What do you and I have in common? Perhaps there are some things that are so?

Q: Have you had a friendship, say a girl or boyfriend, or even perhaps a spouse in the past who became drawn to everything opposite of what you liked? You know, that started to believe the opposite of you in every area? Curious, what happened to that relationship? Who drifted away from who?

I stay close friends with on-fire believers who adhere to the Essentials of the Word, and might disagree in other areas. I also stay friends with carnal believers and lost folk (unregenerate inside) who ain't destructive and yet disagree with me in many areas ..if they act respectfully to my wife and family. But what do we have in common cuz friendships normally build on that?

Do you like what's really so (man, hopefully there are some truths we can agree on), or do you believe only that other stuff out there on the web?

You can discover more and more truth all your life as you use the CIA method of Bible study. The whole context? Proper interpretation (all the Scriptures help us with this), and wise applications?

Why is it important to study the Bible in context?
Is it ever appropriate to take a single verse of Scripture out of its context?
How can we know what parts of the Bible apply to us today?
What really is the key to applying the Bible to my life..is there a key?
What is the difference between interpretation and application?

Here's why you should trust the Bible and the Author.
What does the Bible say about trust?
Tell me how the Bible is reliable?
Do you trust God?
Here in the USA, we say “In God We Trust!" Are you a citizen?
What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all your heart?
Why should I trust God even when I don't understand who He really is?
Convince me please, is the Bible really trustworthy? Yes!

Are you doing okay? Good morning and thanks for being there. I hope your day goes really good -- even far better than all other days have ever gone. Why not. Need some prayer today (keeping it confidential, I can do that)?

Email Me

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Jesus loves you more than one can adequately explain in English.

What does it mean that joy comes in the morning?

Joy comes in the morning when we awaken to our purpose and see that even our wrongdoin's, sorrows, and confusion have become the foundation upon which God develops and builds.

"One great truth: in the end, God wins. So do those with Him." ~ Chuck Swindoll

So.. I say seek the Lord and His truth while He may be found. He is the truth.

Truth is not to become so complicated like those of the world like to make it seem. Overwrought and impractical.

Truth is clear, unchanging, edifying, helpful and it is anchored in God Himself.

The wise do not try to add to, take away from, twist or change truth—they simply submit to it.
And the center of all truth is not some mere ideas, but a Person: Jesus Christ. We can explain lots of truth things that don't go against the word as we depend upon the Holy Spirit.

You can be born again. You can then grow spiritually in the truth and in the grace from Christ.

Need some Anchoring Scriptures (some core foundational truths)?

John 14:6 — Christ is the Way, Truth, and Life
Proverbs 1:7 — Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge
Romans 1:18–25 — Truth suppressed, consequences of rejection
2 Timothy 3:16–17 — Scripture equips for every good work
James 1:22 — Be doers of the word, not hearers only
Hebrews 9:27 — It is appointed for man to die once, then judgment
Philippians 2:9–11 — Every knee will bow to Christ
Revelation 21:5 — “Behold, I am making all things new”

Plain Truths Are For Spiritual Growth in Christ.

Spiritual growth begins with honesty before God.
You cannot grow in grace while hiding from truth.
God meets the repentant heart before He meets the impressive one.
Growth in Christ is slow, steady, and real—not rushed or theatrical.
The Holy Spirit does not bypass truth to produce maturity; He uses truth.
Scripture is the soil where spiritual life grows strong.
Prayer is where truth becomes dependence.
Obedience is where truth becomes maturity.
Faith grows stronger every time it trusts God over feelings.
Maturity is measured by surrender, not knowledge alone.
The more you see Christ clearly, the more you see yourself rightly.
Self-awareness grows in the light of God’s presence.
God does not bless spiritual pride; He resists it. He delights to bless humble believers.
Humility is the attitude choice creating an atmosphere where loving grace flourishes.
A teachable heart grows faster than a gifted but proud heart.
The Christian life is not self-improvement; it is Spirit transformation.
Christ does not only call you to follow Him; He empowers you to do it.
Grace is not permission to remain the same; it is power to become new.
The Word of God corrects what culture confuses.
The Spirit of God strengthens what truth reveals.
The presence of God produces conviction, not comfort in sin.
Conviction is a gift that leads to cleansing.
Confession restores fellowship with God.
Unconfessed sin slows spiritual growth.
Repentance is not failure; it is returning to life.
Growth often begins where self-reliance ends.
God often deepens faith through weakness, not strength.
Trials are not interruptions; they are instructors.
Suffering can produce maturity that ease never will.
God uses pressure to produce endurance.
Endurance produces spiritual stability.
Stability produces usefulness in God’s hands.
A fruit-bearing life is usually a pruned life.
God removes what hinders so fruit can remain.
Silence before God often produces deeper hearing from God.
The more you walk with Christ, the less impressive sin becomes.
Sin loses its power when Christ becomes more beautiful.
Temptation weakens where worship strengthens.
Worship reorders the desires of the heart.
The mind becomes stable when it is filled with Scripture.
What you feed your mind shapes what you become.
A distracted soul struggles to grow in depth.
Focused devotion produces spiritual clarity.
Consistency matters more than intensity in spiritual growth.
One faithful step with God is more valuable than many emotional moments.
The mature believer returns quickly to God after failure.
Delay in repentance deepens spiritual damage.
God is near to the brokenhearted, not the self-satisfied.
Grace does not overlook sin; it conquers it through Christ.
The highest mark of spiritual maturity is a life that quietly reflects Jesus Christ.

Now go visit with the Lord, the Author of the Bible.

John 15:5 — “Apart from Me you can do nothing”
Romans 12:1–2 — Transformation by renewing the mind
James 1:2–4 — Trials producing endurance and maturity
Galatians 5:22–23 — Fruit of the Spirit
Psalm 51 — Repentance and restoration
Philippians 1:6 — God completing His work in us
Colossians 3:16 — Let the Word dwell richly
Hebrews 12:11 — Discipline producing righteousness
2 Corinthians 12:9 — Power made perfect in weakness

These verses are simply true.

Repent, believe in Jesus. Spiritual growth is not self-driven refinement—it is Christ in us as Lord. Then Christ's life is formed in a willing heart. The believer grows not by becoming more self-sufficient, but by becoming more dependent on Jesus daily, by following His lead. It's good to have be saturated in Scripture if we don't force it on people against their will. We want to become more responsive to the Holy Spirit, who is a gentleman, so to speak.

God is holy, man is sinful, Christ is Savior, and the response is repentance and faith.

Plain Truths for Those Who Do Not Yet Know Christ.

God is real, holy, and present whether we acknowledge Him or not.
Life is not random; it is created and sustained by God.
Every person will one day stand before God.
No one is judged by comparison to others, but by God's perfect standard.
Sin is not just weakness; it is rebellion against a holy God.
All people have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.
No amount of good works can erase even one sin.
God is both perfectly loving and perfectly just.
God does not ignore sin; He deals with it truthfully.
The greatest danger is not death of the body, but separation from God.
Human effort cannot bridge the gap between sinful man and holy God.
Religion cannot save a person; only God can save a person.
Jesus Christ is not one option among many; He is the only Savior God has given.
Jesus lived a sinless life that no one else has ever lived.
Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for sinners.
Jesus rose bodily from the dead, proving His victory over sin and death.
The resurrection is not symbolic; it is historical and foundational.
The cross is where God's justice and mercy meet.
God proved His love by giving His Son for sinners.
Christ did not come to improve good people, but to save lost sinners.
Salvation is a gift, not something earned.
Eternal life begins the moment a person trusts Christ.
Repentance means turning from sin toward God.
Faith means trusting Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
A changed heart is evidence of genuine conversion.
No one is too far gone for God's grace.
No sin is greater than the blood of Christ.
God welcomes all who come to Him through Jesus.
Pride keeps people from Christ; humility brings people to Him.
The gospel is not advice; it is a rescue announcement.
God is not far from anyone who seeks Him sincerely.
Delaying repentance is spiritually dangerous.
Today is the day of salvation.
Life is brief, eternity is not.
The world offers temporary pleasure; Christ offers eternal life.
A soul is worth more than the whole world.
You can gain everything and still lose your soul.
You can lose everything and still gain Christ.
Jesus calls people not just to believe facts, but to follow Him.
Following Christ means trusting Him as Lord and Savior.
Jesus does not compete for attention; He calls for surrender.
God does not force salvation; He offers it freely.
The invitation of Christ is real, urgent, and full of grace.
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires repentance.
The narrow road leads to life, though few find it.
The wide road is easy, but it ends in destruction.
Every person must choose what they will do with Jesus Christ.
Ignoring Christ is itself a decision with eternal consequence.
There is no greater wisdom than to repent and believe the gospel.
The greatest moment in a person’s life is when they turn from sin, trust Jesus Christ, and are made new by the grace of God.

Now see these Scriptures with those themes.

Romans 3:23 — All have sinned
Romans 6:23 — Wages of sin, gift of eternal life
John 3:16–18 — God’s love and salvation through Christ
John 14:6 — Jesus is the only way
Acts 4:12 — No other name under heaven by which we are saved
2 Corinthians 5:17–21 — New creation in Christ
Luke 19:10 — The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost
Hebrews 9:27 — Appointed to die once, then judgment
Isaiah 55:6–7 — Seek the Lord while He may be found

The Christian message is not complicated, but it is urgent for lost people:

God is holy. We are sinners. Christ is Savior. The cross is real. The resurrection is real. Forgiveness is offered. And every person must respond—by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Plain Truths for Staying Spiritually Alive in Christ.

Spiritual life is sustained by Christ, not by spiritual performance.
A warm heart toward God can grow cold when it stops abiding in Christ.
Zeal without truth becomes confusion; truth without love becomes hardness.
Jesus never calls His people to dead religion or careless freedom, but to living fellowship with Him.
The Christian life is not a system to master, but a Savior to follow.
Legalism replaces relationship with rules; Christ restores relationship with God.
Lukewarmness often begins when Christ becomes familiar but not treasured.
A heart that stops marveling at grace begins drifting toward dryness.
Spiritual fire is maintained by daily dependence on the Holy Spirit.
A prayerless Christian is a vulnerable Christian.
A Word-less Christian (non-witnessing) is a weakened Christian. Be a good witness and go tell.
A worship-less heart becomes easily distracted by lesser things.
The soul grows cold when Christ is no longer central.
Spiritual decline rarely happens suddenly; it happens slowly through neglect.
Small compromises eventually produce spiritual dullness.
Loving truth without loving Christ leads to pride.
Loving Christ without loving truth leads to instability. What you feel about the Bible is normally what a person often thinks about Jesus as well.
The healthiest believer loves both Christ and His Word deeply.
True devotion produces both humility and obedience.
God is not impressed by religious activity disconnected from the heart.
God is not honored by passion that ignores His truth.
The Holy Spirit produces both conviction and comfort in the believer.
Conviction without grace leads to despair; grace without conviction leads to compromise.
The gospel keeps both justice and mercy in view.
The cross humbles the strongest believer and lifts the weakest repentant sinner.
Spiritual maturity always produces greater dependence on Christ, not independence.
The more a believer grows, the more they realize their need for grace.
Pride is the first step toward spiritual decline.
Humility is the doorway to sustained spiritual vitality.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
A repentant heart is never far from revival.
Revival is not emotional excitement; it is restored love for God and obedience to His Word.
Spiritual dryness often signals a drift in attention, not a loss of God’s presence.
God has not moved when the heart feels distant.
Returning to Scripture often restores spiritual clarity.
Returning to prayer often restores spiritual warmth.
Returning to obedience often restores spiritual strength.
The Christian life is a daily return to Christ, not a one-time achievement.
Love for Jesus is strengthened through remembrance of His grace.
Gratitude protects the heart from spiritual apathy.
Joy in Christ weakens the pull of sin.
Sin grows attractive when Christ grows distant in our attention.
Holiness is not achieved by trying harder, but by abiding deeper.
Abiding in Christ produces fruit without striving for appearance.
God is more interested in depth than display.
A life hidden with Christ is never wasted.
Consistency in small obedience builds long-term spiritual strength.
Faithfulness in private prepares us for usefulness in public. Serving the Lord in secret does that for public ministry service. Become faithful in the smal things and He'll use you some more.
A believer stays spiritually alive by continually returning to Jesus.
The safest place for the soul is not spiritual intensity, but right in God's will with continual dependence on Christ. Sinners can kill the body, but ultimately your soul is safe in His hands for all eternity.

Now go see these words on this theme.

Revelation 3:15–20 — Warning against lukewarm faith
John 15:4–5 — Abiding in Christ
Galatians 5:16–25 — Walking in the Spirit
Romans 12:1–2 — Living sacrifice, renewed mind
James 4:6–10 — Humility and repentance
Psalm 51 — Restored joy and repentance
Hebrews 10:24–25 — Stirring one another toward love and good works
Colossians 3:1–4 — Setting the mind on Christ

Need an Insight for this stuff?

Spiritual vitality is not maintained by intensity alone, nor by structure alone—but by continual communion with Jesus Christ through His Word, His Spirit, repentance, and obedience.

The Christian does not stay warm by chasing fire, but by staying close to the One who is Himself the source of all spiritual life. Our God is a consuming fire. See Hebrews 12:29 and Deuteronomy 4:24.

Holiness with Purity. Righteous with sound Judgment always. Transcendent in Mighty Power--He can meet your every need!

I love to talk about the Lord and Scriptural truth that's applicable!

God cannot lie, it's not at all who He is.

God breathed out what's so -- His Word through human authors. Jesus Christ affirmed all of the Scriptures. Yes, and the Holy Spirit carried along the biblical writers.

* 2 Timothy 3:16–17 — "All Scripture is God-breathed..."
* 2 Peter 1:20–21 — Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
* Psalm 19:7–11 — The perfection and trustworthiness of God's law.
* Psalm 119 — The beauty, sufficiency, and life-giving power of God's Word.
* Isaiah 40:8 — "The grass withers... but the word of our God will stand forever."
* Matthew 4:1–11 — Jesus answered Satan with Scripture.
* Luke 24:27 — Jesus explained how the Scriptures point to Him.
* John 5:39 — The Scriptures bear witness about Christ.
* Hebrews 4:12 — The living and active Word of God.

If the books in my Bible don't follow a chronological arrangement, what was the order in which they were written?
The following list arranges the books of the Bible according to their most probable dates.

Old Testament

Job--Unknown
Genesis--1445-1405 B.C.
Exodus --1445-1405 B.C.
Leviticus --1445-1405 B.C.
Numbers--1445-1405 B.C.
Deuteronomy--1445-1405 B.C.
Psalms--1410-450 B.C.
Joshua--1405-1385 B.C.
Judges--ca. 1043 B.C.
Ruth--ca. 1030-1010 B.C.
Song of Solomon--971-965 B.C.
Proverbs--ca. 971-686 B.C.
Ecclesiastes--940-931 B.C.
1 Samuel--931-722 B.C.
2 Samuel--931-722 B.C.
Obadiah--850-840 B.C.
Joel--835-796 B.C.
Jonah--ca. 775 B.C.
Amos--ca. 750 B.C.
Hosea--750-710 B.C.
Micah--735-710 B.C.
Isaiah--700-681 B.C.
Nahum--ca. 650 B.C.
Zephaniah--635-625 B.C.
Habakkuk--615-605 B.C.
Ezekiel--590-570 B.C.
Lamentations--586 B.C.
Jeremiah--586-570 B.C.
1 Kings--561-538 B.C.
2 Kings--561-538 B.C.
Daniel 536-530 B.C.
Haggai--ca. 520 B.C.
Zechariah--480-470 B.C.
Ezra--457-444 B.C.
1 Chronicles--450-430 B.C.
2 Chronicles--450-430 B.C.
Esther--450-331 B.C.
Malachi--433-424 B.C.
Nehemiah--424-400 B.C.

New Testament

James--A.D. 44-49
Galatians--A.D. 49-50
Matthew--A.D. 50-60
Mark--A.D. 50-60
1 Thessalonians--A.D. 51
2 Thessalonians--A.D. 51-52
1 Corinthians--A.D. 55
2 Corinthians--A.D. 55-56
Romans-- A.D. 56
Luke--A.D. 60-61
Ephesians--A.D. 60-62
Philippians--A.D. 60-62
Philemon--A.D. 60-62
Colossians--A.D. 60-62
Acts--A.D. 62
1 Timothy--A.D. 62-64
Titus--A.D. 62-64
1 Peter--A.D. 64-65
2 Timothy--A.D. 66-67
2 Peter--A.D. 67-68
Hebrews--A.D. 67-69
Jude--A.D. 68-70
John--A.D. 80-90
1 John--A.D. 90-95
2 John--A.D. 90-95
3 John--A.D. 90-95
Revelation--A.D. 94-96

God breathed it out, the truth, so it is very trustworthy cuz that's exactly who He is. Its unity throughout all the pages reflects one divine Author. Its truth reflects His character. Its wisdom reflects His mind and heart. Its promises reflect His faithfulness. Its commands reflect His holiness. Its gospel reflects His love. And from Genesis to Revelation, its central theme is not merely a book, but a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ, the living Word, who leads us to the Father by grace through faith.

The Bible is trustworthy because its ultimate Author is the God who cannot lie.
Scripture is God's self-revelation, not man's speculation.
The Bible did not begin in the mind of man but in the heart and purpose of God.
God used many human writers, yet He spoke one unified message.
The Holy Spirit carried the writers of Scripture without canceling their individual personalities.
Every page of Scripture bears witness to the wisdom of its Author.
The Bible reveals a God greater than the imagination of man.
The Bible tells the truth about God because God tells the truth about Himself.
The Bible tells the truth about humanity because our Creator knows us perfectly.
Scripture exposes the human heart with uncomfortable accuracy.
The Bible never flatters sinners; it lovingly calls them to repentance.
God's Word wounds only to heal.
Scripture convicts in order to restore.
The same Bible that reveals our sin also reveals our Savior.
Every command of God is an expression of His wisdom.
Every promise of God rests upon His faithfulness.
Every warning of God is an act of His mercy.
God's Word never misleads those who humbly submit to it.
The Bible is not outdated because its Author is eternal.
Human opinions change; God's truth remains.
Cultures rise and fall, but God's Word stands forever.
Scripture does not follow history; it governs history under God's sovereign hand.
The Bible remains relevant because the human heart has not changed.
The deepest human need is still forgiveness through Christ.
God's answers remain true because God's character never changes.
The Bible explains not only where we came from, but why we are here.
Scripture tells us what no telescope, microscope, or laboratory can discover: who God is and how sinners may be reconciled to Him.
Science can describe creation; Scripture reveals its Creator.
Creation displays God's power; Scripture declares His saving purpose.
Nature speaks of God's glory; the Bible speaks of His redeeming grace.
The Lord Jesus treated Scripture as the final authority.
Christ answered temptation with, "It is written."
Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures rather than setting them aside.
To trust Christ is to trust the Word He affirmed.
The Holy Spirit who inspired Scripture also illumines it to believing hearts.
The Bible is best understood with a humble, obedient heart.
A closed, dusty (neglected) Bible often leads to a wandering heart. Why take a stride from the Master's side -- that's mornonic? A worn-out, non-dusty Bible is a sure sign of a life that is not.
An open Bible often leads to a renewed mind.
The believer grows strongest where Scripture dwells richly.
Prayerfully reading the Bible informs and illuminates the mind.
Believing the Bible ..praying over what you read.. anchors the soul.
Obeying the Bible transforms the life.
Sharing the Bible blesses others.
Loving the Bible draws us closer to its Author.
The goal of Bible study is not merely information but transformation.
Every page ultimately points to the real Jesus Christ.
The more we know Scripture, the more clearly we know its Author.
The more clearly we know its Author, the more deeply we trust Him.
The more deeply we trust Him, the more joyfully we obey Him.
The greatest treasure in the Bible is not simply its wisdom, its history, or its poetic and other beauty, but the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all Scripture ultimately points to and bears witness of. He meets us in there when we listen with an open heart and pray.

I say we walk with and be close friends with Him. No other friendship compares to this. Would you candidly pray something like this and mean it...

Lord Jesus, forgive me and enter in--make me a blessing rather than a bummer to be around. Wear me like a suit of clothes, so to speak. Fill me, use me, guide me, and keep me, God. Make me a vessel of honor rather than of dishonor. In your name, Amen.

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

The sky is blue, God is true, His Gospel Message is simple.. and surely we can agree on the very basics of life..correct? Sure, I mean of what's 100% so. (Part 4)