The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.
- Proverbs 22:3
I am blessed to have older children now, and it is very much a blessing to discuss things with them on an adult level, especially if they desire to look at all things from a Biblical perspective. Adult children are so much different than children who are still in their youth. One discussion some of my children and I have had within the last year was about the phrase, “everyone is replaceable.”
Admittedly, this phrase has always bothered me, even before I was a Christian, because it never really rang true with me at all. And I do mean AT ALL. To me, it really seems to be a phrase that’s nothing more than a threat; if you don’t fall in line, you’re replaceable. Is this really true, though? Again, I contend, not at all. I’ll even go so far as to say it is definitely NOT biblical in the least, and sadly, it has greatly impacted the Church and pastors all over the United States of America. Many now seemingly believe this abhorrent phrase to be true. Please think and pray about it. Why in the world do local churches now have HR departments? The R in that stands for resources, not relationships. And isn’t that really what the church should be about? Relationships.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
- Matthew 22:37-40
Our spiritual life should be about our relationship with God and our relationships with each other, not how I can use and abuse you for my benefit. That is ungodly.
Why do I so strongly and confidently claim this phrase is not biblical and is merely a threat to try and keep people in line? Because the Bible is clear that:
- We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
- We are God’s handiwork.
- We are all unique.
- God has given each of us gifts and talents because he has prepared for us in advance the good we ought to do.
Admittedly, I am sick and tired of seeing people just put “bodies into slots.” We do this all the time now in the American church, and it’s time for the church to stop following the way of the carnal world and realize we need to do things differently – Biblically. There is a right way to do things, and that is God’s way. It’s time for church leadership to own the fact that many of us have bought the corporate world mindset into the church, which is not of God at all. It is carnal.
Again, we’ve all heard it, “Everyone is replaceable.” Let me share with you what I believe is an eye-opening way to see how bad this phrase truly is. When we start looking at people as resources, “cogs” in a machine and not as unique individuals made in the image of God, we truly begin to believe that we can replace others at the same level of impact as before. For instance, if we have someone in a position that is incredibly effective in what they are doing and they are truly gifted, why would we think replacing them with someone with completely different gifts and talents will be as effective and as impactful? It truly makes no sense to me. Let’s use the “cog” idea to understand my concern over this. Why would we think getting rid of someone that is a steel cog and replacing them with a plastic cog would work and work fine? It won’t. Oh sure, for a time it might work and seemingly work well, but over time that person without the right talents and giftings is going to struggle and will start to fall apart like a plastic cog in a machine.
Now, can people grow and strengthen their weaknesses? With the Lord’s help, yes, of course. Sadly, though, it seems to me that far too many of us have bought into the idea of not living in our giftings. I believe it is very important for Christians to embrace who God has created us to be and become. By embracing how we’ve been created by God to live and be, we truly can live out the idea that in our weakness, He is strong. By leaning on God’s design and strengthening the strengths He has given to us, we will be strong in our weakness. Without God, we are weak. In our weakness, He is strong. When we surrender our lives to God, in our weakness, He is strong because we embrace who He has made us to become. Let’s strive to be strong in the Lord and stop being a “cog” in the machine!
Next week, I plan to share why focusing on our God-given gifts and talents is so incredibly important in advancing the Kingdom of God here on the earth.
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
The world talks a lot about being “a good person” – good intentions, good vibes, do what feels good. But Biblical goodness is something much deeper, richer, and more transformative.
Goodness in Scripture isn’t just about being morally upright; it is a life shaped by God, directed toward others, and committed to doing what is right even when it is hard, unpopular, unnoticed, or costly. Goodness is the active expression of righteousness and truth. It is love in its moral and ethical form; it is love that acts in integrity.
The Greek word used in Galatians 5:22 is a word used rarely in Greek literature because it refers to goodness that is found only in God and produced by God. Biblical goodness includes moral integrity, uprightness of heart, a passion for righteousness and truth, generosity that reflects God’s heart, courage to stand for what is right, and compassion in action. Goodness is not passive but rather pushes back darkness and chooses righteousness, even at personal cost.
Before we can live out goodness, we must recognize that it comes from God. Psalm 107:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” God isn’t just good at times; He is goodness itself. His nature defines what is good, not culture, emotions, or personal preference.
Just like with the other fruit of the Spirit, we don’t practice goodness to earn God’s love. We practice goodness because we have experienced His goodness first.
Jesus was the embodiment of goodness on Earth. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, protected the vulnerable, spoke truth boldly, chose obedience over comfort, forgave those who accused and crucified Him, and sacrificed Himself to save us. His goodness wasn’t soft or sentimental; it was holy, courageous, and costly. It confronted sin while extending mercy and hope. To follow Jesus is to let His goodness reshape our hearts and actions.
Goodness matters in our world because we live in a time when moral lines are blurred, where values shift with opinion polls and personal desires. “Good” can be redefined to mean “whatever makes me happy.” But Scripture anchors us: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20). God’s goodness gives us moral clarity in a morally confused age. It reminds us there there is truth, and true standards of right and wrong do exist.
We don’t need dramatic moments to practice goodness; we need daily surrender and Spirit-led obedience. Goodness is part of our Christian witness, as our actions can point people to Christ or away from Him. Perhaps goodness looks like choosing honestly when a little white lie would be easier. It may look like standing up for someone being mistreated. It may look like being secretly generous without getting praised. It may look like being reliable and trustworthy. Goodness is seeing every interaction as a chance to reflect the goodness of God.
But, goodness isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it means saying no when you want to say yes, or speaking the truth in love when staying silent is more comfortable. Goodness means refusing to participate in harmful behavior. It means obeying God even when people misunderstand you. Goodness requires courage and conviction in being a follower of Jesus.
That may sound difficult, if not impossible, and it is – by human standards. But the Holy Spirit strengthens us to live lives that show others God’s goodness. We cannot bear this fruit on our own; it is the Spirit’s fruit, showing in our lives.
We can intentionally cultivate goodness by staying rooted in Scripture, because God’s Word is the true guide for what is good. We need to guard our hearts, as goodness flows from within; what we allow into our minds shapes our character. We need to practice integrity in small things because when we are faithful in little things, we will also be faithful in big things (Luke 16:10). We should ask God for help to purify our motives to reflect His goodness, and then seek accountability from those around us to continue living out God’s goodness.
Where have you experienced God’s goodness recently? Who in your life needs to see and feel the goodness of God through your actions?
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Jesus is not done with us. While He ascended to heaven and is reigning and ruling, He has been preparing a place for us, and that place is a city that is so large that it defies physics. It is described as a cube of 1500 miles in each direction, including vertical. Due to the curvature of the Earth, this is an impossibility on Earth. So clearly, the new earth is going to be operating under a different set of physics, or at least a very different type of planet. But not all are going to be there.
Every person is going to face God on Judgment Day. I recently wrote about the resurrection and how everyone is going to have resurrected bodies that will not perish. But there, everyone will give an account for their lives. Every one of us is going to give an account for our time, our choices, our actions, etc. Jesus is going to step up and proclaim to the Father who are His and who He died for. Those whom Jesus defends will be saved from the judgment, and those whom He does not will be cast into Hell.
We have a severe problem in our day and time because we think Jesus is going to cover for everything. The issue of “free grace” and that it doesn’t matter what we do, Jesus died for it all, is not exactly true. It is true, but it’s not the whole picture. Jesus’ death covered our sins; however, Jesus did not die for us to live our own lives. And many people will call upon the name of Jesus, and Jesus is going to say, “I don’t know them.” I am disturbed by the many I hear speak about their salvation with such great confidence, and yet what I hear come out of their mouths is so antithetical to Christian thinking that I really do have to wonder if they have ever heard the Gospel. I am not talking about perfection here; I am talking about direction. I do not believe you are saved if you consistently and regularly put Scripture into question and promote the academics of the world, who are in opposition to God instead. Jesus is not just going to cover for people just because they proclaimed faith in Him. We need to get that through our heads.
Jesus is going to defend those who have His “seed” in them. The Bible speaks of marriage, the most intimate relationship between two people, as our relationship to Christ. Jesus is going to turn away those whom He did not “know.” To “know” is the euphemism of sexual intimacy. I have been trying to figure out a way to describe this discretely, but those who are saved are those in whom Jesus’ “seed” has been planted and which bears fruit. Read all of Jesus’ warnings and parables. If we are the Bride of Christ, we have the “womb” to bear the Seed of Christ, which is supposed to nurture and bear fruit and life. But the problem we have due to modern evangelical methods is that we think we can do the salvation thing without that intimacy, because we are just playing intellectual games, and our religion is just what we intellectually choose to believe. But where is Christ in it?
Do not hear what I am not saying. I am not saying we have to have all our ducks in a row doctrinally, though we cannot ignore them. I am also saying we can’t just claim the name of Jesus and do our own thing. Read Isaiah 4. I heard about it from David Wilkerson, who pointed out that of seven virgins taking hold of one man to have his name to take away their reproach, but he has no obligation to take care of them, and they’ll do their own thing. That is what is happening today. Many are taking the name of Jesus so they can deal with their sin, but it is all on their own terms and doing their own thing. That is not Christianity.
Jesus is not just going to save people because we say His name, do good deeds, or proclaim great doctrine. Jesus is going to save people with whom He has had an intimate relationship AND seed that bears fruit. That’s the other half of it. Having the seed of Christ is not enough; it has to grow and bear fruit. The Parable of the Sower shows that only good soil is going to bear fruit. And pay attention: of the four soils, only one of them was worked and prepared by the farmer for good fruit. The rocky soil and weedy soil were left unattended. And in John 15, Jesus speaks about branches that don’t bear fruit to be cut off and burned. Now, many people will argue back and forth about free will vs predestination, and I’m like, “I see both doctrines running side by side here.” We need to understand that the vine that bears fruit is the one that Jesus works on, prunes, trims, and waters. And if we are a branch that is going to be a hindrance, we will be cut off. Now, Jesus still works despite our flaws and with our flaws already in mind, but we need to take this seriously.
Is Jesus working in your life? Are you being made closer to Him? How do you know? Here are some clues. Are you longing more and more to be like Christ? Are you desiring the world’s pleasure less and less? Are you seeking to be right with God more than you are seeking to be in alignment with the world? What direction are you heading? Do you believe what you profess to believe, or is it actually someone else’s beliefs you are riding? Jesus is going to save those whom He knows and who do His will. And those are the ones in whom we will see the work of Christ being made manifest. But not everyone is going to show this. There are unsaved people in every congregation, just according to statistics, and some of them are the most dedicated, most doctrinally sound, and moral people you know. But are they actually saved? Are you saved? Am I saved? Just before I came to write for Worldview Warriors in 2014, I went through a thorough self-examination, and I had to truly evaluate if I was saved or not, and I praise God that He confirmed I was. Because before them, I honestly don’t know if I could say if I was saved or not, even though I made my first profession of faith when I was seven. For 23 years, I lived riding someone else’s faith. It really did not become mine until I was about 30. I cannot say that I was truly saved prior to this. I may have been, but I don’t know. And I thank God that He did not let me continue that way. It is one thing to say you know Jesus. The real question is: Does Jesus know you?
This concludes my series on Snapshots of Jesus. For December, I have a very different message and direction God is leading me towards, and I’ll share about that then.
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“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
- Romans 8:28
Back in 2006, due to a change in leadership in the church I was serving in and a change in ministry direction from that leadership, I believed that God was calling me to leave a very successful youth ministry that I and many others had poured our hearts into for many, many years. It was a very difficult decision to make because the previous leadership I served under had supported us (with their actions, words, and even finances) in training and equipping the students in the youth ministry to go out and speak into other youth around the country for the sake of the gospel.
Not only had we already made trips to other states with music and conference events, but we had been training our team of adults and youth for literally years before this new leadership and direction came into this church. I was even told by the new leadership that we don’t need you going all around the country teaching and sinking into other youth. We need you sinking into our youth here. Yes, this was emphasized by the new leadership that our youth at the church were what mattered. It was incredibly mind-blowing to me because this new leadership said they were all about reaching out to the unsaved and the unchurched. What they really meant was that we are all for reaching out to the lost if it is our idea and not yours.
Admittedly, I was seriously devastated! All of that work, time, effort, and spending of money happened for what purpose? God and I had many conversations over that time.
It’s just one reason why I hold to the belief I do regarding Romans 13 and submitting to earthly authorities. Either God establishes the authorities on this earth or He doesn’t. At that time, I had a serious choice to make:
#1. Stay at the church God had called me to, and rebel against this new direction they believed they were called to go in.
#2. Stay and be quiet while being incredibly miserable, being paid a good wage in order to “take care of my family,” and in doing so, not follow God in what He was calling me to do.
#3. Leave and stay the course with what God was calling me and my family to do.
It was a tough decision to make. Many at that time, and with what seemed to be good intentions, tried to counsel and sway me away from leaving to officially start full-time with Worldview Warriors. They tried to sway me into staying in my position by reminding me I had a responsibility to support my wife and to provide for our 6 children. It was so incredibly difficult inside and outside of our home. However, when is it not difficult when God is calling you to something outside of your comfort zone and much bigger than yourself? So, after almost 10 years of ministry in a wonderful youth ministry position, with much prayer, godly counsel, and tears, I chose to follow God’s leading for my family and me, even though I thought Worldview Warriors, with the support of the first pastor I served under, would be a huge part of this congregation and its ministry.
After leaving this youth ministry position, in June of 2007, I made a very pointed decision to strive to get into the world of atheists, agnostics, and non-believers in Jesus Christ to try and understand better what they believed and how they chose to think. During that same time, I went from working in a very wonderful office setting and hanging out with people in person a lot to working out of a dark, dingy basement by myself for a time. Sometime in 2008 to 2009, I was the only founder left in Worldview Warriors. During that time, I learned a lot about how people think and why they believe what they believe. You see, before God put me on this path, I thought the majority of people would see truth and accept truth as truth once they were exposed to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Boy, was I wrong! What I have experienced since 2007 has been a whole other experience altogether. I think what has been and is still the most shocking experience on this journey is the fact that many people do not understand the difference between an opinion and the truth. It has been incredibly eye-opening to me because before I was a Christ follower, when I was out searching for the truth, I wanted the truth regardless of where it took me. I didn’t care if what I thought was wrong. I didn’t care if it was uncomfortable, and I certainly didn’t care if I disagreed with it. All I wanted was the TRUTH at all costs.
Today, unfortunately, many people are not really interested in the truth. My experience has been that they want to be right at all costs and want their beliefs, even if they are wrong, to be confirmed as true. Many today desire good gifts and good outcomes even when the truth of God or God’s natural law says otherwise.
This brings me to the title of this blog post and why it is so important. Failing has the potential to be an incredible teacher of how not to do things in order to lead a person to the truth. When a person keeps doing the same thing over and over and not learning from their failures, they are not living up to their incredible potential given to them by God Almighty. When a person is stiff-necked and is unwilling to change their ways to find the truth, that person is just stuck – stuck in misery and stuck in failure. That person can also be stuck in victimhood, instead of victory in Jesus.
Once a person realizes they are stuck in failure and they choose to do something about it, by choosing God’s way over their own, or at the very least trying to do things God’s way, it can be a very freeing day for that person and their life in Christ. Victory in Jesus is right there for the taking if we are willing to grab hold of it and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ.
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
The virtue of kindness sounds simple until we try to live it out consistently. We admire it in others and we expect it from others, but practicing genuine kindness day after day, toward every person, especially when it costs us, reveals just how supernatural this fruit truly is. Kindness is not niceness alone, nor is it forced politeness or artificial sweetness. Biblical kindness is strength wrapped in compassion, truth delivered with grace, and love expressed in action. Kindness is the visible, tangible expression of God’s love flowing through us.
The Greek word for kindness here has connotations of goodness with tenderness, benevolence in action, grace in motion, a posture of compassion, generosity, and goodwill, and a spirit that looks for ways to bless and build up. Kindness is love in action. Kindness is expressed through gentle words, helpful actions, thoughtful responses, compassionate attitudes, encouragement, comfort, hospitality, generosity, and mercy, even when not deserved. Kindness is not just feeling sympathetic emotions, but rather doing something about it.
It is important to remember that everything God asks of us (and the Spirit produces in us), He first demonstrates toward us. Scripture repeatedly highlights God’s incredible kindness. His kindness leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). He saves us through His kindness in Christ (Titus 3:4-5). He shows immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness (Ephesians 2:7). His kindness is unfailing and everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3).
That is the kindness we are called to reflect to others. We do not show kindness to earn God’s love, but because we have already received His limitless kindness. Kindness is worship modeled after our Father.
Jesus didn’t say the world would know us by our opinions, theology, or church attendance. He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Real love must be expressed, and kindness is one of its clearest expressions. When Christians are unkind, our witness is wounded. But when Christians are consistently kind, hearts soften, doors open, and Christ becomes visible.
The world answers insult with insult, anger with anger, and hardness with hardness. But Jesus showed us a better way: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). Kindness has the power to interrupt cycles of bitterness and create new pathways of peace. It turns conflict into an opportunity for grace. Churches, families, workplaces, and friendships thrive not when everyone is perfect but when kindness makes room for imperfection. Kindness helps us bridge misunderstandings, and it encourages maturity in our relationships. Where kindness abounds, community flourishes.
Practicing kindness, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, changes our hearts. It humbles us and turns our ears to God’s voice. It aligns our hearts with His love. Kindness is not just something we do; it’s someone we become as the Spirit forms Christ in us.
But it is also important to know what kindness is not. Kindness is not niceness without truth; it does not avoid hard conversations but approaches them gently and lovingly. Kindness is not embracing harmful behavior or excusing sin; it offers grace and truth. Kindness is not just being a people pleaser, seeking affirmation, but seeking the good of others to glorify God. Kindness is not just random acts without a continuing relationship of blessing others.
No one embodied kindness more perfectly than Jesus. He touched lepers no one would touch. He welcomed children others dismissed. He defended the broken, the shamed, and the overlooked. He restored dignity to the outcast and hope to the sinner. He spoke truth that healed instead of crushed. He laid down His life for those who rejected Him. Jesus did not show kindness from a distance, but He entered pain, noticed needs, stopped for individuals, and gave Himself fully. Following Jesus is to follow His example of radical, compassionate kindness.
True, Biblical kindness cannot be manufactured by willpower, but it is a fruit produced by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit grows kindness in us as we abide in Christ, allow God to transform our thoughts, pray for a compassionate heart, and slow down and take notice of those around us and how we can fill their needs in truth and love. Kindness grows through practice and faithfulness.
Unfortunately, several forces war against kindness in our hearts. Self-centeredness focuses on our needs, not others’. Busyness hinders kindness by not allowing time for it in our lives. Frustration and stress obstruct kindness because we are not at peace with God. Judgment of others causes us to withhold kindness when we think others don’t deserve it. To overcome these obstacles, we must draw daily from God’s kindness toward us. We love because He first loved us, and we show kindness because He first showed kindness to us.
Kindness may seem simple, but it is holy work. Every act of kindness is a seed of the Kingdom, and every kind act testifies to the power of the Spirit and the love of God in our lives. Pray and ask how you can make the love of Jesus tangible to those around you.
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The last thing Jesus did on this earth was to leave it. After He rose, He did not die again like every other person who was brought back to life. They merely had their life restored to them, and then they died again by whatever means they died of. However, Jesus resurrected, and this body would never be able to test death. Jesus had beaten death; He had conquered sin; He perfectly fulfilled the Law, endured the full wrath of God upon sin, and now had the final victory over all things. There was one last thing to do after giving His disciples one final command: to rise to heaven and claim the Throne.
There is a problem in the Church today. Because evil is ever increasing (as Jesus said), we seem to think that Jesus is not reigning and that Satan seems to have this power that is warring and is equal to God. That is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible does not teach a Messiah who would come and then eventually overcome the devil after an intense battle. No, it teaches that Jesus is reigning NOW. Jesus took the throne 2000 years ago. Yes, He was God before, and He is still God now, but in His humanity, He is the King of all Kings, and He is ruling now. What does that mean and entail?
Nothing happens outside God’s sovereign will. Yes, He has allowed the enemy to run wild a bit, but never without a leash. The real enemy is not Satan anymore, and even then, it never was him. He is just a dog on a leash with limits to what he can do. He is just an imp that had no actual power or authority. Our real enemy is ourselves, our own sin, and our own desire to have a say on reality. If we truly believed that Jesus is the King of Kings, we would not be fearing or panicking over what is going on politically or economically. But more so, we would not be trying to advise Jesus on how to reign or to have a say on what we should be doing in our lives.
Is Jesus truly the center of what we believe and the center of what we do? Many want Jesus as Savior but not Lord. You don’t get one without the other. And if Jesus is Lord, that means He is the boss and He says what is allowed and what is not allowed. “Well, what about all the mass shootings and assassinations and crime?” What about them? God has never been under any obligation to prevent crime. Do you want to be under Minority Report? 1984? Brave New World? Because that is what is being asked for. God being sovereign does not mean preventing evil from taking place. It means dealing with evil when it is done, and God will indeed do that. All the evil that is done is going to be dealt with. Just because that justice is not done in our timing or our means of it being done does not make God negligent. He has the record. And the day is coming when judgment is coming. But Jesus is waiting to save whoever can be saved before that happens.
Jesus has a body: the Church. That is through whom He acts to deal with the things of this world and to get the message of salvation to others. A severe problem we have is that we think the problem lies anywhere except ourselves. Why is all this evil taking place? Very simple: because WE (that means YOU and me too) have let it happen. And we expect God to do the dirty work for us. No, WE are the agent by which God has chosen to act, so if we don’t do it, then it doesn’t get done. And then God will move through someone else. But Jesus is reigning now, and when people finally surrender themselves and truly let Him reign, they do absolute wonders. Read Christian biographies. The things I have personally seen are even beyond the miracles recorded in the Bible. If people ask, “Where is the evidence?” or say, “I wish God would actually do something,” He is and He does. But we have to pay attention.
The one thing I keep bringing up that many really don’t like to hear – and those willing have a hard time practicing, myself included – is that if Jesus is Lord, then you are not. We live in a time of many false religions and false Christs. How can I say that? Because so many “Christians” out there believe in a god who is omnipotent but not sovereign. They have a god who can create, save, and give joy and happiness, but it is on the self’s terms. Paul Washer was once asked to come do a teaching on the attributes of God, and he warned the pastor that if he did that and began speaking on the holiness of God, the righteousness of God, and the sovereignty of God, his most loyal congregants would rise up and say, “That’s not MY god!” And that’s the problem: most people’s “god” is really themselves.
Jesus is reigning and He is ruling now, and what He says goes. We don’t get a say in the matter, and any attempt we try to offer God should be considered sin because we are trusting our own wisdom instead of the omniscient one who truly knows everything. How foolish can we be? Don’t answer that, because there will always be someone who takes that as a challenge. If we are followers of Christ, we are not followers of self. If we are following Christ, we listen to and submit to and obey Him, and we are to deny ourselves. Our life as a Christian is not our own, and we need to start living like that. Jesus will let us do our own thing if we insist, but it will not be without consequence, and in reality, we will greatly miss out. And if we are not careful, the small “miss out” may turn into a BIG “miss out.” If Jesus is not our Lord, He is not our Savior.
Jesus is sitting on the throne, and He is guiding and directing all things for His purpose and His glory. He is setting up all of world history and all the nations to come together, and He will deal with them in one fell swoop. He is pulling out whomever He can from the fires of judgment, and then He will bring it all to an end. He will return and deal with those who have done evil in His sight and rescue those who stayed loyal to Him. Let us stop treating Jesus as a soon-to-be ruler but rather as the current and active ruler now and today. And what does that mean? It means if we are obedient to God and we act in the authority He has given us, we will truly be invincible to do all we are called to do, and nothing will touch us except that which is necessary for us to prove we belong to Jesus. So what do we have to fear? The opinions of intellectuals who only think they know something? Let us take solace that Jesus reigns now and He reigns forever, and there is no better King that anyone could ask for.
Next week, I will wrap up this series by analyzing Jesus as both Savior and Condemner.
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As a child, I was blessed to grow up in the home of a railroader who loved his family dearly. Even though it seemed at times that my mother desired to work outside the home, she chose to stay home when my sister and I were younger, well into our junior high years. I had no idea what a blessing this all truly was, nor did I realize the sacrifices my father and mother made for us in many things until I was much older. My father was your typical railroader who was incredibly strong and very mentally tough. Once my mother became a follower of Jesus Christ, my father “knew” my mother was meeting with some other guy at the church she would bring my sister and me to almost weekly. Dare I say, my father seemed quite jealous of this other guy.
In the mid-1970s, on a cold and snowy evening in Minnesota, my father got into a very bad car accident where the jaws of life were needed to cut him out of his car. Near as we can tell, he had fallen asleep at the wheel and hit a culvert head-on. The only injuries he received were a broken collarbone and a gash on the top of his head. Looking back, he probably had a nasty concussion, too.
The only people who went to see him in the hospital were people from that church and the pastor of that congregation. My mother had been going to see a guy at the church… His name was Jesus Christ, and she was learning how to love Him and surrender her life to Him. My father surrendered his life to Jesus Christ in that hospital, thanks to the love not only of God but also because of the example of Christ he saw in the people of that congregation and of Pastor Wallace Henk.
In 2025, at my father’s Celebration of Life service, a dear friend of ours got up and spoke about my father and his love, not only for the Lord, but also about how my father lived in leading people to the Lord. He said, “Frank was just… RELENTLESS!” And that right there is THE word that explains my father well. He was relentless in everything. My father NEVER shut off. Being the son of a man like this was very trying at times. He was always striving for excellence. Whether it was work time, play time, or just relaxing time, he was RELENTLESS! I am thankful for him showing my sister and me the importance of living life for Christ in everything. He was relentless for the Lord.
Years ago, as an adult, one of my disciplers introduced me to something that my father never formally introduced me to, but that my father lived out in every second of every day. He set the example in everything he did. It’s what I am about to share with you: 10 Biblical convictions that every Godly man should teach his family.
Discipleship is so important, especially of a father to his own children. Sadly, it seems as if this is something that many of us have lost the art of doing. In the United States of America and even inside the Church, the breakdown of the family that God has instituted is more obvious and more prevalent than ever. I believe we need to get back to what God has established if we are to move forward as a Church and a nation.
I hope and pray that you will prayerfully consider implementing the following in your own life and in the life of your family.
#1 - God alone is sovereign. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and needs to be the final authority for my life. (Exodus 20:3; Matthew 4:4)
#2 - Seeking God with my whole heart needs to be my priority in my life. I need to build goals around God's priorities. (Exodus 20:4-5; Matthew 6:33)
#3 - My body is the living temple of the Lord God and must not be defiled by the lusts of this world. (Exodus 20:7; Mark 7:21-23)
#4 - The Church I attend must teach the foundational truths of the Bible and reinforce my basic convictions. (Exodus 20:8; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Matthew 7:15-16)
#5 - My children and grandchildren belong to God. It is my responsibility to teach them scriptural principles, Godly character, and basic convictions. (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Matthew 19:14)
#6 - My actions must never weaken the Scriptural convictions of another Christian brother or sister. (Exodus 20:13; Proverbs 28:10; Matthew 18:6; Romans 14:13)
#7 - My marriage is a life-long commitment to God and to my wife. (Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32; Matthew 19:6; Romans 7:2-3)
#8 - The money I have is a trust from God. It must be earned and managed according to Scriptural principles. (Exodus 20:15; Proverbs 15:6; Luke 16:11; 1 Timothy 6:10)
#9 - My words must be in harmony with God’s Word, especially when attempting to reprove and restore a Christian brother. (Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 12:37; Galatians 6:1)
#10 - My affections and desires must be set on things above, not on earthly things. (Exodus 20:17; Matthew 6:20-21)
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).
In other words:
- Be on alert for spiritual danger!
- Stand on God's Word no matter what!
- Let your actions then speak! Be courageous!
- Be Strong!
- Be long-suffering, kind, and loving!
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
We live in a world where instant results are expected. We want fast answers, fast progress, fast resolutions, and even fast spiritual growth. But God often forms His deepest work in us through waiting, through enduring, and through bearing with one another in love. That is why the fourth fruit of the Spirit, forbearance, is so necessary and so challenging.
In many translations, this word is given as “patience.” But the NIV uses forbearance, a term that reminds us that biblical patience is not just about waiting for circumstances to change; it is also about bearing with people, enduring difficult seasons, and continuing in love even when it costs us something.
Patience and forbearance are closely related virtues, but they emphasize different aspects of how we endure difficulty. Patience is the ability to endure delay, difficulty, or suffering without becoming angry, anxious, or frustrated. It focuses on an internal attitude and emotional endurance. Forbearance is defined as self-controlled restraint in the face of provocation; choosing not to react harshly when you could. It focuses on external restraint and relational grace. You show patience when your plans are delayed; you show forbearance when someone offends you, and you respond with grace instead of anger.
The Greek word behind “forbearance” in this passage, makrothumia, has meanings of long-suffering, enduring without giving up, having patience with people who test us, being slow to anger and slow to retaliate, and steadily trusting in God's timing, even under pressure. Forbearance is not passive. It is spiritual strength under control. It does not react quickly in frustration. It does not rush God’s timing. It does not give up on people or walk away at the first sign of inconvenience.
Before we try to create forbearance in our own strength, we must start by remembering that God has shown immeasurable forbearance toward us. Scripture makes this abundantly clear. God is slow to anger and abounding in love, not treating us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:8-10). He bears with us patiently to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). He waits for us to turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9). He forgives again and again (Nehemiah 9:17).
God does not give up on us. He forbears, He endures, He waits, and He loves. When we practice forbearance, we mirror His heart. We do not show forbearance to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received His grace so lavishly. True forbearance is worship – living out a reflection of the patience God has shown us.
Forbearance is not just a nice attitude; it is essential for spiritual maturity. Forbearance builds Christlike character, as God uses waiting, endurance, and difficulties in life to shape us. Romans 5:3-4 shows the progression clearly; we move from suffering to perseverance to character to hope. The Holy Spirit cultivates deep roots in us through seasons that stretch our faith.
Forbearance also sustains relationships, whether marriage, parenting, or friendships and church community. All relationships require patience and forbearance with the other person, continuing to love them even when it’s challenging.
Forbearance is a witness to Jesus in our lives, because the world is watching how Christians respond when tested. It’s easy to be patient when things in life are cooperating and going how we want them to, but when the Spirit produces forbearance in us, that is demonstrated through unexpected inconveniences, dealing with people who irritate us, disappointments, delayed answers, and other trials in life. When we respond to pressure with grace, we testify to the power of Christ within us.
When the Spirit produces forbearance in our lives, we see it in our life circumstances, with other people, and with ourselves. Sometimes, God answers our requests quickly, but other times, His answer is “not yet,” and we need to wait on Him. Our patience with God’s timing will be rewarded when we eventually see why God made us wait for that period of time. Some people test our patience in various ways, and we need to practice forbearance with them. This does not excuse sin or avoid necessary boundaries, but it chooses mercy over irritation and grace over harshness. We also need to practice forbearance with ourselves, since we are often our own worst critics. We want instant spiritual maturity, but God doesn’t work that way. Forbearance with ourselves means trusting the process, surrendering our timeline, and experiencing God’s grace for our imperfections.
We see many examples of forbearance in the Bible. Abraham and Sarah waited decades for the promise of a child. Joseph endured betrayal, injustice, and years in prison. Moses waited and led a difficult people with great restraint. Hannah endured barrenness with humility and prayer. David waited years to become king, refusing to force God’s hand to make it happen sooner. Jesus showed ultimate forbearance, enduring humanity’s brokenness, betrayal, and the cross.
Each story shows the same truth: that God forms greatness in seasons of waiting and enduring. If God is stretching you, He is strengthening you. If He is making you wait, He is preparing you for something big.
The Holy Spirit grows forbearance as we root ourselves in Scripture, pray for the Spirit to help us, practice slowing down, and trust God’s timing. We can try practicing forbearance in small moments, by pausing before responding when irritated, praying instead of complaining, and giving people extra grace.
Forbearance is not weakness; it is Spirit-empowered endurance. We don't develop this fruit by trying harder, but we grow it by staying close to Jesus.
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After Jesus rose from the dead, there were two tasks He needed to do prior to ascending, besides just appearing and encouraging the believers: Peter, and then final instructions. Why Peter? Peter disowned even knowing Jesus three times. The night Jesus was betrayed, the very night Peter said he would go to prison and die for Jesus, Peter denied even knowing Jesus or being associated with Him. And Jesus was not going to sweep that under the rug.
So, during one of His appearances, Jesus gives Peter another miraculous catch of fish, mirroring the moment the two met, and then gets some one-on-one time with Peter. Three times, Jesus asks: “Do you love me?” And Peter says yes each time. Then Jesus tells Peter to take care of His sheep. Peter didn’t realize what was happening until the third time and renewed his vow to go wherever Jesus went. And Jesus then told him how he would die: by execution, and Peter would be crucified. Yet to show his love for his Savior, he asked to be crucified upside down, a more painful death, lest he not die the same way Jesus did. Then Peter looked at John and asked about him. Jesus basically said it was none of Peter’s business, and John never died a martyr’s death. But not because the Romans didn’t try. He was thrown into a pot of boiling oil and came out unscathed. That is why he was exiled to Patmos.
Then Jesus gathered His disciples to the Mount of Olives for one final set of instructions, and they were simple. First, they were to wait in Jerusalem until they were imbued with power, and then to go make disciples starting in Jerusalem and to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Remember, they were not indwelt by the Holy Spirit yet. Yet when this happened and the disciples were empowered to carry on Jesus’ mission by the Holy Spirit, the religious centers and forces of darkness, who were reeling from Jesus alone, now had a much bigger problem. The very power and authority Jesus had was now with the disciples.
Jesus is in the business of restoration. Peter and Judas are often compared because both betrayed Jesus. The difference is that Peter was grieved that he had betrayed his master, but Judas just felt guilty that he had done a bad thing. Judas would attempt to make semi-amends by returning the blood money he got for giving Jesus to the Pharisees, but they just laughed it off. Judas not only betrayed Jesus, but he got played in doing so. And so Judas went and hung himself, but the tree couldn’t hold his weight, and when his body fell, it burst open. Peter, however, had a spirit like David, who sinned against God, but the weight of it grieved him because he lost his relationship with his God. Peter was similar. He sinned against Jesus, not defiantly, but due to his fear of man. And keep in mind that Peter was a BIG man. He was burly and very strong, not just because of his fisherman trade. And yet he became the biggest baby, cowering before a weak slave girl.
This is what happens when men rely on their own strength. Physical prowess means nothing to the weak spirit. But despite all this, Jesus restored Peter. Now, would Jesus have restored Judas? As Jesus only did what the Father said to do and had marked Judas as a devil from the start, I wonder if Jesus would have forgiven Judas. He forgave all those who crucified Him, knowing they knew not what they did. But would He have forgiven Judas? The empathy part of me says, yes, but the analytical part of me says no. Why? If God rejected King Saul for something far less, why would He spare Judas, when Jesus even said it would be better for him not even to be born? In all cases, Judas never gave it a chance and killed himself before it could have been done.
Then, after Jesus ascended, the disciples went to Jerusalem and met in the upper room, possibly the same upper room where they had the Last Supper. They prayed for ten days, chose Matthias to replace Judas, and then Pentecost happened. Peter the coward suddenly turned into Peter the bold preacher and proclaimed the name of Jesus, showcasing how the languages being heard were the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. When Peter told the crowd that they had crucified the very Savior they had been waiting for, the crowd spoke up and asked, “What must we do?” And Peter said, “Repent and be baptized,” and 3000 were added to their number that day.
From that time forward, the disciples became the Apostles, and the church spread like wildfire. The world was never the same again. The Sanhedrin tried to stop them, but imprisonment and the Jewish beatings only encouraged them further. The Romans really didn’t care, but then it got worse when Paul was converted, and the entire Roman Empire and the known world were completely turned upside down. The world would never be the same again. God had come to the world, and as the Church obeyed its command to make disciples, everything as previously known would cease to exist. Bars would shut down, the occult businesses would be shut down, and instead in places where there we no schools or hospitals, now these would be built. Take notice that no group in the world has ever built schools or hospitals for the general population, when Christians did not do it first. And any school and hospital that is not run with the Christian mindset or at least a Judeo-Christian ethic tends not to be the best places to be. And this was all able to happen because Jesus left us. Next week, we’ll look at the last thing Jesus did on earth: His ascension.
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
We live in a world where it feels like anxiety is the air we breathe. Stress is normal. Worry is expected. Restlessness has become a way of life. People long for peace, but most only know how to chase temporary relief, whether a vacation, a distraction, a quick fix, or a moment of quiet that disappears as soon as life presses in again.
But the peace of God, the next fruit of the Spirit, is not a fragile escape from life’s pressures. It is a supernatural calm that holds steady in the midst of the storm. Jesus promised this kind of peace in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The world gives peace by removing problems, but Jesus gives peace in the middle of them.
Biblical peace is more than the absence of conflict or inner calm; it is wholeness, harmony, and spiritual well-being. The Hebrew word shalom, often translated as peace, carries a sense of completeness, a soul secure in the care of God.
In Philippians 4:7, the Apostle Paul describes it like this: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Peace transcends understanding; it doesn’t always make sense. Peace guards your heart and mind; it defends against fear and anxiety. Peace is rooted in Christ Jesus, not in circumstances. With the true peace of God, you can be surrounded by chaos and still stand calm. You can be in the middle of uncertainty and still feel secure. You can face loss and grief and yet not collapse because God is holding you.
But peace isn't something we manufacture; it is something God gives. It flows from knowing who He is, believing what He has promised, and trusting His heart even when we do not understand His ways. Before we can experience the peace of God, we must first receive peace with God, which is restored through the salvation that is only found through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Once we have peace from God, then we can begin to experience relational peace with others. This fruit of the Spirit not only calms our hearts toward God, but also softens our hearts toward people. Romans 12:18 tells us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” We cannot control other people’s responses, but we can control ours. Spirit-filled peace reconciles, forgives, listens, and seeks unity over winning arguments.
But if peace is a gift from God, why do so many believers struggle to live in it? Because peace is constantly attacked by fear when we are not fully trusting in God for all things. Fear gets us to ask the questions, “What if this goes wrong? What if God doesn’t come through?” Our sin disrupts peace in our lives. Anything that separates us from God also separates us from His true peace in our lives. When peace feels distant, the Holy Spirit invites us to come near to God; not to try harder in our own strength, but to surrender more deeply.
The peace of God is not just comfort; it is direction and protection. In Colossians 3:15, Paul writes: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” The word “rule” has the idea of acting like an umpire. Peace can be a signal for us as we live our lives. When peace fills your heart, move forward. When peace withdraws, pause and seek God. The Spirit’s peace is often God’s way of guiding us.
In a frightened, anxious world, peace can also be powerful evangelism. A peaceful Christian stands out. Others may panic, but you are trusting God. Others may complain, but you give thanks for what God is doing in the midst of difficulties. Others may lash out in anger, but you respond with gentleness. Others may crumble under burdens, but you remain steady in Christ. People notice these things. When we live with Spirit-filled peace, the world sees something different in us – they see Jesus.
But there are seasons in life when peace feels distant or maybe even impossible. But having God’s peace does not mean we never struggle; it means that God is present in the struggle. Sometimes the most powerful peace is not a feeling, but a decision to trust God no matter what. Our emotions may go up and down like a roller coaster, but our faith in Christ holds us steady and will bring us to that place of peace.
While peace is a fruit of the Spirit, we can actively participate in cultivating it. We can pursue peace by fixing our minds on God. When we focus on God and trust Him, we will shut out the worries of this world and experience His peace. We can also counteract anxiety through prayer, building that relationship with God, and handing over our burdens to Him. Meditating on Scripture, practicing gratitude, and even intentionally resting and spending time with God will also encourage the Spirit’s peace in our lives.
Where is your heart restless today? What is one step you can take today to slow down and rest in God’s presence? Who in your life needs peace that you can help bring through prayer, forgiveness, or encouragement?
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After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days showing His resurrected body to His apostles and to other disciples. He appeared to His disciples multiple times and had this ability to show up wherever and whenever He wanted, and locked doors were no problem for Him. In one incident, Thomas was not with the other ten, and they all believed, except Thomas. Thomas needed to physically see and touch Jesus to believe it. A week later, Jesus showed up and specifically called out Thomas to touch His wounds; there, Thomas made the first declaration of Jesus as God recorded.
But before these two incidents, on the very day of Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus met two disciples walking away from Jerusalem, noting their very somber state. They were totally stunned at how Jesus was hailed a hero and executed in a span of a few days, and then Jesus, who hid His identity from them, began to explain how all these events were the fulfillment of Scripture, starting with Moses. It was the greatest Bible study of all time, and the two insisted on Jesus staying to eat with them. So He did, and the moment He broke the bread, He disappeared, and they realized it was Him.
Paul reports these sightings and then adds that at one time, 500 had seen Him at once, and at the time of the writing of 1 Corinthians, most of these 500 were still alive. What does that mean? It means Paul said to check him out if someone didn’t believe him.
Many skeptics will go out of their way to say, “Why didn’t Jesus show Himself publicly?” Answer: He did. But why didn’t the Romans take notice? The Roman Empire didn’t care about any of this. Those in Judea were only concerned about law and order. They didn’t care about any of the Jewish religion or rituals as long as they brought in tax dollars and stayed peaceful. And they certainly weren’t going to be bothered with the claims of a man coming back from the dead, except maybe those who saw Him and ended up directly involved in what Jesus was doing. I imagine the centurion who realized who Jesus was when He died would have been very intrigued when the resurrection claims started going around.
It is also worth noting that people didn’t go spreading word about Jesus until Pentecost after Jesus ascended. They all talked among each other, but there was no widespread public sharing about it for those first 50 days. Why? Several reasons. One is that they were still in shock about the whole thing. They were not waiting at the tomb for Jesus to rise as He predicted, so the mere fact that He did rise was just so stunning to them that they could only share with each other. Another reason is that just a few days before, the whole city was shouting for Jesus’ death, and just mentioning Him in public would draw the attention of those who had just gotten Jesus killed. So they weren’t about to go publicly share about this either. But then Pentecost comes and the Holy Spirit comes down, and then it was training wheels off and they went and went BIG. The way historians record the spread of the church matches precisely with how the Bible describes it.
Jesus was not about proving to everyone that He was God, but He provided enough evidence that no one honestly evaluating it could deny its validity. The resurrection of Christ is the most verifiable ancient historical account, and frankly, I would argue even more verifiable than today’s events. Jesus appeared to many different witnesses, and among them were unbelievers. What does that mean? Jesus had hostile witnesses, which means it wasn’t just people who only believed in Him who saw it. No conspiracy could be claimed because a hostile witness could easily refute what was claimed if they were there. But no one ever could stand up and give an eyewitness testimony of anything being faked. Unlike any other myth, counterfeit messiah, or false prophet, Jesus did His events publicly so there would be witnesses. There were no witnesses for Joseph Smith or Muhammad. Everyone else had a private revelation that could not be accounted for, but Jesus showed Himself publicly and went above and beyond any quorum needed for validation.
It is impossible for 500 people to have the same hallucination. It is impossible for multiple people to get the same hallucination multiple times. Jesus did not have a twin brother who pretended to be Him. The body was not stolen, and Jesus did not actually avoid death and came back resurrected at full strength if he just “swooned.” It’s also worth noting that nothing is said about any scars from the whips or even the crown of thorns, just the nails and spear. Jesus showed up in His physical body over 40 days, but He had two jobs to do before He would ascend to heaven. That’s for next week.
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As most of you know, my earthly father passed away in April of 2025. I greatly miss him. Other than Jesus Christ, He is easily the greatest man I have ever known. I am incredibly blessed to call him not only father but friend. Now that he’s in heaven with the Lord, I wish I had given even more of my time to spend with him in person, on the phone, or even playing more cribbage. He truly loved to play cribbage, and thankfully, he passed the love of that game on to me. My father always wanted to preach and desired to share the truth in love with those he knew and didn’t know. I think deep down, he always desired to do something as a father and son in this realm. We did do a little bit together, but not at all what it could have been.
So I am pleased to announce that my oldest son, Ezra, and I will be starting a new podcast in 2026. It will be titled “Falling Apples” – hence the title of this blog post. My son mentioned while recording these editions that, “It sure would have been nice to have Grandpa here to do this with us so we could have the perspective of three generations on what we are going to discuss.” And that brings me to part of the reason for this blog post.
My mother has given me two incredible gifts. One is my father’s Bible. It is loaded with highlights and his own personal notes and cross-references. LOADED! The second gift is one of his personal journals from 2002-2003. There are so many writings in this journal that it is going to take me years to read through them and compile what he has written. This is where my son and I are hoping to receive a gift from him, but also to share with people, like you – a gift that we didn’t know we could give. On “Falling Apples,” we are hoping to not only share what we believe the Lord is leading us to share with you, but also share much of the Godly insight, wisdom, and passion from my father through his writings. We are hoping this podcast will just be organic, real, raw, and very transparent. We currently have a Facebook page for this podcast, so please be on the lookout for new information coming out about this new endeavor.
To finish up this post, I’d like to share one of the writings from my father so you can get to know his heart better.
“CHOICES”
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Cherries fruit tastes wonderful, but at the same time, the PIT contains deadly poison – CYANIDE.
Our life and choices we make are not much unlike this fruit; if anything, life is like this fruit. We must choose daily between good and evil, like choosing to read God’s Word and praying (talking with Him). BUT it’s when we choose to do otherwise that we slowly poison our souls, and so slowly that over time we begin to think and justify that what we are doing is OK. Like the cherries, life doesn’t have to be the pits; you see, my choices make the difference.
Choice.
Colossians 2:6 states, “as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” “JUDGMENTAL” ME.
We want to have our cake and eat it too. What a saying. A lot of the time, no. Way too often, we attempt to establish our relationship with God by the feelings of mountain-top experiences and move dramatically from one to another. What happens is if these tippy top happenings aren’t a part of our lives, we believe that our faith is weakening (a feelings-centered faith).
Didn’t verse Colossians 2:6 say, “Walk in Him,” a Christ-centered faith?
We need Him in the highs AND lows of our lives. When we do, our lives will become rooted and grounded in Him. Like those things that grow from the earth, their roots need to grow deep to give stability to the plant. Those mountain-top experiences can and are beneficial, but nothing will profit each of us more than our ongoing CHRIST-centered life of faith.
James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
Everyone wants to be happy. From motivational speakers to lifestyle influencers, the world is filled with voices promising the secret to lasting happiness. But as soon as one desire is fulfilled, another takes its place. Happiness becomes a moving target, dependent on circumstances that are always changing. But joy, the second on the list of fruit of the Spirit, is something entirely different. Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is an emotion; joy is a condition of the heart. Happiness depends on what happens to us; joy depends on who lives within us.
Christian joy is not blind optimism or denial of pain. It is the deep, abiding confidence that God is in control and that His goodness will prevail, no matter what. It is a settled assurance that our lives are held by hands that will never let go. That’s why joy can exist even in sorrow, even in suffering, even when everything else seems to fall apart. The Holy Spirit doesn’t produce joy by changing our circumstances. He produces joy by changing our perspective.
The world’s version of joy is fragile because it depends on things we can’t control. But the joy of the Spirit flows from a relationship that never changes, our relationship with God. Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). This isn’t human joy; it’s divine joy.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us about Jesus, “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame…” How could Jesus have joy in the face of suffering? Because His joy was rooted in His Father’s will and the salvation that His sacrifice would bring. His joy came not from comfort, but from purpose. In the same way, the Holy Spirit gives us joy when we’re anchored in God’s presence and purpose. When we know that God is with us and working through every circumstance, we can face life with confidence and gratitude.
While joy is a fruit the Spirit produces, it also requires our cooperation. Joy grows when we choose to trust God’s goodness, even when our emotions or circumstances tell us otherwise. The Apostle Paul didn’t write the words of Philippians, especially Philippians 4:4-7, from a nice vacation; he wrote them from prison. Yet his letter to the Philippians is often called “the letter of joy.” How could Paul rejoice while chained to a guard in awful circumstances? Because his joy wasn’t chained to his situation, it was anchored to his Savior. Joy is not pretending everything is fine; it’s proclaiming that God is still good no matter what.
There’s a kind of joy the world can manufacture: the joy of success, accomplishment, love, and beauty. These are good gifts from God, and they can bring real delight. But they’re temporary. When the gift fades, the joy fades with it. Spiritual joy, however, is supernatural. It’s the joy that remains when everything else is stripped away. Spiritual joy doesn’t always look like laughter or a constant smile. Sometimes it looks like quiet peace in the storm, or gratitude in the small things, or hope when everything feels hopeless.
When we allow the Spirit to fill us, joy becomes a lens that helps us see the world differently. Problems become opportunities to trust. Delays become invitations to wait on God. Hardships become the soil where deeper joy can grow.
But if the Holy Spirit produces joy in us, why do we so often lose it? This world has many joy-stealers in it. The root of all joy-stealers, of course, is the sin that we all commit and experience in this world. It separates us from God and the true joy that we can experience through His Spirit. Comparison and measuring our lives against others is another way to lose our joy. We focus on what we lack rather than what we have. Worry is the enemy of joy because it shifts our gaze from God’s faithfulness to our fears. A lack of gratitude also steals our joy; gratitude for what God has done for us always brings gratitude.
If joy is a fruit, it grows with care and intention. We can cultivate it in our lives by staying rooted in God’s Word, praying with gratitude, praising God even in (or especially in) the difficult times, serving others, and spending time in Christian community with other believers.
A Spirit-filled life marked by joy is one of the most powerful witnesses to the world. Our joy is countercultural. When believers live with genuine, Spirit-born joy, people notice. They wonder how it’s possible. The joy of the Spirit draws people to Christ because it demonstrates the reality of His presence. It says, “There’s something more and something deeper than what this world can give.” As 1 Peter 1:8 says, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
To live with Spirit-filled joy means walking through life with a quiet confidence that God is good, that His promises are true, and that His presence is enough. It doesn’t mean you’ll never feel sadness, stress, or frustration. But it does mean those feelings no longer define you. Joy gives you resilience. It lets you endure trials with hope, love people generously, and find beauty in brokenness.
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Jesus had died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. We can say “borrowed” because three days later, after the Passover had come and gone, the women who did not have the time to fully bury the body came to deliver and apply the burial spices, about sixty pounds worth, only to find the tomb open and empty. Jesus was gone. The tomb was sealed lest anyone steal the body and proclaim a Resurrection, and the Roman guard would be there with no chance of sleeping on duty under penalty of death. The seal wasn’t merely cracked; the entire stone slab, which weighed several thousand pounds, wasn’t just rolled away but more tossed out of the way. The description isn’t merely to just get the door open, but to knock the door off its hinges. And Jesus was nowhere to be found, and apparently neither were the guards.
The women were baffled until a man approached Mary Magdalene and asked why she was crying. The man comforted her and then called her by her name. Suddenly, she recognized Jesus and sought to cling to Him, but Jesus refused. His glorified body was not fit for that, as He was now preparing for His ascension. So the women ran back to the disciples. Peter and John didn’t even hesitate; they ran to the tomb. Though John beat Peter in the race, John stopped, and Peter ran into the tomb directly. While an angel announced Jesus’ resurrection to the woman sitting on the stone door, here two other angels sat inside the tomb at Jesus’ head and feet, and all that was left were the grave clothes.
There are multiple times in the Bible when someone had died and was brought back to life, but most had just recently died, like the same day, and only a couple of cases had several days pass. But even then, their life was merely restored to them temporarily. Each person who died and was brought back to life would die again when it was their time. But Jesus did not have His life restored to His body; He was resurrected. The body He was born in perished, marking the death of the sin-cursed, but it was changed, transformed, and made new in its glorified form. However, Jesus still bore the five scars from His crucifixion: the holes in both hands and feet and the spear-pierced side. The scars were there, yet fully healed.
Jesus was the first resurrected person, and no one else is going to be resurrected until the time for all judgment to come. One thing that is often missed is that literally everyone is going to be resurrected. Good, bad, young, and old, every person of every point in history is going to die physically (or taken to heaven in some rapture-type thing of which I am not going to delve into), and that body will be resurrected. This is how every person is going to give an account for their lives. We all are going to receive immortal and perfect bodies, bodies that will not die. Those who are in Christ will be welcomed to paradise, but those who are not will suffer the wrath of God for eternity in a body that cannot die. That needs to scare us.
The second “death” is not annihilation or an eternal slumber where even time will forget us. No, this lake of fire is where God’s eternal, righteous, and just wrath is going to be poured out without exhaustion. Unlike man, whose wrath can be exhausted, God’s wrath is never exhausted. While His love and grace and mercy are infinite, so is His wrath, and we are going to glorify God one way or the other: in paradise or in eternal judgment. Those who lived this life in sin and crime and did not meet judgment here on earth will face it with God. And those who did experience judgment here on earth faced their crimes against humanity, not their crimes against deity. The only escape from the judgment for crime against deity is Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ death took the just punishment against sin as though He were the only one to have sinned. But in His resurrection came the defeat of sin, Hell, and the grave, so that all who are “in Christ,” those who died to themselves and submitted themselves to a new Master, will escape it. Just as Noah and his family escaped the Flood by one means of salvation, so we can escape the judgment of God through the one means of salvation: the cross.
Just as Adam and Eve were clothed, Paul uses this notion of being “in Christ” so that when Jesus died, we died, and when He rose, we will rise with Him. However, it’s more than just that. God does more than just see Jesus in our place. When Jesus died, He came back the same God as when He came. He did not change other than having His human nature. When we die in Christ and when we are resurrected in Christ, we are changed. Jesus never had a sin nature to change from; we do. When we die, the law that demands our judgment is still fulfilled. But when we are resurrected, we are raised under a new law that gives us a new master. We experience the resurrection in part in this life because we have a new heart, new mind, new motives, and new drives, but we don’t have a new body yet. That still has to die as well, and then we will receive our new bodies that will not experience the curse of sin. They will be fully functional as they would have been had we never sinned.
How it is going to look can only, at best, be described with “glorified imagination” and I don’t have the time or space, let alone the vocabulary, to describe it. But Jesus’ resurrection is what gives us the hope that we have. It is the resurrection that will enable us to endure whatever this world gives us to offer if only we would start thinking eternally again. But in that eternal thinking is the doom people have if we do not tell them how to escape it. We must see both, and I fear too many of us have fallen for the intellectual game that keeps the reality of things “out there.” Jesus did die for us. He did rise from the grave. He did defeat sin, death, and Hell. But do we live like we believe that?
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
