The Bible calls believers to real change. We are new creations in Christ, and we are not to live in sin anymore. At the same time, Scripture is just as clear that we still struggle with sin in this life and must keep confessing and turning back to Him.

So which is it?

Are Christians supposed to stop sinning completely, or are we still in a fight?

This article walks through both sides straight from Scripture and shows how they fit together without watering anything down.

Please share your thoughts.

https://medium.com/@biblicaltruth/do-christians-stop-sinning-or-have-we-misread-the-bible-091054686bea

What Did Jesus Mean by “Lord, Lord”? (Matthew 7:21)

Jesus ends Matthew 6:25–7:14 with a warning aimed straight at religious people who assumed their words proved their faith. He exposes unbelief not as open rebellion but as divided loyalty. When Jesus asks, “O ye of little faith” ~Matthew 6:30, anxiety is revealed as mistrust. When He says no man can serve God and mammon ~Matthew 6:24, He draws a hard line that leaves no room for shared authority. God does not accept partial allegiance.

Jesus then exposes hypocrisy by condemning those who judge others while ignoring their own sin ~Matthew 7:3–5. He warns that fruit, not profession, reveals the tree. “A good tree bringeth forth good fruit” ~Matthew 7:17. Claims mean nothing if the direction of a life contradicts them. Religious activity does not equal submission.

Then comes the warning many try to soften. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” ~Matthew 7:21. These words are not spoken to atheists but to people who thought they belonged. Jesus ends with two gates, one wide and popular, the other narrow and costly ~Matthew 7:13–14. Scripture is clear that faith without obedience is dead ~James 2:17.

Full study: https://know-the-bible.com/january-8/

Question: What was Jesus warning about when He said many who call Him “Lord, Lord” will not enter the kingdom of heaven?

No polish. No compromise. Just the Word and the road. Christ our Deliverer.
Matthew 2:13-3:6

The Road God Chose Was Not Paved

Matthew 2:13-3:6

The road Matthew lays out from Egypt to the Jordan is not a polished church hallway. It is a dusty trail with danger on one end and repentance on the other. When God warns Joseph to take the child and flee, Joseph does not call a meeting or ask for a second opinion. He gets up in the dark and moves. Scripture says he “rose, took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt” ~Matthew 2:14. That is obedience with boots on. God’s will does not always come with comfort, but it always comes with clarity. When God speaks, delay is disobedience wearing a disguise.

Herod shows us what happens when pride gets threatened. He hears about a King he did not appoint, and instead of bowing, he swings a sword. The massacre in Bethlehem is not an accident of history. It is what sin does when it feels cornered. Yet even in that blood-soaked moment, God is not scrambling. Matthew ties it straight to the Word, “In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping” ~Matthew 2:18, spoken long before the tears ever fell. Evil may shout, but it never gets the last word. Herod dies with a crown on his head and judgment ahead of him. Jesus lives, because no man can choke out what God has ordained.

When Joseph is told to return, God does not send him to a throne room or a spotlight. He sends him to Nazareth, a nothing-town by worldly standards. Matthew says this happened “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” ~Matthew 2:23. God plants His Son in overlooked soil. That still rattles people today. We want God to use influence. God looks for obedience. We chase platforms. God builds character in quiet places.

Then the scene cuts from carpentry and silence to leather lungs and fire-breathing truth. John the Baptist comes out of the wilderness like a thunderclap. No choir. No stage lights. Just a man wrapped in rough clothes with a straight word from heaven. “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” ~Matthew 3:2. That message has not softened with age. Repentance is not a suggestion. It is the only doorway into God’s kingdom. John is not offering spiritual tips. He is calling people to turn around before they collide with judgment.

Isaiah saw John coming long before camel hair ever scratched his shoulders. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ~Isaiah 40:3. Straight paths do not happen by accident. You do not drift into righteousness. You clear the road. You remove what does not belong. That is why people came confessing their sins before they ever touched the water ~Matthew 3:6. Confession always comes before cleansing. God does not wash what we refuse to admit is dirty.

This passage leaves no room for fence-sitting. You either respond like Joseph, trusting God enough to move when He speaks, or like Herod, fighting truth until it destroys you. You either hear John’s voice and turn, or you stay comfortable and unprepared. The King has come. The kingdom is near. The question is not whether God is ready. The question is whether you are willing to repent, straighten the road, and meet Him on His terms. The fire is lit. The dust is rising. Now is the time to choose which direction you are walking.

When God speaks and the road gets uncomfortable, do you obey like Joseph, repent like the crowds at the Jordan, or resist like Herod?

Keeping It Centered on Jesus

We begin our journey this year with Matthew 1:1-2:12

When a new year rolls around, folks start talking about doing better and trying harder. God does not start there. He starts by pointing us straight to His Son. Matthew opens with it plain as day, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” ~Matthew 1:1. God is laying the foundation first. This is the Christ He promised. This is not up for argument or adjustment.

Before Jesus ever walks a dusty road or opens His mouth to teach, God makes sure we know who He is. Not a good man. Not a religious figure. The Christ. If that part gets muddled, everything else falls apart.

The angel tells Joseph exactly why this child is coming, and it is not sugar-coated. “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” ~Matthew 1:21. That cuts straight to the heart of it. Sin is the trouble. Salvation is the mission. Jesus did not come to make life easier. He came to make sinners right with God.

Matthew goes on to say this child is “God with us” ~Matthew 1:23. Not God far off. Not God watching from a distance. God stepping right down into flesh and blood, knowing the cost, knowing the danger, and coming anyway.

By the time you get to chapter two, you see how people respond when the truth shows up. The wise men hear there is a King, and they get moving. They ask one question, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” ~Matthew 2:2. They travel hard miles, face risk, and when they finally see the child, Scripture says they fell down and worshipped Him ~Matthew 2:11. They did not argue. They did not stall. They recognized who He was and bowed.

Then there is Herod. He knew the Scriptures. He knew where the Christ was supposed to be born. But instead of worship, his heart hardened. Same truth. Same Bible. Different response. Scripture shows us early on that knowing the facts does not mean a man has surrendered.

That is where this passage presses us as we step into a new year. Matthew does not leave room for halfway living. Jesus is revealed as King, Savior, and God with us. Once that is clear, a person either bows or resists. There is no neutral ground.

This year is not about self-improvement plans or good intentions. It is about keeping your eyes on Jesus. Who He is. Why He came. What He demands. If our time in Scripture turns into talking about ourselves more than Him, we have missed the trail.

Matthew starts us off right. Keep it centered on Christ. Stay close to the truth. Walk straight. Bow where you ought to bow. Let everything else sort itself out.

A new year is riding in, but God has not changed. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever ~Hebrews 13:8. Changing the calendar will not change a man’s heart. Repent, walk straight, and keep your life anchored in the Word. Eternity is closer than it was yesterday.

The Courtroom Where Excuses Die

One day the lights are going out on every excuse, every delay, and every lie people told themselves about God. Revelation 20 is the moment when mercy is no longer offered and the Judge takes His seat. Not poetry. Not symbolism to soften the blow. This is where history stops running and stands still before God.

John writes that he saw Satan bound, shut up, and sealed for a thousand years ~Revelation 20:1–3. The deceiver of the nations is silenced. No more lies. No more excuses. No more whispering in the dark. God allows rebellion its full run, then seals its end forever.

The last rebellion is defeated, and Satan is thrown into the lake of fire along with the beast and the false prophet ~Revelation 20:10. Then the scene changes. Then the fear comes. John says he saw a great white throne and Him that sat on it, from whose presence the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them ~Revelation 20:11. Creation itself cannot endure His presence. There is nowhere to go. No place to hide. No distraction left. When God sits to judge, everything else fades away.

The dead appear. Not some of them. All of them. Great and small. Famous and forgotten. Powerful and weak. Poor and wealthy. Standing before God ~Revelation 20:12. There is no pecking order here. No deference to status. No weight given to influence. No religious branding. Everyone stands exposed. Scripture is plain that no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account ~Hebrews 4:13. This courtroom has no blinds and no closed sessions.

Books are opened. Not opinions. Not feelings. Records. God keeps perfect accounts. Jesus warned that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment ~Matthew 12:36. Nothing is lost. Nothing is glossed over. Nothing is pushed aside. The dead are judged according to their works ~Revelation 20:12, and that should terrify anyone who rejected Christ, whether by outright unbelief, by hearing the gospel and turning away, by preferring sin over submission, or by reshaping Christ into something safer than the real Son of God. Jesus warned that many would say “Lord, Lord” while never doing the will of the Father, calling that self-deception, not salvation ~Matthew 7:21–23. If you stand by your works, you will fall by your works.

Another book is opened, which is the Book of Life ~Revelation 20:12. This is the dividing line. Not morality. Not church attendance. Not good intentions. Jesus said plainly that he who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him ~John 3:36. If your name is not written there, there is no appeal. Revelation says just as plainly that if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the lake of fire ~Revelation 20:15.

Death and Hades themselves are thrown into the lake of fire ~Revelation 20:14. This is called the second death. Not annihilation. Not sleep. Jesus described it as outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth ~Matthew 25:30. This is conscious loss. Final separation. Eternal punishment. Jesus said it is better to enter life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched ~Mark 9:43. He did not soften His words, and neither should we.

This courtroom is nothing like human courts. There is no defense attorney to misstate facts. No jury to sway. No mistrial. God is both Judge and standard at the same time. He judges the world in righteousness ~Psalm 9:8. Abraham asked, shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ~Genesis 18:25. The answer is yes. Every time. His verdict is final, and His justice is clean.

Grace is available now. Today is mercy’s window. Scripture says God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance ~2 Peter 3:9. Christ already bore judgment for those who believe. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus ~Romans 8:1. Outside of Him, condemnation remains.

Revelation 20 is a warning written in firelight. The courtroom is coming. The books will open. The throne will be set. The only safe place is not in your works, your goodness, or your excuses. The only refuge is Jesus Christ. Flee to Him today, because once that throne appears, time will be over, and the verdict will not change.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
~ Galatians 1:8

A gritty Scripture anchored warning about false teachers who creep into the church promising freedom while carrying poison. Built on 2 Peter 2, this podcast calls believers to stay awake, test everything, and hold the line. God exposes the wolves, rescues the faithful, and keeps the wicked for judgment. Eyes open. Bible open. Christ first.

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-unugj-19e3ba4

When Heaven Goes Quiet and the Trumpets Ride
Revelation 8:1-13

There are moments when even heaven stops talking.

“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” ~Revelation 8:1.

No singing. No thunder. No shout of praise. Just silence.

That ought to sober any man with dust on his boots. Heaven is not silent because it is confused. Heaven is silent because judgment is about to ride.

John shows us the Lamb opening the seal. This is Jesus Christ, not a passive observer, not a victim, but the One who holds history in His hands. Scripture already told us this would come. “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” ~John 5:22. The same Lamb who was slain is now the Lamb who opens seals.

Then come seven angels standing before God, each handed a trumpet ~Revelation 8:2. In Scripture, a trumpet is never background noise. A trumpet announces war, warning, or the presence of God. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion… for the day of the LORD cometh” ~Joel 2:1.

Before the first blast ever sounds, something else happens. Another angel stands at the altar with a golden censer, offering incense “with the prayers of all the saints” ~Revelation 8:3. That smoke rises before God. Scripture is plain here. God hears the prayers of His people. “The prayer of the upright is his delight” ~Proverbs 15:8. Not one prayer is forgotten. Not one cry for justice is ignored.

Then the tone shifts.

The same censer that carried prayers is filled with fire from the altar and hurled toward the earth ~Revelation 8:5. Thunder follows. Lightning splits the sky. The ground shakes. This is not random disaster. This is answered prayer meeting holy judgment.

The trumpets begin.

The first trumpet brings hail and fire mixed with blood, burning a third of the earth, trees, and all green grass ~Revelation 8:7. God strikes the land itself. Scripture already warned that creation groans under sin. “The earth mourneth and fadeth away” ~Isaiah 24:4.

The second trumpet turns the sea into blood and destroys ships and living creatures ~Revelation 8:8–9. Commerce collapses. Food sources die. Man’s pride in trade and power means nothing when God touches the waters.

The third trumpet sends a blazing star named Wormwood crashing into rivers and springs, turning water bitter and deadly ~Revelation 8:10–11. Water, the source of life, becomes a source of death. Scripture has always been clear. When men reject truth, bitterness follows. “Lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood” ~Deuteronomy 29:18.

The fourth trumpet darkens a third of the sun, moon, and stars ~Revelation 8:12. Light itself is struck. This is not symbolism invented by men. God already showed He controls light and darkness. “I form the light, and create darkness” ~Isaiah 45:7.

Then John hears an eagle cry out, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth” ~Revelation 8:13. The worst is still coming.

This chapter strips away every false comfort people cling to today. Nature will not save you. Technology will not save you. Religion will not save you. Only the Lamb saves. “Neither is there salvation in any other” ~Acts 4:12.

Notice what Scripture does not say. It does not say mankind reasons its way out of judgment. It does not say prayers stop the trumpets. It does not say the world repents en masse. Judgment moves forward because God is righteous. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” ~Genesis 18:25.

This is not written to entertain. It is written to warn.

The silence in heaven is mercy running out. The prayers rising before God are proof He listened. The fire thrown down shows He acts. Scripture never pits God’s love against His justice. Both stand together. “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked” ~Nahum 1:3.

If you are in Christ, this chapter should steady you. Your prayers matter. Your suffering is not ignored. Your Savior reigns. If you are not in Christ, this chapter should shake you awake. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” ~Hebrews 10:31.

Around a campfire, an old cowboy knows when a storm is rolling in. The air goes still. Birds hush. The sky darkens. Revelation 8 is that moment for the world.

Heaven goes quiet.

Then God speaks with trumpets.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” ~2 Corinthians 6:2.

When the World Starts Shinin’ and Your Soul Starts Slippin’

There is a reason God tells us straight, “Do not love the world or the things in the world” ~1 John 2:15. The world flashes its lights like a roadside carnival, loud enough to pull a man off the narrow path if he is not paying attention. It promises comfort, ease, and a little taste of everything your flesh thinks it wants. But the Scripture cuts through the noise. If the world has your heart, the Father does not. You cannot saddle up with Christ and run with the world at the same time.

John lays it out with the kind of clarity you cannot ignore. “The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life” ~1 John 2:16. These are the traps the world sets. The desires of the flesh whisper that sin is harmless as long as nobody sees it. The desires of the eyes make everything look better than it is, like a mirage on a hot highway. The pride of life tells you that you can build your own kingdom if you just push hard enough. None of that comes from God. It all comes from a world that wants to see you fall.

Jesus asked a question every soul needs to face head-on. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” ~Mark 8:36. The world can hand you money, applause, attention, and temporary thrills. But it will never give you life. Touch it, and it crumbles. Chase it, and it runs. Hold it tight, and it slips through your fingers like dust. Scripture says it plain. “The world is passing away along with its desires” ~1 John 2:17. Everything people hold up as treasure today will be gone before long.

This is why Jesus told His followers to store their treasure in heaven, because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” ~Matthew 6:21. Your heart follows what you value. If your treasure is the world, your walk with God grows cold. If your treasure is Christ, everything worldly loses its shine. Paul said it simply. “Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth” ~Colossians 3:2. That is not running from reality. That is finally seeing reality with clear eyes.

God does not call His people to drift through life with divided loyalties. “Whoever does the will of God abides forever” ~1 John 2:17. That is the line in the sand. The world fades. The one who does God’s will stands. Joshua said, “Choose this day whom you will serve” ~Joshua 24:15. That choice sits in front of every believer every single day.

The world will flash its lights. It will sing its songs. It will lay bait on every mile of the journey. But Christ calls you higher. You cannot ride two trails. Jesus said you cannot serve two masters ~Matthew 6:24. One leads you home. The other leaves you empty. The world passes. Christ remains. Choose the One who never fades.

Song Description
“When the World Starts Shinin’ and Your Soul Starts Slippin’” is a gritty outlaw-country gospel track that cuts straight to the truth of Scripture. Built on ~1 John 2:15-17, this song warns about the shiny pull of a world that’s passing away and calls believers back to the narrow road where Christ leads. It tells the story of a man walking through the noise, the temptations, and the neon lies of the age, choosing the will of God over the fading glitter of the flesh. With dust-on-your-boots grit, raw conviction, and the sound of old-school country honesty, this song reminds us that only one thing lasts forever. The world burns out. Christ doesn’t.

Called to the Hard Path: Why Suffering Isn’t a Detour

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ~ 1 Peter 2:21

People today love the idea of freedom but hate the idea of authority. We want our own way, our own path, and our own voice. Yet the Word of God cuts through that mindset. Peter says, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” ~1 Peter 2:13. That command hits hard because it goes against our flesh. We don’t bow to authority because the system is perfect. We bow because Christ is Lord. Submission is not weakness. It is obedience.

Peter isn’t telling believers to approve of evil or ignore corruption. He is calling us to show the world what it looks like when a Christian chooses righteousness over rebellion. “For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” ~1 Peter 2:15. When your life is clean, your critics choke on their accusations. They can insult you, but they cannot refute a holy life.

This means we honor leaders even when we disagree. We show respect even when others mock. We act like people who belong to Christ, not to the world. Peter says, “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” ~1 Peter 2:17. Notice the order. We fear God first. Everything else flows from that.

Peter then speaks to servants who suffered under harsh masters. Today, we understand abusive workplaces, broken systems, and unfair treatment. God sees it all. But He calls His people to endure with their eyes on Him. “This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully” ~1 Peter 2:19. Anyone can complain. Only a Spirit-filled believer can endure injustice without trading righteousness for anger.

Why does God call us to this kind of strength? Because we are following in the steps of Jesus. Christ suffered without doing anything wrong. He “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” ~1 Peter 2:22. He did not fight back. He did not threaten. He “committed himself to Him that judges righteously” ~1 Peter 2:23. That is our pattern. Not weakness. Not silence. Trust.

Jesus took the full weight of our sin on His own body. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” ~1 Peter 2:24. That is the center of this entire passage. The One who had every right to defend Himself chose the cross instead. Because of His wounds, we have been healed. Because He died, we now live.

When you live this out, you aren’t trying to please people. You are showing the world the power of Christ in you. You are living like someone who has been rescued. “For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” ~1 Peter 2:25.

You don’t submit because you trust the world. You submit because you trust Him. And when you live that way, your life becomes a bold testimony that Christ is truly Lord.

My song for this:
https://suno.com/song/ba793653-d0e2-41cc-ac4e-ced0b40f93f0

This song is a raw, country-grit testimony about walking through the fire and finding that Christ is the only steady hope in a world that keeps wasting away. It follows the real path of hardship, fading strength, and broken dreams, but it also declares the truth that God lifts His people when everything else collapses. The lyrics echo the promise of a risen Savior whose hope cannot be stolen, a truth rooted in passages like ~1 Peter 1:3–5.

The message is simple. Life rusts. Plans fade. Storm winds hit hard. But the grace of God hits harder. Jesus holds His people when the world falls apart, and He keeps an inheritance that no thief or trial can touch. Even the angels long to look into the salvation He secured. The song carries a gritty sound that matches the reality of the battle, but every line points upward to the One who makes hope unbreakable.

This is a song for anyone who has felt burned down, pushed low, or worn out. It reminds the listener that trials refine faith, Christ breaks chains, and the hope He gives is truly alive.

Another song I created:

“Walkin’ By Faith” Hebrews 11:1–16

Verse 1
I ain’t got no roadmap, just a whisper in my soul,
God said, “Boy, start movin’,” so I packed up and rolled.
Left the lights of comfort for a promise I can’t see,
Faith don’t need no proof, just the One who speaks to me.

Chorus
I’m walkin’ by faith when the night gets cold,
Trustin’ His word like the saints of old.
Ain’t got the answers, but I know His name,
When the world says quit, I keep ridin’ the flame.
Oh, I’m walkin’ by faith—no map, no plan,
Just a sinner redeemed by the great I AM.

Verse 2
Old Abraham walked out with stars in his eyes,
Sarah laughed at the promise, but God heard her sighs.
When the wind starts howlin’ and doubt kicks in,
I remember He’s faithful—He’s been since the begin’.

Chorus
I’m walkin’ by faith when the road turns rough,
God’s grace is stronger when my strength ain’t enough.
Ain’t got the sight, but I’ve got His Word,
When He speaks in the dark, that’s the sweetest I’ve heard.
Yeah, I’m walkin’ by faith—through dust and flame,
‘Cause I’m standin’ tall in the Savior’s name.

Bridge
They all died believin’ in what they couldn’t see,
Strangers and pilgrims—same as me.
The city they longed for, not made by hand,
Is where I’m headin’, ‘cause I know who I am.

Final Chorus
I’m walkin’ by faith, through fire and rain,
With heaven in my heart and blood in my veins.
Don’t need no proof, don’t need no fame,
Just the Lamb that was slain and the power of His name.
Yeah, I’m walkin’ by faith—this outlaw man,
Got my eyes on Jesus, and He’s holdin’ my hand.

Tagline (fade)
Ain’t got no map, just a holy plan…
I’m walkin’ by faith with the great I AM.

Music I created:
GRITTY COUNTRY VERSION
(Psalm 113 to 114)

Verse 1
From the sunrise on the horizon
To the last light sinkin low,
I hear the call to praise the Lord,
Everywhere my boots may go.
Blessed be the name forever,
Every moment, every mile,
He sits high above the nations
Yet He watches with a father’s smile.

Chorus
Lift Him up, all you servants,
Lift His name across this land.
There is no one like our God
Who stoops low to raise a man.
From the dust He pulls the broken,
From the ashes lifts the weak,
Seats the needy with the princes
And gives joy to those who seek.

Verse 2
He gives the lonely woman laughter,
He makes the barren woman sing.
He turns sorrow into blessing
By the power of His hand, our King.
So praise the Lord, all you people,
Let His name be loud and strong,
For the Lord is always faithful
And His mercy rides along.

Chorus
Lift Him up, all you servants,
Lift His name across this land.
There is no one like our God
Who stoops low to raise a man.
From the dust He pulls the broken,
From the ashes lifts the weak,
Seats the needy with the princes
And gives joy to those who seek.

Bridge
When Israel walked out of Egypt,
God led them on their way.
Judah became His sanctuary,
And His presence lit their day.
The sea saw Him and it trembled,
Jordan waters parted wide,
The mountains skipped like young rams
When the Lord of earth arrived.

Verse 3
What made the sea go running.
Why did Jordan turn back fast.
Why did mountains start their skipping
When the Holy One walked past.
Tremble, earth, before His power,
Before the God of Jacob’s line,
He turned rock into a river
And made water from the flintstone shine.

Final Chorus
Lift Him up, all you servants,
Lift His name across this land.
There is no one like our God
Who holds everything in His hand.
From the dust He pulls the broken,
From the ashes lifts the weak,
Turns the hard ground into water
For the weary ones who seek.

Holiness in a World on Fire

Hebrews 12:14-29

Hebrews is not being helpful when it tells you to “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). It is not making a suggestion. It is making the terms of spiritual survival clear to you in a world that is shaking apart. God is not inviting us to a casual faith. He is inviting us to a holy pursuit. Peace and holiness are not garnishes or side dishes. They are evidence. Evidence that you belong to the kingdom that will still be standing when everything else collapses.

Imagine walking into a house that looks structurally sound but has termites eating it from the inside. On the outside everything seems fine, but inside the decay is spreading. That is how sin works. That is why verse 15 warns us to “make sure that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble.” A little root can split a concrete foundation if you let it. A little sin can break a whole life if you excuse it. Scripture calls it a root because it grows underground before it rises in public. God says deal with it early. Dig it out before it rips your heart apart.

The writer then points to Esau and says do not be like him. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. In today’s vernacular he sold the eternal for the temporary. The holy for the convenient. The blessing of God for the appetite of the moment. Hebrews says he later begged for repentance with tears, yet found no chance to reverse what he had done. God is telling us that some decisions have permanent consequences. Today’s compromise can become tomorrow’s regret. Jesus said it this way, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul” (Mark 8:36).
Hebrews then shifts scenes. It takes us from the kitchen with Esau to the mountain with God. Israel trembled at Mount Sinai. The mountain burned with fire, and the voice of God thundered so powerfully that even Moses said, “I tremble with fear” (Hebrews 12:21). The scene was a reminder that God is not a soft pillow to stroke and pat. He is a consuming fire. Yet the writer says we have not come to Sinai, we have come to Mount Zion. We come to the presence of Jesus, the mediator of a better covenant. His blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Abel’s blood cried out for justice, but Jesus’ blood cries for mercy. Abel’s blood spoke from the ground, but Jesus’ blood speaks from heaven.

Mercy does not cancel reverence, it deepens it. Verse 25 says, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.” If the people who ignored God at Sinai faced God’s judgment, how much more serious is it to ignore the Lord who now speaks through His Son? When God shakes the earth things that can be shaken fall away. When God shakes a life whatever is built on the world collapses and whatever is built on His Word stands firm. This world is shaking right now. Morality is shaking. Culture is shaking. Institutions are shaking. But God says, “We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).

What does God expect from us today? He tells us plainly. “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). Not casual worship. Not convenience driven worship. Worship that flows from a heart that remembers who God is. Worship that honors Him as holy. Worship that reflects a life set apart. God is love, but verse 29 reminds us that “our God is a consuming fire.” His fire purifies His people and judges all that stands against Him.

Right now He is shaking everything so the only things left standing are the things built on His truth. The question is simple. Are you standing on the unshakable kingdom or on the sinking sand of the world? If something in your life is falling apart make sure you are losing what is temporary while holding on to what is eternal. God shakes what is fragile in order to reveal what is firm.

Run after peace. Run after holiness. Deal with sin at the root. Listen to the God who speaks. Stand firm in the kingdom that cannot be shaken. And remember with godly fear and trembling that the God who saved you is the same God who will refine you.

He is a consuming fire, and He is worthy of your awe.

The Fight You Were Born Again to Win

Hebrews 11:32–12:13

Some roads in life feel like they were built to break you. You get bruised. You get disappointed. You get tired of fighting battles you didn’t ask for. Hebrews steps right into that struggle and says, “Look again.” Faith is not a museum piece you admire from a distance. Faith is a force that moves when the ground shakes under your feet.
Scripture walks us through the lives of people who refused to quit when everything in them screamed to give up. Gideon stood with nothing but fear in his bones, yet God told him, “I will be with thee” ~Judges 6:16. Barak stepped out trembling, but he stepped anyway. Samson was flawed, but when he turned back to God, strength filled his soul. Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets all show the same thing. They did not stand because they were strong. They stood because God is faithful. Hebrews says they “subdued kingdoms,” “obtained promises,” and “out of weakness were made strong” ~Hebrews 11:33-34.

Then the chapter turns a corner. Some believers triumphed, but others suffered. Some “were tortured” and refused to give up their faith ~Hebrews 11:35. Others “wandered in deserts and in mountains” ~Hebrews 11:38. Life did not treat them gently. Heaven did. The world did not applaud them. God did. Their stories tell us something we do not like to hear but desperately need: faith is not proven on the mountaintop. Faith is proven when you hurt and trust God anyway.

That is why Hebrews shifts our eyes from the heroes to the greatest example of all. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” ~Hebrews 12:2. He stepped into a world that hated Him. He carried a cross that belonged to us. He endured the shame because He saw the joy set before Him. That joy was the salvation of sinners, the gathering of a people redeemed by His blood. If Christ endured the cross for you, then you can endure whatever cross you are carrying with Him.

The writer tells us to “lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us” and run with endurance ~Hebrews 12:1. In other words, stop letting the things that drain your soul ride shotgun in your life. You cannot run God’s race while clutching the things He told you to drop. Let go of the habits that choke your devotion. Let go of the bitterness that eats your peace. Let go of the distractions that rob your strength. You were not saved to stand still. You were saved to run.

Then Hebrews gets personal. It speaks into the pain no one else sees. “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him” ~Hebrews 12:5. God disciplines His children because He loves His children. Discipline is not rejection. It is refinement. It is the Father shaping you into the image of His Son. If you did not feel His correction, that would be a sign you do not belong to Him. But you do. So He trains you. He molds you. He cuts away what does not belong.

“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth” ~Hebrews 12:6. That changes how you see hardship. Your trial is not proof God abandoned you. Your trial is proof God is working on you. Earthly fathers discipline as best they can, but God disciplines “for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness” ~Hebrews 12:10. Holiness is the goal. Christlikeness is the finish line. Your pain is not pointless. Your struggle is not wasted. It yields “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” in those who submit to God’s hand ~Hebrews 12:11.

So Scripture gives the final charge: “Lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” ~Hebrews 12:12. Strengthen your walk. Stay in the race. Set your feet back on the path God laid out for you. Make “straight paths” so your life pulls you toward Him, not away from Him ~Hebrews 12:13. You are not running alone. Jesus ran this road first, and He walks it with you now.

The call of Hebrews is clear. Faith is not for the calm days. Faith is for the storms. Faith does not back down. Faith does not fold. Faith keeps running because Jesus did, and Jesus is worth it.

When the road is rough, keep your eyes on Him. When your heart is tired, remember the cloud of witnesses cheering you on. When your soul aches, remember the Father is shaping you, not abandoning you. And when you feel like quitting, look again at the cross and keep moving.

The finish line is closer than it feels.

Playing with Fire: The Cost of Willful Sin

“We are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).

Look around the church today. The lights are bright. The music is loud. The crowds are large, but the spiritual power is fading. Conviction has been exchanged for comfort, holiness for hype, and truth for trends. People want a quick inspiration without a life-changing transformation. They want to feel close to God while living far from Him. Yet Hebrews 10 speaks right into our generation’s heart: God doesn’t call us to comfort; He calls us to commitment.

“Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18). That’s the foundation, Christ’s sacrifice was once for all. There’s no Plan B, no backup system. Jesus paid it all, and that means there’s no other altar to run to when we sin. The question isn’t whether forgiveness is available, it’s whether we’re living like we’ve actually received it.

The writer urges us, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). That means sincerity, not show. God isn’t impressed by how well we perform church; He’s looking for hearts that are fully His. Then he says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised” (Hebrews 10:23). When the world shakes, hold steady. When truth is mocked, stand tall. Don’t let the culture loosen your grip on Christ.

But then comes a thunderclap of warning: “If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment” (Hebrews 10:26–27). In other words, if we treat grace like a game, we’re playing with fire. God’s mercy is deep, but His holiness is real. You can’t trample on the blood of Jesus and expect peace in your soul. That’s not just rebellion, it’s spiritual suicide.

This is the cancer in much of the modern church. We preach a cross that saves but not one that sanctifies. We talk about grace but forget about repentance. We’ve got churches filled with people who know the truth but live like it doesn’t matter. But “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). God’s hands are either your safety or your sentence, depending on where you stand with His Son.
Yet this passage doesn’t just warn; it also reminds. The writer says, “Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Hebrews 10:32). Remember when your faith was strong? When you stood firm even when the world mocked you? When you rejoiced to suffer for Christ’s name because you knew you had a better reward waiting? Somewhere along the way, many lost that fire and settled for a faith that doesn’t cost anything. But verse 35 says, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

Don’t throw away your confidence when the heat gets turned up. Don’t trade your crown for comfort. You may be tired, but you’re not done. You may be pressed, but you’re not crushed. God didn’t bring you this far to let you fall now. “The just shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38). Faith isn’t just believing once, it’s believing still. It’s trusting when it hurts. It’s holding on when everything says let go.

So, child of God, stand firm. The world is changing, but the Word has not. The hour is dark, but our hope is alive. Don’t shrink back, don’t sell out, and don’t silence your witness. Jesus paid for more than Sunday religion, He paid for your life. Live it boldly. Because when it’s all said and done, it won’t be the crowd that matters, but the cross.

When the Clock Starts Running Faster

You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ~ James 4:14

Ever notice when your team is playing and ahead by a lot of points, time seems to go real slow? And the same clock you just can’t wait to see flip on when you are hanging onto a 1-point lead. Now when your team is getting blown out, that clock starts running real fast as if it is just trying to hurry up and quit torturing you. Life is like that. The older you get the faster that clock starts running. You wake up one day and realize those many years you always thought you had all the time in the world are now dwindling away much quicker than you could ever imagine.

It’s not an optical illusion. It’s a change of perspective. When we are young, we think we have all the time in the world. So much time we waste it or never even think about it. We have all the time in the world to get life figured out. Time to chase dreams. Time to make a difference. Time to clean up our messes. Time to make things right with God. But after a while you start to count in years instead of days and you start to see what the Psalmist was talking about in Psalm 90:12. “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” God does not give us this charge to number our days so that we will sit around in fear and panic. He gives us this charge so we will know to number our days so that we may be about His business with all the wisdom He provides.

God’s speed of time is His way of waking us up. When we are young, we always think that we have all the time in the world. But time is never a luxury. Time is always a test. Each and every day is an opportunity. An opportunity to be right with God. An opportunity to love well. An opportunity to serve hard. An opportunity to finish well. We don’t get to choose the time on the clock. We get to choose what we do with the time that we have left on the clock. James said it this way: “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away” ~James 4:14.

Play like it matters while the clock is still running because it does matter. You are never guaranteed another quarter. You are never guaranteed another season. And you are never guaranteed another tomorrow. Don’t waste your time running around the sideline looking at someone else’s scoreboard. Live out the time you have remaining in such a way that will bring Him glory. The game of life is not won by those who start the game the fastest, but by who finishes faithful.

When Heaven’s Approval Matters More Than Earth’s Applause

Listen, we live in an applause-obsessed society. If people cheer for you, follow you, “like” you, the world calls that success. But God calls success something else. He calls it faithfulness. The Apostle Paul understood that. He wrote to the believers in Thessalonica and reminded them that even though they suffered for the truth, they were walking worthy of God who called them into His kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12).

Paul wasn’t in it for the fame. He wasn’t going after the crowds. He said, “We worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). That’s integrity. That’s obedience. He knew that one day the applause of man would fade, but the approval of God would echo into eternity.

See, the measure of your life isn’t how many people clap when you walk in the room. It’s whether God stands pleased when you stand before Him. Jesus said, “Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). In other words, if the world is cheering you on without conviction, something’s off. God’s truth exposes what’s wrong in us before it brings healing to us. You can’t be healed until you first face the disease. The good news of Christ begins by showing us our sin so that we’ll turn to the Savior for mercy. You can’t preach repentance and still be popular with a world that loves rebellion.

Paul told those Thessalonian believers that when they received the Word, they didn’t treat it as the word of men, but as the Word of God, and that Word went to work in them (1 Thessalonians 2:13). It changed their hearts and cost them their comfort. They faced opposition from their own countrymen, just like the early churches in Judea did. But Paul said that in all their distress, their steadfast faith brought him joy: “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 3:8).

Let that sink in. Real life, real joy, real purpose, comes not from prosperity, but from perseverance. Paul said they were “destined for affliction” (1 Thessalonians 3:3). Not because God abandoned them, but because He was shaping them. Faith that’s never tested is faith that can’t be trusted. God doesn’t bless every path that’s smooth, but He always blesses the path that’s straight.

Today, we need that same resolve. When the culture claps for compromise, don’t join in. When your convictions cost you friends, don’t flinch. When obedience brings opposition, remember this truth: it’s better to suffer in the will of God than to prosper outside of it. Peter said it plainly, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14).
So keep your eyes on the crown, not the crowd. The crown comes from Christ. Paul said his joy and reward were not fame or fortune but the people who stood firm in faith, their perseverance was his crown at the Lord’s coming (1 Thessalonians 2:19). The same goes for us. Heaven keeps score differently.

Don’t chase the spotlight; chase the Savior. Don’t crave the world’s praise; crave God’s pleasure. Because when the smoke of this world clears and the applause fades, one sentence will matter above all others: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). That’s the approval worth living, and dying, for.
What helps you stay focused on God’s approval when the world is clapping for compromise?

Make Sure You’re Following the Real Jesus

Look, I’m going to shoot straight with you. Not everyone who’s wearing a cross is carrying one. Not everyone who uses the name “Jesus” is talking about the Jesus of the Bible. The devil doesn’t care how much religion you have if it’s empty religion. He doesn’t care if you go to church every Sunday as long as you never meet Christ there.

Jesus warned, “Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11). That means you keep your Bible open and your ears tuned to the truth. If somebody comes along teaching something that doesn’t line up with the Word, I don’t care how slick they sound or how holy they look, you close your heart to them and open your Bible instead.

Man’s religion looks good. It feels good. It sounds good. It might even look holy. But it has no power because it’s not built on the Word of God. Paul said it like this: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). God’s saying, “Don’t mess with My message.”

If you’re going to follow Jesus, follow the real Jesus. Not the one who only blesses you but never calls you to repent. Not the one who only comforts you but never commands you. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Don’t let your emotions run your faith. Emotions change. Truth doesn’t. Don’t follow a preacher. Follow the Word. Don’t follow the crowd. Follow the cross. Because when the storm hits, hype won’t hold you. Church culture won’t keep you. Only the Word of God will stand. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

So open your Bible like your life depends on it, because it does. Stand on it. Live by it. Never trade it for man’s opinions. The real Jesus doesn’t need to be reinvented. He just needs to be obeyed.

Before you scroll on, stop and ask yourself: Am I following the real Jesus or a man-made version of Him? The Bible says, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). That’s not a suggestion; that’s a command. Don’t gamble your soul on tradition, culture, or feelings. Lay your life next to the Word of God and see if it matches. Repent where you’ve been wrong. Obey where He speaks. Trust Him where you’re scared.

This isn’t about church membership. This isn’t about being spiritual. This is about knowing the living Christ who died, rose, and is coming back as Judge and King. He said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). Make sure you’re one of His sheep. Get in His Word. Get on your knees. Get right with Him today. Because tomorrow isn’t promised, but His Word stands forever.

The Race You Can’t Afford to Lose

Life isn’t about chasing trophies, it’s about pressing on to the prize of Christ (Philippians 3:4–21).

Paul had the resume. The titles. The accolades. You know the type of person I mean. The one who walks into the room and people immediately start bobbing their heads in acknowledgment. He had it all. In Philippians 3 he boasts about his impressive background. “circumcised the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless”. If anyone had bragging rights, it was Paul.

Paul is at the end of his rope. But now he looks at everything he has done, everything he has earned, and he throws it in the trash. He calls it garbage. He says, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ”. Can you imagine a CEO, throwing away his diploma, stock portfolio, and corner office and saying none of this makes me right with God.

Paul discovered something more valuable: “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. Knowing Christ became the most important thing in his life. The word knowing refers to relationship, not just head knowledge. He knew Christ. Intimately.
In fact, Paul says he wants to “know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death”. Talk about living upside down. Paul is getting so caught up in Christ, his life is defined by grace and a willingness to suffer in the same way His did.

Now this is the part I love. Paul doesn’t put on an “I’ve arrived” air. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect,” he admits, “but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (v. 12). Pressing on Paul’s pursuit isn’t to earn Christ, it’s because he already belongs to Christ. Pressing on, not to gain salvation, but because salvation has gripped him.

But this is where I have to ask the hard question: Are we pressing on or are we standing still while culture pulls us backward? Paul says, “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. Passive Christianity won’t do. Shallow, half-hearted religion will get you so far. But pressing on, no turning back living, Jesus focused living is the key to following Jesus well.

Notice the exhortation as well. Paul speaks about people living as “enemies of the cross of Christ”. Destruction awaits them; their god is their belly; their glory is their shame; and their minds are on earthly things. This is a picture of the world living for the next meal, the next high, the next round of applause. But Paul turns it on its head: “Our citizenship is in heaven”.

Meaning your passport doesn’t ultimately say, “USA” or “Great Britain” or any other nation, it says “Kingdom of God.” One day, our Savior will return and “transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body”. This is the hope that fuels the press.
The bottom line: Don’t get caught polishing trophies that won’t make it into eternity. Don’t let the world tell you where your treasure is. Don’t anchor your identity in credentials, career, or applause. Count it loss. Gain Christ. And then press on. When the road gets hard and culture pulls backward, keep straining forward. Because the finish line is real. The prize is eternal. And the Savior is waiting at the end.

Ending the War on Warriors: Pete Hegseth’s Bold Push for Military Culture Change

Pete Hegseth secretary of defense gave a wonderful powerful speech today to our military.

Hegseth is using the platform to advance a change in military culture. He attacked "politically correct" or "woke" forces, declared he will end what he termed a "war on warriors," and called for a return to a "warrior ethos." This is the kind of change we need to see in our military if we are going to have real warriors. Hegseth is calling for a cultural change. This involves: ending the “war on warriors”; removing the politically correct distractions; and reinvigorating the true warrior ethos. The men and women in our fighting forces need to be trained, equipped, and led with courage, discipline, and a readiness to fight and defend this nation; not for the latest trend and ideology.

Good job Pete Hegseth on the speech you gave today. Courageously you exposed the political corruption and distractions in our armed forces and called for a return to a warrior ethos based on discipline, preparedness and honor. Leaders like you who are willing to stand up and fight for righteousness should be applauded because, as the Word says, “The righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). We need more of this type of leadership to encourage those that stand guard over our nation.

The Danger of Calling Evil Good - Assassinations and Murders

Do you see the Lie of “Peace” That’s Destroying America? In light of all that is going on in our world right now, we must ask ourselves the difficult question, “What kind of peace are we pursuing?” The Bible is clear on this: silence in the face of sin is not peace, it is disobedience. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). If Christians remain silent and cover up sin, evil will be normalized, and truth will be treated like the problem.

God did not call us to stand on the sidelines and be neutral. He commands, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Silence is not neutrality, it is compromise. Ezekiel was told if he failed to warn the wicked, their blood would be on his hands (Ezekiel 3:18). The same principle holds true for us today. A “peace” that is based on avoiding offense is not biblical peace. In fact, God rails against that type of false comfort: “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). Covering sin never heals, it kills. And the death we are witnessing all around us today is exactly what results from covering sin.

At the heart of the matter, we must ask: will we fear man or fear God? Many believers fear being labeled “unloving” if they declare the truth of Scripture. But if that is our fear, we have already been warned by Jesus: “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). Faithfulness to Christ has never made the world applaud us. Proverbs 29: 25 says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.” When Christians embrace silence to avoid rejection, they are ensnared by the world instead of obeying Jude 3 and contending “for the faith.”

This is where America has come today. Right and wrong are blurred together. Sin is being celebrated in the open. A cultural movement is working hard to silence God’s truth and redefine morality. And because too many Christians are quiet, darkness is spreading like wildfire unchecked. Paul warned that there would come a time when people “will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). That time is not coming, it has already arrived. Isaiah also prophesied this, “Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14). The result is chaos and corruption.
But Scripture also says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). This is not just political, this is spiritual. When truth is silenced, sin rushes in to fill the vacuum. Jesus told His followers, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). The answer is not retreat, it is bold witness.

Isaiah 30: 10 says of our culture, “They say to the seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions.’” The world wants comfort, not conviction. And sadly, too many Christians comply with that to avoid conflict. But silence is not love. “Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6). That is why Paul instructs us to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

The dividing line is this: if peace means remaining silent in the face of sin, it is false peace. If peace flows from speaking the truth, it is the peace of Christ. True love warns of danger. True love is not shaken from standing firm on God’s Word. And true love points people to Jesus. That may not earn applause from the world, but it will keep the church faithful to her Lord.