Book of Deuteronomy Chapter 27

 Chapter 27

The Law Inscribed on Stones

1 Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: “Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2 And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. 3 You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ just as the Lord God of your fathers promised you. 4 Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build with whole stones the altar of the Lord your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God. 8 And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law.”

9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, “Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.”

Curses Pronounced from Mount Ebal

11 And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12 “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 “And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’

“And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’

16 ‘Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

17 ‘Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

18 ‘Cursed is the one who makes the blind wander off the road.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

19 ‘Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

20 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s bed.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

21 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

22 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

23 ‘Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

24 ‘Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

25 ‘Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

26 ‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’

“And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’ ”

Not the Situation, Rather, How You Respond 2

 Know that God is in charge.

We are currently discussing different situations. All types of situations will happen in your life. Some are big, some are small. Some will feel overwhelmed. Yes, even some that seem impossible. This is just part of life. There is no question that situations will come; rather, it is how you deal with them.

Last time, we discussed that this is a fact, whether you are a child of God or not. This does not matter either. Remember what the Word says?

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:44-45

Jesus spoke about how evil and good coexist and will continue to do so until the harvest, or end times. It doesn't matter if you are a child of God or not; things happen. However, if you ARE a child of God and have a strong foundation in the Word and faith, it's much easier to handle them.

Today, we will be discussing this simple fact. God is in charge. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and arms. We love You and thank You for all things in our lives, and for giving us the ability to call You Abba Father. As we enter Your Word today, we pray that You are with us and grant us understanding so we can find comfort in any situation, knowing that You are in control. We ask this and pray in Jesus’s mighty name, Amen!

God is in charge of everything, from your existence, life, and death, and everything in between.

“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

He created everything!

"For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16

Then He created Mankind, as stated in Genesis 1:26, and at His appointed time, He made you.

"For you formed my inward parts;
You knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
In your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

For this conversation, I will assume that you are a child of God. He is now your Father. He is now in total charge of you and your life.

“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, 

and will be secure, without fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33

Does this say there will be no evil in your life if you are a Christian? A follower of Christ? No. It says we should and will have no “fear of evil.” We are told that as children of God, the world will hate us, persecute us, and do all kinds of wicked things to us, simply because of Him. No. We will not have a comfy, fluffy life, where it's all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.

We do not know what this day will bring when we wake up—God does. We do not even really know what will happen in the next hour. Take me as an example. I went to work at the church. When I got done, I remembered all the kids and my wife were home, so I decided to take them to lunch. I left the church. What happened? A head-on car crash.

Some of you know the story. I am now disabled. I had to learn to walk again. All that. Did I know that was going to happen? Nope. Would I have maybe gone a different way? Yup. Would I call that a good thing? Nope. However? I am a child of God. I have claimed Romans 8:28 as my own.

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

How can I see the accident as a good thing? More time with the family. More time to serve in the kingdom. The ability to simply slow down and enjoy life, whether I like it or not. Why? Because I AM a child of God. God IS in charge.

You just need to let go. Let go of fear. Let go of doubt. Release your need for control and understanding. Embrace God and allow Him to take charge of your day. One of the most important ways to do this is by renewing your mind.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

We have talked about this before. God is your Father. Come what may. Lose my Job? God is my Father. Lose my home? God is my Father. Get sick? God is my Father. People attacking me and lying about me? God is my Father. I am told in the Bible that God is my Abba Father. Translation? God is my Daddy. If you are a child of God, He is your Daddy, also.

Is it disrespectful to call the Alpha and the Omega, the Creator of the universe and the omnipotent God, “Daddy?” Ideas of simplicity, intimacy, security, and affection also refer to childlike trust and obedience. So, to convey a sense of warm and trusting intimacy, I say NO! It’s ok. If you want to have that relationship with God, then have it. If you call Him Daddy, make sure He is. I would recommend doing so in private and in your personal prayer life, but YES. That is the relationship He wants with all of us. Never forget who He is along the way.

Things happen. Yes, bad things do happen to good people. Yes, you will have trials and tribulations. Some examples in the Word? Look what happened to Saul when he became Paul? Paul was Saul before he was converted. His sole purpose in life was to hunt down, abuse, imprison, and even slaughter God's chosen people. He received great power and a position in his religion for doing such a good job. Then Jesus appeared before him and asked him to follow Him. He said yes and became Paul. So great a saint that he wrote a lot of the New Testament that we read today.

After his conversion? Put in prison over and over. Faced death over and over. Received 39 lashes from the Jews 5 times. Beaten with rods 3 times. Stoned one time. Shipwrecked 3 times. Spent a day and night at sea. And was in continual danger from robbers, as well as his own people.

He was always in danger in the city, in the country, at sea, from those he thought to be brothers. Often hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. I suppose you could say he had his share of trials and tribulations.

Another? Look at Job. 

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." 

He was rich. He had a large family. But he was a child of God. The devil himself walked into the throne room of God and asked God to tempt him. First, Satan takes away all that Job has. Then he infected Job with sores all over from head to toe.

Look at Peter. You know the story. He told Peter that Peter would deny any knowledge or association with Him three times before the rooster crowed three times. The third time, He looked at Peter, and Peter ran away.

What these examples, and many others, have in common is this: during their trials and tribulations, they never lost sight of their goals. They maintained their faith. They understood that if they chose to remember that God is in charge and is always with them, then God would never leave or abandon them. They faced their challenges not in the flesh, but in the spirit.

Paul wrote a lot of the New Testament. Job received much more than he lost. Peter became such a strong Saint that his shadow healed the sick and became known as a pillar of the faith.

However, none of these things is worthy to be compared to that which awaits us in Heaven. I’m going to ask you a question. Are you a child of God? If you have not already done so, and you are ready to be forgiven and adopted into His family, say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, 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's 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!

If you are His child, if you are doing God's Will, God is on your side. If you are led by the Spirit, the Spirit is with you. If you are following Yeshua or Jesus, as translated, Jesus is with you. If God is for you, who can be against you? Who can succeed in stopping you from doing what God has ordained you to do? The truth is, no one can. Nothing can. There is nothing greater than God. While you are living for Him and doing His Will, there is no longer anything or anyone greater than you as His child.

Things happen. Situations of all kinds will come. Jesus himself told us this. Rejoice and be glad when they do, for in these times, is when God is closest to you. Trust in Him. Rely on Him. Never lose faith. Never respond to these things in the flesh. But remain in the Spirit. Allow God to show you the way through. He is now, and always will be, in charge.

Join us next time as we conclude this series with the important reminder that, regardless of the situation, never forget this simple truth: it is temporary.

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 26

 Chapter 26

Offerings of Firstfruits and Tithes

1 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.

5 “And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. 7 Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. 11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.

12 “When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion out of my house, and moreover, I have given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all your commandment that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed any of your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. 14 I have not eaten of the tithe while I was mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean, or offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.’

16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared today that the Lord is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. 18 And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, 19 and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.”

Not the Situation, It's How You Respond

Lay a foundation

Say, “Things happen.” Lose a loved one? Say, “Things happen.” Lose your house—foreclosure, hurricane, tornado, or fire? Say, “Things happen.” Lose your job, whether by your actions, circumstances beyond your control, or your fault? Say, “Things happen.” Things happen. A storm is coming or may have just passed. It's not about the situation, but how you respond to it. That is what we will discuss today. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you with all the praise and thanksgiving we can. We know that you are the Alpha and the Omega. The great I Am. We know that you are the God of all. The Creator of all. We thank you for creating us in your image and for allowing us to be forgiven of our sins, and for the ability to be adopted into your family. As we enter Your Word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand what You want us to know. In Yeshua’s name we ask and pray, Amen!

Things happen. Situations will come. It matters not if you are a child of God or an unsaved person. Things happen. Situations will come. Look at the recent floods in Texas. 81 dead and 27 children, all young Girl Scouts, are missing. Horrible. A loving Father died trying to save his daughter and others. Were all these people unsaved? No, of course not. Some were children of God. Things happen. Situations will come. Most are not nice. Not pleasant. Not what you would call good. How do you respond?

Well, if you ARE a child of God, dare I say you have a major advantage? However, as a child of God, you must absolutely 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 rise from the dead? Without a foundation, you will never grow in faith. Sadly, you will also believe the lies.

False churches are rising daily. Churches of "itchy ears.” Churches that twist the Word, denounce the Word, or simply accept and glorify sin. They truly worship and serve the creature, instead of the Creator. However, they are very good at being convincing and persuasive. If you do not have a solid Bible and a faithful foundation, you will fall for the lies.

How do we do this? This, laying a foundation in God?

The Cornerstone: Yeshua, or Jesus Christ, of course.
The Bricks: God's Word
The Mortar: Prayer

Jesus simply has to be the cornerstone. Jesus even called Himself this.

“Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures:

'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

This was the Lord's doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes?'” Matthew 21:42

If whatever you are told to believe, including what church you may try to attend, if they do not have Jesus as the cornerstone, RUN! Do not walk. Run! Do not waste a second longer than you need to get out of there. It is a false church. It is a lie. It has no truth in it.

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” 1 Chronicles 16:11

Pick this up. [Holding up the Bible] Read it. Read where our LORD tells us directly to have no fear. No worries. How can our needs be met if we do what?

“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Even unsaved people seek food, water, and stuff. God is your Father now. He knows you require these things, and He promises you these things, as long as you do what? “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” He also warned us of this fact. Things happen. Look at what He says about tomorrow.

"Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:31-34

When you read the Bible, you are building a solid foundation. Believe it or not, there are truly absolutes and genuinely sins. Sin remains sin, and good remains good. Morals do not evolve when it comes to God. He does not change with the times. While reading the Bible, pray and ask God to show you how to walk in the Spirit. Why?

"I say then: Walk in the+ Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." Galatians 5:16-17

Read all of Romans chapter 8. An example?

“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

When you read these passages, along with this one.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

God wants us to have new perspectives—a fresh way of seeing and addressing the challenges in our lives. This new outlook can bring a sense of peace, even in the midst of a storm, without fear or anxiety. However, to achieve this, we need a solid foundation of wisdom and knowledge about God and ourselves as His children.

You have to know this truth.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Do you know that you really can overcome anything? Did you know that not only do we have the love of the Father, but we actually have true power?

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Self-control.” We do not HAVE to do anything. No one, including the devil himself, can MAKE you do anything. God tells us that things happen and situations arise. Yet we are encouraged by His Word to be joyful.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

Be joyful in the storm. Be thankful that your Daddy is God. He has your back. He is with you always. There is nothing out there that can surprise or become too difficult for our Father to handle.

Lose a loved one? Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down,
and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”

Death is nothing to fear. Death is as natural as life itself. Besides that, if they were a child of God, you know what happens. When you went to sleep here, you woke up there.

Lose your house—foreclosure, hurricane, tornado, or fire? God is more than capable of getting you another. Do you think this is a thing so huge that the God who spoke the universe into existence cannot handle it?

Lose your job? Whether by your actions or circumstances beyond your control? That may not be the job your Father wanted you to be doing. Ask Him? Pray about it. Besides this, how can you get a better job until you lose the one you have?

Yes. A storm is coming or may have just passed. It's not about the situation, but how you respond to it. First, lay a solid Biblical Foundation. See with new eyes. Pray to your Father constantly. Have the one-on-one relationship God wants to have with you.

Then and only then, will you learn and fully understand that God has always been, is now, and will always be, in charge of, well, everything! Everything. Nothing catches God off guard. Nothing is too big for God. Ultimately, it is God you will answer to. Not a man. Not anything in creation. Not the devil. God alone. Join us next time as we discuss this important truth.

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!

Happy Thanksgiving 2025

 Happy Thanksgiving 2025

Can I be honest? Every year, we should be thankful daily, not just on one special day. We read things like this.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

And also here in the Psalms

“Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever! “ Psalm 106:1

We should know and understand this.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

Yes, I get it. I’m sure some of you get it. But have you really gotten it? I’m not talking about making a list, which I have done, of things I’m thankful for.

My life to life everlasting.
My family. Wife and children.
The ability to serve in the kingdom.
My Freedom.
My home.

You get the point. I really am thankful for all these things. But have I actually been? Here is what I mean. This may be difficult for you to understand because it is difficult for me to explain. I’m talking about being overtaken by thankfulness. I’m talking about thankfulness so profound it moves beyond a simple acknowledgment and becomes an all-consuming force. One that literally brought me to my knees. Is it just a reaction to good things, or is it a deeper, more spiritual feeling? I found it to be a deeper, more spiritual feeling.

Turn to Hebrews 12, starting at verse 27

“This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:27-29

Does that seem like just saying thank you? I got a new job. Thank God. I got a new car. Thank God. Yes, of course, you should say thanks to God when something good comes your way. This is true because we do know that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” However, we should feel “in awe” with just the fact that we are His child.

Someone asked, “How can I receive that ‘Indescribable Peace' that the Bible talks about?” Think about, meditate on, and fully understand who you are. Instead, focus on who your Father is. Turn to Colossians 3, starting at verse 12.

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,”

Stop. Who is that describing? You. Me. God’s adopted children. As such, we need to put on, or have,

“compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

No holding grudges. I understand that it is a hard one. Hard for me as well.

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

Stop. Why should we do this? For no other reason than this. We exist. God created us. Then, on top of that, even though we were evil, doing evil things, He came and died for us, giving us access to life everlasting with Him.

“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.”

I propose that this refers to a genuine and all-encompassing force.

“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

There is nothing to compare to our very lives. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36. There is nothing that can compare to our next step following our time on earth. “ But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’-- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Yes. Of course. Of course, you should be thankful for all the things you receive in this life. Yes. Of course, you should be thankful for your spouse, children, home, job, stuff, and the like. However, in the long run, whose stuff will all that stuff be? Rather, in the end, whose will you be?

If you are a child of God, then you know you are His.

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

Can I encourage you to explore what truly makes you thankful? Is it just a reaction to good things, or is it a deeper, more spiritual feeling? Is it a simple acknowledgment or has it become an all-consuming force? When we're overwhelmed by it, we begin to see not only the blessings but also the challenges and hardships as part of a bigger, divinely guided story. It's about recognizing grace in all situations. Understanding, fully, Romans 8:26-28.

“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Say it with me.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

If you truly want to have this type of thankfulness, try one or more of these ideas.

Journaling: Writing down specific things we're thankful for each day.

Mindful Prayer: Focusing our prayers on gratitude rather than just requests.

Communal Acknowledgment: Share your thanksgiving. Encourage others to be thankful.

What happens when a person or a community is truly overtaken by thankfulness? The feeling becomes an action. It can lead to generosity, forgiveness, and a deep sense of peace that others might find confusing. Thankfulness doesn't just change our inner world; it changes how we interact with the world around us. It's a transformative force that can break down walls and heal old wounds.

As we gather with friends and family for this Thanksgiving meal, let’s take a moment to reflect more deeply than just saying, “Thank you, God, for our food. Amen!” Consider expressing gratitude for every breath you take, the memories you create, and, most importantly, for the peace of mind that comes from knowing what lies ahead after our time on earth.

Have a happy and safe Holiday, and I will see you Sunday.

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 25

 Chapter 25

1 “If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, 2 then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. 3 Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.

4 “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.

Laws Concerning Levirate Marriage

5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother's wife, then his brother's wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband's brother refuses to perpetuate his brother's name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother's wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother's house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

Miscellaneous Laws

11 “When men fight with one another and the wife of the one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of him who is beating him and puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts, 12 then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity.

13 “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. 15 A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the Lord your God.

17 “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, 18 how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. 19 Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.

How to Grow in Faith, Gather Together in His Name

 Gathering Together in His Name. AKA Church

Hey folks, welcome today. Today, we will conclude our current series titled “How to Grow in Faith.” How do you overcome the world, and how can a newborn child of God grow in faith, knowledge, and wisdom? We have already discussed these.

1- Having the right mind.
2- Praying and talking to God.
3- Repentance. Turning away from the world's ways. Repent
4- Keeping company with like-minded folks.

Today, we will essentially continue our conversation from last time, “Keeping company with like-minded folks.” Well? Where do you find, or where should you see, like-minded folks? Yep. That’s what we’re discussing today. Let us pray.

God, we are doing what you call us to do today, we are gathering together in your name. Your Word declares, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." Help us, LORD, to understand your word. We ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to not only understand your Word, but to receive it into ourselves and fully understand what this means, its importance, and its benefits, keeping your command. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!

Now, if you have been around for a bit, you may recognize that I have been saying “In Yeshua’s Name.” As well as using Jesus. However, I feel that this may have caused a bit of confusion. His name is now, and always will be Yeshua. However, not to get too sidetracked here, his name has been translated into "Jesus" in English. The Bible you are reading most likely calls Him Jesus. There is nothing wrong with this. My name in Spanish is Pedro. Does this mean someone calling me Pedro is wrong? My name in English is Peter. No, of course not. I know who you are talking about. Anyway.

If you have your Bible, turn to Hebrews 10. Start at verse 19

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 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.” Hebrews 10:19-25

Did you know His name was Yeshua? Chances are, you did not. How did you learn this? Church. The coming together of like-minded folks.

Now the Church is not the building. It is the people. We discussed the concept of 'garbage in, garbage out'. You are the company you keep. If they are not children of God and have no knowledge of the things of God, what will you learn from them? That is right. You will learn worldly ways.

Turn to Colossians 1:1-23

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”

Who is he talking to? Children of God. Not the unsaved but the saved. If you are a child of God, he is talking to you also. If you were not, you would never hear this letter. 

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing--as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant.”

What is he talking about here? The Gospel. The Word of God. Where did they hear it? When they gathered together with Epaphras as their teacher or Pastor.

“He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Now stop there for a second. I have a couple of questions for you to think about. First, “you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” How do you get that? Not from the world. Rather, you get that from hearing the Word, by someone whom God has appointed a teacher, Pastor, or Evangelist. Someone mature in the Word and mature in faith. Someone who has been where you are and understands what you are experiencing.

“Being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Church is not just a routine. It is not just tradition for tradition's sake. It is where you go to be filled up with faith and knowledge. Remember, ”How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:14, as well as this fact. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17.

Back to Colossians, verse 13

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.”

Who? Jesus.

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Do you get this truth from “the domain of darkness?" Of course not. Did the world create itself? Of course not. Did the world shed its blood for you? Of course not.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” Colossians 1:1-23

How do you become saved from the world? How do you remain “stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard?” Church. Coming together in God’s name to hear His Word. To learn his way.

Here is another reason that the church is so important. We are a family. Or at least we should be. Remember what Jesus said about family?

“While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak to you.’ But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:46-50

We also read things like these.

“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 in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13

Remember how Jesus answered Peter?

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” Mathew 19:29

On the cross, Jesus said this to John.

“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 19:26-27

Why did He say this? He was leaving. So He told His mother to look after John and John to look after His mother. This is what church is—a family. God’s family. Do you not have a Father? God is your Father. However, if you want a father figure here on earth, there are fathers in the church ready to help. Lost your mother? Or something happened? Many mothers are willing to nurture you.

In the family of God, there are many brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and even grandparents. Aunts and uncles, even. Oh, and as a side note? Well, not really. But something to think about. Church has never been about gathering for an hour and a half, weekly, if you go when you feel up to it. It was twenty-four/seven. Turn to Acts 2, start at verse 42.

“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.”

Say, “They took this seriously.” Now, am I telling you to go out and sell all you have? No. I’m illustrating how they saw gathering together as an honor and privilege, and that nothing else was important to them. Continue.

“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.” Acts 2:42-47

Week by week? Nope. It says “Day by day.” EVERYDAY!. It was not their “religion,” it was their way of life. If someone was in need, they were there. They were there to teach, listen, hug, love, and comfort. Cry with. And celebrate as a true family should.

If you want to grow in faith. Go from drinking milk to solid food. From students to teachers. Grow from a child to an adult in Christ. Hebrews 5:12-14, then perhaps following this plan will help.

1- Having the right mind. Start reading His Word. Learn good from sin. Learn what He says about this or that. Think up, and not down, as the world does.

2- Praying and talking to God. Ask Him. Remember;

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5

Talk to your Father. Spend time with Him.

3- Repent. Turning away from the world's ways. They will not help you. They will kill you. Jesus came and died for you. Stop being carnally minded. That only leads to death and destruction.

4- Keeping company with like-minded folks. Do not try to live for both God and the world. It will not end well for you. It will complicate your spiritual growth.

5- Gathering together in His name. Spend time with people who love you. People who will encourage you. People who will be your new family. Learn, grow, and love God in His family.

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!

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

The Book of Deuteronomy chapter 24

 Chapter 24

Laws Concerning Divorce

1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, 3 and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

Miscellaneous Laws

5 “When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.

6 “No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.

7 “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

8 “Take care, in a case of leprous disease, to be very careful to do according to all that the Levitical priests shall direct you. As I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.

10 “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge. 11 You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. 12 And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. 13 You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.

14 “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. 15 You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.

16 “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.

17 “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge, 18 but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. 22 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

How to grow in Faith, Keeping The Right Company

Keeping The Right Company

We are currently discussing how to overcome the world and how a newborn child of God can grow in faith, knowledge, and wisdom. Today, we will explore the benefits of surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals.

Let us pray.

Father, we come before you today with thanksgiving in our hearts and praise on our tongues. We know you are the Alpha and the Omega, the great I Am. Without you, nothing is possible, including understanding your Will and your Way. As we enter into your Word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and to understand what you want to show us today. In your holy name we pray, amen!

Before I was truly saved, I smoked, drank, uh, had fun? I did all kinds of things and enjoyed doing them. You and your childhood group of friends. Think about them. You all did the same things. The good, the bad, the ugly. Think about your close inner circle of friends you had before you got saved. You all did the same things. The good, the bad, the ugly. You know their secrets, and they know yours. You were all the same.

Herein lies the problem. I changed. You changed. You are no longer the same. The Word declares that once you are saved, 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

But they are not new. They have not changed. They are the same. They still drink, do whatever, and mess around with this or that. Sleep around. Look at things you should no longer be looking at. Doing the things you used to do, but now should no longer be doing. They are still doing and enjoying doing these things.

In a lot of cases, they want you to still join in and be doing all these things too. When you say no? They become offended, and they think you think you are better than them. The sad truth is, no matter how much you may desire to have them join you and accept Jesus and give up their sin, unless God Himself calls them, and they decide for themselves to accept the call, they will never even hear what you say. Why? Because you are speaking a new tongue. You are speaking spiritually. They are seeing, hearing, and living in the flesh. Look what Jesus told the religious folks of the day. The supposed “people of knowledge and faith.”

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word." John 8:43

They are still in and living for the flesh. You are not. Or at least should not be. You have been saved from the world, from the snare of the evil one. They are still living for them. You have been saved from hell, death, and the grave. They are still on their way there. You are no longer the same.

You heard the truth. You heard how God created you. How God created all things. How God loved you so that Jesus had to come and die for you. You heard that if you accept this, you will be saved.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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.

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." John 3:16-18

You did exactly that. You believed. You have faith, and it is that faith in Him that has saved you. You are in Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

I smoked for 35 years. Yup. That is a long time. Over the years, I did try to quit. You know what happened? I failed over and over. Why? Because I changed nothing. I used to go to parties. All my friends smoked. Here I am watching people do what I loved to do and smelling what I loved to smell, and what happened? Someone gave me a cigarette. I smoked it. Get the point?

I know it is difficult. I know it is hard. I know it is even hard to think about it. But look what the Bible says here.

“Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.’ Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

You are not them. You are now a new creature with access to heavenly wisdom in all things. Seek that out.

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm." Proverbs 13:20

And here?

"Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge." Proverbs 14:7

I know it seems harsh. I understand it might sound like I’m calling some of your loved ones fools and bad people. In a way, I guess I am. Or, it’s the Word of God—this (holding up the Bible). If you want to grow in faith and get closer to God, you need to distance yourself from those and those things that will lead you astray.

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-15

If you have accepted Jesus and repented of your sins and sinful ways, you must distance yourself from those who are unwilling to listen or acknowledge that there is a better way. However, simply separating yourself from them and your old life is not enough. You cannot do this alone; it’s important to seek support and community. 

“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. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer a sacrifice for sins,” Hebrews 10:23-26

One of the most significant things people discover when they join Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or seek therapy is a sense of comfort in realizing they are not alone. They find that others are facing similar temptations and challenges.

The church operates in much the same way. Within the church community, many individuals have experienced or are currently dealing with issues similar to yours. You will learn about others who are struggling, as well as those who have successfully overcome various challenges. If you have a need, you will likely find someone willing to step up and offer assistance.

Do you know the problem with being left alone? You are left alone. There is no one there to care. No one is there to teach you a better way. No one to laugh with. No one to cry with. Need a hug? Believe it or not, it is hard to hug yourself and make it meaningful.

No, you need to find a church God leads you to, and be blessed by those there.

When I first received the gift of salvation, I knew nothing. Oh, I knew Jesus loved me. I know He died for me. But I knew nothing more than that. I started reading the Word, and I understood some, but I had questions about other things. I heard about all these "contradictions," and I heard about the Bible being nothing more than a work of fiction. I heard that the stories of Jesus rising from the dead are a fantasy and impossible.

I heard all these things from people outside of the church. Some of them made some compelling arguments. Some of them sounded like they knew what they were talking about. Some of them tried to convince me, "out of love," that it is all nonsense and a waste of my time.

I started to go to church. I joined a group of believers. I learned that the Bible says this.

"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." Colossians 3:16

I learned that the Bible says this.

"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5

I started to ask my questions. I started to listen to those who were more mature in faith than I. Do you know what I found out? I learned there are no contradictions. No, not one. There are misinterpretations, misunderstandings, and outright twisting of scriptures. But not one single contradiction.

I learned that the Bible is the very living Word of God. It is living and it gives life. God can speak directly to whomever He chooses through His Word. He can also speak to you through others. I learned that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead and is alive and well today. He is the great I am. I learned this.

"Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:17-23

Then I learned that the entire Bible, including the Old Testament, is all about Jesus. An example? Isaiah 53. Even though it sounds like the writer was writing about his witness to Jesus and His life, it was written some 700 years before the birth of Jesus.

I was not aware of this before: His name is Yeshua, translated as Jesus. I've learned that no matter how often you read the Bible, you can gain new insights each time. I've also discovered that people who came before me can guide me toward a better understanding.

I remember one day walking into Ascent Church. Which is at 4175 SE Cove Rd, Stuart, FL, 34997. If you are in the area on Sunday, stop by. You will be blessed. I walked into the building, and this Godly woman, Mary, came up and hugged me. It was a real hug. It was a loving hug. A meaningful hug. I'm telling you something here: if Mary hugs you, and tells you she loves you, and she is praying for you? There is no doubt about it. I have walked into that building in various states of being. Happy, sad, and more and more depressed. Depression is real, folks. It does not matter who you are. But when Mary hugs you? Yeah. Peace and comfort come over you.

You do not get moments like this alone. I listened to the Pastor teach on various topics. I started to have a better understanding by hearing the Word. I learned this too.

"Well, I can watch that TV Preacher. I do not have to go to church."

That TV Preacher? He does not know you. No one in that ministry knows who you are. They do not know what you are going through. They have no way of knowing if you are happy or sad. They do not even really care about you to tell you the truth. They care about numbers and revenue to keep their ministries on the air.

When you join a local church. They know when you are there. They know when you are not. They know when you are happy and when you are sad. They truly do care about you. It is not just the Pastor. It is the Marys. The Johns. The Toms. It is the friendships you make and the people who become family.

They are there to celebrate with you. They are there to cry with you. They are there to live with you. You cannot get that alone. You cannot get that from that TV Preacher. You cannot get that in any other way.

Yes. If you stay with that worldly company, you will reap what they sow. Your morals will be chipped away, and you will fall back into sin. Yes, if you go it alone, you will not grow and will not reap the benefit of the family God is calling you to. Yes, if you do listen to God and allow Him to lead you to the Church He wants you to be a part of, you will find good company, love, and kindness, and a new family that loves you and wants to do life with you. Do not neglect this precious gift.

We are out of time for now. Join us next time when we wrap up this series. We will talk about this more in-depth. Gathering together in His name.

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 23

 Chapter 23

Those Excluded from the Assembly

1 “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.

2 “No one born of a forbidden union may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of his descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord.

3 “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. 6 You shall not seek their peace or their prosperity all your days forever.

7 “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a sojourner in his land. 8 Children born to them in the third generation may enter the assembly of the Lord.

Uncleanness in the Camp

9 “When you are encamped against your enemies, then you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.

10 “If any man among you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission, then he shall go outside the camp. He shall not come inside the camp, 11 but when evening comes, he shall bathe himself in water, and as the sun sets, he may come inside the camp.

12 “You shall have a place outside the camp, and you shall go out to it. 13 And you shall have a trowel with your tools, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig a hole with it and turn back and cover up your excrement. 14 Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.

Miscellaneous Laws

15 “You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. 16 He shall dwell with you, in your midst, in the place that he shall choose within one of your towns, wherever it suits him. You shall not wrong him.

17 “None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, and none of the sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute. 18 You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the Lord your God.

19 “You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

21 “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin. 23 You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.

24 “If you go into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. 25 If you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain.

How to grow in Faith, Repent

Repentance 

How do you overcome the world, and how can a newborn child of God grow in faith, knowledge, and wisdom? This is what we are discussing. We already talked about the obvious. 

1- Having the right mind.
2- Praying and talking to God.

Today, we will discuss step three: repent.

3- Turning away from the world's ways.

Let us pray.

Father, we come before You today with thanksgiving in our hearts for all You have given us, from life itself to eternal life. We pray for the newly adopted children of Yours, asking that they may grow in faith and wisdom according to You and Your Word. Please grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to understand Your Word. We thank you and give you all the praise we can. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

Repent. Now there is a word that is;

A- Misunderstood.
B- Misused.
C- Ignored. Sadly, even by some of these “new churches” that are popping up.

Let’s start with A- Misunderstood. 

The Hebrew word we translate as ‘repentance’ is teshuva (‎תשובה, pronounced “teh-shoo-vah”). This means a whole lot more than “I’m sorry.” True repentance means a change of attitude and action regarding sin. Hatred of sin turns the repentant person away from their sin to God. Paul wrote this in his 2nd letter to the churches in Corinth.

“For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it--though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting.”

Again. What does it mean to truly repent?

“For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:8-10

I love this quote. Theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel puts it this way: “A change in man’s conduct brings about a change in God’s judgment.” True repentance leads to a radical and persistent pursuit of holy living, characterized by walking with God in obedience to His commands. Turn to 2 Timothy 2:19-22.

“But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are his,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’ Now, in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable.”

Would you not want to be used as an “honorable vessel”?

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”

You cannot claim to be a child of God and live for the world. You are either or.

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

We read this in 1 Peter 1:16.

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.’"

Now, of course, without God, this is impossible. However, with God? Say it with me, “All things are possible.”

B- Misused. 

You cannot do this without God. The teaching of such is wrong and is referred to as legalism. Making yourself good enough for God to save you. Working your way to salvation.

You see, while you are a sinner. While you are unworthy. While you are a wretch. God called out of the world, Jesus came and died for you, and God saved you. NOW, and only now, do you have the ability to “be holy, for I am holy."

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“ Romans 5:6-8

Peter was fishing, Matthew was at the table of customs, and Paul was in the middle of trying to kill the church when what? Yeshua, or Jesus, came to them. He did not say Do this and that, and then you can be my disciple. No, he said, “Follow me.” True repentance has nothing to do with salvation. That is through Jesus. There is no other way.

The focus of Jesus Christ’s mission was to call sinners to repentance: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). His call of absolute surrender goes out to all people: “But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:5).

Repentance in the Bible is a profound transformation of heart and mind that results in different actions. It acknowledges that our sins are offensive to God. To truly repent means to turn away from ourselves and turn towards God. This process sets us on a new path—one guided by God’s commands. Repentance also recognizes that the Lord is sovereign over our lives.

C- Ignored

Why do we have people who choose to ignore this? Think Joel Olstein. Think all these new “churches" popping up all over the place. There are three reasons for this.

1- False Compassion.
2- Lack of understanding of the seriousness of sin.
3- Purposeful omission for self-gain. Think Joel Olstein.

We will start with the worst one first. Purposeful omission for self-gain. You know them, you love them. These are those Preachers who preach to “itchy ears.”

“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.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Why? No convictions. Allow people to live however they will and be called good and holy. No hell, then no sin. No sin, then no reason to change. You are important. You are good. Just be you. Give me money and come to hear my messages, and you will be good. Don’t listen to those negative people. They are wrong. Just be you. You are perfect the way you are. Jesus already paid the price for you. Therefore, you are already forgiven. Just live the way you feel is best.

This is a lie straight from the evil one himself. Do not believe it. Lack of understanding and false compassion go like this. Jesus came to you while you were in the middle of your sin. He died for you while you were a sinner. He went straight to the sinners and preached that they could be saved. This means that we must have compassion for all. We must love and accept all. We all sin. Your sin is not greater nor lesser than the sin you do not like, so do not be judgmental. Jesus would accept all as He did back then.

Well? Kinda true. But they leave out repent. They do not want to offend anyone. Jesus did go to the sinners. Jesus did forgive the sinners, yet what did He say? Repent. Remember the story of the Woman caught in the middle of adultery?

"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst, they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?"

This, they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." And once more, he bent down and wrote on the ground.

But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord."

And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." John 8:3-11

"Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more," Jesus said that her sin was forgiven. But He commanded her to truly repent. "Go, and sin no more." He was not telling her, "I love you. I forgive you. Now, go and do as you will." No. He said to her to repent, to turn away from. To not do it again. Another clear example, this one with an explanation. John 5:1-15

"Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him." John 5:14-15

Remember this story?

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." Matthew 12:43-45

If you choose to live your life in sin, I would question whether you are even saved. However, we all sin; the difference is, are you looking to repent? Are you trying to repent? We will all sin. We will all fail from time to time. However, this is vastly different than willfully living in sin, knowing the Bible calls it sin, regardless of what man says or how you feel about it, because you choose that sin over God and His Word, and way.

If you want to grow as a child of God? Repent. Turn away from the world, turn toward God. Do whatever you can, read this (holding up the Bible). Pray and ask God to help you remain true to not willfully sinning. And repent.

One of the ways you can get a good start? Keeping the right company. More on this next time. If you want to contact me for whatever reason, the email 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 22

 Chapter 22

Various Laws

1 “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. 2 And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. 3 And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. 4 You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.

5 “A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.

6 “If you come across a bird's nest in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. 7 You shall let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long.

8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your house, if anyone should fall from it.

9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole yield be forfeited, the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard. 10 You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 You shall not wear cloth of wool and linen mixed together.

12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself.

Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality

13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,’ 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate. 16 And the father of the young woman shall say to the elders, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to marry, and he hates her; 17 and behold, he has accused her of misconduct, saying, “I did not find in your daughter evidence of virginity.” And yet this is the evidence of my daughter's virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloak before the elders of the city. 18 Then the elders of that city shall take the man and whip him, 19 and they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name upon a virgin of Israel. And she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her for all his days. 20 But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, 21 then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lies with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.

23 “If there is a betrothed virgin, and a man meets her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbor's wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

25 “But if in the open country a man meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. This case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, 27, because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help, there was no one to rescue her.

28 “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her for all his days.

30  “A man shall not take his father's wife, so that he does not uncover his father's nakedness.

How to Grow in Faith, Prayer

 Talk to your Father.

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

Heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and praise. We love you and thank you for everything from life itself to life everlasting. As we enter your word today, we ask for eyes to see what the world cannot see. Ears to hear the things of yours that the world cannot hear, and a spirit to understand what you wish us to learn here today. We ask this in the name of Yeshua, Amen!

We read this in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Wait what? “Rejoice evermore?” “Pray without ceasing?” What does that mean? How can I pray without ceasing? Exactly how long is that? And as for “rejoice evermore?” Yeah ok. I lost my job, and I will rejoice, right? I mean, I do go to church. I pray the way Jesus taught me to pray. Do you know people like this? Have you been like this? You have people who go to church every week. They do what Jesus said to do. They pray the "Our Father" three times. They are saying the prayer that Jesus Himself taught us to pray? Right?

Well, no. Not exactly. Did Jesus give us the "Our Father Prayer" in Matthew 6? Of course. But what was He telling us? You see, He was teaching us how to pray by showing us the formula. He never intended for us to simply repeat it, hoping that God would hear us and do whatever we asked. In fact, right before He gave us this example, He said this.

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

He goes on to say, not pray this prayer, but

"After this manner, therefore pray ye."

He tells us that this is the formula. This is an example. "After this manner," or, to resemble in appearance, character, behavior, etc., or, to follow as an example. Keep in mind, He just said, "when ye pray, use not vain repetitions." So was Jesus telling us, 'Say the" Our Father Prayer' and all will be well? No. He was saying, This is how you should pray.

Some people think about prayer as holier than anything, a grand procedure that one must be skilled with the knowledge of how to do it. Well, no. All we need to do is follow Jesus' formula. God already knows what you are going to say before you say it.

God is your Father. He is there when you wake up. He is there when you eat breakfast or don't. Shower and get ready? He is with you. Go out the door? He is with you. Work, school, or play? He is with you. It is not a part-time, only in Church on Sunday concept or idea, or thing. He is with us always. In all things. During all things. He is there. He is God.

Do not ever forget this. Yes. Of course. He is always there, parting seas, calming storms, healing sickness, and casting demons away out of your life, carrying you even if He must. He is also there at all other times. Read the Word. Pray, and always think about Him.

Then, of course, and sadly, you have what I call “foul weather children of God.” I’ve been one. Death in the Family? "GOD?!?!?" Loss of a Job? "GOD?!?!?" Loss of a House? "GOD?!?!?" Sickness and disease invade your home? "GOD?!?!?" Dark clouds coming?? "GOD?!?!?" Trying to walk on water, and start to sink? "GOD?!?!? SAVE ME!!!!"

All is going well? Everyone healthy? Got that new Job? Got married? Birth of a child? Healed from sickness? Beautiful sunny days? Where is your cry to God? Where is your Thanksgiving?  Where is God? Oh, He is there. Where are you?

Jesus tells us to be ever vigilant. Spend time with your Father. Ask Him to give you the strength to overcome. To be steadfast. He wants a relationship with you. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. One of the best things you can do next to reading the Word is prayer.

God is there with you in the good times. He wants you to celebrate with Him. He wants a one-on-one relationship with you. Just like your earthly Father. He wants to be your Heavenly Father. Just like your earthly Father, He wants to be there to celebrate life's good times with you.

Yes. He will be there in the bad times. He will be there when you lie down. He will be there when you get up. If you are His child, He will be meeting your needs every day. He will bless you daily. He will teach you, lead you, love you, always, in all things.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7

Have you ever been touched by that "peace of God, which passeth all understanding"? If not, there is no describing it. There is nothing to compare it to. You have to experience it yourself. I have been touched. I have experienced it. Better than any amount of alcohol. Better than any kind of drugs. It just is the Peace of God. The Joy of our Lord. You can find it in no other way, save spending time with God.

If you have never done this, try it. Do not think about prayer as holier than anything, a grand procedure that one must be skilled with the knowledge of how to do it. It is not this way. It is simply a conversation. Talk to God. Get up and say your 5-minute obligatory prayer in the morning. How about on your way to work? At work? How about something you see that you would instantly want to share with someone? Share with Him. "God? Did you see that?" Or "Father, can I please get through this meeting today?" Or something like "God, thank you so much for this coffee. It is really good." Any and everything is worthy to share with God, and to also help you remember, HE is always with you.

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2

Remember, all that you have, ever had, or ever will have is from God. As the Word tells us, all good things are from Him.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will, he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” James 1:17-18

Are you a child of God?

“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 in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17

We will wrap it up today with this, from our Lord Himself.

"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.”

Remember, we talked about this before. It does not have to be “the end times” for today to be your end time. Your last day. No one knows the hour or the day.

“For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.”

However, we have the advantage. We know what is next. We know that death is not the end. Just a transition into the next existence. Which is forever.

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:31-36

If you have never tried this, go ahead and do it. Say your morning prayer or your nightly prayer—whatever you are used to doing. Then, try doing the opposite as well, not instead, but in addition. If you start your day with prayer, also make a habit of thanking God for the day at the end. If you pray at night, consider waking up earlier if needed to pray in the morning and thank God for another day.

If you are going through your life and you see someone whom you think needs a blessing, bless them, but also pray for them. It can be something as simple as “Father, please be with them.”

Another reason, and one Jesus was trying to convey here, is this. If you are praying or talking to God daily, where is your mind? Are you focused on the world? Or are you focused on God? Exactly. So if you are focused on God, the world seems less and less important.

As you grow in faith, you grow out of the world. You grow stronger, wiser, and you will have less fear in your life. Nothing will seem overwhelming when you know, not think, but rather know that the creator of the universe and all that is in it is now your Father. If God is for us, who can be against us? The answer? No one and nothing.

Now I hope you are reading the Word. I hope you will try to pray more. What is next? Well, repentance. I know, I know. This is one of those messages that makes people angry. However, that does not mean it is not true. Join us next time for our conversation on true repentance and what that means.

Have you "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. Then start to grow in the faith. Read your Bible; if you do not have one, get one. Pray and spend time with God.

Want to talk? Want more information? Want to just say “hi”? 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!