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9/26/2022
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ the Righteous One. — 1 John 2:1
Thought: God hates sin. Don't you? I know I do. But isn't it amazing how we'll fall back into the same old traps again and again. This is where John, the tender Shepherd that he was, hits the nail on the head. The goal is to not sin even one sin. But, knowing our struggle against the flesh, John also gives assurance to those of us trying to live faithful and pure lives. He wants us to know that when we do sin, the Sacrifice for our sins, God's Son, is also our defense attorney who proclaims us sinless by his blood! So let's draw close to Christ. Let's invite him into our heart each morning as we begin the day. Let's trust in his power and grace to sustain us and carry us through. When we do, he will!
Prayer: God, no one and nothing is like you. I did not have to provide the sacrifice for my sins. Even though my sins broke your heart, you provided that sacrifice. Please use me today as I try to give myself, my life, and my future back to you as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you as I try to say thank you for your grace. Through Jesus, and in his name I pray. Amen.
Wesley C.
9/2/2022
From “The End Of Me” devotional (Kyle Idleman)
Disqualified to Be Chosen
Remember the story of Paul on the road to Damascus? God takes Saul and reinvents him as the leader of the Christian movement, the first evangelist outside the Jewish faith, and the first great theologian of Christianity.
If anyone was disqualified for leadership, shouldn’t it have been a man who murdered believers and organized search-and-destroy missions against the church?
It’s not that Jesus needed Paul. The movement was already winning converts and producing leaders. With a twist like this one, God was up to something. We have to conclude he was sending a message.
What was that message all about—and what does it mean for you and me?
It means we don’t have a disqualification against us. How sad if some of us think God looks at us and sees an overdue expiration date.
Don’t you think Peter must have felt that way? Here’s a guy Jesus personally chose and spent a lot of time with. It had to mean something when Jesus called him the Rock—what guy wouldn’t like being given that name?
But after he did exactly what Jesus told him he would do, denying him at the moment of crisis, Peter retreated to his old life and figured he was off the list. Jesus had made it a point to tell him he’d fail. Why would he do that? Peter probably thought Jesus was saying, “You’re not going to make it after all. Watch how you screw up in a few hours.”
Peter went fishing, the only other life he knew. That’s it for me. My time came, and I struck out.
Out there on the boat that early morning, he reflected on the shipwreck of all his dreams. Jesus had qualified him, and that was a miracle. He had disqualified himself, and that was a tragedy.
Then he looked up to see a figure on the shore. Against all odds, it was Jesus, waving at him, telling him there was still work to do, and what was he doing out on that boat?
I still choose you.
What’s the past burden you’re still carrying? Adultery? Go talk to David the king. Lying? Deception? Abraham and Isaac knew a little about that. A sordid past? God chose Rahab, a prostitute. Anger and temper issues? James and John fit into God’s plan anyhow. How about a string of bad relationship choices? The woman at the well knew what that was like, and God sent Jesus with a message just for her.
Maybe today it’s your turn. Jesus has a message for you. It has nothing to do with your qualifications. It has to do with coming to the end of yourself, because that’s when God can use you in the very best way. By his grace, and by nothing you can offer, he chooses you.
Caleb F.
8/19/2022
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Faith is such a tricky thing. We are always taught to question what people say and not believe what we don’t have evidence for or see. I am reminded again of this idea that this world is not our home. Messages from the world but how we should and shouldn’t think about God are not what we need to rest in. We need to believe what His Word tells us above all else.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
I don’t know that I have much to add to this but this verse hit me hard. Sometimes it’s times where I feel anxious because I’m doing all the right things in the world and still not feeling fulfilled. Other times where I’m feeling like the world doesn’t understand how I chose to think differently (looking seemingly closed minded to what the world calls widely accepted beliefs) …I have to remember that the temperature check doesn’t sit with the world, it sits with God.
Caleb F.
7/28/2022
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 3:14
Thought: The way to walk a tightrope is to keep ones sight on the goal, never looking down to the ground nor over our shoulder at what is behind. The way to walk with Jesus is to keep our eye on the goal, his victory waiting for us when he returns, not on the ground (our failures) and not what is behind (our accomplishments). The goal of the Christian walk is to keep walking toward Jesus until we walk with him in heaven.
Prayer: Lord, I look forward to the day when you call me by name and walk hand in hand with me. Until that day, help me fix my eyes on what you want me to be and not what I've done. By your grace and in the holy name of Jesus I ask it. Amen.
Wesley C.
7/26/2022
Great discussion tonight!!
Below is the sermon I spoke about tonight - of two men in Hades….Luke 16 (rich man vs the beggar…).
Life saving!!
https://www.intouch.org/watch/sermons/the-consequences-of-being-spiritually-shortsighted
Blessings everyone!
Craig
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36 NASB
7/21/2022
World news and events are getting 'interesting'.
We all know about the war in Ukraine and how Putin is slowly crushing various parts of the country. He wiped out the Azov battalion, has taken the Donbas region, has built a land bridge to the Crimea, and has taken over lands that are the equivalent of 30% of Ukraine's GDP. Putin is after neutrality in Ukraine (no NATO on his borders) and autonomy for the Donbas region. If Zelensky had agreed to that that in the beginning, then it is unlikely that this war would have happened. However, Ukraine is considered to be one of the more corrupt countries in the world and Zelensky's cozy relationship with the Globalists of the WEF (yup, the Devils of Davos started and run by the German engineer Klaus Schwab - "by 2030 you'll own nothing and you'll be happy") runs counter to what Putin appears to align with.
Europe:
1. The farmers in the Netherlands are protesting the government's push to reduce nitrogen by 30% under the guise of climate change nonsense. The farmers see it as the government trying to close them down and take their land.
2. The farmers in Italy are protesting also, partially in support of the Netherlands, but also because of government policy that is bankrupting them (part is the cost of fuel for tractors and trucks).
3. The Italian government no longer has a coalition with a majority and there is an interim government using technocrats. The P.M. has submitted his resignation because of the lack of a coalition among the parties. Matteo Savini is head of a right wing traditionalist party along with another party that is a little more right leaning. Those two parties in a coalition could take over the Parliament and the left leaning (current) coalition doesn't want that. The resignation will lead to "spot" elections where elections have to be performed ASAP ("on the spot"). The economy is in shambles.
4. Sri Lanka. Policies there have completely bankrupted the country and made it a huge debtor nation. Those countries holding the debt have called in the loans. The people rose up and stormed the Parliament building. The P.M. resigned and fled the country and the parliament is no longer functioning. There are 104 countries in a similar situation that could fall like dominos (Asia, Africa, and South America specifically).
5. China. Something on the order of 70% of China's economy is based upon real estate. Most all of the companies in this sector are way over-extended and can't sell much of their holdings to attempt to service debt. There are multiple "ghost" cities that are virtually empty. Now the leaders are closing down the country because of the current virus wave. Their economy is in a free fall, but few people are paying attention.
6. France. Macron no longer has a majority coalition government and his time as President for this term is going nowhere. The people are taking to the streets in protest.
7. Poland. Some policy issues have created economic issues, so the people are taking to the streets.
8. Israel. The coalition government for parliament has fallen apart. There is an interim government in place (officials that Biden just met with) that will be out when elections are performed in the coming months. Lots of dissatisfaction and unrest.
9. The UK. Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister and the country is tottering a bit with unrest.
10. Iran (Persia). Just today admitted that Uranium has been enriched to a 60% level. What this really means, because Iran works this way, is that they have achieved a 90% enrichment level and have enough for about 5 warheads. Israel responded with the statement that they're are prepared to wipe the program out (in some many words).
11. Germany. Europe's best economy is now in shambles because of the reliance upon Russian gas/oil. Having to pay a premium (and in Rubles) because the country is NATO aligned and has been at the forefront of attempting to force Russian out of Ukraine. Merkel had termed out and the new P.M. is not working out too well.
12. Syria. A mess. A little ISIS. A lot of Iranian backed Hezbollah and other backed "militia's". Russian now controlling a Naval base, an air base, and now the Damascus airport.
13. Turkey. The country has no gas/oil reserves and is trying to find some. Erdogen is a crazy dude. Mixed up in the Armenia mess related to a neutral region that multiple countries are vying for. Has made some treaty agreements with Libya and Tunisia.
14. Egypt. Have natural gas processing capabilities but dwindling reserves. Israel has a huge reserve that has been found, so Israel is liquifying it, Egypt is sticking their own labels on it and shipping to Europe. This is making Russia mad because it undercuts the NordStream pipeline deliveries.
15. Saudi Arabia/UAE/etc. Under the Abraham accords the Trump helped initiate, many of the Arab states now have agreements with Israel and their airspaces are open to Israel now. Since Iran is a threat to Saudi Arabia, this has practical applications for the Israeli IDF.
16 Spain. Political and economic chaos.
The US. Well, most people should know by now that the Globalists in power are trying to destroy this country and are using the shell known as Brandon to effect this. The US is no longer preeminent on the world stage.
Russia/Iran/Turkey. Tomorrow, Tuesday, Putin, Erdogen, and the premier of Iran are meeting in Teheran regarding working together. Each country hates the other, but the mutual hatred for Israel is making for a partnership. The target is Israel. For Iran, it is just the annihilation of Israel. For Russia and Turkey, it is the natural gas fields.
There is a Biblical prophecy as yet unfulfilled in Ezekiel 38 and 39 where the the Scythians or Rosh (know also Magog), which is Russia, Persia (Iran), the house of Beth Togarmah (Turkey), Meshak and Tubal (the ...stan's), Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), and Gomer (northern steppes), plus other nations will come against Israel to plunder it. Egypt, Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabian peninsula) will ask why this is so. We're seeing the beginnings of a treaty involving the countries mentioned that will come against Israel and those that are in a treaty with Israel are going to be protesting this invasion. The prophecy states that the invading army will be crushed via events that can only be attributed to God.
Another set of prophecies that have not come to pass relate to what is found in Revelation. Whether the war of Ezekiel 38/39 occurs immediately prior or some time prior to the events of Revelation, this is unknown. However, the world is being prepared for the Great Tribulation and the Day of Judgment that is laid out in Revelation. Matthew 24 talks about how the world is going to go into crazy mode, which Jesus calls the beginning of birth pangs (increasing frequency and intensity). Deception, war, rumors of wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, climate changes, etc. This is just the lead up to the end times in Revelation where God pours out His wrath on a sinful earth. Fortunately for the Believer in Jesus and His finished work on the cross, we will not go through the Great Tribulation (not destined for wrath) and will be snatched out of this world to go to the place that is being prepared for us. The removal of the church is what I believe will usher in the Great Tribulation. There is already chaos in the world, but when millions of people suddenly disappear, the chaos from that event will be tremendous.
With the chaos in the world currently and how it is increasing almost exponentially leads me to believe that time is very short. I take peace in having the Blessed Hope (the snatching away of the Church called Haparzo in Greek or Raturo in Latin) spending an eternity with Jesus and that I'll not go through the Great Tribulation. What about you? Do you have this peace? The time of the Great Tribulation will afford people the opportunity to come to faith in Jesus, but the price will be very high. If you die in your trespasses, then it will be an eternity separated from God in torment.
Wesley C.
7/19/2022
Reading- 2 Chronicles 18:1-4; 19:1-3; 20:1-4
Story of King Jehoshaphat of Judah
My thoughts:
The lyrics form Phil Wickham’s “Battle Belongs to You” song came to mind-
“So when I fight, I fight on my knees with hands lifted high , Oh God. The battle belongs to you”.
I think we often times jump into action (with good intentions that we are doing what God wants us to do) without actually asking God for his wisdom and help. It always makes me think about when my dad used to say “that will take some hard thinking” when asked about a tough question. I think he was hinting at the fact that we need to slow down to move fast and in the right direction (which comes from the power and direction of God).
Caleb F.
7/14/2022
I'm reading "Through the Eyes of a Lion" by Levi Lusko and he mentioned this verse:
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[a] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Honestly- I have been feeling older recently (I know I shouldn’t be complaining). But with my birthday coming up and generally feeling run down, I felt like it convicted me to look at my inner self and the self that is most important. As with all of us, those wrinkles, the bags under our eyes, and all the trials represent a refining process. Ultimately it is the things that are unseen that are most important and not the ones we usually focus on in this world as successes or happiness. Paul reminds us to have our focus and perspective on the end of the game and not the hard minutes in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd quarter.
Caleb F.
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