His Grace Isn’t Granted Because…

God provides for all people. For the ones who trust Him, He provides a mind that understands, eyes that can truly see, and ears that are attentive to His words. However, God doesn’t pardon stubborn and rebellious hearts, His grace isn’t granted because we are special, or do things that please Him, but by His own volition. The closer we come to God the more humble we will become because in comparison to the Almighty, we are a speck of dust on the planet Mars. The more we come to understand His love, His grace, and His mercy, the more gratitude we will begin to show Him and others. We are accountable to God because He has revealed to us the Truth. And knowing Truth, we are obligated to abide in Him. When we do, it sets us free.

4 But to this day the Lord has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear! 5 For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other alcoholic drink, but He gave you food so you would know that He is the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 29:4-6

19 “Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.’ This would lead to utter ruin! 20 The Lord will never pardon such people. Instead His anger and jealousy will burn against them. All the curses written in this book will come down on them, and the Lord will erase their names from under heaven. Deuteronomy 29:19-20

29 “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that He has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. Deuteronomy 29:29

Go With What We Know To Be True…

Truth is solid ground, it’s a foundation built upon solid rock. “Feelings” are like building your house on sand. It may look good, and last during good weather, but when the storms come, it will collapse into a heap of ruins. Being angry or jealous, or hurt and disappointed, or silly, or even euphoric, doesn’t last. Without knowing how to properly handle these feelings will leave you guessing and exhausted. And much worse, it will most likely damage your relationships, especially the ones that are most meaningful to you. Truth gives us consistency. You see, truth doesn’t change. Truth gives us the blueprints to behaviors that stand throughout all situations. Truth allows us to stand firm in the fiercest of storms or floods. Sure, it’s still scary, but when the storm passes, and the flood waters recede, your house will still be standing. Feelings are part of life and are real, but they are only temporary. If you don’t live by truth, you’re dictating your life on the temporary. You’ll be riding a massive wave when you want a lazy river experience. It may be fun for the moment, but when the wave crashes, you go with it. As I always say, feelings are legitimate, but often overrated, we have to learn to set them aside and go with what we know to be true. Feelings are self-centered. Truth takes us outside of ourselves to much bigger things. What do you build your life upon, truth or feelings?

46 “So why do you keep calling Me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to Me, listens to My teaching, and then follows it.48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” Luke 6:46-49

The Root Determines The Fruit….

When you repent of your sin and make your heart right with God, good things will flow out of it. The fruit does not determine the root. The root determines the fruit. If your heart is full of self, the only fruit that will be produced is self-righteousness. That kind of fruit will not sustain a life for very long. As the proverb states, “out of the heart, the mouth speaks”. Now you know why this biblical truth is so important, “above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”. If you’re not producing good fruit, it may be time to have an honest conversation with yourself, by examining your heart. After that, it’s time to ask God for a heart transplant. Good fruit only comes from a “Good Source”, and that Source is God Himself. God will go to great lengths to make yourself heart right with Him. It starts with identifying the root.

43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Luke 6:43-45

Without Jesus…

Without Jesus all the riches and laughter, all the prosperity you possess, and all the satisfied appetites you’ve experienced will not bring the enjoyment you think it’s supposed to bring. Your wealth, laughter, and appetite are all focused on the temporary. When the temporary comes and goes you’ll discover the security wealth brings won’t satisfy, the joy your laughter causes will turn to sorrow, and your appetite will grow to be insatiable. Jesus brings meaning to life. His ways are the only ways that turn the temporal into the eternal. The prosperity, the joy, and the appetite He brings will be satisfied and last forever. Heaven is real, and it’s only entered by those who accept His rules on getting in. Salvation is by no other than Jesus. Without Him, life is a series of unmet expectations.

17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of His followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch Him, because healing power went out from Him, and He healed everyone. The Beatitudes 20 Then Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor,for the Kingdom of God is yours.21 God blesses you who are hungry now,for you will be satisfied.God blesses you who weep now,for in due time you will laugh. 22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. Sorrows Foretold 24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich,for you have your only happiness now.25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,for a time of awful hunger awaits you.What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,for their ancestors also praised false prophets. Luke 6:17-26

Those Troubled By Evil Spirits….

I wonder who “those troubled by evil spirits” were? Could that have been those who were depressed? Transgender? Homosexual? Bi-Polar? Drug addicts? All other mental disorders? If that was the case, things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years, have they? People still need to be healed by Jesus, don’t they? Yet, today’s people reject Him because they think their problem is normal behavior. They think Jesus loves them just the way they are, but even if that were true, His love won’t let them remain the way they are. Maybe if society didn’t rush to affirm people troubled by evil spirits, they would be more willing to hear more about Jesus.

17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of His followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch Him, because healing power went out from Him, and He healed everyone. Luke 6:17-19

Misled By Sin….

Why is there such division in America (as of this writing April 2021)? Because the godly hates lies, and the wicked cause shame and disgrace. People who side with God try to guard what is good and right, while evil people are misled by sin. A perfect example of this is the transgender movement. There is no documented scientific evidence to explain “how you identify your gender”. It’s all “feelings” based. Yet if you state this, you are labeled a hater. No substantial evidence of proving transgenderism, but you offend if you try to make this point. It’s all about control and acceptance. If you don’t agree and accept our unscientific diagnosis, we try to control you and try to punish you, all in the name of justice. This is exactly what sin does. It turns God’s order upside down, and inside out. It calls evil good and good evil. What science and biology called gender dysphoria a few years ago, is now an acceptable behavior. Changing the name and making laws to protect will never turn evil into good. Give this a thought, if physical genitalia doesn’t define gender, then why are trans people wanting to change their current body to look more like the opposite gender’s body? 🤔 If God made you a man biologically, you are a man biologically, no matter how hard you try to be a woman. It’s a mental disorder to try to be something you’re not. You will never win that battle, and thus bring on your own endless cycle of despair, because acceptance by man will never equivocate acceptance by God. Think about it, if you think you were born in the wrong body, you’re essentially calling God a liar. You’re saying God made a mistake. Why would God accept someone who thinks He’s a liar? It just doesn’t work that way. These proverbs state this truth, and they were written almost 3,000 years ago. Truth doesn’t change, even if man’s idea of it does.

5 The godly hate lies;the wicked cause shame and disgrace. 6 Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin. Proverbs 13:5-6

If It Feels Right, Do It….

When you base your life solely on how “you feel”, it’s a good indicator of your spiritual blindness. Just as a physically blind person feels his way around in life, a spiritually blind person uses their feelings to dictate their behavior. “If it feels right, do it”. “I don’t feel like doing that”. “I feel I should....”. “I’ve always felt this way”. Feelings are legitimate, but often overrated. Often, you have to set them aside and go with what you know to be true. Feelings with often lead you to believe you’re okay, when you’re not.

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor–sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:31-32