Believer, never trade in what you don't know for what you do know. Lots of times we run into tough or painful situations where we really don't know what's going on, but we know that God loves us and He has a good plan for Our lives.

We may not understand the moment we are in—but we do know His character. He said He'd never ditch us or forsake us. 

We may not clearly see His good path—but we do know the good Shepherd.

Hold fast to Christ and what you indeed do know for sure:

• “God is love” though love is not God (1 John 4:8)
• “I know the plans I have for you.. plans for good..” He tenderly cares for His children and wants us to grow spiritually (Jeremiah 29:11)
• “All things work together for good to those who love God..” (see Romans 8:28-29 and the context)

When feelings fluctuate and circumstances confuse, truth remains unmoved. Biblical faith doesn’t demand a full explanation—it rests on full trust in God.

 Need Some Solid Anchors for Hope in Times of Trial or Suffering?

• Romans 8:18
  “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:17–18
  “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
• James 1:2–4
  “Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
• 1 Peter 5:10
  “After you have suffered a little while, [God] will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
• Psalm 34:19
  “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”
• Isaiah 55:8–9
  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts… As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.”
• Genesis 50:20
  “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
• John 9:3
  “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Why is God going to send a strong delusion in the end times? Are we already there?

What does it mean that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)?

What does the Bible say about false prophets?

Is there confusion and activity from demonic spirits in the world today?

We can absolutely know the truth and Him who is True?

What does it mean that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44)?

What does God have to say about lying?..  the fake news media and celebrities put this out every day!

What is the meaning of vain deceit in Colossians 2:8?

Why did God use a lying spirit to deceive Ahab?

Is it ever right to lie?

Is God truly real?

Is that merely religious-speak? What does it mean to find your identity in the Person of Jesus?

How should a Christian view being “woke” -- is that lifestyle even true?

How do I even know what to live by - I've got several questions about the Christian Life and other "faiths".

How can I know if I am hearing God, hearing Satan, or hearing my own foggy mind?

What does it mean to be perplexed but not in despair?

Aren't there many gods now? Who is the one true God?

True Spiritual Life Essentials are what?

What happened at the Tower of Babel -- gobs of confusion after pride?

What does the Bible say about self-deception?

Can you give me some verses about deception?

• Charles Spurgeon
  “God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
• A. W. Tozer
  “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”
• C. S. Lewis
  “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.”
• Corrie ten Boom
  “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”
• Billy Graham
  “Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.”
• Elisabeth Elliot
  “The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering.”

We are here to worship and glorify the Lord! Suffering is never the final word for believers—glory up in glory is. 

Remember His cross came before the crown, and for every child of God, that's how it is -- it still does go like that. Will you take up the cross so to speak and follow Christ all the way Home?

What are some Bible verses about confusion?

Why is there so much confusion regarding the teachings of the Bible when a small child could understand Christ's words?

Sex, Love, and Relationships in a very Confused Culture, so how do we live?

What is the great deception in the Bible?

Why does God allow deception on earth?

What does the Bible say about gender dysphoria?

Can a person really be born with the wrong gender?

What even is truth? There's not your truth and my truth, there is one -- His truth!

What is to be our true identity?

How should we live our lives in light of our true identity in Christ?

Jesus spoke of abiding instead of striving in the flesh: “if you abide in my word” in John 8:31?

So in a really thick fog, like at the beach, don’t negotiate away what’s absolutely certain—cling to Him who is the truth, hold on to what you know from the Bible (not so much books about the Bible). 

Lots of times we believers experience trials that are not abnormal for a Christian's walk. Many people run into very tough and painful situations (some short, some longer) where we just don't know what's going on (like "Where is God in this mess?"). But we do know for sure that the God who is completely sovereign still loves us deeply, He cares, and He has a good plan for our lives.

Never trade in what you don't know for what you do know." When you don't get it just fall back on what you do know for sure to be true.. and hold the good course. Lots of times we run into tough or painful situations where we just don't know what's going on, but we know that God loves us and has a good plan for our lives. The Bible tells us what's true!

When life feels uncertain, don’t trade away what’s settled—God’s love, his perfect righteousness (He's never sinned or done anyone wrong), His kind goodness, His patience and agape love are there for you, and His unchanging promises are still intact for believers (like Romans 8: 28-29 are still in the Bible)— never trading what you know for the confusion of the moment. Just stand on what you know for sure from the word of God, and let God guide you and handle what you just don’t get.

We don't always understand the moment—but we do know His character. www.fish4souls.org

Job’s suffering could have lasted kinda long. No matter how long Job actually suffered, it likely felt like an eternity to him. But Job was patient and endured to see God’s blessing after the test: “[The Lord] gave him twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10). Job thus models the patience we should all have, and his story becomes an illustration of the reward we await: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

We may not see the path so clearly—but we do know the Shepherd cares.

Hold fast to what you know:

When feelings and circumstances fluctuate or circumstances confuse, truth remains unmoved.

Faith doesn’t demand full explanation—it rests on full trust.

As Charles Spurgeon said, “When you cannot trace His hand, you must trust His heart.”

And Corrie ten Boom reminds us, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

So in deep think fog of the night, don’t negotiate away what’s clear—cling to God's Word. There's peace In the Prince of Peace, Jesus.

Was God the Father unjust to let Job have fierce trials like that -- to suffer over what seems like a heavenly dispute between Himself and Satan?

At first glance in the Bible, the book of Job can feel kinda unsettling. It almost reads as though God is engaging in a wager with Mr. Lu-Cifer so to speak, and then Job becomes the subject of it (Job 1–2). If we’re candid, it can appear troubling—as though God is distant, even severe. Job never receives a direct explanation for his suffering, which challenges our desire to see God as immediately transparent, tender, and fair. It can feel as if God is allowing a righteous man to be swept into something beyond his control, raising the question: is God treating Job like a pawn?

In a sense, the book of Job invites that very question—it places God’s justice under examination. But to understand what is truly happening, we must follow the argument of the book carefully, not just react to its surface.

When God finally speaks in Job 38–42, His response may initially sound sharp, even overwhelming. His questions to Job (Job 38–39) seem almost like a cross-examination, emphasizing Job’s limited understanding. Yet beneath this tone lies something deeper—not rejection, but restoration.

Before God speaks, Elihu enters the scene (Job 32–37). Unlike the other friends, he serves as a kind of mediator—defending God’s righteousness while also addressing Job’s pain. Then, when God does speak, He does not crush Job; instead, He reveals Himself. And in the end, God affirms Job, declaring that he had spoken rightly about Him, unlike his three friends (Job 42:7).

A central issue in the debate is what’s often called “retribution theology”—the belief that every good act is rewarded and every evil act is punished in this life, making suffering a clear sign of wrongdoing. Job’s friends cling to this idea, insisting his suffering must be the result of sin (Job 4:7–8; 22:5). Job himself struggles with it too, assuming that if he is suffering so intensely, something must be wrong in how God is governing things.

But this assumption is flawed.

In Job 29–31, Job calls for justice and essentially summons God to court. Astonishingly, God answers. His speeches in Job 38–41 serve as His testimony—not by giving Job a detailed explanation, but by revealing His wisdom, power, and sovereign governance over creation. God demonstrates that Job lacks the perspective to judge how the universe is run (Job 38–39). He also points to creatures like Behemoth and Leviathan—forces beyond human control—as evidence that His rule extends far beyond human comprehension.

The message is clear: Job cannot indict God because he does not possess the knowledge required to do so.

Yet this is not a dismissal of Job—it is an invitation to trust.

Elihu had already emphasized that God works redemptively, even through suffering (Job 32–37). And when God speaks, He confirms that His purposes are not arbitrary but wise and intentional. Job had wrestled with the idea that God was either unaware, unjust, or silently punishing him (Job 29–31). But in encountering God, Job realizes something far greater.

This is what Job ultimately “gets right” (Job 42:7): he acknowledges that God’s ways are higher, wiser, and more wonderful than he had imagined. He confesses, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand… My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:2–5).

Then comes a crucial turning point.

It is only after Job prays for his friends—those who had wounded him with their accusations—that God restores him and blesses him with twice as much as before (Job 42:8–17). This is not a consolation prize; it is the fruit of obedience and participation in God’s redemptive heart. Job becomes not just a recipient of grace, but a vessel of it.

What Satan intended for destruction, God turns for good (cf. Genesis 50:20). Through suffering, Job is transformed into a servant who reflects God’s own character—especially in loving those who had wronged him.

That is the deeper victory in God.

The New Testament highlights this endurance: “You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about” (James 5:11). We are not told exactly how long Job suffered. It was at least more than seven days (Job 2:13), likely longer—perhaps even months (Job 7:3). But regardless of the timeline, his suffering must have felt unending.

And yet, it was not without purpose.

Job’s story confronts another dangerous assumption—the same one his friends held and that still appears today: that suffering always signals God’s displeasure. This idea echoes in modern distortions like the prosperity gospel, which claims that faith guarantees material blessing and that hardship reveals failure.

But Scripture presents a different reality.

Yes, there is a principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:8; James 3:18), and God does bless the righteous (Psalm 5:12; 32:10). But those blessings are often spiritual, not material (Ephesians 2:6). Faithful believers throughout history—including apostles and martyrs—have endured immense suffering (Hebrews 11:35–40). Therefore, hardship cannot be simplistically equated with God’s judgment.

To do so is to echo the error of Job’s “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2).

What, then, is the right response to suffering?

The example of Job’s friends is instructive—both in what they did right and where they failed. They came to Job, wept with him, and sat in silence for seven days (Job 2:11–13). Their presence was compassionate. But when they began to speak, they assumed too much and misrepresented God.

God later rebukes them: “You have not spoken the truth about me” (Job 42:7).

This reminds us to handle suffering—and Scripture—with humility. Not every verse spoken in Job reflects truth about God, especially those from the friends. Context matters.

Job himself was not entirely without fault—he overestimated his own righteousness (Job 42:1–6)—yet his suffering was not a punishment for sin. It was part of God’s sovereign and purposeful plan.

So how should we respond when others suffer?

Not with quick judgments, but with compassion. Not by assigning blame, but by offering presence. We can remind the hurting that God sees them (Psalm 34:18), that He works even through pain (Romans 8:28), and that their suffering is not meaningless.

Sometimes, the most powerful ministry is simply being there.

Hey, all you who think like Job's friends. Believe in God as He did and go “Mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).

In doing so, we reflect Christ Himself who did that—the One who entered into our suffering, bore our griefs, and redeemed our pain (Matthew 25:40). He feels for us and does a lot more than that when we call out to Him. 

Job’s story ultimately lifts our eyes beyond the question of fairness to the reality of God’s sovereignty, wisdom, and redeeming love. And it assures us that no suffering, however deep, is wasted in the hands of God. KnowGod.org

Jesus saw individuals (He sees you today). He knew what they felt. He saw their needs and simply went and met those needs (He sees yours too). He spoke about genuine compassion, crossing over the road to get involved with the hurting, the abandoned, the wounded. That's what he did cuz that's Who He is. God hasn't changed -- He's still love - He exemplifies and personifies real love and truth. In this world unlike that, can we each be and do that too?

Sadly. people are getting attacked by bandits who kick and steal from them a lot these days. Some elderly folk minding their own biz are gettin' thrown down onto railroad tracks! Onlookers don't care. Religious folk split, and others only care about turning it all into an Inta or TikTok vid, but do nothing to help, or protect, or rescue. 

Jesus talked about this kinda thing in Luke 10:30-37 nlt... 

"Jesus replied with a story: 'A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?' Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, 'The one who showed him mercy.'

Then Jesus said, 'Yes, now go and do the same.'” 

A Samaritan acting more merciful and human, even funding real care, really!? 

We can live like that -- we can do that stuff by God's compassionate anointing!

Q: Do you currently have a connection of love upwards (to God), so much so that this positively affects your outward "care and share" with people? 

Hey, you and I have two top responsibilities -- to know and obey the greatest of all authoritative commandments and to love our neighbor as ourselves (cuz we already love self right!?).

Who could consistently do that by willpower alone -- by their own power? Not me.

Q: How do you spend time with God, love and worship Him, and how do you show love towards people too. Love ..always protects. Do you and I do more than that? Do we listen, hear and meet needs like Jesus did?

By Jesus' estimation, real caring is to precede real sharing. Every single time. 

Sometimes choosing to immediately get involved is indeed caring, and this also sends a message (sharing). 

Q: If a small child jumps off that sidewalk curb downtown where there's thick traffic at rush hour, will you really need to pause, kneel to pray about whether you have a call to children's ministry or not? Man, I hope not -- just go grab the kid's arm and pull them to safety, please. 

Now, in some parts of India or Africa today, where you're surrounded by so many serious needs, you will need to pray as you go regarding which ones to get involved with and how. 

* Let's Talk More About The Greatest Responsibility (Lk. 10:25–37)

Just like some lame liberal theologians and some Bible students today, Jewish rabbis back in the day enjoyed debating the finer points of deep doctrines, and in the Text we see a lawyer (a so-called student of the OT law) who wanted to hear Him out on a topic. What's Jesus got to say on this?

We kinda get the impression that this man was not really seeking truth, but was only trying to show himself smarter or to involve Jesus in some debate that he hoped he would win. Was he out to trap the Lord?

The lawyer proved to be pretty evasive when it came to facing the solid truth honestly and then obeying truth. Yo, our greatest responsibility is to obey the greatest of all the Authoritative commandments, which the man quoted accurately (from Lev. 19:18 and Deut. 6:5). But you and I cannot rightly love God or love our neighbor until we have the Lord and God’s love in our hearts (Rom. 5:5; 1 John 4:19).

If we cannot keep the greatest of God's commandments (Mark 12:28–34), then how can we ever hope to go please God anywhere?

How important it is to see that salvation is by faith alone, and not by keeping the law; but once a person has been saved (forgiven, reborn spiritually), he or she can sure depend on the Spirit to lead, to help, to fill their hearts with His love.

Why was the Parable of the Good Samaritan even given out in the first place? It was shared in answer to an evasive question from this lawyer. “Define your terms, please!” -- that's the old lawyer trick for the process of debating.

Instead of the hearer getting involved in abstract spiritual terms, Jesus presented a concrete case to the man, and the lawyer quickly understood His point.

We must not “over-spiritualize” Christ's parable, turning it into some allegory of salvation. We people are so prone to overspiritualize! Christ's point is simply this -- our neighbor is anybody who needs us at that moment, anybody whom we can help.

Who was the real “hero” of the story? It was an ordinary dude like me who could do something to help. It was a Samaritan caring for a Jew.

Who were not the heroes in the story? The priest and Levite—the paid professional religious workers—are not heroes here at all. The question we must answer is not “Who is my neighbor?” but “To whom can I act caring towards, and be a neighbor for?”

In a way too busy world of AI, algorithms, and doom-scrolling.. in this type of world where reading books has fallen on hard times, where people long for more than podcasts of new information offer. 

You know, they long for a wholesome connection with caring humanity, and if that caring humanity is in connection with the God-man who cares, they're going to get pointed to the truth of the Word for salvation and then sanctification. 

Jesus is the wholesome, caring, and sharing human who is also fully God. We all need to know Him and his people who stay connected. 

Seems like if a person earns and has paid for more these days.. if they have better Sapphire-type credit cards or expensive subscriptions with certain apps and programs, then they are going to quickly be able to reach real humans who can help. 

Otherwise, they might call and get AI-bots that can really miss. 

Let's say you are in a Cobalt club, a Diamond, or a Titanium elite like group? Guess what: You're going to get human involvement with your need quickly where the mere commoners will get a recorded voice perhaps. 

(God kindly hears and answers the prayers (yes, no, or wait) of all his children on any socio-economic level).

Caring human connection, especially when the caring person is in touch with the caring God-man, Jesus.. is wonderful!  

Christ accepts any and all who believe and turn to Him -- whosoever will come. 

Let's talk more about caring human connection upwards, and outwards with people who are also in touch with God by faith and with other people who are not. 

You and I live in the end of end times now. That's obvious to see and all sorts of knowledge will increase, yet people more than ever long for the warmth of human hospitality! 

Mr. Wiersbe presents four good questions asked by Dr. Luke in chapter ten. Inquiries by way of taking a personal inventory:

- What makes you serve (1–16)? Jesus was not limited to the Twelve; seventy others obeyed Him and helped to reap the harvest. But the laborers are still few, and Luke 9:57–62 tells why. The ministry is difficult and dangerous, but it is also very rewarding. Are you obedient to His call?

- What makes you rejoice (Lk. 10:17–24)? When the disciples rejoiced over their successful ministry, Jesus told them to rejoice because they were the citizens of heaven. After all, their work might not always be successful, but their salvation would never change. Jesus rejoiced because the Father’s will was being accomplished in their lives. What brings joy to your heart?

- What makes you pause (25–37)? It is not difficult to discuss neighborliness in the abstract, but it costs something to be a real neighbor. Do you pause to help when you see injustice and hurt, or like the priest and the Levite, do you look for an escape? You are never more Christlike than when you feel another’s hurt and seek to help.

- What makes you listen (38–42)? Here is the basis for all real ministry: taking time to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His Word. It is important to serve the Lord and serve others, but it is even more important to delight your Lord by spending time with Him. Are you so busy serving Him that you have no time to love Him and listen to Him? Knowing, following, obeying and serving Jesus matters most!

"Faithful to my Lord’s commands,

I still would choose the better part;

Serve with careful Martha’s hands

And loving Mary’s heart." ~ Charles Wesley

“Justice seeks out the merits of the case, but pity only regards the need.” ~ Bernard of Clairvaux

P: Lord Jesus, help us see from your perspective and do the top two commandments -- help us care like you do! We ask for a fifth great awakening that spawns authentic revial with evangelistic fervor! Do it again, what You have done on earth before.. any way you want to. We want to be involved with you and your work here. Pour out all that You want to Pour out today! Lord, what can I (a saved sinner) do today to assist open-hearted, hurting and broken sinners? 

Are there any sound Christian churches with spiritual (reborn seeing) pastors fairly near to where you live? We all need Jesus first, and a praying Christian community and fellowship around the truth to grow spiritually (His family members eager to mature). 

God talks gobs about His spiritual family and biological families too. Guess what.. when children really care and walk in wisdom, they bring joy to their parents and to others (Prov. 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:26; 23:24–25). It is tragic when children are not taught to respect God, their parents, or elders, grandparents (23:22; 30:17). It's tragic when they speak evil of them (20:20), waste their money with the wrong foolish friends (28:7; 29:3), and rob their parents (28:24). Let the little children come unto Jesus -- help them to because he can teach them like no other can. Early discipline helps a child learn to respect both Direct Authority, parental authority, teachers, police authorities, and to appreciate parental love without spiritually compromising for flawed Delegated Authorities with bad directives (13:24; 19:18; 22:15).

Believer, remember the basic ingredients of real Spiritual growth: Daily Bible daily intake, daily prayer (connection all day 24/7/365), tactfully respectfully sharing your faith in Jesus, and fellowship with other growing believers! Those remain so vital for us to grow and mature spiritually! There is no spiritual growth apart from the Word!

So who in the Book really cared and then shared in that order versus those who didn't care? 

When this world and so many worldly churches get darker, louder, noisier, even bigger and faster (minus godly leadership in them), the quiet power of the Word and real human care like Christ's becomes more and more precious to us! I feel motivated to prayerfully go get, to bring a friend, to point folks to Him and towards His church. 

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* 1. Caring Human Connection Rooted In Sound Biblical Faith 

The heart of it—love flowing from knowing God:

• John 13:34–35 — “By this all will know… if you have love for one another.”
• 1 John 4:7–8 — Selfless love shows we are born of God, Christian.
• 1 John 3:16–18 — Not just words—real, tangible care that assists and that ministers to people.
• Galatians 6:2 — Bear one another’s burdens.
• Romans 12:10–13 — Be devoted, hospitable, generous.
• Hebrews 10:24–25 — Stir one another up, use your gift or lose it.. don’t neglect gathering together to worship and to edify or encourage people.
• Acts 2:42–47 — Daily fellowship upwards (with God, not angels or anyone else), outwards -- shared life = blessed life..yes, doing life together, with glad hearts!
• Colossians 3:12–14 — Compassion, kindness, serving, humility, love... better binds us to the head of the Church and with each other.
• Philippians 2:1–4 — Look to the Lord and towards the interests of others, before focusing in on your own interests. Those people matter too!
• Ephesians 4:15–16 — Truth + love = grace-growth together.

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* 2. Hospitality, Warmth, and “The Ministry of Presence”

(Godly Hospitality = philoxenia, a kind and wise “love of strangers”)

• Romans 12:13 — Choose to practice biblical hospitality.
• Hebrews 13:2 — Some folk entertained angels unknowingly.
• 1 Peter 4:8–10 — Love God and people deeply… wisely offer hospitality without gripy grumbling, murmuring, complaining.
• Matthew 25:35–40 — Caring about pleasing God most, caring for people = blessing Christ.
• Luke 10:33–35 — The Good Samaritan (a pic of compassion in action. Love is a verb).
• Isaiah 58:6–11 — True spirituality = feeding, ministering, sheltering, bandaging, caring.

- When I hear that word "Hospitality," I also hear the heartbeat of a good “hospital”—that place of healing, of smart nurture, a place to find comfort and lasting help.

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* 3. The End Times, Information-Explosion Has Arrived, Yet So Many Hearts Are Still Empty!

• Daniel 12:4 — “Knowledge shall increase.”
• 2 Timothy 3:1–5 — Lovers of self, pleasure… lacking in real love. So many family members are even hurting and betraying each other. Do you demand they live for and serve you? 
• Matthew 24:12 — “Love of many will grow cold.”
• Ecclesiastes 12:12 — Endless information influx, yet so little soul rest in the Word.
• Amos 8:11 — There's indeed a famine… not of bread, but hearing God’s Word.

Believer, are you living missional like Jesus did? With grace adn truth are you out visiting the last, the lost, the liars, lepers -- the lonely? Escatology shows us how information multiplies, but incarnational ministry (real presence) becomes so rare here.

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* 4. Great Christian Voices (Connection vs Coldness)

• “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” — Theodore Roosevelt
• You can sorta preach wordless and then add some words in. “Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.” — Francis of Assisi
• “A holy life will make the deepest impression.” — D. L. Moody
• “The world is not won by argument but by love.” — Samuel Zwemer
• “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” — Amy Carmichael
• “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” — Carl F. H. Henry

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* 5. Caring Connection Reached Out And Healed The Broken

Who were some peeps who actually cared for humans because they knew a caring God who poured His grace into them? See Bible Contexts:

• Luke 7:36–50 — Jesus restores the sinful woman.
• John 4 — Jesus with the Samaritan woman 
• Mark 10:46–52 — Blind Bartimaeus—Jesus stopped.
• Luke 19:1–10 — Zacchaeus—seen, called, transformed.
• John 8:1–11 — Woman caught in adultery.
• Acts 3:1–10 — “Silver and gold I do not have… but Jesus.”
• Philemon 1 — Paul restores Onesimus relationally.
• 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 — Comfort others with received comfort.

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* 6. Who Were Those Who Represented God—but Didn’t Really Care?

I'm not really interested in cold-blooded, heartless religion, where there's no compassion:

• Luke 10:31–32 — Priest and Levite pass by wounded man.
• Matthew 23:23–28 — Pharisees: outwardly clean, inwardly dead.
• Mark 7:6–13 — Mere lip service, heart far from God.
• John 5:5–13 — Leaders ignore the healed man, focus on rules.
• Ezekiel 34:2–4 — Shepherds who fleeced instead of fed sheep, but fed themselves, the flock came last.
• James 2:15–17 — Words without action = dead faith.

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* 7. Contrast: Those Who Cared First, Then Shared

Care → credibility → truth

• Jesus: Matthew 9:36 — moved with compassion → teaches, heals. compassion > empathy
• Paul: 1 Thessalonians 2:8 — shared not only gospel, but care and life.
• Barnabas: Acts 4:36–37 — encourager, generous, relational.
• Dorcas (Tabitha): Acts 9:36–39 — known for good works and care.

- They came close. They got up off their blessed assurance and entered people’s experience of pain, before speaking into their souls about lasting Solutions. The confusion, fears, lies, and doubts are real out there. Something ought to be done, to be said, to be done again. 

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* 8. Contrast: Those Who Spoke Without Caring

• 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 — truth without love = worthless noise.
• Jonah — ran, and then preached, but he didn’t really love those people.
• The elder brother — so moral outwardly, but cold-hearted inside. Your son (not my dear brother)
• The Pharisee — puffed up, snooty, proud, and zero mercy.

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* 9. Imperative! The Necessity Of Living With Bible Basics In A Praying Community

• Acts 2:42 — Bible doctrine (applicable teaching), fellowship (care and share), breaking bread, prayer.
• Hebrews 3:13 — exhort one another daily.
• James 5:16 — confess sins and pray for one another.
• Colossians 4:2–6 — prayer + wise engagement with lost outsiders.
• Matthew 18:20 — Jesus is present there, where believers gather. He still likes closeness. 

Are you the Father's child or merely one of His creations?

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* 10. The Core Reality You’re Pointing To

In a lost world...

• of complex algorithms getting more complex, and AI that's evolving too, all the earthly cast systems of VIPs and VVIPs or non-VIPs, regarding daily relationships
• of speed over quality care and presence
• of fake and true information over regeneration and transformation from sactification -- you and I can live true minus spiritual compromise, keeping it all true even when they feel so blue

Have you yet expressed true repentance and invited the living Christ in to be Savior and Lord? What in the world are you waiting for, Sport!? God’s answer is not better interwebs and puter-systems—it’s incarnational people with Jesus living inside as Lord:

• John 1:14 — The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 — We believers are ambassadors for Christ. Go ye therefore...(we have a part in helping to bring closure with the Great Commission) 
• Matthew 5:16 — Let your light shine before all people.

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* Might Ya Go A Bit Deeper In The Word Of Truth? 

It is this:

*Access closeness and practical or spiritual help may be tiered in this corrupt world-system (elite status, premium service), but in Christ, access is open and free to “whoever will” come on His terms (Revelation 22:17).

And yet…

- The sometimes felt experience of God’s great agape love often comes through
a saved (righteous, not self-righteous) human being who just pauses, listens up, and cares in practical ways. Believer, ya often don't need to say a thing really. 

Hey, that’s where you and I live every day—right at the intersection of excellent hospitality and eternity, bro.

"WE ARE BORN WITH A HOLE IN OUR HEART. DRUGS, SEX, AND ROCK 'N' ROLL TRIED TO FILL IT IN THE 60'S. TECH, AI, AND SOCIAL MEDIA WILL NOT FILL IT TODAY. IT IS SOMETHING ONLY GOD CAN FILL." ~ GREG LAURIE

Sanctification - what it ain't

Sanctification ain't really a feeling ..good or bad.. it is not some mood. 

Lost people are not sanctified, nope, not until they get saved, yep, forgiven by Jesus and then it starts inside them by the Holy Spirit.

It is not a cool spiritual “vibe.”

It is not about chasing goosebumps like in worship. Some falsely save those goose bumps verify.

Sanctification is God’s ongoing work of transforming a real person (that's saved, not self-righteous but real) into a holy person who is following Christ.

At salvation, you are justified—declared righteous because of Christ (cuz of his obedience unto the Cross and Resurrection). The guilt of sin is removed in a moment. But the grip of sin on a person? That is broken over a lifetime. Ya still need to deny yourself, believer, and just say no to the enemy's temptations. 

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely… Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24).

He can and will do it -- are you willing? 

Sup with this sanctification:

- It is not driven by feelings (feelings rise and fall; truth does not).

- It is not sone mystical elitism (no secret spiritual tier system).

- It is not sinless perfection here in this life (that error has shipwrecked so many).

In essence: sanctification is not about chasing any feelings or experiences—it’s about obedience to Christ as revealed in Bible truth. Choices (wise one) and follow through matter.. daily!

What Actually Changes?

Paul makes it plain in Romans 6:

You are no longer a slave to sin—you are now free to obey righteousness.

Old worldly desires begin to lose their authority and pull.

Brand new desires for holiness quietly grow

Patterns of sin weaken, even if they don’t vanish overnight.

Your life slowly starts to resemble Jesus Christ -- what a beautiful person.

Billy Graham: “Salvation is free—but discipleship costs you your life.”

Sanctification is not powered by willpower—it’s powered by new zoe life.

“Present yourselves to God.. as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13).

You don’t become holy to be accepted.

We are to pursue holiness because we already are accepted in Christ.

John Piper: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

Mr. George Barna's Group has repeatedly shown that while a large percentage of Americans identify as Christian, only a much smaller number hold a biblical worldview or can clearly articulate core gospel truths. In other words, many wear the jersey—but few are trained in the game.

Here's a Bible term we cannot afford to misunderstand: sanctification.

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What Sanctification Really Is

Sanctification is really not some mood or attitude.
It is not some spiritual “downtown vibe.”
It is not about goosebumps in worship or collecting private impressions from God.

Sanctification is God’s ongoing work of transforming a real person into a holy one.

At salvation, you are justified—declared righteous because of Christ. The guilt of sin is removed in a moment. But the grip of sin? That is broken over a lifetime.

As Scripture says:

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely… Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24).

Notice the emphasis—He will do it. Sanctification is not self-improvement; it is divine renovation.

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What Sanctification Is Not

Let’s clear the fog:

• It is not driven by feelings (feelings rise and fall; truth does not).
• It is not mystical elitism (no secret spiritual tier system).
• It is not sinless perfection in this life (that error has shipwrecked many).

Guess what.. in essence: sanctification is not about chasing feel-good experiences—it’s about obedience to revealed truth in God's Book. What will you wisely apply from the Bible? 

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What Actually Changes

Paul makes it plain in Romans 6:
You are no longer a slave to sin—you are now free to obey righteousness.

That means sanctification looks like this in real life:

• Old desires begin to lose their authority
• New desires for holiness quietly grow
• Patterns of sin weaken, even if they don’t vanish overnight
• Your life slowly starts to resemble Christ

Or as Billy Graham once put it:

“Salvation is free—but discipleship costs you your life.”

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A Simple Picture

Think of a man rescued from a burning house.

• Justification: He’s pulled out—safe, alive, no longer condemned.
• Sanctification: The smoke is washed off, his lungs heal, his strength returns, and he learns to live differently so he never walks back into the fire.

You wouldn’t call it rescue if he kept running back into the flames.

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The Engine Behind It All

Sanctification is not powered by willpower—it’s powered by new life. The Holy Spirit gives zoe life inside!

“Present yourselves to God… as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13).

You don’t become holy to be accepted. Just repent and come by faith ..as you are. Jesus cleans His fish and then He cleans them.. in that order. 
You pursue holiness because you already are accepted in Christ.

John Piper captures it well:

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

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A Needed Wake-Up Call

Here’s the sober truth:
If nothing in your life is changing, something in your profession needs examining.

Not perfection—but direction.
Not sinlessness—but a real fight against sin.

The hymn says it simply:

“Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it…”

And yet, the true believer doesn’t settle there—they return.

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Where This Leaves You

Sanctification is God setting you apart for His holy purposes—daily, steadily, sometimes painfully—until your life begins to echo the life of Christ.

So ask yourself honestly:

• Am I growing in obedience?
• Am I putting sin to death—or making peace with it?
• Is Christ becoming more visible in how I live?

Because the evidence of real faith is not merely what you say—
it’s what God is actively changing.

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Need Some Encouragement?

You are not saved by sanctification.
But if you are saved, you will be sanctified.

Faithful is He who calls you—
and He will finish what He started.

Sup with Palm Sunday? Lots of people don't know what it is all about.

This crowd was sure voicing it so right on Palm Sunday.

The crowd oftentimes misses it by a mile.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Palm-Sunday.html 

What even is Palm Sunday? ... the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, before the cross Calvary, just one week before His resurrection.

What is the significance of the triumphal entry? 

https://www.gotquestions.org/triumphal-entry.html

Sup with the triumphal entry. That was the of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday, the Sunday before the crucifixion (John 12:1, 12).

What is Passion Week?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Passion-Week.html

Friday was so dark and bad for him but good for us.. Sunday was coming ..Resurrection Sunday

What is the meaning of hosanna? 

https://www.gotquestions.org/hosanna.html

Hosanna is a word used in some songs of praise, particularly on Palm Sunday. 

https://www.compellingtruth.org/Palm-Sunday.html

"Satan can make men dance upon the brink of hell as though they were on the verge of heaven." ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“When they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them…” — 1 Thessalonians 5:3

People can sincerely believe all is well—right up until.. they open their eyes and it really isn’t.

Lots of folk primarily seeking first what ought not to be sought first.. Lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God.

“…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…” — 2 Timothy 3:4

And of course not all pleasure is evil—but when pleasure becomes ultimate, it quietly replaces God.

Might look good for a time. The wide, easy road that outwardly looks and feels so right.

 

“Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction…” — Matthew 7:13

The crowd is often confident… and often wrong.

Blinded to the truth while thinking they see clearly

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers…” — 2 Corinthians 4:4

Of course not all dancing is wrong here, but the worldly like their own type of a jig: a “dance”—with blindness that feels like clarity to them.

Living for now only, forgetting God his Son, his top ten list and eternity.. 

“Take your ease… eat, drink, be merry.” But God said… ‘This night your soul will be required of you.’ — Luke 12:19–20

A perfect picture of someone building a “heaven on earth”… moments before meeting God.

Scoffing at judgment because life feels like a normal dance. 

“…they deliberately overlook this… the world… was deluged and perished.” — 2 Peter 3:3–7

God alone saves whom He chooses, but He told us to go share his gospel so we have a part with His Great Commission.

The Spirit gives life, the Son sets free, and we Can decide to repent and believe.. not earning it, cuz we contribute nothing of any good works to gain this indescribable gift, so that we forever give Him thanks and all the glory.  KnowGod org