Good morning and welcome in everybody.  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 April 12, 1945 Harry Truman became America’s 33rd president.  He was in a great place of authority for this country, and during his time in office he made many in very important decisions that rested completely upon his shoulders.  He was the president, and he was in charge. That authority and responsibility had been granted to him, and him alone.  A lot of people might not know this, but in the oval office, President Truman had a sign that was kept on the resolute desk.  The phrase that was written, refers to the notion that the President has to make the decisions, and accept the ultimate responsibility for those decisions.  Although he may listen intently to pleadings or council from other members of his staff, the final decision belongs to him and him alone.  The sign that he kept on his desk said ” The buck stops here.”

This reminds me of the Christian life.

Out in the world, people live according to different guidelines and philosophies, but when someone becomes a Christian, we need to abide by the teachings of Christ.  In a Christian marriage the man is the head over his entire household.  He is in charge of all things and in charge of all decision making.  Like a general, a man’s home is his base, which he has complete jurisdiction over, and is an overseer of all functions that happen therein.  He is the head of the house, and he is in command.  His home is not a democracy, but an autocracy, with him in control to guide and direct everything that goes on.  It is a huge responsibility that has been placed on his shoulders by God.  In order to please God, His wife and children need to be in complete submission to his authority.

1 Timothy 2:11-14  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.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

First of all, a woman is not supposed to usurp authority over man, which means to go over his headship.  Paul was an Apostle of Christ who didn’t allow this to go on because it is disorderly.  Usurp means to take over, to take charge, or to seize authority wrongfully.  It is to take or make use of, (under a guise of authority), but without actual right to that authority.  Another dictionary defines it as to take or make use of without right. In first Kings 21 Jezebel usurped over her own husband, writing letters in Ahab’s name, which ultimately resulted in the death of Naboth.  In the world women do this every day of the week but in the church it is forbidden.  It is not only a sin against men in general, but against the teachings and commands of Christ.  A wife can usurp a husband’s role, his job, his function and his position by rebelliously going over his head. In the Christian church, women must be in submission to male leadership, just as a presidents cabinet must be in submission to him.  Man is the head of woman.

1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9  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.

For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

There is also a great difference between Earthly law and the teachings of Christ.  Earthly law finds certain things acceptable in society, while as a Christian, Gods Word teaches us that certain behavior is evil and wicked.  Things that are condoned in Earthly courtrooms, are forbidden in both the teachings of scripture, and in the eyes of God. To truly be a Christian,  Women must humbly submit, and surrender to the control of men.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

If she cannot submit herself to her husband she will not submit herself to Christ. The husband is to be treated with the same authority as Jesus in the home. When you put someone in subjection, it means to cause them to submit to being controlled.  A policeman does this when he needs to arrest a dangerous criminal.  When a husband does this with his family, many will call him too controlling, yet many women do the very same thing each day when they send a child to their bedroom for a timeout because of their behavior. They put the child into subjection and exercise parental control and authority over them.  For a woman to do this to her own children and then get upset when her husband does it to her and the family only reveals her complete hypocrisy.  They want to be in control, but they don’t want to be controlled by others who are their direct authority.  That is the nature of Jezebel.  A dad in the household rules his castle.  He has been ordained by God to that position. He is the higher power and a direct authority over the wife and the children.  Those who resist Him, without any effort towards repentance, will receive damnation.

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.

When a woman is instructed by either a man or her husband, she is not supposed to talk back, but be silent.  Talking back means to reply impertinently, defiantly or insolently.  Instead of being silent, it is to respond quickly and often rudely to something that someone says or commands. She is also forbidden from teaching in any capacity, because that authority has been granted by God to male leadership only.  Teaching is not her department or purpose.

Usurping over others who are your direct authority is a work of the devil. The Apostle Peter usurped over the Lord Jesus, and Jesus referred to him as Satan.  The devil will usurp over God before the return of Christ, claiming that he is God.  The devil usurped over the commandment of God in the Garden of Eden, when he seduced Eve to go against God’s will.  So you see, usurping over men is a work of the devil.  This is why the Apostle Paul didn’t allow it to go on within the church.

A Christian man is in charge of his household, just as a president is in charge of all the decision making for this country.  The highest authority in a home is the dad, who is in complete charge of the direction and spiritual guidance of his family.  A Christian wife and children must never usurp his authority, because if they do, they usurp over the will of Christ.  The buck stops with him.   Remember that the next time you think about the words that President Truman kept on…..

…… The Resolute Desk

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.

When you buy an item from a store, such as a piece of furniture, or a piece of exercise equipment, or even a swimming pool, you may sometimes be required to set it up and assemble the pieces together before you can use it. If you bought something like an exercise bike you may have to unpack the box that it came in, and lay out all of the individual parts on the floor so that you can find everything easily. But next comes the actual assembly. Almost everything that you buy that needs to be assembled at home will come with something very important: the manual which tells you which parts go where, and what tools you will need to complete the assembly. 

In a very similar way, a child’s Lego set is just like this, only I would argue that a Lego set is far more complicated with the hundreds of pieces that you need to put together. If you have ever had to put one of these sets together you will know what I mean when I say, you need to follow the instruction manual if you want your creation to look exactly like the picture on the box. You could just make whatever your want with the pieces, but if you really want to turn those loose Lego blocks into the picture, you have to follow the instructions that came with them.

And you know, this rings especially true in our faith in Christ. If you think of eternal life as a box of Legos, Jesus has given us that box with the instructions of how to put it all together. Jesus tells us everything that we need to know and do in the pages of the Bible. All that we need to do is read it, follow it, and put it all together. Jesus is the “picture” that we can look at, but it is up to us to follow His instruction manual to transform ourselves into being just like Him.

James 1:22-25  “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.”

A hearer, and a doer. You have to be both. You will never complete one of these construction projects if you only read or hear the instructions. You will never achieve your objective if you forget what it is that you need to do. You must follow the instructions contained in God’s Word. 

There are many people who get dressed up on Sunday morning, sit in a pew, sing a few songs, and even listen to a sermon, but when they get back home they seem to completely forget what they just heard. Sure, they want to lay claim to the name of “Christian” but when compared to the instruction manual which is our Bible, they look nothing like one. It is just religion to them, an outward show for them, but they don’t really believe it in their hearts. 

Christianity is more than sitting in a church for a couple hours a week. It is more than displaying a cross on a shelf in your house. It is more than just reading a Bible. It is following the instructions found inside. 

Luke 6:46-49  “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

Does just saying, I am a Christian, does that really make you one? I could say that I am the President of the United States, but unless I was elected and was doing the things that a president does, then I really am not, am I? We are who we are by the things which we do. We are Christians when we hear and do the teachings of the Lord. Our faith in Jesus Christ is shown and proven by our actions. It is shown when we follow that instruction manual.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in everybody.  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.

Every morning, whether you walk into a grocery store or a breakfast shop, people will consume a quick on the go meal with a cup of coffee or orange juice.  You can eat them in the car, or at the park.  You can eat them on a plane or in a bus.  They are a very simple, transportable meal. They were originally called oily cakes, but are more commonly known as a doughnut.  After the end of the first world war, America developed a craving for this breakfast pastry. Doughnuts were in very high demand, so, in 1920, A man named Adolf Levitt decided to invent a doughnut making machine.  This machine cranked out doughnuts very quickly, on an assembly line of sorts, and his business soon took off, not only in New York, but across the country.  Doughnuts were even the featured food at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1934 because they had been made by a machine.

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

You can always tell a doughnut, because traditional doughnuts all look the same.  They have a hole in the middle.  They are circular in shape.  They are all very similar, but when we become a Christian, we are not to share similarities with the world. Although each of us have come from the world, Christianity is about living by a whole different set of values, found in the teachings of scripture. While the world will look at each other as examples, and attempt to mimic their behavior, a Christian looks to Jesus and His Holy Word.

Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

To conform means to bring into harmony, to be similar or identical.  It also means to bring yourself into accordance with a certain pattern, example or principle. We are not supposed to conform to the world, but to teachings of Jesus.  Conform means to comply, abide and obey.  It also means to follow, to adhere and to agree with.  Some people want to fit into the Christian Life  and fit in the world at the same time but it comes down to choosing one or the other. Instead of following the worldly crowd you want to follow Jesus.  instead of running with a pack, you want to run with the sheep. This requires yielding and submitting yourself to the will of God.

1 Peter 4:1-5  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.  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:   Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

We are not supposed to revert or to backslide, back to the way we used to live when we were in the world.  We are not supposed to show any resemblance to the way that the world lives, but commit ourselves fully to the way God wants us to live.

Ephesians 4:17-20 – This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.But ye have not so learned Christ;

1 Peter 1:14 – As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

We must cast off the old person and it become a new one.  In order to do this We must renew our minds and think differently than we how we used to in the past. Our minds need to be guided with the things of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:22-24 – That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Colossians 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Many times people will quit certain habits in their lives.  For example, someone might decide to quit smoking.  If that’s the case, do you think it’s wise to surround yourself with 10 smokers in a room?  When everybody else is doing it accept you, don’t you think that you might fall into a place of temptation? The same is true of the Christian life.  When you are attempting to overcome the sins and temptations in the world, close friendships and associations with unbelievers can and will corrupt good morals.  Many people have been involved with drug addictions.  After getting all cleaned up, do you think it’s wise to hang out with your old buddies who are still involved with that kind of lifestyle?  When we become a Christian, we must develop new friends and new relationships. To truly conform and overcome our past lifestyle, our friendships are no longer to be with those who continue to live the way the world does.  Our friendship needs to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 James 4:4 – Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

We must surround ourselves with other God-fearing, Bible believing people who share our faith. To do this means you must come out and be separate from the world and the way that they live, joining yourself with others who believe In the teachings of Christ, and who worship God out of a pure heart. 

2 Corinthians 6:14-18  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

To inherit eternal life, we must prove God’s perfect will while here upon the earth.  We must show Him by our actions that we are His faithful and obedient children.

Ephesians 5:17 – Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:9-10 – (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

One of the keys to eternal life is doing God’s will.

1 John 2:15-17 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

We shouldn’t show any resemblance to the way that unbelievers continue to live their lives out in the world.  As a Christian, we shouldn’t show any similarities to the old life that we have come out from.  When we place our faith in Christ, we are called to become something that is quite different, unlike a shelf full of……

………Doughnuts

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, or by getting our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.  Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

Have you ever been painting a picture when you accidentally made a mistake? Maybe a wrong stroke of a paint brush, or an errant line from a pencil? Well, most artists know that these mistakes and imperfections are easily covered up and fixed. Just take a little bit of paint or a bit of the pencil and you can quickly cover up any mistake that you have made.

If something is covered, you really cannot see it, can you? It is out of your view because it has been blocked by something else. The definition of the word “covered” means “to put something on top of or in front of (something), especially in order to protect or conceal it.”.

Possibly you may have once spilled a drink or food on your carpet, and as a result it left a stain that just wouldn’t come out easily. In order to hide that stain from view you could put something over the top of it. Maybe you could rearrange some furniture or place a small throw rug over the discolored area and hide it from view, and it is like it never happened.

Well, this is what the Lord does with our sins, after we repent and ask for His forgiveness. He covers our sins with the blood which He shed on the cross, washing them away and remembers them no more.

Hebrews 8:12  “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

We have all made mistakes. We have all muddied ourselves with the sins of the world, but through Christ’s forgiveness and mercy He takes all of those wicked and sinful things which we have done, and it is like He throws a carpet over them. He forgets them, and forgives us completely, not charging us with our sins. Like it never happened.

Psalms 32:1-2  “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

One sin, or a thousand, Jesus is filled with enough forgiveness for the entire world. Some people may think that there is no hope for them because of all of the terrible, sinful things which they have done in their past, but Christ’s love is great enough to handle the entire sins of the world. You only need to look at the life of the Apostle Paul to realize how great His love is. A self-titled “chief of sinners,” the Apostle Paul is proof of the forgiveness of Christ. A persecutor of Christians, a destroyer of churches, yet all of those sins were forgiven. They were covered by the blood of Jesus.

Look at the Apostle Peter. He made mistakes just like everyone else. He even denied the Lord, not once, not twice, but three times, right before the crucifixion of Jesus. But you know what? Jesus forgave him. 

Certainly, none of us on this Earth deserve to be in Heaven. Heaven is a perfect place free of impurities and sin, and we are not. But there is a way to get rid of those sins. Just one Way. Jesus. 

1 Peter 4:8  “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Great or small, few or many, your sins can be taken away. You too can receive the gift of everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven. You too can experience the great mercy and forgiveness that comes from the Lord of lords, and King of kings. Remember, there are no mistakes too great that the Lord cannot cover. 

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in everybody.  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.

Have you ever woke up in the morning, put on a shirt, but then you changed your mind and put on one that was completely different?  Have you ever got into your car planning to go to the grocery store, but then you decided to stay home instead?  Have you ever been at the bait shop and grabbed a carton of nightcrawlers, but then you put them back and picked minnows instead? In each one of these cases, you changed your mind about something that you were gonna do, resulting in a different outcome.

This reminds me of the Christian life.

When the Bible speaks about conversion, it’s about changing your mind.  Instead of choosing what’s wrong, we choose what’s right.  Instead of making poor decisions, we make wise ones.  Instead of listening to the world, we listen to the Word.

Matthew 18:1-4  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Conversion is defined as, a process of being reborn from our sinful nature.  It’s a change of the form or nature of a person, into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means. It is a striking alteration in appearance or character.  It begins with baptism as we we begin a new life in Christ, and become a part of the family of God.  At that point, all of our past sins are expunged and we begin to undergo a change, transforming into the creatures that God wants us to become.  We begin to serve God and to do His will rather than our own. Like an earthly dad whom you obeyed as a child, God is our heavenly Father, and as His children, we must learn to love and obey Him perfectly.

Hebrews 12:9-10  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Conversion is the process of changing, or causing something to change from one form to another.  It’s a process of changing your beliefs, to embrace the teachings that are found in Holy Scripture.  It’s a change from an attitude of indifference and disbelief, to an attitude of acceptance of biblical truth.  This is a change that happens within your heart, when you turn from sinful living to righteousness.  In order to go through this process of change, we need to start over again, being born again just like a newborn child into the Christian life.

John 3:1-7  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

There’s an old saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and this is why we need to become like a puppy once again.  We need to become new creatures in Christ so that we can start over from the very beginning, like an infant, and learn the correct way to live our lives.  Conversion is about turning from darkness to the light.  It’s about turning from the wrong to the right. God’s Holy Word is a spiritual instruction book that shows us the right way to live, and how to become pleasing unto God.  This is the goal, to please Him perfectly, just as the Lord Jesus pleases Him perfectly.  God’s Word is capable of saving our souls, but you need to hear it, and do what it says.

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.

The teachings of God’s Word needs to be applied to our daily lives.  This is the only way that true conversion can happen within a person’s heart.  The scriptures are there for that very reason, to train us in the way God wants us to go.

2 Timothy 3:16-17  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Sadly, there are going to be many people who will not listen to the truth of God’s Word, insomuch that they desire to submit humbly to God’s purpose for them.  Many of them will claim Lord Lord, professing to be Christian, but they never really went through the process of conversion while here upon the earth.  They claim to be followers, but they never really did follow His teachings.

Acts 28:27  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Conversion to the truth must happen to inherit eternal life.

Acts 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

The Apostles were trying to get people to turn from their sins to the truth.

James 5:19-20  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Some people just need a little love to submit to the will of God, while others have no fear of God for the repercussions that will happen because of sinful living.  They need a sledgehammer to the heart.

Jude 1:21-23  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Conversion is about changing your mind. What will you choose today? Will you choose to follow the philosophies and teachings of the world, or are you going to follow the teachings of God’s Word?  Conversion is required to inherit eternal life.  It’s not optional, it’s mandatory.  So, did you buy some nightcrawlers today?  Or did you go back for……

……The Minnows

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, or by getting our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.  Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

A common sight in a kitchen today, the tea kettle has been around for thousands of years. It is said that the first tea kettles originated in Mesopotamia around 3500 B.C., although the whistling tea kettle which we know today was invented in the late 1800’s. This tea kettle was different from all of the others, as it had a sort of an “alarm.” As soon as the water in the kettle reached the boiling point of 212 degrees Fahrenheit the steam escaping from the spout would produce a shrill “whistle,” giving warning that the water was ready.

What happens if you do not listen to the warning of the whistle and take that tea kettle off of the heat? The water will completely boil away. It will evaporate and be gone. 

In similar way, the whistle of a tea kettle is like a warning in the Bible about the impending wrath that will happen to those who choose to disregard or ignore God’s commands to turn away from sin.

Romans 2:1-6  “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:”

The Bible is filled with wisdom and teachings that we can use in our lives to prepare ourselves for a future spent with the Lord in Heaven. It also gives us warnings of what will happen if we do not follow the teachings of God. Mercy, grace, and forgiveness are things that the Lord has an infinite amount of, but a person is limited by the length of their life to receive them. As we just read, God will reward everyone according to their deeds. Whatever you sow, that is what you will reap (Galatians 6:7).

Have you ever heard the expression “the straw that broke the camel’s back?” The meaning of it is going too far with something. You may have a grocery bag that normally should hold 10 pounds of food, but going too far is adding one more thing, one more thing, and maybe another, until the limit of that bag is reached and the bag breaks. You knew that you probably should have stopped where it was, but you continued to add more and more, and you suffered the consequences. 

Ephesians 2:4-5  “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

The forgiveness of God is amazing! His mercy is incredible! It is unending His love towards us. But we are limited by the days if our lives. We don’t have time to waste. Each day is a gift from God, one more day in which we have the opportunity to repent. We only have so much time in our life to make the decision to turn away from our sins, and this is why it is all the more important that we come to the Lord for His forgiveness today, heeding the warning before the kettle runs dry.

In Christ,

Andrew

tlkjbc.com

(Andrew is no longer a part of this ministry, as he purposely lied, deceived me, and then betrayed me. I baptized him when he was 5 years old. He’s been having communion with me for 22 years. Children are taught to be what they are, and they become a replication of what their dad is; right up until the point they choose to go their own way. The actions that he took against me are everything that I am not, and he is fully aware of that. The things that he did were done willfully and with intent, and are completely against the teachings of Christ. 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.

There are many high school students who strive to get the best scores on tests in order to get into certain colleges.  Although many of them are going to try to get into prominent schools, some just are not going to make it, because they fall short of the standard of the school.  They don’t accept everyone, as they pick and chose the most outstanding applicants.  It’s been claimed that Ivy League schools are some of the hardest colleges to get into.  Others like Stanford and MIT have very low admission rates.  You can’t just walk into these schools and enroll, but you have to prove yourself beforehand.  A lot of these schools and universities will turn away over 95% of their applicants.

This reminds me of the Christian Life

Similar to the attempt to try to enter college, this life is an opportunity to prove ourselves to God that we are worthy of eternal life.  Just like a high schooler seeking enrollment at a school, we must strive to enter into heaven.  It’s going to require proving ourselves by our actions.  Many people are going to try to obtain it, but will not be able to get in.  We must take advantage of the life and the grace that God has given us, and use it to go on unto perfection.

Luke 13:23-24  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

There are many people today who really don’t understand what it means to strive for something. It means to try to achieve a result and to make a strenuous effort to attain something.   It is to try earnestly and persistently.  People who are athletes strive to be the best that they can be.  They strive to get a gold medal in the Olympics.  They strive to win the World Series.  These are just temporal events.  Jesus teaches us to strive to enter into eternal life.  This is far more important than winning an earthly game, this is about the salvation of our souls.  In order to attain it, you had better play to win.

1 Corinthians 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The word few, is defined as not very many, hardly any, a small amount, or a handful.

Matthew 7:13-14  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Many people or try to get into certain colleges this year, but there will be many who simply are not going to get in because the requirements are high.  The Christian life is the highest calling that one could ever strive after, and it requires repentance in order to do God’s perfect will.

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.

If people have no desire to become obedient, and humbly submit to the will of God through the teaching of scripture, they most certainly will perish.  The Lord Jesus confirms that message of truth.

Luke 13:1-5  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

What’s required to get to heaven is one needs to repent. It comes down to this.  You will either repent, or you won’t.  You will either believe biblical truth or you won’t.  You will either turn around and perform the will of God or you won’t.  There is no gray area, and there is no inbetween.  There is no such thing as becoming a Christian halfway. You’re all the way in, or you are all the way out.

Revelation 3:15-16  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The Lord Jesus teaches that not many are going to enter paradise.  Few shall be saved, just like in the days of Noah.

1 Peter 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Those days are upon us again right now.  Take a look around you, its looks like the days of Noah doesn’t it.  Each day many people pray the Lord’s prayer but some of them don’t even think about what they’re saying.  We pray…thy will be done.  To pray those words, is to desire to submit to God’s purpose for you. This means that you want to do what God wants you to do rather than what you want to do.  To pray those words and then go out and live like a disobedient rebellious wretch is evil.  The Christian Life is an extremely high calling and the Apostle Paul was striving to obtain that prize of eternal life.

Philippians 3:13-14  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Many people are going to try to enter into heaven but, but will come up short.  I hope for your sake you strive for the true faith found in the scriptures.  I hope you make the choice today, to become…..

……. One of the Few

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, or by getting our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.  Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

During the 1920’s era of the United States, the country went through what has now been known as the Prohibition Years. Upon the signing of the 18th Amendment, the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors was prohibited, with the aim to reduce drunkenness, disorder, and violence that it could result in. While the 18th Amendment was eventually repealed with the signing of the 21st Amendment, obviously not everyone was in favor or happy with this, sticking with the view that alcohol was evil, wrong, and sinful.

Before I go any further, I want to ask you this next question. What things are inherently evil? What things by themselves are sinful? I hear all the time raging debates that say that guns are evil, “just look at all of the mass murders and shootings that happen all too frequently every year.” 

But you see, a gun isn’t evil or sinful in and of itself. I could go and purchase a gun to use to hunt an animal, or go and shoot some targets, and I am not hurting anyone. But someone else may buy that same weapon and use it to kill another human. My actions and the actions of another person are completely different, even though we may both use the same weapon. A gun by itself isn’t sinful, it is the misuse of it that causes sin.

The exact same applies to alcohol. Alcohol is not a sin. Beer, wine, liquor–they are a drink just the same as water or milk. The only difference is that one needs to regulate how much that they drink so that they do not end up falling into the sin of drunkenness. Drunkenness is a state of intoxication or stupification of the mind, where a person does not have control of their mental and physical actions or decisions. We often hear about people who drink under the influence of alcohol and end up getting into a car crash with another person, sometimes sadly resulting in death. As tragic and unfortunate that this is, alcohol is not a sin. The misuse and overuse of it is.

I am in no way saying that alcohol does not lead to sin, because we can definitely see the effects that it can have if it is not consumed wisely. Sin certainly can happen as the result of alcohol abuse and misuse, but to say that alcoholic beverages themselves are evil and sinful just isn’t right. Something that we all need to remember is that Jesus Himself created wine for people to drink. Read this passage from John.

John 2:1-11  “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

If alcohol was a sin, then Jesus would never have turned water into wine. God has given and created all things on this Earth, but it is man who decides to misuse what He has created, and sins.

Again, here are a handful of more verses talking about the drinking of wine.

Ephesians 5:18  “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

Notice “excess” in this verse. Excess is “an undue indulgence of the appetite.” It is “the state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or proper.” Simply put, excess is overdoing something, and in this case, drinking too much to the point that it leads to drunkenness, and sin.

1 Timothy 3:8  “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;”

Again, not given to much wine. Paul didn’t prohibit the consumption of wine, but he instructed the deacons to drink in moderation.

1 Timothy 5:23  Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.

Here it seems like Timothy occasionally had some kind of infirmity or illness, and Paul told him to have a little wine to help it. Red wine has long been believed to contain antioxidants that have many health benefits for the heart and brain.

Titus 2:3  “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;”

One more time, Paul didn’t forbid the consumption of wine, just to drink it wisely and not too much. To be filled with temperance.  

I guess this study could be about several things, and not just alcohol, but the main lesson here today is that God has given us liberty to eat, to drink, to do all sorts of things, but they to be done in moderation, temperance, and without sinning. We need to be wise with our actions, in the things that we do, and keep ourselves from sin.

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.

They claim that one of the most venomous snakes is found in Australia.  It’s rarely encountered by people, but has a serious self-defense mechanism when provoked.  It’s called the inland Taipan, and can strike with a venom that is highly toxic.

This reminds me of the Christian life.

Some people’s tongues are just as venomous as a snake, and they can do just as much damage to people’s lives, by speaking evil and spreading gossip.  Speaking evil about someone else is to say something negative or harmful about them, even though it may be true.  It is speech that is designed to lower them in the eyes of other people.  This kind of speech is forbidden in the Holy Scriptures.

James 3:3-8  Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.  For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

To speak evil of somebody else is to say things that are wrong, hurtful or wicked about  another person. Many times it is directed at someone, with the specific intent to cause them pain.  It is very similar to slander and gossip which is to say something about someone else that hurts their good name or reputation.  It is an evil use of the tongue, pouring out poisonous venom against others.

Psalms 34:13  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

1 Peter 3:10  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Speaking evil is to defame or to criticize, or speak ill of another.  Some synonyms are denigrate, discredit, disgrace and disparage.  To denigrate means to disparage and defame, while disparage means to dishonor to ridicule, mock and discredit.  There are numerous passages in the scriptures that deal with this kind of sinful behavior.

Titus 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

James 4:11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Proverbs 18:6-8  A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.  A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Malicious gossip can really hurt a person.  Some synonyms for a talebearer are a blabbermouth, a gossip, a rumormonger or a telltale.  When people gossip, they like to talk about other people’s private or personal matters, especially when they are not present.  It is considered idle speech.  Some women are filled with this kind of devilish speech.

1 Timothy 5:11-15  But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;  Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.  And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.  I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.  For some are already turned aside after Satan.

A gossip will speak about somebody else’s private affairs, especially in a manner that spreads the information, rather than being discreet.  Imagine an elementary aged boy who happened to wet the bed one morning, and then his brothers went and told everybody at school about it.  That’s perverted, sinful and wicked, because if of it had happened to them, they wouldn’t have wanted anyone to know about it.  It’s actually a violation of the second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself.  Noah had a son that did the same thing to him.  He overdid it on his consumption of wine, but instead of covering it up, the younger son gossipped about it.

Genesis 9:20-26  And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.  And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

This kind of behavior doesn’t bring a blessing from God It brings a curse.  Jesus covers our sins by what he did at the cross, and to go out and expose the sins of others and gossip about them is completely wicked.  

Leviticus 19:16  Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Have you ever done something that you are embarrassed about doing? Have you ever made a mistake that you regretted? That’s bad enough, but what’s even worse is when people make it their business to take that personal tidbit of information and spread it all around town, in an effort to disparage and maliciously hurt your reputation.

Ephesians 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

1 Peter 2:1  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

Others may speak evil about you, and dishonor you, but don’t do that to them.  Don’t return evil for evil because the Lord Jesus Christ will pay them back for you.  Keeping the tongue from evil is one of the marks of perfection in a Christians life.

1 Peter 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

1 Peter 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 

Many people out in the world speak evil of dignities, or others who are worthy of honor.  How would you address a judge in a courtroom?  Would you address him honorably and respectfully?  Christians are called to honor all men, treating them with the same respect that you would treat a king, or even a dad in his own home.  Equal honor to all men, and speak evil of none.

 2 Peter 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Jude 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Speaking evil and gossiping about others reveals the venom that is in your heart.  An uncontrolled tongue is a vicious evil, capable of hurting others just like…..

…..The Inland Taipan

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, or by getting our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.  Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

It has been said that a child will often take upon themselves the character traits of their parents and those who they spend the most time with. I certainly know this to be true myself, as a young child I often tried to imitate the mannerisms of my friends and family. Thankfully I had a Godly upbringing that set me on the right path early, but not every person has had that blessing. 

The right role models in the life of a person can be a great benefit to them, but a bad influence can be equally detrimental. How many people are in prison because they were misled into a wrong or sinful way of life? On their own they may not have even contemplated that kind of action, but because of the stumblingblock that others placed in their way, they fell to that sin.

Romans 14:13 says,  “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”

A stumblingblock is an obstacle or hindrance to progress, or a problem which stops someone from achieving something. In the Christian faith we all have a set of guides and commands to which we must live by in order to keep ourselves from sinning. A stumblingblock is anything that causes a person to fall short of that and sin.

Jesus was greatly angered by the Pharisees because they would search all over trying to find someone to convert to Judaism, and once they did they would make that new convert more sinful than themselves. Through the stumblingblock which they laid they became the cause of someone else’s sin.

Matthew 23:13-15  “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

It is bad enough to sin yourself, but to be the cause of someone else’s sin, that is so much worse because you were the origin of that sin. Those who cause others who believe in Jesus to sin, Jesus taught that it would be better if they would just throw themselves into the sea. It is just a place that you do not want to enter into.

Matthew 18:1-6  “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

It is very important that you understand this. We are called to be lights of the world (Philippians 2:15), a light to those in the world to lead them to Christ. It is to these people, as well as to the other believers in the church, that we need to be an example for them to look at. We need to set the right example for others to follow, and never put a stumblingblock in another’s way.

In Christ,

Andrew