Safeguarding Against Deception

Safeguards are precautionary measures that defend, protect, guard, and shield us from danger. We benefit from safeguards every day, often without even thinking about them. Safeguards are put in place for our protection and the protection of others. Failing to use the safeguards developed for our safety can lead to loss or injury.

Jesus warned us of the great deception that would define these last days. Deception by definition is the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid. Words like deceit, cunning, and trickery would apply here. Warning labels are for safeguarding. If you were to attach a warning label for these last days, it would read, “Warning: great deception at hand.” In that case, we would be foolish to ignore the warnings from Christ. The outcome of the deception of our time is what Scripture calls apostasy, or a great falling away. Read the words of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian Christian’s. 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4 “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

The Word rebellion here has also been translated as apostasy, falling away, and departure. Deception will lead to a great falling away. Jesus said the same thing in Matthew chapter twenty four. Matthew 24:5 “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” Matthew 24:10–11 “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”
What are some ways that we can safeguard ourselves against the deception of these days? There are many, but I would like to offer five for your consideration. First, we must stay alert. Being watchful and alert is of utmost importance today. To be watchful is to be engaged, with attention that is focused, intentional, and present. Knowing that anyone is susceptible to deception should alarm us about the dangers of our day.
Secondly, study the scriptures. Since deception is the act of causing someone to believe as true what is false, we must be men and women who know the truth. God’s word is truth. Pick it up, take it in, live it out. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “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.” As with all safeguards, they only benefit you if you use them.
Thirdly, apply God’s word, His truth, to your everyday living. There is a great danger today in the popularity of biblical academics. We have watched many men fall over the past few years who no doubt have a great knowledge of the Word of God. Knowledge without application is useless. Truth applied brings forth the appointed outcome of truth. Matthew 7:24–27 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.””
Fourthly, cultivate a faithful prayer life. Prayer is one of the most powerful actions in the universe, for it moves the mighty hand of God, shaking both the spiritual and physical dimensions. 1 John 5:14–15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

Lastly, stay rooted in a Christian community. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Scripture calls those who are in Christ, the ekklesia, the called-out people of God, set apart as sacred and different from those who are yet living in darkness. The truth is, we are each a part of the whole. We need one another in the body of Christ. Traveling as a lone wolf is dangerous. Christ intended that we walk this journey with Him, and with those who are called by the name of Christ. Hope these five things will be beneficial to you as you live for the Glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.


In Christ,

Pastor John

Carpe Diem: Seize the Day

Ephesians 5:15–17 “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

The Apostle Paul exhorts the Christian’s in Ephesus to look carefully how they walk, meaning how they live, not as unwise, but as wise. They were to make the best use of their time. The phrase making the best use of is the Greek word exagoradzo, meaning to redeem or rescue from loss. The idea is of taking full advantage of, seizing a buying opportunity, i.e., making the most of the present opportunity (recognizing its future gain). They were to live wisely. There are two kinds of wisdom: the wisdom of the world and the wisdom from God. In his letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul elaborates upon the two types of wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

The first century Christian’s needed God’s wisdom so that they would know how to live in their time. How true this is for each of us today, as we live in these last days dominated by deception. We need God’s wisdom so that we can make the best use of our time, for the days are evil. Having Godly wisdom that aids us in the proper understanding and use of our time will prevent us from foolishly living for the trinkets of this world, so that we can understand and live out God’s will for each of us.

The prayer of Moses in Psalm 90 is especially helpful when considering our time, or the days we have been given by the Lord. Moses writes in verse twelve, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” At first glance, this seems so morbid. It’s not. We need for God to teach us to number our days. When we understand the significance of the gift of time we have been given by God, this truth will become one of the greatest catalysts aiding you in living a life that rewards you, blesses others and brings God great glory.

The average human lives 640,000 hours, or 73 years. Most people presume they have time! And yet no one knows how much time they have left. Our lives are measured by time, and our lives are a gift from God. As a pastor, I can’t even begin to count the number of funerals I have done over the past twenty-plus years. From stillborn children to the aged and all ages in between. Death is no respecter of persons. Many times, I have been at the bedside of the dying. In my experience, when speaking to those nearing death, there is only one thing they want more of; not once did anyone want more money, more possessions, or fame. They wanted more time. For without time, money is useless, possessions are worthless, and fame is pointless. Time is a most valuable commodity because no one can produce more of it. You cannot stop time. You cannot save time, but you can use it, spend it, invest it; you can also waste it, squander it, or simply pass the time away. Time once passed can never be regained. Seconds into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days to months, months to years. The sand in our hourglass keeps trickling through.

Everybody assumes they have plenty of time. An assumption is a belief or proposition taken for granted without empirical evidence. It's a cognitive shortcut. There is a Latin Phrase I often think of when considering time: Corpe Deim: to seize the day, meaning to pluck the day as it is ripe. This speaks of plucking fruit when it is perfectly ripe. The window of time is very brief when picking fruit at its peak ripeness, and one must pay close attention, or that time will pass by, and you will miss it.

Dear Christian, your time is limited; use it wisely. Don’t squander it; don’t waste the gift God has given you. Treat everything God has blessed you with in life as a gift you are to steward for Him, whether person, work, or possession, making those things fruitful and a blessing to God and His Kingdom.

Lord, teach us to number our days, so that our lives might glorify you!

In Christ,
Pastor John

Ephesians 5:15-18 ESV: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…

The Apostle Paul is calling the Christians at Ephesus to the seriousness of the hour. He exhorts them to be careful in their conduct, to be wise, and conscientious of their time; to mental, spiritual, and physical sobriety. Why? Because the days are evil. Men, we are living in the last days. Jesus said that wickedness would go from bad to worse. Now is not the time to allow ourselves to be distracted and subdued by all that seeks to capture our attention and keep us from our true purpose, calling, and responsibilities as men of God. Sometimes I wonder what it’s going to take to wake up the body of Christ. Every few months, a world event happens that raises concern, but it does not last; it’s as if it only inoculates people against the next event. These events are no more than a cup of coffee to a drunk. People’s hearts and minds are becoming so calloused. I do believe that it is a mechanism for their sanity. I also believe this is all being done by design. We are being conditioned for these last days. My concern is that many Christians have become dull and numb, like walking around with a constant buzz. Their minds are fuzzy and unengaged. They have no sense of urgency. They have become easy pickings for the enemy. One reason is that people are flat-out exhausted. Most may not know it, but they are in survival mode mentally, emotionally, and physically. For some, they don’t have the energy to even care. The entire world knows something big is coming, that something is off, that life has changed in so many ways. It takes a lot of energy to care about something we cannot prevent or change.

As a pastor, I have the responsibility before God to protect, feed, care for, and prepare God’s people. I have noticed that people are so mentally exhausted that they can hardly endure preaching and teaching about the truth of our times. It takes far too much energy to stay engaged and alert, so many settle for the sand. All this is fueling the apathy of these days. I know that I ask a lot from men, but men, we are the key. We have been given the responsibility before God as leaders. Now is not the time for us as leaders to retreat, but to take our stand so that we can protect ourselves and others from the dangers of these last days. Like watchmen on the wall protecting the city, we must be alert and aware of what is going on. We must be sober to the core. We must fight against those things competing for our attention. Distractions are everywhere, and so is the enemy. The easiest prey for a predator to catch are those who are sick, alone, unaware of his presence. These are the days, now is the time, men, this is your calling. I often think about what Paul told the men at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Men, it is high time to wake up. If you don’t, who will protect and prepare your family from the wickedness of these last days? Your wife and your children need a strong man of God to help protect, prepare, and guide them through these days. Men who ignore the warnings of Scripture are bound to experience heavy loss. Makes me think of the Titanic, a ship that its builder said not even God could sink. I have been to the shipyard and museum in Belfast, Ireland, where the Titanic was built. Despite receiving several warnings from other ships, the Titanic’s Captain did not slow down the ship. The report is that Captain White was under pressure from the managing director, Bruce Isamay of White Start Lines. They wanted to make a statement with the maiden
voyage of their prized ocean liner. Instead of heeding the warnings, they steamed off into the night at high speed, which cost the lives of over one thousand five hundred people.
Scriptures warn us repeatedly concerning “icebergs”, the dangers of these last days. Sadly, some ignore these dire warnings and have shipwrecked their faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 ESV: This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith… 2 Timothy 4:9-10 ESV: Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Pride is why we are still reading about the Titanic today. They proudly promoted that even God could not sink this ship. I have sadly watched men, some of whom you would never think, shipwreck their faith. This is why we are warned to look carefully. This is our job. We are to be alert, keep watch over our own lives and those who are under our protection and leadership.

I recently listened to an interview with a tier-one military operator. He was explaining the
differences among tier-one, tier-two, and tier-three operators in the military. He said something that stuck in my mind. Tier one operators are never in peacetime. They are always at war. They could be called at any moment to deploy to some mission anywhere in the world. They are always training, always ready, bags packed, ready to go at a moment’s notice, because they are always at war. In the verse above in 1 Timothy chapter one, Paul tells Timothy to wage a good warfare. Words like war have almost been entirely removed from Western churches. Warfare has been replaced with fanfare and entertainment. I am fully convinced that for your average “Christians” in the West, the thoughts of battle and war never enter the minds of many who profess to follow Christ. If you don’t believe you’re in a very real and present battle, why would you train, why would you be alert, why would you look carefully at how you walk? Why would you need courage and strength? Why would you need to know your enemy and have a battle plan? You wouldn’t, and many don’t. 1 Timothy 6:12 ESV: Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight of faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9 ESV: 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. Peter confirms we have a very real enemy, seeking to devour. He says we are to resist the enemy. This is active, not passive, combat language. Satan is not running around in a red suit, with a forked tail, carrying his pitchfork. No, he is a formidable adversary. He comes only to kill, steal,
and to destroy. Keep that in mind. God created him as one of the archangels. Satan, also known as Lucifer, walked among the fiery stones before the throne of God, upon the Mountain of God. I won’t go into all the details given to us from Scripture today. The point I am making is that we do have an enemy. The battle we face is present and very real. Know your enemy. Know his tactics and have a battle plan.

In Christ,

Pastor John

God’s plan of redemption was not thrown together due to an unforeseen event in Genesis chapter three when Adam and Eve sinned against God. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3-4: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. God determined before the foundation of the world that in Christ we would be holy and blameless before Him. God has always been and always will be working His sovereign plan.

What does it mean that God is Sovereign? The following quote from A.W. Pink sums it up. “What do we mean by the sovereignty of God? We mean the supremacy of God, the kinship of God, the godhood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to his will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Daniel 4:35). To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the Almighty, the Possessor of all power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His power in Heaven and earth, so that none can defeat His counsels, thwart His purpose, or resist His will (Psalms 115:3). To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that He is “The Governor among the nations” (Psalms 22:28), setting up kingdoms, overthrowing empires, and determining the course of dynasties as Pleaseth Him best. To say that God is sovereign is to declare that “He is the only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). Such is the God of the Bible.”

In visiting with some Christians, you may get the idea that the enemy is calling the shots and that God is scrambling around trying to come up with a new tactical defense plan. No, the exact opposite is true. The enemy is on the defensive. As we shall learn in the coming weeks, satan has already been disarmed by Christ, our conquering King. God is, has been, and always will be working to accomplish his plan that was set forth in Christ before the foundation of the world. No one will ever thwart his plan. This leads me to another one of my favorite passages from the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 46:9-11 ESV: Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My counsel will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’, Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My counsel from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have formed it, surely I will do it.

Only the all-powerful, all-knowing Sovereign God could declare the end from the beginning. God declares that he will accomplish all that he has purposed. Let me give you a few more passages from Scripture that speak of God’s plan set forth before the foundation of the world.

2 Timothy 1:9 ESV: (God) “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our
works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…”

1 Corinthians 2:6-9 LSB: Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a
wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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”

I hope that these verses will encourage you as you serve Christ. Our God is on the throne, and he is sovereignly moving everything to His Day, the Day of the Lord!

In Christ,
Pastor John

No doubt we all struggle with anger. Anger is a natural human emotion. The emotion of anger is not sin; misplaced anger, acted out in an unrighteous way, leads to sin. If there is one that we feel strongly about, it is anger. For this reason, many of us struggle with this emotion.
Learning how to manage this emotion is part of our sanctification and spiritual growth.

1. There is an appropriate (righteous) anger that, in the end, glorifies God.
2. There is an inappropriate (unrighteous) anger that leads to sin.

Righteous anger rises up against those things that are wicked and are an offense to God, His name, His Holiness, and His Word. Even when we see an offense against our God, we must exercise caution in how we respond in our anger. God is perfectly just, holy, and righteous; we must pray and ask for God’s guidance on how to respond. I have known people who claim righteous anger, yet their actions completely contradict Scripture. God always acts within the boundaries of His Character. The wrath of God is never unjust or unholy, for God is perfect in love, abounding in mercy, grace, and longsuffering. Psalm 7:11 NIV: God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.

For example, I have at times felt a righteous anger, and yet my actions were completely out of my flesh. We can have righteous anger over the wickedness we see in our culture that is a direct affront to God, his name, his holiness, and his word. I feel anger over those things, yet I must glorify God with my actions. If I am not careful, my actions could bring dishonor to the name of Christ. We must use Godly discernment and walk in step with the Holy Spirit of God. Some of what we are witnessing that is so blatantly wicked is God giving people over in his righteous wrath and judgment. The Apostle Paul in Romans chapter one clearly demonstrates God giving over people to their own wicked desires.  Nahum 1::2-3 ESV: The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Psalms 145:8-9 KJV: The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

The question is not if we get angry, but rather how we will respond when those emotions are present. Our actions will determine the outcome. Unrighteous anger stems from personal offense to our egos, pride, or self-esteem. Knowing the difference between unrighteous and righteous anger is foundational to how we respond when we experience them. Ecclesiastes 7:9 ESV: Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

Two important keys when dealing with anger.
1. Be slow to become angry.
2. Don’t let anger linger.

We are warned against reacting quickly to anger. We are to be slow to become angry. Mature men and women of God process the offense that brought on the emotion of anger. They are not reactive but self-controlled. Fits of rage and outbursts of anger are signs of immaturity. They are a sign he has not yet learned to bridle his emotions. Mature men and Women weigh their emotions and actions before they respond. This is not passivity, but posture. When we disengage our brains from processing our emotions, the outcome is rarely, if ever, a good one.

James chapter one also shares this nugget of wisdom. James 1:19-20 ESV: Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1. Be quick to hear. If you skip this step, your mouth and your actions will get ahead of your thoughtful, sensible response. The mouth is always in gear, but you need to engage the clutch, your brain, before you open your mouth or respond in haste. Proverbs 18:13 ESV: If one gives an answer before he hears it is his folly and shame. First, we must listen to what is being said by the person or persons. Secondly, we must listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

2. Be slow to speak.

Proverbs 10:19 ESV: When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever
restrains his lips is prudent.

Proverbs 15:1-2 LSB: A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 18:6-7 LSB: A fool’s lips come with strife, And his mouth calls for beatings. A fool’s
mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

James 3:5 LSB: Behold how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our existence, and is set on fire by hell.

3. Be slow to become angry. Why? Because the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Hastily acting out in unrighteous anger of man will never bring glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Anger can be used either for destruction or for good when exercised in a righteous way before God and man. Paul told the Ephesians, “Be angry, do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity for the devil. We do not want our anger to be used as an opportunity for the devil’s work.

In Christ,
Pastor John

Ephesians 1:16:-23 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 

The most powerful weapons on Earth are nuclear weapons. The most powerful nuclear weapon tested to date is Russia’s Tsar Bomba, a thermonuclear bomb tested by the Russians in 1961. The Tsar Bomba yielded over fifty megatons of TNT explosives. To put that into perspective, one megaton is equal to one million tons of TNT explosives. This bomb is comparable to fifty million tons of TNT explosives. When the Russians detonated this bomb, the shock wave circled the earth three times on both the surface and in the air. The cap of the mushroom cloud rose over forty miles and peaked well into the mesosphere. The base of the mushroom sprawled twenty- five miles in width. That is a lot of power, but man’s best attempt cannot even begin to compare to the infinite power of God.

Paul prays that the Ephesians would know the immeasurable greatness of God's power. God’s power is without limit. We use the word " omnipotent " to describe God’s power. He is all- powerful. God’s power cannot be measured because there is no measurement for the infinite. Just as the first century Christian’s in Paul’s day needed to hear about the great power of God, we need to be reminded of this same truth in our time.

Jeremiah 32:17 ESV: Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

When was the last time that you went out at night and looked up at the stars? The God who
created all that we can see by his infinite power is our God, and we have been adopted by faith in Christ as sons of God. God, the Holy Spirit dwells in every single born-again believer. Here is a paragraph from an article from NASA entitled “Our Milky Way Galaxy, How Big is Space. “Our galaxy is a gravitationally bound collection of stars, swirling in a spiral through space. Based on the deepest images obtained so far, it’s one of about 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe. Groups of them are bound into clusters of galaxies, and these into superclusters; the superclusters are arranged in immense sheets stretching across the universe, interspersed with dark voids and lending the whole a kind of spiderweb structure. Our galaxy probably contains 100 to 400 billion stars and is about 100,000 light-years across. That sounds huge, and it is, at least until we start comparing it to other galaxies. Our neighboring Andromeda galaxy, for example, is some 220,000 light-years wide. Another galaxy, IC 1101, spans as much as 4 million light-years.”

To put the infinite power of God in perspective, a light year is the speed at which light travels in one year. Light travels at 186,000 miles per second. If you add up all the seconds in one year, multiply them by the speed of light, you get 5.8 trillion miles light travels in one year. Our galaxy is 100,000 light-years across, and there are two trillion observable galaxies. Are you starting to see the immeasurable power of God? How incredible is our God!

One verse that I have been thinking about a lot this year is found in Ephesians chapter three verse twenty.

Ephesians 3:20 ESV: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

I hope these truths bring you great encouragement today. Remember there is nothing too difficult for our God!

In Christ,
Pastor John

On a recent trip to Scotland, my wife and I were enjoying a cup of coffee at one of the local coffee shops in a small rural town south of Glasgow. We were seated outside on a small porch, enjoying the much cooler temperatures, when a middle-aged man sat down at a nearby table. He casually struck up a conversation after hearing us tell another young man, who had asked where we were visiting from, that we were from the state of Texas, USA. The conversation quickly turned to spiritual things. We told him that we were Christian’s. He responded, “I have always been curious as to what different Christians from other parts of the world believe about God.”  I was excited to have this conversation. Even though Europe received the Gospel when the Apostle Paul traveled there after receiving a vision on his second missionary journey, Europe today is very Godless. The first words out of my mouth were, “We believe that Jesus Christ is God”. He quickly responded, “Jesus Christ is not God, and nowhere in the bible does it say that he is God.” Oh, but it does! During our conversation, I presented several scriptures that teach that Christ is clearly God. The gentleman abruptly cut our conversation short, not liking what he was hearing, and as he got up to leave, he told me he was a Jehovah’s Witness, and off he went. We never know how God may use our conversations with others. We must equip ourselves with the truth, so that we can defend and share the truth about God and His Word, so that others might come to know Him.

Here are just a few verses for you to write down and mark in your Bibles.

Micah 5:2 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.

Micah here is speaking of Christ the Messiah whose coming forth is from eternity. God alone is the uncreated creator from eternity; always has been, always will be.

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This prophecy of the coming Messiah refers to him as Mighty God.
Matthew 1:23 ““Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”
The angel Gabriel speaks to Joseph; he tells him that Christ is Immanuel, God with us.

The gospel of John has several references to Jesus Christ being God. John chapter one is one of my favorites.
John 1:1–4 “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. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
1.In the beginning was the Word.
2.The Word was with God.
3.The Word was God.
4.He was in the beginning with God.
5.The Word created all things.

John here perfectly articulates that Christ, the Word, the Creator of all things, not only was with God in the beginning, but is in fact God.

Genesis chapter one is the creation account in which God, the Creator, spoke all things into existence.
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Jesus, the Word, the eternal Son of God, was involved in creating all things according to Scripture.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Here we see more evidence of the one God in Three. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God is not speaking to the angels as some falsely claim. We are not created in the image and likeness of the angels. We are created in the image and likeness of God. We, like God, are one in three. You are one person, with three parts. We have a mind/Soul, body, and spirit.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In Revelation chapter nineteen, we read about the second coming of Christ. Note here who Scripture calls the Word.
Revelation 19:13 “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”

John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
Here John once again records for us that Christ the Son is God.

John 20:28 “Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!””
Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, declared that Christ was Lord and God.

Romans 9:4–5 “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

Colossians 2:9 “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,”

Titus 2:11–13 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:8 “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”
God the Father declared that Christ the Son was, in fact, God, whose throne is forever and ever.

The Apostle Paul declared that Jesus Christ was our great God and Savior.
2 Peter 1:1 “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:”
The Apostle Peter, like Paul, declared that Jesus Christ was both our God and Savior.

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
Once again, the Apostle John, speaking of Christ Jesus, writes that He is the true God and eternal life.

Above are a few scriptures that you can use for reference when someone tries to argue that Jesus Christ is not God. This is important, for every major religion in the world affirms Christ to be a prophet, holy man, or wise teacher, but only Christianity declares, according to the Word of God, that the one true eternal God exists in three co-equal, yet distinct persons within the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

In Christ,
Pastor John
 

Ephesians 2:1-8 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

I have been living in what is called the South for over thirty years. I have been pastoring here in the South for over twenty years. God, family, and country are woven into our very culture. I rarely meet people who don’t, at the very least, believe that God exists. That would make them Deists at best. Because of the culture, Christianity is often the default position. But sadly, simply identifying with cultural Christianity does not make one a born-again Christian. When I speak with people, most of them would say they are pretty good people, not perfect, but they try to do good things. When measured by the standard of what our society deems good or bad, most of them, by that measurement, are good folks.

The major flaw in this way of thinking lies in the fact that God does not measure us against our culture: He measures us against his standard of righteousness, which is total perfection, perfect holiness. We all fail when measured by God’s standard of righteousness. Sadly, hell is full of culturally titled good ole boys. We don’t want anyone to go to hell. We want for people, many of whom we know, to be saved from this fate. This is why we need to live and share the gospel with others so that they may come to know Christ and be saved. I’m sure that many of the people in Ephesus would have considered themselves good people prior to hearing the gospel. I’m sure many of them worked hard, provided for their families, were thought well of by those in their community, but Paul reminds them of the truth of their former way of life and position before God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 “ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Before these people had come to know Christ and be saved by his gospel by faith, they were dead in the trespasses and sins in which they had once walked. When Paul speaks of their walk, he is referring to their conduct, their way of life. This is true not only of those in Ephesus but is true of all people for all time. This is the natural way of our fallen nature inherited from Adam. We should not be shocked by the world's depravity. This is normal for spiritually dead people, but this is not the way that children of God live. When Paul was writing to the church at Corinth, he wrote the following in 1 Corinthians chapter six.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

The conduct of these in Corinth was not in line with the conduct of those who have been born again. Some of them were still living like unbelievers, like the lost people of Corinth. In
fact, the phrase “act like a Corinthian” meant to indulge in gross sexual immorality. Sexual
misconduct should have no place in the lives of men who are born again in Christ. So, Paul asks this rhetorical question, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? This is a sobering truth. Paul continues, " Don’t be deceived. The Greek word for deceived is planaó, meaning to be led astray, to deviate from the truth. There
are both active and passive types of deception. Active deception involves one’s own willingness and participation in the deception. Let me give you an example.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but, having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

We are living in a time when people have no stomach for sound doctrine. Many have no interest in the reproof, correction, and instruction that sound bible teaching brings. They have itching ears, meaning they only want to hear certain things. Things that entertain and make them feel good in their sin. They are like the old Toby Keith song, “I want to hear about me, I want to hear about I, I want to hear about number one oh me oh my”. These people accumulate and seek out teachers to suit their own passions. This is active deception. Western Christianity is full of people who are self-deceived. They will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

The second type of deception is passive deception. This happens when people have a “tell me what I need to know” mindset. They are lazy. They are not willing to search the scriptures for themselves to test every teacher’s work against the word of God. Scripture, not man, is the source of truth. Jesus told us deception would rule the day in these last days. Christian, do not be deceived, “neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Paul doesn’t stop here; he continues, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

This is how every follower of Christ once lived, because it was who we were by nature. “Dead in the sin and trespasses following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” I am so grateful that God did not leave us there. Paul continues, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”.

First, Paul says they have been washed. The Greek word for washed is apoloo’o, referring to an entire washing, the complete removal of sin and its debt.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Titus 3:5–7 “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he
poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace
we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

In bringing us from death to life, God in Christ has cleansed us from all sin, through the blood of Christ. We have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin, which is death, and have been given eternal life

Revelation 1:5–6 “…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and
made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Secondly, the believers in Corinth had been sanctified. The Greek word for sanctified is Hageodzo, meaning to purify and make holy. To set apart as holy to God as sacred. We are to be distinct and different from those who are still dead in their sin, for they have not yet been brought from death to life. We have been cleansed from sin and set apart by God as his own possession.

1 Peter 2:9-10 ESV: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Colossians 2:13–14 “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, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Thirdly, Paul says that they have been justified. The Greek word for justified is dikahyo’o, meaning acquitted, cleared of all charges, and the penalty of death, which we earned and deserved. To declare righteous. It means just as if I never sinned. The penalty for sin still had to be atoned for, so Jesus offered himself, the righteous, for the unrighteous, to make the required payment so that we could be set free. He took our sins and died the death we merited. We received his righteousness. We did the crime, Jesus did the time.
Romans 5:1-2“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this
grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Ephesians 4:17–24 “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

I hope these scriptures encourage you today to live as one who, by God’s grace, has been brought from death to life through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ,
Pastor John

I have always had a great admiration for creation. This desire to be in nature fueled my love for ranching and hunting. Since my childhood, I have always been at home in nature. The peace and purity of it are good for our mind, body, and soul. From the vastness of the cosmos down to the written code of DNA, God’s infinite wisdom, power, and glory are on display. Scripture tells us that Christ created all things seen and unseen. Colossians 1:15-17 ESV: He (Christ) 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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. The writer of Hebrews teaches the same truth. Hebrews 1:1-4 ESV: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. The Apostle John affirms this truth. John 1:1-4 ESV: 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 any thing made that was made.
In our travels over this past year, my wife and I spent some time in France and Switzerland. The grandeur and beauty of the Swiss Alps are in a category of their own. One place I wanted to tour was CERN. CERN,  located in Geneva, Switzerland, stands for the European Organization for Nuclear Research. It is the world’s largest hadron collider in the world. It consists of a seventeen-mile collider made up of superconducting magnets buried 100 meters underground, accelerating protons and neutrons to nearly the speed of light, and then colliding them together. Thousands of the world’s greatest scientific minds work at CERN. One of their experiments is to determine how the world began, recreating, if you will, conditions right after the “big bang theory”. On our tour of CERN, I was constantly thinking how sad it was that the most brilliant minds in the world, spending billions of dollars, could simply find their answer in Genesis chapter one. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. Romans chapter one kept running through my mind. How could all these brilliant minds miss what God has put clearly before them, deny the Creator? Paul clearly tells us how this is possible.
Romans 1:18-23 ESV: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. All men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Paul tells us that what may be known about God, his eternal power and divine nature, can be clearly seen and understood by what he has made. Paul is referring to God’s general revelation of Himself for all mankind to see and understand through creation. In his creation, God’s eternal power is revealed. Have you ever wondered why we call being in the outdoors being in nature? It is because creation reveals God’s divine nature. Instead of honoring and thanking the God of creation, they suppress this truth in their unrighteousness. Their thinking becomes futile, and their foolish hearts are darkened. They claim to be wise, but they have become fools for they have made an exchange. They exchange giving their worship to the Creator, to worshipping His creation. When we reject the light of truth, only one thing remains: to accept darkness. Let me close with one final verse.
John 3:19-21 ESV: And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

In Christ,
Pastor John

Our title for today’s blog is taken from Colossians 1:27: “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” The Apostle Paul, speaking of his calling and ministry to the church, to the saints of God, is making known to them the mystery of God that was hidden for generations. Paul tells the recipients of his letter that God chose to make known to them how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of God, which is Christ in us. When was the last time you pondered the incredible truth that Christ dwells in us by the Holy Spirit? The truth of this mystery is so profound that we struggle to grasp the immensity of its meaning.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that he will soon be returning to the Father in heaven. This news troubled them greatly. Christ then encourages them with the following promise in John 14:15-17: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” Christ told them that when he returned to the Father, he would send them the third person of the triune Godhead, the Holy Spirit. Notice these disciples had witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit, for He had dwelt among them, but the promise of Christ was that the Holy Spirit would be in them in the near future. What an amazing promise, that God by His Spirit would not just be with them, but would take up residence in each of the disciples. This miraculous event took place fifty days after Passover, following his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension during the Feast of Weeks on Pentecost. Scripture records it in Acts 2:1-4: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Since that moment, all who are born again of the Spirit by faith in Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit. Read what Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13-14: “In him (Christ) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him(Christ), were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Finally, read the words of Paul to the believers in Rome. Romans 8:9-11: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
What an amazing truth for us to ponder on and study to learn more about, as God has revealed to us through His Word!
We will close this blog with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. Ephesians 3:14-21:” For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

In Christ,
Pastor John

Are we living in the last days? No doubt there is a lot of conversation today among Christian circles and social media platforms about this very topic. Some argue and scoff at the very notion, while others believe we are, no doubt, living in the time of the end. What does scripture say? According to the Apostle Peter in Acts 2, the last days were inaugurated at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost. The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 10:11,” Now these things happened to them (The generation of Moses Day) as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” The Apostle John penned the following words in 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.”
From this small sampling, we understand that we are living in the latter part of the last days. What an incredible time for those of us who are in Christ! These days offer followers of Christ many opportunities to share the great news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who do not know him. This is the ministry for all followers of Christ, the ministry of reconciliation. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:14-21, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Wow, we are ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador is sent from one sovereign to another as a representative of the king. He speaks on behalf of his king. We represent our king. We are citizens of heaven, servants of the Kingdom of God in this world’s kingdom, under the power of darkness, with the message of how those living enslaved to the domain of darkness can be set free, delivered, and reconciled unto the kingdom of God by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Are we living in the last days? Yes, but Christ has written to us about what these days will be like so that we are informed and know how we ought to live. Should we pay attention to the events taking place in our world? Yes, but we must be balanced and busy doing the work God has given us to do. Pick up the Word of God. Take in the Word of God. Live out the Word of God. Pick it up, take it in, and live it out. These are such exciting days. Don’t live in fear, walk by faith, and live your life to the Glory of our Great God and Savior,
Jesus Christ.

The best is yet to come!

In Christ,
Pastor John

As evangelical Christians, we love the doctrine of justification by faith. Paul writing to the believers in Ephesus penned these words in Chapter 2:4-10 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Paul tells them for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God. They did not merit the gift of salvation by works, but by faith in Christ. For this reason, no one will boast in their salvation, because we are God’s workmanship.
Salvation is a work of God, and is received by faith. We are not saved by good works, but we are certainly saved unto good works. Someone who has been born again, regenerated by the spirit, and has become a new creation will, in love, by obedience, walk in good works. Paul taught this same truth in his letter to the Galatians in Chapter 3:11-14: “ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
The word justification is the Greek word dikaioo, meaning to be acquitted, cleared of all charges related to one’s sin. We are by faith in Christ, who finished the work of atonement by His death on the cross, appeased the wrath of God by becoming sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. All this was an act of love, grace, and mercy. The word justified means just as if I never sinned. Peter writes about this great truth and hope of every believer in Christ in 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” May this encourage you as you go through your week.

In Christ,
Pastor John

Rest is not something we get much of these days. For most of us our lives are dictated by quotas, timelines, meetings, and activities all vying for a slot from the 24 hours we have each day. Many people have to schedule rest into their week if they are going to find time for it. Are you resting in the sustaining power of God? Did you know that you don’t have to schedule rest into your race of faith? Rest is already built into it. Many Christians struggle to find this amazing rest in Christ. This rest that Paul is speaking of here is not something you have to find, for it has already been provided for us in Jesus Christ.
In Paul’s introduction to 1 Corinthians, he pens these words in chapter 1:4-10 “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord….” What encouragement this verse must have brought to those first-century Christians. Our salvation, from start to finish, is by the grace of God. Paul told the Christians in Corinth that Jesus Christ would sustain them to the end guiltless in the day of our Lord. What great rest we find in these verses as those who have come to know and love Christ.
The Greek word for sustain is bebaioó. It is used 8 times in the New Testament, and each time the verb speaks of God’s action of rendering something firm. God will sustain us to the end, guiltless. The word guiltless means blameless, above reproach. Take a moment and let that amazing truth sink in. God will sustain/establish you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. These Corinthians Christians, like us today, were waiting for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Chris at his return. This truth brings us much rest and encouragement in these last days.
Here are a few more scriptures to confirm this truth. Colossians 1:21–22 “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,” 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saint.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” Jude 24–25 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

I hope that these scriptures bring both rest and encouragement to you today.

In Christ,
Pastor John

Knowing the Word of God is essential if you're going to be a follower of God in these days. These days are crazy. It's because we are living, no doubt, not just in the last days, which have been around since the time of the first-century church; these were the last days when Christ ascended, and the church began. We are living in the most deceptive time in the history of the world. And I take this very seriously as not only a pastor, but as a brother in Christ, and as someone who realizes the importance of our time.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian believers, was concerned that something was happening because of the reports he'd been receiving. He's concerned that they're being deceived in such a way that they are going to be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Jesus Christ. This kind of deception can be so subtle that a person doesn’t realize it’s happening. We're seeing this a lot today in the church. In fact, there's also a second definition for being led astray that will define the last days before the Antichrist arrives, and that’s the great apostasy or the great falling away. This is going to happen. People will apostatize or defect from the truth of Scripture or faith itself.
There are things that are going on, and we need to be very careful that we do not become those who just put up with stuff. We need to be those who expose things that are evil. We need to expose false teachers. We need to expose the darkness. You need to get serious about reading and studying and knowing the Word of God, because it is the truth. It's the only absolute truth we have out in the world. And God has given you His Spirit to help us learn, know, understand, and also to discern the days in which we're living.
Fallen angelic beings, that God created and later rebelled against Him, are at work, living, performing all kinds of work in opposition to the Kingdom of God and to the work of God. And their number one target, obviously, is the people of God and humanity. It is a subtle trickery. This is any and every type of trickery used to accomplish the end goal, which is deception. We must do as Paul was doing and make sure that we continue to expose the deceitful works of the enemy and false teachers, false prophets, false doctrines, and all those things that are being brought into the church. He called them deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ and servants of righteousness. But in truth, they are false teachers, and they were not serving Christ. These false teachers were actually serving Satan, who, like them, disguises himself as an angel of light, intending to deceive the people.
The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching or doctrine, but having itchy ears will accumulate for themselves teachers who suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths or falsehoods. There's a responsibility on our part to make sure that what is being taught is biblical, and that it is right, and that it is true. Knowing the Word of God is essential if you're going to be a disciple of Christ in these days. I encourage you to be a student of the Word and shepherd your families. We need to be protecting, instructing, reproving, rebuking, and doing all those things in the love of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must lead our families and be good stewards of what God has given us.

In Christ,

Pastor John


Adapted from The Gritty Men Podcast: How Christians can Protect themselves from deception / Ep. 104, Nov 18, 2025

We are living in the age of information on demand. The internet has created a world where you can receive an endless supply of answers, opinions, and articles on any given subject in seconds. Throughout history, mankind has consistently sought to answer difficult questions. In the past, this required great effort, time, and testing in order to solve a problem or find the truth. The danger for us today is that many people are not interested in doing the painstaking work but simply want to be told what the truth is. In other words, just give me the answer, and I will be on my way. No doubt this comes in handy in some areas of life, but when it comes to understanding biblical truth, this mindset can be very dangerous.
In Acts chapter 17, the Apostle Paul arrives in Berea. Upon his arrival in this community, he and Silas went into the Jewish synagogue to share the word with them. Paul commends these Bereans, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if what the Apostle Paul was teaching was true. They were not interested in simply being told what to believe, but examined God’s word, which is the standard we measure against all teaching.
Many people, unfortunately, hold to certain beliefs because they were told what to believe. As disciples of Christ, we measure everything by the standard of the word of God. This requires work on our part, but this work is essential in these days of incredible deception. We do not want to be deceived. We can certainly benefit from the writings of men, but the writings of men can also be a great hindrance. Young Christians are often drawn into different theological views and “isms “not from the study of Scripture, but rather from the writings of men. Why would we develop our theology from an interpretation of a man when we have been given the Holy Spirit and the Word of God? I always encourage young believers to study the scriptures. I have seen many led astray by wandering off into extrabiblical writings. What are we to do in these days of deception? Study the Word, do the work, pray, apply the truth God has revealed for us in His Word, and examine everything by the scriptures.

In Christ,
Pastor John.

What comes to mind when you hear the word ministry? For many, they think of a missionary in a foreign land. For others, maybe a pastor, bible teacher, or evangelist. Did you know that scripture teaches that everyone who has been born again by faith in Christ is in ministry? Somewhere along the way, we have made ministry the responsibility of ministers. This way of thinking is having a profoundly negative impact on both the Kingdom of Christ and those who are still under the power of the evil one. Listen to the words of Christ to his disciples in Matthew 9:35–38 “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The problem we are facing is not a lack of fields in need of harvesting, but rather a lack of harvesters willing to work in the fields. The field here is referring to people, those who are harassed and helpless, still living in slavery to sin, under the power of the evil one. The world is full of such people. You and I were among these at one time in our lives, but thank God, we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed in Christ, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
Did you know that all of us who are in Christ have the ministry of reconciliation? That’s right, you and I have been given this ministry. Look with me at the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16–20 “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. There it is, this is our ministry, everyone who is in Christ, no exceptions. We have been entrusted. Think about that, you and I have been entrusted by God with the message of how man can be reconciled to God through faith in the Gospel of Christ. What a great responsibility we all have been given. You and I are the workers who are called into the fields of our homes, places of work, and communities to share with the field, that is, the people we encounter every day. When was the last time you shared the gospel message of reconciliation with someone? Have you ever seen a crop harvest itself? No, it requires the labor of workers to bring in the harvest. We are ambassadors for Christ, that is, God, making His appeal through us. I challenge you to take this ministry calling serious in 2026.

2 Corinthians 6:2, "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

May we live for the glory of our great King and for His Kingdom.

In Christ,
Pastor John

Like many of you, one of my favorite men in scripture is the Apostle Paul. Every time I have traveled to Athens, Greece, I always take the short drive to Corinth, located some 65 miles from Athens. You can still visit the ruins of the old city of Corinth. Walking around the ruins, my mind always takes me to the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians who lived there upon hearing and believing in the gospel of Christ that Paul preached to them on his second missionary journey.
 Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. The city of Corinth was a very strategic and important trade city, located on the narrow Isthmus, four miles wide, connecting the Peloponnese peninsula with the mainland of Greece. The city of Corinth was a double port city, the Gulf of Corinth to the east (an inlet to the Ionian Sea), and to the west, the Saronic Gulf (an inlet to the Aegean Sea). These features made this city a crucial east-west trade route by land, as well as a vital travel route for cargo ships carrying both goods and people.
Corinth was a very large city, known for its wealth, architecture, business, pagan worship, and pleasure. The people of Corinth worshipped many different pagan deities, including Poseidon, the god of the sea. Apollo, the sun god, and their primary god was the goddess Aphrodite. Aphrodite was worshipped as the goddess of love and was considered to be the protector of the city of Corinth. Her temple was set high above the city, atop the Acrocorinth, where more than one thousand temple prostitutes engaged the Corinthians in prostitution worship. They believed that by engaging in these gross sexual acts, they were joined in a union with Aphrodite. Gross sexual immorality was a way of life for those living in and around this capital city. People coined the phrase, “act like a Corinthian,” meaning one who indulges in rampant sexual immorality. Paul came to this dark and hopeless place to bring the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that those who would believe in Christ by faith would be born again unto Christ Jesus.
Romans 10:11-15 “For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 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? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!””
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

May we all share Christ and His Gospel with others in 2026!

In Christ,
Pastor John

When we experience spiritual warfare in our lives, we are dealing with two kingdoms that are in opposition to one another. As Christians, we must learn to navigate this spiritual dichotomy. In Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia, he explains this spiritual truth to the believers. It is important that, as believers today, we understand the battle is the same and affects our lives the same way. As disciples of Christ, we need discipline, and discipline is our responsibility.
Up to this point in his epistle, Paul has defended the gospel incredibly. The love and determination demonstrated by Paul to help encourage believers and correct the false teaching of the Judaizers is truly Spirit-led. As we get into chapter five, Paul gets to the application, and he writes, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:16-18) We are to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads and directs our lives. Understand, our flesh is an opposition to the things of God. To live a victorious life in Christ and crucify the flesh, we must live a life, or walk, in step with the Holy Spirit. He is the reason we can become self-disciplined and live these things out in reality.
Paul is explaining that we are not doing this on our own. We can not do this on our own, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability. There is an aspect of fruit that is demonstrated, a fruit of the Spirit, by those who walk in discipline. This is called self-control. The fleshly, natural opposition to this is a life lived unrestrained. In an unrestrained life, we gratify the lust and desires of the flesh. We all did this at one time prior to knowing Christ, and that's how the world is today, in darkness. Discipline is applied in our lives in order that we may have self-control.
This is not about motivation. Motivation is a feeling, and like many feelings we experience, it wanes. Discipline means control is gained by implementing obedience or order. It is the training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character. Discipline is our application. Discipline in step with the Spirit is biblical self-control. This is how we allow the fruit of the Spirit to manifest. A person can demonstrate discipline in many aspects of life, but if Christ is not the standard by which that discipline is grounded, there will be little or no fruit from it. It is misguided at best and will eventually falter.
You have to apply the truth of God's word. You have to reject the flesh. This means walking in humility, patience, and love. All these things bring about maturity. Christians have to be disciplined and guided by the Spirit to gain true, biblical self-control.


In Christ,
Pastor John


(Adapted from the sermon series No Other Gospel; sermon title Be Disciplined)

Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13). We have been called from the slavery of sin and the bondage of the flesh, the things of this world. God has called us through the gospel and given us a new birth into the kingdom of the glorious Son. All this, by a work of God's tremendous grace and mercy.
As early as Genesis, we learn about this law, the law of nature. God made things according to their kind, and living things bring forth their own kind. We have received from birth a fallen nature. Because Adam sinned, all who are born in Adam have sin, and we read in Romans that death is a result of sin, but we have now been called to something new. We have been given a new nature.  Peter writes, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature…” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
So, we have a new, divine nature in Christ Jesus, but we still have our old nature, the old nature in Adam. Being called to freedom and being free in Christ does not give you a license to use your freedom for unrighteousness. That's why Paul says we are to crucify the flesh. When Paul talks about the flesh, he's talking about the old nature. We're to crucify it and live in the new nature.
True children of God are regenerated and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We put our faith in the finished work of the atoning sacrifice unto God for sin. We trust by faith and believe. Then a regeneration takes place in the life of the believer. This believer, through the Holy Spirit of God, is born again in Christ. Only those who are in Christ have the power from God through the Holy Spirit to live in that new nature.


In Christ,
Pastor John

(Adapted from the Sermon Series: No Other Gospel)

From the White House to the farmhouse, much of our society is void of true men of true character, and I mean godly character. Proverbs 28:6 says this, "Better is a poor man who walks in integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” There are a lot of people who are gaining means through crooked ways, but do not envy them, because ultimately their ways will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 tells us, "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever makes his way crooked will be found out."
So what is character? Character is the mental or moral attributes that make up and distinguish an individual from another. Don’t confuse character with reputation. Reputation, simply put, is what people think of you. Our character is the essence of who we are, and our reputation is someone's judgment or opinion of that character.
One's character is developed over time. As men of God, it is a crucial role in distinguishing us as individuals and determining our eternal destiny. As Christians, we have been reborn in Christ, and the Spirit of God indwells us, and our character is forged through a process. Let's think about this process for a minute. We forge metal by heating it with fire, shaping it with a hammer, and then quenching it. Over time and through this process, the steel is shaped into a useful tool. Similar to steel, Christians must allow God to work the process of forging our lives.
God will provide the means, but we have to provide the work in this process. We don't have to respond to the forging process in a way that develops godly character. We can resist. There's a direct correlation between how we respond to testing and trials and the development of our character. His predetermined plan is that we would be conformed into the image of Christ. That's what this forging process is for. Don't despise the process. Embrace it. This process is called sanctification; the process of making or becoming holy or set apart.
God also provides a Helper to guide us in developing godly character. He has given us and imparted His Holy Spirit to live in us, to empower us, to lead us, and direct us so that we can accomplish these things. Through the power of God working in and through our lives, we provide the effort or the work. “We rejoice in suffering.” We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
It's not easy to follow Christ. We have to discipline ourselves. We have to be people who are in control of our minds and our bodies. We are men and women who are under the subjection of Christ, who is our head. We are following our King. It isn’t easy in this fallen, wicked world, especially battling our flesh. It's part of our maturing process. Scripture is telling us the things that we have to do. It's producing grit, and we need to be disciples with grit.

In Christ,
Pastor John

(Adapted from The Gritty Men Podcast: Godly Integrity)

Paul was a very disciplined man. He worked hard on this throughout his life. Paul was incarcerated more than once during his ministry and missions. He mentions his imprisonment in his letters to the churches in Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and his letter to Philemon. The book of Acts confirms that Paul was in a Roman prison, believed to be around the years AD 60-62. Sitting, chained in a cell, allows time for one’s mind to drift. Paul undoubtedly had to learn to control his mind. The way he renewed and controlled his mind was through truth.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:23, “And to be renewed in the spirit of your minds.” As Christians, we need to control our minds. Especially living in our day and time, because we are under a constant barrage of information. Modern technology has not only made it possible for just about anyone, anywhere to create “informative” content, but it has also made it accessible twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If we do not control our minds, we will be led amok, guaranteed.
The brain is the center of everything, where it all begins. It is what’s behind the action, driving us forward in everything we do. So, if my mind wants what my flesh wants… knowing my body doesn't want difficulty, I will give in to sin. Our thoughts lead to actions. Repeated actions over time develop habits, and habits help shape our character. So, as a Christian, knowing we strive for Christlikeness, these thoughts leading to actions that build character need to be based on truth. The only real truth comes from the word of God.
It was through truth that Paul learned, “in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13) Paul learned something about the nature of God. He understood that through the work of the Holy Spirit is his life, he could be content in every single situation. God works in us, and He will accomplish His work, regardless of where we are, regardless of our situation, if we are willing to discipline ourselves and walk rightly before Him.
This walk will not be easy, but we rejoice in our sufferings because that means growth. So, we must prepare our minds for action. We are no longer of this world. We are being transformed by the renewal of our minds through the truth of God’s word. This new way of thinking, now seeing the world through a biblical lens, defines our actions, changes our habits, and transforms our character. We are disciples of Christ, the salt and light to the world, focused on Jesus and praying every day that we become more like our Master.

In Christ,
Pastor John

(Adapted from the sermon series No Other Gospel; sermon title Be Disciplined)