this massive, earth-consuming, bright cloud?”

The Lord answered me and said, “Oh, this is My glory. This is the glory cloud that I showed My prophet Isaiah (Isa. 60:1-2). This is what I promised, that My glory will fill the whole earth.”

“Well,” I asked, “what is inside the cloud?”

“It is filled with the greatest miracles humans have ever seen. It is filled with healing for every disease, and a cure for every sickness. It is power to overcome sin and filth—to receive the truth and reject error, heresy and doctrines of demons. It is a full manifestation of My Spirit. It is the full anointing of Jesus Christ and more, much more.”

He showed me other things that I have no permission to speak at this time.

Page 3 of 3

I saw people in this vision, just like before with the cloud of darkness. Many, many people were running into it and almost frolicking in it. It was like my first response—too bright to behold, and then I wanted to run into it. There were those who seemed to want to pull away from this glory cloud.

“Lord, who will enter into this great glory of God and enjoy this awesome power?” I asked.

“Those who have a pure heart and clean hands,” the Lord answered. “They are the ones who will escape the horrible vacuum of the evil, dark cloud and be consumed with My glory. I will require you to tell these things to My people at an appointed time.”

Now is that time! As I travel the world over, I see both of these manifestations happening. In fact, I see them beginning to intensify. Sometimes I say that both God and Satan are having a revival among men. We will now see more and more people running to each cloud, causing a great gulf or divide. Could this be the separation of sheep and goats, or the separation of wheat and tares?

I am not a conspiracy-theory person. I am not a fear-based preacher. I am not a prophet of doom. So what I am about to say is none of these. But, I am actually witnessing the spirits of the Antichrist, prepping the people of the earth (including many church goers) for the arrival of the Antichrist himself. I see demons (spirits of the Antichrist) going throughout all the earth. They are slowly re-programming the minds of men (doctrines of demons) to systematically disassemble the work of Christ and disengage the army of God.

You can avoid this, if you choose. If you choose not to, you will suffer the consequences. Please don’t do that!” —Dr. Mark Barclay (marktbarclay.com)

Will You Live a Self-Controlled Life in 2025? (part 1)

1.5.2025

Introduction

Live your life in the light of eternity.

As the return of Jesus seems to be closer than ever, the most important thing in life is to be right with Him, and to find out what He wants in your life, and fulfill it!

God wants you to put Him and His Word first place in your life. He wants you to love your spouse. He wants you to be close to your children and discipline them. He wants you to work hard and be industrious and not waste your time on things that in the end don’t matter. He wants you to live honorably in all your relationships, love and forgive without reservation, and treat others with kindness and respect.

The Antichrist spirit that is rising worldwide wants you to abandon yourself to every whim and desire, because you only live once. It urges you to give in to every base thought and feeling you have, to live for the now. Just forget the future! It urges you to anesthetize yourself with excess – partying, overeating, drinking, drugs, sex, watching movies, scrolling social media, playing online games (for the younger) and just filling your life with whatever you can to forget the hardships that we all face! That spirit urges you to downplay your relationship with Jesus and keep your life filled with other things.

So, which way will you go this year?

Will you exercise self-control?

Or will you go with the crowd and give yourself to all sorts of excesses?

God wants to use you to minister His life to people this year.

Will you let Him?

Our mission statement here at Victory is – Helping People Become Who God Created Them To Be.

If you haven’t figured out what gift God has given you to use in service to others, we can help you.

Victory Pathway is scheduled for Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4:00 pm. There we can help you understand what God is saying to you as to your giftings from Him.

We have a spiritual gifts test that we provide you in our second Victory Pathway class that can help you understand what gifts God has placed in you to serve others.

This is a time to be careful with yourself and be self-controlled instead of being controlled by the winds of our changing world!

We are in an intense spiritual battle right now!

God has called us to live self-controlled lives in an out of control world!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT)

I just don’t know of a more accurate way to say it than The Passion Translation!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (TPT)

One other description of today that is so applicable is Jesus Words to His disciples about the world just prior to His return:

Luke 21:25-28 (AMP)

Luke 21:34-35 (TPT)

The time people refer to as The tribulation – a period of 7 years – is one of the most difficult times the world has ever known. Get ready for it.

Daniel 12:1-2 (NKJV)

The other side of the challenges is the return of Jesus and eternity with Him!

The Holy Spirit offers us an ability to live self controlled lives in the middle of all of that will happen this year!

This is a time to yield to the Holy Spirit and His ability to help you!

He imparts to us wisdom for each day from Jesus Himself!

John 16:13-15 (NLT)

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, The Spirit will tell you whatever He receives from Me.

One of the fruit of the Spirit is – Self Control!

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Ask for His help this year!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

We have the ability from heaven to control ourselves in an out of control world!

Here is a good verse for controlling yourself:

Psalms 19:14 (NKJV)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

When I think of self-control, I think of 3 words:

Manage yourself

First of all understand that God wants to help us, not hurt us. He is for us, not against us!

Psalms 130:3-4 (NKJV)

3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

You can ask Him to help you manage yourself by searching you for anything that would detract from the life He has for you.

Psalms 139:23-24 (NLT)

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

The backdrop of this is that God longs to help us change!

Psalms 90:8 (NKJV)

You have set our iniquities before You,

Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.

Psalms 90:8 (AMP)

Our iniquities, our secret heart and its sins [which we would so like to conceal even from ourselves], You have set in the [revealing] light of Your countenance.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (God’s Word Translation)

Examine yourselves to see whether you are still in the Christian faith. Test yourselves! Don’t you recognize that you are people in whom Jesus Christ lives? Could it be that you’re failing the test?

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NCV)

Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith. You know that Jesus Christ is in you–unless you fail the test.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (MSG)

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need first hand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it.

Ask, Lord, what in my life displeases you?

What do I need to change?

What in me would hurt others instead of help them?

What do You see in me that I cannot see?

Submit yourself

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (NKJV)

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (AMP)

But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged. 32 But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined [by undergoing His correction] so that we will not be condemned [to eternal punishment] along with the world.

When I judge myself, I tell the Lord the thing I am doing, repent, admit that it is wrong, and ask for forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 (AMP)

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

Yield yourself

Exercise your faith in Jesus to overcome sinful or harmful habits.

Romans 6:5-13 (NLT)

Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

There are four areas that we should exercise self- control in with God’s help!

1. Spiritual self–control

Make a choice not to be an emotionally based believer, but a Word based believer.

Put God’s Word above your emotions!

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) For we live by believing and not by seeing.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (AMP) for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]—

Jesus said it this way:

Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)

But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 (CEV)

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.'”

Make sure that you take time each day to spend with God in His Word.

God said to me way back in 1983, What is first in your life, make first in your day!

That statement from Him transformed me.

The Word will create within you a rest from the turbulence around you.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (TPT)

Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. 29 Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. 30 For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”

If your spiritual needs are not met, you will live on empty inside, and may easily succumb to the pressures and lifestyle of the culture around you.

This is NOT a day to live on empty!

If you don’t eat a satisfying meal, snack foods sure are tempting! But, when you are satisfied and sated, you don’t need them.

Read and meditate.

Colossians 3:16-17 (NKJV)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

2. Mental self-control.

Remember that your mind and emotions are best buddies. They tag along together.

What you think, you feel.

To change feelings, change thinking.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

The Hebrew word for peace is double in that verse.

It actually reads – You will keep him in peace, peace!

Peace – Definition:

The state of quiet, rest, repose, harmony, order, and security, in the midst of turmoil, strife, and temptations. A mental or spiritual condition marked by freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions: A calmness of mind or heart.

We are to steer clear of mental drunkenness!

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

(Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary)

nepho …signifies “to be free from the influence of intoxicants”

(CWSB Dictionary)

To be sober-minded, watchful, circumspect. The word does not mean to abstain from the use of alcohol but rather to refrain from the abuse of it which leads to intoxication.

Nous is the Greek word for mind. So it is referring here to staying away from mental drunkenness.

We must refuse to obsess over the issues of life!

1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV)

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Rick Renner

— Sparkling Gems From the Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God’s Word by Rick Renner

https://a.co/7Oem5N9

The word “cares” is the Greek word merimna, which means anxiety. However, in principle it described any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance that arises as a result of problems that develop in our lives. It could refer to problems that are financial, marital, job-related, family-related, business-oriented, or anything else that concerns us. This means anything that causes you worry or anxiety—regardless of why it happened—is what you need to throw over onto the shoulders of Jesus Christ!”

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)

Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

Matthew 6:25-34 (AMP)

Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothes? See how the lilies and wildflowers of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [wool to make clothing], 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory and splendor dressed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive and green today and tomorrow is [cut and] thrown [as fuel] into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

3. Emotional self-control.

Put spiritual values over natural things.

I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe.

Philippians 4:11 (A.S.Way)

I have learned in whatever condition I am, to be independent of circumstances. I am schooled to bear the depths of poverty, I am schooled to bear abundance. In life as a whole and all its circumstances, I have mastered the secret of living – How to be the same amidst repletion and starvation, amidst abundance and privation. I am equal to every lot through the help of Him who gives me inward strength.

Our emotions can dominate us unless we choose to restrain them.

Emotions in a healthy person are generally a result of thoughts.

When we are feeling down or blue, we should check up on what we’ve been thinking about.

Thoughts fuel emotions. To change our emotions, we can learn to redirect our thoughts.

When I was young my emotions ruled me most days. Life was a roller coaster. I was up and down and moody emotionally.

Over time I learned to value the Word of God over my feelings and I learned to force my mind away from negative thinking by consciously choosing to think on scripture instead of the negative events from my past or present.

4. Volitional self-control!

Are you stubborn, or are you adaptable?

Do you have to get your way?

Are you easy to work with?

Are you easy to live with?

Do you deny yourself when your mind or body wants to do what you know is wrong? Or do you easily yield?

The will is the pivot point between carnality and spirituality in your life.

You will either be body ruled or spirit led, all based on what YOU choose.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV)

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Matthew 16:24-26 (NLT)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Matthew 10:38-39 (NLT)

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Matthew 16:25-26 (NLT)

25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Mark 8:34-37 (NLT)

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul?

Mark 8:34 J.B. Phillips Translation

Then he called his disciples and the people around him, and said to them, “If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me. The man who tries to save his life will lose it; it is the man who loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s who will save it.

Luke 9:23-25 (NLT)

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

Luke 14:26-27 (NLT)

If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33 (NLT)

So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

John 12:24-25 (NLT)

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

William Barclay

He was saying that only by spending life do we retain it. Those who love their lives are moved by two aims–by selfishness and by the desire for security. Not once or twice but many times, Jesus insisted that those who hoarded their lives must in the end lose them, and those who spent their lives must in the end gain them. There was a famous evangelist called Christmas Evans who was always on the move preaching for Christ. His friends begged him to take things easier, but his answer was always: ‘It is better to burn out than to rust out.’ When Joan of Arc knew that her enemies were strong and her time was short, she prayed to God: ‘I shall only last a year, use me as you can.’ Again and again, Jesus laid down this law (Mark 8: 35; Matthew 16: 25; Luke 9: 24; Matthew 10: 39; Luke 17: 33). We have only to think of what this world would have lost if there had not been men and women prepared to forget their personal safety, security, selfish gain and selfish advancement. The world owes everything to people who recklessly spent their strength and gave themselves to God and to others. No doubt we will exist longer if we take things easily, if we avoid all strain, if we sit at the fire and cosset life, if we look after ourselves as hypochondriacs look after their health. No doubt we will exist longer–but we will never live.”

— The Gospel of John, Volume Two (The New Daily Study Bible) by William Barclay

https://a.co/9ruGPSM

25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.

William Barclay

Once a schoolboy was asked what parts of speech my and mine are. He answered–more truly than he knew–that they were aggressive pronouns. It is all too true that in the modern world the idea of service is in danger of getting lost. So many people are in business only for what they can get out of it. They may well become rich, but one thing is certain–they will never be loved, and love is the true wealth of life. Jesus came to the Jews with a new view of life. They looked on glory as conquest, the acquisition of power, the right to rule. He looked on it as a cross. He taught men and women that only by death comes life; that only by spending life do we retain it; that only by service comes greatness. And the extraordinary thing is that when we come to think of it, Christ’s paradox is nothing other than the truth of common sense.”

— The Gospel of John, Volume Two (The New Daily Study Bible) by William Barclay

https://a.co/iKQIfWu

5. Physical self-control.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT)

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (NKJV)

27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (KJV) But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Rick Renner – Sparkling Gems quotes:

Castaway

When the King James Version uses the word “castaway,” it is actually the Greek word adokimos, which comes from the word dokimos, an old Greek word that means approved. But when an a is added to the front of the word, making it the word adokimos, it reverses the condition, which means this is no longer an approved person. Now this person has become disapproved, discredited, or disqualified.”

— Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God’s Word by Rick Renner

https://a.co/09Z2bsQ

“This is a person who has lost a high position he once held. Although he was once honored and respected, he has now become a “castaway.” He has lost his testimony and forfeited his reputation; as a result, he has become discredited, dishonored, and shamed.”

— Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God’s Word by Rick Renner

https://a.co/jdzBaAp

“The primary reason people become discredited and shamed is that they don’t control their flesh. Instead of crucifying the flesh and submitting it to the control of the Holy Spirit, they pander to the cravings of the flesh. As a result, they become dominated by the desires of the flesh, and those fleshly desires very deceptively lead them to fall into sin.”

— Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word sStudies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God’s Word by Rick Renner

https://a.co/52LEQ2p

Subjection

Paul’s body, which he determined to make his slave and his instrument, was never allowed to have its own way. Rather, Paul kept it under his command and made it his slave for the purpose of accomplishing his God-given dreams. If you continue going the way you are going right now, is your physical body going to be a fine-tuned instrument that God can use, or is it going to be the very tool the devil uses to bring you into discredit and shame? Who is running your life today—you or your flesh? If the apostle Paul was concerned that he could become discredited after all he had seen and done in the service of God’s Kingdom, I think it would be wise for you to be concerned about who is running your life as well. Don’t cut your flesh too much slack, friend, or it won’t be long before it’s running all over you and telling you what to do. You will reap the same result as others do when they refuse to discipline their flesh. In other words, you will eventually become broken by it. Don’t join the ranks of those who were once used by the Lord but are now set aside and ruined because they refused to bring their bodies into subjection. Your reputation, your influence, and the souls of unsaved men and women are at stake. Make sure you don’t become a castaway after all the good you have already done!”

— Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God’s Word by Rick Renner

https://a.co/6EuSkyt

1 Corinthians 9:27 (AMP)

But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Living sacrifice is an oxymoron. Jews offered dead animal sacrifices to God. We offer our body to God in sacrifice by denying them its appetites!

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NLT)

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

What promises? Look at the previous verses.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV)

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”

Action Points:

1. Do you think of yourself as a self controlled person?

2. How often do you give yourself spiritual checkups to see how you are progressing spiritually?

3. Are spiritual things in first place with you?

4. Do your thoughts control you or do you control your thoughts?

5. Are you ruled by your emotions or do you rule them with your relationship with God’s Word?

6. How do you resist your personal tendency to be stubborn?

7. How do you control your physical appetite when they want to dishonor the Lord?

Why an Incarnation?

12.22.2024

Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Definition

Incarnate –

(Latin) in-Caro – flesh.

Endowed with a human body; to give bodily form to; to be the type or embodiment of.

Incarnation- a taking on of human form.

It was foretold in the Old Testament:

Genesis 3:15 -NLT

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Her offspring – a woman bearing a child without the help of a man.

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV)

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 53:2 (NLT)

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.

The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Here’s why the Incarnation is God’s greatest gift to us…

God created us to love Him and to be loved by Him. But His love must be based on fairness and justice.

Psalms 89:14 (NKJV)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;

Mercy and truth go before Your face.

God must be fair and just in everything He does. He must be fair and just to Himself, to His enemies, as well as to man.

God’s enemy Satan tempted our original parents Adam and Eve and moved us to sin against God by disobeying Him.

Legally, God cannot just forgive us because He loves us.

His love and forgiveness must be based on a legal foundation, or Satan could accuse God of being unfair in His ruling the universe and dealing with him.

Our sin must be paid for legally, or we must pay for it ourselves by incarceration in hell, and after judgment into the lake of fire.

Spiritual rebels cannot be allowed to wander in the universe. They would corrupt the whole thing!

Satan has been consigned to hell and then the lake of fire in eternity. There is no salvation for him. He is forever doomed.

And Satan wanted us to be forever doomed.

Satan thought if he could get us to sin and rebel against God the way he did, then we would also get his judgment of eternal carceration in the lake of fire.

But he did not understand how much God loves us!

God loves us so much that He is willing to pay our spiritual debt of sin for us!

And that is where the incarnation comes into the picture.

A man got us into sin…a man must get us out!

No person born of two human parents qualifies to conquer the sin, Satan, and the curse on the earth problems we face because that person is born as a sinner.

10 things that only Jesus Christ – the God made flesh Man – can do:

He must:

1. Be born in fellowship with God.

2. Born free from Satan’s rule.

3. Be without sin Himself.

4. Have only one human parent.

5. Be immortal – not subject to death.

6. Be able to legally pay for our sin.

7. Conquer death and give us an ability to defeat our enemy.

8. Make immortality available to us.

9. Remove the curse from the earth.

10. Completely restore man to his pre-fall condition.

The virgin birth gives back to us all that was taken away when the human race became sinful with their disobedience in the Garden of Eden.

Because Jesus was also God, He was able to pay our sin penalty for us.

He took our spiritual death and separation from God.

He defeated Satan, our enemy, for us and gave us authority over him.

He has made provision for us to get glorified bodies at the rapture of the church, which will replace our current death-doomed or mortal bodies.

At His second coming, Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire along with all fallen angels and demons.

He will create a new heavens and new earth free from the curse of sin and the contamination of evil.

The earth will be once again what it was before Adam sinned. God will be our Father, and we will be His family.

Do you live as though you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ?

Are you ready for heaven? Are you going?

You will not go to heaven without accepting this free gift of salvation from Jesus Christ.

This is an important time for us to share the good news of the love God has for us by sending His Son to pay our sin penalty and prepare us for heaven.

To accept – lay down your life in repentance!

Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Action Points:

1. Do you believe that Jesus’ mother was a virgin?

2. Does your belief in Jesus’ virgin birth change how you live your life?

3. What changes do you need to make in your life that would be a witness to those around you who do not believe in the virgin birth?

The Foundation of Christianity begins with the Virgin Birth!

12.15.2024

Luke 1:26-35

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (28) And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (29) But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. (30) Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (31) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. (32) He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. (33) And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (34) Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (35) And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, 8 He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

The very foundation of Christianity begins with the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ.

There can be no faith for salvation without belief in the Virgin Birth.

In a large way, America has moved away from its Christian roots. Jesus Christ has lost His place in speaking to the morals of our generation.

In a moment I want to read you a quote from over 80 years that I believe was intentionally prophetic.

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, if people have no consciousness of sin, and if people don’t believe in punishment for sin after death in hell and then in the lake of fire, then that group of people will see little need for a Savior who died for us.

Let’s look at that statement a little closer:

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired, Word of God,

That belief has been minimized today with the Bible being taken out of the classroom in our schools.

That doesn’t mean that the Bible is any less inspired than it ever was, it just means that it’s influence has been diminished.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is God speaking to us.

It is inspired writing. It is from the Holy Spirit.

We need the attitude that Mary had when the angel Gabriel appeared to her!

Luke 1:38 (NKJV)

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

We need to say that about ourselves – be it u to me according to your word!

The Bible provides a moral compass for sinful, wicked people.

Psalms 119:105 (NKJV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God,

…if people have no consciousness of sin,

The word “sin” is not commonly used outside of church life.

The belief today is that we are all good.

There is an emphasis on self in public learning. Let a child be what it wants to be, and don’t correct.

That comes from a belief that we are intrinsically good within and that we are not sinful.

If you believe that, then there is no need for a savior.

Psalms 51:5 (NKJV)

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

And in sin my mother conceived me.

Psalms 51:5 (NLT)

For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

Our condition is summarized by Paul in Romans 3:

Romans 3:10-18 (TPT)

10 And the Scriptures agree, for it is written:

There is no one who always does what is right,

no, not even one!

11 There is no one with true spiritual insight,

and there is no one who seeks after God alone.

12 All have deliberately wandered from God’s ways.

All have become depraved and unfit.

Kindness has disappeared from them all,

not even one is good.

13 Their words release a stench,

like the smell of death—foul and filthy!

Deceitful lies roll off their tongues.

The venom of a viper drips from their lips.

14 Bitter profanity flows from their mouths,

only meant to cut and harm.

15 They are infatuated with violence and murder.

16 They release ruin and misery wherever they go.

17 They never experience the path of peace.

18 They shut their eyes to the awe-inspiring God!

(Holman Christian Standard Bible Study Bible Notes)

Romans 3:9:

All the world is under sin, and yet sin is considered an archaic topic in our secular society. It is not hard to guess why. Vice is something done against oneself; crime is something done against society or an individual; but sin is against God. Since modern culture is essentially atheistic, “sin” has become a meaningless term.

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Matthew 15:19 (NLT)

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,

and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God,

…if people have no consciousness of sin,

…and if people don’t believe in punishment for sin after death in hell, and then in the lake of fire,

Matthew 5:29-30 (NLT)

So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

Revelation 21:8 (NLT)

But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 20:15 (NLT)

And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

If people don’t believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God,

…if people have no consciousness of sin,

…and if people don’t believe in punishment for sin after death in hell, and then in the lake of fire,

…then they see little need for a Savior who died for us.

Then John 3:16 means nothing:

John 3:16 (NKJV)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Sadly, that is where America is right now!

Belief in the Bible makes people in sin uncomfortable. And our culture is all about doing what we want to do, period.

John 3:19-20 (NLT)

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

Also, political correctness, and the mass immigration from other countries of people from faiths other than Christianity has created a melting pot of beliefs.

Multiculturalism is urging us to mute our voices, and not be bold about our beliefs.

Persecution and vilification of Christians is here.

For these reasons, we need to know what we believe and why, and be able to kindly and lovingly share our faith.

It is time to wake up and be lovingly bold with what you believe!

Listen to this quote from the early part of the last century. Today it stands as a prophetic warning to America.

Quote From The Name of Jesus by E. W. Kenyon

Taken from The Wonderful Name of Jesus by E. W. Kenyon (Lynnwood, Washington: Kenyon’s Gospel Publishing Society, 1964), pages 13-14.

The deity of the Man of Galilee is the crux [the most important part] of Christianity. If this can be successfully challenged, then Christianity has lost its heart and it will cease to function; it will become a dead religion.

There is no denial that the challenge of His Deity has already had it reactionary effect upon society.

If Jesus is not Deity, He is not Lord. If He is not Lord, then He cannot interfere with our moral activities. If He is not Lord, then the laws that have been founded upon His teaching have lost their force. The morals that surround marriage with its lofty ideals have no basis of fact. If Jesus of Nazareth is not a revelation from God with Divine authority, then He is but a man. If He is but a man, all we have built around Him must be destroyed, and we have built around this Man our modern civilization.

He has been the inspiration of young men: they have kept themselves clean and pure as they have looked upon His wonderful life and sought to win His smile. Young women in the secret of their chamber have looked upon the face of the Man of Galilee and have pledged to preserve the purity of their womanhood that they might be found worthy of the love and confidence of the Man Who died two thousand years ago for humanity.

Children have been incited to obedience and purity by the example and teachings of this man. Business men have been deterred from crooked dealings by the consciousness that one day they would meet that Man and give account of the deeds done in their office.

Men of all walks of life have felt a strange kinship with this man Who walked the shores of Galilee, solitary among a multitude. To say He was but a good man is an insult. To say that He was the highest expression of Deity in humanity is to throw the lie into His face. Jesus is or He is not what He said He was. We have no record of His sayings nor of His doings outside the four gospels, and if we repudiate them, then we have but a mythical picture of the Man. If we challenge one of them, we have a right to challenge all of them: either He stands or falls on these four biographical sketches. If He is not the Son of God, who is He?

I want to believe that He is an incarnation. I want to believe that He dealt with the sin problem. I want to believe that He died for my sins and that He rose again for my justification. I want to believe that He is seated at God’s right hand today as the Intercessor and Mediator of the human race. I want to believe that what He said about heaven is true: In My Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself.

Skepticism holds no guarantee for my future. Civilization has not only been builded around this man, but He has been builded into civilization. If you destroy His character, His standing, His place, then civilization must disintegrate. The wave of crime and lawlessness that is sweeping over the land is but a byproduct of the modernists’ challenge of His integrity.

Our issues as a nation are because of sin. Our issues as individuals are because of personal sin.

The answer to sin is Jesus Christ.

He forgives sin.

He provides a way for the nature of sin to be removed. It is called the New Birth.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NKJV)

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Action Points:

1. Do you believe that Jesus’ mother was a virgin?

2. Does your belief in Jesus’ Virgin Birth change how you live your life?

3. What changes do you need to make in your life that would be a witness to those around you who do not believe in the Virgin Birth?