When you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression! (Includes my "Depression" Poem)

 

When you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression!

(Includes my "Depression" Poem)

I hear so often from Christians who love and serve Jesus that they are steeped in depression, anxiety, and dark thoughts. Way too many people battle with a feeling of hopelessness. If you or someone you love is one of those people, I pray this writing gives you hope, peace and joy!

(You can also see my writing about casting our burdens on Jesus: "Jesus Will Never Tell You That You Are Beyond His Help" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/09/jesus-will-never-tell-you-that-you-are_15.html

Let me start off by saying that grief is never wrong, and even the Bible reminds us it is acceptable, so do not ever let anyone tell you tears are wrong. (Psalm 30:5 - Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. & Ecclesiastes 3:4 - A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.)

However, I am not writing about normal grief, but a dark depression that never seems to go away. Let me also say that depression is not a sin, it is a symptom of what you have gone or are currently going through. In some cases, depression can even be a chemical imbalance one cannot control. There is never, ever any shame in seeking treatment, and in fact, I would encourage you seek professional help from a Biblical counselor for your depression if needed.

I have shared this story before in my blog, "Advice on How to Help a Hurting Friend" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/03/colossians-19-advice-on-how-to-help.html but I will share part of it again: I once had a Christian co-worker confide in me that due to depression, she struggled with issues of faith. She felt as if her mind was a battlefield between Christ and Satan and she was painfully struggling not only to win the spiritual war, but also to understand why this was happening. My heart went out to her, and I told her I fully believed she was indeed involved in spiritual warfare and quoted to her Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. I also told her that we have a God that intercedes on our behalf and reminded her of Luke 22:31-32 - And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

Due to a traumatic childhood, she was someone who was difficult to encourage, yet through our four months of working together, I tried my best to be her friend. I once gave her a card to let her know I was praying for her and wrote some verses in the card including Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. She accepted the card with tears and thanks and said life was hard right now, but then the wall came back up, and she said no more.

The job we were working at was seasonal, and as soon as the season was over, she never had anything else to do with me. I tried to keep in contact with her, but she was not interested. I still think of her often and pray for her. God knows where she is and has her in His hands and heart.

Her struggles due depression are ones we have all heard of many times, and maybe even experienced ourselves.

The number one way to conquer depression is not on your own, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. By surrendering your all to Jesus and letting Him be your hope and peace. There are hundreds of good verses I could give to encourage you, and I absolutely believe in the power of Biblical Truths, prayer, and praise. So I am in no way dismissing the healing power of reading God's Word. Yet I also know that there are many for whom Jesus is nothing more than a band-aid for a broken heart, not a cure.

For those people quoting scripture and prayer will never be enough if they refuse to let go of the items in their lives that cause depression. Therefore, I want to help you understand why you (or someone you love) may be experiencing depression and how to conquer it.

There is a reason why scriptures won't bring more than temporary comfort and Jesus cannot heal your mind. Here is the key: when you surrender your all to Jesus, He can set you free from depression!

As I told my friend, I will say it again, spiritual warfare is very real. Satan wants to tear all of us apart and separate us from the Father as wheat is separated from the chaff. We may or may not realize how easy it is to open doors that allow Satan and his demons to enter into our homes. By watching television and movies as well as listening to music with satanic beats and reading ungodly books (which often includes so-called Christian artists and authors), as well as being seeped in false religions that either offer a greasy grace message or the opposite where only our works can save us, we give Satan a foothold and allow him to affect us with emotional ailments, nightmares, and even bad tempers and sinful desires.

Depression attaches itself to our emotions when we stubbornly refuse to give up the things we know God hates. When we are suffering mentally (or physically, financially, and spiritually) we beg for help. We ask God to fix our circumstances. We say we will do whatever He asks of us. Yet when God says we need to give up a particular sin or sins in order to be set free from bondage, we balk.

We try to justify our actions. For example, some might say, "Jesus, I know if only I would give up pornography, You would heal my mind, But God, find another way to help. I know Your word says that looking at another woman with lust is cheating on my wife, but..." (Matthew 5:28 - But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.)

Or some may try to bargain, "God, I know if I gave up the demonic influences of television and movies that my depression would decrease, and I would see more answers to my prayers. But can you quit mentioning that 'touch not the unclean thing,' scripture verse? Surely that verse has nothing to do with modern day times anyway. If You can give me more proof, other than what the Bible says, that Hollywood is harmful to my soul, then I will give it up." (see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Or some may just ignore God altogether, "God, you expect me to give up alcohol and marijuana? But then how will I cope with all the pains from my past? You need to help me deal with my problems another way; I will not give up drinking or drugs! If I quit going to the bars with my buddies, they will not understand." (Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.)

In essence we have all been guilty of saying, "God, You are not enough for me. I know I am begging and crying for You to help me, but if you expect me to give up what the Bible says is unclean, then You don't love me at all, You just want me to be bored and miserable. I do not trust your plan for health and healing. I do not believe that the Bible that tells me to give up my sins. If you love me, You will simply grant me a miracle." (Mark 2:17 - When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came... to call... sinners to repentance.")

It is the same with sin. If we refuse to repent and cast sin away, our minds will not improve and will have the potential to escalate to the point of non-repair. If we do not allow God to test us and get to the bottom of why we are depressed and why we are so stubborn to give up sin, we will never get the relief we are begging for. (Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me. & Psalm 51:7 - Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.)

Whatever God is asking you to give up, be it pornography, homo- or bi- sexuality (etc.), the occult, Hollywood, alcohol, an affair, false religion, bad temper, argumentative attitude, etc. then you need to follow His will and let go of your own stubborn pride, or you will remain in darkness. (1 John 1:6-8 - If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.)

I know there are some already resistant to what I have said because you are too attached to certain forms of entertainment. Well, I am going to make even more of you upset when I say there are also some people you may need to let go. When we allow people with poisonous personality traits or ungodly beliefs in our lives, we are asking for trouble. (1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.) Especially those glorifying the occult; they will do more than tempt you to sin but can literally disturb your peace.

You may meet a seemingly nice person who just happens to be into Wicca, yoga, fortune telling, fantasy role playing, or steeped into witchcraft through movies/books. Make no mistake, there is nothing safe, fun, or innocent about witchcraft. Being around these people can cause their demonic influences to oppress you with depression.

We are to treat everyone with kindness and respect, but when we willingly let a person involved in Satanism in our lives, we are mixing dark and light when they are clearly meant to be separated (again, see 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). There is a fine line between witnessing to an unbeliever and becoming their friend. By all means, please share the love of Jesus, but do not cross the unholy line and become unequally yoked.

It is not just outside influences that give Satan an open door to harass us. When we give into negativity, critical attitudes, grumbling toward God, and sinful desires, we are saying we are more fleshly-minded than spirituality in-tune. We make it easier for the enemy to plague us with not just depression, but also anger, bitterness, un-forgiveness, and other sinful actions. I am talking of oppression, not possession. We must bind and cast the evil spirits out of our homes in Jesus’ name and trade our poisonous attitudes for a heart of repentance and praise. Worshiping the Lord (not just singing a pretty song but really honoring Jesus with your heart and soul), brings down the strongholds of sin.

I know this is already a long writing, but I cannot end it without offering you hope. The main goal of Jesus' death on the cross was for our spiritual health, to save us from our sins, not for our tears our mental health (in spite of what some songs may say). However, we can still say that Jesus wants us to enjoy life, not be trapped in depression (John 10:10 - I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.) And if we can truly accept the precious gift of Salvation and then honor that gift by living for Jesus and not for the world, we can be free indeed!

I wrote the below poem in 2005 for a friend that was perpetually wallowing in self-pity and often depressed.  It is difficult for her to find joy even in the best of times.  God showed me it was her false religion where she placed empty rituals and unnecessary man-made laws above grace and the pure love and sovereignty of Jesus that was causing her depression (see 2 Corinthians 3:5-6).  

Freedom in Jesus means giving up our sins so we can break the chains of depression. Accepting forgiveness from God and truly believing He loves us can help bring about peace and joy. Believing your repented of sins are forever under the blood of Jesus should set you free from darkness in your mind. However, if you still cannot find the joy of the Lord, (as I stated above, unless your depression is caused by a legitimate medical issue) depression can never be cured until you learn to hate what God hates and then give it up.

For a reading on joy, please see my article, "Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Joy" here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/search?q=joy and one on peace "Do you find it difficult to believe that Jesus came to be your personal Prince of Peace?" https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/12/do-you-find-it-difficult-to-believe.html

Depression (2005)

Depression
Has settled in;
How can she
Tame such a Beast
That devours life's joy?
With teeth and claws
That scratch and bite,
And a forked tongue
That whispers hate and deceit,
And purrs sweet nothings
To make her believe
Its treacherous lies

Redemption
Has paid the price
To kill the Beast
And set her free;
With nail-pierced hands
That comfort and heal,
And eyes of peace
Full of hope and love
And words of truth
To bless with joy
And a pure heart
Full of mercy and grace

Seek the Kingdom of God

 

Seek the Kingdom of God

I dreamt that someone I know called me with a panic in her voice and plead, "I need you to call for help!  He is seeking the Kingdom of God!"  Before I could ask for any further details, I woke up.

I do not know for certain if that dream came from God, but I immediately went to prayer for an unknown person.  I prayed he would only seek God's Kingdom and no one else's.  That his eyes would be opened to anything that would confuse him from knowing the True Kingdom of God and he would capture what he was seeking. That he would not let any previous misconceptions or earthly idols get in the way of seeking God's Kingdom and living right before the Lord. That He would repent and believe in the True Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is also my prayer for anyone reading this, including myself. 

(Matthew 1:15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 

I could write several blogs about seeking the Kingdom of God, but my message today is simple and brief, but important. Remember, God is not hiding from you. In fact, He is chasing you and wants to be found by you.  Keep seeking the Kingdom of God and do not run away from anything He tries to reveal to you.  If He tells you that you need to change your ways of thinking or give up anything keeping you from obtaining His Kingdom, listen and humbly obey His voice.

Here are a few scriptures on seeking God that stood out to me most:

(Leviticus 19:31) Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. 

(1 Chronicles 16:10-11) Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 

(Psalm 14:2) The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 

(Isaiah 55:6-7) Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

(Matthew 6:33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

(Acts 17:27-28) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring. 

Let Go And Let God & I Surrender All

Let Go And Let God

God has been reminding me again about surrendering all to Him.  Not just spiritually, but also emotionally as well.  Before I reshare my writing, "I Surrender All" I want to also share this info I found online when I performed a search on "Who coined the phrase 'Let God and Let God'?" These were their sources: https://divinenarratives.org/ & https://biblehub.com/ and here is the search result:

The phrase “Let go and let God” is often attributed to early 20th-century Christian missionary and author John A. MacMillan, though its exact origin is somewhat unclear.

Historical Background

“Let go and let God” emerged in the early 1900s within evangelical circles, particularly among Holiness and Pentecostal movements. These groups emphasized a personal, experiential relationship with God, often highlighting moments of spiritual surrender. John A. MacMillan, a Christian missionary and author, is one of the earliest documented figures to use the phrase in his writings on spiritual warfare and the believer’s authority in Christ. The phrase succinctly expressed the act of yielding one’s will to divine providence.

Adoption and Popularization

The phrase gained wider recognition through its adoption by the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) movement, where it became a spiritual reminder to relinquish control over addiction and trust in a higher power for recovery. 

Biblical Context

Although “Let go and let God” is not a direct Bible quote, it reflects biblical principles of trust and surrender. Key scriptures that align with its message include: Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God”, 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” & Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart… in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight”

These passages emphasize reliance on God’s sovereignty while still engaging in responsible action, highlighting that surrender is active faith rather than passive inaction.

Practical Meaning

In practice, the phrase encourages believers to release personal struggles, anxieties, and burdens into God’s hands while continuing to act responsibly and faithfully. It is a call to trust God’s guidance and outcomes, rather than attempting to control every circumstance personally.

Overall, “Let go and let God” serves as a spiritual phrase for surrender, trust, and reliance on divine power, rooted in early 20th-century Christian thought and supported by biblical principles.

Here is the blog I wrote in November 2025.

I Surrender All

Whether in dreams or audibly, usually when God speaks to me it is early in the morning just before or after I wake up. I think it is because my mind runs 100 miles per hour and this is about the only time my brain is still enough to really listen to God. I like to think I have a "convention song brain" where there are several melodies and lyrics happening at once but somehow still all makes sense! Several mornings ago, shortly after waking, I clearly heard the Lord ask, "What are the three most important words?" Before I could even contemplate an answer, I then heard, "I surrender all."

As it is in my nature to do so, God knew I would over analyze this, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized these three words are the foundation for two other very important three-word phrases we need to say to God: "I love You" and "Please forgive me."

First, I will explore the phrase given: "I surrender all."

After I told my husband about my experience, we had a discussion about what it means to surrender your all to Jesus and how this is even possible. It may seem like an obvious point, but it is very true that to surrender all is to say to Jesus, "Take my life and do with as you will. I give you full control." This is a very important first step. The best way to do this is by praying that God will shut all doors in your life He wants shut and open all the door He wants opened. And then to not fight His decisions but trust His sovereign will.

I am guilty of praying that the Lord's will be done and when He has shut the door, I stubbornly have forced it back open and suffered the consequences. For example, in 2017, before a scheduled job interview I prayed that if the job was not within His will that He would somehow find a way to cancel the interview. The morning of the interview the boss called and cancelled because his wife was sick. I praised God for answering my prayer, but a year later, still unemployed and desperate, I reapplied and was hired on the spot. Going after a job God had initially shut down had its consequences. I became very sick due to the chemicals used at the facility. God knew there were dangerous chemicals there that would affect me, and I should have surrendered my will and not pursued that job a second time.

(Isaiah 55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

So many people try to open God's closed doors to relationships that are just as harmful as toxic chemicals. These people may physically, emotionally, or spiritually harm you and God is gracious enough to send you warning signs (and even dreams) that tell you to walk away. Out of loyalty to the person, instead of loyalty to God, you stay and get hurt deeper and even risk your walk with God. Listen to God when He tells you someone is harmful. Being lonely is better than risking your life or soul. Besides, we are never alone as God will always bring us comfort even in the hard times (see also 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

(1 Corinthians 14:33-34) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not.

Another area I have had to learn to surrender has been allowing God to heal me from past pains.  Once, when I was listening to the song, "I Surrender All," and really praising God, not just mindlessly singing, I heard the Lord ask me, "Have you surrendered ALL?"  At first, I thought I had, but I knew God was asking me because He wanted me to really examine my heart.  I realized that there were past griefs in my life of which I had not let go.  I wept and prayed and asked God to help me heal the wounds I knew I could never heal on my own.      

Another way to surrender all to God is by following what the Bible says we need to do. In my opinion, this is even more important because when we choose to do the moral thing, God is more likely to protect us, and we also become more sensitive to the voice of His Holy Spirit. When we know what the Bible says about sin and chase after it anyway, like I chased after a toxic job, we suffer the consequences. The rules of Jesus are not put in place to harm us, but to protect us (see also Matthew 19:16-19 & Revelation 21:8).

(Galatians 5:19-21) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

This brings me to the next phrase, "I love You." I am not referring to a generic human "you," but God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When we truly love the Holy Trinity, it makes it so much easier to surrender.

When I was single, I used to believe I could never fully love someone because it is impossible for me to trust people. You cannot love someone you do not trust. Because God sent me the perfect man, I fall was able love and trust the man I married. He is the only person I can trust.

My trust issues applied to God as well. Yet, the more I learned about the character of Jesus (by reading my Bible and praying), the more I love Him and can trust He wants only the best for His children. If we cannot trust Him enough to lead our lives, we cannot ever fully love Him.

(1 John 2:3-5) And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.

And the more we love God and see how kind and gracious He truly is, the more we want to do the right things.

(Romans 2:4) The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.

If you are interested, you can read more about trust in my blog here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/07/trust.html

Maybe love comes first and then surrender, but they definitely go together. As does this last phrase: "Please forgive me."

When we make mistakes, which we will all do, and usually daily, don't give up and say being a Christian is hopeless because you will never be perfect. You don't have to be, but you do need to strive to do your best!

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

Jesus shed His blood and gave us the free gift of salvation we do not have to earn. It would truly be impossible for us to earn such an amazing gift as our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6). This absolutely does not mean we use God's precious grace as an excuse to shrug it off when we sin. We confess our sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness, and He will always forgive.

(Romans 6:1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

(1 John 1:5-10) This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light... and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Admitting we have done wrong is surrendering our ego by asking for forgiveness and then doing our very best not to repeat the same mistakes. Just as we cannot save ourselves, we also cannot conquer sin on our own. We must surrender our sinful desires to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us the strength to walk away from what we know He hates.

(John 15:4-5)[Jesus said,] "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

(1 Corinthians 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

As I mentioned above, part of this blog is based on a conversation I had with my husband as we discussed how to surrender. One of the things we talked about, and I have done in the past, is to write a list of things you are having difficulty surrendering to God. This can be a situation such as future plans or a past hurt as well as sins you are having difficulty conquering. For me this was private and I didn't even share it with Mel, but it is up to you if you want to share it with a loved one or not. After you very honestly search your heart and write this list, pray over it and surrender it to God and then let these issues go by either ripping up the list or safely burning it. Trust me, this symbolic act will make your heart feel freer.

Claim the victory in Jesus' powerful name that He has and will help you make the right decisions, help you heal from past wounds, and help you conquer your sins.

Here are The Lyrics to that Beautiful Song by Judson W. Van DeVenter.  Really read over the words and make them your prayer as well.

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation! 
Glory, glory to His name!

The last time I posted this writing (https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/05/genesis-221-18-i-surrender-all-two.html ) I included I Surrender all sung by Marshall Hall that you can watch at that link, but today I want to post one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite groups.  This song, written by Rodney Griffin, really gets to me as I let their words sink in.  "May I surrender whatever is holding me back" so that I do not repeat the same mistakes from my past.

Keeping the Commandments of Jesus, Written by my Husband

Keeping the Commandments of Jesus

Written by my Husband (Mel)

Today, I had a vision from Christ. I saw a speed limit 55 sign standing in muddy flood water with trash floating in the water. Jesus spoke, "Keep My Commandments". The flood waters of judgment will consume those who are not truly born again, as well as new creations in Christ.

(1 John 1:5-10) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

God's grace is sufficient for those who are truly saved and walking in the light. Salvation begins with true repentance. Repentance means that you hunger and thirst after righteousness and desire to grow in Christ. It also means you are sorry for the old sinful ways of your past and now are putting your faith in Christ. It is God's desire for you to grow in him and allow his Holy Spirit to transform you into a new creation.

When a person is truly saved by Grace alone, they are washed clean by the blood of Christ's atonement upon the cross. We are justified by faith in Christ's finished work upon the cross. Our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. Your sins are 100% forgiven and your slate is wiped clean. You walk perfectly before him because of the blood of Christ, as long as you walk in the light, and not darkness.

In regard to salvation, the righteousness of Christ is imparted to you. However, God's Word teaches us that we must keep our garments clean, and they can become defiled through unfaithfulness to Christ. God's Word also states that our names can be blotted out of the Book of Life. A lukewarm church will be vomited out of God's mouth (Revelation 3). Without holiness no man shall see the Father according to Hebrews.

After we are washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, we don't want to be like the sow who returned to the mud of sin, or the dog who returns to his own vomit. You can backslide unto perdition (Hell) if you return to a life of darkness and sin. Consider 2 Peter 2:20-22.

(2 Peter 2:2-22) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Christ told the woman caught in adultery that her sins were forgiven her, then he told her to go and sin no more. We are living in the last days and the great falling away from the truth is here. Most Christians will not endure sound doctrine but prefer to have their ears tickled with man pleasing doctrines. The biggest deception is the greasy grace doctrine. Churches are serving up spiritual junk food to their congregations and people demand it. I have met many people who claim to be saved; however, they told me they were living with their partner unmarried. They would also use the worst profanity, and some would even use God's name in vain and tell dirty jokes while claiming to know the Lord. Sadly, this is not a few, but many.

The churches have replaced the teaching of true grace with greasy grace. Preaching against sin, and teaching holiness, has been replaced with the grace for everything without repentance doctrine. We are not to be joined to the harlot (Mystery Babylon), but to be faithful to Christ.

If you love and know Christ, you will keep his commandments and no longer walk in darkness.

(1 John 2: 3-6) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

John 8:11-12 KJV - She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Luke 13:27 KJV - But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

John 8:34-35 KJV - Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

Romans 6:16 NKJV - Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

2 Timothy 2:19 NKJV - Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

1 John 3:6 NKJV - Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

1 John 3:9 NKJV - Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Many within the modern church will not endure sound doctrine because they desire to be men pleasers, rather than God pleasers. Therefore, God has given them over to believe the lie, because they desire darkness rather than light. The apostasy is the sinful bondages within the lives of believers, as well as the compromising grace message that empowers their sin. I have had many dreams, visions, as well as, words concerning sin in the life of believers, and this is God’s number one concern. I understand that many people don’t like my teachings on holiness, but this issue is more important to God than end time preparation or anything else.

In Romans chapter six, Paul taught that once we come to Christ, we are not to continue in sin. Paul was speaking of habitual sins, which lead to bondage. We either are slaves to sin, or free in Christ, if we pursue righteousness. Christ said that any tree, which does not bear good fruit, will be cut down, and thrown into the fire. Paul also said, to come out from among them and to be separate saith God, touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:17,18) and Peter said to be holy, as He (God), is holy (1Peter 1:15,16). Most Christians are products of our culture and are indistinguishable from the world. Pastors are more concerned with not offending their flock for the sake of tithes, than preaching the truth of God’s Word.

Many churches are failing to teach people the need to be filled up with his Holy Spirit in order to live in holiness. The Holy Spirit will sanctify you, (set you apart from the world). However, you must make the conscience effort to yield your will to God's Spirit through obedience to scripture. Unless you are born again you will Not inherit the kingdom of God. The Spirit will give you the power to walk in the Spirit and not after the old flesh nature. He will bear good fruit in your life as well. You cannot do this by your own merit. It is only through the Spirit that you can master the flesh.

The Lord gave me a dream concerning the spirit that is now at work in many churches, that is leading his flock astray. I dreamed that I was visiting a mega-church and I understood that the Pastor was a Christian celebrity, as well as on television. He had many soothing words that people found most appealing. Then his wife ran to the front of the church screaming, “My husband doesn’t love me! My husband doesn’t love me!” The Pastor’s wife was very dark in appearance due to being covered in sin. She fell to the floor and began to go into convulsions. I then ran forward to try to save her since I am trained in first aid, as well as CPR. However, she let out another scream of anguish, and then died. Then I turned to her husband and I noticed that he was smiling. Her husband then said, “I’m glad that she is dead!” I felt the Spirit of the Lord come over me and I commanded the Spirit of the False Prophet to come out of him! The Pastor then fell to the floor growling, and said, “No!” Then the Pastor began to say repeatedly, “I hate her! I hate her!” I continued to command the spirit of the False Prophet to come out of him and he took on the appearance of a human- beast hybrid. I then called for the entire church to witness the spirit of the False Prophet that had been deceiving them through unsound doctrine.

The apostate Pastor’s wife was the church that her husband was leading astray. The false prophets and pastors are leading God’s flock astray, because they refuse to address the sinful bondages that are leading many religious people to hell. Most people trust their church leadership to instruct them with sound doctrine, but this trust is misplaced. It is very important to study God’s Word for yourself, as well as to pray that God will grant you understanding. The time has come for believers to separate themselves from the dead churches and to seek God for a personal relationship. God is not into religion, but desires holiness from his children. The wages of sin is death, but Christ offers grace for sins that are truly repented of. If you know Christ, you will be set apart (saint or purified one) from the world.

A number of years ago, the Lord showed me the church as an unfaithful bride, and he said, “Divorce.” The Lord made it very clear that sinful bondages that are not repented of, will lead to spiritual death (divorce). The Lord spoke to me in an audible voice and said, “I am warning my children to get out!”

This word was followed by a dream. I dreamed that I was in a convenience store and that nothing worked right, the gas pumps, food machines, as well as everything else within the store was malfunctioning. I then noticed that the lid was off the drink machine, and it was almost empty; there were also three, half-eaten bags of Fritos in the drink. I said, “This is nasty,” I then removed the drink machine and put it in the trash outdoors. Then an older man walked into the store, and he said that nothing worked right. The angel of the Lord then answered him and said, “The authorities are on their way.”

As I stated previously, the Lord refers to the harlot churches of the end times as Mystery Babylon. Babylon is a term synonymous with wickedness (Revelation 18:4-5). The convenience store in my dream was symbolic of the churches who are serving up spiritual junk food. The almost empty drink machine, with three half-eaten bags of Fritos in it, is the greasy grace doctrine taught by most churches. The gas pumps that do not work are symbolic of an unholy spirit, which has replaced God’s Holy Spirit. It is time to come out of Babylon!

In another dream, I was standing next to an angel outside of a church building. I noticed the stone church building looked Gothic in appearance and we proceeded to walk inside. The angel showed me various different rooms or sanctuaries within this building. Each room was a different Christian denomination or fellowship. I understood that the church building that we were in was a Roman Catholic Church, and the Protestant denominations and fellowships were her offspring. The RCC is the mother of all harlots and the other churches (her offspring) are harlots, as well. In other words, the sinful bondages within the lives of those who profess to know Christ is spiritual adultery (Revelation 17:1-15).

Next, the Angel led me into one of the rooms, and he pointed to a glass display case that had wax figures in them that represented the persecution of true Christians by the church throughout the ages. It displayed true Christians being burned at the stake, as well as killed in other ways, by the Protestant reformers. It also displayed the drowning of the Ana-Baptists in barrels. The angel said, “This is the history of the apostate church.”

I was then standing within an Assembly of God church, very similar to ones that I have attended in the past. The angel walked me down the aisles and pointed to the people sitting in the pews. I noticed that everyone was dressed in wedding garments, the men in tuxedos, and the women in white wedding dresses with veils. However, many were dead rotting corpses still wearing wedding garments, seated next to living people throughout the congregation. I noticed that around sixty percent of the congregation were dead corpses, and around forty percent were alive. Since the dead corpses were still wearing wedding garments, this is an indication that they were once born again, but now they were dead in their sins. Christ said that those who endure unto the end, shall be saved.

In another dream, I was looking into a prison and I witnessed Christians all dressed in orange prison jumpsuits. I knew many of these people from Bible study groups that I formerly attended, but they were all prisoners of sin. One man that I recognized was a leader in a very large mega- church. The Lord told me to reach into the prison and pull them out. I understood that the only way to free them was by teaching them the truth about repentance and sanctification through the Holy Spirit.

No one is perfect, but we must press forward and pursue righteousness without shrinking back. There is grace for sins that have been repented of. God’s Word states, that we must be born again, in order to be saved. It is true, that God blots out all of our sins, when we truly repent and turn from them. However, we must become a new creation in Christ, by allowing God’s Holy Spirit to do his perfect work of sanctification in us. Without holiness, no man shall see the Father.

Religion Versus Relationship

Religion Versus Relationship

As my husband and I have been speaking with others about the Lord, a common thread keeps reappearing as we realize that most seekers have the same types of doubts. The below discussion is based on a conglomeration of several real encounters blended into one.

“I know all about God,” he insists, “I know all about religion. In fact, I was married in an Assembly of God Church, and I’ve been a Lutheran, a Mormon, and even a Catholic, but I don’t go to church anymore. I’ve read the Book of Mormon, The Koran, and The Talmud, so I know what you’re talking about. Jesus was just a good man, and there are many different gods, but none of them are for me. Oh, I’m not an atheist; I just don’t think any god cares about me, so I don’t care about any one god.”

We are not into religion, but into a relationship with Jesus Christ, the only way to salvation. Jesus loves you and wants you to accept Him as your Savior. It is okay to ask the tough questions because God wants us to seek His face and make an intelligent decision when we choose Him for our Lord.

“But how do you know your way is the right way?” he taunts, “Jesus was just one of many good men. There are many other good men too. Why should I choose your way?”

Because Jesus died on the cross for your sins. No one else has done that for you. He chose to leave Heaven and suffer a horrible death to pay the price for your sins. He rose again from the grave so that you may also have eternal life. Did Joseph Smith, Buddha, or Mohammed do that for you?

Unmoved by the love of Christ, the next question is, “If Jesus is all-powerful, then why did He need to go to the cross? Couldn’t He simply choose to forgive my sins and just, well, do it from Heaven?”

There are things we cannot understand. The Bible says Jesus had to repurchase us back from Satan. On this side of life, we can never fully grasp why, but the Bible tells us that when we get to Heaven all will be made known, and we will understand it all clearly. The Bible says there are spiritual wars going on that we cannot see nor comprehend. What we do know is that Jesus is our protector from a life spent in Hell and He is willing to send His angels to do battle for us when we live holy lives.

“Humph! If God is so wonderful, then why is there so much suffering?”

We live in a fallen world because God chose to give us free will, and man rebelled. Adam and Eve chose their own selfish wants over fellowship with their Creator. Adam and Eve betrayed this gift and chose to listen to the serpent’s lies rather than God’s warnings simply because the serpent’s lies were more appealing than God’s Truth. This is why we live in a world full of death and tragedy, not because God is cruel, but because man chose to alienate us from God by using his free will out of the desire of wanting to be like God. Humans do not want fellowship with God, nor do they want His advice, protection, or correction, they want to be gods! They want to be independent. They want to use their free will to do whatever they so please, then cry out, “God save me,” when it’s convenient. Or curse at God even though they have made no effort to live a holy life and only pray when they want something. Therefore, suffering exists not because God is cruel, but because man chose to defy God. Man caused this fallen world and the good suffer because of it.

A few moments of silence from the antagonist, before asking, “Well, how do you even know this Jesus is real? There are many myths and legends of virgin births and men who rose from the dead. Why should I believe your Jesus is the only true story?”

Because of a historian named Flavius Josephus. He was alive during the time of Christ and testified to all he saw. His writings, as well as several others, prove the Bible is real.

“I’m sure this Flavius guy was just some believer that wrote those things to make Jesus look good,” the scoffer insists.

No, Josephus was not a believer. He was a famous historian that worked for several Caesars. In fact, he was an orthodox Jew who opposed Christianity, also called The Way back then. If he could have disproved all the disciples had reported, he absolutely would have.

“Hmmm.”

You can look it up for yourself. Do your own research; see what Josephus wrote.

A flicker of light shows in the person’s eyes, but soon is clouded over again as he says, “Well, I still say churches are all a bunch of nonsense. They just want your money. And most churches wouldn’t accept someone like me.”

The Lord spoke to us and told us to step away from churches a while ago. Jesus in not about religion or the prosperity preachers, He is all about relationship. Living a life set apart from sin and choosing to daily walk down paths of righteousness, having compassion for others, and serving those less fortunate, that’s what being a Christian is all about.

There is silence again. The person on the other side of the fence is seriously contemplating all we have said, and we are fervently praying a seed has been planted.

Eventually we part ways on friendly terms, the other person refusing to admit we are right, but promising to think about all we have said. Fair enough, that is all we ask, but please pick up a Bible and discover Jesus on your own, apart from what the false churches are teaching.

We continue to pray for the people of our encounters, as we pray for you, our readers. We pray for others to enter your life that will water the seeds we have planted. Perhaps we are an answer to someone else’s prayer. We pray God’s Truths will seep into the fibers of your soul so deep that you cannot let them go. We pray God will grab a hold of your heart until you give in and grab ahold of His garment. We pray for salvation and an eternal walk with the Lord.

Salt or Sugar?

Salt or Sugar?

If you have been through the Bible multiple times, you may think it is not necessary to still read it on a regular basis. I have either read the Bible or had it read to me for almost to 54 years, and when my heart is open, I still see verses from a new light The other day, my husband and I were listening to the gospel of Luke, when chapter 14, verses 34-35, spoken by Jesus, stood out to me as never before.

(Luke 14:34-35) "Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

I said to my husband something like, "For some reason, I never really stopped to consider those verses before, but that is really standing out to me. I see it as a warning not to lose our fire for God or our fire for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ."

My husband and I began talking about this and agreed it would make a good blog topic, so here I sit today to share my thoughts for whoever " hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Often when I am writing on a topic I know has been written about by many others, I intentionally do not go back and read anyone else's writings. I pray to only be influenced by the Holy Spirit. I know there are several different angles from which I could write this blog, but I am choosing to focus on the issues most infusing my heart today.

I am a person who loves words and their meanings, so I looked up the definition of the word "savor." I will use the definition in another version of Luke also mentioned in Matthew.

(Matthew 5:13) "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour [a characteristic taste, flavor, or smell, especially a pleasant one]... it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

First, I want to touch on not losing our fire for the Lord. Revelation 3:16 says, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [spit] thee out of my mouth." If you feel you are growing cold toward the Lord, spend more time in praise, prayer, and Bible study. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything that may be hindering a closer walk with Him and be obedient to let go of the things He brings to your heart (see Psalm 139:23-24).

Next, lets' talk about not losing our salty fire for sharing the message of salvation. In a world where people plug their ears to holiness messages, and make fun of/reject the True believers, it can be very discouraging to want to give up and quit speaking out for righteousness. Let me encourage you that even if it seems no one is paying attention, God is, and His opinions matter more than anyone else's. Stay faithful to the call, fellow Christian. You are not alone; you have the Holy Trinity in your corner, and my husband and I as well!

(Galatians 6:9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Now I want to explain what I mean when I say there is a difference between a salty message and a sugary one. To most people, a pleasant gospel would be one that tells them it is perfectly fine to sin as much as they like because God gives us grace for everything. We just have to say a prayer one time to ask Jesus into our hearts and then never again worry about right or wrong because we are now eternally secure. That, my friends, is a sugar-coated gospel!

We are not being called to politely lead people to hell, we are called to escort them boldly to heaven's throne!

Salt was considered very valuable in the days when Jesus walked, but if something valuable gets broken, tarnished, or damaged in any way, the value dramatically declines. And as Jesus puts it, if that something valuable loses its potency, you could even say, if it gets watered down, it deserves to be thrown out and even trampled under people's feet.

The same is absolutely true with the most valuable asset on the planet, the message of salvation that can show one the way to eternity in Heaven. If it is damaged, it is useless to your soul.

(Jude 1:4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [turns it into something inaccurate and unholy], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now I finally get to it, here is my salty message speaking out against a sugar-coated gospel:

To be clear, I believe Jesus' death on the cross, our salvation, and grace are free gifts we do not have to earn. We cannot save ourselves by our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.) Yet, we still have a responsibility to maintain and retain these gifts. Just as when you are hired on at a job, it is because you have found favor from the person who hired you, but you still have to work to earn your paycheck. When a man asked Jesus in Luke 13:23, "Are there few that be saved?" Jesus responded in Luke 13:24 with, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." This does not mean vain strivings of the flesh, we still need to let the Holy Spirit take control but striving through obedient actions. Hebrews 12:4 says we are to strive against sin. The word strive simply means to make an effort to maintain something. It does not take the glory away from God that only through His blood can we be saved. Please read all of 1 John 1 as it gives a very clear picture of all I am trying to convey - I have posted it in a separate post right before this one: scroll down or use this link: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/07/1-john-11-10.html

Furthermore, a salty message will encourage you to treat these precious gifts of salvation with the utmost care and not neglect them, because they and your soul can be lost.

(Ezekiel 18:24 & 26) But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

Pretty clear cut, don't you think? Ezekiel was a mighty profit who heard directly from God. He tells us when the righteous, or the Christian, turns his back on God and intentionally chooses to sin, he will lose his salvation - die in his sins! This is not speaking of minor offenses, of course, but as Ezekiel says, "abominations," or rebelliously refusing to do what you know is right in the eyes of God. Just as when we sincerely repent from our sins, they are blotted out by the blood of Jesus (Ezekiel 18:27-28 - Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.), the exact opposite is true. Righteousness is canceled out by sin until we sincerely repent again. (These same words are repeated in Ezekiel 33 as well.)

Now let's look at the words of Jesus:

(John 15:1-6) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

The definition of the word abide is "to remain; continue; stay." Therefore, Jesus is telling us that if we leave our fellowship with Him (cease abiding with Him) we will be "cast forth... into the fire and burned." Obviously, He is speaking of the fire in Hell. In other words, if you give your life to Christ and become a Christian, but then refuse to follow the ways of Jesus by leaving your morals behind, you are no longer bearing good fruit, and you will be cast away. Jesus does not say that you can stay grafted into the vine no matter what, and that you will be eternally secure. No, if you make the choice to leave, you will be cast off!

The more you abide in Jesus: read the Bible, pray more than just when you are asking for a favor, and worship Him with a contrite heart, the more it will be clear what He expects of you. The more you will understand His character and His will and you will want to do what is right (Romans 2:4 ...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.). The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins and testify to your spirit what must be done to see the face of God for all eternity (Romans 12:1 - 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.).

Let's go again to the words spoken by Jesus:

(Matthew 7:21-23) "Not every one that saith unto me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?' And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.'"

This is obviously about someone who is calling himself a Christian, otherwise why would he be calling out to the Lord and prophesying, casting out demons, etc. But Jesus says that even if you call on Him and work for Him, you can still be in danger of losing your salvation if you are doing all these things while living in sin. No, eternal life with Christ is not automatic just because you use the name of Jesus or work for Him; you must keep the sin out of your life or He will tell you to "depart from" Him. In other words, He will send you to hell.

(2 Timothy 4:4; 7-8) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

There are many more verses I can list where it says in the Bible that all people will be judged according to their works. That Truth alone shows we are not automatically eternally secure. If so, there would be no reason for God to judge our works. Finishing the course and keeping the faith means the same as abiding in the vine. In order to obtain the crown from Jesus, you must not let go of your righteous ways or give in to sin.

Here are a few more verses on obtaining crowns from God, our judge. No where does it say the crown of righteousness will be given to every single person that says some version of the sinner's prayer. There are conditions that must be met! In the below verse, Paul makes it very clear that even he, an extremely faithful servant of Christ, could be cast away from heaven if he falls into sin.

(1 Corinthians 9:24-27) Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

(Philippians 4:1) Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

(2 Timothy 2:5) And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

(James 1:12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

The messages of these verses are: stand fast in the Lord, strive lawfully, endure temptation, and you will receive a crown of righteousness. Stray away from the Lord and holiness, and you will be cast away.

The last verses below are the easiest way to point you away from sugar and to the salt of the gospel: Note the list of sinful actions does NOT say, "If you call yourself a Christian you can do all these things and still go to heaven," No! It says, if you commit the sins listed, you will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God. There are no exceptions to that rule. You must daily repent of your sins, and strive to be holy as the Lord is holy, or you will not have eternity with the Father - not my words, this is scriptural as you will see below.

(1 Peter 1:14-17) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

(Hebrews 12:14) Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

(Galatians 5:19-21) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Revelation 21:7-8) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

1 John 1:1-10

 

In the post directly above this one (scroll up or use this link: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/07/salt-or-sugar.html), I suggest reading all of 1 John chapter 1.  Here it is:

(1 John 1:5-10) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

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

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.