Spiritual Danger Pay

Today it crosses my mind, that self-blame sickness has infected the minds of some exceedingly accountable, and hyper-responsible, people. The concept of reciprocal is rarely introduced as an essential behavioural and attitudinal element in relationships, and yet, reciprocal is the thought and feeling glue, that can bond a couple, or an entire group, in healthy and helpful ways. 

The self-blame sick think they can never do enough, that they are responsible when relationships go sideways, or when relationships suffer demise. The self-blame sick need to learn to see, that it takes two to tango, four couples for a square dance, and a mass of up and down boppers, and side to side swayers, to fill a concert floor. The lopsidedness of relationship seems epidemic, with the hyper-responsible holding up the house of cards, while the self-servers blow hard, and knock everything down, without giving their destructo ways, a second thought. 

In the past year, I fell headlong into a sticky gooey gummy mess that I had a hard time extricating myself from, and scrubbing off. When I looked back at the start of this year, I recalled a couple I had worked with that were frequent users of drugs, inhalers of the smoke of weed and tobacco, and only one in the couple, cared a whit about the other. One was willing to do the work required to accomplish life and career goals, while the other engaged in frequent sabotage. The imbalance was painful to witness, but alas, this dynamic is common, and compensatory in a most unholy and unhealthy way. The weak one pulls the strong one down, holding them hostage to their lowly standards. The strong one acquiesces to the harassment and bullying of the belittler, giving up the fight in order to keep the peace. Adult temper tantrums effectively silence those that want to get along, and the cycle is perpetuated and reinforced. NOTE: Peace without purity is the peace of the devil's palace, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 374.

When I consider the concept of reciprocal, after having worked with these two individuals, I recognize that payment was not enough for me. The amount of money I made was not commensurate with the drama/trauma I heard instigated by the trouble maker in the couple: replaying the words and seeing the scenes in my minds eye after sessions, was repulsive. Spiritual danger pay wouldn't have me working with either of them ever again, because money can not remove the mark left, after hearing horrendous stories of a vulgar and reprobate nature. These people could not trust each other, and I could not help either of them. 

What I want as a coach, working with motivated clients, is some kind of reciprocal. I want to be energized and inspired by people that are purposeful, hard working, accountable, and make a marvellous difference in the world! Getting paid is not the be all end all, it is simply an exchange of cash for services rendered, but by God in heaven, it means a lot to me to earn my income, and do a good work for people that want to do good work in their own lives. 

Clients, and we are all clients for someone that provides us services, must recognize, that all relationships require reciprocal. I think it makes perfect sense for clients to expect the best from their service providers, and I believe that it is only fair and reasonable, for the service or product providers, to expect this to be true of clients. Clients must give their all, do what they say they will do, and make marked improvements, otherwise, the relationship is a dead thing, that cannot be resuscitated. 

I had four clients this year that smoke a lot of weed. I guess my open for nonsense sign was flashing on my forehead, and there was a part of me that wanted to rescue them from this thought and life altering unreality; the damage drugs do to the soul is bestial, transforming humans created in the image of God, to all sorts of savages ravaged by invisible demons. The spirit is stripped of significance, and the body is enslaved to an evaporating high that steals purpose, meaning, ambition, and the will to make concerted effort. The chains are heavy for pot smokers, and it is only when they realize they can never ever use drugs again because drugs destroy their soul, that they can start to break free. There is no such thing as harmless recreational use of mind and body altering drugs: that is a lie from the pit of hell. 

When I consider people that want to break free from unhealthy patterns, and that want to make choices that serve them and the people they love, I see how motivated they are to be accountable for their impact, and the consequences attached to all of their behaviours and activities. Self-control kicks in for those that want to make a wholesome difference in the world, and this is a trait that I can appreciate. 

Dear reader, if you have a druggie or an alcoholic in your life, and you feel as though you are responsible to help them out of their misery, you are dead wrong. Each person is accountable for their own choices, and the consequences of those choices. Do not steal this from them! Reward is attached to accomplishment, and the druggie, the alcoholic, must come to terms with the state they are in, and truly want a different life. Your pep talks and encouragement, are feel good moments in time, but they are not the stuff of change for those that must come clean of their own accord. 

If you have suffered along side this person for an extended and exhausting period of time, then perhaps you have a self-blame sickness that can only be cured by removing yourself from their slurred company. You cannot save anyone from themselves, only Jesus saves repentant and needy souls from self-destruction. 

Jesus empowers, we pray, that is how the system works!

Don't feel sorry for the abusers of drugs and alcohol, feel some compassion for yourself, for all the suffering you have endured in their company. Your peace is precious and hard won, and while you hold hands with a self-indulgent person, you give them your strength, and undoubtedly, your energy will be sucked right out of your soul and body. 

Living is one choice at a time, and reciprocal must be considered before we engage ourselves and invest, in relationship. 

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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. 

Be Not Overcome

Be not overcome by evil. Let not the evil of any provocation that is given you have such a power over you, or make such an impression upon you, as to dispossess you of yourselves, to disturb your peace, to destroy your love, to ruffle and discompose your spirits, to transport you to any indecencies, or to bring you to study or attempt any revenge. He that cannot quietly bear an injury is perfectly conquered by it. (2) But overcome evil with good, with the good of patience, forbearance, nay, and of kindness and beneficence to those that wrong you. Learn to defeat their ill designs against you, and either to change them, or at least to preserve your own peace. He that hath this rule over his spirit is better than the mighty. 

... those that revenge are the conquered and those that forgive are the conquerors. 

The above is from Matthew Henry's Commentary on The Bible, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 375. 

I like to share the spiritual treasures I discover dear reader. Overcoming evil with good is paradoxical and counter intuitive: we humans cannot stand being slighted, and when we perceive an insult has been cast in our direction, it is a common reaction to want to retaliate and yet, this is not the godly way, this is not recommended for those that declare Christ their King, this, is not what the Saviour taught his disciples when he was in their midst. 

Let us have some fun with the excerpt above, shall we?

Evil is provocative and can overwhelm to the point of having power over you and I. Wait, what? Consider with me, the magnificently obvious to the naked spiritual eye truth, that Matthew Henry has pointed out for us - evil can:

Make an impression

Dispossess you of yourself

Disturb your peace

Destroy your love

Ruffle and discompose your spirit

Transport you to indecencies

Have you study (consider, plot, or plan), and attempt revenge

If you cannot quietly bear an injury, you are conquered

Does this describe what happens to you, when you have been insulted, when your character has been assessed and found wanting, when someone suggests you are flawed and without redemptive traits? 

Insults make an impression and can leave a mark. When insulted, a person can feel displaced, and think only of what hurt their mind, heart, and spirit, dispossessing them of themselves, and disturbing their peace. Self and other love is often destroyed in this process, and that unsettled, ruffling of the soul, can cause composure to falter and fray. The next part is the scary part: We can become indecent in our reactions and actions; swearing, cursing, accusing, returning insults, and wanting to injure the other by denigrating them. As if this wasn't bad enough, a vengeful person can and does, plot, plan, and attempt revenge. Do you know anyone like this, that not only nurses and nurturers their festering wounds, but gives themselves undiluted permission to speak of and justify, what they consider, sweet revenge?

If you cannot quietly bear an injury, you are conquered.

The Bible is instructive and gives us insights into God's ways. It has been suggested that God is cruelly vengeful, but I suggest to you, that he is long suffering in his holiness. Of course, I did not think of this myself, I learned it from his Word, and personal experience. I have also learned that vengeance is the Lord's, and I am perfectly okay with God Almighty being in charge of commissioning justice, since his righteousness is unchallengeable. Our instructions indicate that we can save ourselves from the scenario Matthew Henry describes, and that I expounded upon. There is another way, and it includes: 

Overcoming evil with good

The good of patience and forbearance

Kindness and beneficence to those that wrong you

Learn to defeat their ill designs against you; 

To either change those ill designs or;

Preserve your peace

Having this rule (control) over your spirit, makes you better than the mighty

Jesus is our perfect example of a human conqueror that demonstrated Godly forbearance. We needed Someone to model for us how overcoming evil with good, looks and sounds. My favourite word in the short sentences of encouragement above, is the word Learn. We must learn the ways of God, because they most certainly, are not natural for the majority of people. Most people are inclined to retaliate when insult leads to injury, and to overcome evil with good requires a significant investment of processing the pain and suffering that may have been incurred, in order to put it in its rightful place, so as not to have the evil dispossess us of ourselves. Peace is the desired mind, heart and soul state, for Christ followers. 

Quietly bearing injury, makes you a conqueror. 

Here is the paradox:

... those that revenge are the conquered and those that forgive are the conquerors (Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 375). There is strength in forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and remaining peaceful even when provoked. Evil, do recall, is provocative, and evil is of the devil... 

You and I wouldn't want to act like the devil, now would we?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us (Romans 8:37).

Majesty In A Manger

The long awaited birth of the Saviour of the world... that is it, in a sentence: an anticipatory sense accompanies the words long awaited. 

Think with me, what it means to have fulfillment. You and I want this very much; we each want to feel as though our lives matter, that we have something to accomplish and complete. Now consider the fulfillment of prophecy, and this ought to shake you up a bit, have you shedding tears of wonder. A babe, Majesty, in a manger, dear reader, with the host of heaven singing his praises, a star leading the way to his location, all the earth glorifying him, while his mother in awe, beholds, his earthly father, observes. How to soak up with the senses and hold all near and dear, is the conundrum.

I have had spectacular moments of inspired revelation, transformative moments that transport me to heavenly realms. Awash in gratitude, I want to hold on to these experiences, to never forget the deeply moving sweetness, but thoughts and feelings are fleeting and surreal, they dissipate and are displaced like so much vapour. I think of baby Jesus, his Majesty, born, growing into a child and becoming a man, and I delight in recalling this: 

Luke 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man

Do you, increase in wisdom daily?

Are you a man or woman of stature? 

Do you have the favour of God and man?

I had to chuckle as I considered my own answers to these questions. I fall far short in all areas, especially when I compare myself to Christ... Jesus is the standard by which each person ought to measure themselves, and by doing so, we are humbled, and realize, we do not come near God, and must approach with deferential caution! Jesus is the fulfillment of timeless prophecy. Jesus is this:

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

My favourite Bible verse is chock full of goose-bumpy fireworks for the heart, mind, and soul. Faith filled godly men and women anticipated substance, the fulfilling of prophecy, with the birth of the Messiah. They hoped, and God did not disappoint. Evidential proof of God in our midst, is celebrated around the world by Christians that see our King, Majesty born in a manger, as fulfillment and promise meeting and mingling. 

December 25th marks time. Jesus is the demarcator. He rends and mends. He is mystery revealed. Jesus is undeniably revered by some, and raged against by most. Say his name and observe radical reactions. Some drop metaphorically, and physically too, to their knees to honour him, while others raise their fists to rally against him... it is impossible for humans to not have a visceral reaction, and this is so extraordinary as to be studiedly important. Jesus conquers without controlling. Jesus, as Messiah, as Emmanuel, takes up residence in hearts, minds and souls, and it is the transforming power of God that changes us from mere earthlings, to saints. Haters of the holiness of God, decrease in wisdom daily, lose statue and status, and decrease in favour in God and man's sight. 

To disobey God, is to destroy one's own purpose and meaning in this short lived life. Eating, drinking, sleeping, working, entertaining self and other is not enough, dear one. All these things we do, but they are empty activities, when the soul is starved of significance, when the mind is deprived of heavenly destinations, and when the body is used as a vessel of filling and voiding, and does not serve others for the sake of their deliverance. 

On this day, December 26th, 2025, I consider the newness of the year 2026. Jesus changes everything, and well he should: his Majesty is Magnificent, and I pray you know him for who he is, and what he has done before time began, for his chosen ones. 

Jesus is, prophecy fulfilled. 

Compromised Integrity

She was a friend, a spiritual mentor, and eventually, she worked as a self-employed councillor. During our first shared meal, we discussed faith, and my new friend helped me understand the mystery of the triune God. She was my go to when I had questions, because she had been raised as a Bible reading and believing Christian. One day, when I called with an inquiry, she said, I think it's time you get your own Bible and ask God these questions. She gently directed me to the wisdom available in God's Word. My first study Bible seemed an expensive purchase at the time, costing me just over $83. I had no idea, that The Book that I felt I could not afford, would be the single best investment I have ever made. I was twenty-two when God's grace washed over me and saved my soul. 

My study Bible became my constant companion, but that does not mean I was sin free, o no, I had a long way to go in my sanctification process, and still do. Over time, I began to learn that compromising my integrity to maintain worldly and secular relationships, was untenable, and a great source of irritation for my soul. Reading The Bible convicts the conscience, and highlights reprehensible thoughts, and closely related behaviours, that are abhorrent to God. Most people will never pick-up a Bible, let alone purposefully make their way through the Good Book, because let us face the facts, most people do not want to stop doing what they are doing... most people, prefer their pet sins, over correction from God omniscient. 

I read commentary on The Bible from Matthew Henry. His love for Jesus is so evident that I cannot help wanting to be more like Jesus each time I am educated about scripture. Here is what Matthew Henry has to say on my subject matter, of compromised integrity, from Volume 6, Acts to Revelation, page 375:

... we must love our brethren, but not love them so much as for their sakes to commit any sin, or omit any duty; not think the better of any sin for the sake of the person that commits it, but forsake all the friends of the world, to cleave to God and duty.

Cleaving unto the Lord and being dutiful, includes loving our friends as Jesus loves us. Friends can make choices that are sinful and unsavoury, and when this occurs, it behooves us to communicate that God does not approve or condone their choices. My friend, introduced me to her boyfriend, and gave me an extravagant birthday gift that day, to buy my acceptance and silence. She was having an affair, and justifying it too. She was a mother of two, she was drinking and swearing while driving her children, and talking on the phone with me, and man alive, she was also going to marriage counselling... our mutual love for Jesus and his Word, turned into something I could no longer recognize. Each time she called or wanted an in person visit, my stomach would do summersaults: I felt sick about loving her and at the very same time, being appalled by what she was saying and doing. 

I realized that being her friend, and our friendship lasted twelve years, felt like a compromise of my integrity, and that each time she rationalized her behaviours, I was colluding with her choices just by being in her company. She did not want to give up the boyfriend, or the pretending that she was working on her marriage. The woman lost her grip on reality, and every area of her life was soaked in sinful drama and trauma. She died not long ago, and it saddened me to learn of this. Our friendship ended when I told her that speaking to her drained me, but worse yet, she was saying many things that were anti-biblical. She had gone from being a spiritual mentor in the beginning of our friendship, to being an adulterous, drunken, self-justifying sinner, and I literally could not stomach her company or the thought of hearing about her activities. 

My former friend, I learned, had some sneaky and slick ways. It is an oddity to me, to have a person direct me to The Word of God, but not abide herself, knowing what is contained there. I guess that is how our individual sin works, isn't that right, dear reader? We know what we ought not say and do, but we override righteousness in favour of sin anyway. Sanctification as I indicated above, is an on going process, and scripture makes it very clear, what is and is not, acceptable in God's sight. 

You may feel as though you are compromising your integrity via your own sinful ways, or by accommodating the sins of a family member or friend. Being honest with yourself will go a long way toward rectifying the situation. Ask yourself if you are indeed, running at cross purposes for the health of your soul, by going against the will of God. Sin and shame are best friends. Where there is one, there is the other too: shame will be silenced over time if it is not permitted a voice to condemn sin and encourage repentance. Sin will have its way with a person that invites it in, sups with it regularly, and encourages it to become a house mate. 

Cleaving unto the Lord is a choice one must make after salvation. It is humbling to see ourselves as sinners in need of saving, in need of course correcting, in need of rebuke, and even in need of suffering consequences, that are justified for our disobedience. It is in the suffering and sorrow after much compromising of integrity, that we learn who we do not want to be. It is embarrassing when I look back at my sinful choices, and it is a relief to know, that some of the things I engaged in in the past, are no longer appealing to me in the least. God purifies and sanctifies; I reiterate the concept, that sanctification is a life long process, so do be kind to yourself as you follow in the footsteps of the Saviour. You may misstep, or lose the trail periodically, but know that you can confess your sins, recalibrate to Christ, and ask God for help to sin no more. Know too, that God will do a transformative work in you, the closer you stay to him, and the more you read his Word. 

I will end with one last thought. It is the duty of each Christian to be Christ like. I will not define this for you, but I will do you the favour my friend of long ago, did for me, by suggesting this: Go to God by going to his Word. Before making your study Bible purchase, pray and ask for guidance. Before reading, make this request: 

Psalm 119:18

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

God will never ignore your requests to learn about and from him. He created you to praise, honour and glorify him, and he is the source of all wisdom and understanding. I pray you discover this for yourself, while reading and weeping over his goodness, found in his Word, and sown in your heart. 

Luke 8:11

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

The Spirit of Offence

Ah, dear reader, we have amongst us offenders that are greatly offended. Insults exchanged can nick, cut, and even slash the soul; receive enough of them, and a person becomes the perpetually walking wounded. If healing isn't considered with a plan of action put in place, the wounds fester; with this festering, spiritual pus infects, and can take over, a person's whole being.

There are three places the ugliness of offence can go:

Mea culpa

1. A person that is regularly insulted, may believe that they deserve the verbal assaults, and that there is something wrong with them. A mea culpa insecurity may develop and emerge, and the victimized can turn against themselves in agreement with attackers. This is a terrible situation for the insulted, and more often than not, sickness will set in and show up with mental, spiritual, emotional illness that can transmute into physical disease that can kill. This type of response to insults causes internal festering, and the pus of infection is contained within the it-is-all-my-fault person, and can contaminate the mea culpa wounded. This person is dangerous to self. 

It's not me, it's them

2. A person that is regularly insulted, returns the favour. When feeling slighted, a wounded one, will up the anti and attack others mercilessly, finding fault, and expressing it in such a way as to attempt to cause serious emotional or psychological injury, as a form of balancing the scales of injustice that they experience in their hurt souls. The it's not me its them approach, empowers this type to feel confident that retaliation is apropos and deserved, even if the people they verbally, and sometimes physically assault, did not purposefully offend them in the first place. This person does not know what to do with their built up over the years angst, and in their irritation, and unsettled feelings, they express frustration externally, by directing it at others. There is a potential enemy around every corner, and putting up fists in defence is natural for this type of offended person: their festering wounds explode, and the pus of insecurity coupled with the seeking of revenge, has them coating everyone they meet, with their own unresolved dirty discharge. The person I describe, is dangerous not only to self, but also to others.

Objectivity 

3. A person that is regularly insulted, and dear reader, most people have been insulted numerous times, starting in childhood, is objective about what has taken place, assessing the situation and the people they encounter, with eyes of discernment. This reaction to insult is a measured and learned response. The urge to blame self, and conversely, the urge to fight back, are so natural and normal, that they make rational sense. In the first instance, mea culpa, or my fault, may very well be the case, and so a reasonable person will look at themselves to see if they have spoken or done wrongly. In the second case, of it's not me, it's them, a person must look at their blame game attitude, to see if perhaps, they are unhealthy in their reactionary responses. Self-awareness goes a long way in our understanding of how we ought to respond to insults thrown in our direction. The objective person will look at circumstances and decide, not emote: they will choose to character correct if there is work to do, or they may very well see through the insults to the other side, and look into the person trying desperately to cause suffering because they are suffering. Imposing pain on another is a grotesque way to alleviate our own: sharing pain in compassion is the ultimate goal in relationships The objective person, when insulted, will self-regulate, and dare I say, the most healthy people, pray for healing for their own wounds and of course, that of others. There is no pus with this person, there is a desire to resolve when possible, and to leave in peace if resolution is beyond immediate reach. This type is not a hazard or danger to self or others.

Dear reader, you and I are the worst of offenders before a Holy God that cannot abide sin. It is ridiculous for us to be constantly offended and not take a close look at how offensive we can be! The mercy of God is upon us each time we go astray and are not punished for our waywardness, not smitten and cursed immediately for our wicked self-indulgences. Offended you say? Wounded you suggest? How about looking at Jesus, the sinless One, dying on a cross for the sins of the world, the insults and wounds of all the murderous, adulterous, lying, cheating, stealing whorish people that make up society. 

When I think of how forgiven I am for all my transgressions, and how kind and generous God has continued to be, despite my nasty self-serving ways, I am astounded. I have been forgiven much, and it behooves me to forgive, and not condemn the wounded, that throw out insults as though they were salted candy canes at a Santa Claus parade, that have yet to feel the balm of blessing that can only come from faith, in a Redeemer that rescues us from our own self-destruction.

It is Jesus Christ that has been most insulted and yet, it is Jesus Christ that sees through each person to the soul that resides within, and it is to him we owe a debt of gratitude, for enabling transformation from being offended, from being offensive, and moving toward godliness with him as our perfect model. God forgives when we repent, and it is the heart cry of every Christian, that the lost are saved, after they recognize they have much to be sorry for, and forgiven for too. 

Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Apologist

Apologist: a person who offers an argument in defence of something controversial 

I am not an apologist for the Christian faith. I do not feel the need, nor am I urgently compelled, to explain or defend, Christianity. It does not appeal to me to argue, nor will I be drawn into arguments, that protectively secure my beliefs: I am not insular in my thoughts and feelings about my faith, I am confident and unfaltering. There is a massive difference between assertion and aggression. I assert that Jesus Christ is Lord of lords, that he is the only begotten Son of God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the triune God; they are equal and indivisible.

I state these facts with The Bible as my authority. I cannot make this type of thing up; it is beyond my capacity as a creature, crafted by the hand of God. 

I don't feel the urge to defend my beliefs, because God Almighty does not need a mere human to explain him, protect him from faith marauders, or cut, slash and burn heretics, that think they can debunk scripture, because it does not align with their personal storyline. My faith was hard won, and I already did all of my investigative struggling with who God is, and what I believe about his revealed truth, as given to mankind through The Bible. Jesus, by the Way, is the revealed Truth.

Look to the definition of the word apologist once more, at the top of this page. My faith is not controversial to me. The Bible is not mine to defend; I do not feel as though I must stand in front of the Lord of Glory and like Peter, lop off an ear in his defence. Recently, someone attempted to dissuade me from my commitment to Biblical truth, and this person was affronted when I would not consider for one moment, what she was presenting to me. And I ask you, dear reader, Why would I consider her arguments, when I have an unbending, unbreakable, unwavering Book of Truth to rely upon, that has never lied to me, failed me, or offended me, like humans have, in their machinations and wicked imaginings?

This brings us to the crux of my driving point. The Bible offends people that do not want to believe what they are reading. It offends them so deeply, that they must pick and choose what is acceptable to them and their sensibilities. They do not feel that the Word is valid, and must compromise what they read to accommodate their faulty thinking. I ask, Why read The Bible at all, if you do not want to accept what God has commanded and included there?

Which brings me to my next salient point. Christianity is biblical, not extra biblical. Once a person begins cherry picking scriptures they like, and throwing away the ones they don't like, based on other books they have read, to prove points they want to make as pseudo-apologists, they are questioning and convoluting the inspired Word of God, and attempting to mislead others away from biblically sound doctrine. This is a sneak attack on the faithful, and it does not bode well for the attacker. 

I don't tamper with the Word of God. I don't add to it, or subtract from it. It humbles me when I read it, and I do not arrogantly argue with what I read there: it is a vain thing, to argue with the living God, and God forbid I should do anything of the sort. And now this, dear reader: I will not argue with humans that want to take the Word and twist it into something unholy and unregenerate. I have reverence for Holy Writ, and no one, will convince me, that the Bible is in any way flawed or in need of editing. 

I take this stand as a statement of faith, and while I will not argue with biblical nay sayers, I will, here and now, let them know, that they do not have sway, with this Christ follower. 

Proverbs 16:3

Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Mongrels of Immorality

... it is certain, one truth can never contradict another, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 371. 

I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:21)

I have a bone to pick regarding deception, and I will come at the subject as a champion of truth. Truth is irrefutable, immutable, unchanging, a constant to be counted on, a continually uniform and stabilizing element, that is not subject to the winds of change, or the blowing hard of a liar. Truth cannot be mixed and mingled with lies to make someone feel better about themselves, or their shoddy belief system. Truth cannot be dipped into and dabbed on at our convenience, to accommodate our self-indulgent inclinations to deceive, and enable a comfortable approach to embracing the sinfulness of delusion. 

Deceive, delude, deviate, dodge, dupe, double-cross... diabolical. 

Do you know a liar? I scoff a little in the asking of this question, since each one of us lies, or has lied. I am talking about those in our midst that make a habit of speaking lies, and when someone points out that they are lying, they lie some more: liars are accomplished in their craftiness, and cannot be underestimated in their abilities to deceive the gullible. Some liars are embarrassingly bad at telling lies, and no one believes them, and yet, they persist - how very strange and froward! I am confident you can think of a time when a shyster relieved you of the burden of money in your bank account, by tricking you into believing investing with them would be to your benefit. Scammers scam, and suckers are born ready to have their privileges and possessions lifted from them daily - this is the thinking of all grifters that hunt their prey. 

The globalists are psychotic and diabolical liars. They amass their fortunes by banking on the fact that people will believe their lies, accumulated lies, undeniable lies, shifty grifty grotesque and obvious lies - and many people do believe them, no matter what kind of vulgar slyness flows from their ever moving mouths. Why though? Why are the masses so suspiciously susceptible to being misguided by these mongrels of immorality? 

The answer to this question is an ugly one, dear reader. Dare I tell you? at the risk of being hated by you, that the masses slurp up lies as though they were delicious gelato, because most people, are liars too. How do I know this? The answer to this second question, will be unacceptable and untenable for most people, but I tell you this, it is because the majority of humans, hate the Truth, and the Truth, dear reader, is Jesus Christ. 

We cannot have "it" both ways. We cannot embrace lies and have Jesus too. We cannot superimpose our will on truth, by self and other deceiving. There is an incompatibility that must be acknowledged, when someone is a half-ling, with one foot in heaven and the other firmly planted on earth. We cannot be double minded, serving two masters, one being the flesh, the other, the spirit, without wreaking havoc in our being. The duplicity is disturbing, and each man, woman, and child, must decide, truth or lies, honesty or deception; we will be known by what we choose. 

What liars sometimes fail to recognize is the reputation they establish for themselves when they persist in their attempts to trick others. Would you like to be know as a liar? Is this the faulty character trait that you want as a label attached to your lapel? When you trust in your own misguided belief system, and align with others that do the same, are you truly convinced that you will get away with this type of thinking and behaving, before a Holy and gloriously pure God, that cannot sin, or suffer the presence of unrepentant sinners?

We ought to be repulsed by our own individual and devious nature - especially when we consider that God sees, hears, and knows all. We ought to be embarrassed and ashamed of ourselves, each time we practice to deceive self and other. The conscience ought to be pricked and bleeding, at the thought of offending God Almighty with our wagging and lying tongues... 

Those that shamelessly lie, dear one, do not know God, nor do they care for his opinion of them, and this is precisely why you must commit to truth telling, for the sake of your soul, and for the sake of the relationships you hope to enrich with an infusion of honesty. 

You, cannot be trusted, unless of course, you tell the truth. The truth makes us free, and it is biblical truth that is the only truth to be trusted; from there, when we embrace the purification process, we can become Christ like in our bold professing of truth, minus any hint of devious deception. 

I close with scripture:

I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:21).

Looney Tunes

I have in my mind's eye, the clocking into work image, of Ralph Wolf & Sam Sheepdog. These old time Saturday morning cartoon characters were consistently, and forever persistently, predictable.

Sam Sheepdog tended a grazing flock as their protector. It was Ralph Wolf's job to sneak a snack, while under the watchful, albeit covered in hair, eyes, of the canine shepherd. Before their shift started, cordial Good Morning exchanges occurred. There was an understanding, that there were no hard feelings between these play-actors: each had a role, and each took their work seriously, and it wasn't personal, when Ralph attempted to steal sheep, and Sam pounded him when caught trying. 

It is looney tunes, dear reader, for us to not see that there are sheep, wolves, and shepherds, in our midst. Perhaps I have a paranoid perspective. Perhaps I am imagining things, and the world isn't a prey and predator scenario; perhaps I am way off base, and Sam Sheepdog along with Ralph Wolf, are just fun kinda guy drawings that goof around, and none of it has significance... perhaps, but I am going to say Nah, I'm not paranoid, imagining things, or off base. I am right and see clearly, what is happening all around us. 

Wolves and sheep are mentioned numerous times in The Bible, here is one example from Acts 20:29:

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Jesus told his disciples what to expect, that there would be wolves that would not spare the flock. I have a strong tendency to take what Jesus said very seriously. Jesus called them grievous wolves. Wolves do not care how they treat their prey, they are inclined to kill and eat: compare this type of predator to a grass nibbling fluffy oaf of an animal, and you can see for yourself, how there is an evident and obvious, strength and power imbalance between the two animals. 

The warning to the disciples was a necessary one, and it stands us in good stead, to be forewarned along with them. Do I fear a wolf attack in my suburban neighbourhood? No, not really. Do I suspect that there are humans that have wolfish ways? Absolutely. Am I afraid of them? Resolutely I tell you, No, not at all. While I acknowledge there are wolf like humans in our midst, I do not fear them, but I do, know what they are capable of; it is fool hardy to pretend they are not vicious, ravenous, predatory killers, that do not think twice about snatching up a vulnerable and naive sheep like human, and devouring them in their blood lust, taking all they have away, including their life, without a second thought. 

Truth is stolen every day from people that seem so reasonable, so sensible, and logical. Truth stolen by wiley wolves, can leave a person utterly unprotected and unguarded. This is how the masses are tricked out of their birthright: they believe established liars, they fall for falsehoods, and they willingly walk away from biblical truth, forsaking the safety that can only be found in the Good Shepherd's secured sheep's pen. Sam Sheepdog does his part in the cartoon to override Ralph Wolf, but in the real world, Ralph Wolf types are eating their fill, and satisfying their blood lust, on an unsuspecting and susceptible flock. 

Jesus promised tribulation in this world. Jesus knows the heart thoughts of wicked wolfie types, but do you, dear reader? Do you comprehend that there is danger; that there are real predators that hunt prey minus conscience, minus any inkling that what they do, is devoid of a sense of wrongness. In other words, the wolfie types think it is their right to hunt stupid animal like sheepish humans, that are clueless about the peril they are in: Is this all too dramatic and nonsensical to you, dear one? or are you picking up what I am putting down?

I read The Bible, but I fear that few self-professing Christians actually do, which makes it much easier for them to be deceived. The Bible is cohesively cogent, and it takes a lot of effort to convolute what is plainly explained in God's comprehensive Word. The gospel is simple, with no secrets to decode, or private clubs a person must belong to, to comprehend the messages shared in scripture. No one needs to hire a helper to figure out, that man is sinful, that a Saviour came to die on a cross as the perfect sacrifice and propitiation, and that he rose again, resurrected as Redeemer, proving his divinity as prophetically predicted in Holy Writ. Jesus performed miracles and wonders and he, and he only, fulfilled all the requirements enumerated as proof of his God/Man hood. 

I am happy with my faith. I am content in my beliefs. I am hopeful for humanity; for those that love the truth, and cannot help but ask God for their fulling up with Holy Ghost verity. It is possible to be saved from yourself, from your own self-importance, and natural tendencies to self-deceive, and from being other deceived too. Wolves like it when Christians are on the menu: they like it when sheep haven't a clue who the Shepherd is, what he has stated in his divinely inspired Word, or what he wants for the flock. 

It behooves professing Christians to know the Good Book and by virtue of reading this Good Book, getting to know God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Discernment sharpens when we pray in faith, and dear one, faith is a preservative and shield of protection against predators that roam for the purposes of killing and destroying. 

Matthew 10:6

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Sober Singularity

True Christianity consists of much in a sober singularity, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 368.

Sober is seriousness. Singularity is unmistakable and unmitigated focus. Successful people are singular, meaning all that they think, and all that they do, has them directing their energy toward goal accomplishment. Expertise does not happen overnight; the motto practice makes perfect, has substance. There is evidence all around us, that people with single minded focus, have a tendency toward achieving their long term goals. Look to the unified approach of the globalists. They have plotted and planned, set into motion their step-by-step agendas, and man alive, they sure did do a number on us back in 2020 with their reset, and world shut-down, didn't they? March 14th, 2020, it felt to me as though someone had pulled a gigantic plug out of a massive socket, and everything whirled to a strange and somber halt. 

I admire the dedication it takes to command and control an entire global population. With singularity, the schemers have been relentless, and dare I say, they have their ancestors to thank for their learned tenaciousness. Think with me to a flood, and all but eight humans, drowning in their despicableness, in their frowardness toward God. Now if a global population can be commanded and controlled by a small band of schemers, what does it say about the majority of people? Are they not of the same ilk as their oppressors? If we go back in time with our current population, how many would make it back to dry land via the vessel of an ark? Fast forward to the fire that will burn up this world like it is so much fodder: how many will remain unscathed? Eight, eighty, eight hundred, eight thousand, eighty thousand, eight million? Read that last sentence in reverse to get a more accurate accounting of how many potentially will remain unscathed. 

I am a one trick pony, dear reader. I am sober and singular about my faith. I cannot help myself, but think about God and The Bible, and how Jesus saved me from my sins through his gracious mercy. I care about souls and salvation, and I see that suffering is directly related to disassociation from God as Sovereign. I see that singularity can lead us toward, or away, from God. Whatever we focus on is exactly where we will go. The world wanderers truly do have their reward here on earth, but I want to go to heaven! I am sober in my singularity as a Christian. I know my days are numbered, that I will expire, and that my soul will live on, and I want to be with the Lord for my eternity. 

Many have tried to distract me from my single minded focus. Many have attempted to have me think differently, and insist I deviate from the course I am committed to. I write for myself and to you, with my eyes trained on Christ and biblical truth, and I tell you now, that I will not be redirected, by anyone, because the Truth made me free, and being enslaved to worldly thinking and ways, is repulsive to me. The purity of the Word of God is my salve, and while I see so many going sideways, slip sliding away from the simplicity of the gospel, I happily cling to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, without fear, shame or worry, that I am at all misguided. 

My confidence is in the Lord. My source of wisdom is the Word of God. My peace is in knowing that God, not mankind, is in charge of all things visible and invisible. Does this resonate with you, dear reader? Are you too, sober and singular about your faith? If so, I encourage you to stay the course. The more you focus on Christ and learning who he is from scripture, and the more time you spend in prayer and fellowship with your brethren, the stronger your faith will be, and the result, will be steadfastness. 

How, glorious, is that, dear one? 

Titus 2:1-3

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. That aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things.

Be Ye Transformed

And be not conformed to the 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 (Romans 12:2).

Transformation is a wonder and delight. To be transformed suggests some kind of existential and exponential improvement: but maybe not, maybe transforming far exceeds changes of a positive natural. To be transformed is to be made new, with the old passing away, and the newness emerging as though the creature is almost unrecognizable. The image bearer may look the same on the outside, but the insides, the guts, have a surreal substance that is essentially, a regenerated version of self, remade in the spiritual image of God. 

Matthew Henry's description is so uplifting, that I feel compelled to share. This is for all the Christians that know that God has done, and is doing, a work of transformation in them. We go to Volume 6, Acts to Revelation, Matthew Henry, page 368:

Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind, a change not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spirit - new dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies, the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he was - old things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life, Prov. 4:23. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on of this renewing work, till it be perfected in glory. This is called the transforming of us; it is like putting on a new shape and figure. Metamorphous thee - be you metamorphosed. The transfiguration of Christ is expressed by this word Matthew 17:2:

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 

God glow, dear reader! The transforming process, the metamorphosis experience, brings an inner glow that can be seen as gleaming light on the outside! One of the most miserable expressions seen on the faces of humanity, is their disgruntled malcontentedness. Not so with Christians that have the joy of the Lord. I want to glow like Jesus, don't you?

• A renewed mind changes the qualities of the soul
• A new heart, and a new spirit, changes dispositions and inclinations
• With a renewed mind, and a new heart, sympathies and antipathies adjust too
• With these transformative occurrences, understanding brightens, enlightens, and our conscience softens while our thoughts rectify
• Wonderfully, in this newness, the will bows to the will of God, and affections are made spiritual and heavenly  
• This remaking of the man has him living with contentment, abiding new principles, new rules, and new designs
• We put on a new shape and figure 

I have read many a time that each cell in the body is remade or renewed every seven years. Built into each human is the capacity to be new, and yet, it is the mind that must be addressed, if transformation is to take place, and that, of a spiritual nature. How we think and what we think about, impacts the whole being. Meditating on the Word and will of God, can and does, change every fibre of a person's being, when their faith is enlivened and their mind transfixed, so that their heart and soul sing God's praises. 

There are many falsified Christians. They mislead because they simply do not know the God of The Bible, and they have yet to be transformed. It is God that changes thoughts; it is by his saving grace power that we are made new and reshaped into the image of our Redeemer. He is the one that rescues us from our ugly thinking, our warped behaving, and our maladjusted approach to living. To be rectified is to be straightened out, corrected, so that we do not continue to go down a damnable path of destruction. I don't know about you, dear reader, but I am very keen on having my thoughts align with God's will, which is forever and always, the better way, and the only way, to the Father, through Christ the Lord.

Be ye transformed. Do not conform to the world. You get to choose to be like Christ, or like your dodgy acquaintances. Read The Bible, learn who Jesus is, and carry on from there Christian soldier.

Evidence of Integrity

The best evidence of integrity is a freedom from the present prevailing corruptions of the times and places that we live in, to swim against the stream when it is strong. Those God will own for this faithful witnesses that are bold in bearing their testimony to the present truth, 2 Pet. 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.This is thank-worthy, not to bow to Baal when everybody bows. Sober singularity is commonly the badge of true sincerity, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 359. 

Elijah had a complaint. He was a lonely kind of fellow, and couldn't find faithful brethren. God let him know that he always has a remnant, no matter how bleak the circumstances appear, and no matter what age we currently live in. The apostle Peter reminded the faithful of this awe inspiring truth:

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom i am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:16-21).

I state the obvious when I say, Baal/devil worship isn't new. Satan worshippers are bold in their Hail Satan exclamations. One might think that Christ worshippers would be just as bold, with evident dedication to the King; alas, some pay hollow lip service to the idea of Christianity, all the while, there resides a well of darkness in their hearts: 

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow there pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not (2 Peter 2:1-3).

My questions to you, Christian: 

Have you left a church, or two, yet? 

Have you sat unnerved in a congregation, recognizing that a false preacher, a hireling, presides there, and you simply cannot abide what you are hearing and witnessing? Did you decide you must leave immediately, and never return? 

Have you sat solo, with your heart thumping loudly in your chest, and felt the urge to jump up out of your seat to shout, Liar, LIAR, when you heard heresies pour forth from the mouth of a wicked imposter? 

Have you witnessed the Truth, scripture, being mutilated and twisted, whilst an unsuspecting mass of humanity listens to the bastardizations, without ever suspecting the culprit, because the crowd is biblically illiterate, or overly tolerant and indulgent, of humans watering down sound doctrine, because they are spiritually disinclined to commit their very souls and existence to Christ?

Have you recognized and observed that the flock is seen simply as merchandise from the pulpit puppet? Have you noticed the guy that yacks and yacks to a captive audience, flapping his lips and quickly moving his tongue, never pays humble homage to the One that bought him? 

And what of the Sunday school secularized teachers, dear one? Have you listened in and seen too, what they are doing to robotize our little ones? 

I know of a church that has a "sensory" room; this room is a place to segregate individuals. It is appalling to think of children being sent there, as though they are unwelcome, or as though they are animals that must be taken out of the general population, caged and contained for a time, so as not to disturb the good vibes of other participants, or challenge the skill set of "educators" that have an authoritarian mindset and approach to teaching children. How shameful, Churches have been secularized. Turning children into obedient little zombies is the goal for the self-important and self-appointed disciplinarians, called Sunday school teachers, in this particular church. 

Matthew 19:14

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus knows the heart of each and every Sunday school teacher. Some Sunday school teachers adore the Lord, and it shows in how they speak to little children. Only a truly wicked person, could be unkind to a small child, and these false teachers, must never be in charge of a group of tender, sweet, and precious to the Lord souls: I say this, and yet, volunteers are deemed qualified without vetting, and being held to godly standards; these pretenders end up doing untold spiritual damage each time they take, and tightly grip, the reigns of leadership. 

Is there evidence of integrity in you, dear reader? Are you unwilling to forsake the Lord, and thereby willing to say No, to the fakes and frauds that call themselves preachers, teachers, and church leaders, that do not love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind? 

It can feel very lonely at first, to decide to leave an apostate church. You may want to convince others that they are in danger, or that you have seen antichrist like inclinations in the preacher and his associates, or that you have been misguided and mistreated too, by those that have taken on teaching roles. When you leave, know that you are not alone, you are not the first to go for the very same reasons, and that there truly is a remnant of faithful followers of Christ the Lord, that love him so much, they couldn't bear to be a part of a body, that does not honour and glorify him as Saviour, Redeemer, and Lord of lords. 

I end with a quote from Matthew Henry; you may recognize it from above:

Sober singularity is commonly the badge of true sincerity,

Let this sink in, dear one. 

A Letter to Erica

Oh Erika, when will you stop? I realize, you silly little nitz, that this is your time, this is your reason to get up and get gussied each day, but are you at all embarrassed and self-conscious yet? You are very popular and the guest on many a talk show, so I can completely understand that you have to take advantage of your current popularity, but man alive, isn't there a friend in your life that has suggested you stop trying so hard to prove you are sad, about your pretend husband, having been pretend assassinated? 

Acting is not your forte Erika, it is not your calling. How do you feel at the end of each day, when you swipe away the paint on your face? Do you sleep well at night, knowing that you fooled very few, in fact fewer then you did in the beginning, because you know, you protest too much; and man alive, just hearing you speak without making any logical sense, has people wondering, Are there thoughts in that heavy haired head?

Someone has to pull the plug on the freak show that has become your life. Everyone that interviews you and pretends to be on your side, is looking pretty bad too. The lights, the cameras, the action, all futile and vapid - you all aren't fooling the discerning. 

You do know Erica, that people think you are a liar, and this does not bode well for you. The set-up for the assassination looked suspicious, and there are far too many people that just didn't buy the nonsense, and now, you are left holding the bag, trying your inept best, to prove you are grieving, that Charlie the actor was your husband, that he is buried somewhere and oh ya, blah blah blah. 

Erika, people will start to distance themselves from you, because all of the other liars do not want to associate with a social pariah. You have made yourself obnoxiously obvious, with all of your very bad pretending; while you may have served a purpose in the beginning, you are quickly becoming the left overs from a bad take-out. The botched pretend assassination, is mocked mercilessly at this point, and you are the last painted clown, still trying to slog and sell the fabrication, ad nauseam. When will you see that you are making an utter fool of yourself? And for what, pray tell? What, are you getting out of this deal Erika? What is your recompense for publicly establishing yourself as a fraudster?

I am really hoping for you, that you back away from all of this. I am hoping you just cannot stomach all of the treacherous lies and misrepresentations; all the faking and desperately trying so hard to prove something that never happened. Charlie, if that was his name, is somewhere, but alas, he wasn't taken out by a bullet, not a chance. 

Anyhow, I just thought I would let you know how you are being perceived, and how there is a way out of this if you are willing. Just stop, Erika, stop talking, stop pretending to cry, stop exaggerating, stop going on shows and trying to get attention. It is shameful behaviour, and you are making yourself look really bad. 

And to all you talk-show desperado's that host people like Erika, you sound like fools each time you defend an already defeated narrative. You need to cut that out, and come clean, maybe earn a real and honest living by the sweat of your tattooed on brows. 

P.S: I sure do hope the majority of people that were duped by the feigned assassination of actor Charlie Kirk, see through the nonsense at this point. It is a statement about our society, that truth tellers are insulted for calling out the fraud they see; all the duped ones in my social media circles, and beyond, tried shamelessly to convince me that I was wrong, but alas, I was not, and am not, wrong; I did not, nor shall I, concede. 

Funny how people can turn on other people, despite the trust they had in them prior to being lured and deluded. When all is said and done, it is those that have integrity, that will stand firm, no matter the consequences. 

The Product of Many Graces

Two things are required as conditions of salvation - (a.) Confessing the Lord Jesus - openly professing relation to him and dependence on him, as our prince and Saviour, owning Christianity in the face of all the allurements and affrightments of this world, standing by him in all weathers. Our Lord Jesus lays a great stress upon this confessing of him before men; see Matt. 10:32, 33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. It is the product of many graces, evinces a great deal of self-denial, love to Christ, contempt of the world, a mighty courage and resolution. It was a very great thing especially, when the profession of Christ or Christianity hazarded estate, honour, preferment, liberty, life, and all that is dear in this world, which was the case in the primitive times. (b.) Believing in the heart that God raised him from the dead. The profession of faith with the mouth, if there be not the power of it with the heart, is but a mockery; the root of it must be laid in an unfeigned assent to the revelation of the gospel concerning Christ, especially concerning his resurrection, which is the fundamental article of the Christian faith, for thereby he was declared to be the Son of God with power, and full evidence was given that God accepted his satisfaction (Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 355). 

The paragraph above is an encapsulation, regarding the conditions of salvation, with two stand-out tenets being: 

(a) Confessing the Lord Jesus

(b) Believing in the heart that God raised him from the dead

I heard R. C. Sproul speak of secret agent Christians. Are you, dear reader, a closet, or secret agent, Christian? Perhaps you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and what you have left to do to complete this salvation agreement, is to confess the Lord Jesus, as: 

1. Your Prince

2. Your Saviour

Next, there is the in-the-world you, that confesses and professes Christ, via: 

1. Self-denial

2. Love of Christ

3. Contempt of the world

4. With evidence of mighty courage and resolution

How does this show up in this life, you ask?

When faced with allurements, otherwise known as temptations, or when facing affrightments, otherwise known as threatenings from a Christ hating populace, you stand by Christ in all weathers; in all storms, not just when the sun is shining and jeopardy is not on the horizon. You remain devoted and true in your heart, and willing to profess him as your LORD, even at the risk of loss of home, finances and income, social cachet or status at work, or in your neighbourhood; hazarding liberty and life, meaning freedom of movement because professing Christ can land you in jail and or, curtail your social circle circulation and; professing him as your Prince, your Saviour, can threaten your very existence - martyrdom is the ultimate willingness to publicly profess Christ at all costs. 

Dear reader, it is your heart that matters most in all salvation concerns. Professing Christ with the mouth, but denying him when circumstances indicate you will lose far more than you are willing to relinquish, suggests you are a closet or secret agent Christian, which makes me wonder, Are you truly a Christian? Don't get irritated with me, for asking this question. It is Christ that makes plain, what will happen to those that will not speak his name, when push comes to shove in a wretched world:

Matthew. 10:32, 33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

The wonder and mystery of faith, as evinced by the many graces that God bestows, is the courage and commitment to confess Christ, in circumstances where speaking his name, is a dangerous endeavour: what I mean is, God equips, God endows, God empowers us to speak without fear, despite the real threat of subtle and sometimes hostile retribution, from antichrist characters that just so happen, to be members of our family, colleagues at work, clients we serve, sales clerks and librarians, or bank staff that cannot stand the mention of Jesus' name. Dear reader, it is the power and might of God that raised Jesus from the dead, and it is the very same power that surges in us, when Christ is our King!

The thought of denying Christ as Saviour of my soul, makes me shudder in horror. True believers are terrified when they consider the possibility of becoming cowardly before men by not professing Jesus as our Prince. It behooves each and every believer to ask themselves the question: Would I do what Judas did? Would I take coins in exchange for the selling out of the Messiah? 

If your work, or your relationships, hold more value for you than your relationship with Jesus, then perhaps you would indeed, deny God incarnate, for creature comforts that only last an earthly lifetime. God forbid you make this unwise move away from salvation. 

Are you, dear one, depending on the Lord, to save your soul? If so, you must in your heart, see him as Saviour and with your mouth, profess him as Prince, come what may. 

Jesus isn't subtle. Jesus does not mince words. Jesus tells us our fealty must be to him, even if it means giving up the people, places and things, that we enjoy and do not want to do without. The losses can be great, and you may anticipate much grieving ahead for your professing Christ shamelessly and publicly, and this, I tell you, will be worth an eternity in heaven, with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost:

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26)