Outside of the church, people live by a different set of rules. For an example, as Christians we are taught and commanded by Christ to love one another as we would want to be loved, as well as what it means to love one another, but outside of the church people may not care whether they love their neighbor or not. They may not care whether they tell lies about others, or do something that would be considered wrong according to the Bible, because they are not bound by their faith in Jesus to keep His Word. 

As Christians, we are taught to not avenge ourselves when we are wronged by others, but to instead allow ourselves to endure that suffering, just as Jesus did. Instead of avenging ourselves, we need to allow God to avenge us by lifting up our prayers to Him for deliverance, and we can have the confidence that He will hear our prayers and punish those who would harm us. Jesus told a parable about this in Luke chapter 18.

Luke 18:1-8  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Our God is filled with an abundance of love for His children, and we can have great comfort in the knowledge that He will avenge us when we are made to suffer at the hands of others. Like Christ, we need to just let it happen and leave the rest up to God to punish the wicked. 

1 Peter 2:21-23  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

Of course it would be a great thing if everyone in the world believed in the teachings of Christ and loved each other, but this is simply not the way of the world. I have seen families torn apart by fighting and bickering over the most ridiculous of things, money, possessions, arguments, but if they would just submit themselves to God’s Word this would all be alleviated. But instead of showing this kind of love to each other they fight and desire to return back all of the evils that they received. But this should not be in the church.

Suffering is a part of being a Christian, and this is something that we need to get used to. They hated Jesus while He walked this earth, unjustly, but they hated Him, and as followers of Him we can expect to receive the same from others who do not abide God’s Word. But it is alright, because when we suffer, God will see it and will avenge us speedily. Just lift up your prayers to Him, and stand fast in your faith. God sees you, and He will repay.

In Christ

Andrew 

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

On a submarine, the commanding officer is in charge of the life and the death of each individual on his boat. He has a great responsibility and ultimately has to live with every decision that he makes, right or wrong. He is in command. An executive officer stands by the captains side, even when his orders are contrary to the will of the sailors.  The XO is responsible to preserve the chain of command for the sake of all who are onboard.  He must display perfect obedience and submission to the will of the captain.  Many people claim that the success of a ship resides in the obedient behavior of a good executive officer. His public display of obedience to the captain trickles down to the rest of the crew, motivating compliance to their own superiors.

This reminds me of the Christian life.

Like an XO, a Christian wife is to always submit and obey her husband, and at all times, never fail to preserve the chain of command.

Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

All places of authority were created by God. The chain of command is found throughout society.  We can see it in a courthouse and in a school. We can see it in a police station, and in the workplace.  It is defined as a stepladder of authoritative positions within a group, that is ranked from the highest to lowest. It is a hierarchy that determines your place within the unit, through which commands and instructions are exercised. 

An employer might hire you to fill a certain position in their company, but when you accept the job, you will need to submit to others who have authority over you. An employer hires and commands their employees to certain tasks and duties.  He is the overseer and the one who is in charge of the operation.  Throughout life, you will need to report to someone, ultimately God. Can you imagine any kind of business operating without any kind of chain of command? Without this structure, it would be chaotic and unproductive, with a workforce that really didn’t know what they should or shouldn’t be doing.  Can you imagine going into a classroom where the teacher has no control or authority over the students? If no one was in control, the classroom would be filled with utter recklessness, a place of anarchy, and an atmosphere that would not be very conducive to learning. There must be a structure of authority to benefit society, and all authority was created by God.  In the church, the chain of command is openly displayed.

1 Corinthians 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

God has created man as a woman’s authority, whether they are married or not.  Men are called to lead and command the church, and the women must submit to male leadership. To reject this is to reject God’s order of creation.

1 Corinthians 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

1 Timothy 2:11-13  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Scriptures teach that we are supposed to be examples of our faith to others. In the Christian home we must demonstrate obedience and faithfulness to the will of God. There is a chain of command in a Christian home that must be preserved at all cost. The husband rules his home as the commander in chief over his wife and children.  It is his duty to watch over their souls and to command, warn and discipline them as required.  The wife is under the authority of her husband and is required by Jesus to obey him in everything, in the same way that an executive officer would obey the commander of a submarine.  She must never resist him, or disagree with him, because to do so is to break the chain of command. It is the husband who has been ordained by God to command the house, not the wife.  He is in charge of the decisions, not her.  He’s been granted that place of command over his home by God, just as our Lord Jesus has been placed in charge of the church by God. Those who become involved in the resistance of the husband’s headship, and encourage others to do so, will receive to themselves damnation. This is because they are wilfully rebelling against the ordained power in the home, and the commands of Christ.  

Romans 13:1-2  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

In the Christian family, the wife is supposed to be the example of perfect obedience to the husband. She is required to display complete submission to her husband’s authority, not only because it is a command of Christ, but because young impressionable eyes are watching her. Like little ducks in a row, walking behind their mother, children look up to her and will mimic what she does. If her behavior Is disobedient towards her spouse, that behavior can be passed down to the children.  They are watching how she reacts to her husbands control and direction within the home.  If she is headstrong and fights against his leadership and authority, the children can grow up in the home thinking that her behavior is acceptable. If they believe that lie as adults, she causes them to offend, resulting of her own disobedience.

Wives receive more attention in a home than they might realize. She is like the centerpiece on a dining room table, that all the children are sitting around the table looking at. Men are busy outside of the home, while she is there all day long with the children. The Christian wife is to display good works to them, being an example of submission to the virtues of the gospel of Christ.  If she models humility, the children learn humility.  If she models meekness, the children learn meekness. If she models obedience, the children learn obedience.  If she models love, the children learn to love. If she models hatred, the children learn to hate. Attributes of the parent can be handed down to the child because children learn a lot by watching. When she submits to her husband in everything, the children learn submission, and their faith in Christ can grow because they see her obedience to the will of God.

Like a king or a sovereign in a foreign land, a man has the complete rule over his own home. There are very few who can accept this truth, given the age that we live in, because many of them have been deceived and succomed to the teachings of the world. His rule must be respected and honored by the wife, for this is what it means to reverence him. Nowadays, many women who profess to be Christian will openly vent upon their husbands in front of the children, denigrating him and disparaging him in their very presence. This on the face of it is utter wickedness and only displays open rebellion of authority. When she circumvents his leadership, she brings upon herself shame and her own damnation.  There are many unmarried women who act the same way towards men in general, disrespecting male leadership and authority in this world, which was ordained by God at the very beginning through the creation of Adam.

Jesus has always obeyed and pleased the heavenly Father, as an example to each of us of meekness and submission. Once again, just like an XO, a Christian wife must always submit and obey her husband, and at all times, never fail to preserve the……

…..Chain of Command.

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.

tlkjbc.com♥️

Note: Any copies may be printed and freely distributed among those who have no internet service. There is no AI creative involvement in my writings, and must be left intact because they are very personal to me. They and made public only for the free benefit of Spiritual knowledge to those who are genuinely seeking the will of God.

Years ago we had bought a new batch of young chicks from a local farm store, and after bringing them home we placed them in their new enclosure that we had built for them. Well, later that night we were asleep in our house when we were awakened by a low sound coming from outside and by the direction of our new chicks. Thump. Thump thump. We grabbed a flashlight and put on our boots to see what was going on, and as soon as we shone our light in the direction we heard the nose from. We only caught a short glimpse of a moving object, but it was enough for us to immediately tell what it was. A black and white ringed tail from a fleeing raccoon. After making sure that the chicks were still safe we went back to bed for a few hours, but not before we devised a plan for the next night.

During that next afternoon we constructed a box trap out of some scrap lumber and wire fencing, and as soon as we were all done we set it up by the side of the chicken enclosure with a bit of food in it to attract the raccoon that night. Well night began to fall and we kept an ear out for the sound of the trap closing, and before too long we heard it. Sure enough, inside our trap we had caught that raccoon. It’s desire to obtain that bit of food that we had left in the trap caused it to go to it the only way that it could, through the entrance of the trap. That was the only way in, and that raccoon took it.

And just like that one, single entrance leading to that piece of food, there is only one entrance the Kingdom of Heaven. There is only one way that eternal life can be obtained, and it is through the Son of God, Jesus Christ. This is something that many people throughout the world may dispute, but it is the absolute truth. Many different religions claim to believe in an afterlife of some kind, and they may have their own beliefs on how they can achieve immortality, but the truth of the matter is that there is only one way to get to Heaven.

John 14:1-6  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The only way to Heaven is through Jesus. There is no other way. There are no shortcuts, or alternate paths. There are no other religions through which eternal salvation can be acquired. Many people may try to reach a place of eternal life through other means, but they will all fail if they do not go through Christ, because He is the only way.

It is like an ant trying to move a boulder the size of a house. It just cannot be done. That ant may think to itself, “I’ll bet that I can move that somehow,” but the fact is that it just cannot be done. Eternal life is found in Jesus, and the entrance to receive that eternal salvation can only be reached if you believe in and place your trust in Him.

Acts 4:8-12  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus is up in Heaven, waiting with His arms wide open and calling for people everywhere to come to Him. The gift of eternal life that He offers is there for the taking, if we simply make the decision in our lives to believe in Him. Jesus is the door, you just need to take His hand, and He will lead you into His kingdom.

In Christ

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

Over the centuries there are many people who have migrated to this country, placing down roots and settling with their families. One of the first permanent English settlements in the US was founded in 1607.  It was called Jamestown, named after the sovereign who granted the charter, King James. For many years, people continued moving westward across this the great plains, eventually deciding to remain somewhere, building homes, planting crops and raising families. This created a network of towns, cities and communities across this nation, where people had ceased from their wanderings, and finally chose to settle down.

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

Just like the early pioneers, we too must learn to settle down, becoming unmovable in the doctrines of our faith.

Colossians 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled,…….

Through God’s grace, He can present us unblameable in His sight, but there is something that we must do on our part. We must learn to overcome the deeds of the flesh and go and sin no more.  To do this we need to become settled and grounded in our faith. To be settled means to be fixed and established and unlikely to change.  Many of you may know of a local business that has been around for over 100 years.  They reside in the same building and have never moved. That is stability, being steadfastly anchored in one location, which is the same way that we must be according to scriptural teachings.  Our feet must be firmly planted, with opinions that are unchangeable because they are solidly rooted in the truth. In the sky the position of the clouds changes from day to day.  Daily temperatures fluctuate from hot to cold, but God’s Word is constant and will never change.  

To eventually obtain eternal life we must settle down and abide in the truth of scripture because it is the path of Christ that leads to salvation.  Continuing in our faith means we must become a doer of God’s Word, which results in conversion, sanctification and perfection.  These things must take place in a person’s life in order to obtain salvation.  It’s a message that has been preached by Jesus and His disciples for thousands of years.  We must turn from sin, we must depart from sin, we must repent of sin, casting away the sinful works of the flesh, and becoming a new creature formed through faith in Christ.  Sinners must be transformed into saints, ready and prepared to enter into paradise. Many people who profess Christianity have forgotten these main tenants of our faith, and instead of settling down in what they have been taught, they have wandered off into the world, being led astray and following its teachings instead.  The Apostle Paul warned the Church of this very thing.

Colossians 2:5-8  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2 Timothy 4:3-4  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

The people spoken of in these passages never really lasted in the faith.  For them, the Christian walk was only temporary.  Instead of remaining firmly stablished in the truth, they uprooted and left, becoming disobedient and reprobate. They knew the will of God, they just didn’t want to do it.

2 Peter 2:17-22  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

To be grounded and settled in our faith means that it is permanent, long-lasting and enduring.  It goes beyond just hearing or knowing scripture, it means doing the will of God from your heart.  Knowing the scriptures are the map that leads to heaven, but a map by itself cannot get us to the treasure that we seek, until we first get up, take action, and begin to walk in the direction that it instructs us to go.

James 1:21-25  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Continuing in our faith will bring blessings from God, and ultimately result in our own salvation.

1 Timothy 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

If you want to enter into eternal life, you are going to have to place your permanent residence deep upon the foundation of Holy Scripture.   We must remain fixed in our beliefs.  We must abide faithfully in the truth.  We must remain unmovable in our faith.  Spiritually, we must learn to do what the early pioneers did so many years ago.  We need to follow their example by….

…Settling Down

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

Decisions and choices, everyone needs to make them everyday. Do I want coffee or not? Am I going to turn right or am I going to turn left? Should I stop at a red traffic light, or should I continue right through it? Pretty much all decisions that we can make have a corresponding result, like cause and effect. If you hit a baseball with a bat the ball moves, or if you put a match to a piece of paper it starts on fire. Whatever choice you decide to make you must be prepared to receive the result of.  

The decision to follow Jesus and obey His will is a decision that no one can make for you. It is your decision and yours alone. “Will I give my life to the Lord and submit myself to Him, or will I serve my own self and desires?” The choice that you make will determine your result.

Follow me, Jesus said to His disciples. Jesus gave them a choice, to follow Him or not. He didn’t force them to do anything, but He gave them the opportunity to make the decision on their own. Jesus asked others to follow him, but instead of following him they chose to do something different. Other things were more important to them than following in the steps of Christ. But they had had that choice given to them, and whatever result came of their choice was ultimately what they chose.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As Christians our goal is to serve Christ and to point others to Him. We are like a mirror that reflects others to Christ. We cannot save someone from their sins, Jesus does the saving. We cannot grant eternal life, Jesus has the key to immortality. It is a gift that can only come from Him. We can only point others in the direction of Jesus and they need to make the decision to follow Him.

But with each choice that you make comes the result of your decision. I once ate an entire pan full of brownies when I was very young, maybe four or five years old, and the result was that I became very sick from eating too many of them. I could have chosen to eat two or three instead of the entire pan, but I didn’t, and I received the result for my choice. God does not force anyone to obey His commands, but He gives everyone the choice to do what they want.  This doesn’t mean that they are exempt from the resulting punishment of their actions if they choose to not obey Him, but if that is going to be their decision then God lets them make that choice.

John 12:25-26  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Remember that when God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden He didn’t forcibly restrain them from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but He did command that they not eat of it. But because they did eat of it they received the punishment in that they began to die. They had the choice to obey God, but they ate of the tree anyway.

I can’t make your decisions for you, I can only show you what the Bible teaches. You can read the Bible from front to back, several times over, but it is what you do with the information that you have read that matters. The decision is then yours. What are you going to do?

In Christ

Andrew 

Good morning and welcome in. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture From the Book of Romans.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The Bible is filled with promises and there is one found in this verse,…do you see it? It teaches that all things work together for good. The requirement for obtaining that promise means that you need to love God with a pure heart.  After all, this is the first and great commandment.  God wants to take us to a better place, but to get there requires obeying Him. 

Joseph chose to do the will of God, even though it resulted in him being falsely accused and wrongfully sentenced to prison.  But because He obeyed God, God lifted Joseph up to a better place. Whatever the immediate result may be, doing the will of God and following God’s Word proves your love towards Christ, and He will bless you because of that behavior.  As a Christian, we need to choose right over wrong, good over evil, and light over darkness.  We must strive to become obedient in all things, being faithful to the Lord and His biblical commands and directives. God sees our obedience, and He will take care of the rest. 

1 Peter 2:19-23  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

As a young child, we prove our love to a parent through our obedience.  When we do what we are told, it shows that we respect and honor them.  Obedience pleases them, and most parents will joyfully reward that kind of behavior.  On the other hand, disobedience does not please them, and can result in sanctions or punishment. Have you ever been grounded? If so, then you did something that your parents did not approve of.  God wants to reward us for being in complete submission to His commands.  Of all the people you could ever please, you definitely want to please God, because your salvation depends upon it.

1 Thessalonians 4:1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

Colossians 1:9-10  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

To truly love God is more than just saying that you love Him, it is acting upon the profession of your love. If you really love Him, it will result in lovingly obeying Him from the heart.

John 14:21, 23-24  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

John 15:9-10  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

How would you like to have God as your friend?  Friendship with him Is determined by your obedience to His will.

John 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

So once again let’s look at our study verse once again.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Our unconditional love for Jesus is shown through our unconditional obedience towards Hill will.  In order to claim God’s blessings we need to serve His purpose for us, rather than serving our own. Some people might feel that their purpose in life is to become a plumber or an electrician. Others might feel that their calling is to become a pilot or an astronaut, spending many years training and going to college in order to become what they feel called to do. But there’s a great difference between what we want to do with our life, and what God wants us to do.  Before I became a baptized believer, I told my family on numerous occasions that I would never teach. I loathed the profession, and was focused on my own desires and direction. But that all changed when I realized that God had sent His Son to die on the cross for my sins.  I understood that there was hope for me, and that he cared for me, which completely changed my entire purpose in life. If we truly want to obtain blessings from God, we must focus our loving attention on Him, submitting ourselves to His purpose and calling for us, rather than our own.

Ultimately, the Christian Life is about doing what God wants us to do.  It’s about giving up your own desires to fulfill His desires for you.  It’s like a Christian wife who willingly gives up all the things that she chased after, to lovingly serve and obey her husband. Some people might claim to be a follower of Jesus, but in all reality, they don’t follow Him at all.  To truly follow Christ and serve God’s purpose requires submission, which is a foreign word to the carnal nature.  Submission means to yield to the will and authority of another person.  It is to completely surrender your heart by placing it under the control and direction of somebody else.  What’s the old saying, He is the Potter, and we are the clay.  God wants to mold and shape us into what He wants us to be, but in order for that to happen, humility must first take place. We must submit and cooperate with the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Before the promise of blessings can come to pass, we must completely yield to His purpose for us in this life.

As Jesus walked from town to town, He called out to men to follow Him and to preach the gospel.  A few of the men that he met were raised as fisherman, but their purpose completely changed when they dropped their nets to preach God’s Word. God wanted them to become fishers of men, and they submitted themselves to His calling. Look at the life of Moses who could have been Pharaoh in Egypt, but when he placed his faith in the Lord, His purpose completely changed. He meekly submitted himself to what God wanted him to become, and was blessed because of it.  At one time, The Apostle Paul felt that it was his purpose to destroy the Christian faith, but later on in his life, He believed the truth in Christ, Got forgiven, and things completely changed.  He began to preach Jesus and spread the gospel of Christ.

Look at the obedient lives of these chosen men of God. Like them, those of us who choose to humbly live our lives according to God’s purpose can always remember that God is watching, and He has something good waiting for us……

….. Right around the corner.

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

Do you know what a two-way mirror is? It is essentially a window, but on one side it appears to be just a mirror just like the one you may use in your bathroom. You may often find one of these mirrors at a business somewhere, often by the checkouts, and on the other side of the mirror will often be an office or security room. I would find these mirrors rather fascinating as a younger child, because I had learned that, while you didn’t see anything other than yourself when you first looked at the mirror, if you placed you face up against the glass and cupped your hands around your eyes you could see directly through it and see what was on the other side. And this experience has shown me the truth that the Bible has taught, because before I went up to those mirrors to look at who or what was on the other side, do you know what I saw? I saw myself. Before I cupped my hands around my eyes and pressed my face against the glass I saw the reflection of my own face staring right back at me.

John 8:1-11  Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

This woman in this passage certainly was a sinner, there is no doubt about that. Apparently she had been caught “in the very act,” and it was this woman’s sins which the Pharisees sought to exploit in one of their many ways to attempt to find anything at all that they could accuse Jesus for, and in this instance they wanted to try to say that He wasn’t keeping the Law if He pardoned this woman. But after a short while Jesus gave them their answer with the words, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Jesus essentially told them that “If you are perfect and blameless of sin, then stone her.” But how many stones were thrown at that adulterous woman? None. It was as though Jesus took a two way mirror and set it in between the scribes and the Pharisees and the woman, and told them, “What do you see? When you look at yourself, do you see someone who is perfect, or someone who is a sinner?” When they took a moment to think about the words that Jesus spoke they realized that they were just as much of a sinner as the woman before them.

Oftentimes many people may be like the Pharisees in the Bible who seem to be all too eager to point out the faults and errors of others, while seemingly completely oblivious to their own shortcomings. They only want to see what is on the other side of the mirror so that they may condemn others, but ignore their own reflection staring back at them.

Jesus doesn’t condemn a person immediately as soon as they sin. The Lord allows us time to get ourselves back on the right track when we vere off to the side and off of the path that He has shown to us. He gives us the opportunity to make the necessary changes so that we may try again, but sadly not everyone else is willing to do the same for others. They may have an outwardly appearance of righteousness, but they fail to examine their own selves. If they did they would realize that they are just as much of a sinner as everyone else.

Romans 2:1-11  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

For there is no respect of persons with God.

There is a place for forgiveness in everyone’s life. We all have sinned, we may all receive forgiveness. So the next time that you see someone who has fallen short in an area of their lives and has sinned, always remember to look at yourself. You too are a sinner, just the same as them. We all need that forgiveness that comes from Christ. Remember to look at yourself before you look through that mirror.

In Christ

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

Normally when I think about the wild West, I envision horse-drawn carriages, the six shooter, and tumbleweed.  Tumbleweed is a plant of dry regions that breaks off near the ground in late summer. Once it is mature and dry, It detaches from its root or stem and then rolls off into the distance, pushed along the ground by the force of the wind.  They can get quite large, up to 6 ft tall, and you really wouldn’t want one rolling into you, because they can be quite sharp and prickly.  After they break away from their roots, they can develop into quite a nuisance, scratching cars, becoming a fire danger, and even blocking traffic, which happened on a highway just west of Richland in the state of Washington. State patrolman had to dig out cars and a semi truck from hills of tumbleweeds, and actually brought in snow plows to assist with the mess.  Many people regard tumbleweeds as an invasive species. One of the things I find most interesting is that when they break off from their roots, it doesn’t end there, because they tumble their seeds all over the prairie, spreading new weeds wherever they go. 

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

The tumbleweed is the epitome of not remaining well rooted. Instead of remaining firmly fixed in one place, it’s tossed aimlessly around the countryside like waves that are tossed on the sea. Scriptures clearly teach us that we need to abide in the doctrines and the teachings of our faith.  We need to be firmly rooted and grounded in the truth, not allowing ourselves to be blown around with every wind of doctrine, but unmovable and unchanging in our beliefs.  

Ephesians 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

We must grow deep roots into biblical truth. 

Colossians 2:6-7  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

When we think of something being well-rooted, it is stationary and cannot be moved, like a tall oak tree.  It remains in a fixed position, like a ship that has dropped its anchors.  To inherit eternal life, we must remain well rooted and unmovable in the doctrines of our faith. The teachings of our faith must be so firmly planted within us, that no matter what winds or storms may arise, nothing can topple it over.

2 Thessalonians 2:15  Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

To stand fast means to continue to believe in, or to adhere to an idea or a principle.  It is to firmly remain in the same position and keep the same opinion.  Sadly, there are going to be some people will depart from the faith, deceiving themselves and being deceived by others.

1 Timothy 4:1-2  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Jesus warns about those who are not well rooted in the faith.  He speaks about it in the parable of the sower

Mark 4:16-17  And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;  And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy of the same thing.

2 Timothy 4:2-4  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

God grants us the incredible gift of His grace so that we can go through the process of conversion.  It is granted to us so that we can transform our lives from disobedience to obedience.  We must persist on this path daily, walking steadfastly in the faith, so that we can inherit what God has prepared for us. The Apostle exhorted Timothy to do the same, continuing in the doctrine, because doing the will of God will ultimately result in salvation.

1 Timothy 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

By God’s grace, He can present us holy and unblameable in His sight, if we turn from our sins, and do His will from our hearts.  

Colossians 1:21-23  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Some people who have been baptized into the Christian Life are not going to make it into eternity.  This is because they only lasted for a period of time.  Instead of being focused on doing God’s Will from their heart, they turned away from the truth.  The Apostle Paul warned the church of these same things.

Romans 11:21-22  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Abiding in the truth, and walking steadfastly in the will of God is the path to eternal life.  It’s more than just professing faith in God, it is about doing the will of God.

Matthew 21:28-32  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

To be stablished in our faith, is to be firm and unmovable, fully grounded in the truth of scripture.

1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Our faith must be solidly anchored in God’s Holy Word, remaining firmly attached and rooted in the truth. Our roots need to be so deep that the strongest winds can never prevail against them. We must never allow ourselves to become detached and blown around by the winds of this world, just like….

……The Tumblin’ Tumbleweed

Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.

tlkjbc.com♥️

Note: Any copies may be printed and freely distributed among those who have no internet service. There is no AI creative involvement in my writings, and must be left intact because they are very personal to me. These are not to be sold, and are made public only for the free benefit of Spiritual knowledge to those who are genuinely seeking the will of God.

As we age we all learn and acquire different sets of skills or talents which may be used in many different ways. Some people are especially gifted in artistic ways and can create great masterpieces of art, or giant sculptures that are incredibly detailed. Some people are very athletic and can run marathons, or are very strong and can lift massive amounts of weight. Some are very intelligent in certain subjects and are able to decipher difficult mathematical equations, and then others may have the gift of being in front of a crowd of public and are very gifted in the fluent use of their speech. So many gifts that a person may have, or can have, and each one of those gifts, talents, and abilities has its use in some manner. 

Each person has different gifts in the church as well, different gifts or abilities for each individual. For some the Lord may have blessed them with the ability to prophesy, or the gift of evangelism. Some may have the gift of tongues, or its companion gift of the interpretation of tongues. Someone may have a beautiful singing voice or is very gifted in the use of musical instruments and may use them to sing and write songs that bring praise to the Lord. So many gifts that may be had, and all of them have their place in the church. Certainly there are certain gifts that are better than others, and we should all seek to attain the best gifts, but each spiritual gift that you may have is important, and we must be certain that those gifts don’t remain dormant or unused.

1 Corinthians 12:4-12  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Some men may be called by God to preach the gospel to a single congregation, nurturing them and helping them to grow up strong in their faith, and others may have the calling to reach as many people as possible, planting the seed of faith into hearts, and then leading them to another man who will then help them mature fully. A woman in the church, while forbidden to teach the Scriptures, can still have a very important role in the church, and their families, in the aid and support of the men of the church. A woman’s set of gifts may be different than a man’s, but it doesn’t mean that they are unimportant, because the Lord has a purpose for each of us in our faith in Him. What matters is that you use those gifts, because they have been given to you to use by the Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Like a body that has many different parts and purposes, the body of the church has many members who each have their own purpose. A motor in an engine has many different parts, and they are all there for a reason: to propel the car. A spark plug wire may seem small and insignificant, but without it a car will not run. Without an oil filter the oil that runs through the engine will increasingly become dirtied and may eventually destroy the entire motor. But all of these parts when they work together and properly as they should result in the finished product of a smooth, well oiled, running engine.

We have been given a purpose by the Lord the moment that we become His servants, and it is to serve Him and bring glory to the Father. When we use the gifts that He has bestowed upon us, we will, like a well oiled machine, use all of our abilities to the best of our ability for His glory. 

What gifts have you been given, and are you using them for Christ?

In Christ

Andrew

(Andrew is no longer a part of this ministry, as he purposely lied, deceived me, and then betrayed me. These actions were done willfully and with intent. Although many of these writings are helpful, he completely abandoned this calling, and joined up with the world instead. Nothing can dictate Our lives more than a love for Christ Jesus and being chosen to His service, but he chose to love the world instead.)

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

When a soldier considers joining the military, one of the very first things that they are going to need to accept is that there are going be tough times that they will have to endure.  As the old saying goes, it comes with the territory.  At times, they will have to do battle in places that are going to be extremely taxing on their body.  They will have to wade through the freezing mud.  They will have to walk through swamps and extreme heat, slapping at mosquitoes, bugs, and all kinds of other creatures who want to bite them.  They will need to go through periods of hunger and thirst while sleeping in the pouring rain or walking in the snow, with feet that are so cold that they can no longer feel them.  This will cause a lot of where and tear, not only on the physical body but on the mind as well.

This reminds me of the Christian life.

There is a lot of pain and agony when it comes to a soldiers life, but their responsibility is to faithfully endure whatever they must go through.  These are some of the requirements if you are going to take upon yourself the life of a career soldier. As a soldier for Christ, we too must endure hard times, and it’s not always going to be beans and gravy.

2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

When we study the word “endure”, it means to patiently suffer something that is painful or very difficult. It is clear that those who choose to live for Christ are going to enter into certain times of suffering that we must get through in order to obtain eternal life.  What something knocks us down, we must get back up again. When people lie about you and cast out your name as evil, you continue to speak the truth. To endure, one must remain firm under suffering or misfortune, without yielding, or giving up. If you suffer wrongfully because of your obedience to the will of Christ, this pleases to God.  

1 Peter 2:19-22  For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to sufferings because he had experienced many himself.  But during those times He placed his trust in the Lord, and Jesus delivered him.

2 Timothy 3:10-12  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 4:14-18  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:24-28  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

When we endure sufferings, we must look to our precious Lord Jesus and the things that He went through while here upon the Earth.

Hebrews 12:2-3  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

1 Peter 4:1-2  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

When we suffer wrongfully because we choose to obey Christ, the Spirit of God rests upon you.

1 Peter 4:12-16  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Being persecuted by others brings blessings from God.  

Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

As a good soldier of God, we must fight the Spiritual battle fearlessly, just as David did when he fought against Goliath.

Philippians 1:28-30  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

1 Peter 3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

The Apostle instructs Timothy that he will need to endure afflictions.

2 Timothy 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Lastly, the Apostle Paul commended the church for enduring tribulation.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

The Christian soldier must endure whatever suffering they must go through, if they are going to march across the finish line. Like a boat on the ocean, the Christian life is not always going to be smooth sailing, and like a soldier in the military, it’s not always going to be…..

…… Beans n Gravy

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com