Is it not written that … “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”.

“The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Who said this? Oh wait… it was the Apostle Paul that reminded us of this!

“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

Therefore, Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Source: The Scriptures

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?

But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly. The Lord will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.

You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

God’s word

The Bible is more than just printed pages with chapters and verses written centuries ago. The Scriptures are living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword that transform the lives of those that seek God.

Persecution is part of our Christian walk. Remember Job? When his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” What did Job say? “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Don’t be a foolish woman. Don’t be a foolish Christian. If I have to say it over and over again, I will. This world is not our home. God blessed this nation just like He blessed the children of Israel. But He also sent them into captivity for their disobedience. And they were in captivity a long time.

Times have changed and they will continue to change. Man’s attitude toward God has not and will not. It’s only going to get worse. Still, God in all His infinite mercy wants no one to be lost.

If Christians feel compelled to take a stand for religious freedom while violating safety mandates, it’s not because of what’s coming out of Washington, or any state or city office. It’s because of what’s in the heart. This year has been a very enlightening year for Christendom. I wonder who was paying attention. I think Rich Mullins said it right – so long ago.

“Never forget what Jesus did for you. Never take lightly what it cost Him. And never assume that if it cost Him His very life, that it won’t also cost you yours.”
― Rich Mullins

“We do not find happiness by being assertive. We don’t find happiness by running over people because we see what we want and they are in the way of that happiness so we either abandon them or we smash them. The Scriptures don’t teach us to be assertive. The Scriptures teach us—and this is remarkable—the Scriptures teach us to be submissive. This is not a popular idea.”
― Rich Mullins

“I take comfort in knowing that it was the shepherds to whom the angels appeared when they announced Christ’s birth. Invariably throughout the course of history, God has appeared to people on the fringes. It’s nice to find theological justification for your quirks.”
― Rich Mullins

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Be still. The Lord God really did say all these things and more. Our help comes from above.

If you don’t know who Rich Mullins is – Google him, or go to my Rich Mullins page.

My prayer.

Lord, as 2020 comes to an end, let all the falsity be revealed. Seems lately, that’s all we see and hear.

No one knows the day or hour of Your return, so I realize until the end comes, we will always have to deal with the false teachers, false preachers and false doctrines, but give us wisdom to test every spirit without fear. Let the liars be revealed quickly. Man has perfected the false, and made it difficult to distinguish from the real. But we know that realness has its own characteristics. Give me, give us a desire for the real Jesus. No imitation can transform the heart, much less heal a broken heart, or broken spirit.

As long as we live in this world we will struggle. We will face adversity. We may also doubt our faith, but if we ask, You will help us with our unbelief. Remind us that this world is not our home. Whatever happens down here, You provide the peace that allows us to lay down in sweet slumber and awake to new mercies everyday. Let 2021 be the year that draws the heart of Your people back to You. I know that’s an impossible thing to ask, but all things are possible for You.

And again, let the heart of the “false one” be revealed. Across this land of ours there are churches on every corner, little ones, big ones, and supersized ones. They have coffee and donuts for free and for sale and more. They look more like malls than churches. There are so many religious men and women out there, selling a powerless gospel. And there are people hungry for love and acceptance, that are quickly sucked into their webs of deceit.

Thank you Lord for Your unconditional love, Your mercies which are new everyday. Thank You for the joy that only you could put in this heart. Thank You for your grace that knows no end. Thank You for your promises that never fail, for your timeless truths. Praise You! For You are the same today, yesterday and forever! You are the God of the heavens, and nothing happens within that You have not so ordered. Years of adversity taught me many things, but more than anything it taught me that You are who You say you are. In Christ name… let 2021 be all things new.

It’s me Lord. God’s blessings to all! And a Happy New Year!