Proverbs 16:18 KJV “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

The devil wants to give us a gift this holiday season and all year round actually. It’s the costly gift of pride. At the beginning of all sin lies unbelief. Once the tempter gets us to doubt anything God says he’s got us. Our minds are an open door; an open city without walls, we have no protection. When we don’t believe God’s word and trust in our own understanding the enemy walks right in like an invading army unchecked, and plants in us any wicked desires he wants. Strongholds are built too. It is no wonder when Jesus was tempted by the devil he answered each temptation with God’s word saying, “It is written…”

JESUS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL

Matthew 4:1-11 NIV “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. [2] After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. [3] The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” [4] Jesus answered, “IT IS WRITTEN: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” [5] Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. [6] “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ” [7] Jesus answered him, “IT IS ALSO WRITTEN: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” [8] Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. [9] “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” [10] Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For IT IS WRITTEN: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” [11] Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Jesus did not consider for a moment the devil’s three temptations. Jesus clung to the word of God! Hence the devil could do nothing to Him. The same is true with us. Satan will appeal to us intellectually and through our sensual desires just as he did to Jesus, just as he did to Adam and Eve. But as long as we firmly reject his antichrist ideas and CLING TO WHAT, “IS WRITTEN,” in God’s word like Jesus did he can do nothing to us. The devil won’t be able to give us the costly gift of pride.

Remember, satan will appeal to us intellectually and through our sensual desires. He will try to get us to trust in our own judgment not God’s word. He will tempt us to define and follow our own morality not God’s law. Reject this as the wickedness it is! Do not give an inch of ground to the evil ones tactics by paying attention to them. Such thinking brought sin and death to the whole world. Through one man’s pride (Adam) death spread to all mankind! Pride is costly indeed:

Romans 5:12 NIV “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

Satan bamboozled Eve then Adam joined in her rebellion. Hence they both received the costly gift of pride. But those who trust in the Lord and do not lean on their own understanding are eternally safe:

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

Those who trust in the Lord and not themselves receive the free gift of eternal life!😊 Not the costly gift of pride that leads to destruction.

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Isaiah 61:1-2 KJV “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.”

I’ve got some good news for you and some bad news. As they say, “Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.” The bad news is all the hell you and I have caused others on earth will come back on us multiplied by a number we can not imagine unless we repent.🥺 We have a choice: we can choose to feel others pain now by being compassionate, kind, and empathetic. Or, we will feel their pain forever in hell multiplied by a number we can never imagine. Remember the rich man and Lazarus?🥵 (Luke 16:19-31) This is God’s just punishment.

I know, some are thinking, “I’m a good person so I have nothing to worry about.” Not so fast. Our definition of what it means to be good and God’s definition is two different things. We need to learn and seek God’s RIGHTEOUSNESS. Only the righteous will not suffer in hell. Many so-called, “good people,” will bust hell wide open. We have all broken God’s law and are deserving of His just punishment. Even the nice little old lady who bakes cookies for the kids at Sunday school. None of us are immune. None of us can claim righteousness by God’s standard. He is the judge:

Romans 3:10 KJV “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:23‭ NET “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

If we do not repent of our sins and seek God’s righteousness we will face God’s wrath on judgment day.🥵 That’s the bad news.

THE GOOD NEWS

Now the good news.😊 The good news is God has made a way so that all of sinful mankind can escape His judgment:

John 3:16 NIV “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 14:6 NIV “Jesus answered, “I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

1 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, [4] who WANTS ALL PEOPLE TO BE SAVED and to come to a KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.”

It is God’s will that all should be saved and know the truth. Belief in Jesus is the only way to God. He is the truth! Accepting His teaching is the only way to be forgiven for our sins and be spared God’s wrath:

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

As God’s appointed judge of all mankind Jesus has the power to forgive sins. He can declare one person not guilty and another guilty. He has the power to throw one into hell and seat another on a throne in heaven to reign with Him and receive eternal life. Most don’t want to think of God as judge. They only picture Him as a loving father who let’s them do whatever they want and never calls their actions into account. This is wishful thinking and self-deception.

As the righteous judge God can not wink at sin. All sin is lawlessness or breaking God’s law. Just as a human judge penalizes lawbreakers God does the same. That’s what a judge does. But a judge can also pardon lawbreakers and sin.😊 Again, a way has been made, the price has been paid, for each individual’s sin. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid the price for our sin. He took our penalty for us. He rose to life on the third day. Thus He is able to give all who accept Him a free pardon. He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness:

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The question is, do we want God’s priceless, precious gift of forgiveness for sins and eternal life? Or are we ok with facing God’s wrath on judgment day and going to hell? Those who choose the latter will change their tune later.

Romans 6:23 NET “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 3:23‭-‬24 NET “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

I implore EVERYONE to accept God’s priceless, precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ! YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN PAID FOR!!! Accept God’s free gift and live, forever! And that’s the good news.😊

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John 8:32 KJV “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Merriam Webster’s definition of *Condition* “A premise upon which the fulfillment of an agreement depends: stipulation.” “Something essential to the appearance or occurrence of something else: prerequisite.”

There are many preachers that teach God has unconditional love for us. But when we look at what the word *condition* means and what the word of God says is this the truth?

GOD SAID TO ISRAEL

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NIV “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. [2] All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.”

God told the nation of Israel that they would be blessed above all nations IF THEY “FULLY” OBEY THE LORD. Is that not a condition; a stipulation, a prerequisite to receiving God’s blessing?

GOD TOLD ADAM

Genesis 2:16-17 KJV “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Was not God’s command to Adam a condition; a stipulation, a prerequisite to keep Adam from dying? Yes, God’s love has conditions. It’s been that way from the very beginning! The unconditional love doctrine is an unconditional lie!

GOD TELLS US

Proverbs 8:17 RSV “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”

This scripture alone annihilates the unconditional love doctrine. God speaking through His wisdom plainly says that He loves those who love Him. And He only let’s Himself be found by those who seek Him diligently. Are these not conditions to receiving God’s Fatherly love?

1 Samuel 2:27‭-‬32 NET “A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainly reveal myself to your ancestor’s house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh? I chose your ancestor from all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifice on my altar, to burn incense, and to bear the ephod before me. I gave to your ancestor’s house all the fire offerings made by the Israelites. Why are you scorning my sacrifice and my offering that I commanded for my dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than you have me by having made yourselves fat from the best parts of all the offerings of my people Israel.’ Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say that your house and your ancestor’s house would serve me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! For I WILL HONOR THOSE WHO HONOR ME, but THOSE WHO DESPISE ME WILL BE CURSED! In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strength and the strength of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house! You will see trouble in my dwelling place! Israel will experience blessings, but there will not be an old man in your house for all time.” 😳

God made a promise of blessing to the priest Eli and his descendants forever. But when Eli and his sons kept dishonoring and despising God He withheld His promised blessing and instead gave Eli, his household, and all his descendants an everlasting curse! 😳 This also blows away the once saved always saved lie:

Jude 1:5 KJV “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that THE LORD, HAVING SAVED THE PEOPLE out of the land of Egypt, AFTERWARD DESTROYED THEM that believed not.”

Is God making it clear that to continue to enjoy His love and blessings we must not dishonor and despise Him? That we must fully obey the voice of the Lord? That His great love indeed does have conditions?

WHO GOD LOVES LIKE A FATHER?

Psalm 91:14 RSV “Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.”

Ahh, there’s the condition to receiving God’s protection, love, and blessing; CLEAVING TO HIM IN LOVE.😊 Do we need to go any further about this? Is this not enough proof that God’s love is conditional? And that the unconditional love doctrine is an unconditional lie? Here’s one more passage for clarity:

John 14:21‭-‬23 NET “The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.” “Lord,” Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “what has happened that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him.”‬‬

Here again Jesus says, ‘My Father and I love those who love me, and obey my word.’ You can’t get around it no matter how hard you try. God is telling us plainly that His Fatherly love is conditional, not unconditional. And He loves those who love Him and His son Jesus Christ; those who obey His commands. People who claim God’s love without obeying His word without loving Him; who teach you can sin as much as you want or do whatever you like and God will still love you unconditionally are delusional.

To receive God’s Fatherly love we must repent and be born again. We must become children of God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Such faith involves obeying His commands. Reject the false doctrine of unconditional love. Believing this false teaching will damn your soul to hell! 🔥🔥🔥

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2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NIV
“DO NOT BE YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? [15] What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [17] Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” [18] And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

When professed Christian singers, rappers, musicians, music producers etcetera, work with worldly singers, rappers, musicians, and producers on projects supposedly for God, is that not a violation of God’s command above? God tells us to, “Come out from them and be separate.” Light and darkness have nothing in common, neither does Christ and Belial [the devil] God says. To be yoked together with unbelievers is to disobey God.

Since God tells us to be separate from the world it only makes sense that satan will try to merge the church and the world together. He knows that any Christian who compromises and intermingles with the world is in serious danger, as well as any Christian who agrees with such mergers:

James 4:4 KJV “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:20-22 KJV “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. [21] Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. [22] Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”

Satan knows how pleasurable music is to us. It is no wonder he uses this medium to bamboozle so many with so-called gospel music. Many popular figures in this arena make songs that have nothing to do with the gospel at all. They throw around the name of Jesus in vain. Though the music and lyrics may sound good they are not praising the Lord but are praising the devil. The Bible makes it clear that the ruler of this world system is satan the devil:

Luke 4:5-7 KJV “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. [6] And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. [7] IF THOU therefore WILT WORSHIP ME, ALL SHALL BE THINE.”

The passage below tells us what Satan’s world system is all about and warns us against it:

1 John 2:15-17 NLT “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

Many so-called gospel artist and songs cater to the world’s thinking. Satan is using these popular figures to lure many to sleep. In fact many so-called churches today are nothing but mere concerts.

Unless you have a true relationship with Jesus Christ these gospel artist and worldly musician projects for the Lord can easily fool you. While the music and lyrical chants sound good they are not giving you God’s true gospel message at all. But you won’t know this unless you study the Bible daily for yourself. Unless you do this how can you know what God’s gospel message is? You will be hoodwinked into thinking these people are really doing God’s will. A person cannot rightly divide messages from God unless they study to show themselves approved:

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

1 John 4:1 KJV “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because MANY FALSE PROPHETS are gone out into the world.”

And many of them know how to sing, rap, and make seducing music. 🤔

God tells us not to merge with the world; not to be yoked with unbelievers, but rather to be separate. Any so-called gospel artists who does not heed this command and encourages others to yoke with the world of unbelievers is a false prophet! Watch out for them! 😥

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1 John 4:1 NIV “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD.”

Ever discuss God’s word with someone who always talks about what it does not mean? “Well, it doesn’t mean this, or, “It’s not saying that.” Why is it they can’t simply rejoice over truth found in God’s word? Why is it they can’t accept the simplest truths? I’m talking about folks who claim to be Christians! Why does the truth always have to be debated or rationalized?

BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OF GOD

1 John 4:4-6 KJV “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. [5] THEY ARE OF THE WORLD: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. [6] We are of God: HE THAT KNOWETH GOD HEARETH US; HE THAT IS NOT OF GOD HEARETH NOT US. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

1 John 2:18-19 KJV “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that ANTICHRIST SHALL COME, even NOW ARE THERE MANY ANTICHRISTS; whereby we know that it is the last time. [19] They [antichrists] went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

The Spirit of error can be very charming and persuasive. Many with this spirit know enough of the Bible to sound just like you and me. But they can never apply or fully accept God’s truths. No matter how good they sound they will not come into full agreement with what God says. They always contradict the Holy Spirit. They will always try to get you to see things from their point of view, and even use misapplied scripture passages to do so. Be careful of people like this.

AVOID THEM

Romans 16:17 KJV “Now I beseech you, brethren, MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE which ye have learned; and AVOID THEM.”

2 Timothy 3:5 NET “They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So AVOID PEOPLE LIKE THESE.

Matthew 10:16 NIV “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

Jesus makes it clear that we are among ravenous wolves. So be careful and shrewd as snakes He says. Refuse to get dragged into debates and controversies over our doctrine. If people don’t accept God’s word when it’s presented to them so be it. You don’t have to wrestle all the time over doctrine with someone who has the spirit of truth, or with someone who is searching for the truth. But you can find yourself doing this to no avail with someone who has the spirit of error. They will only drag us down.

1 John 2:20-21,26-27 NIV “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. [21] I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because NO LIE COMES FROM THE TRUTH. [26] I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. [27] As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and YOU DO NOT NEED ANYONE TO TEACH YOU. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

Proverbs 9:7‭-‬9 NET “Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse. Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise person, and he will become wiser still; teach a righteous person and he will add to his learning.”‬‬‬

Matthew 7:6 GNB “Do not give what is holy to dogs — THEY WILL ONLY TURN AND ATTACK YOU. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs — they will only trample them underfoot.”

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Psalm 16:8 KJV “I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”

What a benefit for setting the Lord before us always; WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED, because the Lord is at our right hand! 😁 What better way to always set the Lord before us than to study His word the Bible and meditate on it daily?

Psalm 1:1-4 KJV “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. [2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. [3] And HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. [4] The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”

What a contrast between the ungodly and the person who meditates on God’s word day and night. We are planted like a tree; unmoved. They are blown like chaff in the wind; easily moved. No matter what our circumstances are know that God’s got us in the palm of His hand. And who can snatch us out of God’s hand? 🤔

John 10:27-30 NIV “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; NO ONE WILL SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”

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Luke 16:10‭-‬13 GNT “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones. If, then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you? “No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”‬‬‬‬

You think God doesn’t care about what we do with our money? Think again:

Psalm 37:23 NLT “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”

God watches over and cares about every detail of our lives the Bible says. How we handle so-called small things or worldly wealth says a whole lot about us.

The passage above is sobering. It teaches us how God thinks. Meditating on it can help sober one up from drug addiction. I remember when I had a weed habit God showed me that when I spend just $5 on a small bag of weed I am supporting all the evils that are associated with the drug trade. Everything from human trafficking; to people being forced into the sex slave trade, pornography, and even murder. These evils and others are all tied to the drug trade. So whenever I gave just $1 to the dope man/woman to fulfill my lust I was not only supporting them my dollars were helping keep other wicked businesses alive and kicking as well. How many kids, young women and young men are kidnapped and forced into a life of slavery? How many people are murdered daily behind the drug trade? Now that I am a born again child of God how can I support such an evil enterprise by giving it my hard earned money?

The fruit of the Spirit is self-control. Shouldn’t I pray and beg God for His spirit to help get control over my addictions so that I may not be bloodguilty for supporting the drug trade and all the other wicked businesses associated with it? God’s greatest commandment is love, and the Bible says that love does no harm to a neighbor. Am I not harming myself and my neighbor when I use my money to buy drugs?

Romans 13:9-10 NIV “The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” [10] LOVE DOES NO HARM TO A NEIGHBOR. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Luke 16:10‭-‬11 GNT “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones. If, then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth [money], how can you be trusted with true wealth [heaven]?”‬

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1 Corinthians 16:14 GNT “Do all your work in love.”

Whoever follows the above passage is outstanding. 😊 Doing everything in love will make you stand out above the rest. Not that you want to you just will. Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit was talking in the passage above about charity: agape love. This kind of love is deep. It’s brotherly affection, a love feast, good will, and benevolence. It’s filled with tender affection and compassion. It seeks only good for others. We are told to do everything in love especially towards our brothers and sisters. How opposite this love is from the world’s:

John 15:19 NIV “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

We are in a demon possessed generation. That’s why many act so weird and cranky. The world’s love is different from the love of God. Even when the world shows you love it’s phony. They only desire to use you. Those who seek acceptance, praise, or love from this world are in trouble:

John 5:44 RSV “How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”

John 12:43 RSV “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

1 Thessalonians 2:4 RSV “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

Those who live the life of love to please God and not men will be greatly rewarded:

Revelation 22:12 KJV “And, behold, I come quickly; and MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Romans 13:10 RSV “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬7 GNT “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.”‬‬

Become and stay outstanding by living the life of love. Love is God and God is love. Don’t let the world change you. 😊

1 John 4:7-8 GNT “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

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2 Timothy 3:13 NIV “While evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Doesn’t it feel like something different is happening as evidenced by people’s behavior? Like a sudden shift in the spiritual realms? We know that the evil one does things subtly, covertly, and gradually, so much so that you hardly notice or don’t notice at all it’s going on. He’s a deceiver. But some of his moves lately seem to have a haste about them and are more noticeable. It’s as if things have spiked not from the incremental level 3 to level 4 but from a level 3 to level 6! People are acting so differently these days you would think someone has poured evil juice into their drinking water, or food supply, or vaccines. Hmmmm. 🤔

THE EVIL KING

If you were an evil king who just found out you had a terminal illness and didn’t have long to live what would you do? Would you do the noble thing and get your house in order? Or would your main focus be destroying all of your enemies before you die? The latter is the Devil’s main focus:

Revelation 12: 10-12 NIV “For the accuser [Satan] of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! HE IS FILLED WITH FURY, because HE KNOWS that HIS TIME IS SHORT.”

The above passage is the first place in the Bible where I remember reading the devil has a ticking time bomb attached to him. Satan’s original home was in heaven where he dwelled in the very presence of Almighty God. This was before his rebellion. God lives outside of time. He lives in eternity. Satan has been kicked out of heaven though and thrown down to earth. He and his angels are now subject to the confines of time just like mere mortals. This is a HUGE HUMILIATION for the devil. Not only did he go from the penthouse to the poor house, he’s dying and he knows it. For this he is royally pissed! Hence the heat, the persecution we feel. As Revelation says, “Woe to the earth and the sea,” the devil, “Is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” He is focused on revenge; destroying all of God’s people:

Revelation 12:13,17 KJV “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Yes, if you keep God’s commands and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus Christ the Devil is after you. He always works overtime. He doesn’t take a day off or go on vacations. In fact this entire world system which he rules is designed for our downfall. But be encouraged, OUR TRIUMPHANT VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN FORETOLD!!! 😀

Revelation 12:11 NIV “THEY TRIUMPHED OVER HIM [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb [JESUS] and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Because of Jesus God says we win! We’re winners! 😃 Not just in the end, we’re winners right now:

Romans 8:37-39 NIV “No, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Proverbs 13:12 KJV “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”

Not getting what you want can make you sick. And if we’re not careful it can make us sick to death. There are many great men and women in the Bible who did not always get what they wanted either. And yes, it sometimes made them sick. Some of them even vented their anger to and at God. Moses was one of them. (Numbers 11:10-15) Jeremiah was another. (Jeremiah 12:1-3) So was Jonah. (Jonah 3:10-4:11) What I love about these (and others) is they were real. What I also love about them is although their thinking was wrong at times (being angry at God and all) they at least had enough sense to talk to God about how they were feeling.

Let’s face it, none of us are superman or superwoman. If you’ve been in the faith long enough you may have gotten mad at God sometimes too when things didn’t go your way. I know I have. ‘Hope deferred sometimes makes our hearts sick too.’ But when these moments occur do we have enough sense to talk to God about our feelings like Moses, Jeremiah, Jonah and others? Or has our hearts grown stone cold? Do we find ourselves not praying to God at all anymore? Do we also find ourselves not reading His word like we used to? Are we shunning God? If the answer is, “Yes,” be honest about it. Because confession is the first step to our broken heart being cured.

God himself says, ‘not getting what you want can make your heart sick.’ (Proverbs 13:12) He understands how the heart works. He made it. He already knows how we’re feeling. God is so cool about the whole situation; His word says:

Psalm 43:18 NIV “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” 😃

When Moses, Jeremiah, and Jonah ranted to God about how unfair life was to them God didn’t hurl lightning bolts at them. And he won’t throw lightning at us either. In fact He wants us to come to Him in prayer with all of our problems, with all of our disappointments and hurts:

Matthew 11:28 NIV “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

The worse thing we can do is alienate ourselves from God and from fellow believers. We need God more than anything. And we need our brothers and sisters more and more each day:

‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:24-25‬ ‭GNT‬‬ “Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another ALL THE MORE, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Fellow believers can help us get out of our rut:

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4:9-10‬ ‭NET‬‬ “Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.”‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ ‬‬

Isolating ourselves and sulking too long about life’s disappoints can make us REALLY sick. Use what God has given us; prayer, his word, and each other His church. Be willing to share some of our problems with one another. This can be very encouraging. And also be willing not only to be a good listener to our fellow believers problems, be willing to carry each other’s burdens:

Galatians 6:2 NIV “CARRY EACH OTHER’S BURDENS, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

As we continue to seek God regardless of what we do or do not have we will learn a whole lot about our heavenly Father and about ourselves. There are things we need to learn before we go home to heaven. When it’s all said and done we will also learn that some of the things we wanted so badly were not good for us. And we will thank God for not allowing those things to consume us.

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