Keep The Faith

Sometimes a single passage of Scripture lingers in the heart until it opens new questions about mercy and redemption. This reflection began early one morning, stirred by James 5 and a curious dream that seemed to echo its meaning. I woke up very early this morning thinking about a particular passage of Scripture, trying to relate it to Satan and the other fallen angels. The passage is James 5: James 5:19–20 (NIV 1984) 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. I’ve talked with my wife before about whose sins are “covered” in this verse. I’ve always thought it referred to the sins of the one who turns a sinner back to the truth, while my wife believed it referred to the sins of the sinner himself. She had a funny dream the other night. She works in the administration ...

This question is a real puzzler for us humans and, I believe, the angels as well, at least the fallen ones. We read, "fear the Lord. " What does this mean? Are we to be afraid of Him; stay away from Him? I know in the times I felt in His presence, I've felt a calming effect. Oh sure, I believe at the first, I was fearful but my feelings of fear would turn to peace. Thinking about the times in the Bible when someone (human) came face to face with Him, wasn't it always, fear not, don't be afraid? I've thought quite a bit about this subject lately.The angels are very powerful created beings. Some have fallen from God's grace, whatever that means. Now they use their power for harm and not for good. When Jesus was here on earth and He came in contact with someone with a demon, the demon was certainly afraid of Him. All I remember that Jesus did with demons was to drive them out; tell them / him to come out. I was reminded of the following scripture: M...

In the book of Romans, it tells us that every person is a sinner. Not one of us has obeyed God's teachings and therefore there is no peace. Some people have already gone through the healing process. Their eyes have been opened to their guilt; they have accepted there guilt through many trials and tribulations; they have turned to God in repentance and have accepted the free gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Because God the Father has laid our grief, pain, and sorrows upon His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, we no longer have to bare them; they are taken away. There is great joy. (I think that a lot of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior have forgotten this. Revelation 2:4) Some day all peoples, both the living and the dead (those who have fallen asleep, the ones we call dead), will have our eyes opened when God writes His laws within us and upon our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). This is the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. We will see al...

The path from shadow to light — repentance restores peace. Sin, Death, Wrath, and Repentance: The Path Back to Peace In the Unity Series, we’ve been exploring what separates us from God and what brings us back into His peace. These four questions — about sin, death, God’s wrath, and repentance — form the foundation of that journey. Each one shows us something about the human heart, and even more about the mercy of God. What Is Sin? Sin is the destroyer of peace. When I sin against someone, I say or do something that breaks the peace between us. Sin against God does the same thing — it breaks the peace between me and Him. God gave us His teachings through Moses so we could walk in peace with Him and with one another. But I don’t keep them perfectly. I sin, and peace is broken. What Is Death? Death is separation. When I sin against someone, the relationship is damaged and we pull away — we “die” to one another. When I sin against God, I run, I hide, I withdraw. Tha...

Have you ever lost a love-one and to all indications they went to hell? Do you believe, as most do, that hell is everlasting, endless? What are your feelings toward God when you think about an endless hell? How do you feel when you think that you too might end up in hell? I'm going to tell you something that most will not agree with.  HELL IS NOT EVERLASTING . Think of hell as God's penitentiary. When its purpose has been fulfilled, you are let out. (I was first seeing hell as a place but after much scripture reading, I now think hell is our un-reconciled sin that we carry with us to God's new heavens and new earth. Once it is reconciled, the grief goes away.) A book, rather miraculously, came into my possession. It is called “Hope Beyond Hell” by Gerry Beauchemin. I truly believe that this book is God inspired; He breathed it into existence through the author. I said that the book miraculously came into my possession. I'll explain. God has been doing things in my life...

Unity Series: “Remain in Me” — John 15:1‑6. True salvation is found in abiding with the Son, not in a moment of belief alone. This Unity reflection shares why the mindset of “Once Saved Always Saved” can be spiritually dangerous. The goal is not condemnation, but love — pointing hearts back to the truth of entering God’s Kingdom His way, not ours. Why I Believe “Once Saved Always Saved” Is Not True The reason I speak against the mindset of “Once Saved Always Saved” is not to condemn anyone. My heart is not to judge, but to warn in love. Over time, Father God has shown me how deeply He loves us and how much He desires every one of us to enter His new righteous Kingdom — but we must enter His way , not ours. I truly believe many people have been given a false hope that they will enter the Kingdom simply because they once accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Too often, we remember the Savior p...

Introduction I woke up at 2 AM this morning from a dream — and I knew immediately it was from the Lord. I say this because I rarely remember dreams anymore. Most nights, if I do dream, it’s scattered fragments, nothing clear. But this one was vivid. I remembered every part of it. In the dream, I was talking with someone who was explaining to me how the body of Christ is like a human body — like my body. Every part has a purpose. Every member has a function. And when one part becomes sick, the doctor prescribes medicine to heal it. But sometimes, the sickness is so deep, so destructive, that the only way to save the rest of the body is to remove the diseased part entirely, like cutting out a cancer. When I woke up, the Spirit immediately brought John 15 to mind — the Vine, the Branches, and the Father who lovingly tends the whole. Scripture — John 15:1–17 “I am the true vine, and my Father is th...