Coming Up Here At TAG, Philippians

Chat with Peter

Hey Folks, it is that time again. The time when we dedicate Wednesdays to a more in-depth look at an entire Book in the Bible. Starting next week, we will begin in the Book of Philippians, often called the "Epistle of Joy," which is one of the most beloved letters in the New Testament. 

The relationship between Paul and the church at Philippi was arguably the most affectionate and harmonious of all his apostolic connections. Unlike his letters to the Corinthians, which dealt with chaos, or the Galatians, which dealt with legalism, Philippians reads like a thank-you note between best friends.

The church in Philippi was the first one Paul established in Europe. It was around 50 AD. During his second missionary journey. The core of the church began with an eclectic group: Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman and dealer in purple cloth. The Philippian Jailer, who was a Roman official, converted after an earthquake struck the prison where Paul was held. Along with a slave girl, who was healed by Paul from spiritual oppression.

Joy in all circumstances: Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned, likely in Rome, yet the words "joy" or "rejoice" appear 16 times. It serves as a reminder that happiness is situational, but joy is internal. Chapter 2 contains a famous passage describing Jesus’ humility, emptying himself and taking the form of a servant, as a model for how believers should treat one another. The Goal of Life: Paul expresses his singular focus: "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Another famous passage is Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything..." Guidance on finding peace through prayer. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Often quoted in sports and trials. Philippians 3:13-14 "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead..." Why it resonates Today. 

Philippians is incredibly practical. It doesn't just offer abstract theology; it addresses anxiety, interpersonal conflict, and how to find contentment when life doesn't go according to plan. Paul’s "secret" to contentment remains a profound psychological and spiritual anchor for many.

The primary reason Paul wrote the letter was to acknowledge a financial gift they had sent via Epaphroditus. He wanted them to know that even though he was in chains, their investment was paying off because the Gospel was still spreading.

This is a short book. Only four chapters. Won't you join us for the next four weeks, and let's read the book of Philippians together. 

Remember, you can find this and much, much more over at TAG

You can always reach out to me for questions, comments, or just say "Hi" at truthbygod1@gmail.com. 

Join us every Sunday for various messages, led by God, from His Word, without the traditions of men called religion. Just the Truth According to God.

May the Lord be your way maker, as well as your rear guard. May God be with you. 

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

Word of God

 Word of God. 

This is one of those messages that needs to be given often, because it is a question that Christians get often. Why this? Why the Bible? With so many religious books out there, all claiming to be right and true, what makes you believe that the Bible is any different? What is the reason I should trust the Bible? This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray.

Father, LORD God, we come before you today with praise and thanksgiving. We come together to discuss your love letter to us. Your Word. The Holy Bible. As we do, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the ability to not only hear and see, but to receive and digest your Word. In the name of Jesus, amen.

There are many differences. However, there is one that makes it absolutely final. Everything you need to know is right here (Holding up the Bible.) Now, what about those who are going to feel the Bible is nothing more than just another "religious book" and means little to nothing? Some will tell you that the Bible is full of contradictions and false information. Not true. There is not one single contradiction in the Bible. No, not one. There are misunderstandings, differing points of view, and poor translations, but zero contradictions.

As we have talked about before, one of the easiest ways to disprove the Bible is also one of the easiest ways to prove the Bible is the Truth. There are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This is according to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne.

If the Bible makes all these predictions, and even some are proven false, then the Bible is indeed false. However, if the Bible makes all these predictions, some 26 percent of the total Bible is made up of prophecies, then predictions that have been proven correct prove the Bible true. Here are some examples.

Israel itself is a prophecy fulfilled. As we know it today? The exact location and construction sequence of Jerusalem's nine suburbs were predicted by Jeremiah about 2600 years ago. Jeremiah 31:38-40, Ezekiel 37:21-22. Isaiah 66:7-8 describes this taking place in one day. This rebirth became history in 1948, in one day, and the construction of the nine suburbs has gone forward precisely in the locations and in the sequence predicted.

God created animals “after their kind.” Genesis 1:11-13 Nineteenth-century biologists argued that animals evolved from other, very different animals, but today biology confirms that creatures reproduce within their own kind.

Mankind? Genesis 3:20, 1 Corinthians 15:45, The Bible claims that all humans are “one blood” descended from one man and one woman. Some nineteenth-century biologists argued that different races descended from lower animals, but today genetics has verified that there is only one human race.

One of my favorites? How about the flat earth? The flat earth model is an archaic conception of the earth's shape as a plane or disk. Many ancient cultures subscribed to a flat earth cosmography, including Greece until the classical period 323 BC, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period 31 BC, India until the Gupta period (early centuries AD), and China until the 17th century. Believe it or not, there are still some today that believes this to be true.

What does the Bible say? Isaiah 40:22

"It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in."

Wait, it says "he who sits above the circle of the earth." The Circle. No question there. We could go on and on.

Jesus and His life? Isaiah 53. To name one. Who is Jesus? Where does He come from? How does He live? How does He die? How does He rise from the dead? These are all in the Bible, thousands of years before Jesus was even born. In extreme detail.

As a matter of fact, Jesus is in the entire Bible. Yes, the Old Testament as well as the New. Without Jesus, there is no Bible. No other “religious book” can say this. Others are written telling stories of their leaders, teachers, and messiahs. But the Bible IS Jesus. Therein lies the difference. Jesus IS the Bible. He IS The Word of God. He was with God, is with God, and IS God. There is no Bible, New or Old Testament, without Jesus. He has no beginning and no end.

Jesus was there in the beginning.

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

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

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

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

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

What is Jesus saying here? He is saying, you, the religious folks, look to the Bible for salvation, yet reject Jesus Himself. He said you can't do that. Why? Because all Scripture points to Him. He is saying that if you reject Him, then you must reject the very Word of God because HE is the Word of God. He, Jesus, IS the Word of God in the flesh. The Bible IS the very Word of God, who IS, Jesus in the flesh. Are you following? Look at two things that are truly amazing about Jesus. I know, right? Just two? But these illustrate He IS.

Isaiah 53

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. ... Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment, he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

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

Out of the anguish of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

Just picture Jesus when you read these words. There is no other. Remember, this is hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. You can clearly see where it all lines up. All these predictions, or prophecies, about Jesus and His death came true. Isaiah painted a clear picture of Jesus and His life that Jesus fulfilled.

What about one of those things in the Bible that many consider to be just not possible? Jesus sweating blood. This is mentioned in Luke 22:44. Well? Science has again caught up to the Bible and proved it true.

Commonly referred to as Hematidrosis or Hemohidrosis, this condition results in the excretion of blood or blood pigment in the sweat. Under conditions of great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can rupture, thus mixing blood with perspiration. This condition has been reported in extreme instances of stress. 76 cases of Hematidrosis were studied and classified according to causative factors. The most frequent causes of the phenomenon were found to be “acute fear” and “intense mental contemplation.” So yes, Jesus, facing all He was about to, including the Cross, did indeed sweat blood.

There is no other figure in history that matches this so exactly.

The Servant came from unimpressive beginnings. “Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” John 1:46

The Servant was rejected by Israel. “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” John 1:11

The Servant was condemned via oppression and judgment. Pilate declared Jesus innocent, and an angry mob demanded that Jesus be killed Luke 23:4-25.

The Servant submitted to his sentence without resistance. “But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.” Matthew 27:14

Are you following? Let's keep it going so there is no doubt.

The Servant suffered for the sins of others. “For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Servant was beaten beyond recognition.

“Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.” Matthew 27:26

He was beaten, his flesh was falling off, and he was barely recognizable.

The Servant died. “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.” Mark 15:37

The Servant will be raised from the dead. Read Matthew 28:1-10.

By knowing the Servant, many will be accounted righteous. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Every prediction that the Bible has made has come to pass. There are oh so many. If this is true, and it is, then we had better be looking forward to those still to come. Don’t you think?

This (Holding up the Bible) is not a history book. Although there is history in it. This (Holding up the Bible) is not a book of poetry. Yet there is poetry in it. This (Holding up the Bible) is not a religious Book. Yet entire Religions have been built up around it. This (Holding up the Bible) is the very LIVING WORD OF GOD.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

With it?

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

All those other religious books will be destroyed; they will simply go away. Yet?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

So the next time someone tells you, "Oh, that is a book of fiction. That is not important to read to be with God. Oh, that is just another religious book, and there are so many." First, you know it is not true. Second, you can use some of this if you choose to prove them wrong. Or just understand this truth as well.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Why do you think so many become offended by it? Learn from He who made the world. Use this manual for life, by the one who gave you life. The one who created all that is, or ever will be. Who do you think knows better? The creature? Or the Creator? My bet is on God.

As always, you can check the archives here at TAG.

The email if you want to reach out 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!

Colossians Chapter Four

 Chapter Four

Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Further Instructions

1 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Final Greetings

7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mar,k the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.

A Saint's Prayer, Part Five

 Jesus, aka Word of God, Over The World. 

Today, we wrap up our current series, “A Saint’s Prayer.” We are in Psalm 25. We will be picking up on Verse 14. Let us pray.

Father, Lord God. We come before you today with praise and thanksgiving for all that you have done, from life itself to life everlasting. We thank you for the ability to come together in your name and to learn from your Word. Your Word declares, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” We ask you to be here. We ask you to show us your mysteries. We ask you for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive, not only to understand but to fully comprehend your Truth and your revelations as we finish in Psalm 25. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Ok, now we continue in verse 14

“The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”

Notice, it does not say all, as in we are all God’s children. We are not. It says, “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”

“My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.” 

He saved us while we were in the middle of our sin, and in the net, or snares of the devil, about to be destroyed.

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”

Again, David is not blaming anyone here. Not God. Not the devil. Not the fact that he “was not hugged as a child.” Not that he believed society. Not anyone’s fault, be his. He takes full ownership of his sins.

“Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Psalm 25:14-22

Notice he is not asking for the world to change. He is asking for him to be changed. For him to be saved. He is asking God, not man. Not seeking answers in the world. He is asking God,

“That the LORD your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do."Jeremiah 42:3

Say “God knows.” In the very first psalm, David wrote this.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

Why? Because God. Say “Because God.”

“The wicked.” You could even substitute “The world.”

“are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1:1-6

Say “God knows.” In John 16:1-4, Jesus tells us Himself.

"I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told them to you. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.”

God will tell us what is going on. He will tell us His wisdom and His ways. The world cannot nor will it ever hear God. But we can, and do. Why? “God knows.” “Because God.” The world has become so arrogant that it actually celebrates self and pride.

“But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:6-10

Forget what the world says is right and wrong. Forget what the world says about, well, pretty much anything. The world, and the proud, the evil, and all without God, will perish. We, the Children of God, will not. Why seek answers from something that is doomed to destruction? What sense does that make?

The world is enmity to God. Those of the world are enemies of God. They are those of hate. You know, I have been VERY cautious of saying this. I have been very hesitant to talk about it. I have even been unsure of how I felt about it. At least for today. Demon possession.

You know, every time I turn on the TV or the internet, I see “Demon Hunters.” No, not the Anemi, or the band, I’m talking about those who CLAIM to be true and real life Exortists. Ever see these people? They go around the world and “Cast out demons” from all sorts of people. Sometimes the acting is SO VERY BAD that it is actually somewhat comical.

The “possessed person” rolls around and jerks and swears, talking gibberish. The Exotorist yelling Bible verses, and may even roll their eyes and put on quite the show. I have always been skeptical of these things. Most who do this do not ever believe in or even understand who God really is. If they ran across a real demon, that demon would eat them for lunch. So to speak.

I started watching other people, going out and preaching the Word to people at Pride events, abortion clinics, or just in the street, and I started to notice a trend. Homosexuals, Transgender, and “confused, I mean non binary,” which is not a thing, people will not debate, or even talk to the people preaching. They identify as “They” and then what? Start barking.

I kid you not. Look it up. Weirdly dressed, what appear to be mentally deranged people, barking at the street preacher. The only thing I can say about that is they sure do look demon-possessed. This is what the world wants us to celebrate? Teaching our kids that they are heroes and so brave if they decide to do this?

Look, as time passes, this situation is likely to worsen. There is currently a movement within the Islamic faith where pedophilia is already considered permissible. Grown adults engaging in sexual activities with minors. Some groups want to classify pedophilia as a protected category. One notable example is B4U-ACT. The group claims to assist mental health professionals and researchers in understanding attraction to minors, but critics argue it supports “affirmative MAP therapy,” which presents pedophilic desires as an inherent and acceptable part of identity rather than a harmful paraphilia.

Then you have sociologist Allyn Walker, have argued that attraction to minors should not be judged as immoral, focusing instead on behavior rather than desire. These efforts are part of a larger trend in some academic and advocacy circles to reframe pedophilia as a “sexual age orientation” rather than a disorder, drawing comparisons to how homosexuality was once redefined in the 20th century. Which is something I and many others argued would happen once you open the door to Gay Marriage.

This is the world. This is who you want to learn right and wrong from? Look here in 1 Peter 5:6-11

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

This is what David is praying. A Saints Prayer. We can pray this as well. If you want to do it word-for-word, every now and then, do it. If you want to, like the “Our Father” prayer, use it as a formula, changing it into your own words, do it. Here it is in total.

“To you, O LORD,
I lift up my soul.

O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
Let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
They shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me know your ways,
O LORD, teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
For you, I wait all day long.

Remember your mercy,
O LORD, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to your steadfast love, remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore, he instructs sinners in the way.

He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the LORD?
He will instruct in the way that he should choose.

His soul shall abide in well-being,
And his offspring shall inherit the land.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
And he makes known to them his covenant.

My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distress.

Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.

Consider how many are my foes,
And with what violent hatred they hate me.

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.

Redeem Israel,
O God, out of all his troubles.”

Are you a Saint? Would you like to be? Simply "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9.

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!

Colossians Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

A Saint's Prayer, Part Four

 Know The Way

We are currently going through a Saint’s Prayer. We are in Psalm 25 if you want to turn there. We ended last time at verse 9. We will pick up at verse 10. Amen? Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, Lord God, we come before you with thanksgiving and love to you for all that you have given us. From the greatest to the smallest, even to the unknown. We thank you for your Grace and mercy and ask that you forgive us of our sins and stupidities. Father, as we enter into your word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the Spirit to reveal your great mysteries. May your word feed our spirit as the food you bless us with feeds our bodies. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Ok, Psalm 25:10

“All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way [that] he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth.”

How do we know the way? How do we know how to live according to God and His will? Obviously this. (Holding up the Bible.) Without this, what do we truly have as a moral compass? What does the world decide is right and wrong? That changes all the time. Not this. Not God.

Without the Word of God, we could never know this.

“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

What does the world say He is? A prophet. A teacher, A good man. Oh, that may not have even existed. With all the writings, extraneous to the bible, that say Jesus was real, and He existed, that argument is void. But what do we say He is? He is the Christ. The Word of God in the flesh. He says He is the great “I Am.” God.

How do we know?

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm119:105

Simply put, we know the way, because He is the Way. Jesus is our salvation and our Lord. How do we get to know the real Him? This. Talk to Him. Ask Him questions. Read His Word.

God says:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

We cannot possibly know what God is thinking, unless He tells us. Look here, in Isaiah 55:6-9

"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Stop. Remember, God is being patient. He is not coming back to destroy the world as we know it until He gives as many a choice to be saved as possible. Remember,

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

“Not wishing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should reach repentance.” The next time someone tells you that God is evil and waiting to throw you in hell for the littlest slip-up. Tell them this, back to Isaiah.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We cannot know God’s thoughts or His plans, not even for us, because our puny little minds cannot even comprehend. We need to ask Him.

“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

For those of you who feel you are not worthy to hear God speak, understand that you are His child. Oh yes. He IS the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and The Great I am. But He is also now your Abba Father. He sees us as such. He calls us as such. He said this.

“And said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

Why?

“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.” Matthew 19:13-15

I’ve used this analogy before, but it really does apply here. I have four children. Well, two adults and two children. But at one time, they were little too. I have always taken this passage to heart.

“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” Matthew 5:37

If they ask me for something, or I tell them something, they have no doubts whatsoever. It will happen. Why “Daddy said so.” If I told them, which I never would have, of course, but if I told them to go on the roof, and jump off, and they would soar to the sky like the Angels, guess what? I would have a lot of explaining to do to the Police when they come to take me away. They would take that leap of faith for no other reason than “Daddy said so.”

This is the kind of relationship God wants to have with us. God said. It is so. Why? “Daddy said so.” I am forgiven. “Daddy said so.” I am a new creature. “Daddy said so.” I am not a child of God. “Daddy said so.”I will leave this earth one day, and I will go to be with Him. Why? How am I so sure? “Daddy said so.”

This is why He gave us His Word. So we can learn. His way is the only way. The best way. Simply put, THE Way. Oh, as a side note. This passage;

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

“So great a cloud of witnesses,” is not talking about Angels watching us 24/7 as some suggest. I will even admit I thought this way, too. This is not the case. That’s a common thought, and it’s easy to see why. The imagery of a "cloud" and "witnesses" certainly has a celestial, angelic vibe. However, in the context of the Bible, specifically Hebrews 12:1, these "witnesses" are generally understood to be human, not angelic.

Here is the breakdown of who they are and why the distinction matters: Who are the Witnesses? The "cloud of witnesses" refers back to the people listed in the previous chapter, Hebrews 11 (often called the "Hall of Faith"). This list includes figures like:

Noah, Abraham, and Sarah
Moses and Rahab
Gideon, David, and many others who suffered for their faith.

Why "Witnesses"? The term doesn't necessarily mean they are "spectators" looking down from heaven like fans in a stadium, though many people find comfort in that interpretation. In the original Greek, the word used is martys, from which we get the word martyr.

It carries two main meanings:

1 - Their Testimony: They are witnesses in a legal sense. Their lives "testify" or prove that living by faith is possible and worth it.

2 - Their Presence: Because they have already finished their "race," they serve as an encouragement to those still running.

This is also a call to action. The verse encourages believers to "throw off everything that hinders" and to run with perseverance. This implies that, inspired by the examples of those who have gone before, we should actively work to remove obstacles in our spiritual lives and remain focused on our faith journey.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Believe it or not, He does know better than us. He is smarter than Us, and if we are called according to His purpose? Romans 8:28. 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.” Romans 8:28

We will wrap up this series next week with Part Five. What do we have so far? David praises God. Then he asked for Truth, and discernment of Truth. He was seeking God. Asking God. Not man. He acknowledged he was a sinner and asked forgiveness for his sins. Then He asked God to show him God’s way. So far

“Psalm Of David. To you, O LORD, I lift my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love, remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will be instructed in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.”

Next time, we will wrap it up with Psalm 25:14-22, Jesus, aka Word of God, over the world.

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 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!

Colossains Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Alive in Christ

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Let No One Disqualify You

16 Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

A Saint's Prayer Part three.

 Asking Forgiveness 

We are currently doing an in-depth study of Psalm 25, looking at it for what it is—a Saint’s Prayer. Don’t worry if you missed any; you can always go to the archives, and we will wrap it up in the end. Today we will be going through Psalm 25: 6-9. Let us pray.

Father, we come before you today with thanksgiving for all that you have given us, continue to give us, and your Word declares you always will. Blessings we cannot even count. As we enter into your Word today, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive your truth and revelations. Help us to understand you better, grow closer, and be strong in our faith through your Word. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Psalm 25:6-7

“Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!.”

We all sin. Say “all.” This means me, you, them, and everyone else that ever has, or will, walk this earth, save one. His name is Jesus. Look here.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

This is one of those things that unbelievers LOVE to attempt to use to discredit or defect any judgment of sin. “Oh, it must be great to be sinnless.” “So you never sin, right?” “Well, you know what Jesus says, ‘He without sin cast the first stone.” No, this is not the truth. The truth is what? ALL have sinned.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

There is that word again. All. Look at those passages again. King David is asking for forgiveness. Did he think he was sinless?

He is asking for forgiveness. We actually have an advantage over King David. We have Jesus. We have the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. We are forgiven, and our sins forgotten through grace.

“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. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:6-9

Jesus came and became the final sacrifice.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

Now, does this fact mean we have a licence to sin? I mean, Jesus died and paid the price for all. And I have been taught once saved always saved, so all I have to do is say I accept Jesus, and I can live however I choose. Right? Wrong. Do not be taken in by false doctrine, no matter how great it may sound.

“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” Hebrews 6:4-6

If you have truly been saved, you will not continue to willfully sin. Repent means to turn away. To stop sinning and start following.

Back to David’s prayer.

“Good and upright [is] the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”

Remember, we did nothing to receive salvation. We did nothing to even try to repent. We were in the middle of our sins when Jesus died on our behalf. Romans 3:21-25

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

Wait. There is that word again. All. Say “all.”

“For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

We have been taught a lot; however, keep reading.

“and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” Romans 3:21-25

We have Jesus. We are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Again, does this mean we do not sin? Of course not. However, it does mean God can and will discipline His children.

“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard the discipline of the Lord lightly, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." Hebrews 12:5-6

We are not on our way to Hell anymore. But be careful. Like an earthly father who loves his children, God loves us. Does that mean we can do whatever? Of course not. Remember, David was what? "a man after God's own heart." David sought to align his life with God's commands and was quick to repent when he sinned. He demonstrated unwavering reliance on God rather than on his own strength.

While David is celebrated for his heart for God, he also faced moral failures, illustrating the complexity of his character. He lusted, coveted, committed adultery, and murder. Was it all ok with God? No. It cost David dearly. Do you think you can do whatever you want and all is ok because you said a prayer ten years ago, but never changed? Sorry, that is not the way it works.

Why did Jesus come to die?

“It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:26

Jesus is our redeemer. He is our Savior. He is our advocate, and HE is LORD. We have an in. We have a justification for the ability to walk into the Throne room of God boldly, and be “sinless” because Jesus covered the cost.

So to recap so far, Psalm 25

“To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame;
Let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
They shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,
For you are the God of my salvation;
For you, I wait all day long.
Remember your mercy, O LORD,
and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to your steadfast love, remember me,
For the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore, he instructs sinners in the way."

David first praises God. Then he asked for Truth, and discernment of Truth. He was seeking God. Asking God. Not man. He acknowledged he was a sinner and asked forgiveness for his sins. He even took the Word of God into account when he asked God to forgive his sins.

He knew that the Torah taught that forgiveness is based on sincere repentance rather than the mere absence of sin. It commands confession and repentance, indicating that acknowledging one's wrongdoings is essential for atonement.

Before Jesus, God's forgiveness is portrayed as a merciful act, but it is not unconditional; genuine remorse is required. The concept of atonement is central to Jewish teachings, focusing on the importance of recognizing and regretting one's actions.

As I said before, we have an advantage. We have Jesus.

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!