Posts Tagged ‘christianity’

We don’t Wrestle against Flesh and Blood

Posted: October 20, 2025 in Something to think about
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My nephew wrestled in high school and I remember him telling me how unique wrestling is from a team sport because it’s not like football or basketball… It is just sheer strength against sheer strength, cunning against cunning and may the best man win.

Wrestling is a sport where you are literally grappling with your opponent and using every ounce of strength you have to try and overcome someone who’s trying to do the same to you. Experience matters, like it does in life, but at the same time pure strength can be hard to overcome.

Why in the world am I talking about wrestling today? There is a verse in Ephesians that communicates to you and to me about a battle that we Christians find ourselves in. And this battle is unique because we can’t see our opponent. But I felt it very necessary to communicate something that you may or may not have thought of before.

I think it is pretty obvious and and frankly safer to fight a battle from a long way away. In the US military, snipers can fire at targets over a mile away and be successful. In most successful battles going back to the Civil War, soldiers would set up cannons and fire at the opponent so they could soften the front lines in order that their infantry could advance. After all of that preparation, it was the infantry who gained the physical ground and ultimately again, battled their opponent, man-to-man.

So today guys, I wanted to introduce you to the warfare that our enemy is executing on us… You and me. Depending upon which translation you read, Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but rather against the rulers, the authorities, and against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”

What does that really mean? That means the enemy is not a mile away, he’s not next-door… He is right next to you, whispering in your ear. Telling you things that are not true in order so he can bump you off your path and get you going in a different direction… 

We are literally wrestling with the enemy as Paul says. We are not dancing. We are wrestling. It’s important that you recognize how close your enemy actually is or, how close he is to your family. It’s easy to go about our day and never really think about that battle going on. But I assure you, it is, and there is active strategy being put forth and executed to destroy you and everything you love. You, must think about it and be ready for each day.

Now that we know what we are up against, how do we fight?

This will probably surprise you but when your adversary is the devil, you don’t stand and fight, you resist. I say this again, if you try and fight, you will lose. Even Jesus, after spending 40 days in the wilderness, Satan came and met with Him with the sole reason to tempt Him (Matthew 4:1-11). You will notice that Jesus did not fight but rather He resisted and that is exactly what we are called to do, resist. Take a look at these 2 verses:

  • Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7
  • Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:9

Guys, if you only recognized the power you have right now that already exists within you as a believer, it would really change your mind about wrestling not against flesh and blood. Yes, you are a target, but not defenseless. The power within you comes from God’s Holy Spirit which is pure strength from Him to use when you are in a wrestling match. If you feel an evil presence of unseen forces, then call on His name. He will not abandon you. Most importantly remember the words of the Apostle John below which is always a gut check reminder for me-

Greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world.  1 John 4:4

Until next time Guys-

Does Jesus know you?

Posted: July 22, 2025 in Something to think about
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One of the very last messages preached by John MacArthur before he passed was titled “Why most Christians will miss the Rapture”. Now if that doesn’t grab your attention, I am not sure what will. We have never spoken about the Rapture on this blog before and today, I am proceeding as if you know what this is…but to summarize, The Rapture is when God will evacuate Christian’s before the beginning of the Tribulation. You can imagine there is a whole lot more to this topic but not today.

Now…I will tell you there is a great deal of debate about the sequence of events for what I am telling you. But, I am not an expert and I don’t pretend to be one… but I can tell you, as a Christian, you don’t want to miss the Rapture.

That said, here is the critical point you need to understand that as a Christian, you cannot love both Jesus and the world. You cannot have your feet on both sides of the fence simultaneously. God is very clear in the Bible that he is a jealous God and someone trying to live in both worlds will fail. Read this verse below:

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.  1 John 2:19

The second point to understand is that this world is NOT neutral and if you think it is, you are very mistaken. I can take this statement a step further and say that if the world feels like home to you then maybe Heaven won’t. This world has no intention of helping you be a better Christian. Read this verse:

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4

Simply put, rebellion against God are people with hearts that are married to the world. MacArthur said it this way, “Christians who have hearts that are captured by the temporary and not longing for the eternal”. 

The third major point for you to recognize is God is coming back for a people who have separated themselves from this world.  What does that mean for you and me? As the scripture says below, making every effort to be holy. You can never be perfect, but you can live your life trying. Read this verse:

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

MacArthur says, “Holiness is a requirement and not optional”.

Finally, and really one of the most important points I can make today is that without repentance, there is no salvation. I understand that is a tough, hard statement to hear but that is the truth. That is a significant part of the point above about working to be holy. Read this below:

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  Acts 17:30 

It is important to recognize that God is not fooled by appearances. You can’t fake God into thinking you are someone different than you really are. God knows your heart so we are back to the statement I made before, that you can’t keep sinning and keep Christ too. That is not a suggestion.

I will close with this statement from John MacArthur when he said, “Christ finds lukewarm christians nauseating”. If you are not pursuing God, you are running from Him. Plain and Simple. You may make an excuse, but that is a fact.

Guys I firmly believe you can do this. It will take your attention away from other stuff in your life but frankly, that is the point. Read this verse below:

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age

Titus 2:11-12

I know this was a heavier topic but I can’t stress enough its importance and I have to ask this question one more time. 

Does Jesus know you?

Until next time guys-

Tribute to John MacArthur – 1935-2025

Posted: July 20, 2025 in Inspirational
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Many of you may have heard the very sad news this past week about the passing of John MacArthur, the Teacher-Pastor at Grace Bible Church near Thousand Oaks, California. He had been there for over 56 years. He became even more renowned during the awful Covid season when he stood firm against the State of California and Governor Gavin Newsom and refused to shut down his church. 

He literally defied what the State of California told him, deferring only to God, and in the end, Grace Bible Church won and held services throughout that difficult time.

It is very possible that you may never have heard of this man until the news broke this week of his passing, but I assure you that if you have read this blog before, then you are familiar with him because his influence is all over my IronManStrength blog and will continue to be. I have read 15 of his books and many of them twice and I found they are even better the second time. 

One of my regrets is I never got to see him preach in person, but thanks to YouTube, his sermons live on. 

I am the guy who likes to listen to him preach via his podcasts while I walk the miles I walk and in my opinion, his ability to speak biblical truth is exactly what this world needed and continues to need. His series of books titled:

The Gospel according to God,

The Gospel according to Jesus

The Gospel according to The Apostles,

The Gospel according to Paul,

…are extremely relevant and written in a way whereby he explains the theology of the good news of the gospel in an easy to understand manner. 

I learned this week through the media that he was a teacher that used the Bible to prove the Bible. He didn’t unnecesarily use lots of stories or personal anecdotes to help justify or emphasize sermons. He just used what the Bible says and that was enough.

Because of his influence on myself and this blog, I wanted to take just a few words and tell you that we lost a very important man in the Kingdom of God this week. In my opinion, he was the kind of man that doesn’t come along very often and from where I sit, I don’t see anyone now who can or will replace him. Why is this important? Because Satan knew John MacArthur as his enemy and one of his biggest adversaries on earth. John MacArthur reached millions of people throughout his lifetime using various media channels that broadcast his sermons. 

Guys, we need someone right now that isn’t afraid to speak Gods truth to a world that doesn’t want anything to do with it. We need another adversary like him to continue battling with our collective enemy.

John MacArthur said reading the Bible is like a lion, just open it up and let it out and it will do what its intended to do because Gods Word never returns void and will accomplish its purposes. 

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Guys, more than ever, we need more men to stand up and be committed to the truth of the Word of God. My commitment to you and the readers of this blog is that I will continue to bring you the truths of Gods Word wherever I find them and that will always include the very best of Pastor MacArthur.

We lost a great man of God this week and if you couldn’t tell, I am bummed.

But I will I leave you with some of his quotes from his books and sermons along the way.

Until next time guys-

  • We should not be entertained by the sins for which Christ died 
  • For some reason, we think of doubt and worry as “small” sins. But when a Christian displays unbelief…or an inability to cope with life, he is saying to the world, “My God cannot be trusted,” and that kind of disrespect makes one guilty of a fundamental error, the heinous sin of dishonoring God. That is no small sin.
  • The simplicity of the gospel gives what the complexity of human wisdom promises but never delivers.
  • There are basically only two kinds of religion in the world: those based on human achievement and those based on divine accomplishment. One says you can earn your way to heaven; the other says you must trust in Jesus Christ alone.
  • All sin results from failure to act in faith.
  • The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with Him, the more the Spirit will make you like Him. The more you are like Him, the better you will understand His utter sufficiency for all of life’s difficulties. And that is the only way to know real satisfaction.

It takes Real guts to say No

Posted: May 26, 2025 in Inspirational
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Have you ever heard the expression “if you give them an inch they will take a mile”? I am sure you have and it happens to be the phrase that illustrates what I wanted to talk about today. 

You see, the very expression “give an inch” implies from the outset that you gave in or you gave up something. But, in actuality, what you did was compromise. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. Compromise in a relationship is critical for it to last but remember, we don’t agree with our spouse or even our friends all the time. I am sure you have even “agreed to disagree” and maintained the relationship from there. I think that good debate is healthy and promotes independent thinking which is one of the keys to long lasting friendships. 

However, its that compromise in important areas of our lives that I am focusing on today.

I remember reading a book a few years ago by Dr. David Jeremiah called, The Handwriting on the Wall which talked about Daniel, who, while being held captive in Babylon for 70 years, never compromised his faith in God no matter what his circumstances ended up to being and this included facing sure death in the lions den.

His consistency was astounding and a model for all of us to follow. However, Dr. Jeremiah made a point that I wanted to illustrate to you which was simply that it takes guts…real guts, to say no to a terrible situation, even with God on your side. 

Daniel was resolute in his faith while in Babylon. For you and I, no matter where we are in life, we do not “have to bend the rules to be blessed of God. Our success is NOT dependent upon our compromise”. Our job is to trust and believe that He will take care of us because he has told us so.

From the very beginning in the Bible, we see compromises with very poor results:

Adam: he fell right in line with Eve’s sin by compromising and eating the forbidden fruit. 

Sarah :(Abrahams wife) her lack of faith in God caused her to compromise and send her husband Abraham to Hagar, her servant, who then gave birth to Ishmael. Life in the Middle East will never be the same.

Do you remember Esau who compromised his birthright because he was hungry?

King David: he was the man after Gods own heart, BUT, he compromised Gods morality by sleeping with Bathsheba and then killing her husband Uriah. 

The list goes on and on with Solomon, Judas and Ahaz who all compromised something significant in their lives and it cost them. 

Guys, think about this…all they would have had to do was to say NO…and then take a stand on faith and on what God promised them. After that, God is in charge of the situation.

I want to finish this post with a story Dr. Jeremiah shared in his book about a verbal exchange in a high school class between some students and a professor who was an athiest.

The professor stood at the lectern and began his lecture by saying, “will all of you who believe the myths of the Bible please stand.” Several stood.

Then he added, “now this semester I am going to free you from this religious Bible nonsense. I have read the Bible, and it is certainly written by a bunch of mixed up men.”

One young Daniel stood up and said, “Sir, the Bible is God’s letter to Christians, and if you are confused it’s because you are reading someone else’s mail.”

Guys, I pray that all of us can stand firm in our faith and NOT compromise in the face any adversity against you. You already know this, but adversity will continue to come. That is the way life goes.

I can also tell you with certainty that you are going to be in circumstances where you will be asked to “give an inch”. And after this blog, now you know why an inch matters. As Christians, it’s the difference between a life spent with God in Eternity or the alternative…

It is that simple and you get to make the choice…

My advice to you, be like Daniel…don’t compromise…

Until next time Guys… 

Jeremiah, David. 2020. The Handwriting on the Wall: Secrets from the Prohecies of Daniel. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Killing them with Kindness – Part 2

Posted: December 26, 2024 in Inspirational
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OK Guys, so last time I posted a blog about kindness that talked about the “why” we should choose to respond with compassion versus the alternative. In my previous post, I promised you how to execute this kindness response proposition into real action. 

If you are like me, talking about a big topic like this without giving me practical ideas of how to apply is like sitting down at the dinner table with a HUGE meal and no utensils. I may ultimately figure out how to eat, but the process could have been far easier with a fork.

Take a look at these 4 bullet points below and see:

  • Listen More, Judge Less: This is SO hard to do because sometimes, people lash out because they feel unheard or misunderstood. Focus on trying to listen with understanding can help diffuse tension and show that you value what they are saying.
  • Respond, Don’t React: Again, take a deep breath; when you are confronted with negativity, take a moment to pause. Think first, then respond. A calm, kind response can completely change the tone of a conversation.
  • Be Generous in Small Ways: A smile,  a thoughtful comment, or a small gesture of help can brighten someone’s day—even if they don’t deserve it.
  • Lead by Example: Guys, this is where it should hit the mark for you. If you demonstrate that kindness is a strength and not a weakness, your actions will inspire those around you (even your kids) to act with compassion as well. This is our goal.

Why all of this Matters

Finally, I have written 25 posts in 2024, and most centered on being a better Father, or I tried to inspire you to be better dudes. Why? Because the world doesn’t need any more arguments, any more grudges, or any more division. It needs men and women who are willing to rise above all the clattering noise of this crazy world and choose kindness, even when it’s hard. Christ, right before He was crucified gave us this simple, life-changing verse that all of us should apply. He said, Love your neighbor as yourself. Matt 22:39

Again, not easy. I get that…But when have you ever backed down from a challenge? What I am asking will require effort which is my charge to you in this new year.

Focus your responses with a “killing them with kindness” mindset. Remember that you don’t just “win” at the moment— rather you are planting seeds of positivity that can grow far beyond what you see.

Guys…so the next time someone tries to bring you down, remember this: you don’t have to meet them on their level. Instead, rise above and respond with kindness. You might just change their day—or even their life.

Think of it this way, kindness isn’t just an action. It’s a superpower.

Until next time Guys-

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Posted: November 10, 2024 in Inspirational
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How you ever been pummeled with a lie and after a while you actually start to believe it? Whether in person or online you just begin to ask if that is really who you are? Is there a maximum amount of negative comments you can hear before you break the camel’s back? Will there come a time that you don’t recognize yourself anymore in the mirror? 

Finally and worse yet…Is there a tipping point where I might move backwards in how I feel about God or myself? How much is too much?

If any of that feels familiar let me say I was inspired by a song this week that reminded me about these exact questions because this issue is real. The world is a nasty place. I have told you before on this very blog about the activity of the enemy…especially now…

But this Megan Woods’ song hit me with exactly with what I needed it to… PURE TRUTH. In fact, the song is called The Truth and I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to listen to it and be inspired like I was. You can find it on Amazon.

Why do I share this with you today? I want you to listen to the words from her chorus so you know. Do you remember the question I asked you above? When you are faced with being told a lie about yourself over and over again, when do you start to believe it is true? Read these words below-

“The truth is I am my father’s child I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect king He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing

The truth is I am truly loved by a God who’s good when I’m not good enough

I don’t belong to the lies I belong to you…and that’s the truth” (emphasis added)

PLEASE let that sink in for a moment…because it is exactly opposite of the message you will hear from this world. Everyday, the enemy tells you you’re not good enough. He whispers you’re a failure until one day, you think it may be true.

So today, I am drawing a line in the sand-

I wanted to give you an alternative opinion. I wanted to remind you instead that YOU are loved by a God that accepts you…just as you are…

He meets you right there…wherever you are with His grace…and not a body slam.

She closes this amazing song with what I titled this blog today and that is this message that I pray will resonate with you when you are finished reading and listening….

I know who I am…Because I know who You are

Remember – You are made in HIS image and therefore changed on the inside so you can be set free in knowing that you are a different person and that you make Him proud. I really want you to remember this fact the next time you look in the mirror…that reflection you see is pretty cool dude in God’s eyes.

Just in case you forgot…Because of HIM, now you know who you are…

Until next time Guys

  • The Truth, Megan Woods, Amazon Music, 2024

Commander of the Army of the LORD

Posted: February 12, 2024 in Inspirational
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I hope this one gets you excited!… Have you ever read these 3 verses before In Joshua?

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as Commander of the Army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.   Joshua 5:13-15

Unlike my usual approach, I believe it’s important to begin this blog by acknowledging that some of you may be unfamiliar with these verses. So let me set the stage;

Israel is about to go to war with one of the most disturbing, detestable, and disgusting groups of people that ever lived on this earth. The residents of Jericho’s sin had reached what God called “its full measure” which meant that after giving them ample time to repent, He was done with them. Their punishment…would be death by Israelite. 

So picture in your mind, thousands of men screaming and banging their weapons together, raising their fists and shouting as loud as they could. Both sides faced each other only in this instance, the warriors of Jericho stood very comfortably on the inside of the largest and impenetrable fortress of its time. Archaeologists confirm the walls of Jericho stood 30 feet high and get this, 20 feet thick.

How, on God’s green earth could an Israelite force, or for that matter, any force, assail an army behind walls that could not be breached? Enter God and His plan which was very different than what you and I would have done…but it worked. 

But the reason I write this post today is to call your attention to someone who came to this fight before it started. Did you pick that up in verse 14? I call your attention to the “Commander of the Armies of the Lord” Have you heard of this guy before? Did you know there was a Commander for the Armies of God? Can you imagine what this warrior from Heaven looked like? Guys, that is another blog altogether. But, here is my question to you, why was this Commander, with his seniority in Heaven, present at this battle?

Please hear my words guys because there is no conjecture here. This Commander was at this battle for one reason… besides the physical war happening between Israel and the men of Jericho, God’s armies were doing battle with the forces of Satan. All of this chaos was happening at the same time and the reason I mention this today is simply to point out that God did not desert his people. He sent His forces to war right alongside the Israelites to ensure victory during a battle unlike any other.

But I must bring this story back down to you and me, Let me remind you that God is doing the very same thing now in all of our lives. PLEASE remember that Spiritual forces are fighting for you and at the very same time, different evil forces are fighting against you. Yes…this is true. There is a battle going on for your individual soul. I have written about this many times in past blogs but when I get to illustrate God’s action by showing you who is sent to defend you, I just think that is incredibly encouraging and I hope you find that to be true as well.

Remember, you are NOT alone in your battle. God will send the Commander of the Armies of the Lord along with the legions of Angels to keep you safe. They are still on duty…

Until next time Guys-

Eternal Life – What is it?

Posted: February 3, 2024 in Heaven Bound
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The Bible talks plainly about eternal life, which is, simply put, living forever with God as His saved people. This means that only those who have a saving relationship with God; meaning one that is active and fruitful, are identified as people who will receive eternal life.

Humanity, of course, has taken the concept of eternal life and added its dose of limited understanding to bring it down to a level where they can understand it in their terms and not in Gods. They have watered eternal life down to a point where either the concept is so ridiculous that they do not believe it, or they adjust what is required to get there so that they can live their life as they want to. Kind of the “have your cake and eat it too” mentality. I have seen this and I am sure you have as well.

Maybe you don’t believe in Eternal Life yourself…

I will be honest with you, Eternal life, without faith, is hard to understand. The idea of living forever is something we only see in the movies. Our collective reality is we are surrounded by death and even though living forever sounds amazing, it is hard to think that could happen. When your loved one passes, they are physically gone and until you die yourself and find out where they went by then it is too late.

Guys, I want to give you some help with this topic so we can better understand…but I have to warn you…this topic does require faith in what you cannot see. Remember, the author of Hebrews said it this way,

        Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

First of all, eternal life is more than some endless existence floating around somewhere. I am sure you have seen the cartoon of the guy floating around on a cloud playing the harp…that is NOT eternal life.

Eternal life will be a special quality of life that we as believers receive when we partake of the essential life of God through Christ His Son…all this means is you have an ongoing active relationship with Christ. And that eternal life I am speaking about is a present reality while you live on Earth. Jesus said it very plainly this way,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

As I said, the present possession of eternal life requires a living faith…meaning at your very core, you believe. I must make clear that Eternal life is not just secured and maintained merely by repenting and having faith from a long time ago. But rather it involves the present living connection with Christ…Because there is NO eternal life apart from Him.

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12

Finally, there is our FUTURE Hope…

We have a hope that lives in us because of our salvation in Him. The bottom line for you and me is that our Eternal life is directly connected with the future coming of Christ for all of His faithful believers. We have been given hope, through many scriptures that He will return and fulfill His promises.

..which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10

How can I sum this up for you? I specifically kept this post separated from the topic of Heaven as that is the “where” and I am referring to the “what”. Eternal life can begin on Earth with a saving salvation in Christ Jesus. That is living by the Spirit daily and something that you participate in like going to the gym. Yes, it is like exercising your spiritual muscle.

That daily and faithful relationship produces eternal fruit for you. But the easiest way to understand is to use the same verse we all learned as children:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that whosoever believes in Him would not die, but have eternal life. John 3:16

I know this was short, but hopefully, this helped you grasp eternal life a little bit easier. Your walk in faith takes effort and time but the relationship you develop with Christ is the beginning of eternal life and will be the most rewarding thing you have ever experienced…that I can assure you.

Until next time, guys-

Hope is NOT a Strategy…

Posted: January 29, 2024 in Inspirational
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Over the last few years, we have seen this phrase trotted out constantly in the media through political campaigns as a reminder that the idea of Hope is actually a bad idea. Why? Because Hope should not be counted on as something that will happen. But, if this were true, then why would anyone feel good about hope in the first place? 

Today, I hope to change your mind about this topic because if your hope strategy is actually Biblical Hope, then it is by far the best strategy any of us can count on or put our faith in.

One of the most powerful emotions we can experience as humans is the feeling of Hope. I have experienced this personally as I am sure most of you have too. To go through a situation that is painful or difficult at whatever level, grief or loss or something, and to come out of that ordeal with a solid Hope for the future is a feeling that is hard to describe. Hope not only makes you feel better, but it also makes you feel better also. What I mean is…Hope is healthier for your body because when you are full of hope, you are not full of stress. 

Think about this; Hope and Stress do not peacefully coexist in the same body.

I am writing about Hope today because, by its very nature, Hope concerns the future and when I watch the news, the future looks to be very disconcerting. Yet Hope involves so much more than just a desire or a wish for something better in the next week, month, or year. If you haven’t already noticed, I wanted to introduce you to a different kind of Hope and one that is a far more solid version. 

Yep…you guessed it, Biblical Hope. Here are two hope verse examples below:

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose Hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. Psalms 33:18-19

Then you will know that I am the Lord, those who hope in me will not be disappointed. Isa 49:23b

Can you imagine hoping for something and not being disappointed? This is what I mean… Biblical Hope is a whole different level of Hope because it consists of assurance of the heart and firm confidence about the future of things on this earth. Why? Because these “things” are based on God’s promises. 

In other words, Biblical Hope is inseparably linked to a Firm Faith and a strong confident trust in God.  These all work together to provide you with a foundation that cannot be shaken. You can be navigating the largest and most difficult situation you thought possible, but because of Biblical Hope…everything changes. I am not blowing smoke here. Biblical Hope can feel physical and can provide the foothold you need to make it to your next step…and the one after that.

Guys…I cannot emphasize enough how many promises are made in the Bible that are mentioned for no other reason than to give you and me HOPE. God didn’t leave you on an island called Earth without a lifeboat. He filled up an entire book with reasons why you should hang on and not give in to whatever tidal wave you think is coming.

Bottom line for you and me…Hope is, without a doubt, a strategy if your Hope is in Him…

Until next time Guys-

Friendship with this World

Posted: January 6, 2024 in Heaven Bound
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Do you think it is possible for a Christian Man or Woman to “ride the fence” so to speak with their relationship to this world and then with God? Can we do what we want Monday through Saturday and then make it all up to God on Sunday? I don’t know about you, but I have a work friend that does exactly that. He knows how I feel about what he is doing and so now he just avoids me.

So I thought about this issue recently on my way home from work and I realized that all I can do for this person is to NOT judge him, but rather just be there and be me. What I mean is, to show him that I can live in this world by creating boundaries for myself that I choose not to cross. As far as our friendship goes, I can and I WILL continue to be his friend but I just don’t approve of his choices.

My dad used to tell me right before a spanking, “I love you, son, I just don’t love what you did”…and that is where I am now with my friend.

Because of this situation, however, I went back and looked at what Scripture says about a Christian’s relationship with the world, and what I found was God has a lot to say on this subject. In fact, scripture is crystal clear on how we are to cohabitate while we are here on this earth.

Without preaching to anyone, here is how God feels about our relationship with this world. Again…He does not mince words and He starts with this statement below-

Friendship with the World is hatred toward God

Secondly, James had some very strong words for his audience when he spoke these scriptures below about their friendship with this world.

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (hostile) with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.    James 4:4-8

I get it. This is STRONG scripture but I think the important points to recognize are:

  1. If we are focused on anything ELSE other than Him. 
  2. If we are spending time on something that is a distraction from our relationship with Him.
  3. If we choose to not attend church to enjoy an activity outside regularly

Guys, the list goes on and on. But the reality is that if you find yourself compromising your walk or your relationship, then these scriptures, HOPEFULLY, can help bring you back to center so you can prioritize what is really important for your eternal future.

You, me, we have to separate ourselves from this world…just like scripture says

Jesus said it this way, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”  Matthew 6:24

My intent in writing this to you today is simply a reminder that because life does indeed go on, it is VERY easy to lose focus and compromise your faith. And the reality for us is that just because we are not focused on our walk with Him…HE STILL IS… and compromise is the first step towards a fall.

I care about you guys and want each of you to experience eternal life with Christ. Let me end with what the Apostle John says-

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

1 John 2:15-17

Please stay strong-

Until next time Guys-

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