Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 21

 Chapter 21

Atonement for Unsolved Murders

21 “If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities. 3 And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke. 4 And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley. 5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. 6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. 8 Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’ 9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

Marrying Female Captives

10 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God gives them into your hand and you take them captive, 11 and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire to take her to be your wife, 12 and you bring her home to your house, she shall shave her head and pare her nails. 13 And she shall take off the clothes in which she was captured and shall remain in your house and lament her father and her mother a full month. After that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. 14 But if you no longer delight in her, you shall let her go where she wants. But you shall not sell her for money, nor shall you treat her as a slave, since you have humiliated her.

Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn

15 “If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved, 16 then on the day when he assigns his possessions as an inheritance to his sons, he may not treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved, who is the firstborn, 17 but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

A Rebellious Son

18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

A Man Hanged on a Tree Is Cursed

22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

How to Grow in Faith

 Garbage in, garbage out.

What you consume daily wires your brain. Your beliefs and standards are shaped by what you take in the most. This can either lift you and help you grow closer to God, or it can tear you down and create a division between you and God. This is why what you feed, or what you take in, and spend time with matters.

This is the new series that we will begin today, entitled “How to Grow in Faith.” Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today with loving hearts and thankfulness for all that you have given us, from life to life everlasting. Your Word declares this. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." We read this in your Word.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:5-8

We desire to please you, Father. We yearn for knowledge to grow in our faith and to overcome worldly desires. Please grant us the ability to see, hear, and understand what you wish us to know about you, your Word, and your ways. We ask this in Yeshua’s holy name. Amen.

How do you overcome the world, and how can a newborn child of God grow in faith, knowledge, and wisdom? This is what we will discuss.

1- Having the right mind.
2- Praying and talking to God.
3- Turning away from the world's ways.
4- Keeping company with like-minded folks.
5- Gathering together in His name.

Let’s start today with having the right mind. How do you do this? Stop feeding it worldly nonsense. Here is a good place to start. (Holding up the Bible.) This is the Bible. This is the Word of the everlasting God.

Forget what the World tells you is right and wrong, grey, or acceptable. Start learning what God says. The world is a world of flesh, and the things therein are for the flesh. It is opposed to God or anything spiritual. As Paul wrote to the Churches in Rome in Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

The world will lie to you. It will tell you that this “book” is just like any other “religious book.” They were all written by men and are filled with contradictions. It is not. There are NO contradictions. There are misunderstands, differing points of view, or misinterpretations. But no contradictions.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16

OK, OK, but what makes it different from, say, the Qur'an, the Mahabharata, Torah, or the Book of Mormon?

There are many differences. However, there is one that makes it final. There are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This is according to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne. If the Bible contains numerous predictions and they are found to be false, then we can conclude that the Bible itself is false. However, since about 26 percent of the Bible consists of prophecies, any predictions that have been proven correct would support the claim that the Bible is true.

Here are some examples. The general prophecy is that Babylon would rule over Judah for 70 years, as stated in Jeremiah 25:11-12. During this period, Babylon took many Jews captive, destroyed Jerusalem, and devastated the Temple. This domination of the Jews ended in 539 BC when Cyrus, a leader of the Persians and Medes, conquered Babylon, thus bringing an end to the empire. This event was foretold in Isaiah 45:1. Additionally, Jeremiah 49:15-20 and Ezekiel 25:12-14 both predict that the lush and beautiful land of Edom, which is now part of Jordan, would become a desert and wasteland.

Israel itself can be seen as a prophecy fulfilled. The Israel we know today, including the exact location and construction sequence of Jerusalem's nine suburbs, was predicted by the prophet Jeremiah about 2,600 years ago. Jeremiah 31:38-40; Ezekiel 37:21-22.

Additionally, Isaiah 66:7-8 describes this happening in a single day. This rebirth of Israel became a reality in 1948, once again occurring in just one day, and the construction of the nine suburbs has progressed exactly in the locations and sequence foretold. 

Then you have Jesus Himself. Who is he? Where does He come from? How does He live? How does He die? Even the rise from the dead? These are all in the Bible, some thousands of years, some hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. In extreme detail. Turn to Isaiah 53. We are going to read the whole thing. Ready?

“Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a young plant,
And like a root out of dry ground;
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
And no beauty that we should desire Him.

He was despised and rejected by men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And as one from whom men hide their faces,
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed him stricken,
Smitten by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned--everyone--to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on him
The iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
Yet he opened not his mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
And like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
So he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment, he was taken away;
And as for his generation,
Who considered that he was cut off from the land of the living,
Stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked
And with a rich man in his death,
Although he had done no violence,
And there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
He has put him to grief;
When his soul makes an offering for guilt,
He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
The will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied;
By his knowledge shall the righteous one,
My servant, make many to be accounted righteous,
And he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many,
And he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; 

Yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53

Sounds like Isaiah is describing Jesus? Right? However, this was written some 700 years before Jesus was born to Mary. As a matter of fact, Jesus is in the entire Bible. Yes, the Old Testament as well as the New. Without Jesus, there is no Bible. No other “religious book” can say this. Others are written telling stories of their leaders, teachers, and messiahs. But the Bible IS Jesus. Therein lies the difference. Jesus IS the Bible. He IS The Word of God. He was with God, is with God, and IS God. There is no Bible, New or Old Testament, without Jesus.

Here is something that some have a hard time understanding. Jesus was there in the beginning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-3

"All things were made by him;" The Word is a Him??? "and without him was not anything made that was made." "Without HIM, was NOTHING Made." Then, a little bit later, John makes it clear.

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14.

Jesus even tells us directly that the Bible is all about Him.

"And the Father himself, who has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life." John 5:37-40

What is Jesus saying here? He is saying, you, the religious folks, look to the Bible for salvation, yet reject Him Himself. He said you can't do that. Why? Because all Scripture points to Him. He is saying that if you reject Him, then you must reject the very Word of God because HE is the Word of God. He, Jesus, is the Word of God in the flesh. The Bible is the very Word of God, who is Jesus in the flesh. Are you following??

You have to feed your spirit this. The Word of God. If you do not, you will fill it with the junk of the world. Always remember that thoughts lead to actions. When you start to think about something, play it over and over again in that movie theater of the mind, you allow the good or the temptation to take hold. 

Let's say you were an alcoholic. Or a smoker. Or someone who used to look at porn. You give it up. You want to remain free of this bondage in your life. God sets you free from it. Yet, you see a commercial, or a movie, or a pretty young thing walking down the street, and it puts an image in your head. Does that make you revert to it? No. How you choose to deal with it is what matters.

You could immediately reject that thought, cast it out of your head. Or, you can dwell on it. Remember how much fun you think you had when you were doing these things. You remember the taste, the feelings, the "good times" with friends or whatever, that you can associate with them.

I smoked for like 35 years. I quit in 2016. Kinda had to. I was in the hospital with pneumonia and the flu. I was on death's door. Do I regret quitting? Never. Do I still have "Smoking Dreams" 10 years later? Yup. I can still taste it, smell it, and yes, from time to time, I still crave it. 

Your mind may start convincing you that you’ve been good, suggesting there’s nothing wrong with having just one cigarette or one beer. After all, many people smoke and drink every day. Some of your friends still do. You might think there’s no harm in looking at just one picture since no one will find out. But once you give in, it’s easy for that one moment to lead to another, putting you right back where you started.

Just like there’s a saying about feeding your body—“garbage in, garbage out”—the same applies to your mind and spirit. What are you nourishing them with? The quality of what you put in will determine what you get out. If you plant tomato seeds, you can’t expect to harvest watermelons, right? Similarly, if you consume a lot of candy, you can’t expect to be healthy. If you feed your mind and spirit with drugs, alcohol, pornography, and negativity, how can you expect to grow in faith in a holy God? It just doesn't work that way.

Again, you have a choice as a child of God. A choice that the world does not have. For the world is against God. They are not of God. Therefore, they obey the things of the flesh and make manifest the works of the flesh, for they know no better. However, by spending time reading this, the Holy Word of God, you do know better, and you do know there is a far better way. His way.

I know, a little long today. Join us next time, as we will discuss the fact that God wants to have a one-on-one relationship with you. He wants you to pray, AKA, talk to Him, always.

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Laws Concerning Warfare

1 “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people 3 and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, 4 for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’ 5 Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. 6 And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. 7 And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’ 8 And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’ 9 And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.

10 “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. 11 And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. 12 But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. 13 And when the Lord your God gives it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword, 14 but the women and the little ones, the livestock, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as plunder for yourselves. And you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the Lord your God has given you. 15 Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here. 16 But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, 17 but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded, 18 that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God.

19 “When you besiege a city for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field human, that they should be besieged by you? 20 Only the trees that you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it falls.

Banned Again.

 If you were looking. 

Well, here we go again. If you have been looking for me on Facebook or Messenger, you will not find me there. Waiting for Instagram to go away also as they said it would. Why, you ask? I can only guess because they really do not fully explain it, nor is there really anyone you can talk to. 

Instead of fighting this one, I have prayed about it, and it is in God's hands now. If God wants me on FB or Meta, again, then I will be. For now, you can find me here, of course, on Reddit, X, Scoopz, Snapchat, etc. 

If you wish to contact me directly here, the Email is truthbygod1@gmail.com.

The world may try to silence the truth from going out; however, they cannot stop God.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there, but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
But it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

All the praise and glory be to God. See you all on Wednesday for our Bible Study, and of course on Sunday for the new series entitled "How to Grow in Faith."

Until then, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord. 

Five Lies of the devil, Lie Five

 The Church is not important.

Have you heard it said that "church is not important, and it is simply a place of man-made traditions?" "You do not need to go to a building to worship God; you can do it on your own." As with most believable lies, this is based on some truth. There is some truth to it. However, what does God say? This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray. 

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today with all thanksgiving for all that you have graciously given to us, especially that of our very salvation. As we enter your Word today, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Truth, and the ability to discern it from the world. We ask this in Yeshua’s name, Amen!

Church? Is it important to God? I suppose we would first need to understand what the true church is. It is not a building. The brick and mortar, stained glass windows, may be beautiful and may be magnificent, but they mean nothing. Look what Jesus said about them and all other buildings that man has built, and seems so proud of.

“Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." Matthew 24:1-2

The building is nothing more than the architect's vision in someone's mind. It may be plain, it may be beautiful, but it is just a building. A temporary structure that is now and one day will cease to be. Here lies some truth. Yes, it most definitely can be a house of made-up traditions. Yes, you do not have to go to a building to worship God. As a matter of fact, God wants a relationship with you that is 24/7. Not an hour to 90 minutes a week, if you are going. The church is now, always has been, and will always be the people.

If you have your Bible and wish to, turn to Acts chapter 2:42-47

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

It was daily. Everyday. Why? To them, nothing else mattered. Nothing. Today, they would sell what they had to help those of them in need. They would be at Pete’s house today, and tomorrow at Bob’s house. The next day, Jenny, Richie’s wife, cooked for them. On appointed days, yes, they went to the temple. That was more of a tradition than anything. They lived their faith. Do we? The Word tells us this.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:15-17

Also, here in Hebrews 10:23-25

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Turn with me to Ephesians 4. Starting at verse 1

“I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Stop. Does this say go to church an hour a week? No, it says “walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” Does it mean that on Sunday you dress up, show off, and sweat praising God, and Monday you go to work and lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead? On Tuesday, you get drunk. On Wednesday, you watch that. You go there on Thursday. You party Friday night, and Saturday is a fun day. Oh, wait, it is Sunday morning again. Better dust off that Bible to show people how faithful I am. Verse 4

“There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

They used to call those who followed Jesus, “The Way.” Why, because Jesus said He is The Way, The Truth, and the Life. They were apart and separated from all others. They walked differently, talked differently, they acted differently. They were strange to those who were not of Christ. Of “The Way.” Are you strange? Do you look different from the World?

”But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says,

"When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Stop again. Read that part again. “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Why? “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

If you do not have this, {Holding up the Bible}, and you do not read this, you do not spend time with those like-minded believers, you can and will fall for a lie.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

A week is 168 hours long. How much growing do you think you are going to do if you spend one to one and a half hours in a building, even with a great man of God teaching, and then spend 166.5 hours being filled with the world? This was never God’s plan for us.

I believe I talked about this before, but I went to Columbus, Ohio, to spend two weeks with Pastor Rod Parsely, now, several years ago. I was contemplating moving there and going to World Harvest Bible College. Now I’m glad I didn’t. That is not where God wanted me. But I remember standing in the lobby of WHBC and being completely moved. God spoke to me that day. He said, “My people are a family.”

My response? "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now I'm trying to pay attention here." I heard it again. "My people are a family." "Yeah, I know. I get it. I understand. Now let me get back to this." One more time, "My people are a family." That was it. "OK, I'm listening. What are you trying to tell me? I mean, really, God. I got it. I understand that if we are all children of yours, then we are all in your family. What am I missing here?"

Turns out I was missing a lot. Starting with the fact that many may or may not like. We are not all God's children. We ARE all God's creation. However, there is only one way to become a child of God. That is Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated. That is the Spirit of Adoption. The Holy Spirit. If you are not adopted into the family of God, you are not His child.

However, if you are, then and only then are you His Child. Once you become adopted into the family, you then receive many more brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. You are adopted into a very large family. The Family of God. Look what Jesus says here.

"Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:28-31

We are a family. Let's look at a family. You sleep with, wake with, talk with, and spend time with your family. You share your day's events and seek to help those in need of comfort, encouragement, or celebration together. Is God's family one hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

Think about this. If you have a need or a challenge in your life, you can always turn to your family. Your mom or dad can help you. Your older siblings may have already been through what you are facing. They can help you. When you are sad, they try to comfort you. When they are sad, you comfort them. If you are the oldest, you may be the one that others look up to. Again, God's family? One hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to church?

Just like your earthly family, in God's family, you have babies—those who have just heard the truth and allowed it to set them free. They know very little and need to be fed and taught. You also have teenagers—those who are more knowledgeable but are not yet ready to go out on their own. They can certainly help raise the younger ones. Then there are the moms and dads—those who have grown up, put away childish things, and are positioned to teach, encourage, love, and guide both the children and teenagers. These are the church elders. Of course, there is the earthly father, the head of the church: the Pastor. He should be guiding the rest of the family and is responsible for communicating whatever God himself tells him.

Look at what Jesus instructed John and Mary while on the cross.

"But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." John 19:25-27

John and Mary had no prior relationship before meeting Him. John was a fisherman, while Mary was a teenage mother married to a carpenter. Many people wonder what happened to Joseph, Jesus’s "earthly father," whom he never regarded as such. The last mention of Joseph in the Bible occurs when Jesus is 12 years old. The consensus is that Joseph likely died sometime between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry at age 30. This theory is supported by the fact that Jesus appointed John to take care of his mother, Mary, which would have been Joseph's responsibility as well, especially after Jesus's crucifixion. However, he died, and Mary required being cared for. He saw this as a responsibility of His church. His people. His family.

You may have grown up in an abusive relationship. You may have lost loved ones. Perhaps, you never really had any. Perhaps some turned away when you became a child of God. That happens more than you think. God says, You do not have to worry about that. Why? “My people are a family.” The Church is the body of Christ.

We are a family. Our Father is God, the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of the universe, who is our Abba Father. If you belong to the right church, they become your family. We are meant to do life together — to laugh, cry, and support each other. We should strive to be the family God desires us to be, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Do you need something? Call your mother, Mary, or your grandma Betty, or your uncle Matthew, or your brother Bob. You should be part of a church where you can always reach the Pastor.

The truth is, you never have to be alone unless you choose to be. God even says, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” He has many ways for you not to be. If you haven't, consider joining a local church. Pray about it. Allow God to lead you to the one he wants you to be a part of. That is your family. Start looking at them as such.

Is He your Father? Are you His child? Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus' sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

That's it. It is that simple. Now tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 19

 Chapter 19

Laws Concerning Cities of Refuge

1 “When the Lord your God cuts off the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall measure the distances and divide into three parts the area of the land that the Lord your God gives you as a possession, so that any manslayer can flee to them.

4 “This is the provision for the manslayer, who by fleeing there may save his life. If anyone kills his neighbor unintentionally without having hated him in the past— 5 as when someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live, 6 lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. 7 Therefore, I command you, you shall set apart three cities. 8 And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— 9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

11 “But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood, so that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may be well with you.

Property Boundaries

14 “You shall not move your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in the inheritance that you will hold in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

Laws Concerning Witnesses

15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. 16 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil[c] from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Five lies of the Devil, Lie Four

 Lie four, Who are you?

Who do you think you are? You can’t teach or lead others. Who are you? This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray. 

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today with all praise and worship. You are the Alpha and the Omega. You are the great I AM, and we thank you for the ability to become your children. As your children, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive Your Truth and Revelation in Your Word. In this, we ask and pray in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Are you a good person? I have always considered myself a good person. If you ask, most will view the question in an earthly, worldly sense. They would reason it out. "Let's see, I haven't been arrested. I love my spouse and kids. I give to charity, attend church on Sundays, and try never to speak ill of anyone. Yes. I would say I was a good person."

If you look at it strictly in a worldly sense, you would be right. However, remember what Jesus said when Peter called him "Good Master?"

“And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19

Yeshua, the King of Kings, the Alpha and Omega, the Lord himself, corrected it when he was called good. If “Jesus” did not consider himself worthy to be called good. Then are you better than he? You see, Jesus was in the flesh, the same as we all are. Therefore, the temptations of the flesh were the same for him. The fruits of the flesh would have had the same result for him if he had given in, as they would and do for all of us.

The Word declares the very distinct difference in walking in the flesh and in the Spirit. If you have your Bible and wish to, turn to Galatians 5, start at verse 16

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:16-21

All these things mankind, men and women, do daily. Walking in the flesh and the things of the flesh are natural. They are human nature. The result of them all is the same: death.

Oh, society may, and has, become numb to some of them. It may even have become acceptable, or at least seen as "no big deal." But none of that changes the fact of what these things are. Most of these are self-explanatory. The others?

Lascivious? Characterized as or by expressing lust. Tending to incite lust. Look at the TV? Look at movies. Go to the malls and see how our young women are dressing. The Internet? You get the point.

Sedition?       Stirring up rebellion.
Revellings?   To rebel or take much merry in oneself.
Effeminate?  Characterized by weakness or self-indulgence.
Covetous?     Excessively desirous of something. Greedy.
Emulations? To try to surpass or become equal to something greater than you.

These are all the fruits of the fresh. The works we do in the flesh. These are the normal desires of one walking in the flesh. 1st Corinthians 6:9-11 says it this way.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Before you accept the gift, before you become a child of God, you must do these things. Many of the 12 did these things. These are the works of the flesh. But wait, we are all God's children, right? Wrong. We are all God's creation, but not all are God's children. The only way to become a child of God is through Jesus.

If you look at it in a worldly sense, the devil would be right. Who are you to sow the seed? To share the Truth? You are an ignorant, wretched person. You are not a Pastor. You have no degree in Scripture. You are not ordained. Who are you? You cannot teach or lead others.

Again, if we were looking at this in a worldly sense, the devil would be telling the truth. However, we know that the devil is “a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 You see, if you ARE a child of God, if you did say a prayer like this;

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus' sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Then you are no longer that person. You are NOW a child of the living God. One of the simplest ways I know to look at this for a newborn, if you will, in Christ, is to turn to Romans 8, start at verse 15

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.”

Only now can you claim to be a child of God. Now? Drop down to verse 31

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

"For your sake, we are being killed all day long;
We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Amen? Amen! Now and only now, can you fulfill what Jesus asked everyone of us to do.

“And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Now, here is an important thing to remember. Well, maybe a couple. First, if you are a child of God, then YES, God is calling you to be a sower of the seed, teller of truth, and shower of the way. However, He is not asking you to change the world. The world is what it is, and the world’s fate is sealed. In His prayer in John 17:6-11, Yeshua does not pray for the world. He prays for you. He said: "I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours." He did not say, I pray them out of the World, rather to "keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one."

He taught us that the basics of being a child of God hang on two Commandments. All ten can be summed up in these two. "Love God with all your heart, mind, and body, and love your Neighbor as yourself." He even told us," Do this, and you will do well."

You hold the keys, and with them comes responsibility. You are fortunate to have the ability to make a difference. However, always remember this crucial fact: others have free will, just like you do. They can choose to accept or reject the truth. They can decide to repent or continue to sin freely.

Will you lose loved ones? I hope not, but it is a possibility. This is why we are warned about it; it is part of the cost of discipleship. Are you able to do whatever it is that God calls you to do? Yes. Are you significant? Are you sufficient? Are you called? Yes. As a child of God, you have whatever it takes to do whatever He calls you to do.

Do not listen to the lies of the devil. Even if he tells you you cannot do this or that. Do not believe the devil if he tells you it is impossible.

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.’ Mark 10:27

You are now a child of God. The one who created the Heavens and the earth, the one who spoke all things into existence, is now your Father. I’m pretty sure He can handle anything that comes your way.

Join us next time, when we discuss the fifth lie. This one is not as clear and simple as you may think. Is going to church important? What is the main question you need to ask? This is what we will be discussing next time.

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless you and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

The Rapture

The Rapture

Hey folks, welcome to a special Thursday edition of TAG. I really feel like I need to address this. If you have been on ANY Social Media as of late, you have been told by some “Biblical Scholars,” “Pastors,” or “Children of God” that the Rapture is about to happen.

Folks, people are truly believing this. To the point of selling all they have, stopping paying bills, working, just basically giving up all to stand somewhere and look to the sky, awaiting our LORD to return.

First, it was October 6th. Nothing happened. Oh, wait, October 7th. Nothing happened. Would you believe October 8th? Nothing happened. So now I understand that some are now saying October 24th, or maybe the 25th. Guess what. Nothing is going to happen then either. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to learn the truth according to you. There is a lot of misinformation going around in the world, as you warned us there would be. Please give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your truth in this manner. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!

If anyone, and I mean anyone, tells you they know the day or the time, they are lying. How can I be so sure? Because no one can know. God said so. Want proof? The entire chapter of Matthew 24 is a good place to start. Let's focus on Verse 36-39

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”

Stop. NO ONE knows except for God the Father. Even when Jesus, this is who is talking, even when Jesus was in the flesh, He did not know, because the flesh serves the world. Are you following?

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

What does this mean? Does it mean everyone sells or gives away their stuff and walks out into the field and waits for Jesus? No. Jesus explains more clearly.

“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:36-39

People will simply be living their lives. Then it will happen. On a normal, nothing special Tuesday. Or perhaps a Monday, Thursday? Truth is, it could be today. However, it will not be while everyone is waiting and looking for it.

Jesus also told us this.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen.” Revelation 16:15, Matthew 24:43, 1 Thessalonians 5:2.

No one knows. If anyone tells you that they know the hour or the day, they are lying to you. Even if they mean well, they are lying to you. If Jesus did not know while HE was in the flesh, then how does someone else, anyone, know? Are they greater than our Lord? Of course not.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus made this statement as the rich ruler. “Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ What Jesus is telling us here is that we should continue to live our lives, as children of God, we should continue to invest in the Kingdom, sharing the Gospel, telling the Truth, sowing the seed, and showing the way until? He returns.

If you so choose, turn to Titus 2, starting at verse 11

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,”

Who is that? Jesus.

“training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

In case there was any doubt.

“who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Will Jesus return? YES! Absolutely. He even told us what He is doing between leaving and returning. He said this.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.” John 14:3

If you are a child of God, Jesus is returning for you. When the time comes, you will be with Him. God’s timing. Not some “influencer,” or Joe Schmoe on social media. God alone.

Now, what about this other thing that I heard making the rounds? Jesus already returned secretly, but don’t worry, He will be back.? I do not even know where people get this stuff. When this happens, do not worry. You will not miss it.

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” Revelation 1:7

If you have to, read that again. “Every eye will see him.” It will not be a secret. Again, this is Jesus talking.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

Does this sound like a secret happening? No. It will be quite impossible for you to miss this. It is the end of the world as we know it. You are not going to wake up, walk out, and everything will be gone. You will be part of it.

Paul issues this warning to all of us, led by the Spirit.

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;”

Be the child of God that God calls you to be.

“But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Romans 2:6-8

For us, we should be looking for Jesus’s return. For those who are not His children, it will not be a happy time. Either way? You will not miss it.

Please, do not quit your job, sell or give away everything you have, and say, you no longer have to worry, because our Lord will return on this day. Please do not follow those who say Christ is here, or He is there. Or that He already came.

As with all things, please follow what the Creator says. Stop listening to the creature. Believe it or not, He really does know more than we do. I know, right? Think about this. Jesus tells us plainly.

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”

Follow what He says. Occupy until He comes. Live your life, invest in the Kingdom, and look for His return in the meantime.

“I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” Revelation 3:11

Of course, if you are not His, then this is indeed a scary and dark time coming. Do you want the assurance? Do you want peace? Do you want to not doubt that Jesus is preparing a place for you and will come again to receive you? Say this prayer. Right now, in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus' sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 18

 Chapter 18

Provision for Priests and Levites

1 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord's food offerings as their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. 3 And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. 4 The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5 For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

6 “And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, where he lives—and he may come when he desires—to the place that the Lord will choose, 7 and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord, 8 then he may have equal portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.

Abominable Practices

9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.

A New Prophet like Moses

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Five Lies of the Devil, Lie Three

Faith in God is so restrictive.

Ever hear that? “Oh, you want to be one of those? Well, that’s boring—no drinking, no sex, no swearing. You can't read this, or you can’t watch this, or that. You cannot even be friends with those who do. It’s boring, restrictive, and it will keep you from doing what you want to do. Oh, and it is racist, homophobic, transphobic, chauvinistic, and hateful. You want to be one of those?”

This sort of thing usually goes along with the Bible is not real, religion is a scam, and there is no devil or hell. Just live your life and have fun. Is any of this true? Of course not. However, this is one of the lies the devil whispers in your ear. Let's talk about it today. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, Lord God, we thank you for everything, and we come before you with praise for allowing us to be adopted into your family. We ask for wisdom and revelation as we enter your Word today. Help us to discern truth from lies, Heavenly wisdom from worldly foolishness, and fill our spirits as we learn your truths and your ways. In Yeshua’s name, we ask and pray, Amen!

Before I was saved, I drank a lot, smoked, and partied with my friends. I did not have any concern for the things I watched or sex in any form. It is what it is, and if it made you happy, hey, go for it. If it feels good, do it. As long as you are not hurting anyone, who cares? Right?

When I got saved, I began to feel convicted about everything. It was quite a struggle to stop just learning things and to truly understand the reasons behind them. Do you know what else happened? People started to think I was becoming “holier than thou.” They believed I thought I was better than them. I lost friends. I started to be called, say it with me, racist, homophobic, transphobic, chauvinistic, and hateful. There was a whisper in my ear, “Is it worth it?”

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But remember all the fun you used to have? You were not worried about upsetting some sky daddy. You were just being you and true to yourself. Life is short. Enjoy it. Right?

If you have your Bible, turn to John 14.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”

Who is talking? Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated.

“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Read that again. "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is no other way. Not religion, not self, not the world, and being good. Only through Him can you get to God. Why? “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." He IS God. You cannot get to God if you leave God out of the equation.

“Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’"

Philip was not paying attention.

“Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”

We have talked about this before; this life is short. Your time on earth IS brief. Remember when we did the math? Clear your mind. Breathe. Count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now, open your eyes. That moment in time is gone. Those 5 seconds have come and gone and will never be repeated. Ever. They are gone for good. They are in the past. History. Soon to be forgotten.

Now, picture 75 years. Nice long life in a worldly sense. Your life. Those 5 seconds are just a tiny fraction — like 5 seconds out of one minute, or one hour, day, week, month, or year of those 75 years. You probably won’t even miss it—those 5 seconds. Now, picture 100 years. During that time, you were born, raised, became an adult, married, and had kids; they had kids, and now you have been gone for 25 years. What about 500 years? A thousand? How about an eternity? Forever. How long is that little 75 years in the scope of eternity?

When you choose the world’s ways over God’s, it is like you saying, “Yeah, I will spend an eternity in hell, in pain and suffering, for sex.” “I will spend an eternity in hell, in pain and suffering, just to be me and do the things I like to do.” Does this make any sense? Of course not.

But why is it so restrictive? It is not. You see, I have to be careful here, but we have the freedom to do whatever we want. This is one hundred percent true.

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23

As a child of God, we are free. Truly free. We can indeed sin, and He is willing to forgive us. Yet we should not be willingly sinning.

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:21

So when we read the Word. And we learn what God says about this or that, we need to understand that God is not trying to make our lives harder or more restrictive, but rather to keep us from harm and the snares of the evil one. It is all really in here {Holding up the Bible.}

Homosexuality- Leviticus 18:1-5, 22-24, 29, Leviticus 20:13, Ezekiel 16:49-51, Romans 1:18-32, just to name a few.

Transgenderism- Deuteronomy 22:5, Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 11:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Pedophilia - Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-37, 2 Timothy 3:1-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-6

Beastiality- Leviticus 18:19-30, Exodus 22:19

Sex is a beautiful gift shared between a husband and wife. Don’t want to get pregnant? Don’t want a sexually transmitted disease? Don’t have sex. I know, right? Don’t want to be guilty of theft? Don’t steal. Don’t want to be a murderer? Don’t commit murder. I know this can be complicated for some.

God spells it out for us. Don’t want to do stupid stuff that could hurt you or those you love? Don’t get drunk. Don’t use drugs. Want a long and healthy life? Eat right and exercise. Too much pork is bad for you. Is it unlawful for you to eat pork? Nope. Remember what God told Peter. He was hungry and saw this vision of a blanket coming down with all kinds of animals on it, and he heard a voice say, “Kill and eat.”

“But Peter said, 'By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’" And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." Acts 10:14-15

However, is it wise to eat a pound of bacon every day? Of course not. Jesus said this.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

God wants you to have an abundant life. Now, do not get that twisted into thinking I’m talking about the "Prosperity Gospel," but God wants the best for His children. Just like an earthly parent, God wants a Father/child relationship with us. He wants to be there when we go to sleep and keep us safe. He wants to be there when we get up. He wants to teach us, care for us, and meet our daily needs. He wants us to come to Him with anything.

Just as you would warn your child against playing with fire or running into traffic, God cautions us about things that are not in our best interest. Yes, He may share some truths we might not enjoy hearing. However, it is always for our benefit. Furthermore, God also disciplines us.

“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:6

The evil one will tell you to follow your heart. Just be you. That you do not need God or His Word. That religion stuff is for the simpltons and those who hate others that do not look or act like them. The evil one will tell you that anything goes. You only live once, and then there is nothing. So you can enjoy it.

Make no mistake about it. The time that you are here on this earth is briefer than you can even imagine. You will live on. Remember this?

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John 5:28-29

It does not matter if you believe this or not. It does not matter if you accept this or not.

“By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'” Isaiah 45:23

“For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Romans 14:11

“So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” Philippians 2:10

It will happen. Trust me, the evil one will not save you in the end. What is it you feel would justify enteral judgment? What would you consider to be worth your soul? Think about it.

Join us next time when we will discuss the lie number 4 that the devil loves to tell you, that you aren’t significant or special, and you cannot teach or lead others. 

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 17

 Chapter 17

1 “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.

2 “If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden, 4 and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel, 5 then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. 6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. 7 The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges

8 “If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose. 9 And you shall come to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office in those days, and you shall consult them, and they shall declare to you the decision. 10 Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place that the Lord will choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you. 11 According to the instructions that they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the verdict that they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left. 12 The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. 13 And all the people shall hear and fear and not act presumptuously again.

Laws Concerning Israel's Kings

14 “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.