What’s Life All About Really?

Give me more attention!

Life is simple for Buddy. Take walkies. Snooze. Eat treats. Beg for food. Occasionally pay attention to your human.

Actually, human life is similarly simple. All of life boils down to one simple answer.

Want to know what it is?

What life really is all about?

Enough suspense yet? Here’s the answer:

Our life here on earth is all about choosing which god you’re going to spend eternity with.

That’s it in a nutshell.

The secret to this chaotic, rollercoaster, sometimes thrilling, sometimes awful life.

“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”—Jesus, John 12:46

Every day a person can choose to remain in Satan’s “domain of darkness” and “perish in their sin” (Colossians 1:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:10,) or choose to spend eternity with Jesus.

“For He (God) rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”—Colossians 1:13-14

The choice is yours.

Jesus hung on the Cross between two thieves. One continued to hurl insults at Jesus, demanding that He come down from the Cross and rescue them from crucifixion.

The other humbled himself, admitted he was a sinner, and asked that his soul be saved. And Jesus answered him, saying:

“‘Truly, I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’”—Luke 23:43

Eternity with Jesus or Satan.

Everyone makes that choice.

It’s truly what life is really all about.

Thank you for reading!

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. So next time someone asks you, “What’s life all about?”—you have an answer.

***

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.

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.

Living In A Haunted House, Psalm 73

Living In A Haunted House, Psalm 73

The Scariest Costume Of All Time, 2 Corinthians 11:14

My best pal after Jesus.

I think one reason I love dogs is that they’re not sneaky, like cats. They normally don’t creep up silently on their prey, unless trained to do otherwise. They happily announce they’re coming after you, or are angry with you, by barking wildly or growling.

No deception. Just honest, “You’re cruising for a bruising” announcements.

October is the month that many people prepare their costumes for the Halloween holiday. But there is a wicked being who is always deceptive and has his own costume. He doesn’t wear his costume to party, but “to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10).”

This deceiver wears the “scariest costume of all time:” That of pretending to be good, when he really means to do you harm.

“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”—2 Corinthians 11:14

I believe that’s why the Bible never advises us to attempt to contact angels.

To my recollection, no one in the Bible ever asked for an angelic visitation. They’re always a surprise. God decides when to send an angel to give a message.

Examples are: Gabriel visiting Mary (Luke 1:26-38), Jacob witnessing the angels ascending and descending from heaven (Genesis 28:12), and revealing the future and the hidden spiritual warfare among the angels to Daniel (Daniel 10).

In fact, before His incarnation (Matthew 1:23), the Angel of the Lord, whom most Biblical scholars believe was the pre-incarnate Christ, also surprised people by His visits. The Lord didn’t appear because He was requested, or commanded to do so.

Some examples of the Angel of the Lord appearing unexpectedly in the Old Testament are: Hagar, when she fled from Sarai’s wrath (Genesis 16:7-13), to Gideon to appoint him as the leader of Israel’s army to defeat their Midianite oppressors (Judges 6:11-12), and, of course, to Abraham when he obeyed God by offering his son Isaac up as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:11-18).

So, please, offer up your prayers in confidence to the Lord God through Jesus Christ our Lord:

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.”—the Apostle Paul, 1 Timothy 2:5

Since the Lord is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent—unlike angels—why would anyone need to call out to anyone else?

If God decides to send angelic assistance, that’s an act of His grace and love.

But beware of calling on angels, because you’re highly likely to be dealing with a deceptive substitute.

Even Moses refused to be accompanied and led into the Holy Land by anyone other than the Lord Himself:

“I will send an angel before you…Then (Moses) said to Him (God), ‘If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.’”—Exodus 33:2 & 15

Moses refused to be led by anyone other than the Lord God. Not even an angel. Given this example, why would anyone want to do otherwise?

“Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”—Exodus 33:11

Moses knew who his true friend was.

Don’t risk deception. Satan is far craftier, intelligent and wickedly deceitful than you can imagine.

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

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

“It is impossible for God to lie.”—Hebrews 6:18

One of Satan’s biggest lies is that there are many ways to heaven, to enter the Father’s presence. Jesus declared “I and the Father are one (John 10:30).”

Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh, Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). So He’s the expert on heaven and how to get there.

The Good News is that you don’t have to clean up your act first to approach God. He knows that it’s impossible to be perfect enough to enter His presence (Matthew 5:48), which is why Jesus, God incarnate, as the only perfect man ever to live, is the only one who could take the punishment every person deserves.

Mine too. I’m not speaking as an arrogant person who thinks they were good enough to be saved; I still don’t have my act totally together, despite my best efforts. I also had to ask God to forgive my sin.

We always fall short.

Basically, life is about choosing which god to spend eternity with: Life is full of enough good things to prove there’s a powerful, majestic God Who loves beauty, variety and goodness—and enough hell to realize there’s an evil being who wants to be god but can only kill, steal and destroy.

You just need to humble yourself to admit that you can never be good enough to enter heaven through your own efforts and call on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

Are you ready to call on Jesus to be your God and moral authority?

Or do you want to follow in Adam’s and Eve’s footsteps and continue deciding what’s right and wrong for yourself, despite frequent negative outcomes?

It’s up to you. No one is going to force you. After all, I’m actually just text on the Internet speaking to you. You can ignore me if you want and click on another page.

But, because I care about you, I hope you’ll consider: “‘Whoever calls will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).’”

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

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. Thank you that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, taking the punishment I deserve, because it’s impossible for me to be good enough to earn your favor. I ask You to forgive me and I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Thank you, also, that Jesus rose bodily from the dead on the third day, proving that He is God, and gives resurrection life to those who ask Him. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And please teach 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. Please start reading the Bible daily. Just as our bodies need daily nourishment to be healthy, so do our souls. The Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand, and read forward.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. It’s hard to stand alone against the tide of culture. 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 till you know the Bible fairly well, particularly the New Testament.

God bless you as you start your new spiritual journey.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

What’s Life All About—Really? Acts 26:18

After our first Silky terrier, Buster, died, my life was devoid of a pet dog for 1.5 years. He passed away while lying next to me on my bed. I wept till I could cry no more, although his incipient death from kidney failure was not unexpected.

But my life felt empty without a furry welcome of rejoicing when I entered my house. As many say, “A house without a dog is not a home.”

Buddy isn’t my whole life—Jesus is.

But Buddy makes my life whole.

Just as the Holy Spirit of God awakens my dead spirit and fills that emptiness in my soul, Buddy fills an empty place in my life.

When I didn’t believe that Jesus is God Who was manifested in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), Christians tried to explain the gospel to me, but they made it too complex. As a result, after being saved, I’ve often considered how to make the truth easier for nonbelievers to grasp.

Here is one summary of “What Life Is All About”:

Choosing the god you will spend eternity with after you take your last breath.

There is enough heaven on earth to reveal that a powerful and creative God exists Who loves beauty and variety.

And enough hell to reveal that there is an evil force in the universe who delights in death, destruction, horror and trouble.

The Apostle Paul explained his mission given to him by the resurrected Jesus when he stood before King Agrippa as a prisoner making a defense for his freedom:

To open the blind eyes of nonbelievers by declaring the truth about who Jesus is, “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”—Acts 26:18

Every day every single person makes a choice: Choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and spend eternity with Him.

Or choose to reject Jesus as your God and remain spiritually dead, in bondage to Satan’s will—and spend eternity in Hell with the enemy of your soul.

Psalm 139:16 declares that we have an appointed day to die when God creates us. Of course, we don’t know the exact timing, even when seriously ill. Only God knows.

I’m hoping, dear reader, you’ve made the right choice and will go to Heaven, spending eternity with the Lord Who loves you and loved ones who are awaiting your arrival…

Including your fur pals.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

I’m hoping that my blog posts are helpful, either helping Christians clarify the gospel in their own minds, or will help someone give their life to the Lord. If just one person comes to the Lord because a reader has been able to lead someone to Christ because of my blog, or a reader gives their life to Jesus, then these years of posting have not been fruitless.

Or if it’s encouraged my fellow saints to hang in there.

Love you all.

Dawn

***

So, dear reader, have you chosen Heaven as your eternal destination? If you haven’t given your life to Christ yet, don’t believe Satan’s lies that you’ll lose your freedom if you do. The devil wants you to remain enslaved to his will and purposes for this world.

But with Jesus:

“If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”—John 8:36

You may not feel like you’re in bondage, but when you are alone and quiet, you likely sense an emptiness in your soul. It’s because you’re incomplete until the Spirit of Christ resurrects your spirit and frees you from slavery to the world, the flesh, and the devil (James 3:15).

Are you willing to choose to spend eternity with Jesus as your Lord and God? You don’t need to clean up your act first, as it’s impossible to meet His standard of perfect behavior. You need to humble yourself by admitting your need for His life and guidance, a willingness to admit that you’re a sinner. If you’re willing, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to go to heaven. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and grant me resurrection life. I want to live for You. Please teach me how much You love me. And please replace the lies I’m believing with the truth. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

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

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. Please ask Jesus to lead you to the right place.

If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two Christian 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 fall into legalism if you don’t know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Jesus Wasn’t Always “Nice,” Matthew 23:33

Buddy looking for me.

I took this photo this afternoon. While I was doing my back exercises, Buddy lay in his bed while keeping a watchful eye on me. When I had to leave the room to make lunch for my mother recovering from surgery, he got up to investigate where I’d gone. He likes to keep a watchful eye on me.

When I adopted Buddy, he became my furever friend. I’d never abandon my pal—willingly. If death suddenly claims me would be the only cause.

Which is why his prior owner placed Buddy for adoption: She was dying of cancer and was unable to prevent her husband from mistreating Buddy.

Can you imagine a man so callous?

I cannot imagine mistreating my pal, although I’ll admit to rate moments of not speaking nice when I’m frustrated, for which my pal always forgives me. (I’ve had a few things to forgive Buddy for, also. After all, he is a terrier.)

I guess there’s an advantage to not being raised Christian, as I haven’t been exposed to Christian memes my entire life. (I was saved from Satan’s kingdom at age 28, for which I’ll always be thankful.) One widely repeated phrase is that if you’re nice, you can get a person’s attention so that you eventually win the right to preach the gospel to them.

“Preach the Gospel at all times, and, if necessary, use words.”—St Francis of Assisi

Which is sort of a work’s righteousness attitude, that one’s good works can win someone to Christ, rather than the Gospel. Or, as Apostle Paul said,

“How then will they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him Whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”—Romans 10:14-15

I actually discovered this website that claims St Francis of Assisi never said that. And agrees with my assessment of the attitude: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/factchecker-misquoting-francis-of-assisi/

Okay, please follow me here. You can note above a Christian meme repeated often, yet is not true.

It’s the Gospel that shatters the stubborn, flinty heart of pride (Jeremiah 23:29).

So back to being nice—or not.

Jesus called the religious, legal and political rulers of the Jewish people: “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?”—Matthew 23:33

Jesus wasn’t exactly being “nice,” was He?

In fact, in the section of Scripture described as the “Eight Woes” in the NASB translation, Jesus calls them (Matthew 23:13-36):

“Hypocrites”—verses 13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, and 29. (Seems like Jesus is trying to make a point here.)

Are hell bound—verse 13, sons of hell—verse 15.

Blind guides, fools—verses 16 and 17.

Prevent others from entering heaven—verse 13.

Take advantage of widows, pray long prayers for show, and are condemned—verse 14.

Reject justice, mercy and faithfulness—verse 23.

Full of robbery and self-indulgence—verse 25.

Murderers—verses 34-35

But, the gentle Jesus spoke kindly to the common person: tax collectors, prostitutes, fishermen, adulterers, the sick and lepers, children, etc. He seemed to have enormous patience, also, with his disciples.

Jesus spoke harshly to those who were misleading the children of Israel and hindering the saving work of God’s kingdom, denying that Jesus was their awaited Messiah, the Christ.

In fact, the only time it’s recorded that Jesus spoke harshly to the disciples is when Peter tried to convince Jesus not to give His life as a sin sacrifice on the Cross, temping Jesus not to fulfill His mission:

“Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me;’”—Matthew 16:22-23 (Interesting that Peter still acknowledged Jesus was the Lord, yet was telling Him what to do. Don’t all of us Christians do the same at times? I do.)

So, my point is: There are times when it’s appropriate to rebuke people, yet do so without hypocrisy (2 Timothy 4:2). When someone is in a leadership position, they can influence many ordinary, or powerless, people in the wrong way. They may be misguided (Nicodemus repented) or wickedly misleading people into ungodly behaviors.

Evil sometimes needs to be called out for the benefit of others.

It takes courage to “speak truth to power.”

If you lack courage, wisdom or opportunity to do so, then please pray that the Lord guide you how to respond properly toward evil leaders.

Or support those willing to do so, just as the army of Israel initially was afraid but followed David into battle after David killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17).

Please remember: Evil persists till it’s challenged.

Even God challenges evil: It’s called “consequences”. So that people repent.

Hope this prompts some contemplation.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. Jesus did pay a consequence for challenging the Jewish leaders. They convinced the Romans to crucify Jesus, a man Pontius Pilate knew was innocent (Luke 23:4). Be certain that you’re prepared to suffer the consequences of standing against evil leadership.

***

Yes, it’s scary to stand up against people who have power over you. But there is a Creator Who loves you Who has already defeated evil in this world by dying on the Cross for your sins and then was resurrected from the dead on the third day to give you His resurrection life (Romans 5:8, 6:4).

It doesn’t matter what sins you’re guilty of. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” Every person is born spiritually dead in their sins and needs God to forgive them. Not one single person is good enough to earn their way into heaven by their good deeds (Matthew 5:48).

“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32, Romans 10:13).”

Are you willing to accept God as Your Lord, your moral authority? To recognize that He sent His Son Jesus, “God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23),” to die for your sins so that you don’t have to?

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

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. I ask You to please forgive my sin and I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I ask the Holy Spirit to fill me and seal me for eternity as Your child. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me, so that I can love others like You do. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

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

And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study group. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest the following two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by false or legalistic teaching until you know the Bible fairly well. Pastors Max Lucado, Chuck Smith and Chuck Swindoll also wrote excellent books.

God bless you as you start your new life.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

A Great Sin Of The Modern Church, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

I suppose, as a result of being abused before I adopted him, Buddy excels in picking up visual cues. He knows that a suitcase means someone in his family is leaving for a time. In his doggie world, that is NOT permitted.

The modern church emphasizes the love and mercy of God. But King Solomon, the likely author of the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, warns in verses 12:13-14 that there are consequences to rejecting God’s love.:

“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil.”

The modern Church neglects to warn people that there is a consequence to rejecting Jesus as their Lord. When was the last time you heard a sermon about Hell? In fact, my autocorrect changes hell to he’ll; even software designed by people rejects the reality of hell. People go about their daily lives, totally neglecting the multitude of clues nature demonstrates that God the Creator exists.

Proverbs, mostly a collection of this same King Solomon’s wisdom, also warns that nothing escapes God’s notice in Proverbs 15:3:

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.”

The saddest news is that no one has to go to hell as the Apostle Peter said in his second letter, 2 Peter 3:9, God desires that: none “should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Why would anyone repent when they think there’s no consequence for continuing to reject God’s love and mercy? If life seems to be going fairly well, there’s no motivation.

So why not “Eat, drink and be merry,” the Apostle Paul asks, “If the dead do not rise?”—1 Corinthians 15:32

But they do rise.

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God (Revelation 20:12)” in heaven on Judgment Day.

Please, don’t be part of the silent church.

It’s the duty of the church to warn people.

Life has consequences.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Jesus died for your sins and then rose from the dead, proving that He is God Almighty Whom death cannot hold (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Acts 3:24). You don’t have to die in your sins, separated forever from a holy God Who hates sin. If you are willing to swallow your pride, acknowledge you’re a sinner Who needs God to direct you in defining what’s right or wrong, that Jesus died for your sins as it’s impossible for you to please God by your own efforts, then please pray the below prayer of repentance. This could be the best day of your life, discovering Jesus is real and loves you. He rejects NO ONE willing to come to Him in sincerity (John 6:37).

Are you willing to acknowledge Jesus as your Lord? If so, please pray the below, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to pay for my sins on the Cross, then to rise on the third day to give me resurrection life. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Show me how much You love me and help me to grow in faith and a knowledge of Jesus. In the name of the Lord Jesus, 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 daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. It’s also God’s primary means of communicating to you. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. 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) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well. (Heck, I still get bound in legalism at times.)

God bless you.

May Buddy and I see you in heaven one day.

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

Spooky Stories #2: Running For Your Life, Ephesians 4:17-18

I rescued Buddy from three years of abuse. I feed him, clean him, walk him, pay his bills… I provide everything he needs to be happy and healthy. The only thing I cannot give him is another new day of life: Only God can do that for Buddy.

So what do I occasionally ask for in return for all the time, cost and effort I reward Buddy with?

A brief hug or cuddle.

And he runs away from me as fast as his paws will go.

Some gratitude.

But I love Buddy anyway, despite his quirks and ingratitude.

Isn’t this exactly how most people treat God?

He gives everyone life, innate talent and skill, intelligence, and personality. Out of love for humanity He gives sunshine, rain, air to breathe, trees bearing fruit, and vegetables that grow from the soul. Birds, He created, cheerily greet the morning and fill the air with free music. Laughter cheers our souls and dance off the tongues of happy children. He has prevented us (so far) from nuking ourselves into oblivion by restraining evil. He even holds all of creation together so that it doesn’t disintegrate (Colossians 1:17).

Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts, asking us to allow Him to enter into our lives (Revelation 3:20) so that He can bless us by transforming our hearts and help bear our burdens (Matthew 11:28-29).

And most people respond to Jesus’ knocking by turning their backs and running as far away from Him as possible. Not realizing that they’re rejecting “the Light of Life (John 8:12)” and choosing to stumble about in the darkness (John 11:10).

If you are born again, you are walking and dwelling in the Light of God through the Spirit of Jesus within you. Let the light shine through your soul (Matthew 5:14-16).

Don’t walk in the darkness, following the counsel of people rather than Christ as revealed in the Biblical scriptures. Stay in the light of God’s Word.

“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is on them,…”—Apostle Paul, Ephesians 4:17-18.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy.

***

You may have been told by Christians who don’t understand the gospel or by your culture that you can earn your way into heaven, and eternal life, by being good enough.

But Jesus said the standard to enter heaven was perfection as recorded in Matthew 5:48: “You are to be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

Any honest person knows they aren’t perfect. Yet Jesus says we must be perfect to enter God’s presence.

So Jesus came to earth, incarnated as a human being over two thousand years ago, to live the perfect life you and I could never live. And then, because He never sinned, He could die for our sins for us. He had no sin to be punished for, so He could take ours, instead.

It’s like a person who loses in court and must pay an enormous fine or go to prison. A generous, loving person comes along and pays that fine for the convicted prisoner that they could never pay. Jesus paid the our fine for everyone’s sin—eternal punishment—and set us free from God’s wrath.

But you have to accept that payment on your behalf, acknowledging you cannot pay it; Jesus did it for you.

If you’re tired of stumbling around in the darkness and want Jesus to light your path—and light up your soul—please say the following is prayer aloud (if you can):

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I acknowledge that Jesus paid a sin debt for me that I could never pay myself; no amount of good deeds can make up for my sins. Please forgive my sin. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please help me walk in Your path of righteousness and no longer stumble in the darkness of this world and my culture. Reveal to me how much You love me. Encourage me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus, amen.

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

And join a Bible based church or Bible study and get baptized. You need your fellow Christians to remain strong spiritually. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these ministries: http://www.AndrewFarley.org and http://www.LTW.org. They also have apps, if that’s your preference.

There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled till you know the Bible fairly well. Some good teachers sometimes stray into legalism, and you need to have a good base in the grace of God to recognize a bad sermon.

God bless you.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.