Truth Mission 2.0

Category: Christian Living

The Weight of Eternal Glory (What Jesus Meant by “Overcome the World”–Part 4)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us… Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:7, 16-18 )

Life can really wear you out sometimes, can’t it? We work so hard to try to better ourselves and to make the world a better place for our families, but some days, it just looks like we aren’t making a difference at all. It’s enough to make you wonder if it’s worth the effort.

What is it that wears us out when the problems of the world overwhelm us?

Everyone’s situation is different, of course. It seems to me, though, that the things that often trouble us the most usually aren’t even happening to us directly. The problems that we are unfit to bear aren’t even supposed to be our own personal burdens. We barely have enough strength to get through the trials that life hands us, but we can’t seem to keep from taking on extra baggage as well.

Why do we do this?

Can we just call this what it is?

It’s fear.

It’s fear that gives birth to worry. You worry when you see mobs on the news claiming New York City for Islam, but is there an angry mob of Muslims outside your house right now? (Of course, if there IS an angry mob of any sort outside your house, you have an actual problem and should stop reading this blog and take action to protect yourself.)

My point is that we worry ourselves to exhaustion and despondency about things that aren’t even happening where we are. Yes, they are happening in the world, and they are real, but if we’re not in a position to directly solve the problem, it’s not our problem.

Now please don’t misunderstand what I mean by “not our problem.” I am not saying that we shouldn’t be concerned about things in the world that are wrong and need fixing. What I am saying is that 99.99% of the time, it’s not up to us to fix it, either because we lack the resources, the ability, or we are simply too far away to have a direct and immediate impact on the situation.

So, what can we do?

We can give the situation over to the God of eternal glory who can do something about it. And while we’re at it, we can give Him our anxieties as well.

Yes, the world is a mess. It’s a mess because it has people in it, and people are a mess. And yes, you and I are people, so guess what? We’re a mess too! But we can be less messy.

An effective way to start that process is to examine what you expose your mind to. How do you start your day? If you’re turning on the TV or rushing to social media, then that’s what’s going to set your tone for the rest of the day. Is that the tone you want?

In the same amount of time, you could meditate on a Bible verse or an inspirational quote of some sort. You can’t control what happens out in the world, but you can control what goes into your head, which is what feeds your attitude.

Once you have developed the habit of being intentional about this, it will become easier for you to shift your perspective from the dumpster fire of the now to the eternal glory of the not yet.

When things are going badly, it is easy for fear to rob us of hope but remember this. EVERYTHING we fear, or could possibly fear, has an ending. We may not be able to see it from where we’re sitting, but all the troublesome things of this world will pass.

Instead, what we can learn to do in ALL situations is to focus on the things that won’t pass away.

Truth.

Love.

The Word of God.

Best of all, the eternal life that is given as a free gift to all those who put aside their fears, worries and the troubles of this world and trust in Jesus, who by His death and resurrection, has overcome all of them.

Now of course, we can’t see any of this. We can’t see our fear, the Lord’s Spirit, the actual physical Kingdom of Heaven. We only see this world, its problems, and our own aging faces in the mirror.

But as the risen Christ told Thomas :

“Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29 NABRE)

The eternal glory of heaven. (Created by the author using Copilot.)

Eternal Glory Up There

Stay focused on what’s above, not on earthly things, because your old life is dead and gone. (Colossians 3:2-3a VOICE)

Why is it that we dwell on things that we know aren’t good for us?

How many times have you caught yourself starting a sentence with “I really need to,” but then you don’t do what it is you really need to do? It’s as though we think we’ll at least get partial credit for acknowledging that we have fallen short of what is necessary. I really need to eat a salad, but I’m going to have pizza instead. I really need to go to the gym, but I seem to have grown butt roots here on the couch.

Or how about these? I really ought to pray more. I really ought to read my Bible more.

Or these. I really ought to get off the Internet and pay attention to my kids. I really ought to put my phone down and talk to my wife. Can you relate to any of these?

You could say that acknowledging the problem is the first step to solving it, and it is. However, one step does not a journey make. You must take the next one.

The thing is, the next step is usually not anything difficult. We just. . .don’t. . .do it. How hard is it to make simple choices like ordering something different at the restaurant, standing from a seated position, or simply TALKING to someone?

SO WHY DO WE MAKE IT SO MUCH HARDER THAN IT IS?

I would chalk it up to a combination of habit and fear of change.

We do what we do because we have always done it. If not always, then at least for long enough that it has become automatic. Habits are comfort zones; therefore, breaking them makes us uncomfortable. We will always gravitate toward comfort, no matter how obvious it is that a change would do us good.

Christians do not have this luxury though. When we turned our eyes toward Christ, we also turned them toward heaven, where He is. Once you have seen a glimpse of the eternal glory, the things down here lose their luster a bit.

The problem is that the things down here are the customary things that surround us every day of our lives. We love our stuff. We love being in control of our own schedules. And of course, we love our dreams and ambitions. Even if they no longer satisfy us as they once did, we have claimed them as our own. Therefore, we defend them.

We cannot forget this simple truth though.

When we made Jesus the Lord of our lives, we signed a spiritual quit claim deed for all that stuff. Our possessions are not ours for this reason:

To you, Lord, belong greatness and power,

honor, splendor, and majesty,

because everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you.

Yours, Lord, is the kingship,

and you are honored as head of all.

You are the source of wealth and honor,

and you rule over all.

In your hand are strength and might,

and it is in your power to magnify and strengthen all.

(1 Chronicles 29:11-12 CEB)

We are not in control of our lives, because we have no idea what the next day, or even the next hour, may bring. And all our dreams and ambitions die with us when we die. From a spiritual standpoint, they have already died, because we surrendered them when we surrendered to Christ.

When we talk about “overcoming the world,” we usually focus on all the evil dreadful things that we wish we didn’t have to deal with down here, and that we know won’t exist up there.

However, if we are serious about overcoming the world, then we also must focus on overcoming the pleasures down here along with the pains. This is much more difficult, because while pain usually catches us by surprise, pleasure is something we continuously seek. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it.

Now is it bad to do things that feel good? Not necessarily. The point of this is that we need to realize that eternal life with Christ will feel, and indeed be, better than anything we have going on down here.

The thing we must learn then is to be patient for the eternal glory that is coming for us up there instead of spending ourselves with the pursuit of rewards down here.

(We have more than enough to contend with down here, as you will see if you come back for Part 5. Enter your contact info below to make sure you don’t miss it!)

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November 8, 2025
Finding Peace Without Compromise (What Jesus Meant by “Overcome the World”–Part 3)

Constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], contributing to the needs of God’s people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality. Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them]. Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief]. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself. Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:12-18 AMP)

The 2024 presidential election has long since passed, but the divisions in our nation have not. This fact was tragically highlighted on September 10 by the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

In such times, when political violence has claimed a fellow Truthseeker, our holy calling to be peacemakers becomes even more necessary. But how do we even do that in an environment like this?

The answer is the same as it has always been.

Seek Truth in the common ground.

But how do you find common ground with people who literally shoot at us for speaking Biblical Truth? A good place to start is THIS Biblical truth.

We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. (Ephesians 6:12 CEV)

The same hatred that crucified Christ and murdered Charlie Kirk seeks to divide Christ’s people. However, since it seems to me that strife and discord are continuing to ramp up significantly, I would like to focus on the concept of peace and the part we play in it.

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. (Romans 12:9 CEV)

The murder of Charlie Kirk was evil. The ideologies that drive young men to assassinate peaceful speakers are evil. However, it’s too easy when emotions are running high to go from hating WHAT is evil to projecting that righteous hatred onto people, which is the line we should never cross.

If the news is raising your blood pressure, watch something else. If your “friends” on social media are stirring the pot with their ignorance, get off Facebook and go put your face in a book. Better still, put your face in THE Book. Remember, all evil things will eventually pass away, and the good will remain. So why expend our energy on things that won’t last?

Therefore, in a climate such as the one we currently inhabit, I would suggest that we focus on the “holding tight to everything that is good” part.

Compassion in Conflict

We must judge righteously – recognizing evil ideologies and actions – while showing compassion to individuals ensnared by deception. After all…

We also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in evil and envy, filled with hatred and hating each other. (Titus 3:3 MEV)

No one’s inherent worth as God’s creation is diminished by their political errors, though their actions may require righteous judgment. A Truthseeker’s objective is to speak truth boldly, ending arguments through love, not starting them through hate. It is not our place to boast in moral superiority but to exemplify Christ’s humility.

For this reason, I urge patience above all. Resist the temptation to correct people, even if they are obviously wrong. When people are angry or upset, you aren’t going to reach them with logic anyway. Pray for peace and reason to return to our society and wait patiently for God to do His work in His time. Dust can’t settle if you stir it up.

As Far as It Depends on You

Look for ways to show Christ’s love even to those who oppose you. The needy are still needy, so don’t forget them. Create “safe spaces” in your conversations where Christ’s love transcends politics. There are so many other things to talk about.

Don’t take the bait when some fool on the internet calls you a Nazi or a fascist or whatever other political buzzword they don’t understand the meaning of. Many who supported the ideologies of violence now find themselves on the losing side of both the election and public opinion.

I am not suggesting that those who riot, destroy, and murder should escape justice. We do have an opportunity, though, to practice forgiveness while demanding earthly justice through proper channels.

As for the rest of the people who were led astray and now face the collapse of their ideological strongholds, be compassionate while they confront the emptiness of their beliefs. Give them room to grow, even as God did for you.

Where Peace is Found

Make the most of every opportunity to establish common ground with people, preferably face to face. Listen to their stories. See people as individuals Christ died for and not as members of a group. Come alongside people in their difficulties. Focus on Christ-centered solutions rather than worldly problems.

Pray first, and listen carefully for an answer, before presuming to dispense wisdom. When tensions run high, even well-meaning advice can be perceived as an attack.

And PLEASE avoid the temptation to seek revenge, whether in word or deed. That is NEVER our job no matter what happens to us.

It is natural to feel a sense of satisfaction when the times shift in your direction after they have been against you, but it is not our place to rub anyone’s nose in their own misfortune. You will never earn someone’s respect by spiking the football. Just hand it to the official and go back to the sideline. Justice is God’s job, and part of that is righting wrongs. It will happen in His timing. Don’t force the issue.

Most importantly, it is up to us to make the first move toward peace. You will have to use discernment with each individual you encounter as to whether that means actively extending an olive branch or being still for the moment. Things have been ugly for a while, and we’ve seen the ultimate ugliness in Charlie’s murder. You have a choice to reflect Christ’s light or add to the darkness.

You may not be able to single-handedly fix what’s broken in our nation, but how you treat other people is one thing that you CAN control. So, stand firm on truth like Charlie Kirk did, pray without ceasing, and keep hoping in Christ’s ultimate victory. Things WILL get better because He has overcome the world.

More on what this means in Part 4. Subscribe with the link below so you don’t miss it!

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October 24, 2025
Fruit of the Holy Spirit (What Jesus Meant by “Overcome the World”: Part 2)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Historically, I have been a very task-oriented person. I was all about the to-do lists. It gives me joy when I check something off. It would stress me out when I got to the end of the day, and there were still twelve more things on my list.

Because of this, I tended to turn almost every facet of my life into a mental to-do list. Everything felt like a competition or a performance to me. I would emerge either as a winner or a loser.

Most of life really isn’t supposed to be that way, though. I have learned that it’s OK to simply live life as it comes and appreciate moments as they’re happening. I have also learned that it’s more important to start each day with gratitude than finish it with a gold medal.

So why is it that we keep wanting to go back to the things that we know didn’t work before? Are we just futility addicts? Or is this just part of the natural state of being human?

“Winners” and “Losers”

The problem lies in our tendency to define ourselves by what we do or fail to do. If I win, then I am a winner, but if I lose, then I am a loser. Nobody wants to be a loser though, so we do everything we can to win at life. And if we find we cannot win, then we start doing things that are truly ridiculous.

Some people try to downplay life’s natural consequences by trying to eliminate the concept of winning and losing, a concept that I call the “participation trophy” mentality. You’re a winner just for showing up! And if you didn’t even show up, we’ll try to find an excuse for you, so that you won’t lose. After all, you deserve to win!

Then there are the “glory days” people (I was one of these). These are the people who used to be the best at something. But then they went somewhere else where there were other people that were better. Or maybe they just got old and weren’t as good as they used to be. If a person like this is focused on winning, and he isn’t winning anymore, bitterness takes over in a hurry.

A person in this kind of a rut can’t let go of the past, can’t be happy for anyone else who wins in the present, and is bleak about the future that he sees for himself filled with nothing but losing. Because if you lose, then you’re a loser. But you can’t be a loser because you used to win. But now other people are winning and keeping you from the victory that is rightfully yours. So, if you can’t beat them, then you must tear them down, so that you can be on top again.

Both of these misguided worldviews lead to the same error—trying to put everybody else on earth at the same level so that we can feel good about ourselves, either by having no distinction of greatness, or by declaring ourselves great by attrition. Both philosophies fail, because they both stand on the foundation of defining our worth by what we do, rather than who we are.

God gave us a better way to live.

In the Bible, Paul calls it “living by the Spirit.” This is a churchy way of saying “getting out of your own way and letting God do His work through you.” Living by the Spirit isn’t about checking things off a religious checklist. It is more about being aware of God’s influence in our lives and allowing ourselves to be led away from our own plans and deeper into His.

Notice in the verse at the beginning that it is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit in our lives, not us. We don’t overcome the world by accomplishing all nine of those things on our own. Rather, when we yield to God’s leading in our lives, these fruits are the natural result of the change that He works within us.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Tony Cyphert/flickr)

Keeping In Step with the Spirit

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. Galatians 5:25-26 (MSG)

The Christian Walk is not concerned with how good we feel about ourselves for being Christians. While we don’t need to do things for God to get His attention, we do still have a part to play. Even a simple game of follow the leader needs effort.

Grace is the free gift of God, but it did not come cheaply. If we had no role to play in working out our own salvation, then what would be the point of God saving us in the first place?

The work that God does within us by the power of the Holy Spirit ought to be evident externally. We have been changed from within so that we may bring change to the world without. So, what does that look like?

More spiritual fruit, less religious nuts. . .

We began this post by listing the nine “fruits” of the Holy Spirit, which is to say, the characteristics that God produces in us, which are the evidence of His existence in our lives. Let´s zoom in on these.
1. Love. Love is an action word, not an emotion. Love involves sacrifice, or always putting the needs of others before your own.
2. Joy. Like love, joy is more substantial than just a feeling of superficial happiness. It is a powerful force that is God’s response to our praise and thanksgiving. This strength renews and refuels us, giving us the proper attitude to carry on with whatever comes our way next.
3. Peace. Peace is more than just an absence of discord. It involves trusting that God is strong enough to bring us through whatever trials await us, no matter how dire they may seem.
4. Patience. I KNOW this one’s coming from the Lord because it sure didn’t originate with me! This is the supernatural ability to stay chill and let things roll off your back. In many people, this is the first fruit of the Spirit that others notice in a new believer. Short fuses get a lot longer.
5. Kindness. Kindness is love in motion. This is the act of lifting up another who needs it. Before the Spirit’s work in your life, there were people you might not have even noticed. Afterward, though, you might find yourself helping these folks out without giving it a second thought.
6. Goodness. I’ve always wondered why this one came after “kindness,” because goodness is the attitude from which kindness flows. To be able to do good for others, we must first have the mindset of doing good for its own sake.
7. Faithfulness. A person under the influence of the Spirit will live a life of integrity. He will say what he means, mean what he says, finish what he starts, and always, ALWAYS keep his word. Lack of faithfulness is one of the quickest ways to spot a fake Christian. Someone who is timid, wishy-washy, unreliable, or plain dishonest is not living by the Spirit. It doesn’t matter how long he or she has been going to church.
8. Gentleness. Along with patience, this is another obvious sign that God is working in someone’s life. If a person has a history of anger issues (as I have), and you see that person holding his tongue, not raising his voice, being less competitive, etc., it’s a good bet that person didn’t learn those techniques from a self-help book.
9. Self-Control. Along with gentleness, people under the control of the Spirit are able to keep themselves together. They can hold themselves back and keep themselves from going to pieces in stressful situations. Again, when you see someone with a reactive nature not taking the bait and going for the throat anymore when someone tries to start an argument, you know that something’s up that didn’t start with that person.
I cannot stress enough that this is not intended to be a to-do list for you to check off.

The goal here is not to get these things done. It’s to keep in step with the Holy Spirit by letting His influence in our lives rule our conduct. If our goal is to live lives of strong moral character and integrity, then the characteristics in the list above will shine through naturally, sometimes without our even being aware of them.

Other people will notice, however, just as they notice when we claim to be filled with the Spirit but do not display these characteristics.

Again, the characteristics are not the goal. The character is.

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October 13, 2025
What Jesus Meant by “Overcome the World”: Part 1–How We Find Peace

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (WEB)

It has been just three weeks since Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Millions of Americans, including me, still feel the weight of this insane tragedy. For the first couple of days afterward, my faith was definitely not keeping up with the circumstances. A sense of hopelessness punctuated by extremes of anger and grief overwhelmed me.

In times like these, we Christians need to get a grip on ourselves (and each other) and simply remember just Who it is that’s running the show. God’s goal is never to perplex us, but to bring us peace. As Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV)

The Greek word rendered as “peace” in this verse is eirene. It means “rest and contentment.” We all enjoy that, right? I just got up from one of those naps with a kitty on my lap (those are the BEST!) right before I wrote this. I have feelings of contentment every morning when I am the first one up, the Bible is open, the coffee is poured, and no one, two-legged or four-legged, is bothering me.

But that isn’t what Jesus is talking about here. That is the peace that the world gives, by which I mean things in the world. It’s here one minute and gone the next. When the phone rings. Or the dog starts barking. Or your daughter sends you a text that says, “Charlie is gone.”

Jesus said, “MY peace I give you.” The peace of Jesus comes only through our relationship with God being made right by the sacrifice Jesus was about to make the very next day after He said this. And after that, He asked the Father to send us the Holy Spirit to give us the peace not only that God is bigger than whatever the world throws our way, but even that our circumstances are all actually a part of His plan.

The Purpose of Suffering

Adversity teaches us many lessons. Sometimes, God allows us to suffer as a course correction if we are going a way we should not be. Sometimes, He’s trying to show us that we are made of stronger stuff than we thought we were.

However, sometimes it’s the opposite of that. Sometimes the point of God allowing us to endure difficult seasons of life is to get us to STOP relying on our own strength and to rely on His instead.

On June 28 of this year my wife woke up with a backache. By the time we finished dinner that night, the pain was so excruciating that it took an hour for her to walk to the couch in the living room. The next morning, she couldn’t move at all. Four men carried her out of the house on a tarp to the ambulance. The emergency room did what emergency rooms do. They filled her full of enough opioids and anti-anxiety meds to get her out the door, into the car, and out of their hair. We had no idea what went wrong or what to do next.

We became keenly aware of the disastrous inadequacy of our health care system as we waited an entire MONTH for my wife to finally get scheduled for an MRI. However, it didn’t reveal the herniated disc and/or spinal stenosis that we expected. Instead, the images showed severe inflammation of the vertebra in that area due to an unknown infection. 12 hours later, she was admitted to the hospital, where she sat.

And sat.

And sat.

For four days.

Being pumped full of whatever antibiotic they could find that she wasn’t allergic to and losing what little strength and muscle tone she had left after being immobile at home for a month.

We continued IV antibiotics at home (I’m practically a freaking RN now). We blew up just about every routine and system we had built to make our lives more efficient to adjust to our new situation.

Today, two months later, she is S—L—O—W—L—Y recovering. She can walk with a walker, dress and bathe herself (Amish-style, because the shower is upstairs), fix herself a bowl of cereal, and even do the dishes if it’s a good day. We can see light at the end of the tunnel, though. Yesterday, she finally finished the antibiotics and had her PICC line removed. After some physical therapy, she should be relatively back to normal enough to resume teaching in the Spring semester.

Now I would love to be all spiritual and tell you that we held unswervingly to our faith through this trial and never doubted God for a moment. (I’ll wait a minute for Him to stop laughing.)

Yeah, it wasn’t like that at all.

There were things said for a few days under this roof that I will not repeat here. Not just because there might be children and Baptist women reading this, but because I am deeply ashamed at how much the whole situation shook me.

You see, my wife and I are alike in that we don’t wait well. When something goes wrong, we want it fixed, and we want it fixed NOW. We have things to do, places to go, people to see, food to eat. You know, PLANS! Trials and tribulations are an obstacle to those plans, so they need to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

But here’s the lesson. If we are more concerned with the disruption of our own plans than with following God’s plan for our lives, then we are not in proper submission. We know what we want, but God knows what’s best. More importantly, He knows what’s NEXT.

First-World Problems

Maybe it’s just part of being American, but I can get so bent out of shape over my first-world inconveniences. They are significant, but they are not a daily occurrence. We get so spoiled in this country that we forget troubles are a normal part of a normal life.

The world can be frustrating. The people in it can be REALLY frustrating. However, it is pointless to allow ourselves to be mastered by our frustration. There will be things in this world that we can not conquer, but Jesus has already conquered everything that ultimately matters.

Navy SEAL swim buddies are inseparable while in the water. (JO2 Ray Mooney/US National Archives)

Who´s Got Your Back?

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NLT)

Everyone has up days and down days. Christians are no exception. When we are in a desert faith-wise, it is so important to have people around us that can build us back up. Also, we should remember the example that these people set for us. This way, when we’re back on the mountaintop, we can lift somebody else up who needs it.

Unfortunately, the tendency in these dry seasons of the soul (especially for introverts like me) is to pull away from people. We get used to our misery, and it seems that we would rather prolong it than to have someone tell us what we need to hear.

The problem with that is that when we pull away from people, we pull even further away from God. That’s when the old unhealthy habits start rearing their ugly heads again.

Scaled and Icy

One of my biggest fears since accepting Christ is that someone is going to encounter me during one of these troubled times and associate what they see in me with Christianity in general. What if I’m standing at the throne at the End of Days giving an account of my life, and I find out that someone missed out on the Kingdom because of something I said or did that turned him or her away?

But fears like this can actually accelerate the downward spiral. We might figure, “If I avoid people entirely, then I won’t run the risk of blowing my witness and staining the name of Jesus.” So, we pull even further away, not just from society, but even from the hand that feeds us.

Scaled down and isolated. (Andrew Neel/Pexels)

Another manifestation of getting into a spiritual funk like this is that we stop reading the Bible. Everything we need to adjust our attitudes is right there. The Holy Spirit is only too willing to illuminate the verses that we need to hear, but again, we are too comfortable in our misery to put forth the effort of opening a book. I am so grateful to have a wife that will put scriptures in front of me when I am not going there myself.

Do you have someone in your life that cares enough about you to give you a lift like this? The Navy SEALS call this a “swim buddy.” If you don’t have one, then find one.

The best place that I have found for this type of community is in a small group (sometimes called “life groups” or “cell groups”) in a church. If you are not familiar with this concept, it’s a group usually of 8-15 people that meet regularly to go deeper together in their faith than they would get by only going to church on Sunday morning.

Set Apart to Come Together

What we need to remember is that God set us apart from the world to be WITH Him and His people, not to be hermits in a cabin in the mountains (not that there’s anything wrong with mountains!).

As I mentioned above, a normal life involves difficulties. For a Christian, those difficulties unfortunately include enduring people who mock the Name of Jesus, call us Nazis and racists without cause, or even shoot at us. Sometimes it seems that life would be easier if we didn’t have to put up with that, but we must remember that this life is not all there is. The next one is a lot longer.

God’s joy and peace are there for the having. You just have to want it. But sometimes, you need somebody to remind you that you want it.

So don’t ever be afraid to call for backup.

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October 1, 2025
The End of the Age: Part 3–On Your Guard

Be on your guard! For they will repeatedly hand you over to the ruling councils, and you will be beaten in public gatherings. And you will stand trial before kings and high-ranking governmental leaders as an opportunity to testify to them on my behalf. But prior to the end of the age, the hope of the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (Mark 13:9-10 TPT)

In verse 9, Jesus gives another warning, this one more personal. “Be on your guard!” He then tells His inner circle of the personal persecutions they will face in His name, and the purposes thereof.

But He is not warning them to be on guard against their persecutors. He is warning them against looking for big-picture signs of The End. This practice would take their focus from their individual missions. They need to be ready to witness to the authorities before whom they will be brought. They will need to remember the Great Commission that Jesus will give them to preach the Gospel to all nations. Most of all, they need to prepare their spirits to receive wisdom and comfort from the Holy Spirit amid their persecution. It is their faith that will see them through what is coming, not their ability to read the signs of the times.

This warning is for us as well. Most of us Americans have not faced the danger of arrest or public beatings for professing our faith, but this does happen daily in many areas of the world. I doubt that many of the people who are persecuted find themselves in that situation for interpreting the signs of the times. They are jailed, tortured, and martyred for the Name of Jesus.

But since, as Americans we have not previously faced these troubles, we tend to get spiritually lazy. We lose our sense of urgency about preaching the gospel and instead turn our attentions to the news, fake or otherwise, about the state of our nation. We look at the spreading degeneracy of our culture, in our media, our schools, our government, etc., and say something religious-sounding like, “Come Lord Jesus.” But what are we doing to prepare for that coming?

More importantly, what are we saying or doing to get the world ready?

Until the Whole World Hears

In verse 10, Jesus says that the Gospel must first be preached to all nations before The End comes. I have often wondered if that’s why it has been 2000 years and we’re still waiting? I can’t know this for certain, but it seems to make sense for this reason. (I’m going to lose some of the Calvinists on this one.)

God offers salvation from Sin and Death as a free gift. The way to receive this gift is to believe that Jesus is who the Bible says He is, did what the Bible says He did, and to trust and rely completely on that Truth, following Christ in obedience. In other words, a person must exercise a conscious and deliberate act of the will.

But a choice can not be made where there is no awareness of the choice that needs to be made. This is what the preaching is for:

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” Consequently, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-17 NET)

For this reason, I do not believe that anyone who has never heard of Jesus could be condemned for not choosing Him. Some theologians would disagree with me on that, but it’s the story I’m going with, because if God would send some lost African tribe to hell because they didn’t make a decision for Christ, then all those who die in infancy would go along with them. Therefore, I call shenanigans on that theology.

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Every tribe, tongue and nation…

So, about those lost African tribes (or wherever they may be). I believe that Jesus hasn’t come back yet because we haven’t reached everyone with the Gospel yet. Whether it’s because the Church has been lazy about missions, or the world’s population is simply growing at a rate that the Church can’t keep up with, they haven’t all had a chance to make their choice yet.

Therefore, the point is to stop looking at the sky and to start looking for opportunities to share the Good News, both near and far, until the whole world hears. Because until we reach the whole world with the Gospel, it doesn’t matter what ELSE is going on in the world.

(To be continued in Part 4—Stand Firm)

February 13, 2021
Antichrist

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 (NIV)

2020 has been a rough year for everybody so far, but especially for Truthseekers. The media has degenerated from fake news to absolute lunacy. A pandemic, or at least the fear of one, has gripped the world, but the scientists can’t seem to get their stories straight. Worst of all, opportunists of the lowest caliber have used fear and racial prejudice to turn us against each other.

Why do I say that one is worst of all? Because if we create enemies for ourselves along the lines of racial differences, we will forget that we have a common enemy. Which is exactly what our real enemy wants.

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So, what does John mean when he talks about “testing the spirits?” Some people get a little froke out by this, but it’s not all that weird.

Three years ago, we covered this extensively in the Overcoming the World series. In Part 8, we discussed that when a thought “pops into your head,” it is likely a message from God if it is in line with scripture, illuminates the solution to a problem and leads to a good result for all concerned. If this out-of-the-blue thought does not meet those criteria, it did not come from God. So where did it come from?

The passage above makes clear that deceptive messages are from the spirit of the antichrist. Now this is the spirit of antichrist with a lower-case A, not the big baddie of Revelation (more on that later). John uses this term literally to mean a spirit that opposes Jesus. You can see from this passage that this is the spirit that controls false prophets.

However, the wording above appears at first to be too simplistic. Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that doesn’t, isn’t. If discerning the spirits were that easy, then why would we need to test them?

Well, have you seen what’s going on in the Church lately? It mirrors what’s going on in our country. Just as America’s greatest enemy has proven to be from within, so it is with the Church. Atheists are the least of our problems, annoying though they may be. They are a mosquito bite compared to the cancer that is eating away at the Body of Christ from within.

In the Flesh

To understand what it truly means to test the spirits, it is important to know that John snuck a coded message into verse 2 above. “Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.”   Pretty much every church identifying as Christian acknowledges that Jesus was an actual human born into this world. Yet sharp division remains on what the Church’s role in the world ought to be. So, there must be something more to it than that.

There is. It’s hiding in plain sight at the beginning of John’s Gospel:

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception). John 1:1, 14 (AMP)

Jesus is the Word of God in human form. He is one with God Himself, which means that the Word is one with God Himself. Jesus is absolutely free of deception, which means the Word is absolutely free of deception.

Are you seeing where I’m going with this? Remember, the first criteria to judge whether a message is from God is if it lines up with scripture, logos, THE WORD, God Himself. Therefore, anyone who claims to speak on behalf of God but says something different than what God has already said—this is the spirit of the antichrist at work.

And we let it right in the front door. Because we didn’t want to be “judgmental.”

God’s righteous judgment

Wake up Truthseekers! Put on the armor of God and report for duty. John has already told us what comes next:

Next I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the one called Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that he passes judgment and goes to battle. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many royal crowns. And he had a name written which no one knew but himself. He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in blood, and the name by which he is called is, “THE WORD OF GOD.” The armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. And out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down nations — “He will rule them with a staff of iron.” It is he who treads the winepress from which flows the wine of the furious rage of Adonai, God of heaven’s armies.  And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written:

KING OF KINGS

AND

LORD OF LORDS.

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds that fly about in mid-heaven, “Come, gather together for the great feast God is giving, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of important men, the flesh of horses and their riders and the flesh of all kinds of people, free and slave, small and great!” I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to do battle with the rider of the horse and his army.  But the beast was taken captive, and with it the false prophet who, in its presence, had done the miracles which he had used to deceive those who had received the mark of the beast and those who had worshipped his image. The beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword that goes out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. Revelation 19:11-21 (CJB)

Can you see now why the spirit of antichrist is so intent on dividing us in terms of race? Because the devil knows well that when The Word Made Flesh returns, there will only be two kinds of people. The Army of Heaven, and Bird Food.

Now, I promised that I would get back to the Capital-A Antichrist.

What I did not promise was to reveal who I think it might be, because that is pointless speculation. Just as trying to figure out when Jesus is going to return is a distraction, trying to make news headlines line up with Biblical prophecy is also disruptive to the work we are supposed to be doing.

Trust God and His Word this much—when the Antichrist reveals himself, if you’re still here to see it, you’ll know.

June 13, 2020