Keep The Faith

Not every prayer spoken aloud is a prayer God honors. Scripture teaches that the heart, motives, and posture behind our prayers matter deeply. This reflection explores what the Bible says about the kinds of prayers God receives—and the kinds He does not. Prayers God Does Not Honor 1. Prayers from a proud or self-exalting heart Luke 18:11–14 — The Pharisee prayed publicly with pride, yet Jesus said his prayer was not accepted. Only the humble man was heard. 2. Prayers asking God to bless sin, violence, or injustice Isaiah 1:15 — “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes… your hands are full of blood.” God does not bless what contradicts His righteousness. 3. Prayers with selfish or fleshly motives James 4:3 — “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” Motives matter. 4. Prayers from a heart refusing obedience Proverbs 28:9 — “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, eve...

Returning to Our First Love Remembering our first love in Christ and learning to see others as God sees them. There are moments in life when the world’s noise grows so loud that it drowns out the quiet voice of our first love. When opinions, movements, and personalities rise to the center of our attention, it becomes easy to forget the One who called us, redeemed us, and taught us how to walk in love. I have heard many Christians speak with certainty about earthly leaders—as though God Himself had chosen them, endorsed them, or placed His seal upon them. But I often wonder: How do we know when something is truly from God? And how do we discern when something is simply from “the god of this world,” who is always eager to imitate, distract, and divide? Scripture gives us a simple test: If you love Him, obey His commandments. Love God. Love your neighbor. Do to others what you wish they would do to you. An...

God All in All : The Spirits Too This reflection pressed heavily on my heart early this morning. It came suddenly, connecting pieces from several older posts I’ve written over the years. I wanted to capture it while the thoughts were still fresh, because they form a picture of God’s final restoration that I had not seen quite this clearly before. Scripture “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power… so that God may be all in all.” — 1 Corinthians 15:24, 28 Reflection Several of my past posts came to mind this morning, forming a picture of what it might mean for God to become all in all . I’ve often wondered whether this points to something far greater than we usually imagine — that even the fallen angels, even Satan himself, will ultimately be brought under God’s final authority in a way that restores peace to all creation. Not excused. Not justified. But fully subjected to Go...

As I look back on something I wrote in 2016, I’m seeing it with clearer eyes today. Not because the events have changed, but because I have. The Lord has been patient with me, steady with me, and protective in ways I didn’t fully understand at the time. Reading my own words from ten years ago feels like opening a window into a younger version of myself — one who was trying to make sense of spiritual conflict, fear, and the weight of responsibility that comes with writing publicly about faith. In that old post, I wrote about the demonic activity I experienced in 1999 and how boldly — maybe naively — I declared that I intended to be “a thorn in Satan’s side.” I didn’t realize then that those words weren’t really mine. They were the Lord’s. The blog wasn’t mine either. It was His. I also wrote about the fear that followed — the sense that every time I tried to post something meaningful, something disruptive happened. The most frightening moments were when we temporarily lost...

Living Awake: Lessons from Luke 12 There are moments when Scripture doesn’t just speak — it gathers you, steadies you, and reminds you of what truly matters. Luke 12 is one of those chapters. When I revisited it after writing “ When Fear Stores What Faith Should Hold ,” I realized how much instruction, warning, comfort, and Kingdom perspective Yeshua packed into a single conversation. It is a chapter that calls us to live awake — spiritually honest, spiritually anchored, and spiritually ready. Scripture Luke 12 Reflection Luke 12 is a sweeping chapter — moving from warnings to encouragements, from parables to promises, from correction to comfort. Yeshua speaks plainly, directly, and lovingly. He exposes hypocrisy, confronts fear, dismantles greed, and calls His disciples into a life shaped by trust, readiness, and truth. As I read, I felt the weight of His words — not heavy in burden, but heavy in importance. These are teachings meant to shape the i...

When God Opens the Eyes of the Heart Sometimes God awakens the human heart suddenly, and sometimes gently. The stories of Jonah and Jesus washing the disciples’ feet reveal two sides of God’s mercy: a warning that shakes us awake, and a humility that softens us. Both are invitations to return to Him. The Sign of Jonah Luke 11:29 (NASB) “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.” The Greek word for “generation” is genea , which can also mean “age.” Jesus may be saying, “This age is a wicked age…” The word for “sign” means a miracle, a token, a wonder — something that awakens awe. Jonah’s message to Nineveh was short and simple: Jonah 3:4 (CEB) “Just forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown!” The Hebrew word for “overthrown” is haphak — meaning to turn, to change, to be converted, to return. Jonah’s warning was not only about destruction....

Returning to the Question of God’s Protection Why this question keeps coming back — and what the Kingdom teaches us about it. I have been thinking again about God’s protection. I’ve seen His protection in my life in different ways — through storms, through circumstances, through timing. Maybe not so much in my health, but even in that I trust Him for whatever happens. And I know that I would not have this blog if I were totally healthy. My weakness opened the door for this ministry. But then I think about those who have died in sudden or freak accidents. From what I knew of them, they seemed to be good Christian people. So why did they die when I seem to be protected? Scripture shows the same tension. Some received full protection — Abraham and Sarah, Daniel, Elijah, people in the early church. Yet many of the apostles died terrible deaths. I’ve asked this question before, and here I am again. Why do I re...

Father God's Kingdom, or This World's Kingdom Father God's Kingdom, or This World's Kingdom Introduction There are moments when something small — a headline, a story, a memory — becomes a doorway into deeper truth. This morning was one of those moments. A simple news story stirred my heart and reminded me how often we walk too close to danger even when God lovingly warns us to stay away. Scripture Matthew 6:24 (NIV) “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Reflection I was on Facebook this morning and read about buffalo attacks in Yellowstone National Park. There are signs everywhere telling people to keep their distance, yet some still walk right up to these massive animals. It’s the same old story we know well: “Don’t touch th...

The Shepherd who restores every soul Why Clinging to This Life Keeps Us From the Life We Want Most of us hold tightly to the life we know. We cling to our routines, our habits, our ways of thinking, our sense of control. We call it “normal,” and we assume it’s the safest place to be. But if we’re honest, this life we protect so fiercely is the very life that keeps us tired, anxious, and searching for relief. We keep trying to escape the weight of this life while refusing to let go of the life that creates the weight. There’s a quiet truth we rarely stop long enough to see: The life we cling to is the life that hurts us. The life God offers is the life that heals us. But because we don’t talk much about the Kingdom, we don’t recognize the difference. We assume surrender means loss. We assume God’s rule means restriction. We assume the Kingdom will take something from us that we need to survive. Y...

The Purpose of God’s Judgment: Hope for All Humanity Scripture reveals a God whose purpose is restoration. He desires all humanity to come to the knowledge of the truth ( 1 Timothy 2:3–6 ). He works through Christ to unite all things in heaven and on earth ( Ephesians 1:9–11 ). God’s Plan Is Larger Than We Imagine From the beginning, God planned to bring everything together under Christ. His judgment is not abandonment—it is correction, healing, and ultimately reconciliation. A Hope Rooted in Scripture Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all. God’s purpose is not thwarted. His plan is not fragile. His desire is not limited to a few. He is a Father who restores His children. Father, thank You for Your righteous purpose and Your unending hope. Visit the Unity Series Hub

Rethinking Hell: Why Grief and Sorrow May Be the Real Fire For years, I believed hell was a place of physical torment. But through Scripture, study, and personal experience, I’ve come to see something different. I believe hell is the deep grief and sorrow we feel when Father God lifts the veil and we finally see the truth about ourselves. Grief as Fire When I saw the ugliness inside myself, the grief was overwhelming—like being consumed. Scripture describes grief and sorrow with words like anguish, torment, woe, and heartbreak. These same words are used in descriptions of hell. Even Jesus is called “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” ( Isaiah 53:3 ) The Worm That Never Dies When grief eats at a person, we sometimes say they are “eaten up inside.” Scripture says, “where their worm never dies.” This imagery aligns with internal anguish, not external torture. Everlasting Judgment Many things in Scripture are called “everlasting,” yet clearly did not...

My Journey Through Shame, Discipline, and Father God’s Mercy My life has been a long road of learning, stumbling, and being restored by Father God. I grew up in the Lutheran faith, doing everything I thought made me a “good person.” Yet beneath the surface, I struggled with sin, shame, and confusion about who God truly was. Early Years and Misunderstandings I viewed sin on a scale—small sins and big sins—never realizing that the heart behind them mattered more than the size. Lust, shame, and hidden thoughts followed me into adulthood, even as I tried to live rightly. Military Life and Deep Failure During the Vietnam era, I entered the Army hoping for a safe path. Instead, I found myself drifting spiritually. Drinking, pornography, masturbation, and other sins became part of my life. A painful betrayal by someone I trusted brought me to bitter tears and deep grief over who I had become. Father God’s Gentle Intervention In my darkest moment, I asked Jesus b...

Why English Fails Us When Reading Scripture As I’ve studied God’s Word over the years, I’ve come to see how often our English translations fall short of expressing what the original writers intended. Words like wrath , vengeance , fear , and anger can paint a picture of God that feels harsh and distant. Yet when we look deeper into Hebrew and Greek, we find meanings that reveal a Father who is just, loving, and deeply relational. Seeing God as Father Yeshua consistently referred to God as Father . Matthew 23:9 reminds us that we have one Father in heaven. The Hebrew Scriptures do the same— Malachi 2:10 and Isaiah 64:7 both speak of God as Father. This language softens our understanding and brings clarity to His character. Why Translation Matters Our English Bibles often come from Greek translations that were themselves translated from Hebrew. Each language carries its own nuances, idioms, and cultural assumptions. It’s no wonder confusion arises. Even Hebre...

The Hammer, the Sheep, the Goats, and the Bridegroom Sometimes Scripture hits us in a way we didn’t expect. This time, it didn’t start with reading my Bible — it started with reading one of my own old posts on Matthew 25. As I read my own words, something stirred in me, and Jesus began showing me something deeper about readiness, relationship, and the slow work of the Shepherd. As I reread that old post, I began thinking about my past — the times I helped others and the times I turned a blind eye. If I weighed them, the blind‑eye side would feel heavier. And then the fear crept in: “What if I’m a goat?” But as I kept reading — both my old post and the Scripture behind it — something gentler began to rise. It was as if Jesus was saying, “Let Me show you what this really means.” The Fear We Grew Up With Many of us grew up with a certain picture of “the rapture” — a single moment in time when Jesus returns, and if you’re not ready at that exact second,...

Trust in the Midst of Trials: Looking Back, Looking Up There are seasons when faith feels strong and unshakable, and seasons when questions rise to the surface. As I look back over the years — through pain, surgeries, healing, setbacks, and unexpected blessings — I can see how Father God has shaped my trust in Him. This reflection is part of that journey. December 2017 I’ve often said that I’ve learned to trust the Lord in all things. In my post Salvation , I wrote about the many times the Lord has saved me from harm throughout my life. That trust was built by looking back and realizing that God had His hand on me again and again. But during this time, I also had moments where I questioned even the existence of God. Maybe it was the enemy whispering. Maybe it was the weariness of a long journey. Maybe it was simply being human. Back in August of 2015, I wrote a post called “Funny Dream” (now titled " A Divine Handshake… With Dog Paws ").  In that dream...

A Veteran’s Lament — And a Call to Make America Whole I served this country because I believed in something bigger than myself. I believed in a nation where every person mattered, where freedom meant responsibility, and where we stood together even when we disagreed. But today, as a veteran, I feel a deep grief — not only for America, but for the spiritual fracture running through us. Many have died for this nation. Many still serve. Yet we are tearing ourselves apart from the inside. We Have Forgotten Who We Are Our Constitution was built on a simple truth: all people are created equal . But we have never fully lived that ideal. From the beginning, America carried a beautiful vision and a broken reality at the same time. We lifted some people above others. We treated the poor as disposable. We divided ourselves into tribes and forgot that we belong to one another. We cared more about winning arguments than healing wounds. The saddest part is this:...

Unity Series — The Deception of Fear and the Call Back to Yeshua There are things happening in the world today that echo patterns we’ve seen throughout history, and I’ve been wrestling with how to speak about them in a way that reflects Yeshua’s heart rather than fear or division. Through prayer, reflection, and the help of a tool that clarified my thoughts, the Spirit brought this message into focus. The pattern of deception Whenever fear rises, whenever people begin to divide into “us” and “them,” whenever leaders use fear to gain trust, the same spiritual forces are at work. Scripture shows us that Satan has always used fear, deception, and even the written word to turn people away from the heart of God. This isn’t new, but it is happening again. Scripture without the Spirit When Yeshua was led into the wilderness, Satan tempted Him using Scripture—not lies, not obvious falsehoods, but the written word of God itself ( Matthew 4:1–10 ). The enemy has always kn...