A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label God's Word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's Word. Show all posts

January 7, 2024

The Importance of God's Word in Unsettling Times


There are so many reasons that God's Word is vital in times of trouble. But before I begin my reasons why, we need to examine the exegesis of what we mean by "God's Word". And naturally, we Christians understand the Bible to be God's Word to us; His expressed [or written] message to mankind. "Word" in Greek is Logos and implies the Divine reason/thought that gives the cosmos its form and order. That's what the Bible means when it says in John 1:1-2, In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. The "He" in this passage is telling us that Jesus is also "the Word"; He represents and embodies the complete message of God to all men. 

So, here we have the idea that both Jesus and the Bible are God's Word. They are connected because the Bible is literally all about Jesus -- if you diligently read it and study it, you will find Him on every page. Paul gives us the duality of that concept when he says, "I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known"

In other words, Paul is telling Believers that it is his job to make the word (Jesus) known to them as the message from God to mankind. He can accomplish that through teaching from the collection of writings that scholars most commonly accept as written, [beginning with Genesis], around 1400 B.C. until Malachi was written, approximately 450 B.C. -- what we know as the Old Testament. That is the written word of God.

But Paul also wants them to understand that the Word of God encompasses more than what's written on the page. God had been speaking into mankind for centuries, revealing Himself in various ways -- in His creation; through the prophets He called into service; through Scripture [of course], and now the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. But by the time that Paul is teaching this truth, Jesus has been crucified and risen. So, Paul wants it clearly understood that God continues to reveal Himself through the Holy Spirit, who will teach us a deeper understanding of what is written on the pages of Scripture. That concept sees the Word of God, as spiritually revealed, or the Rhema Word.

It is an utterance from God to the heart of the receiver via the Holy Spirit, as in John 14:26: But when the Father sends the Spirit of Holiness, the One like Me who sets you free, He will teach you all things in My name. And He will inspire you to remember every word that I’ve told you. In addition, we can see the activity of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Although the Lord is no longer on the earth, He is still the Word and works through the Holy Spirit, who is living and active in us; separating our soul and flesh from our spirit, and discerning the condition of our heart, that we might clearly hear Jesus and obey His commandments.   

To summarize, Logos is a theological term with a clear reference to Jesus as the Word in the Bible. Rhema is a spiritual encounter with the Word, whereby the principles of the Bible are communicated directly to the heart and spirit of the Believer. The problem is that much of the Church doesn't recognize the Rhema Word or hunger for it. And of course, the Rhema Word must coincide with what is revealed about the Logos in the Bible. I do not believe God or Jesus will speak a word to our hearts or spirits that contradicts His Word in the Bible, but I certainly believe They have a desire to illuminate the Word to those who will receive it.

So why have I taken such pains to elucidate the fullness of this term "Word of God"?  It's so that as we traverse these difficult times in the modern world, we know how to engage and bind ourselves to the Word of God, in all its fullness; to remain grounded and connected to our lifeline [both the Bible and Jesus] when confronted with conflict and dangerous situations. It is important to understand how to do that. 

So, I invite you to consider the following passage in the Bible. I think it expresses much better than I can, what I am talking about ... For we did not receive the spirit of this world system but the Spirit of God, so that we might come to understand and experience all that grace has lavished upon us. And we articulate these realities with the words imparted to us by the Spirit and not with the words taught by human wisdom. We join together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-revealed words.  Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things, and they are subject to the scrutiny of no one but God (1 Corinthians 2:12-15, The Passion Translation).  

To us in the 21st Century, this should tell us that there is a valid connection between revelation from God (Spirit-revealed truths) and the Bible (Spirit-revealed words). They are meant to work together to bring us into greater intimacy with the Father and to guide us to not only fulfill our purpose for the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish, but defend it against the spiritual forces that want to obstruct it. And here's an amazing truth that we need to be exceedingly grateful for ... the heroes of the Old Testament had access to the Holy Spirit when God sent Him upon them, but we have been blessed that the Holy Spirit is with us always, living inside us! 

I recently read an interesting article on kingdom citizens.org. Consider that Daniel, in his service to God, did not have the Holy Spirit's presence in him. But he did make obedience to God's Word his fundamental guide. Even when King Darius decreed that no man could pray to any other god but him, Daniel continued to remain obedient to God's command that "You shall have no other gods before Me", by praying towards Jerusalem three times a day. He is an example that no conflict, no law or decree can change the truth of God's Word. Daniel presents a pretty good challenge to the 21st Century believer. If he was willing to stake his life on following God's commands -- no matter what -- and without the Holy Spirit as guide and counselor inside him, how much more should we be able to stand and occupy in times of trouble? 

In the New Testament, the Disciples Peter and John also show us who and what should take priority in our lives. Just like Daniel, they ran up against man-made laws; laws that forbid them to teach about Jesus. They had a decision to make! Would they choose man's law over the truth they knew of the Word -- that He had died for our sins and rose to sit at the right hand of the Father to intercede on our behalf? Or would they continue to witness about the Word, and listen to the Holy Spirit, who teaches us and reveals the power of the Gospel? "We ought to obey God rather than men" was their answer -- not to be rebellious and sow discord and chaos into the society, but to remain obedient to God's law, when man's law went against it.

As our spirits become increasingly aware that conflict is on the rise and may become unavoidable, I know it will not be easy. In our flesh, the Enemy will attack us with fear, doubt, anxiety, and unbelief. But I want to encourage you to make the Word of God your foundation in the midst of the uncertainty, confusion, and disorder. We're already seeing, that in so many areas, wrong is now right; bad is now good. Like Daniel and Peter and John, ask yourself, What does God call me to do in this situation, according to the Bible? What am I hearing from the Holy Spirit?  When you know the Word, both in Scripture form, and in your personal, intimate relationship with Jesus the Word, you will find that you have a foundation to stand on; one that strengthens you, gives you strategies, and provides stability in unsettling times. We will overcome!

#understandingtheword #whatislogosword #whatisrhemaword #kingdomcitizens #obeyGodorobeyman #holyspiritinus #holyspiritinoldtestament #holyspirit  #weoughttoobeyGod #Jesusistheword #revelationofthebible #spiritrevealedtruth #danielsobedienceinthebible

Isaiah 55:11    "So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it".

     


   

December 20, 2023

The Word of God Is Worth Dying For!


I know ... that's a pretty extreme statement, but let me give you the context in which I am making it. As I have stated numerous times, how we interpret the Bible is important to receiving the true revelation of God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that we are to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and we know that Jesus only said [and did] what the Father told Him. So, it must be inferred that the words Jesus used had great significance and were spoken with purpose. 

And that's why I have continually persisted in making an issue of words like "Ekklesia" and "Kingdom", and have challenged the modern Church's understandings and teachings. Please indulge me a moment as I reiterate just how important our understanding is, and the value of it. 

That word ... ekklesia ... had tremendous import when Jesus used it in Matthew 16:18. Most Bible translations tell us that He said, "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it". Only He didn't say "Church", He said "Ekklesia". It is important that you know that this word has been used over 100 times in the New Testament and has always meant an assembly of God’s People. That is how it is understood in the Greek language; it is a Greek word. It means that men assembled at the main gate of the city, where government business was discussed and decisions were made on how to run the affairs of the people. It is a word describing government -- not to be used in regards to religion. 

The word "Church" comes from the Greek word kyriake, or kyriakon, meaning "gathering place, assembly dedicated to the Lord" -- in other words, a building; a place. Jesus was very deliberate in using the word Ekklesia, because He knew what its specific meaning was: ek, meaning "out of", and klesis, meaning "a calling". Therefore, I think we can establish that Jesus came to build a government of His Father's Kingdom on earth, not a religion.   

But I don't want to belabor the differences between the two words; I have covered that ground multiple times. Instead, I ask you to think about this: If the word was deliberately told to Jesus by the Father, and Jesus specifically used it during His ministry, shouldn't we hold to their precise use of the word that describes how we are to conduct the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth? And shouldn't it be so important to us that we guard its use fervently and with prejudice?

I deliberately used the title for this blog because I want you to perceive how lax we have become in interpreting the Word of God. Jeremiah 2:11-13 comes to mind ... My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God) for that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them]. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; Be shocked and shudder with horror [at the behavior of the people],” says the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, the Fountain of Living Water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 

This begs the question ... If we do not see that Jesus never intended to build a Church, but rather an Ekklesia -- have we established church buildings as religious idols that are broken and unable to hold the weight and substance of God's Truth? Unless we receive a revelation and re-establish exactly what Jesus intended to build in Matthew 16, we are in danger of building upon the wrong foundation; one that will not withstand what is prophesied to come in the Word. It will not only fail to hold water, but it will crumble at the first onslaught of the kingdom of darkness. 

Does the modern Church even know the history of how the Word came to the common man? Do we understand that for centuries, the people were not even allowed access to the Word? That it was only for the powerful controlling State? Are you aware of a man named William Tyndale and that he published the first New Testament in the English language, making it available to the common man? If you don't know his name, you should, because he was willing to die to protect the Word. 

In 2017, I wrote a blog post titled, My Passion For the Bible, and related the history of the various versions and interpretations of the Bible that have come down through the centuries. I'm going to share a portion of William Tyndale's story, but if you're interested in a more comprehensive history of the English Bible's timeline, I refer you to this link. But it is Tyndale's testimony that is most relevant to today's post. 

William Tyndale was the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. He translated it from the original Greek into English in 1526. Tyndale had been forced to flee England because of the wide-spread rumor that his English New Testament project was underway, causing inquisitors and bounty hunters to be constantly on his trail to arrest him and prevent him from completing his project. Both of the "state" churches -- the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church -- were angry with Tyndale for lots of reasons, but mainly because he translated the Greek word "ekklesia" as an assembly [a governing body of God's Word], which would show the people that they were God's assembly and under His direction, not the State's. 

While the Tyndale Bibles were burned as soon as the Bishop could confiscate them, copies trickled through to the public, and actually ended up in the bedroom of King Henry VIII. The more the King and Bishop resisted its distribution, the more fascinated the public at large became. The church declared it contained thousands of errors as they torched hundreds of New Testaments confiscated by the clergy, while in fact, they burned them because they could find no errors at all. One risked death by burning if caught in mere possession of Tyndale's forbidden books.  

In fact, Tyndale was eventually arrested and imprisoned because he refused to change the translation of ekklesia to anything but a governing assembly. That's how dedicated he was to maintaining the truth and authenticity of God's Word. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale’s 1525-26 First Edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely valuable. Tyndale's flight was an inspiration to freedom-loving Englishmen who drew courage from the 11 years that he was hunted. In the end, Tyndale was caught: betrayed by an Englishman that he had befriended. Tyndale was incarcerated for 500 days before he was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536. Tyndale’s last words were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England’s eyes". 

So, you can see why Tyndale's translation, using the word ekklesia in its Greek meaning, would be such a threat to the rulers who controlled the State religions? Jesus claimed He was a King, bringing a government from Heaven that called people to obedience to that system of laws and commandments; encouraging an assembly of Believers to carry out their specific instructions and duties to Heaven. Now, in the 21st Century, as Believers, shouldn't we be asking ourselves if we are still honoring the responsibilities of an ekklesia? Does it even matter to you whether you identify as part of the Ekklesia or the Church? 

Sadly, I am discerning that the word Ekklesia has become one of the latest fashionable icons of Church-y language. But I don't see any change in the actions of the leaders of modern Christianity. The Church still looks like the Church. It is still walking in compromise with the world and the State. It may be using a lot of words to express opposition, but it is not doing anything to oppose the world's approval of abortion; transgender manipulation of children; sex trafficking; crime; corruption; and all the other wicked displays of Satan's presence in our culture. Do you see any William Tyndale's who are willing to give up their lives for the sake of defending the truth or authenticity of the Word?

I believe that we modern Christians sometimes get so caught up in our denominational doctrine that we quote Scripture without really understanding its true meaning, or how it reveals God's heart, or His purpose and plan for us as His representatives. But the Word of God as revealed to man has remained unchanged from generation to generation, no matter how hard the Enemy has tried to corrupt it.  

History shows us that God has always used men who were willing to die to see that His Word stayed verifiable and authentic. He has preserved His Word as a means to know Him and to worship Him. And just as He inspired the original writers to represent Him accurately, He can inspire us, who are sincerely seeking Him, to receive His true revelation.  No matter what translation of the Bible you are reading, I recommend that you compare and contrast versions in your never-ending journey to know the God we serve. The journey His Word has taken to get to us in the 21st Century is nothing less than miraculous. It has survived for over 3400 years, and neither man nor devil has been able to destroy it.  May it forever be a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path!

#bibletranslations #biblicalmeaningofekklesia #ekklesiaversuschurch #godsauthenticrevelation #williamtyndale #wordofgodisworthdyingfor #onthisrockIwillbuildmychurch #onthisrockIwillbuildmyekklesia #churchandstate

Isaiah 40:8   "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."


  

April 18, 2023

Defending The Word In An Age of Compromise


For the sake of this post, I am referring to all Believers as "preachers" of the Word when we share it with the lost. But how do we know we are preaching it "rightly"? After all, 2 Timothy 2:15 says, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth. I don't know about you, but I take that very seriously, and I consistently pray that I am representing God and His Word accurately and well. 

As we look upon our religious culture in the 21st Century, it is becoming quite apparent that there are diverse "messages" out there, all proclaiming to represent the rightly divided Word of God. But they can't all be correct, since there are contrasting views within "the Church" on God's acceptance of homosexuality; on the relevance of spiritual warfare; on the definition of the Great Commission; on His acceptance of worshiping other gods (sadly); and even on how we are to honor rituals and traditions.

How do we know, these 2000+ years later, that we are in alignment with the teachings that Jesus commanded the Apostles to carry forward as "the Church"? From the very beginning, there was an ardent desire to preserve the Lord's teachings accurately and authentically. It's important for us to know how those teachings became theology and doctrine, and just how difficult it became to do that without letting human error creep in, whether consciously or subconsciously.

I hope you will suffer me to give a cursory history of the struggle to "rightly handle" the Word of God -- from the very beginning. Just in the first 300 years, Christ's teachings were rendered and interpreted through several groups which have become known as the Early Church Fathers. You have the "Apostolic Fathers", who were a group of early Christian leaders and authors who lived shortly after the 12 Apostles. Their writings are typically dated between AD 80–180. Most of the Apostolic Fathers are believed to have known the Apostles personally or were connected to them in some way. The apostolic church fathers were the ones like Clement of Rome who were contemporaries of the apostles and were probably taught by them, carrying on the tradition and teaching of the apostles themselves. Polycarp and Clement are considered two of the imminent Apostolic Fathers, and they soon became embroiled in presenting truth to counter the theological heresies of Gnosticism and Docetism. Gnostics believed that anything done in the body was inherently evil and sinful, but it didn't really matter, because real life existed in the spirit realm only. Docetism promoted that Jesus was never fully human; He only "seemed" to have a body, and may have been somewhat divine. 

The ante-Nicene fathers were those who came after the apostolic fathers and before the Council of Nicea in AD 325. Such individuals as Irenaeus, Ignatius, and Justin Martyr are ante-Nicene fathers. The post-Nicene church fathers are those who came after the Council of Nicea in AD 325. These are such noted men as Augustine, bishop of Hippo, who is often called the father of the [Roman Catholic] Church because of his great work in Church doctrine; Chrysostom, called the “golden-mouthed” for his excellent oratorical skills; and Eusebius, who wrote a history of the church from the birth of Jesus to AD 324, one year before the Council of Nicea.

But even these zealous Early Church Fathers could not keep the Enemy of God from working his own agenda and begin infiltrating the Church with false and counterfeit teachings and doctrines. The Apostolic Fathers were passionate in presenting the gospel just as the apostles taught them, but became increasingly involved in defending the gospel from these heresies, rather than presenting Jesus's teachings in their purest and authoritative form. The very fact that the Nicene Council was convened in AD 325 is evidence that there was a growing fragmentation in the Church between various theologies and doctrines. What followed in the way of commentaries and endless examinations among these disparate groups undoubtedly has led to centuries of interpretations [and denominations] led by theologians such as Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and the post-Enlightenment theologians like Karl Barth. 

As we consider this history, we have to ask ourselves this question: So, do all these varying religious opinions down through the centuries meet the approval of God by the standards He sets in His Word? Which of these messages come from human wisdom, and which are revealed through the Spirit of Truth in the Bible? Which messages rest in the wisdom of men, and which in the power of God? 

These may seem like elementary questions, but I think we need to be very aware of the Enemy's tactics in these Last Days. I am seeing everything from a powerless Gospel being preached, to a dangerous message of unity among different gods and religions; that is not Biblical. The Word is the power of God to save us from eternal hell. But that Word must not be weakened, watered down, or compromised. The very definition of the word compromise is this: a middle state between conflicting opinions or actions reached by mutual concession or modification; an agreement or a settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions; the acceptance of standards that are lower than is desirable. Do any of those definitions sound like they define the Nature of our God? Does He make concessions or allowances for His laws and commandments -- or ever lower His standards?

Yet, we are now paying the consequences in our society because of compromise; because of our willingness to undermine the Word of God by embracing cultural lifestyles that do not conform to the commandments of the God we pray to. There is no "happy medium" where God is willing to adapt His Glory, Majesty, or Sovereignty to fit our ideas of theology, justice or mercy. Nor is He willing to compromise His order of divine government with corrupted and unholy social ideologies that subvert His righteous rule of the nations. It is time that we, the true Believers in the One True God, declare our unyielding and unshakeable faith in the accurate Word of God. It's time to step into our authority to preach the Word as laid out in 2 Timothy 4:2: "proclaim the Word of God and stand upon it no matter what! Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. Preach in the full expression of the Holy Spirit —with wisdom and patience as you instruct and teach the people". No more compromise! 

Thanks to the website gotquestions.com for the concise history of the Early Church Fathers.

I Thessalonians 2:13   And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you believers.


August 26, 2022

The Meaning of Words Matters!

 

By now, it should be clear to anyone paying attention to our world, that things are changing. As a Christian with a Biblical worldview, I can see that there is a new ideology growing in our Western culture that threatens to destroy what we have believed for centuries. And I'm not just talking about our faith, but what we have adhered to in our family structures, our form of government, our history -- and it threatens to destroy the culture itself.

This new ideology is not dissimilar to the theme of George Orwell's famous novel, 1984. If you are of a certain age or generation, you probably read it in a high school English class. Long described as a "dystopian novel", the book warned society of the dangers of a totalitarian government that ruled through fear, surveillance, propaganda, and mind control. The not-so-funny thing is that "dystopian" means "an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one." I don't know about you, but that description doesn't seem so imaginary anymore, and our culture and society are increasingly looking like the super-state Oceania in 1984.

I say that because there are certain similarities between the novel and where we find ourselves today. I don't want to spend this post rehashing the plot of this book, other than to say there is one aspect that I think we need to understand because it plays into the threat of eradicating some of God's most important Biblical principles. Let me explain ... as part of the plot in 1984, one of the political parties of the imaginary totalitarian government wants to get rid of certain troubling words; without the words no one can conceive of their concepts and it will be easy to destroy the reality of what they mean and inspire.

Today, that translates into not only getting rid of words, but changing them to mean something entirely different. For instance, there are certain politicians that are re-writing laws that omit "women" or "mothers" from the text, and replace them with "Birthing people". Other activists want to get rid of the word "equality" and change it to "equity"; and "affirmative action" becomes "diversity". Furthermore, how some words make people feel is now being termed as "violent". There is no longer any room for discussion or debate. And as Tim Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute says, "That is dangerous"... if we are going to label language and words violent, "then the only way we can relate to each other is through power". I think we can agree that that is not a good standard.

You may recognize this idea as comparable to terms like "wokeism", "political correctness" or "cancel culture". But the damage this ideology does goes much deeper than any theory of how our culture is changing in a political or societal sense. It is leaning towards dismantling the very foundation of believing in God and His standards. If activists can change the idea of Biblical precepts by removing God's part in them, then they can be reformatted to remove Him altogether. Another way to say it is this: if we can remove the God connection to a word, then rather than the word being defined by God's perspective, it becomes the opinion of the person who is experiencing or feeling it. God no longer has a place in our language.

For instance, let's take a look at the word Guilt. As a Christian, I know that guilt is a noun; it is a state or condition as a result of violating one of God's moral laws. And there is the idea of repayment and restitution to the offended party. But if you remove God from the definition, then guilt can be simply defined as "guilty feelings", and there is no payment or consequence associated with the violation. Indeed, the violation itself, is subjective [based on personal feelings, tastes, or opinions]. Any shame that is felt is lessened to a loss of face before your peers because there is no God before whom one is ashamed.

Now, consider the word Freedom. As Christians, we know that there is a weight to that word. Our ultimate freedom in this world comes from Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross for us. There is no greater freedom on this earth than the freedom from eternal death. And freedom is also deliverance from the bondage to sin. It is a gift from our God to us. But when you remove God from the concept of freedom then it becomes a word that means permission to do whatever feels good to us. Doesn't have quite the same weight to it, does it?

Finally, let's think about the word Tolerance. I think the original meaning of tolerance, in regards to Christians, was to acknowledge that other people had different belief systems and to believe that it was their right to do so. But when you remove God from the Christian principle of tolerance the word comes to mean that you have to agree with all belief systems; to fully approve of them -- all are equal in their value and significance. As a Christian, I know that is not true. Furthermore, without God, tolerance ends up being an incoherent ideology, or nothing more than a request to be nice and get along.

So, do you get the idea I'm trying to convey? The meaning of words is important, and if God's perspective is lost in that meaning, then there is no standard by which the world understands each other. Taking it a step further, if words can be eliminated or changed, then so can our history, which is chronicled in words. Words may seem like such a small component of the troubles we face in this world, but let me share what a secular writer wrote about the importance of words. Esther Lombardi wrote, "Words can incite anger or invoke passion. They can bring people together or tear them apart. Words can uphold the truth or nurture a lie. We use words to encompass history, to describe the natural universe, and even to conjure realistic visions of things that exist only in fantasy." 

I can agree with that sentiment. And here are the rest of her words in that description "In fact, in some mythology, spoken words are thought to be so powerful that they can create worlds, creatures, and human beings." Note how the truth of God is removed from those words, and compare it this concept in John 1:1-5 ... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it".

Words matter! And their meanings matter! The Enemy of this dark world is all about distortion and corruption. It's been his game plan since the Garden of Eden. It is up to us to preserve and uphold the truth of words as they pertain to the Goodness of God. I fear the tactics of those who wish to remove God from the knowledge of the foundation of this world and societies and cultures. The next generation is in danger of being robbed of all that God has intended for us. Let us defend the importance and accuracy of our words, lest they be lost forever. And I want to end this post by quoting the latter part of The Message's version of Matthew 12:37 ... "Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation". Serious words for thought.

#wordshavepower #godsword #cancelculture #wordsmatter #biblicalworldview

Matthew 12:37   By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.