Ever had folks pretend to be believers and then try to get you to question everything you believe in? They are, āThem that are lost.ā Theyāre so friendly at first but in due time their true colors show. I’ve heard them say things like, “Thereās no such thing as right or wrong.” “There is no absolute truth.” “Jesus is an alien from outer space.” Iāve heard many weird arguments over the years to disprove God. The Devil repackages old lies as new ones. Those whose practice is to refute God are lost.
It is noble to share Godās truth with folks who have questions about our faith. (1 Peter 3:15-16) It is not to quarrel with those whose questions are smokescreens to get us to doubt what we believe. We’re cautioned:
Titus 3:9-11 KJV āBut avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. [10] A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; [11] Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.ā
God says to avoid controversies. People who love engaging in them are warped, sinful, and self-condemned. They’re lost. Have nothing to do with them God says. This can be very tough when someone you love is corrupt. It is not our job to force-feed people the truth. Jesus put it this way:
Matthew 7:6 ESV āDo not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.ā
Attacks are what will result from debating with quarrelsome individuals. When asked questions about our faith itās a good idea to pray to God for guidance. This works! He will reveal to us folks’ motives and let us know how to proceed or not.
Proverbs 9:7-9 NLT āAnyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return. Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. [8] So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. [9] Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.ā
Our enemy (the Devil) is tricky. He will bring some to us who seem to believe what we do, or say they want to learn about God. The whole time theyāre setting us up for a prolonged debate. Donāt fall for it. Once you discern a personās goal is to get you to doubt your faith politely end the conversation. If someone who claims to be a believer does this do what the Bible says: warn them once, then warn them a second time. If they still want to engage in controversy after that have nothing to do with them. You can be sure that such are warped, sinful, and self-condemned. They are, āThem that are lost.ā
Romans 16:17 NLV “I ask you, Christian brothers, watch out for those who make trouble and start fights. Keep your eye on those who work against the teaching you received. Keep away from them.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV āYou are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Are we letting our light shine? Are people seeing the Jesus Show in us? Or are they seeing the flesh show? I’m sure you’ll agree we all can improve in following Jesus. But let’s talk about following Him when it’s hard. Let’s talk about persecution.
Someone reviles you and it doesn’t feel good. They say all sorts of evil things about you. This causes others to notice you intently. It may be your boss, friends, or associates who now pay close attention to you because of lies spread. Maybe it’s someone else in a position of authority who has the power to cause you much harm. This is when things get tough. But in either case, it’s time for The Jesus Show. Think about it: it’s God’s will that people see Him through you. How can this happen if no one pays us any attention?
Could it be Godās will that the spotlight is now shining on you to let your light shine brighter? It doesn’t feel good to be slandered, have your livelihood threatened, etcetera. But it is good if it’s happening because you are a believer:
Matthew 5:10-12 ESV āBlessed are those who are persecuted for righteousnessā sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. āBlessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Being persecuted for the faith means you are blessed and it puts us in some pretty good company.
SHOW EM THE JESUS SHOWĀ
Now that the spotlight is on us it’s showtime. Show em who Jesus is. This may be the only opportunity some have to see Jesus. Most will not change. That’s not the point. But praise and glory to God will happen because of your Christlike conduct:
1 Peter 2:12 BSB āConduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.ā
Folks (even our foes) observe how we handle trials. Sometimes they become believers as a result. People need to see the real Jesus. Not the counterfeit, commercial Jesus they are sold through mainstream religion. Will you be the one to show them Him? Will I? May we live up to our calling and let our light shine even in difficult circumstances. It is in these dark times in the darkest moments when our light shines the brightest.
Philippians 2:5-11 ESV “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There are people who take the, “We are gods,” attitude way too serious. (Psalm 82:6) Like one I recently spoke to who said, “We are gods, little G. That means we can create just like God.” I asked him, “We can create just like God? So I can create the earth, heaven, and clouds just like God did?” Naahh. Isn’t it interesting that the one who was like God in every way (Jesus) didn’t tout his godhood? (John 14:8-9) Instead, He took the servant role and remained obedient till death. So how dare sin-filled humans try to compare themselves with Almighty God?Ā
Whenever I hear folks make the, “We are gods,” case Iām reminded of Satan who sold that lie to Eve in the garden of Eden:
Genesis 3:4-5 KJV āAnd the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and YE SHALL BE AS GODS, knowing good and evil.ā
The evil one repackages lies all the time. Itās the same old trick: be your own god. But instead God says, āHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.ā Jesus is our example. He emptied Himself and became God’s slave. He never used his power for his own advantage but for the benefit of others. Even when someone called Him, āGood teacher,ā which is what He was He said, āWhy do you call me good when only God is good.ā (Matthew 19:16-17) Wow! Jesus truly humbled Himself as a man. He always pointed to God the Father and gave Him glory. What an example we have in Jesus!
Isaiah 46 KJV “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and THERE IS NONE ELSE; I am God, and THERE IS NONE LIKE ME, Ā¹ā° Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Ā¹Ā¹ Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
WOW!š Who can say and do what you just heard Almighty God say? No one! This is why we are told not to swear or make promises. (Matthew 5:33-37) None of us are capable of carrying out everything we plan to do. But God can.š God accomplishes EVERYTHING He desires! (Isaiah 55:10-11) God declares the end from the beginning. He knows EVERYTHING! What man or any being can say that? God is the only one. He is the Alpha (the beginning) and the Omega (the end). (Revelation 1:81:1121:622:13)
I recently heard some mad scientists say since they can now edit human DNA they are creators like God, and they are now gods. Since when does taking someone else’s creative work and tinkering with it make you a god?š³ These people are nuts and not gods! Man wants to be God so badly. I guess P Diddy is a god too because of all the songs he sampled by other recording artists back in the day. Ironically, I did hear him vehemently say in a video, āIām God!āš³ Not, āI am a god,ā but, āI am God!ā Heās nuts too. I guess fooling around with other folk’s creative works and amassing wealth from it makes you a god when in reality you created nothing. All you are is a copycat. But that sounds about right because Satan is a copycat too. Heās always trying to copy what God does in some perverted way. And he too wants to be God so bad. (Isaiah 14:12-15) Itās no wonder his children think like him. (John 8:44)
Did you know that a long time ago the genetics of mankind was tampered with, provoking God to wipe out all living things, except for a few people and a few creatures of each kind? What mankind is participating in todayāediting the genes of all living things including humansāwill have similar consequences? Letās read about what took place thousands of years ago to get some clarity:
Genesis 6:1-4 KJV āAnd it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, [2] That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. [3] And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. [4] There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.ā
As crazy as it sounds itās true. A hybrid race of beings was created when, āThe sons of God [fallen angels] saw the daughters of men [humans],ā left heaven, came down to earth, and mated with these women. The result was a human hybrid race that became the, “Giants in the earth in those days; and also after that,”āMighty men which were of old, men of renown.ā These children of the fallen angels were the movers and shakers of the world at that time and they ruled with an iron fist. Before long demon DNA kept reproducing and spreading until all flesh was corrupted before God, provoking Him to wipe out all except Noah, his wife, his 3 sons, and their wives:
Genesis 6:5-14 HCSB āWhen the Lord saw that manās wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, āI will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky ā for I regret that I made them.ā Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord. These are the family records of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries; Noah walked with God. And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in Godās sight, and the earth was filled with wickedness. God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth. Then God said to Noah, āI have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth. āMake yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside.ā
Yes, EVERY CREATURE was corrupted before God, man, and beasts. As a result of interbreeding fallen angels with mankind, the whole earth (all living things) went downhill fast. God was determined to destroy them and it hurt Him to His heart that He created them.šŖ The entire earth was wicked! There was violence everywhere. Hmmm, that sounds a lot like today, doesnāt it?š¤
2 Peter 3:5-7 HCSB āThey willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. Through these waters THE WORLD OF THAT TIME PERISHED WHEN IT WAS FLOODED. But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.ā
Yes, there were serious consequences long ago for fooling around with Godās creation in an unlawful way. Even dummies know that if you do the same thing you will get the same result.š¤Ā Mad scientists, technocrats, rich men of the earth, and all transhumanists, you’re not as smart as you think you are.
This folly is not driven by humans only: fallen angels are once again up to their age-old trick; manipulation of DNA on a massive scale. As a result the earth is just as wicked and corrupt if not worse than it was in Noahās day. This will bring Godās wrath in judgment once again. This time though it wonāt be a worldwide flood, it will be by fire.š„š³
GODāS IMAGE HIS TEMPLE
Genesis 1:27 KJV āSo God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.ā
What would you do if someone took your prized possession and destroyed it? Would you not want justice? Is God wrong for executing judgment in this matter when He Himself is the righteous judge?
1 Corinthians 3:17 GW āIf anyone destroys Godās temple, God will destroy him because Godās temple is holy. You are that holy temple!ā
1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV āDo you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.ā
Yes, the human body (of believers) is Godās temple. And Godās temple is sacred or holy. Man has always been Godās temple from the very beginning:
Genesis 2:21-22 KJV āAnd the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his RIBS, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the RIB, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.ā
Did you know that the Hebrew word for rib, ātsay-law’ā in Genesis 2:21-22 appears in the Bible 39 other times? And everywhere it appears it refers to the side wall of the temple. Yes, God removed a rib or a beam from the side wall of Adam (his temple), and from it formed the woman Eve Adamās wife. And again everywhere that word, ātsay-law,’ā (rib) shows up in the Bible it is talking about the side wall of the temple building God had Solomon build. Wow, the same Hebrew word used for the side wall of man (his ribs) is the same word used for the side wall of Godās temple where folks worshipped in Jerusalem. This is amazing: mankind has always been Godās temple, His special creation, made in His own image. There is absolutely no one like GOD!š
Being that we who believe are Godās temple on earth it makes sense that the wicked one would attempt to destroy us. We are made in Godās image. Satan hates God hence he hates us. By destroying Godās image (mankind) at the very DNA level (the blood), is it possible that Satan is causing many to lose their very souls based on what scripture says about blood?
Leviticus 17:11 KJV “For the LIFE of the flesh is IN THE BLOOD: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”
“The LIFE of the flesh is IN THE BLOOD!” The Hebrew word for life, ānehā-fesh,ā in Leviticus 17:11 means, āSOUL.ā The SOUL of a person is IN their BLOOD God says. Blood is most sacred to God and shouldnāt be tampered with. It belongs to God and only he has the right to determine its lawful use. The mad scientists who are altering human DNA through the so-called vaccine have a heavy price to pay. And sadly those who allow this to be done to themselves must pay as well. (Revelation 14:9-11)šŖ
Men can never improve upon the creation of God through gene therapy technologies or any other means. They have been fooled by the Devil into believing the age-old lie told in the garden of Eden: that through doing your own thing (disobedience to God), and taking what is forbidden, they can eventually live forever, amass great esoteric knowledge, become gods, and know for themselves what is good from evil. (Genesis 3:1-5) All of this is what Satan promised Eve in the garden of Eden and heās making the same promise today via transhumanism. The saddest part is many are hoodwinked into believing him. And he’s tricked billions more into genetically modifying themselves without even knowing it.ššŖ Donāt fall for this trick. No one can ever improve on what God has made. Because there is none like God.
1 Chronicles 29:11 GW āGreatness, power, splendor, glory, and majesty are yours, Lord, because everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Lord, and you are honored as head of all things.ā
Ezekiel 20:7 NIV “And I said to them, āEach of you, GET RID OF the VILE IMAGES you have SET YOUR EYES ON, and do not defile yourselves with the IDOLS OF EGYPT. I am the Lord your God. ā
It appears to me that TV manages the hive mind. Itās a top instrument used to bring humanity to universal conformity. Through it orders are given, judgments are made, and the legions obey them. Like a unified armyšŖ everyone marches to the beat of the same drum.š„ Dare you not march out of line and think for yourself!š³ You will pay the penalty!š”
Everybody knows when you’re not a part of the hive mind army. There’s nowhere to hide. Soldiers are everywhere, lurking, monitoring, waiting for you to show insubordination. Go against the accepted norm and all the soldiers stare.š§ How dare you go against the spirit god of the time!š¤ No matter where you go the same thing happens because this is controlled through TV. What a powerful tool.
Televisionšŗ is the brainchild of the Devil. Man did not invent this. That’s why its sorcery is so powerful. Satan has taken complete control of folks through TV. They are taught what to think, how to feel, what to buy, who to love, who to hate, and who to kill. This is witchcraft on another level. People believe they are being entertained when they watch television, but they have never taken time to understand what the word, “Entertainment,” means. Trace the etymology of, “Entertainment,” it may surprise you. They say in magic spells work strongest on victims who are told what you are doing to them. Hence entertainment.
Right now with the help of TV, the Devil is preparing his soldiers for the greatest battle of all time: Armageddon. (Revelation 16:13-16) Through TV Satan is mobilizing his troops to attack or be complicit in the attack on the body of Jesus Christ. (Daniel 11:31-32) If you are a real believer you know what I’m saying. The thinking of the hive mind coming through that black screen is, “We now have the perfect scheme [COVID] to get them. Get ’em! Make them pay for their non-compliance!”š” And all because we refuse to take their gene editing vaccine? But it’s much deeper than that. The soldiers (kings of the world and dedicated TV viewers) are doing what they’re told. But as the soldiers who said they were just following orders during the Nuremberg trials against the NAZIs and it was unacceptable, it wonāt be excused on the day of judgment. People will pay for allowing themselves to be spellbound through television.Ā
Persecution abounds as TV brainwashes people to believe we are their worse enemy. This is the same playbook used in NAZI Germany. It’s like something you’ve seen in a movie. But the holocaust was real and so is this. All orchestrated through that black magic mirror called TV. As folks stare into the mirror; the image on the wall, Satan instructs his children for hours. This is how the world walks in lockstep to the beat of the same drum.š„ This is how the masses are manipulated, intimidated, and dominated. This is how the world gets fooled to fight against God. (Psalm 2:1-12) The world is under a powerful spell. But will you and I stand out like sore thumbs?šš½
Psalms 101:3 HCSB āI will not set anything worthless before my eyes.šŗ I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me.ā
Revelation 2:10 HCSB “Donāt be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will have affliction for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Hebrews 11:37-39 KJV “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: THEY WANDERED about IN SHEEPSKINS AND GOATSKINS; BEING DESTITUTE, AFFLICTED, TORMENTED; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) THEY WANDERED IN DESERTS, AND IN MOUNTAINS, AND IN DENS AND CAVES OF THE EARTH. [39] And THESE ALL, HAVING OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT THROUGH FAITH.”
Look at how great people of faith were and still are treated; sawn in two, tempted, and slain with the sword. Some are destitute, all are afflicted, tormented, and many WANDERED. Thatās right. Some wanderers lived in caves, in dens of the earth or holes in the ground like an animal, in the mountains, and in deserts. Sounds like a rough life? Yes, it is. Yet all these people of faith found a good report with God. WANDERERS; people who travel from place to place with no stable homes found favor with God. (1 Corinthians 4:11) Think about that for a moment. If you think about it too long it might crush your belief in the American dream. You know, get a great job, become successful, make lots of money, buy a nice house, lay back, retire one day, and enjoy life. (Luke 12:16-21) These wanderers had none of those things as they pursued God. They had something so much better: God Himself!š THEY ALL NOW HAVE MANSIONS IN HEAVEN!š (John 14:2) Shouldn’t this teach us something?š¤
I guess that’s why a beggar like Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man did not. I guess that’s why someone like the great prophet Elijah found favor with God though he lived in caves and was homeless. And the greatest wanderer of them all Jesus Christ who now sits at the right hand of God in eternal glory said, āFoxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.ā (Matthew 8:20) None of this stuff is as important as we make it out to be. In fact, it’s a distraction. There are so many who claim to follow Christ who are going to miss out because they are married to their homes.
We know brothers and sisters lived in houses of course they did. We know this because the church (the fellowship of believers) often met in each other’s houses. (Philemon 1:1-31 Corinthians 16:19Colossians 4:15) But they did not worship their homes like we do. They did not lose their faith because they lost their house. They accepted what Jesus said:
Matthew 19:29 NIV “And EVERYONE WHO HAS LEFT HOUSES or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”
Luke 9:23 NIV “Then he said to them all: āWhoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
The early believers in the first century lived under the Roman Empire. Under Roman rule crucifixion on a cross was considered the most painful, shameful way to die. The early believers had a much better idea of what Jesus meant when he said they must, ‘take up their cross daily and follow Him.’ They knew that accepting Jesus meant eternal life but they also knew it meant dying to themselves, their desires, and putting God first. They also knew they could experience severe persecution even physical death for following Jesus. All of this and then some meant taking up oneās cross daily. And they did just that because they were willing to give it all up for Christ just as He gave it all up for us. Are we that way?š¤ We can pray to God and ask Him for help to become more like His Son.š
We Westernized, Americanized Christians have a problem. Some of us may also become wanderers of the faith one day. But in all honesty, we are too attached to physical things. How we handle this problem is all that matters and is a matter of life or death:
Romans 8:5-8 HCSB “For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to Godās law, for it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
I recently heard a preacher say, āIf youāre serving God you will probably have some riches because God makes you find favor with men.ā How sad. Heās twisting the scriptures and ignoring those that say this:
1 Timothy 6:5 HCSB āAnd constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.ā
2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”
Revelation 2:8-10 KJV āAnd unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; [9] I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. [10] Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.ā
Matthew 10:22 KJV āAnd ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.ā
Luke 6:26 NLT āWhat sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.ā
James 1:9 NIV āBelievers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.ā
James 2:5 NLT āListen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?ā
Jesus Himself left heaven, became poor, and wandered (but not aimlessly) so that we would become eternally rich. Will we have the same attitude as Jesus? Or will we be like the preacher: ignore so many scripture passages because we want worldly wealth? If it ever becomes our turn to wander in this life may we wear it well and spread the aroma of Christ everywhere we go. (2 Corinthians 2:14-17) Then God will be with us no matter what our circumstances.š
1 Corinthians 1:17 NIV āFor Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelāNOT WITH WISDOM AND ELOQUENCE, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.ā
There are many eloquent preachers nowadays but their messages are powerless. Their sermons focus on themselves, and their command of words and language rather than on Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:1-2 āAnd so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.ā
Paulās message was simple, āJesus Christ and Him crucified.ā Itās this simple message of God that wins hearts and souls.
1 Corinthians 1:21 āIn the wisdom of God the world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe.ā
The beautiful, sweet, simple message of Jesusā life, death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins is powerful!š Hence thereās no need to dress it up or add to it. Thereās no need to use fancy words and eloquent speeches when sharing the gospel. The unadulterated, sweet, simple good news about Jesus Christ is all that is needed to lead people to God. Donāt add to it, and donāt detract from it by using high-sounding lectures and words. That my friend would be powerless.
Like The Bereans 