Mindset For Success

But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt. Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren't pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners. - Jude 1:20-23 (Living Bible) Live Purposefully ...build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your streng

Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth that God gave once for all to his people to keep without change through the years. I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God's punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. - Jude 1:3-4 (Living Bible) Today, as in Jude's day over 2000 years ago, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is under severe attack. As mentioned in last week's post, many anti-biblical ideologies are surfacing with the intent of silencing Christ-followers and further deceiving those who are not. Satan's plan is to intensify the anti-biblical cultural currents of this world and silence Christ-followers, effectively

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ. - Colossians 2:8 (Amplified Bible) In last week's post, we were reminded how Abraham, a man of great faith, chose to follow the wisdom of this world to have a child with Hagar rather than waiting on God's timing. From this child's descendants came what we know today as radical Islam, forever in conflict with Israel and the Christian faith. For radical Islam to take root and prosper, it must eradicate true Biblical faith. The primary tactic being used to accomplish that agenda is to silence the Church of Jesus Christ and Christ-followers. Enter critical race theory, black lives matter, and Antifa. These ideologies find their roots in radical Islam, whose aim is to intentionally deceive using the traditions

Again, the devil took Him along to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" - Matthew 4:8-10 In this, the third temptation of Christ by Satan in the wilderness, Satan was not offering Jesus anything that His Father had not already promised Him. Satan's temptation to Jesus was to get what is rightfully yours NOW, jump ahead of the Father's plan and timing, avoid the cross's pain and suffering and get it NOW. Think about the impact on your life had Jesus let pride and avoidance of pain cause Him to succumb to Satan's lies. There would be no Savior of the World! The consequences of getting what you want NOW as opposed to waiting on God's timing can have significant long-term implications. Conside

What is hindering me from executing God's will? Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever. - 1 John 2:15-17 (NASB) What is the priority of my life, the one thing around which everything else revolves? Life on this earth takes place amidst two opposing realms that are in constant conflict. One is under the control of this world by Satan, and the other is under God's authority. Satan is the author of deception and confusion and will use the attractions of this world (money, power, pleasure, things, etc.) to keep your focus away from God's will. His only goal is to keep the true Christ-follower distracted with the things of this world to render