Freedom is not free

Today is the 4th of July, the day America celebrates its independence from the British Empire. It is a day marking freedom from the oppression of the British Crown—a day of great rejoicing. But friends, this freedom was not simply given; it was not free, because true freedom never is.

 The Founding Fathers of the United States had to fight for American independence. King George III of England would not simply allow the colonies to walk away. He sent soldiers to crush the rebellion, and much blood was shed for the liberty we enjoy today. It was a long and bitter struggle until the Americans prevailed and the British Empire retreated.

Similarly, in the spiritual struggle against sin, the world, and the devil, freedom is not free. The enemy will not allow his captives to walk away freely; he will fight to the bitter end to keep us in the chains of sin. If we want to be truly free, we must be willing to fight. We must be willing to "crucify" the sin in our lives and stand firm in the heat of the battle.

Jesus is our Great Captain. With Him leading the line, victory is guaranteed. However, that guarantee is only for those who actually take to the field of battle and engage the enemy. We must be willing to fight for the long haul and never grow weary in our struggle against sin. If sin defeats us in one skirmish, we must remember that losing a battle is not the end of the war. Let us get back up through the strength of Jesus and fight again today.

 Freedom is not free. But all those who are willing to endure the pain of the struggle—the "wilderness" of withdrawing from the things of this world, the loneliness of walking alone with Christ, and the heavy weight that comes with resisting temptation—will be free at last.

One day, on the Sea of Glass in Heaven, we will sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb—the ultimate song of victory. Let us fight for our spiritual freedom in prayer, always remembering that freedom is never free.

Counterfeit morality: A deeper look, the naked truth

 Recently, I saw an article that discussed the "unwritten laws" of nude beaches—rules intended to regulate behavior in such places. The title was, "Lose your clothes, but not your manners." I found this fascinating because it perfectly reveals the modus operandi of this world. It shows how the enemy ensnares the masses into a sense of self-righteousness while they are actively promoting and participating in evil.

One of the "laws" mentioned was: Don’t look down, and don’t compliment people on their bodies. This would be hilarious if it weren't so wicked.

 A person who frequents such a place and keeps these "laws" will consider himself a moral person. Because he didn't stare or make inappropriate comments, he feels righteous. He might even condemn someone else who fails to follow these rules as a "pervert" or a "wicked person with no self-control."

This is exactly where the world wants to bring us: to a point where we think we are righteous because we keep the "laws of evil" while remaining in complete disobedience to God.

Some might ask, "Are you saying there shouldn't be laws to regulate behavior at a nude beach? How else can we ensure the experience is pleasant for everyone?" This is the trap. The world tries to get us to agree that these regulations make the practice "decent." But as Christians, we should not fall for such counterfeit morality. We prevent evil at a nude beach by not having such a wicked thing in the first place. Public nudity is a sin against the Lord. It isn't just the man who breaks the "beach rules" who is a pervert; the entire environment is based on perversion. We must stand on God’s morality, not man’s imitation of it.

 Our society is full of this counterfeit morality. Take, for example, the "age of consent." God’s standard is clear: intimacy is reserved exclusively for a man and a woman within the covenant of marriage. However, society rejects this. Men say, "We want to have sex without being married, but we need rules to regulate the behavior." So, they set an arbitrary age of consent. In one society it is 18; in others, it is 16, 15, or even younger. If a 21-year-old sleeps with a 17-year-old, society calls him a pervert. But if that same man waits until the girl turns 18, society views him as a law-abiding citizen. God, however, sees both as being in sin. Having an "age of consent" for a sinful act does not make the act right. A man who follows God’s law—refraining from intimacy until marriage—will never have to worry about violating the changing laws of men.

 Society calls abortion "a woman's right to choose," while God calls it murder. Society calls homosexuality an "alternative lifestyle," while God calls it an abomination. Too often, the church follows the culture’s morality instead of the Word of God. When the culture shifts, the church shifts.

Fifty years ago, both the culture and the church condemned homosexuality. Today, the culture celebrates it, and many churches have followed suit. Today, society and the church rightly condemn pedophilia. But as wickedness increases, and as justifications are found to rebrand these actions—perhaps calling them "minor-attracted persons"—the church that follows culture will eventually follow that trend as well.

 Society’s morality changes like the wind. Today they condemn; tomorrow they apologize and exalt. History shows us that ancient cultures, like the Greeks and Canaanites, practiced things that we currently find loathsome. Society is largely under the control of the enemy, and its "morality" is just a series of evil counterfeits.

The Word of God reveals true righteousness. It tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We must not follow the shifting winds of culture. Instead, let us preach the Word—condemning sin while offering mercy to the sinner. In the eyes of society, the fornicator is respected while the pedophile is condemned; in the eyes of God, both are in need of divine grace.

Let us live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. His morality is the only true morality.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3730628/

https://www.cnn.com/travel/nude-beach-etiquette-naturism-rules/index.html

Oppose the promotion of homosexuality

Would you allow a friend to eat poison? Would you support a friend who is drinking down a deadly toxin? Would you justify the drinking of poison within the church, or simply say "live and let live" while someone destroys themselves? Unless you have a cruel heart, you would do no such thing.

Yet, for some reason, many people are cheering as a minority of our human family consumes the spiritual poison of homosexuality. In the eyes of God, homosexuality is not natural; it is described as an abomination and a departure from His design. According to the Word of God, the spiritual consequence of unrepentant sin is death, and the Scriptures teach that those who persist in this lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

 God made the woman for the man and the man for the woman. "Opposites attract," and the physical design of the human body shows that men and women were made for one another. From a biblical perspective, homosexuality is an aberration—a misuse of humanity. It represents a breakdown at some level where the divine distinction between male and female is no longer discerned. Rather than a cause for celebration, this is a condition in need of help and healing.

 The Book of Proverbs says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). A proud person is often blinded to reality and set on a path toward ruin. The fact that our society dedicates the entire month of June to "Pride" suggests a collective loss of spiritual sanity. A society that can no longer see the inherent disorder in same-sex unions is a society that has moved away from its foundation and toward divine judgment.

 If we truly love our neighbors, we must oppose what we believe destroys them. We should never tolerate a path that leads to spiritual ruin; instead, we must seek to rescue those caught in this snare. We must point them toward the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, who is able to restore the mind and bring harmony where there was once disorder.

Our opposition should not manifest as hatred or "bashing" those caught in this struggle. Instead, we must preach the Gospel of our Lord, who has delivered us from our own spiritual bondages and corruptions. We must:

1. Show Love: Treat the individual with kindness while warning them of the path they are on.

2. Tell of Power: Share the news that Jesus has the power to save and transform.

3. Counteract Deception: Challenge the arguments of a culture that rebrands sin as a virtue.

Conclusion Homosexuality is a spiritual poison and a breakdown of the original nature God intended for us. However, Jesus is able to heal those who have been affected by the "old serpent" called the Devil. He is able to renew broken minds and provide a new nature. Let us oppose the lifestyle and the pride associated with it by preaching the good news: Jesus is able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God is love : seeking the good of others

 God created us for the purpose of love. He did not do this because He needed love—for He is all-sufficient—but for the purpose of sharing His great love with created beings.

What does it mean to love? To love is to give; it is to seek the highest good of another. Many things masquerade as love, but under close scrutiny, they prove to be nothing more than selfishness.

An example of what love is not is having sex with someone to whom you are not married. A man may tell his girlfriend, "I love you and you know I am going to marry you, so it's okay for us to get intimate now." Is this love? No. It is lust—selfishness masquerading as love. Two essential elements are lacking here, and without them, you cannot have true love: Patience and Self-Control. To love someone requires being patient with them and exercising great restraint over oneself.

A lack of love is demonstrated when a couple cannot wait until their wedding night. In this state, they act more like robbers than people who love. If a man truly loves his girlfriend and desires what is best for her, he will wait until she officially becomes his through marriage before God and man.

By being patient, he demonstrates that her long-term well-being is his highest goal. He learns to love her for who she is as a person rather than what she can provide for his urges. Patience shows that you are not looking to accomplish a selfish aim, but that you want to walk with someone step-by-step. A selfish person is always in a rush for the next goal; they have no time to "waste" on the long-term investment required for a soul.

 Having self-control means you have power over yourself. You are not controlled by your impulses; rather, you rule over your nature. A man who loves God and others will restrain himself from doing wrong, even if his nature cries out for it. He protects the dignity of the person he loves.

Often, we rush into physical intimacy because we fear the other person might not stay. In our insecurity, we "rob" them, failing to consider that they may belong to someone else later on. True love trusts and waits.

 God is love, and God is patient with us. He takes His time. He does not rush us into decisions but walks with us step-by-step, ensuring we understand our choices. God also possesses absolute self-control. While His holiness and purity could demand the immediate destruction of the sinner, He restrains His wrath. He shows mercy, giving us time to repent and flee from the "wrath to come."

Even the final destruction of the wicked is an act of love. God does everything to make a soul happy, but the sinner often wants nothing to do with the Source of life. God will not allow the unrepentant to live in eternal misery and rebellion, so He allows them to sleep in death. God always looks at the long-term good.

Are you looking to love like Jesus, or are you selfishly trying to get something out of others? Let us learn to be patient with the faults, mistakes, and growth of those around us. Let us exercise self-control over our words and actions, always asking: "How will what I am doing today affect this person tomorrow? Does my behavior benefit them or harm them?"

God looks out for our best. Let us learn to be like Him.

The United States and the coming mark of the beast

 The "Mark of the Beast" spoken of in Revelation 13 is approaching with great haste. Yet, many remain in darkness regarding what this mark is and how it will be implemented. In this study, we will examine key prophetic truths concerning this solemn subject.

What is a "Beast" in Bible Prophecy? In Bible prophecy, a beast is a symbol of a nation or a kingdom. This is not a foreign concept to us today; if I show you an eagle, you recognize it as the United States. If I show you a bear, you think of Russia. Daniel 7 clearly establishes this principle: a beast represents a kingdom or empire.

In Revelation 13, we see two distinct beasts. Our focus today is on the second beast:

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." (Revelation 13:11)

 A lamb in the Bible is a symbol of Jesus Christ—the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29). Therefore, this nation begins with Christian principles: gentle, freedom-loving, and Christ-like. However, it eventually "speaks like a dragon." The dragon represents Satan (Revelation 12:9) and, historically, the persecuting power of Rome.

This represents a nation that professes to be Christian but whose actions become satanic and deceptive. This nation is the United States of America. While it has "In God We Trust" on its currency, it is a leading exporter of weapons and a primary source of the world’s moral corruption through film and music. Prophecy indicates this nation will eventually introduce a law—a mark—that will persecute all who refuse to bow to its dictates, preventing them from buying or selling.

What is the "Mark" of Authority? The "first beast" mentioned in Revelation 13 is the Roman Catholic Papacy. A "mark" or "seal" is a symbol of authority. To understand the mark of the Papacy, we can look at their own claims:

"Sunday is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church, and those who observe the day observe a commandment of the Catholic Church." — Priest Brady, March 18, 1903

Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday. — The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50

Sunday sacredness is the "mark" of the Papacy’s authority. God commanded the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath, but the Papacy, in opposition to God, chose to exalt Sunday.

 The Mark of the Beast is not a microchip or a hidden tattoo; it is the enforcement of Sunday worship by law. Bible prophecy predicts that in the near future, movements within the United States will push for a national Sunday rest law. When the church forces the state to legislate a counterfeit sabbath, we will see a return to the religious tyranny of the Middle Ages.

The United States attempted to pass a national Sunday law in 1888 (the Blair Bill), but it failed. However, prophecy assures us it is coming again. This will usher in a "time of trouble such as never was" (Daniel 12:1).

Conclusion The end of time is upon us. Those who refuse to surrender to Jesus and ask for His power to keep all His commandments will eventually be overcome and receive the mark of rebellion.

Let us seek to know Jesus and His Word for ourselves. Let us put aside the traditions of man and obey God’s seventh-day Sabbath. By seeking to obey God in all things, we shall find protection from the Mark of the Beast.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/01/23/rest-day-climate-change-green-sabbath/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/1888/05/22/archives/to-stop-work-on-sunday-senator-blair-wants-the-lords-day-strictly.html

A beautiful woman ( wife )

 

What Makes a Woman Truly Beautiful?

What makes a woman beautiful? Is it her face, her hair, or her figure? Modern magazines have many metrics for judging beauty, using specific measurements and standards for height and silhouette. Pageants present us with a "most beautiful woman in the world," leading many men to wish they could have her and many women to wish they could be her. Yet, when you look closely, you often find that these same women struggle to maintain a marriage or keep a man.

 Why can’t a "beautiful" woman keep a man? While her appearance might attract many, her inward character—arrogance, shallowness, or a nagging spirit—eventually repulses even the most superficial of men. Many beautiful women mistakenly believe that physical looks alone are enough to sustain a relationship. They confuse the attention born of lust with genuine love, only to be left broken by a revolving door of men in their lives.

Physical beauty is not a sufficient reason to marry. Many men have ruined their lives and invited lifelong misery by pursuing a woman simply for her looks. A woman accustomed to constant praise for her appearance may, unless she is in submission to God, develop a spirit of entitlement. In marriage, this arrogance rears its head, and a man may realize the "physically beautiful" woman he married has a rebellious spirit. We must remember that even the devil is described as a beautiful being.

 The devil was an outwardly beautiful being, but his beauty caused him to become proud and entitled. He refused to submit to the Lord's authority, developed a spirit of independence, and challenged God until the relationship was broken and he was cast out. Similarly, a woman who constantly challenges her husband, refuses to submit, and possesses a nagging spirit can cause a man misery worse than physical pain.

While a physically attractive woman is lovely to behold, do not let her beauty blind you to her character. Physical beauty fades with age, but character is long-lasting. Be wary of choosing a spouse who is rebellious or refuses to be advised. These traits only magnify in marriage; without prayer, a man may grow bitter and come to hate his own home.

 A truly beautiful woman is humble and submissive to her husband. She understands that if her husband loves her and demonstrates that love by providing for and protecting her, she can safely submit to his God-appointed leadership. There is a great difference between telling a husband what to do and offering wise advice. As the Scripture says, "The husband is the head of the wife" (Ephesians 5:23).

A beautiful woman seeks to honor her husband and promote his glory. She asks, "How can I make my husband’s life better? How can I make this home a piece of heaven on earth?" She is a wise woman who listens to understand rather than just to respond. She makes decisions with her husband, rather than acting independently and then informing him later, as Eve did in the garden.

A submissive woman is a truly strong woman. She is strong enough to subdue the spirit of revolt in her own heart to obey God’s will. By honoring her husband’s leadership, she demonstrates her love for him. Even when she disagrees, she finds the best way to bring up the issue, using sweet and tender words. She is not ruled by her emotions; rather, she is strong enough through the grace of God to rule over them. Such a woman is a gem—a precious ruby.

A beautiful woman submits to God first. She makes the Lord her "first husband," submitting her desires to Him and choosing a mate based on His standards. She says, "I will submit to my husband because he is a gift from God, and I want to love him as Jesus loves me."

 A beautiful woman is not an empty shell. She is filled with the love of God and fills her husband’s life with that overflow. She has no problem with leadership because she has already submitted to the King of Kings. In a world of "fake everything," a godly, humble, and submissive character is something that cannot be faked. It is a sight to behold.

Pray to God for such a woman.

A love affair with the Devil ❤😈. Do you love the Devil ?

"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." — John 14:30

Jesus called Satan the "prince of this world," yet He declared that the Devil had "nothing" in Him. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus’ life that Satan could claim as his own. Because Jesus was free of sin, He was free from the Devil's control and his kingdom. You and I cannot naturally make such a statement, for we were born in sin—born as captives and slaves to Satan’s domain.

Sin belongs to Satan. It is his product, his art, and his merchandise. Whoever harbors sin belongs to his kingdom. Since all of us have sinned, we all at one point belonged to the kingdom of darkness. But the question today is not whether you once belonged there; it is this: Are you currently having a love affair with the Devil?

You might ask, "Ric, how can you ask that? I’m not a devil worshipper; I don't practice voodoo or witchcraft. How could I love the most wicked being in the universe? I love Jesus!" But is that true?

 Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24). You may go to church, pray, and preach, but those activities alone do not prove who you love. What determines your love is what you allow into your heart and how you live. If you strive for holiness, you love God. If you live in a lifestyle of sin, you love the author of sin.

Jesus made it simple: "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). If I love Jesus, I will daily ask Him for the power to do what is right. Conversely, the Devil says, "If you love me, break God’s commandments." You are defined by the one you obey. To love Christ requires us to constantly sacrifice the things in our hearts that belong to the enemy.

We all struggle with indwelling sin—evil tendencies like anger, gossip, lust, drunkenness, pride, or lying. These are "parts" of Satan that remain in our hearts because we were once in love with him. When you love someone, they become a part of you.

The Devil is a lover who never wants to quit. Once he has had you, he wants you forever and will use every trick to lure you back into that affair. The key is to resist him through the power of God.

 Let’s make this practical. God says, "If you love Me, keep intimacy within marriage." The Devil says, "If you love me, break God’s law and have sex with whomever you want—your boyfriend, your girlfriend, or the same sex."

If I claim to be a Christian but choose to have sex with my girlfriend outside of marriage, am I obeying God or Satan? My actions reveal the truth. By choosing sin, I show that Satan is still my master. The way you think and live reveals who you truly love.

 Loving God requires sacrifice. We must "kill" whatever Satan has planted in our lives, and that is often a painful process. Whether it is worldly music, substance abuse, pride, or sexual sin, we must ask God daily to put these things to death.

To love God is to stay in constant conversation with Him through prayer. This gives us the power to resist the Devil’s seductions. It requires us to turn our backs on Satan’s "sin products" and turn toward the righteousness of Christ.

Conclusion Many claim to love Jesus while remaining in a secret love affair with Satan. Those who cling to sin, make excuses for it, or call it a "light mistake" are submitting to the enemy like a wife to a husband. To love sin is to love Satan, and that path leads to eternal ruin.

Let us break this affair today. Ask the Lord to remove everything in your life that belongs to the enemy, so that eventually, when the prince of this world comes, he will "find nothing in us."