Keep The Faith

The Good Shepherd and the Breath of the Word In my last post, I wrote about how “The Word of God” can lose its breath when our language flattens the living voice of the Father. When Scripture is squeezed into the limits of English, deep spiritual realities can become rigid, literal, and lifeless. Words like death , judgment , wrath , and even separation can lose the warmth, movement, and relational heartbeat they carried in the Hebrew mind. This week, as I sat with several passages from the book of John, I realized how deeply this same issue affects our understanding of Satan, sin, and the work of Yeshua. John uses three different tenses to describe “the ruler of this world” — will be cast out , is coming , and has been judged . English makes these sound like disconnected statements, but when the breath returns, they reveal a single unfolding story of God’s victory. And just like the Word can lose its breath, our understanding of separation from the Father c...

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...

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....

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...

Doing What Is Right in the Sight of God These are stressful days for many people. As I was thinking about everything happening around us, my thoughts turned toward Father God. God is still the all-powerful God. He doesn’t change. He is the God we can call Father — the One who loves us so much that He sent His Son, Yeshua (Jesus), into this world to take our punishment for the sins we’ve committed. Think about that. What amazing love. And think about what Yeshua did when He was here on earth with us. He had compassion for all those He met. Matthew 9:35–38 (NABRE) Jesus went around to all the towns and villages… curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd… “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” For me right now, I pray that His will be done, that the laborers will go out, and I trust Him for whatever happens. I also pray ...

Elijah Must Come and Restore All Things Short Introduction Throughout Scripture, God sends voices of warning, mercy, and restoration before moments of great change. Jesus’ words about Elijah remind us that God still calls His people to return to Him with humble hearts. This message is both ancient and present—an invitation to prepare ourselves for what He is doing in our day. Opening Scripture Matthew 17:10–11 (NIV) 10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.” Introduction Jesus spoke these words during His first coming, when He came to take away the sins of the world. In this moment, He hinted that John the Baptist had come in the spirit of Elijah—preaching repentance, confronting corruption, and ultimately facing martyrdom. Prophetic Fulfillment Malachi 4:5–6 (NIV) “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before...

Repentance — Scripture Study List When I study a theme in Scripture, I like to gather the passages in one place so I can see the pattern of God’s heart more clearly. These verses accompany my post “Forgiveness – Repentance – Restoration.” Old Testament Foundations 2 Chronicles 33:10 — Manasseh’s Repentance And Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they would not listen. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Job 42:1 — Job’s Repentance and Restoration Then Job answered Yahweh and said, In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Psalm 38:1 — A Prayer of Repentance O Yahweh, do not rebuke me in your anger or chastise me in your wrath. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Psalm 51:1 — A Prayer of Repentance and Plea for Mercy Be gracious to me, O God, according to your loyal love... In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Jeremiah 3:11 — A Call for Repentance Apostate Israel ...

Forgiveness, Repentance, and Reconciliation Lately I've been thinking deeply about forgiveness, repentance, and restoration — or perhaps reconciliation is the better word. These themes keep rising in my heart, and I felt led to study them more intentionally. Not long ago I wrote something on Facebook that made me pause afterward. I said, "Without repentance, there is no forgiveness. There is nothing to forgive, right?" I was thinking about the sinner — the one committing the sinful act. In the sinner's own eyes, he may not recognize the sin at all. He may hide it, deny it, or refuse to see it. But as I reflected, I realized I might be confusing forgiveness with reconciliation. These are not the same thing — and sorting through the difference matters. So here begins my attempt to do that. I expect I'll keep refining this as I learn more. (See also my companion scripture studies: Repentance , Restoration , and my more rec...

A reflection on salvation, faith, and the transforming call to repentance. Salvation, Faith, and the Missing Piece Many Churches Overlook In many Protestant churches, we often hear the phrase: “Salvation is by faith, not by works.” And this is true. Scripture is clear that we cannot earn salvation, cannot work our way out of the wrath of God, and cannot contribute anything to the atonement Christ accomplished. Salvation is a gift. But somewhere along the way, many believers have absorbed a simplified version of the gospel: “Just believe in Jesus and you’re saved.” As if faith were merely agreeing with a set of facts — that Jesus died, that He rose, that He paid for our sins. I agree that salvation is by faith alone. But Scripture also teaches something else that must accompany genuine faith: We Must Repent Think about it. A person can say, “Yes, I believe Jesus died for my sins,” and yet never come face-to-face with the truth about who they are — never ...

This Unity Series reflection looks at James 4:1–10 and Luke 13 , two passages that call us to humility, repentance, and genuine transformation. They reveal the conflict within us, the urgency of change, and the heart of God longing to gather His people. Unity Series — When God Calls Us Back to the Narrow Way James 4:1–10 and Luke 13 stand together like two mirrors—one revealing the inner conflict of the human heart, the other revealing the outward consequences of a life that refuses to change. Both passages speak with urgency. Both confront us with truth. And both extend grace that is deeper than our failures. The War Within James does not soften his words. He names the conflict plainly: our disputes, our divisions, our broken relationships—they begin inside us. They rise from cravings that compete for the throne of our hearts. We want what we do not have. We grasp for what God has not given. We ask for blessings with motives that cannot carry His ...

The Kingdom of God is more than a distant realm—it is a living reality entered through repentance and the door of forgiveness Yeshua opened for us. Here we discover what it means to be born of the Spirit and welcomed into God’s eternal counsel. What Is the Kingdom of God Like? If I were to ask you what the kingdom of God is like, how would you explain it? Scripture tells us that the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are the same reality. Yet it is difficult for us to describe, because we have never seen it with our natural eyes. It exists in a realm that is invisible to us. Yeshua—Jesus—knows this realm perfectly. He came from it, lived among us for a short time, and then returned to His place there: “We speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen…” ( John 3:11 ) In John 3 , Jesus explains to Nicodemus how a human being can see and enter the kingdom of God: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are bo...

The Fire That Heals When truth reaches the heart, God brings healing — not condemnation. We all see the faults in others. We all hold onto things we should release. And we all fall short of the commandments God has given us. None of us are innocent in these things — not me, not you, not anyone. But there is a path back to peace, and it begins with seeing the truth about our own hearts. When the truth finally reaches us, we feel shame — not because God shames us, but because we suddenly see what our sin has cost. This is what Scripture means by “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It is not God tormenting us; it is the heart breaking under the weight of truth. Shame is simply the pain of realizing the separation we created, the peace we broke, and the love we resisted. And even then, God’s desire is not to leave us in that pain. Revelation says the leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations. God reveals truth so He can heal us, not destroy us. Jesus didn’...

War has been on my heart again. Not just as a topic of history or politics, but as something deeply spiritual—something that reveals what is in the human heart. I feel led to gather some thoughts and experiences together in the hope that hearts might turn away from war and toward the peace of Christ. On My Heart to Talk About War I have it on my heart to talk about war. Maybe it’s because of that final war the Bible speaks of— the battle of Armageddon, the war to end all wars. We all know what war is, but if you’re like me, you may not have spent much time truly thinking about it. I want to begin with a simple definition. What Is War? War is a conflict involving organized weapons and physical force between nations or large groups. Each side holds territory, each has leaders who can surrender or collapse, and wars usually arise from disputes over sovereignty, land, resources, religion, or ideology. A war to free an occupied nation is called...

God’s Day of Judgment and Mercy I feel that God’s Day of Judgment is close, and in a strange way, I consider that day to be a good thing. Not because judgment is pleasant, but because on that day every one of us will finally see the truth about ourselves—our real condition, our real need, and our real worth. Without God, we are worthy to be thrown away like refuse, as if heaven had a great garbage dump. But that is only half the picture. The other half is God’s great compassion and His tender mercies. This is how I see it. When that day comes, you and I will see the kind of punishment we believe we deserve—annihilation, being beaten, or even being hung on a cross. But Jesus has already taken that punishment. He took it for me, for you, for all. He stepped into our place and bore the weight of our sin. This is why the Bible says that every knee will bow: because when we see what He has done, our hearts will overflow with adoration for Father God a...