Thoughts ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZONPRTOFF dateof comment Look Inside Data Conditions:Order: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31| Dateof Comment 10/02/2026 Here is a story about the power of prayer. I along with many other people are not taking advantage of prayer. This is one Pastors story who thought the same thing: My son became deadly ill. He was perfectly normal up to age 13, and suddenly without explanation, his chest bone started growing in touching his spine. No one could explain why or how? But his front and back came together and were pushing on each other. All of his internal organs were cut off, and our boy was dying. The best physicians we could find came to us and said, "We need to do an experimental surgery." I asked, "Can you do this?" He said, "We don't know. We've never done it before, but you only have a couple of days and your boy is dead. His hearts is in severe failure. All his kidneys and other organs are shutting down. He has difficulty breathing. We want to try." I called the best doctor I knew. I grew up with him. He is a wonderful physician and a friend for a long time, and I asked, "What would you do if you were me?" He replied, "I'd find somebody who knows how to get a hold of God. You gotta have God do something David." When I hung up with Buddy, I didn't call the best preacher. I called the best prayer I knew. If somebody would call me, I would rate on a 0 to 10 scale my prayers are a 1 or 2, maybe a 3 on a good day. What am I saying? Prayer is commanded by God prayer. Prayer moves the arm of God. I've got nothing more powerful than prayer. I called to get hold of that praying pastor and I got his church secretary, and she said, "Oh, brother Gibbs, the preacher just left on a vacation trip. He won't be back for a week. What do you need?" I said nothing about my son. I replied, "Please do not tell him I called. I don't want to disrupt this vacation." I sat down. I thought, who am I gonna call. A half an hour later, the phone rang and it was this preacher. He said, "I called my office and my secretary said you called. You wouldn't call if it wasn't something important. What's up with you?" I said, "I don't want to disturb you." The preacher cut me short and replied, "No, no, what's up, David?" I said, "It is my son. I needed for you to pray for him." The preacher said, "David, I'm gonna pull over and get a motel room, I'm gonna get on my face and I'm going to prayer for you and your boy." Would that ever be you? Would that be me? that you could move the arm of God by prayer. The Bible says you have not because you asked not. I said, "Preacher, I don't want to make you do that." He replied, "You're not making you do this. This is a privilege for me, David. What a thrill to get to pray!" My son's surgery took over 18 hours when the doctor came out. The doctor said, "I don't know how to tell you this. We lost him several times but somebody's praying." I called the preacher. He said, "I've been on the floor for 18 hours. Praying with God." Is that you? How many say I don't believe in prayer that much Brother Gibbs. No, I think I should pray a little. And by the way, when I pray, mostly it's when I'm terrified or scared. But the minute whatever is causing fear in me is gone, then I'm just off on my old self again. I said,"Preacher, they lost him twice on the table." He replied, "David while I was praying there's several times God had impressed on my heart that things were dire, but I kept praying." Would anybody ever be able to count on you? Would they be able to count on me for somebody to fast and pray to make a difference. My son survived that surgery. He had to have two more after it. But every time we saw the doctors, they always said, "Whoever you had doing that praying, we'd like to hire them. Because in that room, it wasn't us. Something divine was going on." I always wonder what kind of things that preacher was saying to God for 18 hours. I have trouble talking to people for more then an hour. Could you imagine giving up 18 hours of your vacation to pray for someone 18 hours and call it a thrill. Moses talked to God a regular basis and I am beginning to believe prayer warriors actually talk to God on a higher level then most people including myself. After all prayer is communication between us and God. He listens but do we even want to take the time to listen to God's response or his dreams for our lives. 09/27/2026 Everyone talks about the forgiveness of sins but no one talks about what happens when Jesus forgives the sins of other people and what you should be doing when he does! I thought it would be fun to give AI a crack at it. When Jesus forgives something, He cleanses the person completely, forgets the sin entirely, and fully restores their standing before God. However, if we refuse to align our hearts with that forgiveness, we block our own connection to God's peace, trap ourselves in bitter emotional torment, and hinder our prayers. When there is a clash between Jesus' total forgiveness and our human refusal to forgive, the Bible shows that a deep spiritual and relational conflict happens in four specific ways: You Declare Your Judgment Higher Than God's When Jesus forgives someone, the highest court in the universe has ruled. The ledger is wiped completely clean. Isaiah 1:18 NLT 18 "Come now, let's settle this," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool If we refuse to forgive that same person or sin, we are essentially saying: "Jesus, your sacrifice on the cross was enough to satisfy God's justice, but it isn't enough to satisfy mine." It places our human judgment above divine authority. You Hand Yourself Over to "Tormentors" In the famous Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells of a man who was forgiven an unpayable fortune by a king, but then refused to forgive a tiny debt owed to him by a peer. When the king found out, he delivered the unforgiving servant to the "tormentors." Matthew 18:21-35 NLT Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor 21 Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" 22 "No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven! 23 "Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn't pay, so his master ordered that he be sold'''along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned'''to pay the debt. 26 "But the man fell down before his master and begged him, '''Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.' 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. 28 "But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. * In a spiritual sense, when you hold a grudge against someone Jesus has cleared, the person you are hurting most is yourself. * Unforgiveness binds you to bitterness, anxiety, sleeplessness, and obsessive resentment. The other person walks free under God's grace, while you remain trapped in the prison of the offense. Your Own Fellowship with God is Blocked Jesus explicitly stated that human unforgiveness acts as a barrier between us and the Father. * Matthew 6:15: "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." * This does not mean a true believer instantly loses their eternal salvation. Rather, it means your daily, relational fellowship with God is disrupted. You cannot intimately experience the sweetness of God's grace while actively harboring hatred toward someone else he loves. Your prayers become hindered because your heart is out of sync with His character. You Give the Enemy a "Foothold" Scripture warns that harboring anger and withholding mercy opens a dangerous door in your life. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." When you refuse to forgive what Jesus has already paid for, you give spiritual darkness a legal right to breed toxicity, division, and emotional pain in your life. Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation It is vital to note that Jesus commands forgiveness (releasing the debt from your heart), but the Bible does not demand immediate reconciliation (restoring a relationship to what it was). If the person is dangerous, abusive, or unrepentant, you can fully forgive them in your heart'''handing them over to Jesus'''while still maintaining strict, healthy boundaries to protect yourself. The biggest excuse I hear about unforgiveness is that you have no idea what that person did to me. Your paltry situation will never compare to the man Jesus who was beaten so bad that he was unrecognizable and bloody. He was humiliated also during this time too. The final straw was being nailed to that cross and before he died he cried out and said, "Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing." You will never outdo what Jesus faced and there is no excuse he will accept for not forgiving someone. 09/25/2026 Do we truly know what great love is? You would have to have deep love in order to do this: 1 John 2:1 NLT My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. I believe I have come a long way when it comes to loving people but I do not have the dedication Jesus has when it comes to proving my love. You and I both would be in trouble if Jesus did not take his job as advocate seriously. He is very good at everything he does for his children. I seem to find more ways for him to advocate for me. As we continue to live for Jesus, we will soon find out that he does not have to make as many trips to our heavenly Father to defend us. 09/24/2026 Listen to how God directs our steps. Sometimes he has to do things to get our attention when we are not listening: I was driving down the road and my car started to sputter until it finally died. I barely managed to coast into a gas station. At least now I would not be blocking traffic and would have somewhat of a warm spot to wait for the tow truck. Before I could make the call. I saw a woman walking out of a Quickie Mart. It looks like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump. So I got out of my car to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs, than that she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked really haggard. She had dark circles around her eyes. She dropped something, and as I helped her pick it up and give it back to her, I saw that it was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me. The crying woman, the old Chevy suburban crammed full of stuff. Three kids were in the back seat. One was in a car seat. I looked over at the gas pump screen $4.95. After finding she was okay, I asked if she needed help. She kept saying, "I don't want my kids to see me crying." So we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California, and I knew things were really hard for her right now. So I asked, "Were you just praying now?" That made her back away from me a little. But I assured her that I was not some crazy person and I said, "God heard you, and he sent me to you." I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader of the gas pump so she could fill up her Suburban completely. While it was filling, I walked next door to McDonald's. I bought two big bags of food, some gift certificates for more food, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car who attacked it like wolves. We stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name and that she lived in Kansas City, her husband left her 2 months ago. And she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent on January 1st. Finally in desperation, I called her parents with whom she had not spoken to in five years. They lived in California and said she could come and live with them and try to get her life back together. So she packed up everything she owned in that vehicle. She told the kids that they were going to California for Christmas. But not that they were going to live there. I gave her my gloves, a little hug, and said a quick prayer with her for her safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she asked, "So are you an angel or something?" That question definitely made me cry. I replied, "Sweetie, at this time of the year, angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be part of someone else's miracle. And of course you guessed it when I got into my car, it started right away. And got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check. But I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong. 09/23/2026 A man who had two sons. He was very disturbed about them. One was a pessimist beyond recall. The other one was an optimist beyond reason. He talked to a child's psychiatrist, who made a suggestion. He said, "I think we can fix that. We'll get a room and we'll fill it with the most wonderful toys any boy ever had. We'll put the pessimist in that room and when he finds out there for him, he'll get over being a pessimist." The man then asked, "What do you do about the optimist?" The psychiatrist replied, "I have a friend who's got a racing stable, and they clean out the stalls every morning. I can get quite an amount of that substance those horses create. We'll put that in another room, and when the optimist, who's seen his brother get all those toys, is then shown into that room. And that's where he'll get over being an optimist." Well, they did what the psychiatrist asked. They waited about five minutes, and then they opened the door. The pessimist was sitting there crying, as if his heart would break, he said, "I know somebody's going to come in and take these away from me." They went down to the other room, and they opened door and there was that kid happy as a clam, throwing that stuff over his shoulders as fast as he could, and they asked, "What are you doing?" He replied, "There has to be a pony in here. I am looking for it." 09/22/2026 You begin to realize how good you have it after reading this story A pastor picked me up at to go to the airport. You said brother Gibbs, I'm all the way across town from the church, and he said, "Would you mind if I made a hospital call?" I said, "No, that'd be great." The hospital was just literally around the block from the airport, and we pulled in, and he said, "You know, there's a lady in our hospital, Brother Gibbs. She's a young mother with 3 kids. Barring a miracle, she's not going to live another day or two. Would you like to come in and pray with her? Come in with me." I replied, "Preacher, let me beg off just a little bit. okay. I'm just a little uneasy going in to see ladies in the hospital I don't know. He said, "I'll go in with you and I'll sit in the waiting room or wherever you want me to do. And I'll pray for you." I replied again, "But let me beg off you." He replied, "I understand but let me tell you her story. She and her husband the very best members of our church we ever had, they never missed a service, serve the Lord passionately. She teaches a Sunday school class and sings in the choir. Her husband is an usher and a Deacon. A year ago they were in church on Sunday like ever Sunday. Monday morning, he got up to go to work. He drives a big semi and delivers building materials to construction sites. And at 7:10 am, he pulled his semi up next to a construction site and got his truck in line with others waiting to unload. They were transferring steel I-beams overhead. Suddenly without warning a cable snapped and a beam that weighed 40 tons started traveling back. It hit right over the top of the cab of the truck. Only it didn't stay horizontal. It came down standing vertical right over his truck. He was sitting in the cab of his truck with a cup of coffee an his Bible open. That beam took his body and drove it through the bottom of the truck and buried his remains 4 feet in the concrete underneath. They were both just in church on Sunday, like ever Sunday and at 7:10 on Monday he's in eternity. Can I remind you? One church service will be your last service and highly likely you will not know when it's going to be. So you wanna make sure you do everything with God you need at every service. We buried her husband and she stood there with those three small kids. The oldest is 7. Tears came down her cheeks, but she rejoiced because he was in heaven. Thirty days after her husband was taken home to the Lord, her parents, who are her only family on either side, were coming across the state of Georgia, coming to see her at night. A drunk on the interstate got on the wrong side of the road with no headlights on and ran into her mom and dad and killed them. We buried her husband, thirty days later it was her mom and dad. After all this happened, she would be singing in the choir and tears would just come down her cheeks. Heaven got real dear to her. After about 6 months, she told me, "You know, pastor sometimes when you're preaching, I'm just having trouble even seeing you from the fire in my head that hurts so bad." I told her Mary, "I think it's all the stress and all the strain, but let's take you to the big clinic and get you all checked out. What they found is this dear lady has cancer of the lining of the brain. They've operated now numerous times there's nothing more they can do. They've told her she has just a few days to live. She has nobody to take these three kids. How about coming in and praying with her." I said, "Whoa! Pastor I know you've been there in her life." I walked in with my Bible in my hand. I began asking, "Oh, God, give me something. I can't even imagine what this lady is going through." When we walked in her room, I was not ready for how sick she was. All her hair was gone, and you could see huge incision marks where they'd operated and tried to help. I noticed one flap of her scalp was still rolled back. Her eyes were black. You couldn't have taken black paint and painted them any darker. They have tubes in her everywhere. She was having difficulty just breathing. There was nothing in the room except one picture on a tray table over her bed. It was a picture of her three kids. When that lady saw her pastor, her face lit up. I mean her eyes brightened. She even smiled through all that pain. His presence brought joy out of her. We could hardly hear her as she was talking. We both bent way over to try to hear her. All the tubes were muffling her voice. She said, "Oh, pastor I'm so glad you're here. I have something I need to tell you." The pastor asked, "What is it Marianne?" She replied, "Pastor, while I don't know who's gonna raise my three kids, God has promised me that he loves my children more than I do. God promised me he can do all things well." She looked at me and she said, "Brother Gibbs, isn't God good?" All I could say is, "Woah! Yeah!" Let me have all my druthers, let everything be going my way. Let me have my wish list just ticked off and I'll tell you how good God is. What happens when life puts a bear hug on you? What happens when you're facing what you cannot imagine. For the next 5 minutes, that lady testified to me about how good God had been to her. Finally, I've still not said a word. This lady said, "Brother Gibbs, (this was her quote.) I'm on real good talking terms with the Lord and I'd like to pray for you. What do you need now?" I said my first words. I said, "Mam, I come up here to pray for you, not for you to pray for me. You know what she said "Thank you, but my needs are met. I'd like to pray for you." For the next few minutes she prayed for me. I walked out of that hospital room, and I turned to the preacher, and I said, "I feel like a fake. I feel like a phony. I feel like a fraud. That lady has something that I don't have." That pastor replied, "Brother Gibbs, it's called virtue. It's an inner integrity, an inner strength, an inner honor." I said, "Whoa!" I had nothing else I could say about what I just experienced. 09/20/2026 When dealing with God, is there really such a thing as an insignificant man? Here is a story about what the world calls insignificant. To this day no one knows who this man is. But God changed the world through him. The story start with one of the most spiritually significant men in our nation's history. You have never heard of this guy. His name was Mordecai Ham, not a famous guy. He was an America tent revival preacher in the late 1800s, early 1900s. In 1934, he was preaching a tent revival in Charlotte, North Carolina and two 14-year-old boys saw the tent, and noticed the commotion of people. They heard this bold love of the father preaching as they were walking by. They were curious and checked it out. But as they walk up, they saw there were no seats available. But as they began walking away, an usher, whose name no one knows to this day, ran after these two 14-year-old boys and grabbed one of them. He said, "Hey, we can find 2 seats for you boys to sit together." He walked them back and asked a couple people to scoot over so those two 14-year-old boy could sit together. That day they ended up giving their lives to Christ and consecrating themselves to the purposes of God in their generation. One of those boys was a man who we now know as Billy Graham. Billy Graham ended up preaching the gospel to more people than anyone else has ever preached to in the history of the world. Tens of millions of people were caught up into the kingdom of God under the preaching of Billy Graham. The other boy's name was Grady Wilson. He was the man that ended up helping Billy Graham organize all of his evangelistic crusades. That usher changed the world, not Billy Graham, not Grady Wilson, not Mordecai Ham. That usher saw two 14-year-old boys walking away from the faith and said, "Not on my watch, you get back here boys." Your job is not to change the world. Your job is to change somebody's world. And if you're in my generation and up, we got a job to do. Our job is to run into the breach, there has been a breach. Our job is to run into the breach and say, "Not on our watch. Not while we're here. Where are the bullets the thickest? I'm in". It might be your turn to be this guy. Never count yourself out. This man counted himself in for the challenge. 09/18/2026 I am a firm believer that our mouths probably get us into more trouble than anything else. Anyway that is my personal experience: Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Not unless God gives you intel on people, which I know he does even today, you have to get to know things about other people to know what their needs are and to speak in a manner so they will listen. Philippians 2:1-5 NIV Imitating Christ's Humility 2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 09/16/2026 You all know that patience is not my forte. When I saw the verse of the day: Psalm 62:5 NLT 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. I thought to myself that the phrase "wait quietly" must be in scriptures a lot. I was wrong. I only found it one other place: Lamentations 3:26 NIV 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. How many of us find it difficult to wait on God's timing and shut up long enough for him to speak to us? I am definitely NOT a expert on this phrase, but it is a trait worth learning. P.S. I think AI read every version of the bible to come up with this conclusion and it came in seconds. 09/15/2026 This is what one pastor shared about American churches: How about one of the biggest warnings that you get in the New Testament when it comes to the righteous anger and love, is apathy. You know what the greatest danger in our church is right now. You know the number one threat to 1122 is right now. It's not from the outside. I mean, I honestly, in 2020 I thought I might be in prison one day. I mean, they might pass laws, calling what I do "Hate speech", but that's fine. I can run this thing from Union or Baker. We got all kind of prison camps. No problem, we just reallocate some broadcast resources and we'll keep rolling. But historically, the church has always handled pressure from the outside really well. Do you know what the fastest growing church in the world is right now? The underground church in Iran. Do you know what the greatest threat of the church is today. It's on the inside, it's not the outside. The number one threat to what Gods doing here is apathy and complacency. You know why, look around, all the rooms are full, all the parking lots are full, kid programs going good, and the moment you begin to walk in here, you take your eye off the awe, the majesty, and the glory of God. You begin to think, "Well you know, somebody else will do all that stuff we're supposed to do. I'm just gonna come here and get fed." It's overbought. It'll be all leaf and no fruit. And there is all kinds of warnings in the scriptures about apathy, about abdication, about complacency. In fact, in Revelation 3, Jesus writes letters to churches. He's not writing to the evil pagan, secular world out there. He's writing it to the people in the churches, the 7 churches of Asian minor and to the church that Laodicea. Jesus said, "Because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold. I'm gonna spit you out of my mouth." Let me translate that, "If you just go play church and show up and do church things, but not follow after Jesus. It makes him sick." You don't wanna make him sick. Romans 12:11 do not be slothful in zeal, but fervid and spirit and serves the Lord. Never let church become a routine Romans 12:11-13 The Message 11-13 Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. I was doing a pastor's conference in East Africa several years ago. They flew me over there. There was hundreds of pastors there. It was unbelievable. That night at the hotel, the hotel people came to the guy leading the conference and said, "Hey guys, can y'all keep it down because there's other guests staying here too?" I thought it was because we were making too much noise in the building. It wasn't that at all. The pastors were screaming out to God in fervent prayer that night in their hotel rooms and it was keeping everybody up. I had never heard about that happening in an American pastor's conference. These brothers had a zeal for the Lord. One of the pastors came to me and said, "Man, I'm so sorry for you being a pastor in America. It must be impossible." I replied, "What are you talking about? It's awesome. We turn Walmarts into amphitheaters, tens of thousands of people could come. You'd be YouTube famous. You brought me over here to teach you. What are you talking about?" He said, "Well, my understanding of the gospel is to follow Jesus. It costs you everything, and in your country it seems to cost you nothing." He got me good on this one. I began to think, "Whoa!, whoa! to the church that is all leaf and no fruit. Revelation 3 during this is to another church and Jesus says, Wake up, wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die for I have not found your works complete inside of God." Revelation 3:1-3 NIV To the Church in Sardis 3 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Revelation 3:14-18 NIV To the Church in Laodicea 14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm'''neither hot nor cold'''I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, '''I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. You know how many churches that are just asleep. Just asleep and going through the motions. I think a part of what I've been talking to do in my life is wake up the American church. Do what it means to actually follow after Jesus. Because I'm telling you what Jesus will do. If it's all leaves and no fruit. If it's over, just like the temple was. Paul's writing to Timothy, and he's warning him. Timothy was going to be the pastor of the church of Ephesus. It starts out awesome, but it doesn't end awesome. When Jesus writes the letter to the church at Sardis in Revelation. He said, "I've been here in church. It's great, your programs are cool. Your Bible studies are nice. But it's just one thing. You have lost your first love. You just don't love me." These are my final words: My Dad always told me that if something costs you it will mean so much more to you then if it is given to you. Maybe this principle is true with Jesus too. I am grateful to be living in America but what would it be like to live somewhere else where Jesus costs you dearly. I cannot even fathom how powerful the Holy Spirit moves in these churches where a heavy price was paid to have relationship with Jesus. James 3:13 (New International Version) Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. John 4:24 NIV 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." 09/13/2026 Peter left us with a list of things to do to become that person Jesus wants us to strive for. I even wonder if they need to be done in the order he listed them. I looked up the definitions of the things Peter asked us to do based on spiritual concepts. We do not want to do things the way the worlds does things because they can be distorted. 2 Peter 1:3-9 NLT Growing in Faith 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. FAITHIn the Bible, faith is defined as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. Core Meaning Confident Trust: It is a deep reliance on God and His character, not just a blind guess.Persuasion and Truth: Biblical faith means being fully convinced that God exists and that His promises are true.Active Response: Real faith moves people to action, obedience, and a closer relationship with God rather than remaining a simple mental fact.More than Agreement: Knowing about God is not enough; faith requires putting your life and trust in Him. Moral excellenceMoral excellence in the Bible means living a life of goodness and virtue that reflects God's own character The Biblical MeaningThe Greek Word: The New Testament uses the word areté, which translates to virtue, goodness, or moral excellence. A Reflection of God: It shows God's nature in a person's everyday actions, thoughts, and choices. More Than Rules: It is an inner change of the heart, not just following a list of rules. Key Scriptures2 Peter 1:5: Believers are told to make every effort to add moral excellence to their faith. Philippians 4:8: Christians are encouraged to fix their thoughts on things that are true, pure, and excellent. Galatians 5:22-23: The "fruit of the Spirit" lists practical traits of this lifestyle, like love, patience, and self-control. How to Practice ItRequires Effort: Growth is intentional and takes daily practice, not passive wishing. Built on Faith: Faith is the foundation, and virtue is that faith put into active work. Shown in Daily Life: It changes how a person acts at home, at work, and with neighbors. Knowledge In the Bible, knowledge is the clear perception, understanding, and recognition of truth, deeply rooted in a personal relationship with God. True biblical knowledge is not merely an academic collection of facts; it is an active awareness and acknowledgment of God and His ways. Key Aspects of Knowledge in the BibleThe Source: All true knowledge comes from God. Proverbs 2:6 states, "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding". The Foundation: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). Reverence and submission to God form the starting point for truly understanding reality Relational Nature: To "know" God in Scripture (yada in Hebrew, ginosko in Greek) implies intimacy, loyalty, and relationship rather than distant observation Human Limits: Human knowledge is flawed, finite, and incomplete compared to God's infinite and absolute wisdom Knowledge vs. Wisdom The Bible frequently distinguishes between knowledge and wisdom, though they work together: Knowledge is gathering facts, truths, and information about God and His world. (Example: Knowing there is one God).Wisdom is knowing how to live and apply that truth to honor God in daily life. (Example: Finding out how the one God wants me to serve him.) Self-Control In the Bible, self-control is the Spirit-enabled ability to govern your desires, impulses, thoughts, and actions in alignment with God's will. The Core Meaning and Language Greek Root: The primary New Testament word translated as self-control is egkrateia (from en meaning "in" and kratos meaning "power"). It literally means being "in power" over yourself rather than being mastered by your passions. Older translations like the King James Version often use the word "temperance". A Fruit of the Spirit: The Bible lists self-control as a core component of the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22–23. This means it is not just generated by human willpower alone, but is an outward overflow of the Holy Spirit working inside a believer. Key Biblical Metaphors and Verses Spiritual Protection: Proverbs 25:28 compares a person without self-control to "a city whose walls are broken through," meaning they are completely vulnerable to temptation, destruction, and external spiritual attacks. Inner Strength: 2 Timothy 1:7 notes that God gives followers a spirit "of power, love and self-discipline" rather than fear.Sober-Mindedness: Passages like 1 Peter 4:7 link self-control to mental clarity and alertness, enabling a steady prayer life. Practical Application Saying No to Sin: It involves actively choosing to say "no" to ungodliness, fleshly lusts, and selfish impulses. Surrender over Willpower: Biblical self-control ultimately functions as self-surrender, where yielding control to God allows Him to reshape your inner desires to match His. Patient Endurance Patient endurance in the Bible is an active, courageous ability to remain faithful to God through hard times instead of giving up. In the New Testament, the main Greek word for this is hupomone. It literally means "remaining under" a heavy load. It is not a passive or hopeless "grin and bear it" attitude. Instead, it is a triumphant and steady trust in God while facing trials. Core Characteristics Active Action: It means keeping on with God's work rather than sitting back in apathy. Partnered with Hope: It looks forward to God's future promises and deliverance. Built Through Suffering: Difficult tests in life help grow this strength, which leads to deeper character and hope. Key Bible Verses Hebrews 10:36: "Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." Romans 5:3–4: Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Revelation 1:9: The apostle John describes himself as a partner in the tribulation and patient endurance that come through Jesus Christ. Godliness Godliness in the Bible is a lifestyle of inner devotion to God that naturally produces outward obedience, love, and holy living. The Core Meaning Reverence: The primary Greek word for godliness is eusebeia, which means a deep, well-directed respect, piety, and awe toward God. Heart Attitude: It begins with an inner love, fear, and strong desire for God's presence rather than just trying to follow a set of human rules. Spiritual Fruit: Authentic devotion overflows into everyday actions, kind relationships, and pure speech. What Godliness is Not Not Legalism: It is not earning God's favor through strict self-effort or human willpower alone. Not Fake Religion: The Bible warns against an empty "form of godliness" that only looks religious on the outside but lacks inner power and changed character. Key Biblical Themes Daily Training: The Apostle Paul compared godliness to physical training, telling believers to actively train themselves to honor God. Grace and Power: According to 2 Peter 1:3, God has already given believers everything needed for Life and Godliness through His power. Christ Example: The Mystery of Godliness centers on Jesus Christ coming in human flesh to reveal God's truth and change human hearts. Great Value: First Timothy 4:8 states that physical training has some value, but godliness holds value for both current life and eternity. You can read more about how this applies to daily habits on the David Jeremiah Blog. Brotherly Affection Brotherly affection in the Bible is a tender, family-like love and deep loyalty shared among fellow believers in Christ. Meaning and Language Greek Origin: It comes from the word philadelphia, which joins philos (friendship/love) and adelphos (brother). Family Bond: It describes the warm, sincere care that natural siblings have for one another, applied spiritually to the church family. Active Duty: It is not just a warm feeling, but a practical commitment to support, honor, and bear one another's burdens. Key Bible Verses Romans 12:10: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another". 2 Peter 1:5-7: Peter lists brotherly affection as an essential virtue that believers should add to their faith and godliness. 1 Thessalonians 4:9: Paul notes that believers are taught by God to love one another. Hebrews 13:1: "Let brotherly love continue". LOVE In the Bible, love is defined not just as a passing feeling, but as an active, selfless choice to put the well-being of others before your own. The Bible states that "God is love" (1 John 4:8), meaning that God's character is the ultimate source and standard for how people should love one another. The Core Definition According to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, biblical love is shown through action and character rather than emotion alone. What love is: Patient, kind, protective, trusting, hopeful, and persevering. What love is not: Envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, or resentful (it "keeps no record of wrongs"). The Four Main Words for Love The original languages of the Bible (Hebrew and Greek) use different words to describe specific dimensions of love: Agape (Greek): Unconditional, divine, and sacrificial love. This is the highest form of love, demonstrated when God sent Jesus Christ to die for humanity. Philia (Greek): Deep brotherly affection, warm friendship, and close companionship. Storge (Greek): Natural familial love, such as the bond between parents and children. Eros (Greek): Romantic, passionate love, which the Bible recognizes and celebrates within marriage. Khesed (Hebrew): Loyal, covenantal love and steadfast mercy shown consistently within a relationship. How Jesus Expressed Love (The Five Love Languages) Acts of Service: Jesus devoted his ministry to serving others, famously washing his disciples' feet, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and laying down his life. Quality Time: He constantly walked, ate, and lived closely with his disciples, giving people his undivided attention and listening to everyone from tax collectors to children. Words of Affirmation: He offered spoken comfort, forgiveness, and praise, telling followers their sins were forgiven and affirming figures like John the Baptist. Physical Touch: Jesus regularly broke social norms by touching the untouchable, laying hands on the blind, embracing children, and healing the sick. Receiving/Giving Gifts: He offered ultimate spiritual gifts, including grace, peace, eternal life, and the Holy Spirit. What Jesus Said is His Love LanguageWhen looking at how humans show love back to Jesus, he specified that obedience is his primary love language. In John 14:15, Jesus stated: "If you love me, keep my commands." It is not easy to become the person God wants us to be. If you would ask any of the apostles if they would do it again. They would gladly do it again because that relationship with Jesus brings true peace and joy into their lives. There may be someone standing beside you right know who would also do it again. Life is weird apart from Jesus. I am still working at mastering all of them. 09/10/2026 They call the bible a sword. We all envision that it is used to attack the enemy. This is only half the truth. It also is used to cut things out of your own life. This is what a study showed: The Institute for Biblical Research created a study. It did the most comprehensive study in history about the effect of Bible reading on a Christian's life and here's what they found. You need you to let this sink in. If somebody was found to read the Bible one time a week. Just once one out of 7, it had almost no made no difference in their life at all. If somebody got up and at 2 times a week, they were the Bible, 2 out of 7, it again, almost no difference at all. If somebody got to the spot where they were consistently reading the word 3 times a week. There was a little difference. But it was like super negligible, like just barely little blip on the graph. But when somebody read the Bible at least 4 times a week. All of a sudden, what this study showed is that that person was 228% more likely to share their faith, 407% more likely to memorize scripture, 59% less likely to view pornography, and at least 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness, depression or anxiety. And now think about this, when the word and not the world becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. That's what you're seeing here. So you see, it cuts things out of our life. When the word cuts, what does it cut out? It cuts out things like pornography, depression, anxiety, godlessness. This is what the word does in fact. Can I just say this? You will talk about the bible just because I really like this book. If we have conversation, is there a better way to glorify the name of Jesus then talking about God's word. 09/09/2026 Isn't it sad that as we age that we seem to lose our value in society. When reaching those milestones in age, it seems like they want us to retire. Just try getting a job as we reach carbon dating status. It becomes more difficult to many things as we age. Our God does not think about us like this: Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To God we can be a treasure trove of knowledge that can be shared with the younger generation. Just never give up on learning new things and most important God's word so this statement is accurate. Your age is beautiful to God. 09/07/2026 We live in an age where most everything is digital and encrypted. With present day computers most everything is secure. I have learned that many people who are serving the devil are saving this secure data to crack in the future because of the new technology called quantum computing. These computers will do in seconds what current computers take years to do. It is a race to get this new technology operational. Why is this important? From our banking to our Zelle payments, are all at risk. Our digital private lives will become public knowledge. That is why Peter said: 1 Peter 3:13-18 NIV 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. Peter wants your life to be so Christ focused that there will be no dirt on your digital life to condemn you. They will be forced to lie about you. We all do digital activities of some kind and we need to assume that it could be exposed some day. Will your digital life shine the life of Jesus Christ? P.S. Pray that moral people develop quantum computers first so we have time to prepare our encryption against them and not be hacked by those who hate us. I still believe God even has a handle on this too! 09/06/2026 In 1st Peter 3, Peter talks about the beauty of our wives and how they need to submit to their husbands. As guys, we may think this makes us pretty cool. But what happens when we do not give our wives their due respect. Peter answers that to: 1 Peter 3:7 NIV 7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. Peter talks about the weaker partner, but I have heard how many of you ladies know how to put a hurt out on us guys. That "weaker partner" may not be entirely true. So, men you better treat her right or all your prayers may go unanswered. Especially if she reminds you not to do something but you do it anyway and it becomes a miserable failure. Listen to her advice. She may point out something you may have forgot. Last, make her your queen. 09/04/2026 I do not walk in God's authority as much as I should. When we walk with God's authority it is amazing how much less one gets challenged and the amazing miracles one can do. Jesus was proof of this. We all know about in the beginning and end of his ministry he ran out the money changers and had minimal challenges. He was about to show his authority at Jairus's home. Mark 5:21-23 NIV 21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." As Jesus who always had God's authority healed a bleeding woman who touched his garment on the way there. Jesus never wasted an opportunity. Mark 5:35-43 NIV 35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?" 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. Jesus just entered someone's house and challanged the behavior of the people there already. After the wise cracks, he then ordered everyone to leave the house except the parents. They all left when he said, "Go!" I firmly believe that when we are under God's authority that what we say will always have more power even in this earthly life. People will notice this from you: Matthew 7:28-29 NIV 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Many of you officers and those in high positions may be under God's authority already. I bet you see a difference in people's reaction when you are under God's authority. The rest of us need to work on exhibiting more of God's authority in our lives. Some may be thinking I am not Jesus so this cannot happen in my life. Peter did not let that stop him: Acts 9:36-42 NIV 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. This is proof that imperfect people can walk in God's authority! 09/03/2026 Isaiah 48:17 NIV 17 This is what the Lord says - your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. But how many of us are like Jonah and ignore this. We follow the enemies philosophy, "who teaches you what is best for getting you in trouble, who directs you in the way you should go directly to jail." God's method refines us into something better then we began, where the other option is decay. Do not let the temporary fun of sin get to you. There is usually a heavy price to pay. Matthew 7:24 (NLT) "Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock." 09/02/2026 I have been hearing a lot about authority. We have people in our ministry who carry authority like our military, law enforcement, and fire fighters. They all need our respect. Peter talks about these people: 1 Peter 2:13-17 NIV 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. In verse 14 the statement about governors is true if you live in states like Florida, South Dakota, or Texas. But the rest have the tendency to punish those who do right and commend those who do wrong. Our state of Colorado sent a women to prison because she kept back data to show proof of election fraud. It is hard to honor those who do that to other people. What does honor mean? In the Bible, honor means to assign high weight, value, or worth to someone and to treat them with deep respect and reverence. Biblical Languages and Root Meanings Old Testament (Hebrew - Kavod): Literally means "heavy" or "weighty". To honor God or a person means to treat their presence, authority, or position as weighty and significant rather than light or trivial. New Testament (Greek - Time): Means value, price, preciousness, or respect. It is the act of recognizing someone's worth and showing them appropriate dignity. Who the Bible Says to Honor God: Acknowledging His supreme worth, creator status, and absolute authority through worship and obedience (Revelation 4:11). Father and Mother: Valuing parents' God-given role and position, commanded in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12). The Elderly: Showing deference and respect to older people (Leviticus 19:32). Authority Figures and Leaders: Respecting governing rulers, bosses, and church leaders placed in positions of responsibility (Romans 13:7, 1 Timothy 5:17). All People: Treating every person with basic human dignity as creations of God (1 Peter 2:17) Even though I have no desire to put a hit out on anyone at anytime, it is difficult to have honor for people who are committed to the ways of the enemy. It seems to me it is like rewarding people for bad behavior. But I have to remember to ask God to change their ways for him. Jesus died for these people in authority too. 09/01/2026 This sure sounds like a promise for our lives. Psalm 128:1-2 NIV 1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. 2 You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Some of you may be saying that sure does not sound like me. But what do the words fear, obedience, blessings and prosperity mean: Fear In the Bible, fear is defined in two major ways: as a negative emotion of terror or anxiety to be overcome, and as a positive posture of awe and reverence toward God 1. Negative Fear (Being Afraid)Definition: A painful emotion, dread, or anxiety caused by the expectation of evil, danger, or punishment. Biblical view: Scripture repeatedly commands believers not to give in to this kind of fear. It is seen as a lack of complete trust in God's goodness or presence. Key Verse: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God." — Isaiah 41:10 2. Positive Fear (The Fear of the Lord)Definition: Translated from the Hebrew word Yir'ah, it means a deep sense of wonder, profound respect, and reverential awe. Biblical view: This type of fear is commended. It does not mean being terrified or running away from God; rather, it means taking God seriously, recognizing His supreme authority and holiness, and honoring Him. Key Verse: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." — Proverbs 9:10 Obedience In the Bible, obedience is an intentional, heartfelt choice to hear God's word and willingly do what He says. It is not just following rules or forcing outward compliance; it is an active expression of love, trust, and submission to God as the ultimate authority. Key Meaning of Biblical Obedience Rooted in Love: The Bible teaches that obedience naturally flows from a loving relationship with God. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 14:15) Better Than Sacrifice: God values a sincere, yielded heart far more than empty religious rituals. As 1 Samuel 15:22 states, "To obey is better than sacrifice." An Act of Trust: Obedience means believing that God's ways and wisdom are better than human desires or worldly standards. Why Obedience Matters Proof of Faith: Obedience is the tangible evidence that a person truly believes and trusts God. Building a Foundation: Following God's instructions protects believers and builds a stable spiritual life that can withstand hardships (Luke 6:46). Blessing and Fellowship: Walking in obedience brings inner peace, a closer relationship with God, and a life aligned with His purpose. Blessing In the Bible, a blessing is the impartation of God's favor, grace, and life-giving power that enables a person or creation to flourish, thrive, and fulfill its purpose. Core Meanings of a Blessing - Life and Abundance: When God blesses, He shares His life-producing energy. The first blessings in Genesis are directed at animals, humans, and the Sabbath, empowering them to multiply and prosper. Divine Favor and Protection: It represents God's active presence, looking upon someone with grace and bestowing peace, as seen in the classic Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24–26). Spiritual Inheritance: In the New Testament, blessings shift toward ultimate spiritual realities, such as forgiveness, redemption, adoption into God's family, and eternal life through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3). Spoken Good Will: A blessing can also be a pronouncement or prayer from one person to another (like a father blessing his children), invoking God's goodness upon them Prosperity In the Bible, prosperity means thriving, flourishing, and experiencing overall well-being and success aligned with God's will, rather than just possessing material wealth. Key Aspects of Biblical Prosperity Spiritual Well-being: Having a close, growing relationship with God, wisdom, and peace.Physical Health: Having strength and vitality to fulfill purpose.Provision and Stewardship: Having enough resources to meet daily needs and help bless others, rather than hoarding riches. Hebrew and Greek Roots: Words translated as "prosper" often stem from concepts like shalom (peace, completeness, and soundness) and making successful progress in life. Biblical Perspective vs. Materialism God as the Source: Scripture views God as the provider of all good things, where true security comes from His presence rather than money. Money may be in the picture too if you heart dictates that you can handle it without losing your soul. Warnings on Riches: The New Testament warns that chasing wealth as a primary goal leads to temptation and ruin (1 Timothy 6:9), contrasting with the Prosperity Theology Overview which links faith directly to financial gain. There is more to this story and it may or may not excite you ladies: Psalm 128:3-4 NIV 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord. 08/30/2026 How many of us make plans each day without consulting God? It is safe if you decide what to eat or what to wear without consulting God. If your timing is off on your big decisions, it could come back and bite you. James talked about this: James 4:13-17 NLT Warning about Self-Confidence 13 Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog; it's here a little while, then it's gone. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. 17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. How many problems would we avoid if God was consulted first. This was a problem in the Old Testament too: Psalm 127:1 NLT 1 Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. When making life changing plans, let's get God involved. When God is for you, he will send angels to protect you and bless your endeavors.