Jude 1:4: Turning God's Beautiful Grace into a Perverted Lie

 

Jude 1:4: Turning God's Beautiful Grace into a Perverted Lie

(This is blog is part 3 of a series titled, "Warn Everyone Night and Day With Tears."  If you are interested in reading parts 1 and 2, here are the links: part 1: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2023/07/warn-every-one-night-and-day-with-tears.html and part 2: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2023/07/warn-every-one-night-and-day-with-tears_28.html )

Just a quick note before I go any farther that I want to make clear: I do not want anyone to think I am suggesting we are saved by our works. If you read my blogs or watch my videos, you know I believe Jesus' death on the cross, our salvation, and grace are free gifts we do not have to earn. My point here is to encourage you to treat these precious gifts with the utmost care and not neglect them, because they and your soul can be lost. Once again, this is not my theology, it is from God's Holy Word.

(Acts 20:29-31) For I know this... grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember... I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 

One of the most prominent issues I see being taught by many wolves is that we never need to repent of our sins more than one time when we say the "sinner's prayer." They are afraid to convict you of sin less you cease to put money in their offering plate.  However, by teaching you to think you are eternally secure is very dangerous.  These are the exact wolves Jude was speaking of that are turning God's grace into a lie:

(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, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I know I have a lot of scriptures below for you to read, but I need to add just one more before I delve further into this blog. Paul is saying we should never use God's precious gift if grace as an excuse to sin (I encourage you to read the full chapter):

(Romans 6:1-2 ) 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?

The two scriptures that come to my mind are first, from Jesus' own mouth in Matthew, then from John, who was given visions of heaven. These two passages alone show our thoughts, words, and deeds do matter.

(Matthew 16:27) For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 

(Revelation 20:12-13) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

Next, I will go to the old testament. Ezekiel was a mighty prophet who saw things as far into the future as the end of days of this planet as well as had many visions of God and heaven.  

(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? A man who heard directly from God 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. 

According to dictionary.com, 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 Jesus, 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 do good deeds in His name, 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.

The next scriptures are speaking of the end times. 

(2 Thessalonians 2:3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  

My argument here is a simple one: the term "falling away" would not even be used if falling away from your salvation was not possible.  In other words, before the beginning of the tribulation, a large number of people claiming to be Christians will fall away from their walk with the Lord and lose their salvation. 

(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. Note when you read all these verses that they state you must endure to the end in order to receive the crown.  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 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 message of these verses is clear: 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 can be the easiest way to sum up that our salvation is not eternally secure.  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 (see below verses)!   

(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. 

2 John 1:8: Do not Throw Away all you Have Labored For

 

2 John 1:8: Do not Throw Away all you Have Labored For

2 John 1:8 (Amplified Version) Look to yourselves (take care) that you may not lose (throw away or destroy) all that we and you have labored for, but that you may [persevere until you] win and receive back a perfect reward [in full]. "

In other words, when we strive to live a holy life and leave all sinful habits behind us, we need to take care not to fall back into sin.  We must continue to strive for the things of God and pursue a life of holiness if we are to receive the "perfect reward" of eternal life with Jesus Christ.  

(Luke 13:23-24) Then said one unto Him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" And He [Jesus] 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."

Our works do indeed matter as this verse clearly states.  If we backslide and throw our free gift of salvation in the garbage, we will lose out on God's perfect gifts of grace, mercy, love, joy, and peace.  

I know it can be easy to get discouraged by negative circumstances or when other people make fun of your beliefs.  But just keep your eyes on Jesus and His great love for you.  Don't give up working for the Lord in whatever way you are capable of and living for the Lord by doing the right things even when it is unpopular.  Even when you feel alone, God is always on your side!

God wants to bless us, but we must do our part and work to not destroy all we have labored for.  Don't throw away God's eternal rewards for the temporal sins of this world.  Choose the paths of righteousness and walk steadfastly on the path that leads to peace that only following God can bring!

1 John 5:14-15: According to His Will

 

 

1 John 5:14-15: According to His Will

The key phrase here is "according to His will."  When we pray, we cannot expect God to answer every prayer.  It is important to include in our prayers just as Jesus did in Luke 22:42, "Not my will, but Your will be done." 

When our prayers are not answered, it does not mean God is deaf to your pleas or does not care.  He answers according to what is best for His children based on His perfect will not our imperfect desires.  

It is often hard to see the big picture, but if we remember that God always has our best interests in His heart, we can always pray with confidence that God is listening and truly cares for us!    

(1 John 5:14-15) And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

1 John 2:4: Are you a liar?

  

1 John 2:4: Are you a liar?

There is a lot to be said on the entire book of 1 John as it is the perfect blend of teaching us about God's love and how we should act if we call ourselves a Christian.  Because I have included this chapter quite a few times in my writings, I am going to narrow down today's post to just one verse from 1 John and expand on it from there.

(1 John 2:4) He that saith, "I know Him," and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

This is so simple, and yet so important.  Consider also:

(John 14:15, 21 & 23-24) [Jesus said,] "If ye love me, keep my commandments.  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."  

If you ever went to church, chances are you have heard and even memorized John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. This is God's love in a teeny tiny nutshell. God loves us, Jesus loves us, and even the Holy Spirit Loves us. If you really stop and think this over, it should overwhelm, awe, and inspire you. The love of the blessed trinity toward us cannot be measured and cannot even fully be explained enough for our finite minds to grasp.

God giving up His beloved Son was a huge sacrifice because He knew how much His Son would suffer when Jesus gave up His peaceful life in paradise.  Would any of us willingly give our child or loved one over to be brutally beaten and murdered just to save someone else?  For me the person I love most in this world is my husband, Mel, and I selfishly would not give him up.  What makes this even more of a beautiful gift is that God knew His gracious son would be mocked in His ministry not only while He walked the earth but every single day before and after.  Few would believe and receive such an amazing gift.  Yet, even in this foreknowledge, the Father and Son still gave us the death on the cross to save all who would receive it, even though few will (Matthew 22:14 & Romans 9:27).  Salvation is a free gift willingly offered at a bloody price, but we must actively choose to accept it in order to obtain it and we must strive to live holy lives in order not to lose our salvation and fall away from Christ (Luke 8:13, II Thessalonians 2:3, II Peter 3:17, Revelation chapters 2 and 3, to name just a few verses).

(Luke 13:23-24) Then said one unto [Jesus], "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." 

Philippians 2 paints us a beautiful picture of Jesus' love for us: 

(Philippians 2: 5-8) Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Even though Jesus allowed Himself to be tortured to death just to save our souls from hell, this un-matchless gift has rarely been fully understood.  And worse yet, has rarely been reciprocated.  Isaiah 53 explains it so perfectly:

(Isaiah 53:3 & 6) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

Yes, we say we love Jesus, we sing pretty songs and call ourselves Christians, we even go to church or stream it online.  We practice good works and treat one another with kindness in the name of Jesus, but showing our love for Jesus is so much more that that. 

(Matthew 7:21) 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. 

(Mark 7:6) He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." 

We say we love the Lord, but we refuse to follow down the paths of righteousness.  No one is capable of being perfect, but few even strive for holiness anymore.  Those who preach holiness are called judgmental and legalistic, even though we preach our messages from Jesus' own words (and from the books of the Bible directly inspired by the Holy Spirit).  Let me quote 1 John 2:4 again.

(1 John 2:4) He that saith, "I know Him," and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

How can we say we love Jesus when we refuse to do what is right?  According to Mark, 1 John, and other verses, we are all hypocrites and liars when we actively rebel against the laws of Jesus Christ.

When we can read the list of actions that will keep us out of the Kingdom of God* but pick and choose what we will and will not obey, we are rejecting the most beautiful gift we have ever been given (*these lists will be at the end of this post).  

Let's face it, we have all been there and nobody likes to love and not be loved in return.  Yet whether that person is the object of infatuation or a family member, the feeling of rejection cannot even come close to comparing how God must feel when we willingly slap Him in the face by saying we will not humble ourselves and bow our will to His own.  If you say you love your spouse you would never, ever cheat on him/her.  Yet when we say we love Jesus but we let our souls rot in front of ungodly television shows, go to bars, watch pornography, lie, cheat, steal, etc., then our love is every bit as tainted as the person who actively cheats on their spouse.

Today is the day to choose to accept the love of the Lord by honoring Him with your lifestyle.  It is never too late to give your life to Christ and ask for forgiveness of your sins either for the first time or to rededicate your life to the Lord and repeat your first works of salvation (see Revelation 2:5).  

(2 Corinthians 6:2) For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 

 (Joshua 24:15)  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Jesus is waiting with arms open wide, please won't you accept His precious gift of salvation and eternal life?

(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 21:8) 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. 

(Matthew 19:16-19) And, behold, one came and said unto [Jesus], "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"

And He said unto him, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."

He saith unto Him, "Which?"

Jesus said, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 

1 Peter 3:12: You are not invisible to God!

 

1 Peter 3:12: You are not invisible to God!

Most of my life I have felt insignificant and invisible.  I was always the short shy kid who tried to hide in the back row of the class, hoping the teacher would never call on me.  When my parents would attend parent/teacher conferences the teachers would look at me and say, to my folks, "I'm only meeting with the parents whose children are in my class." I would quietly respond with, "I have you for third period." The teacher would stare at me a moment, still trying to place me and then suddenly realize, "You're Amy's friend, right? What's your name again?"

Okay, so maybe that only happened two or three times, but to an insecure teenager, once was enough. I always felt like I was nothing more than the friend, sister, or daughter of someone more vibrant and outgoing. The nameless one people could not place if I was apart from my friend or family member.  And, oh how quickly my friends deserted me when someone more interesting came along. It has happened so frequently even into my adult years that I have learned to now think of all friendships as shallow and temporary. It truly is not a mystery why I have a rejection complex.

It is people just like me that have difficulty wrapping their brain around the fact that we are not invisible to the most powerful Being alive. God the Father, the Creator of all the worlds knows each of us by name! 

John 10:3 says Jesus knows and "calls all His sheep by name." In fact, Matthew 10:30 tells us that even "the very hairs on your head are all numbered." Can we even fathom that statement? I cannot!  

It may seem because all sorts of horrific things happen all around the world that God would not bother to take the time to listen to my seemingly insignificant prayers. My life does not seem so very important.  Yet 1 Peter 3:12 tells me again that I am not invisible to God when it states, "the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers." God is indeed aware of me and you, and listening, especially to those who are striving for right living.  

In Revelation 8:3, John had a vision of the angels pouring out the prayers of the saints on a golden altar before the throne of God.  Can you imagine? That is so beautiful!  God is listening to us; we are not invisible to Him.  Is that sinking in?

I realize that in a world full of chaos, it can be hard to think of God as caring about your prayers when He sometimes seems silent.  Even before the time of Adam and Eve, God gave His creations a free will.  It is man's rebellious spirit that has caused the tragedies and curses on this earth. It is man's blatant defiance at a holy God screaming they do not want Him in their lives that will ultimately bring about this world's end. Righteous and unrighteous alike suffer because we are all caught in the crossfire of sin. 

That does not mean, however, that God is ignoring you. Unlike the world around you, God is not picking and choosing who He finds the most entertaining.  He is not going to overlook you because the man or woman next door has a more dramatic need.  He cares about your needs too! Whether I am praying for healing for my husband, praying for my own healing, or praying for a loved one, God cares about each need, and He is listening.  He will answer according to His perfect will, not according to mine. Isiah 55:9 reminds us, "as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." In other words, we must rely on faith to believe God knows what is best for us, even when we think He is silent.  Just because His plan does not match our own it does not mean our needs are invisible to Him. He sees the big picture when we cannot.

Keep in mind, that being visible to God also means that He is always very aware of all we do, good and bad.  You will be judged according to your works (Matthew 16:27 & Revelation 20:12). He sees you looking at pornography, He sees every movie and television show you see, He sees you dancing to worldly music, He sees you getting drunk and using drugs, He sees you cheat, steal, lie, gossip, and call someone a bad name. Not being invisible also means we are not able to hide from God, which also means we will always be accountable for all our actions.  

(2 Chronicles 16:9) For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 

The truth is, I am still very much insignificant and invisible to most around me except my husband. Unless I am forcing someone to pay attention, I am ignored.  I am not saying this in a self-deprecating way but just stating this as a matter of fact to prove a point.  I do not have to shout to get God's attention, give Him a gift, or make some flattering statement about Him on Facebook to get Him to acknowledge me.  God cares about me right where I sit and where I stand, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  Isaiah 37:28 is a rebuke against a rebellious people, but the words ring true even when our hearts are right with God, so I will just quote part of the verse (you can look it up in its entirety on your own). It says, "I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in..." In other words, God is always aware of us and our circumstances.

I pray I am conveying all that God had laid on my heart today. I often feel what is burning inside my heart and soul cannot be accurately conveyed by my weak words. My main point today is that God loves you! You are not invisible to Him. He has known you since before you were born and He cares about you even when life seems contrary to that statement.  Things rarely make sense in this world, but when we get to Heaven and see Jesus face to face, we will know and understand beyond any shadow of any doubt that we have never been insignificant or invisible to the almighty God (see 1 Corinthians 13:12).  

I will leave you with words from Psalm 139. Let these scriptures be your comfort.

(Psalm 139:1-18;23-24)

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting. 

Your Leader Has Not Left You

 

Your Leader Has Not Left You 

NOTE: This blog is sort of a part 2 to the one I posted yesterday, so I decided to repost it today.  Originally written in 2025.  You can read yesterday's post "Are you Following the Right Leader?" here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2026/04/1-peter-221-22-are-you-following-right.html 

Here is the continuing story of Dresden & the puppies and how we can relate it to our lives:

Very sadly Dresden died on September 1, 2025.  My husband and I miss him dearly, but so do his "puppies," especially Jubilee.  She had been so used to making decisions based on what Dresden did.  Without Dresden's examples, she has to be reminded to eat and drink, which bed to sleep on, and hesitates to go out of the house because her leader is not showing her it is safe to go outdoors.  When it is time to come back in, she looks all over for him, waiting for him to show up.  When prompted to come inside, she eventually comes back but with a heavy sigh, still looking behind for her father figure.  Her grief makes me teary eyed just writing this.

As with the previous blog I wrote about the dogs, I see so much symbolism in Jubilee's hesitation to make any simple decisions.  We have even noticed she seems more timid since Dresden died.  My husband put it this way: She so she trusted Dresden as a safe leader that without him she feels insecure and afraid; her security blanket is gone.

Now I will put this in human terms.  More specifically, Jesus' disciples.  Imagine how lost and confused they must have felt when Jesus died and left.  Even though He had repeatedly told them He would raise from the dead, they still seemed not to have any hope. Here is just one example:

(Matthew 17:22-23) And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Yes, it must have been a dark several days after Jesus died because they could not understand that He was going to be raised from the dead.  

Luke 23:48 says that "all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned."  Which means they were in great grief and distress.  Not encouraging one another to find hope that Jesus would be back from the dead in a few days.  

But what joy when Jesus did finally emerge from the tomb alive!

(Matthew 28:5-6) And the angel answered and said unto the women, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said."

Yet somehow many were still skeptical. When Mary Magdalene tells them she has seen the risen Christ in Mark 16:9, Mark 16:11 says "when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not." 

Yet, Jesus does eventually appear to at least 500 people (see 1 Corinthians 15:6), therefore having many witnesses to prove Jesus was indeed alive again!

As joyful as Jesus rising from the dead must have been for His faithful followers, they soon had to say goodbye again as it was time for Jesus to ascend back to Heaven.  Did they weep at this second parting? Maybe, but they were not in deep sorrow as before.  

(Luke 24:51-53) And it came to pass, while [Jesus] blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.   

This says they had great joy and continually praised and worshipped God.  So why did they despair when he died but felt joy when He left again.  What made the difference?  They should have been expecting Jesus to raise from the dead as He had told them He would, but their human minds had trouble grasping that fact.  After seeing Lazarus and others raised from the dead, I am sure there must have been some who had hope and believed in the Power to also raise Jesus from the dead.  Yet, most failed to understand.  Just like most of us, we must see to believe.  His resurrection greatly encouraged them and left them with a renewed hope of seeing Him again either as He returned to earth one last time, or in Heaven when they died.  

Let me go back to where I started.  Are you wondering what my dog Jubilee has to do with all this?  Perhaps it is because I was a preacher's kid and like my late dad used to say, "you can find a sermon in anything," that I see a sermon here.  I am not trying to be disrespectful by comparing Jesus and His disciples to dogs, it is simply the way my mind works to see spiritual messages in many different circumstances in my life. 

Just like Jubilee, when we are separated from our leader, we despair and feel fear.  We feel lost and confused about what direction to take.  In the case of the disciples of old, they were not spiritually separated from Jesus, they had not backslidden, they felt grief and missed their beloved Teacher.  Their misunderstanding and lack of faith caused unnecessary turmoil.  

I am taking a long time getting to it, but this message is for modern day disciples who once found hope in Jesus and figuratively sat His feet in Bible study, praise, and prayer.  Then, for whatever reason, chose to backslide away from Him.  Now without Him they are feeling lost and confused.  Not sure what to do.  Not even sure how to get back to Jesus.  Just as with those who walked when Jesus walked, people today allow their misunderstanding and lack of faith to cause unnecessary turmoil.  Blaming God for every bad circumstance in their lives and refusing to see hope and find joy in the midst of pain, to the point where they backslide.    

Here is the great news!  Jesus never left you!  He is always calling you back to Him!  

There are many beautiful passages on Jesus calling backsliders back to Him (see Matthew 18:11-13, Hosea 14:1-9, Revelation 2:4-5, etc.).

You can find hope for the backslider in Jeremiah 3. First acknowledge your sins. It is a beautiful passage of scripture that lets us know that God wants so deeply for us to return to Him (2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord... is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.).

(Jeremiah 3:13-15) "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God... and ye have not obeyed my voice," saith the Lord. "Turn, O backsliding children," saith the Lord; "for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family... And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."         

Unlike Jubilee, your Leader is not dead and is very much alive and wants you to once again allow Him to lead your life.  When you go back to following the ways of Jesus Christ, you will again feel peace and joy! 

You can read more on this topic in my blog "Hope for the Backslider" here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/07/hosea-141-9-hope-for-backslider.html

1 Peter 2:21-22: Are you following the right leader?

 

1 Peter 2:21-22: Are you following the right leader?

In December 2018 we adopted a six-year-old German Shepherd from the Humane Society. We named him Dresden. In May 2020 we purchased two puppies to keep him company. We named them Sierra and Jubilee. Since the first day they arrived, the three of them have been a tightly bonded trio, and the puppies took to Dresden as their surrogate father.  For the past five years the younger two follow Dresden's examples in deciding when to eat, when to go outside, when to come back in, where they sleep, etc.  This morning, as I watched them imitating their leader's behaviors, the idea for this blog came to me.  I started thinking about how the puppies emulate all Dresden does because of their great love for him and his love, gentleness, and care for them.  They even respect his discipline and never show anger when he "scolds" them but continue to show him love. The puppies honor and respect Dresden as the leader of their small pack and have never tried to usurp his role as alpha. 

How many of us can say the same for the One we claim to be the leader of our souls?  Do we fight for dominance over the will of Jesus and refuse to respect and honor the rules of the Bible? Do we get angry when He tells us we need to change a certain behavior?  Or do we do our best to emulate the person Jesus was and strive for holiness for a God that is ever-present?

1 Peter 2:21-22 says is beautifully: Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile [slyness or deception] found in his mouth.  

1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us: 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."

Your primary leaders should be God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and the Bible. Yet, as long as they obey the rules of the Bible, it is okay to have human spiritual leaders as well.  That's why God raised up bold and moral people like Paul and Peter from the Bible, the late holiness preachers such as David Wilkerson and Leonard Ravenhill, and current people of faith like my husband, Mel. We need people we can see and hear and be an example to follow and show us the ways to righteousness and encourage us in our walks with the Lord. 

(Proverbs 27:17, Amplified Version) As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].

However, we need to be so very careful who we choose to lead us. While this seems like an obvious statement, too many people fall into the trap of never or rarely opening their Bible, but instead take their pastor's, family members', friends', or even the corrupt Hollywood's words and examples for what the Bible says on issues of sin. This does not make you any less accountable for doing something that goes against the Word of God.  If you have access to a Bible, you have no excuse for not obeying what it says. The below scripture, said by Jesus, says it all.  When you follow the wrong ways of an ignorant or immoral leader, you will follow him/her straight to hell.

(Matthew 15:14) They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.  

I want to encourage you all to be so very, very careful who you imitate. Anyone can say they are followers of Jesus, but if he/she is not a living example of the Bible, they are a liar (1 John 2:4 - He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.). 

Ask yourself these questions to determine if you should be following the person you consider your spiritual leader. Does he/she: watch or read ungodly entertainment, dress provocative, go to bars, get drunk/take drugs, listen to/dance to worldly music, have no problem with witchcraft/the occult/new age practices, swear, steal, lie, cheat, (if married) flirt with someone other than their spouse, bully people, backbite, gossip, love money, have sex outside marriage, look at pornography, think homosexuality is acceptable, or abuse people/animals?       

While I write this, I am feeling compelled to tell you to do even better than try to find someone Godly to follow.  Instead, quit being followers and start being the one who leads others to Jesus. Pray the Holy Spirit gives you the courage to be bold and take a stand for the Truth, even when no one listens or follows your example. And even when you are rejected by others.  Study to know what the Bible says so you can be the light and show others the way and so you never lead them astray. (2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.) 

As always, there is so much more I could say on this subject, but I will leave you with these verses from Ephesians.  If you read these verses, they should be enough to convince you not to follow the wrong leader, and/or to choose to be the right leader.

(Ephesians 5:1-20) Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

James 3:8-14: Sweet water and bitter?

 

James 3:8-14: Sweet water and bitter?

(Written in 2024) When I hear the same message from different preachers within the course of a week, I know God is trying to tell me something, so I had better pay attention! Because I do not want to keep the beautiful wealth of God to myself, I want to share with you what God has been speaking to me. I can say with all honesty, I have been humbled, and I can see the Fruits of the Holy Spirit finally beginning to change me (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, and lead me in the way everlasting. ).  I have felt more peace and joy this past year than I have in many years.  I respect that God chooses to correct me so I can change and bring glory to His wonderful name (Hebrews 12:6 - For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth.).

James chapter 3 is full of wisdom and power.  I just shared the blog my husband wrote about verses 1-12, but I want to focus on just verses 8-14 (posted at the end of this writing). These verses in James show us how hypocritical it is to say you love God but cannot get over hateful feelings of another person. How can you praise God with beautiful songs but then five minutes later speak demeaning words about someone else. That is exactly like eating a luscious dessert and immediately swallowing a cup full of bile!   

One of the sermons my husband and I watched that struck me to the core was from the late holiness preacher, David Wilkerson.  He mentioned that when we live in bitterness and refuse to let go of the pains of our past, we are actively living in rebellion to God.  I want to take Pastor Wilkerson's theme and expand on it a bit.  

First, it broke my heart to think of rebelling against a holy God full of love, mercy, and grace.  I really searched my heart and soul as I listened to Pastor Wilkerson's message as well as several other messages by other preachers last week.  I began to repent and release all the anger and bitterness toward all the people that had hurt me in the past and more recently.  As well as realizing I had bitterness over circumstances that had caused me deep sorrow.  I prayed similar prayers before on several occasions, of course, but the bitter roots always seem to find their way back in my heart. They are sneaky and you do not always realize they are there again until you notice that your heart feels harder, and you become angry quicker. It truly is a daily choice to let go of anger and hurt and to pray for all those that have hurt you. (Luke 9:23- And He [Jesus] said to them all, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.")  

Another message we watched this week, Pastor Tim Dilena said that he and his wife have a specific list where they pray blessings over the people they struggle feeling bitterness toward. (Luke 6:28- Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.) I might say a quick prayer for people, but to take a little more time to pray for blessings really helps my heart and soul. It is difficult to feel hateful toward someone you are actively praying over before a Holy God!

I said I wanted to expand on Pastor Wilkerson's message, so back to that! 1 John 2:9-11 very clearly states, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."  Very profound! We don't literally hate everyone we feel anger towards, of course, but as I stated above, bitter roots have a cunning way of growing and taking over your heart.  The roots can even get so large they choke out your prayers and love for God.  Satan is clever that way; he knows you will get so distracted in your hard feelings that you cannot find the time or desire to praise God.

My message today is simple, we cannot say we love God and hold on to grudges and anger.  It truly does not matter what someone has done to you.  God will judge (2 Timothy 4:1 - God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.) , you just need to focus on you and obeying God by forgiving all, yes all who have wounded you and/or your loved ones (Matthew 6:15 - But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.). That does not mean you are excusing the sin they have done, but you are being obedient to God and allowing your heart to heal and move on. 

Being angry is not a sin, Ephesians 4:26 says, " Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."  In other words, God does not expect us to never be hurt or angry.  However, we are not to keep dwelling on the offense but let God soften our heart as we forgive.

Once again, bitterness can center on a circumstance. Feeling angry about something that happened such as an accident, illness, loss of income, death of a loved one, etc.  In that case, you are most likely feeling resentful toward God!  When I realized this, I began to weep and begged God to forgive me for holding on to situations that still made my blood boil and heart scream in grief.  God is so good, He will always forgive us when we repent. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Notice we must first confess. Psalm 103:11-12 promises, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Amen and hallelujah!  

I have discovered that letting go of bitterness begins with the little things as soon as they start, the moment I start to feel irritated, I pray and ask the Holy Spirit not to let the anger or hurt grow but immediately pray for the person or situation. 

I will end it with the words of Jesus' brother, James, as he says it so perfectly.  Please pray over them and let them sink in.  Repent of your sinful pride and hateful feelings and ask the Holy Spirit to heal you from the inside out!  

(James 3:8-14) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ...so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 

James 3:1-12: The Power of the Tongue, Written by my Husband

 

James 3:1-12: The Power of the Tongue 

Written by my Husband (Mel)

The tongue of man is capable of great evil, as well as of great kindness. Verse two, says that we all stumble in many things, and if anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. At times, I can be outspoken, and I often remind myself of this teaching of James. The control of the tongue is a very difficult thing to be mastered. James compares the small tongue who boasts of great things, with bits put into horses' mouths, as well as a rudder on ships, in order to show how the tongue steers the direction of the body. It is very true, that relationships are both formed, as well as, destroyed by our words. As ambassadors for Christ in this fallen world, it is important for us to reflect his light to others. You may be the only lifeline to Heaven that someone has in their life, and your words may lead them to Christ.

James also compares the tongue to a little fire capable of starting a forest fire, as well as an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. I have met many people that consider Christians to be offensive, because of words they spoke, that reflected vanity, arrogance, or cynicism. I have also known people who claimed to know Christ, but used all forms of swearing, as well as profanity, and that will most certainly push people away from Christ. God’s Word speaks against filthy talk, course jesting, and swearing. James states that bitter water cannot come from the same spring that produces fresh water. God’s Word also states that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Even in jesting, many people reveal how they really feel about someone, and have damaged relationships.

The Lord gave me a dream recently, about those who claim to know Christ, but swear like a sailor. I dreamed that I was standing in an office building lobby, and there were around a dozen elevators that led to Heaven, but only two were in use. There was a man standing there that was using God’s name in vain, as well as, cussing like a sailor. He walked away and then was replaced by a lady, who represented the modern church. I told the lady, that if this guy does not repent of his swearing he will go to hell. She said, that this man was saved, and his salvation was secure, but his swearing would cut him off from the Holy Spirit. I told the lady that the grace message that is being taught by most churches, is way out of bounds, and does not line up with the Word of God. I also told her, that holiness preaching has been replaced, by a lukewarm message. As I walked away from her, she exclaimed in a loud voice, “ Thank you Lord for your grace!” and she repeated herself several times. I then was walking through the lobby in a large crowd of people, who were following a famous evangelist, who has been preaching the eternal security doctrine for many decades. The large crowd of people refused to take the two elevators that led to Heaven, and were content to follow this evangelist to Hell. Although there were twelve elevators, the two that were functional, were symbolic of the few churches left that preach holiness. There is grace for those who repent of their sins, as well as turn from them, but grace is not automatic. The Lord has given me many dreams, as well as visions, concerning how serious sin is in the life of the Christian. The Lord shows me people wearing clothes covered with spots and wrinkles, as well as their skin covered in layers of dirt. The Lord then tells me to instruct people to take a spiritual shower and get their lives in order. Without holiness, no man will see the Father.

The words that we speak, will also reflect the level of faith that is in our lives. The old saying that misery loves company is very true. I have known people that are continually pessimistic, and their words reflect the fear that consumes them. God’s Word says that perfect love will cast out all fear. Even when we feel faithless, we need to speak words of faith, as well as stand upon the promises that are in God’s Word. Regardless of how we feel, or what we are going through, God’s promises for us will remain true. When we are under spiritual attack, we need to quote scripture with faith, because God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit. I have entered homes after family members have quarreled, and you can feel a tense atmosphere within the home. An evil tongue that attacks others, is an open door to demonic spirits. I have also entered homes with anointed praise and worship music playing, and you can feel the presence of the Lord, for the Lord inhabits the praises of his people. If a person needs a breakthrough from the Lord, or is in need of healing, speak words of faith, combined with scripture. Don’t claim your illness or distress, because words produced from fear are the opposite of faith. Fear will empower the enemy in your life, but faith will move the hand of God.  

(James 3:1-12) My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.