The Belt of Truth

 Belt of Truth 

Hello, welcome to today.  Today we start our series on “The Armor of God”

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”  Ephesians 6:10-18

Today? The Belt of Truth. Let us pray. Father, we come together today to give You praise and worship, to love and strengthen one another, and to learn Your ways. As we enter into Your Word today, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the Spirit to receive and understand Your truth and Your revelations. In Jesus’ Name, Amen! 

Absolute Truth? The truth is. Plain and simple. Truth has no agenda. The truth is. Nothing else matters. The truth is. Everything else is perception. Everything else is interpretation. Truth just is. It doesn't have a desire to be justified. It cares not for your opinion or acceptance. It just is, whether you believe in it or not.

Relativism? Truth is created, not discovered. Truth is a matter of perspective, and each culture or individual defines what is true for themselves. Since truth is invented, there is no universal transcultural truth. Each culture or individual defines truth differently, depending on their background and perspective. Truth changes. Since it is inseparably connected to individuals and cultures which continually change, truth perpetually changes.

This means one’s beliefs can change a truth statement. Since an individual determines truth, truth is affected by the attitude of the one professing it. There can be no such thing as absolute truth.

This is simply not true. Seriously, if this were proposed a few years back, and/or if it were to be proposed to anyone with common sense and the ability to think for themselves, it would and should be considered nonsensical. 

So what is absolute Truth? This (Holding up the Bible) is plain and simple. If it is not in here, or aligned with what is in here, it is a lie. If you are not well-founded in the Word, in God, in faith, you are not being filled or replenished; you will fall away. Only with a solid foundation and Faith in God can you be filled and grow in Faith. Only then can you understand that there are NO contradictions in the Bible. There are, however, many misunderstandings by some who read it. I could read a book on quantum physics, but I would not understand much of it. I have no foundation in that area. Get the point?

I love this in John 18:37-38

“Then Pilate said to him, 'So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.

Pilate said to him, “What is the truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him." John 18:37-38

What is the truth? Well, yes, of course, 

“Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

So how do we learn about “The Truth?” This (Holding up the Bible)

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

When you are a Child of God, there will be those around you who will test you. You know what another Sad Truth is? Some of them TRULY want to "free you" from this "foolish" belief in God. They love you and do not want you to be "foolish."  Yet we are called to share the Truth with them. Jesus asked God to: 

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 

I can hear some of you say. “I’m not a pastor. I have not been to seminary; I cannot understand the Word of God.” You are right. Without God, you will never understand God. But you are not without God. 

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” John 16:13

So why call it “The Belt of Truth”? Why a belt? The Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14) isn't just an accessory; it is the foundational piece that holds every other part of the armor together. In Roman military gear, the belt (cingulum militare) served two critical functions: it tucked up the soldier's loose tunic so he wouldn't trip in battle, and it provided the anchor weight for the breastplate and the sheath for the sword (gladius). Without the belt fastened first, a soldier couldn't move freely or carry his weapons effectively.

Ephesians 6:14  "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist..."Greek insight: The phrase used is perizōsamenoi (girded about). In the ancient world, "girding your loins" (1 Peter 1:13) meant gathering long robes to prepare for intense physical action, labor, or battle. Truth is what prevents us from tripping over our own messy, unexamined thoughts or the lies of the world. Readiness for spiritual battle begins with mental and spiritual clarity.

Paul did not invent the imagery of God's armor; he drew directly from Isaiah's prophecies of the Messiah. Isaiah 11:5: "Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness [truth] the sash around his waist." The Messiah Himself wears truth as a belt. When believers put on the belt of truth, they are putting on the character of Christ. Isaiah 59:17: Demonstrates God arming Himself as a warrior to bring justice and deliverance to His people.

Before truth can be a personal virtue (honesty), it must be an external reality (God's revelation). Psalm 119:160: "All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." In a culture that leans heavily on "my truth," the Gospel anchors us in God's truth. Truth is a person (Jesus) and a revelation (Scripture), not a subjective feeling.

Once objective truth is embraced, it shapes internal integrity and authenticity. Psalm 51:6: "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom."John 4:24: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."Zechariah 8:16: "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts." Hypocrisy creates slack in a Christian's armor. Self-deception or living a double life leaves a soldier vulnerable to exposure and spiritual defeat. You can't handle God's Word skillfully if you aren't living in God's truth.

Unexamined lies, unspoken doubts, or unconfessed sins act like loose robes waiting to trip us up in crisis. You must have the stability of an anchored belt amid the instability of modern, shifting cultural narratives. The importance of the knowledge of Truth.  If you do not know the Truth, if you do not have a solid foundation, you will believe a lie. The truth is this: as long as something sounds right? A whole lot of people will believe it. You want to know one of the biggest lies straight from the evil one? "We are all God's Children." Sounds right? Sounds just? Sounds fair? "We are all God's Children. So who are you to judge? Let them alone. What is right for them might not be right for you, but we are all God's Children. So just accept all, and love all."

There is no compassion in the acceptance of Sin. The only way you are a Child of God is through the adoption of the Holy Spirit. The only way to be adopted is if God calls you to accept Christ. As a child of God, the only way you can be righteous is by doing the Will of God.

You build for yourself a solid foundation. YOU do. God is not going to do it for you. You build yourself a solid foundation by reading the Word and doing the Will of the Father. YOU build your house either on the sand or on the rock. Depending on what you do, decide what happens when the storms of life come. It is only by the Word and spending time with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to commune with your Spirit, that you may build a solid foundation for yourself. The Word gives you peace. The Word answers all your questions. The Word gives you Hope. Romans 15:4 declares.

"For whatsoever things that were written before were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4

Scripture is intentionally designed to shape your endurance and strengthen your hope. Paul isn’t just talking about the New Testament; he’s pointing back to the entire Old Testament as a reservoir of encouragement. Paul’s reminder that your hope isn’t meant to be fragile. It’s meant to be built on something ancient, tested, and proven. God’s dealings with His people across generations. When you read Scripture, you’re not just reading history. You’re tapping into the same source of strength that sustained Abraham when he waited decades for a promise. David when he hid in caves. Jeremiah when he preached to an unresponsive nation. Daniel when he lived faithfully in exile. 

Keep your mind off the world. Keep it on God, Jesus, His Word. 

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 

Again, the Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14) isn't just an accessory; it is the foundational piece that holds every other part of the armor together. Next time. The Breastplate of Righteousness. 

Remember, you can always find this, and so much more, in the archives, over at TAG.

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com. Don’t forget the 1. 

May the Lord our God go before you as your way-maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you always.

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

Book of John 4

 Book of John 4

Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

Jesus Heals an Official's Son

46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

The Armor of God Intro

 Are you naked? 

I am seriously asking you this. Are you naked? You very well could be. Let me share a story, and then we will get into the message. I was young, just saved, on fire for God. I was also a fan of “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues”  

I share this little tidbit because this is how I thought at the time. I grabbed my Bible, which I knew little about, put it in my passenger seat, and said, “God, this day is yours; guide me where you want me to go, and meet who you want me to meet.” Do not ever do this unless, one, you are ready, and two, you mean it. 

You see, I thought I meant it. I thought I was ready for anything. I had no clue what I did not know. I have no clue that I was naked. I failed. I went to the next town and stopped for coffee. Then I thought, “Well, I will just do this first. Well, I have all day, so I will do this and then, then God, the day is yours.” That did not work out well. My car just stopped. I had to walk three and a half miles home. I gave, then took one day from God. He took three from me. 

I was ignorant. I was arrogant. I was naked. I was far from ready. This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray. Father, we come before You with thanksgiving and praise. I thank You for forgiving me for that and for all my foolish ways. Please, Father, show us that, as with all things, Your ways are better than ours. Your wisdom is far superior to our foolishness, and Your plans for us are better than we even know. Father, as we learn about the Armor You have given us, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a Spirit to understand Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

What did I miss? I was on fire. I was genuinely willing to put myself out there. I was bold enough to step out. So what was I missing? Well, to be truthful, uh, EVERYTHING! Not only did I not have knowledge of much of anything, but I also had no idea how to wield the Sword of the Spirit. I was ignorant, naked, and completely unprepared.  

So here is the thing. When you get saved, you have entered the third step of an anointed life. God foreknew who you were; He set up a plan and purpose for you and your life, and He called you. (Romans 8:29-30) Running out to save the world is NOT the next step. That would be preparation. That would be justification. That would be learning about, and putting on, the whole Armor of God. 

You see, you are facing three very large obstacles. 1- There are enemies of God and children of the devil out there. 2- Some are Giants. 3- The enemy himself is out there, and he absolutely HATES you, if for no other reason, you said “Yes” to God. 

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 

Now let's set aside for a moment the complete insanity of fighting against something you claim to not even believe is real, but there are those out there who are very skilled and very persuasive, even. They are ready to attack you. And you? Well, you're naked. 

You go out “ready” to conquer the world for God, and someone steps up to you and? 

"If God hates sin, why did He plant the Tree of Knowledge and allow the serpent into the Garden of Eden?" "Why does the Old Testament lay out rules for owning slaves, forcing rape victims to marry their attackers, or executing people for gathering wood on the Sabbath?" "Where did Cain get his wife?" "How could light be created on Day 1 if the sun and stars weren't created until Day 4?" "Why are there four Gospels with conflicting details about Jesus’s resurrection and final words?" 

And here is the big one. The one that most young “Christians” are NOT ready for. "Why would a loving God send good, moral people to eternal torment in Hell just because they were born in a non-Christian country?"

Can you answer? "If God is all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, why does evil exist?" An all-powerful, perfectly loving God would not permit the intense, unprevented natural disasters or child suffering. Right? 

Make no mistake about it. Not only are there those who simply do not believe; there truly are children of the devil out there ready to deceive. 

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 

You have to grow. Look here, 

“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.” Ephesians 4:14 

You have to take time to prepare. To lay a solid foundation. After all, how can you have the right mind if you know nothing of God, Jesus, the Word, etc.? You truly can't. First, you must have a solid foundation. What is Spirit? Who is God? Who is Jesus? Is this stuff real? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Without a foundation, you will never grow in Faith.

Jesus tells us that there are very few types of people. We all fall into one of these categories. He explained this through the Parable of the Sower.

"Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." Matthew 13:18-23

As a Child of God, you are a Sower of the Seed. However, what were you before? You see, you will meet all these types. Of course, the Wayside people are those who don't have any time or desire to even hear what you have to say. These are the mockers, and these are those who want you to just keep your "Religion" to yourself. These are those who fight to keep God out of public life. The sad truth is, they cannot hear God's Word because they are not of God. If you have your Bible, turn to John 8:42-47

"Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my words. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was 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 own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

They are there. These people are in your life. It does not matter who these people in your life might be. Sadly, in a lot of cases, they are your family members and loved ones. They may be your best friends. They are in all our lives.

Remember, when you first become a Child of God, those nearest you remember who you were before. You sinned right there with them. You used to do all the things they are still doing. More importantly, they see nothing wrong with continuing to do so. Now you are a new creature, but they are the same as they have always been. 

Some of them will come to hate you. I know, I know. But they truly will come to hate you. Why? Because now they think you think you are better than they are. They have no time for that "God nonsense." Jesus literally tells us that the devil himself comes and steals the Word away from them.

Then you have those who are the stony places and the thorns. Truth is, this describes many Christians and may even describe the way you were in the beginning. Maybe the way you are now? Many hear the Word and receive it with great joy. They get on fire for God. They want to go out there and tell everyone about Him and Jesus, and Salvation. But they know very little. 

They have not set for themselves a solid foundation. They do not have any Armor. No Protection. No Weapons. No backup. Nothing. These are those who will go out and attempt to tell others about God, but when the others confront them and ask them questions, they have no answers, and they themselves may become confused. Then, when they see this not working, or they start questioning the "Contradictions" and the concept that the Bible was simply "written by men," they fall away. Or the cares of the world, the love of money and stuff, come in, and the little knowledge they had received dies. Do not be like them. 

What we will be discussing is this. During the time of preparation and training. We will learn about the Full Armor of God and what that actually means.  Ephesians 6:10-18

The Full Armor of God

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Intro 

We will start next time with the Belt of Truth. Then: 

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Boots of Readiness

The Shield of Faith

The Helmet of Salvation

The Sword of the Spirit

Join us, won’t you, as we put on the full Armor of God. Remember, if you miss any of this series or want to go back to another, there is a vast archive here at TAG.

If you want to email me, it is truthbygod1@gmail.com. Don’t forget the 1 

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 John 3

 Book of John 3

You Must Be Born Again

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

For God So Loved the World

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison).

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

For You to Be Deceived

  For You to Be Deceived

It has never been more important for children of God to stand on the Word of God. His Word. Sadly, in today’s culture, we are seeing Romans 1 play out right before us. 

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Romans 1:18-25

This is a way that the devil tries to lead Christians to choose only the parts of the Bible they like best. Instead of living according to what the Spirit guides us to do, we often rely on our personal desires and beliefs about right and wrong to decide what is true. The truth is, if the enemy can keep Christians from being fully committed and sincere in their faith, he can discourage many people from wanting to follow God. Look at some of our churches today. Paul said this would happen: 2 Timothy 4:3-4

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 

We must remember that Satan will do anything to confuse us. From false churches, antichrist pastors, and even the use of compassion. God so loved the world... so on and so forth. So how can I then make the statement that compassion is, and can be, a tool of the devil? Because twisted compassion IS a tool of the devil. False compassion. Misguided compassion. Taught feelings of compassion.

What do I mean? God says, "Thou Shalt Not Murder." WE say, "But wait, what if little Suzy is minding her own business, and some old evil guy rapes her? She should not be punished with a Child for the rest of her life. What if that old evil guy is her own Father? It is compassionate to say that we can 'correct' that mistake and end her pregnancy. As a matter of fact, for whatever reason, it should be a Woman's Right to choose what to do with her body. Right?"

It is not the woman's body that is being ripped apart. It is not the woman's body that is being vacuumed out. It is not the woman's body that is being murdered. It is now, and always has been, always will be, a Doctor's and family decision if something happens during the course of the pregnancy, where a choice has to be made on which life to save: the baby, or the mother. Nothing wrong with that. However, abortion is murder. 

God says Homosexuality is Sin. WE say, "How can a long-term, loving, kind relationship be evil? And while we are at it, why can't these two marry? Is it not compassionate to want 'equality '? After all, people in black robes, in the Highest Court of the Land, said it is a "Right." Oh, and is it not compassionate to say they should not have to hear what they are doing is wrong? So shut up about it already."

Jesus says there is only one way to get to Heaven, and that is??? Through Him. We say, "That is a narrow-minded, exclusive, hate-filled, ignorant view. Compassion tells us that all religions are equal and that people can believe whatever they want. Your 'Truth' is no better than anyone else's 'Truth'. So keep your 'version' of Truth to yourself."

It is Compassion that says, we cannot call Sin, Sin? Compassion tells us we must live and let live? Compassion tells us we must allow men in girls' bathrooms and locker room areas? Compassion tells us that companies must hire minorities, regardless of education or experience, to make sure that we have some color in their Leadership? Compassion tells us that not only do we now have to accept Sin, but we must honor, celebrate, and even protect Sin? Compassion tells us that if something is offensive to someone, we must change it or ban it?

Sadly, while this is all going on, some very good people (worldly sense) are standing, cheering, and applauding, because they have been taught that this "FEELS" right and just. Compassion. If it "FEELS" right and just, then it must be right and just. If it "FEELS" good, then do it. Compassion. And if you disagree, then you need to be silent; you will be seen as a troublemaker. You will be seen as a problem. YOU will have to be dealt with. Why? Because compassion tells us this.

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:7

It is not compassionate to not tell someone that if they walk through the fire, they will get burned. It is not compassionate to remain silent and watch them burn. It is not compassionate to accept the lie and allow others to accept the lie. It is not compassionate to sit and remain silent in the face of so many losing their very Right to live.

You see, there is only one Truth. There is only one Way. There is only one way to find Life itself. It is not exclusive. It is INCLUSIVE. It is not narrow-minded. It is not hate-filled. It is not discriminatory. chauvinistic, or anything else.

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." John 11:25-26

While the phrase "the devil is the author of confusion" is a common theological paraphrase rather than a direct verbatim scripture, several biblical passages establish the contrast between divine order/truth and demonic deception/disorder.

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." 1 Corinthians 14:33

God as the Source of Order, Truth, and Peace

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." James 3:16–17

2 Timothy 1:7

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Isaiah 45:18

"For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain [or in chaos/formlessness], he formed it to be inhabited..."

How about this one? 1 Corinthians 14:40

"Let all things be done decently and in order."

The Devil is the source of deception, lies, and disorder

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was 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 own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

 2 Corinthians 11:14–15  

"And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds."  

The context of 1 Corinthians 14 centers on the Apostle Paul correcting chaotic and disorderly worship practices in the early church at Corinth, particularly surrounding the misuse of spiritual gifts such as tongues and prophecy.

 Worship services in Corinth had become chaotic, with multiple individuals speaking in tongues simultaneously without interpretation, overlapping prophecies, and an overall lack of self-control.  Instead of building up the body of believers, the unmanaged environment led to confusion and alienated outsiders, who might conclude the believers were out of their minds.

Paul did not forbid spiritual gifts, but he placed strict boundaries on their use. He commanded that if someone spoke in tongues, an interpreter must be present; otherwise, they should remain silent in the church verses 27-28.

He emphasized that true spiritual expression involves self-control, stating that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets"  verse 32, reinforcing both personal and communal responsibility.

When Paul writes, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace," he contrasts the chaotic atmosphere in their meetings with the nature of God, who desires structured, edifying, and understandable worship. He notes that this standard of peace and order applies "as in all churches of the saints," pointing to a unified, orderly pattern expected across Christian communities.

Paul concludes his instructions in verse 40 with a direct directive for corporate gatherings: "Let all things be done decently and in order." While applicable to life broadly, the immediate context specifically addresses how corporate worship should reflect God's orderly and peaceful nature rather than human-driven chaos.

Then here in 2 Corinthians 4:3–4

"But if our gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Another meeting with the devil. This time, we are at church. “Homosexuality is a sin." The devil smiles, looks at you, and says, “Whoa, did God say that? Come on, you know he did not say that. Jesus never mentioned it, so forget about it. You know Susie. That chick at the minimart you are getting coffee at. She is a beautiful, kind girl. Should she burn just because she likes girls? Come on. Would a loving God do that?” 

But the Bible says….

“Yeah, don’t eat meat on Friday. Who cares? Just forget that part of the book written and changed and written again and again. Does that sound like God? Where is your compassion?” 

See how that works? Well, we will just leave that part out. What about abortion? Yeah, that part too. What about any sin and the reality of hell? Let's just love God and our neighbors and forget the stuff that makes you feel bad. God wants you to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Before you know it, Sin is good. Good and sin. Nothing matters anyway; there is no God. Not really. 

Inch, foot, mile. The devil desires you to doubt God's Word. “Did He really say that?” He wants you paralyzed with fear. “Don’t take that next step. Who are you to share the Gospel? Look at what you have done behind closed doors. You think the religious crowd would approve? Come on. Be the next big influencer. I can make that happen. You will be famous, with lots of followers, and lots of money coming in. Just look out for number one. That is you. And forget all this mumbo jumbo Bible stuff. While you are at it, why bother at all?”  

God is not the author of confusion. He is forevermore. He is God. Know the Truth. Allow the Truth to set you free. Don’t fall for the tricks of the devil. 

Remember, you can always find this and so much more in the archives over at TAG.

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

May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you always. Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of John 2

 Book of John 2

The Wedding at Cana

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

For You to Worship an Idol

 For You to Worship an Idol

Why would the devil (Satan) seek to lead people—especially believers—into idolatry? It is because it directly undermines God's plan, character, and relationship with humanity. This is what we will be talking about today. Let us pray. 

Father, we come before You today with praise and thanksgiving. We recognize that You are the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of the universe, and that there is none like You. You are the great I Am. We understand that You are against idols; this is the Second Commandment. We come before You today seeking clarity. How does the enemy use idols to draw and/or keep even Your children away and unproductive? Please, Father, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive Your Truth, Revelation, and whatever You wish us to know today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

The primary reasons fall into several core categories:

To Rob God of His Rightful Glory

God alone is the Creator and worthy of ultimate devotion (Isaiah 42:8). Idolatry diverts worship, honor, and gratitude away from the Creator and onto created things (Romans 1:22–25). By tempting believers to worship an idol, the devil attempts to redirect praise away from God. Remember, this goes with the First Commandment. 

“And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’” Exodus 20:1-3 

Remember this also. 

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them.” 

Why? 

”For I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6

To Distort the Image of God

“But I do not have any Idols in my life?” No? Are you sure? Let's look at some of the Idols that people put in front of God, sometimes without even knowing they do. Check out this list. Is your Idol on it? Be honest with yourself. 1- Politics, 2- Material, 3- Celebrities, 4- Comfort and pleasure, 5- Religion, and yes, even 6- Self.  Did you see yours? Be honest. Is your Idol on the list? Some of you have already started to tense up. To become offended. This is why we are warned. God told us so. 

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21

An idol, whether a physical statue or a modern equivalent like wealth, power, status, or self, presents a false, limited, and impotent representation of God. Lowering God to the level of a created object distorts a believer's understanding of who God truly is. Look at Romans 1 

“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Romans 1:21-23 

Sounds familiar, does it not? Look around. Especially Pride. The Idol of Self is growing. This is a growing and one of the most seductive idols there is. It is the idol of self. You need nothing and no one. You are not only enough but also the best. Most important. You are a “god.” Sound familiar? 

Today, we see a growing trend that mirrors an old one: Pride. The desire to be self-sufficient, to need no one, to seek fame and followers. Someone else did this first. “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” Lucifer, as he was known then, wanted to be the most important. He wanted people to bow down in front of him. Worship him. Look what he said to Jesus.

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you if you will fall and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9. 

This is what he tempted Adam and Eve with.

“But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

Look at what society tells our kids. “There is no god.” “You only live once.” “You are special, and you are in control of your future.” “Look out for number one.” “If you put yourself out there, social media and such, you could be the next big thing.” “The next influencer with thousands of followers.” Sound familiar?

Social media has become a source of child abuse. We actually have parents out there who are letting their underage daughters, some very underage daughters, dance in bathing suits, underwear, and in some cases, nothing, showing little bits of themselves for the pedophiles out there to watch. Why? The more views, the more followers, and the more they can make money. 

We used to call nude or semi-nude pictures and videos of little girls child porn. It used to be a crime. That no longer seems to be the case. Some of those happy little faces doing their dance are doing so because they are being forced to. There have been reports that in other countries, there are compounds full of young girls who are forced to make videos.

This, of course, goes right along with this.

To Intercept Worship for Himself

Scripture presents a direct link between idolatry and spiritual deception. In 1 Corinthians 10:20, Paul writes that what pagans sacrifice to idols, they actually sacrifice to demons. Diverting worship to an idol ultimately channels that devotion toward the forces of evil.

“No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” I Corinthians 10:20

Scripture directly addresses non-physical idols by identifying internal desires, attitudes, and motives that take the place of God. These can be called Idols of the Heart.

"Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces." Ezekiel 14:3

The prophet Ezekiel highlights that idolatry begins internally. A heart idol is any ultimate desire- such as pride, control, approval, comfort, or power. This governs a person's choices and replaces reliance on God.

To Break the Believer's Relationship with God

The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind (Exodus 20:3, Matthew 22:37). Idolatry breaks covenantal faithfulness with God. By creating a spiritual wedge, the devil aims to cause spiritual separation, distance, and ruin in a believer's life.

Imagine for a second you are a parent. Your child one day says, “I do not know if I believe you are my parent anymore. I found someone else who tells me I do not need you. I can live how I want. Look out for me. I am going to start listening to them. 

Would this make you happy? Of course not. Would you try to talk them out of it? Of course, however, if they wish to continue, what do you do? Show them the door. Say bye, with the hope that they will come back one day. God will do the same. 

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Romans 1:24-25

The Greek verb used here is paradidōmi, a judicial term meaning "to hand over," "to deliver up," or "to give custody of." It is not that God actively pushes people into sin; rather, He withdraws His restraining grace and removes the protective boundaries, allowing people to experience the full, unchecked outcome of what their hearts naturally desire.

To Replace Trust with Self-Reliance or Superstition

Idols are often things people feel they can control, manipulate, or use to secure their own safety and desires. Replacing active faith and submission to a sovereign God with reliance on an idol shifts a person's trust from God's grace to human effort and false security.

This includes, but is not limited to, that Statue of Mary. That Statue of Jesus Himself. The Cross  Astrology. Horoscopes; I have known people who will not leave their homes until they find out what their Horoscopes say about their day. The Sun, Moon, and Stars will not protect you, nor keep you safe. When you look upon them, you are looking at a Creation. They are to God what the most beautiful building is to man. They are created things. They have no life in them. 

Witchcraft. In Scripture, witchcraft refers broadly to occult practices, such as sorcery, divination, spiritism, mediumship, and incantations, used to gain supernatural knowledge, power, or control outside of a relationship with God. Across both the Old and New Testaments, the Bible consistently condemns witchcraft as an attempt to bypass God's sovereignty and rely on demonic or deceptive spiritual forces. This is a whole other sermon. 

Are you worshiping an Idol? Are you sure? The devil would love you too. He is pretty good at it. Think about it. Long and hard. Meditate on it even if you need to. What is there in your life that you may be putting in front of God? May I suggest you get rid of it, or at minimum, put it in its proper place?  

We will wrap up this series next week: For You to Be Deceived. This one is last because there are so many aspects to it. So many ways the devil loves to create confusion and chaos. Some you may find familiar; some may surprise you, but all are tools of the devil. 

If you missed any of this series, remember, you can always check out the vast archive here at TAG

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!