It’s Not About How You Feel, 1 Thessalonians 4:5

I love Buddy with all my heart, but some mornings I’m tired and want to be left to myself. But I have to get up and walk Buddy, as we live in a condo with only a balcony. Then I prepare his breakfast and pills before my own. Some days I just don’t feel like doing it, but Buddy is my responsibility.

Similarly, there’s times when our feelings don’t match up with God’s commands. As Christians we’re under grace and not the Law, but God’s rules still work to help us lead happier and more prosperous lives. We’re also commanded not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and we do that by not listening to Him and disobeying His leading.

One area people are particularly susceptible to disobey God and follow their feelings is in the area of sexual relationships. God’s commands demand one behavior, but our feelings pull us strongly toward a relationship, or behavior, we know displeases God.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God…Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”—the Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 8

Now as Christians we can still choose to disobey God and, thereby, grieve the Holy Spirit; since He indwells the believer, we’ll be miserable till we repent. We still have free will as believers.

But we are supposed “to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).”

Do we please God by following our passions? Because feelings are not only fleeting but changeable.

Or by obeying His Word, the Bible?

God promises that we’re blessed when we obey Him:

“But without faith it’s impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6

I’m thinking about this because in the past I tried so-called Christian dating sites and the majority of the men wanted to engage in premarital sex, which God expressly forbids (Hebrews 13:4). So I left the sites.

Every day, as believers, we can choose to disobey God and be miserable—or defy our feelings, obey God, and be blessed.

It’s all a matter of whether we trust God more than our feelings.

He loves us. And wants to lead us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3).

God forgives our sin. We can always confess our sin and choose to repent and get back onto the right path.

It’s all a matter of: Do you want to be miserable?

Or content, knowing God is in control and not your feelings?

It’s all up to you—and me.

And the Holy Spirit. We’re not left alone in our struggle.

“Blessed be the Lord , because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.”—Psalm 28:6-7

Prayer, honest conversation, and singing praises helps a lot.

And maybe a brisk walk.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

If you do what you know is is wrong, but don’t feel God’s Holy Spirit convicting you, then you should truly examine your heart whether you actually believe Jesus is God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), died for your sins (1 Peter 2:24), and rose bodily from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Please don’t let pride get in the way of recognizing the truth about yourself. God loves you and wants to be your Lord and best friend. Jesus promises never to leave nor forsake His followers (Hebrews 13:5). But you must submit to His authority to be saved. The demons believe that Jesus is God and rose from the dead, but they aren’t saved.

Don’t be like the demons. Choose life obeying Jesus instead.

If you’re ready to receive Jesus, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for grieving You and ask for forgiveness of my sins. I also ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe that He is God, died for my sins, and rose bodily from the dead. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And show me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. And please start reading the Bible as it’s your soul food and the main way God speaks to you. And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized.

If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that‘s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

God bless you as you start your new life in Christ.

Substituting their righteousness for His, Romans 10:3

Buddy was unhappy about being confined to the loft, so he pouted by staring into the mirror. He is losing his depth perception and must wait for me to pick him up and carry him down the staircase to the main living area. He would rather roam freely in our condo, doing what he wants when he wants.

The ancient Jewish religious leaders–the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes–rejected Jesus because they believed that their own works made them righteous in God’s sight. Although they diligently searched the scriptures about the coming Messiah, they missed recognizing Him when He stood in front of them, although He’d performed many miracles and fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies. They were awaiting a Messiah Who would rescue them from oppression by the Roman Empire; they weren’t looking for a Savior Who would rescue them from their sins.

Their pride prevented from realizing they weren’t righteous enough to earn their way to heaven. God’s standard for holiness is perfection (Matthew 5:48). They believed that because they kept the Laws of Moses, they had God’s favor.

But they didn’t.

Their self-righteousness caused them to reject the very Messiah they eagerly awaited.

“For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”–Apostle Paul, Romans 10:3

Today it’s still pride that keeps people from recognizing their own need for a Savior. They think they can earn their way into heaven by being good enough, whatever “good enough” is. They create their own moral code, neglecting to realize that they aren’t little gods who get to write the laws of the universe.

Satan also believed that he could replace god and write his own rules of behavior. Because he wanted to be worshipped and make the rules, he rebelled against God, falsely believing that He could knock the Almighty off of His throne (Isaiah 14:12-17).

It surprises me that people believe they can reject God’s rules, create their own moral code, and live however they want, then believe God must accept them into heaven to live with Him for eternity when they’ve rebelled against Him their entire lives. They don’t realize that the rules they hate still apply in Heaven, and the people they despise who follow the Lord and attempt to obey His rules will be in Heaven.

In other words, Heaven would be Hell for people who think they’re good and can create their own moral code. And don’t need to listen to some Almighty God telling them what to do.

Satan must’ve been a great speaker as he persuaded a third of the angels to rebel against their Maker.

Similarly, our postmodern Western culture has persuaded many to believe that there is no Almighty Creator and that they can make up their own rules of what good behavior is, what’s right and wrong.

We’re seeing right now how poorly that’s working out as our culture continues to disintegrate and technology increasingly threatens our liberty and freedom to move freely, to think and speak freely, and to protest against corruption and tyranny.

Or as Pastor Brandon Holthaus describes it: “Our Western culture is circling the drain.” (https://youtu.be/Hu-sL5iwKxo?si=5nmPDPFoZwwo1HQy)

Just as the ancient religious leaders rejected Jesus as a Savior from their sins, sadly, many also do the same today.

But this lesson also applies to Christians in this way:

You can never be good enough through your own works righteousness. You need to remind yourself frequently that Jesus has clothed you with His robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). It’s never about how good you are, but how good He is. Jesus loved us so much that He died for our sins–all of them–because we can never be good enough to please Him. We want to please Him because our spirit is united with Christ through the Holy Spirit, and we now have an undying love for Him (Ephesians 6:24). But thinking we have to be perfect keeps us running on the hamster wheel of works righteousness till we exhaust ourselves emotionally; therefore, physical and spiritual exhaustion follows. He wants us to rejoice in how sweet, kind, and gentle He is.

“For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”–Jesus, Matthew 11:30

Rejoice today in how much Jesus loves you.

It’s not about being perfect, but how much He loves you by wanting to live with you forever. And to hear your prayers. He’s the only friend Who always has time to listen.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Maybe you’re unhappy because you’re trying to be your own god instead of submitting your life to the Lord and trusting in His guidance.

Jesus is omniscient and omnipresent. He sees the future. What seems the right course of action to a person may actually be leading toward disaster. Only God knows where a chosen path will lead.

Jesus died to pay for your sins. He lived a perfect life as a human being so that He could pay for the sins of others, having no sin of His own to be punished for. After His crucifixion, He rose from the dead to prove that He is also God, that He has the power over death.

You don’t have to continue living a life of regret and defeat. But becoming a Christian doesn’t guarantee health and wealth, as false preachers claim, but does set you onto a new path leading away from self-destructive behavior.

A new Christian is like a baby: You’ll crawl, then totter on wobbly legs till you learn to walk steady. I’m encouraging you to give your life to Jesus, because it’s wonderful to be in relationship with God. But I also want you not to get discouraged after doing so. It takes time to learn about God’s love for you and how He works.

Are you ready to make Jesus your Savior from sin and your Lord, the God Who rules your life? If so, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be both my Savior and Lord, my moral authority. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I want to learn to trust You. Thank You for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Lord, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. You should begin to experience new attitudes and a desire to obey Jesus as you’ve been given a new heart by the power of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. You’re starting to walk a new path in life, so please be patient with yourself as you learn and grow in the knowledge of the Lord.

Please start reading the Bible daily. And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching until you know what the Bible teaches fairly well.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Milking The Parable One More Time! Luke 11:29-30

Buddy resting in his cube.

Buddy can rest in the privacy of his cube knowing that he is loved and cared for. When he became my fur pal, it was for life.

I want to return to the prodigal one more time and milk a new point that I haven’t heard from preachers before.

You might be familiar with this parable Jesus told: A father had two sons. The younger son asked for his inheritance early; although such a request was dishonorable in that culture, his father honored the request. The younger son ran off to waste his money on “loose living (vs 13).” After impoverishing himself to the point of near starvation and demeaning, employment, he returned home, expecting to be treated by his father as a hired employee and disowned.

However, the father was so overjoyed that his son repented of his wicked behavior and showed new respect, that he threw his once wayward son a party.

The older son had been laboring away in his father’s field, not living it up; he was building up his father’s estate and his future inheritance. In anger he refused to accept his father’s invitation to the party to celebrate his brother’s return home.

“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours…but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’”—Luke 15:29-30

Get to the point, Dawn! We already know the story!

The older son believed he was more worthy of his father’s love because he worked for it. He believed he had earned his father’s love, but his younger brother hadn’t measured up. This passage is often preached on as a contrast between the legalistic believer who thinks he earns his salvation through good works, verses the person who realizes his salvation is through grace alone and cannot be earned, and that our Heavenly Father loves those with repentant hearts.

But also…

The older brother wasn’t the only one hard at work in the fields. He wasn’t taking care of his father’s estate and property by himself: The father had “hired men (vs 17).”

The older brother was equating his hard work with his worth in his father’s eyes.

But there were other men laboring hard for his father, also.

But the difference in the workers wasn’t how hard they were laboring, but their status in the father’s eyes.

You see, my dear reader, your value in the Heavenly Father’s eyes isn’t dependent on how hard you labor in his field.

You’re valuable to the Father because you’re His child,…

regardless of how you think your work is measuring up compared to those “superior” older brothers.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.”—Apostle John, 1 John 3:1

Hope you find this message encouraging.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Maybe you’re unhappy because you’re trying to live life apart from the loving embrace of your Heavenly Father who has rules of living to protect people. After all, He’s the one Who created us and knows the instruction manual.

Jesus is omniscient and omnipresent. He sees the future. What seems the right course of action to a person may actually be leading toward disaster. Only God knows where a chosen path will lead.

Jesus died to pay for your sins. He lived a perfect life as a human being so that He could pay for the sins of others, having no sin of His own to be punished for. After His crucifixion, He rose from the dead to prove that He is also God, that He has the power over death.

You don’t have to continue living a life of regret and defeat. But becoming a Christian doesn’t guarantee health and wealth, as false preachers claim, but does set you onto a new path leading away from self-destructive behavior.

A new Christian is like a baby: You’ll crawl, then totter on wobbly legs till you learn to walk steady. I’m encouraging you to give your life to Jesus, because it’s wonderful to be in relationship with God. But I also want you not to get discouraged after doing so. It takes time to learn about God’s love for you and how He works.

Are you ready to make Jesus your Savior from sin and your Lord, the God Who rules your life? If so, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be both my Savior and Lord, my moral authority. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I want to learn to trust You. Thank You for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Lord, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. You should begin to experience new attitudes and a desire to obey Jesus as you’ve been given a new heart by the power of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. You’re starting to walk a new path in life, so please be patient with yourself as you learn and grow in the knowledge of the Lord.

Please start reading the Bible daily. And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching until you know what the Bible teaches fairly well.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Changing Your Focus, Psalm 107

As many of you now know, Buddy is a rescue who was abused for three years before I adopted him—furever! At first he was terrified of me, but gradually his focus moved from his awful past to his present life full of love with his new family.

I bought a pocket-sized NASB version of only the Book of Psalms, so that I could focus reading a few chapters every morning without pulling out a heavy book.

Most people focus on Psalm 23. It’s a wonderful Psalm by the ancient king of Israel, David. But there are many other marvelous Psalms that are also worthy of our meditation and focus.

Please join me in culling some of the wonderful gems in the 43 verses of chapter 107 in the Book of Psalms.

Primarily, the Psalm describes the various ways that people get themselves into trouble by acting without God in their lives. But when they acknowledge their need for the Lord’s help, He responds to their cries.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is forever.”—Verse one

It’s basically a Psalm about how kind God is, rescuing us from our own self-imposed troubles. Unlike Satan, He doesn’t kick us when we’re down, but responds to sincere cries for help.

1. Verse two discusses how God redeems us “from the hand of the adversary.” The Lord Jesus came in the flesh, which is celebrated on Christmas Day, to live a perfect life and redeem us—buy us back—out of Satan’s realm of darkness and transfer us into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13) by dying for our sins.

We cannot earn this salvation; it is freely given to us when we call upon the name of the Lord to save us (Romans 10:13).

And throughout the Psalm, people call on God for help, which He freely gives to them.

2. Verses 4-9 describes people who are wandering “in a desert region” and in great physical distress. They were lost, unable to find an inhabited city to get help. Unable to get human aid, they turned to God, acknowledging they needed God’s rescue—and “He led them also by a straight way, to go to an inhabited city”.

Which reminds me of everyone’s favorite Psalm:

“He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His namesake.”—Psalm 23:3

When we follow God’s path, we discover that the Good Shepherd’s ways lead out of the confusion in the desert of sin and into green pastures of peace and safety.

3. Verses 11-16 describe people who are enslaved by sin and unable to free themselves. They’re miserable because “they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore, He humbled their heart with labor…”

Consequences for sinful behavior are an act of love from God. It causes us to realize our need for Him, to change our destructive behavior, so He allows us to suffer the result of our sin, so that we’ll come to our senses and acknowledge our need to follow Him and not our own desires. When the people in Psalm 107 finally realized, once again, that human effort couldn’t rescue them, they called out to God, who shattered their chains of sin.

4. Verses 17-22 describe people who became seriously ill: “Fools, because of their rebellious way, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.” But when they acknowledged their sin and repented, how did God help?

“He sent His word and healed them.”—verse 20

Deceased Pastor Norman Peale had many different persons approach him, as detailed in his various books, with serious ailments of various sorts that caused them great suffering and interfered with their careers. What the Pastor often discovered is that these men engaged in serious sin, such as adultery. Their guilt and wickedness was the root cause of their illness and setbacks. Once they confessed their sin, acknowledging their need to follow God’s moral rules and stop rebelling, they became healthy—mentally, physically, and spiritually.

God’s word, the Bible, sometimes is the cure for what afflicts us. He gives us instruction, insight, and hope through the promises in the Scriptures.

5. Verses 23-32 describe men engaged in commerce, who “do business on great waters.” But they encountered a great storm which caused them great fear and distress. But when they called on the Lord to save them, “He caused the storm to be still.”

Sometimes we get busy conducting business, searching for wealth or fame, and forget to include God in our lives. Then we encounter obstacles which are totally beyond our control, which reminds us to seek God.

And, God graciously rescues us.

6. Verses 33-38 describes how God can curse the efforts of wicked people, but bless the labor of good people. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the way is death (Proverbs 14:12).” Sometimes our efforts are not succeeding because we’re compromising our moral integrity. If you’re a child of God, He may delay blessing you till you repent and commit to acting with moral integrity.

7. Lastly, verses 39-42 describe how sometimes we suffer because of the wickedness of other people who oppress us in some way, particularly those in high positions of power. But God graciously delivers us.

Why?

“Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindness of the Lord.”—verse 43

May we always seek God in time of need, Who has the power to deliver us from circumstances and people too mighty for us to combat alone.

And from our own sin.

Please consider pointing unbelievers to this wonderful Psalm, which describes the many ways God will deliver people from the consequences of sin, if they’re willing to acknowledge their need for a Savior.

And recognize that He’s good.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

“Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13

It doesn’t matter what kind of trouble you’re in, God is good and loves you. He’s willing to forgive your sin and rescue you from bondage to the Kingdom of Darkness.

He doesn’t discriminate. No matter how far you’ve wandered in the desert, He’s willing to respond to your cries for rescue if you’re willing to repent and call on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

Lord: your moral authority and King of your life and

Savior: The one Who died for your sins, taking the punishment you deserve.

No need to get your act together first. Just humble acknowledgment of your need for Him. He knows about it all anyway, so why not confess your need to be delivered from self-destructive behavior?

He loves you and is eager to hear you call out to Him.

After I gave my life to the Lord, the Holy Spirit told me that, “He knew every sin I’ve ever committed, but still loves me very much.”

God already knows you cannot be good. Your sin doesn’t shock Him, regardless of how bad you think it is. He wants to rescue you—if you’ll only call out to Him.

Why not invite Him into your life right now? Don’t delay. Tomorrow is never promised to us.

Please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, and confess that He died for my sins so that I don’t have to be punished for them. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I need Your help in my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs food daily to be nourished, so does your soul.

And start attending a Bible-based church or Bible Study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled or follow bad teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Loved Just As You Are, Psalm 69:5, 16-17

Fall trim: Fruity

Buddy’s so adorable when he’s a big fur ball, but about three times a year he gets professionally groomed. When he’s trimmed, as above, I nickname him “Fruity,” because his trimmed face resembles a fruit bat.

Fruit bat image from Doi.gov

(I tried to find a tan bat but couldn’t locate the best one to illustrate my point.)

Although Buddy looks very different trimmed, we still love him and consider him adorable. Even when he acts like a little stinker (or smells like one on occasion), he’s still a beloved member of our family.

King David trusted that, even though God knew he was a sinner, his Heavenly Father could still be counted on to deliver him from his enemies in a time of need:

“O God, it is You who knows my folly, and my wrongs are not hidden from You….Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; according to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me, and do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; answer me quickly.”—Psalm 69:5, 16-17

Because we’re born again, indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16), we greatly desire to obey and please Jesus. But although our spirits and hearts have been renewed, we still have minds programmed and influenced by the world, the flesh, Satan, and our past history. It’s why the Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).”

Because we’re aware of our sin, we sometimes balk at bringing our prayer requests before the Lord, because we feel unworthy. We want to clean up our act firstly before coming to Him.

But here’s the BIG TRUTH many Christians forget or legalism prevents us from considering:

WE’RE NEVER WORTHY.

It’s why Christ had to die to atone for the sins of humanity (John 3:16), because only a spotless lamb was an acceptable sacrifice for sin (Exodus 12:5, 1 Peter and 1:19). We are never seen as spotless, free of sin, before we confess our sins and come into relationship with Jesus. Then, clothed with the blood sacrifice of Christ, we become beloved children of God (Galatians 3:26).

The Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthian church for their sinful behavior: drunkenness at communion, tolerating incest, dividing into camps based upon which apostle they followed rather than Christ, etc. They were immature in their behavior and not doing a good job of submitting to God in the sanctification process.

Yet, the Apostle Paul begins his two letters to the Corinthian church greeting them as saints: 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 2:2 and brethren (1 Corinthians 2:1, 3:1, 2 Corinthians 1:8) and, also:

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; you are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.”—2 Corinthians 3:2-3

He gently rebukes them for their sin, calling for repentance, reminding them that they are God’s children who are to love others and shine the light of Christ into this dark world.

But he continues to love them and call them fellow believers—because they are born again by the Holy Spirit of God.

My dear brother or sister in Christ, always call upon Jesus in your time of need. He knows that it’s impossible for you to meet the perfect standard of righteousness that the Law requires (Matthew 5:48).

Call on Him with humility and sincerity as He loves you.

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”—Apostle John, 1 John 4:10

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Everyone is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27), but only those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and become born again are His children:

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”—Apostle John, John 1:12-13

You may not have heard this before as our culture teaches that every person is a child of God—but it isn’t true. Only those in relationship with the Father through the Son are children of God.

Every human is made in His image, which gives precious value to everyone. So treasured are humans that He sent His Son to live a perfect life, taking on human flesh, then die on a cross to take the punishment for our sins instead of us. He rose bodily from the grave on the Third Day, proving that He is God and can give eternal life to those who repent and ask Him to be their God.

If you believe this but haven’t joined God’s family yet, will you please pray the following prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please change my heart and life by granting that Your Holy Spirit lives within me. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me. Thank You for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations: You’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your spiritual soul food. Just as your body needs food every day to stay healthy, so does your soul.

And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by bad teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you as you make a new start in life. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Do You Have God’s Entrance Ticket Into Heaven? Matthew 7:21-23

Alert but not wanting to get up.

I’ve never tested this out, but I’d guess that if I called out “Buddy!” to a crowd of dogs, only my Buddy would respond, even though the name is common. (I didn’t get to name him as he was adopted as a three-year-old.) The other Buddys would be listening for the unique voice of their own master.

I was hoping that my dad’s neighbor would lead him to Christ one day, as they get along so well that you’d swear it was the same guy talking but duplicated. They have a great, budding friendship.

But when speaking to this neighbor a week ago, I was distressed that he claimed to be a Christian, yet likely is not.

Jesus spoke about people who believed they would enter heaven but would be surprised to be denied entrance, as His disciple Matthew recorded in Matthew 7:21:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.’”

Sadly, there are going to be many people who will have an unpleasant surprise on Judgment Day.

Now, it’s between a person and Jesus to know what’s in their heart.

And what is the Father’s will in order to be saved? Jesus explained this, also, as recorded by the Apostle John in John 6:28-29:

“Therefore, they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”

The people denied entrance into heaven, as described by Jesus in Matthew, protested that they had done good deeds and performed many wonderful works in His name (Matthew 7:22). They deserved to enter heaven!

How did Jesus respond to their protestations and justifications of good works?

“I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”—Matthew 7:23

God is so holy, there is not one person who can meet His standard to enter His presence in Heaven, which is perfection (Matthew 5:48).

God doesn’t grade on a curve. The cutoff point is perfection to enter heaven or not perfect to go to Hell.

Pretty harsh, right?

But think how unfair it’d be if He did grade on a curve? For instance, say a person lies 99 times and is admitted into Heaven, but another lies 100 times but is sent to everlasting Hell. Is that fair? Out by one lie?

My dad’s friend alarmed me because he believes there are other ways to heaven than through Jesus; you just have to be a good person.

But that’s not what Jesus taught.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”—John 14:6

If you could earn your way into Heaven by being good, then how good do you need to be? How do you know where the cutoff point is? How can you ever have the peace Jesus promises to give His followers (John 14:27) that eliminates fear?

You couldn’t.

And if you could earn your way into Heaven, then why would Jesus need to die for our sins? He could’ve avoided the excruciatingly painful death on the Cross and just let us try to be good, with His guiding principles.

Jesus declared Himself to be “the life,” because it’s only through Jesus that your dead, sinful spirit can be resurrected to supernatural life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit alone is your ticket into Heaven.

And He gives His supernatural resurrection life to those who ask.

Because it’s impossible to be good enough to meet the Father’s standard of perfection.

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;”—the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 64:6

One ticket to enter Heaven.

And freely available to everyone who is humble enough to ask, whether a toddler or a man dying and gasping out his last breaths.

As the thief on his own cross, crucified next to Jesus, who acknowledged his sin and declared his faith in Jesus as he was dying. And Jesus promised he would be in Paradise that day with Him (Luke 23:43).

If you’re running on the hamster wheel of good works, trying to earn God’s love: relax. You already have it if you’ve confessed your sins and acknowledged Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Rest and rejoice in His love as one of His children.

If you think you can earn your way into heaven—you’re deceived. You can never be good enough. Which is good news, because you don’t have to clean up your act first to get saved. Just pray the prayer below the ***.

Don’t cross that great divide thinking you’re good enough. Not even Job met the standard, and God declared him to be the most righteous man on the earth (Job 1:8). When Job tried to justify himself before God, claiming that he didn’t deserve such punishment, the Almighty rebuked him.

In summary: There is only one ticket to heaven.

Not good deeds.

But the Holy Spirit, given freely to those who ask.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”—Jesus, Luke 11:13

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

To receive resurrection life you must:

Admit you are a sinner.

God is the boss, not you.

Jesus is your Lord, God in the flesh, who died for your sins and was resurrected bodily from the grave on the third day to give you life.

If you’re ready to start a new path in life, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive my sin. Thank you for sending Jesus to take the punishment that my sin deserves. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to you. Show me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily; it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul.

Also, please join a Bible-believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by bad teaching or legalism if you don’t know what the Bible teaches fairly well.

God bless you.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Running Away From Love, 1 John 4:18, Part One

Buddy truly is the strangest fur pal I’ve ever lived with. He comes up to me to say hello, then runs away when I bend over to hug or pet him. His predecessor, Buster, loved being held or carried. When I had abdominal surgery, he crawled up onto the couch without any encouragement to lie next to me until I recovered. I still treasure the photo of us lying together on the couch.

What likely caused the difference in their reactions to my attempts at expressing my love to them?

Their puppy years.

Buster was adopted at eight weeks old. He was a bit of an instigator, leading the other puppies into trouble, so his owner released him two weeks early to my family. Buster knew only hugs, cuddles, kisses and affection as he grew into adulthood.

However, Buddy was mistreated for three years till I adopted him from his foster mom who had rescued him from an abusive situation. Based upon Buddy’s behavior, he must’ve been kicked whenever he stood still or his food was snatched away before he could eat it. He still won’t eat his food if anyone is looking at him, as if fearful it’ll be taken away.

Which is weird as I’m the one buying his expensive, healthy food, snacks and other supplements to ensure his health is as good as possible.

Similarly, the majority of people run away from God, even though He’s the Creator of everything, and every sentient being, that exists. Every breath is a gift of life from Him.

The Apostle John put his finger on one of the major issues with accepting His love:

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.“—1 John 4:18

Two dogs with the same loving owner, yet with two very different reactions when that love is expressed.

Unfortunately, God is often misrepresented by the church. People are told, “You cannot measure up to God’s perfect standard, so Jesus died to pay for your sins to meet that standard for you…”

Then, after they’ve asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, they’re told: “Now that you’re saved, you better behave at all times AND your motives better be right too, or God will punish you. He’s standing there with a big stick, waiting to smack you one if you get out of line.“

Christians are taught to be afraid of God, because they’re still fearing punishment. And maybe they’ll even lose their salvation if they cross that line, angering God one too many times.

In other words: You cannot keep the Law before you were saved, but you can keep it now with the Holy Spirit’s help.

So, Christians try really hard to behave and when they eventually fall short, they get discouraged and give up “trying to be good,” or fall prey to Satan’s condemnation, because our enemy always loves to kick us when we’re down. Or, they put on the self-righteous smiley face, hoping they are fooling everybody with how good they are at obeying God, while knowing deep down they’re really hypocrites who cannot measure up, while others think they’re hypocrites because nobody’s perfect.

But what is the cure for being afraid of God?

“We love Him because He first loved us.”—1 John 4:19

God sent His Son Jesus to live amongst sinful, imperfect people for over 33 years. He came, not only to pay for our sins, voluntarily suffering a humiliating and excruciatingly painful death on the cross, but also, I believe, because we just couldn’t “get Him.”

The ancient Israelites could never truly trust that God loved and wanted to bless them. One example is that He delivered them from Egyptian bondage then took them on a roundabout route to the Promised Land so that they wouldn’t encounter warfare too soon. He even sent them out, loaded with gifts from the Egyptians, but they still grumbled and refused to enter the Promised Land when He asked them to. Eventually, they entered and were given an abundantly blessed land, with vineyards, fields, and homes already built by those God helped them displace, yet they continually rebelled against His rule and followed other false gods, even sacrificing their children to Molech.

Jesus became God incarnate (Matthew 1:23) to demonstrate His love for us. He healed the sick, fed thousands, comforted sinners, cast demons out of people, and suffered for our sins. He showed how much He loves us imperfect people.

God isn’t eager to punish us when we get out of line. Jesus already took our punishment. It’s been my experience that the Holy Spirit convicts me and warns me to change a certain behavior. He only allows consequences reluctantly if I don’t change course. He’s not eager to “bring down the hammer” on me. He gives me time to repent. It’s my own stubbornness and rebellion that brings me trouble.

Now, I’m not advocating that personal experience replace Biblical teaching, but I believe my experiences confirm what the Bible teaches, not that I get my theology from experience. (Which is likely pastors often warn not to get your theology from the Book of Acts as it’s a history.)

“But God, Who comforts the depressed…”—Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 7:6

It’s also my experience that God is mindful of our emotions. He doesn’t crush my spirit by slamming me with a list of my sins and expect me “to clean up my act all at once”. He reveals them one by one, peeling away my sins like peeling away the layers of an onion. I deal with one, then He reveals something else to work on. In fact, if I ever succumb to proud thoughts, such as, “I’m doing pretty good this week,” the Holy Spirit will point something out and then I’m horrified. I’m never “good” compared to a Holy, perfect God.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”—Apostle Paul, Ephesians 4:30

I loved Buster dearly and I love Buddy, despite their faults. I would never reject either of them. I look forward to seeing Buster and all my fur pals in heaven one day—and maybe even being raptured with Buddy, if the Lord returns soon.

The Lord doesn’t want us to grieve Him by acting sinfully, as it brings harm to us and others.

But we are “sealed for the day of redemption”. God will never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He’s not going to reject His imperfect children.

We don’t need to be afraid of God. Or run away from Jesus, fearing He’s out to get us.

We can find forgiveness, help, comfort, encouragement and loving correction from a Father Who loves us.

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. Once again, I intended to be brief. But I guess it’s difficult for me to do so!

***

We’re living in an age of grace. God’s love is freely available to everyone who accepts it. But He won’t force a relationship with you. He wants you to voluntarily ask Him to be your God and Savior. He desires you to accept His authority in your life, because then you’ll leave the kingdom of darkness for His kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13-14). Which is greatly to your benefit.

There’s so much more that could be said, but are you willing to accept God as your Father, Who guides, comforts, corrects and loves you?

If so, please repeat the following prayer, out loud if possible:

Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. I want to live in the light of Your love and leave the kingdom of darkness. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please grant me Your Holy Spirit. I want to live for You. And show me how much You love me. Teach me not to be afraid of You, even when you’re forced to correct my behavior. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus, Who took the punishment my sins deserved, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s good for your soul. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible Study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled or bound by legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

(A bit of a delay in posting as Buddy is demanding butt scritches, which is very unusual.)

Christian Memes, 2 Peter 3:9

Don’t go without me!

After living together for nearly thirteen years, I can usually interpret Buddy’s looks. This one says, “Where are you going? Aren’t you taking me along?”

There are times, however, when Buddy is staring at me or one of my parents and we are just clueless why.

Sometimes it seems like Christian pastors start communicating a similar message at the same time.

On YouTube it seemed that the most popular preachers were all talking about idols. Then more recently it was, “You need to say certain exact words to be saved.” (Franklin Graham’s testimony easily refutes this argument.) Now it appears to be, “God doesn’t love the sinners He sends to Hell. He loathes them because they’re evil.”

But what does the Lord say in His word?

Ezekiel 18:23 says, “‘Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?’ declares the sovereign Lord. ‘Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?’ (NIV)”

After being whipped to the point of having His flesh torn off his back, spit upon, mocked, beaten and then crucified, Jesus asked, on behalf of His wicked persecutors, while hanging in agony on the Cross:

“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they’re doing.”—Luke 23:34

And, Jesus lamented the refusal of many of the Jewish people to recognize Him as their Messiah. He did not wish them harm, but, rather, was sorrowful about the consequences of not recognizing that their Lord had dwelt among them:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling.”—Matthew 23:37

Certainly, there’s no doubt that God hates sin and cannot tolerate it in His holy presence. But He sent Jesus to die an agonizing death to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He could’ve abandoned the human race and let us destroy ourselves, or allow genetic entropy to to take its course. But He chose, out of His love for us, to find a way to reconcile sinful humanity back into fellowship with the Godhead.

The Old Testament is filled with examples of God’s unwillingness to punish the Jewish people, despite repeated rebellion. He patiently asks them to repent multiple times before His hand is forced to discipline them to force a repentant spirit.

God doesn’t hate his creation, made in His own image (Genesis 1:27). I believe it grieves him every time a person dies without accepting Jesus as the sin sacrifice for their sins, refusing to repent and acknowledge God is the Lord through His Son Jesus Christ (Romans 5:10).

Some differ from my opinion.

But I think the Apostle Peter summarizes it nicely:

“The Lord is not slow about keeping His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”—2 Peter 3:9

Oh, sometimes why can’t the church stick to talking about the basics, as so many Christians nowadays don’t understand what salvation is.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

The Lord loves you. I had a family friend once tell me that, “The church ceiling would collapse if I walked into the building.” No! God will be excited if someone realizes they were a sinner, needing Jesus, and walked into one of His church buildings to hear about Jesus and God’s love for us all.

Jesus was killed because the self-righteous religious leaders refused to acknowledge their sin and need for a savior. Jesus rebuked them saying that sinners would enter the gates of heaven before the self-righteous: “‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will get into the kingdom of heaven before you.’”—Matthew 21:31

God is looking for people who admit they aren’t good people and need His forgiveness. Hell will be full of “good” people who think they’re perfect enough to earn their way to heaven. But nobody can be perfect enough to meet God’s standard of entry: perfection (Matthew 5:48).

So, if you think you’re a bad person, congratulations. God is waiting for you to ask Him into your life and start walking a new and better path with Jesus!

I did so and have never regretted it.

So, if you’re willing, please pray the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my sin. I want a new future with You. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You and ask that You teach me how much You love me and about Jesus, Your Son, Who died for my sins to set me free. Thank You for answering my prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you are born again. Please start reading the Bible. It’s your soul food. Just like your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul.

And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching until you know the Bible better. (I do enjoy Allen Parr on YouTube and books by Max Lucado, Chuck Swindoll and Chuck Smith.)

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Can You Sell Your Soul To The Devil? 2 Timothy 2:24-26

Buddy is normally a good boy—till the passion for chickie overcomes him. Then he becomes demanding, disrupting my meal till I give him some chickie from my plate.

But a little chickie is not enough to satisfy Buddy’s desires. He’ll keep barking at me till he’s convinced that I’m not hiding any chickie from him on MY plate.

This wasn’t my planned topic today, but last night I watched a YouTube video about musicians who are openly glorifying Satan. Several top, well-known performers acknowledged openly during interviews that they had “sold their soul” to the devil for fame and money.

But can a person sell their soul to the devil?

Some may disagree, but I emphatically state, “No!”

Why is that?

If someone asked me how much I would pay for Buddy, I’d asked, “Are you nuts? I’ve already been my dog’s owner for nearly 13 years now. Why would I pay you for a longtime pet who already belongs to me?”

A person cannot sell to Satan something he already owns, lays claim to.

Here’s how the Apostle Paul explained the lost person’s condition to young pastor, Timothy, in 2 Timothy 2:24-26:

“The Lord’s bond servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to all…with gentleness correcting those in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

People who aren’t born again Christians are already in bondage and slavery to Satan; they already are captives to his unholy will. Satan already owns their soul.

The good news for people who think they’re hopeless and can never go to heaven is this: It’s a lie that your soul is forever lost because you “made a contract with the devil.”

What also did the Apostle Paul claim?

“And it shall be that EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord WILL be saved.”—Acts 2:21, Apostle Peter, his first sermon

And who is that name we should call on?

“Jesus said to him (Thomas), ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’”—John 14:6

If you think you can never escape the snare of Satan, that’s a lie from the enemy of your soul. Call upon the name of Jesus, tell Him you’re sorry for your sins, and ask Him to be your Lord. Renounce the devil and his works.

Or, if you know someone who believes they’re without hope, tell them the Good News: Everyone who calls on the name of Jesus as Lord will be saved.

Hope this helps somebody out there who believes they’re without hope.

“The one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out.”—Jesus, John 6:37

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

If you’re convinced that you CAN escape the devil’s grip on your life, please repeat the prayer below, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m truly sorry for my sins and want to change, and only You can change my life forever. Please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I want to live my life for You. Change my heart and life. Show me how much You love me. In the holy name of your Son Jesus, God in the flesh Who died for my sins*, amen.

If you’ve prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul; the Bible is your soul food.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you as you begin a new path in life. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

*Matthew 1:23, John 3:16

My Rebirthday, Ephesians 2:4-5

Buddy looking into our condo from the balcony.

I banished Buddy to the balcony one afternoon to keep him out of the way as I was moving furniture around. He thought he was being punished and glared at me through the glass door. He certainly wasn’t being punished, but was isolated to prevent him from being harmed.

In the past my life felt like Buddy, glaring at what was going on through a dim window. Something FELT wrong in my soul, but I didn’t know what it was.

Fortunately, in those days, your viewing options were limited unless you could afford cable television—or to have it hooked up to all the TV sets in your home. Without cable, you watched what those rabbit ears could “hear.” I flipped on a local rabbit ears station and Billy Graham was preaching. I decided to call the number on the screen and spoke to a volunteer counselor, who led me in the sinner’s prayer to give my life to Jesus Christ.

I was raised in a nonChristian religion which didn’t believe in the Trinity. Jesus was not God and the Holy Spirit seemed to be an amorphous, not a personal, spiritual force. So, when I was praying and thanking God after the phone call, it was an enormous shock when the Holy Spirit swooped into my body. At that very moment, March 7th, 1989, I became born again (John 3:5-8) by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, united with Christ (John 17:20-26).

I was frightened for a few moments till I experienced the overwhelming loving Presence of Jesus Who told me Who He was. Then told me three things:

1. The Bible is true (1 Timothy 3:16);

2. those who don’t know Jesus Christ are lost (John 3:18; and

3. although He knew every sin that I’d ever committed, He still loved me very much.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),…”—Apostle Paul, Ephesians 2:4-5

Something felt wrong in my soul, because I was spiritually dead. I did not have the life of God in me. But once I became born again by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, I was made alive spiritually, all my sins were forgiven (Hebrews 8:12) and I received eternal life (John 3:16).

Has my life been easy? No, but I now follow a good Shepherd Who strengthens and leads me through the dark valleys (Psalm 23:4), comforts (1 Peter 5:7) and strengthens me (Isaiah 40:31), and gives me wisdom (James 1:5).

I’ve been composing and posting these blogs since 2017 with the goal of encouraging and exhorting my fellow Christians, but also with the hopes that someone will realize their need for Christ and surrender their life to Him, stepping out of death into everlasting life.

I’ve never regretted becoming born again—only that I didn’t do so at least 15 years sooner to escape so many bad decisions and wrong thinking during those lost years. (I would want some years apart from the Lord to understand what being one of the living dead is like.)

So, dear reader, if you’ve read this blog and have not yet committed your life to Jesus, please do so now. I’m not promising you’ll have an easier life—but you’ll get eternal life with a wonderful Lord Who loves you and will never leave nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6).

May God bless you richly.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

If you want to become alive spiritually, please pray the below:

Dear Heavenly Father, I realize there’s something wrong with my soul and I need Your forgiveness for my sins. I want the power of sin broken in my life, so with all my heart I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Help me to walk daily in faith in Your son Jesus Who died for my sin on a cross and was resurrected to give me life. Please teach me Your ways and how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your spiritual food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, your soul needs soul food, the Word of God. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please join a Bible based Church or Bible study. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled till you know what the Bible teaches fairly well.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.