A Sunday afternoon walk takes me first to this snowy field. I look toward the east at the bright snow and the beautiful blue sky.
A familiar scene; a frozen creek look down from a bridge.
Headed back; on my way home.
I take a detour.
The narrow way. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.”
Ah, the evergreens. They are beautiful contrasted with the dark blue sky.
This is our fortieth and last study. Please click HERE for an introduction to this study.
John 12:42-43
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
Observations
There was a great tension among the Jewish leaders. Those who believed secretly dared not speak up openly because of the stricter Pharisees. So it seemed that they valued there job and position more than their faith. Their faith was weak; they still loved the praise of men more than how God regarded them.
Application
We ought to always evaluate what is more important. If we truly believe in God, we ought to show it and not be ashamed. We ought to believe as Paul did when he said, “For a I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation…”
Notice that these requests pertain to their liberty: that they would be free from the bonds of Satan—to hear and receive the gospel.
Preparation is so important. As the farmer prepares the soil (as he turns the ground over with the plow, runs the disc and the rake over the ground, and fertilizes and waters the soil so that the seed he plants will germinate) so must the Holy Spirit prepare the heart of the lost soul to receive the seed of the gospel. For the Word of God will not be heard, will not penetrate a heart that is hard and callused by sin. Therefore, let us pray for the Holy Spirit to begin that process of preparing the soil of hearts, especially of those you plan…
View original post 967 more words
I have been reading the popular book Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. It is the story of pilgrims on their journey through life to the Celestial City—or heaven. When I got to the part where Christian met two characters named Formality and Hypocrisy, and according to their conversation, especially the way it ended, I thought of Kamala Harris.
I should give you more details of the conversation. When Christian noticed that Formality and Hypocrisy did not go through the gate that our Lord had required, he said to them,
Why did you not come in at the gate at the beginning of the way? …I walk by the rule of the Lord of the way; you follow your own fancy…you come in by yourselves without direction, and you shall go out by yourselves without His mercy.
And so the conversation went. And the two also had their own arguments. However, at the end, Formality and Hypocrisy “gave no answer, but looked at each other and laughed.”
Well, as I said, I immediately thought of Kamala Harris, because she also often laughs for no apparent reason when faced with a problematic situation. But why does she laugh? Or why do so many others like her laugh? Here are three reasons I came up with:
All the things we have discussed so far in previous blogs, with the resolve to pray over them, will help us with boldness. Being aware of the harvest will make us more compassionate in our boldness. Seeing the horrors of hell, the shortness of the time, and our grave responsibility to witness will make us more urgent in our boldness. But I think the most helpful thing is to have a Christ-like love for the lost and to be excited to share with them. This is what I think we should really concentrate on.
With that said, I would like to talk more now on love, then on hope, and last on faith in an effort to make us bolder in witnessing.
Boldness by love. Jerry Wiles says that boldness is “born of love.” He says, “Lack of boldness is very likely related to a lack of…
View original post 709 more words
After almost two months of no work, and also suffering from covid, I finally got some—two jobs in a row. It feels good to be back to work (I’m a painting contractor). I’m wondering how I will survive when I finally am fully retired. And it felt so good to be working, because in both jobs the people were so nice. In fact, on my second job the lady was sort of following me around talking to me. But I like talking to people, even when I’m working (I can work and talk at the same time). It shows me that people think I have a good listening ear—and that makes me feel good.
Anti-Trump Talk At CNN
On my first job (painting a bathroom and hall) the people (older people) had CNN on non-stop. It was a little annoying, because about 80% of the talk was about Trump—anti-Trump: saying things like, that he and his supporters were guilty of the “BIG LIE.” That is the term they are using now to tell the public that when they say that the election was stole that that is a big lie.
But let me tell you something. Just saying that we are guilty of the Big Lie is evidence in itself that they are the ones lying. Also, the fact that CNN spends so much time bashing trump is also very suspicious. Yes, I believe that those at the top of CNN are desperately seeking to cover up a lie (their lies) by pushing the blame on us and on trump.
I don’t want to suggest that I know everything, but after getting my ears full of CNN for two full days, I have come to some conclusions. There is a diabolical reason why CNN is talking so negatively about Trump and his supporters and his family for so long. Here are three reasons: 1) they are trying to cover up their own lies by misdirection; 2) they are diabolically trying to convince the public that they (the press) and the Democrat party are innocent and that the election was fair (they are saying that it was the fairest election ever; what a joke); and 3) the way they are doing it is to try to convince the public that trump and his follower are the guilty ones, the liars.
I also spent some time researching a liar’s behavior. And in this case, it is the lying of an entire news company. Anyway, here is
The Typical Behaviors of Liars
Biden’s pick for Supreme Court Judge
With Justice Stephen Breyer planning to retire, Biden is now making plans to elect a replacement. Who will it be? Well, since a Supreme Court judge is such an important job, we all would expect that he would want to select the most qualified person, right? And that person should be selected not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
But apparently, Joe Biden doesn’t believe that, because he has announced that he will pick only a black woman for the position.
As true, growing believers we should regard evangelism as our duty and responsibility. Moreover, as Christians, we should grow to have a deep concern for the lost, and a joyful excitement about sharing our faith. If we lack these three qualities, that is, if you think you might be too casual and carefree in this area, you can always pray about it and expect God to change your heart. Here are three prayer requests for the casual Christian:
To see our duty and responsibility to witness. We must never think that God’s call to us is optional—He commands us to go and be witnesses (Matt. 28:19). This means that witnessing is our duty and responsibility. Yes, He has put a heavy weight on us. He has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation, by which we as His ambassadors are to reconcile the world to Himself (2 Cor…
View original post 692 more words
I love a mystery
Everyday is a new day
a mysterious day
a day of wonder and
a day of love and grace.
He gives us all we need and more
He gives us a delight to see
a wonder in the sky
a mystic sky
I usually have a few New Year’s resolutions. Not this year. I guess I’ll just let the Lord lead me. Here are some things happening with me.
Getting over covid. I never got very sick. I had a very low-grade fever, some weakness, some chills, a general lack of desire to do much, and a cough that at first made the muscles in my chest really hurt. I think that’s about it. I still have a cough. I’m sure it will linger for a while.
Reading Pilgrim’s Progress. I have had a couple copies of the book and have read maybe half of it. For some reason I never really got into it. This time I’m more into it—I have more patience now to read it. It’s actually quite fun. It’s one of those very old books written in the 1600’s that was very popular in its time, but not so much in these days. The author, John Bunyan also wrote about eight other books.
My writing on the Tribulation. I’ve been writing about the Tribulation and I’m also blogging through it. It is a biblical study. I’m always very slow at writing. I don’t spend more than one-half an hour each day with it. And most of that time is spent in reading and research. But it’s all quite fun for me. I just keep plodding along. I’m just now finishing a chapter on personalities in the Tribulation, and next I will start writing on the seals, Trumpets, and bowls. For those chapters I want to write more than what is written in Revelation—to expand it as much as possible. It will be a challenge. I don’t want to make it fictional, but maybe just put some imagination into it. I at least want to do some extra reading on it, and then offer my thoughts.
The way of the country and the world. I admit I am not very good at seeing what is happening in the world prophetically—seeing how things are falling into place. But there are some people who are very good at it, people who have studied biblical prophecy. So, I will keep listening to those people—most of them agree together, and that is conformation that they are on track. It is easy to see how in the last couple of years things are on track with the coming new world order and the Antichrist, how Biden is being used, and how Satan is using this recent covid thing to move evil things into place. Yes, Biden has been used dramatically to reduce and take down our country (USA): to make us less energy independent, to weaken our boarders and open us up to all invaders, to reduce our freedoms with illegal mandates, to destroy our economy by insisting that we must “build back better” (into the green new deal). I see the “black horse” coming (Rev. 6:5-6)!
The January 6 findings. This is all ridiculous. Very soon now a panel of 300 witnesses will reveal their findings about the January 6th “insurrection.” But it is all so bios. It will all be testimony against trump—an effort to take him down and reduce his likelihood of getting re-elected and even jailed. But there will be no testimony about how Trump tried to get National Guard to come; and there will be no testimony about how Nany Pelosi did nothing to get the National Guard. And there will be no testimony about how Antifa was involved—nothing. All testimony will be directed against Trump.
Stephen Nielsen 