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They Have Turned Their Back to God

“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction. But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.” (Jeremiah 32:33-35 NASB1995)

This is from the Old Testament, but I believe that we can see some parallels here from what was going on then to what is happening in our day and time. And I am going to speak of what I have witnessed in my own nation, the USA. For I have watched, from childhood to adulthood, the slow and gradual spiritual and moral decline of the church. And I have lived in 10 different cities in 5 different US states over the course of my 75 years of life, and I have been involved in Christian ministry most of my life in the church.

I grew up under the Christian & Missionary Alliance church denomination, but where the C&MA (now just called The Alliance) was not available, we also participated with other church denominations such as Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist, and/or non-denominational. Now, church denominations are not the church, but that is where we gathered with the church, the body of Christ, for the teaching of the Word, for Christian fellowship, for communion, for prayer, and for Christian ministry.

These gatherings of the church, some or most of them, anyway, used to be very spiritually focused on teaching the Scriptures, in emphasizing holy living and walks of faith in obedience to the Lord Jesus. Sharing the truth of the gospel with the people of the world was of upmost importance, as was being biblically literate. We used to gather twice on Sundays and every Wednesday evening, and throughout the week we had small group Bible studies in people’s homes. Following Jesus in obedience was being taught.

But in the 1950’s “the church” (overall) was talked into incorporating (merging, uniting, combining) with the state (the ungodly) and turning their gatherings into businesses to be marketed to the people of the world, just like any other business, both of which God forbids in the Scriptures. And so many of them began attending marketing seminars and reading marketing literature on how to grow their churches and on how to draw in large crowds of people from the world into their gatherings. And things went downhill.

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2-3; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

Then, in order to attract people from the world to their gatherings they became more worldly, and marketing tricks and schemes began to take precedence over truth and righteousness. Compromises to the truth of the gospel, in order to appease human flesh and to not offend the ungodly, began to become common place. Pastors were turning into entertainers, and a small group of musicians were now “the worship team” leading the people to all sing in unison (no more hymn books) to often spiritually weak songs.

And I am giving an overall picture here, so not all of this will apply to every church congregation or gathering, but this is the big picture. The church in the USA, overall, has gone the way of the world to attract the world, and the truth of the gospel has taken a huge hit, and the purpose of the church has also taken a huge hit in a downward spiral. And so many people now who call themselves Christians are not living much differently from the people who make no professions of faith in the Lord Jesus. And God is grieved!

Now the Scriptures (Old Testament and New Testament) warn us of a day when God will judge his people (see Revelation 2-3) for their rebellion against him and his word, for diluting his gospel, and for living worldly and ungodly lives focused on self and on self-pleasure, and not on walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands in surrender to his will, in self-denial and in dying to sin. And I personally believe that we are now beginning to see some of those judgments on my nation, the USA.

“Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.’” (Jeremiah 32:28-29 NASB1995)

For Our Nation

Professionally recorded in Nashville, TN
Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love


Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

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They Have Turned Their Back to God
An Original Work / July 11, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Immigration operation at California cannabis farms leads to clash between federal agents and protesters


I hope Congress considers some legislation for mandatory fines for interfering in a law enforcement operation.

EU's anti-Christian report is sign of slide into 'godlessness,' politician warns

Report described as 'an openly anti-Christian piece of work' funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, George Soros

A Hungarian official has taken aim at progressive activists within the European Union, accusing them of authoring a report that attacks Christianity and seeks to diminish its influence.

The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF) has published a report claiming that Europe is suffering from a rise in religious “anti-feminist” groups. The report was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and George Soros.

Hungarian Ministerial Commissioner, Bernadett Petri, said the report was yet more evidence of the EU’s slide into godlessness. Speaking to Hungary Today,she described it as “an openly anti-Christian piece of work.”

Continued below.

What Do You Say When Kids Ask About Dinosaurs?

We cannot know all the ways that God creates, but we can have fun learning science in the light of faith.


Painting of a late Jurassic scene in northern Germany, showing several iguanodons and an adult and a juvenile specimen of the sauropod Europasaurus holgeri.
Painting of a late Jurassic scene in northern Germany, showing several iguanodons and an adult and a juvenile specimen of the sauropod Europasaurus holgeri. (photo: Gerhard Boeggemann, / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5)

Suppose you catechize your children properly and teach them all about Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden and original sin. Suppose you sit on the sofa one Sunday evening, read the Bible with them and explain how God created all of the plants and animals.

On Monday morning, they return to their science classes and learn about fossils and dinosaurs, which have sparked an interest and led them to browse the Internet for more information. It’s not like dinosaurs are taboo or anything. Kids love dinosaurs! Eventually, they ask the obvious question.

“So, Mom, I have been wondering: Did the dinosaurs live before or after Adam and Eve?”

You open your mouth to answer and catch yourself mid-breath, as you consider the path of reasoning. Well, that little question is mighty loaded, isn’t it? You tread carefully.

If the answer is that the dinosaurs lived before Adam and Eve, then it follows that all words and sentences in the first three chapters of Genesis are not to be taken literally. Dinosaurs are believed to have dominated the earth for more than 100 million years, first appearing more than 200 million years ago in the Triassic Period and reigning during the Jurassic Period — until about 60-70 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, when they went extinct.

Continued below.

Progressive Covenentalism

Hello!

I am exploring eschatology to have a better understanding. I see arguments for both premillennialism and amillennialism, though I admit to being biased towards the former due to my denomination and upbringing.

One view I am considering is progressive covenentalism. It seems pretty compelling from a biblical standpoint and I think it fits the best with the New Testament. I do think it's pretty obvious, based on the text, that Jesus is the true Israel and all who are grafted in are heirs to the promise, including the promise of the land.

However, I am on the fence between progressive covenentalism and progressive dispensationalism.

My issue is that I do think there is some kind of significance to the return of the Jewish people to their land and I anticipate a future Messianic kingdom like in Acts 1:6, but I think dispensationalists can go too far with the separation between Israel and the Church. So, I don't want to say that Israel and the Jewish people have no significance at all to God's greater plan, and some verses do seem to teach that the Jewish people will be restored.

What are your thoughts?

MJ Only Proverbs 6:22 - They shall talk with you

I am reading Proverbs 6:22 in the NKJV:
22 When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light

I am pondering whether "they will speak with you"
involves more than being spoken to. That is, is
there a dialogue going on between the soul and
the Lord, as the soul receives light from Torah by the Spirit?

In the Interlinear of Proverbs 6:22 at biblehub.com,
the "with you" is reinforced instead of "to you", which makes me wonder
if the picture is one of interaction. On the side, the Interlinear says "she will speak with you".
What is the "she"?
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Elon Musk’s company xAI deletes Grok chatbot’s 'inappropriate posts' praising Hitler

Grok, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, made a series of comments this week praising Hitler and criticizing Jews, which were soon deleted.

One of the comments came in response to a post claiming to show someone named “Cindy Steinberg” celebrating the deaths of girls killed by recent flash floods at a Christian camp in Texas (the post turned out to be a hoax).

Responding to the post, Grok wrote the following:

Continued below.

How our minds are like a cuckoo clock in hell

The totalitarian mind is like “a system of gears where teeth have been filed off at random. Such a snaggle-toothed thought machine … whirls with the jerky, noisy, gaudy pointlessness of a cuckoo clock in Hell.”

Kurt Vonnegut used this image in his novel “Mother Night” to describe totalitarian madmen, but we all have the kind of mind he described. It’s a good image for the mind of fallen humanity and one that suggests an explanation for a particular problem: why we can hold with conviction beliefs that make little and often no sense, sometimes to the point of insanity, while thinking sanely about everything else.

It’s the problem that makes us say to others, or others say to us, “What’s wrong with you? You know better than that.” But they (or we) don’t.

The logic can’t be faulted​


Continued below.

Minnesota says government agencies must ‘justify’ hiring white men

Gov. Tim Walz’s (D-MN) government in Minnesota plans to discriminate in hiring with a new policy next month that requires “hiring justifications” if someone from a “non-underrepresented” group is hired.

Why doesn't Tim Walz step down so some DEI candidate can take his place?
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Evangelicals for Harris apologizes for using Billy Graham sermons to attack Trump

A political action committee formerly known as “Evangelicals for Harris” apologized for using footage of the late Rev. Billy Graham to attack President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election.

Evangelicals for Harris, which has since been redubbed Evangelicals for America following former Vice President Kamala Harris’ electoral defeat last fall, issued a statement earlier this week acknowledging they had wrongly politicized the late evangelist’s Gospel message.

“In the lead up to the 2024 presidential election, Evangelicals for America PAC's ‘Evangelicals for Harris’ campaign produced several ads using clips of Rev. Billy Graham,” the group said. “We did this believing that our use of the clips of Rev. Graham, although not done with the prior permission of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), would meet the criteria for Fair Use under the US Copyright Act.”

Continued below.
  • Informative
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AOC's 'Red Light' district ruled by violent migrant gang taken down by feds

Seven of the eight gangbangers are in the country illegally, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital. They are all members and associates of the 18th Street gang, which was formed by Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles in the 1960s and today has members throughout the United States as well as in Mexico and Central America, prosecutors said.

No help from AOC.

Raped, taken for abortion at 13, this pro-lifer is helping post-abortive women find grace, healing

Serena Dyksen had never even heard the word "abortion" until a family doctor recommended that her parents take her for one at the age of 13 after she was raped and impregnated by her uncle.

"One day, I was on the school bus, and I just blurted out to someone what had happened to me," Dyksen told The Christian Post in an interview. "I think I was just at a point in my life where I needed help."

Becoming pregnant from her uncle in the late 1980s was something Dyksen tried to hide at first out of shame. But a guidance counselor later pulled Dyksen out of choir class to ask if a family member had assaulted her. At first, the child didn't want to admit she was assaulted, but she eventually did. The girl's parents came and took her to the family doctor, who referred them to an abortion facility.

Continued below.

Pastoral approach to ...

I do not know what sub-forum this should be in ... but read carefully and there is a theological matter here, it is what is the pastoral approach that matches your doctrinal perspective best.

substitute something important that comes to mind where the paragraph below says "in these situations", do not tell us what you had in mind, commenting on the paragraph below is the matter in discussion - do you agree or ...

Pastoral care in these situations is not about offering easy answers. It’s about being Christ’s presence—gentle, patient, and faithful. The Church’s role is not to coerce but to console, not to condemn but to carry burdens alongside the wounded.

ICE arrests one of El Salvador’s “Top 100 Most Wanted” hiding in Nebraska

The criminal alien was apprehended alongside an MS-13 associate he was residing with and who was also in the United States illegally.
His associate, Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, 30, is a criminal alien, known MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist also wanted in El Salvador. Escobar Ochoa is accused of giving orders to fellow gang members to commit a variety of crimes, including multiple homicides, extortion, imprisonment and drug trafficking.


Please note the message to not interfere in arrests. I know some political leaders might paint some of these guys as "dads" or "residents" but think about the victims. Interfering can have deadly consequences.
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The Latest from the LifeSite News Soap Opera

The new head of LifeSite News is its co-founder Steve Jalsevac who sent out the message below. Is this the whole story? I doubt it and I suspect there are other issues. I was once involved with a contentious fight over who would run a pro-life organization. We ended up in arbitration. The primary issue had nothing to do with the focus of the organization. It was management style and personality conflicts. I'm wondering how much of that played into Westen's firing.

The fact that one of the reporters, Stephen Kokx, was also fired impacts the credibility of Jalsevac's message. As one of the reporters, Kokc clearly had nothing to do with the "business challenges" at LifeSite: the loss of readership, the decline in donations, etc; so why was he fired?

Continued below.

Trump Pledges 50% Tariffs Against Brazil, Citing ‘Witch Hunt’ Against Bolsonaro

First, President Trump said that he planned to impose a 50 percent tariff on all Brazilian imports, partly in retaliation for what he sees as a “witch hunt” against his political ally, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing trial for attempting a coup.
In a letter to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Mr. Trump wrote that the new tariffs would take effect on Aug. 1. “The way that Brazil has treated former President Bolsonaro, a Highly Respected Leader throughout the World during his Term, including by the United States, is an international disgrace.” --NYT

Bolsonaro was a right wing authoritarian. Bolsonaro tried to steal the election. He used his office to enrich himself replete with luxury gifts from the middle east.
So when Trump sees him, he sees a lot of himself.

And then there is this:

In his letter, Mr. Trump said the 50 percent tariff was needed to “have the Level Playing Field we must have with your Country” and “to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime.”
Mr. Trump also incorrectly said the United States had a trade deficit with Brazil. For years, the United States has generally maintained a trade surplus with Brazil. The two countries had about $92 billion in trade together last year, with the United States enjoying a $7.4 billion surplus in the relationship. The top products traded are aircraft, oil, machinery and iron.
So there you go. The United States saw a $7.4 billion trade surplus with Brazil and the USA government is going to introduce a tax on its own citizens who buy Brazilian products? You just can't make this up.

President Trump welcomes Liberian President Joseph Boakai to the WH

"Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States, and we believe in your policy of making America great again," Boakai told the president, according to Reuters.

"Well, thank you, and such good English," Trump replied. "That's beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?"

Trump Cut BRIC While Rural Communities Face Greater Risks

As the tragic events in Texas demonstrate, rurul counties often do not recieve the funds needed to implement preventative measures to protect human life. Kerr County Texas had previously applied for FEMA funds were denied, with Texas deciding to direct those funds to larger urban areas such as Houston. President Biden passed a program to address the needs of smaller communities: BRIC.

DOGE killed it.

In April, the Trump administration canceled the Building Resilient Communities Program, or BRIC, which funnels billions of dollars to states, municipalities, and tribal nations so they can prepare for future disasters. Ironically, Trump signed this program into law during his first term. But now, in the name of eliminating “waste, fraud, and abuse,” the Trump administration has cut $750 million in new resilience funding and clawed back nearly $900 million in grant funding already promised but not yet disbursed to states for improvements like upgrading stormwater systems, performing prescribed burns, and building flood control systems. FEMA also canceled $600 million in Flood Mitigation Assistance funding to communities this year, money that helps states protect buildings from flooding. Government analyses have determined that every dollar spent preparing for a disaster reaps $6 or more in costs saved down the road.
Will Trump re-instate BRIC?

Faith without woks explained

Read Genesis 22:2 -12. Isaac was a young man. Some estimate Isaac's age to be in his late teens. Let's read about Abraham being declared to be righteous.

Read Genesis 15:2 -6. Abraham had no children when he was declared righteous. Abraham was declared righteous then at least 13 years later Issac was born. At that time Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac were circumcised. That was at least 10 years prior to him and Isaac going to Mt Moriah. That would mean Abraham had been declared righteous at least 23 years prior to when he took Issac to Mt Moriah for sacrifice. Hebrews 12:5-8 The question is had Abraham proved that he was a son of God, let God discipline him, before he took Issac to Mt Moriah. If he had then, he was righteous prior to offering to sacrifice Issac.

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. NKJV

James states that “scripture was fulfilled” which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. God declared Abraham righteous as stated above at least 23 years prior to the sacrifice.

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. NKJV

The righteous requirement of the law of sin and death are fulfilled by those declared righteous by God who walk in the Spirit. God fulfills the law of sin and death so those who believe in Jesus can be sanctified by obeying Jesus' commands. God does this so the people who come for salvation can attain the level of perfection they are willing to work for.

When a person first comes in, they could enter heaven at that time as they are sinless and have been born from above. This does happen occasionally when the person who comes in doesn't have the faith to face withdrawal from sin, and they let Jesus put them to death physically rather than keep sinning. Jesus' love is unconditional. His love does not depend on how you conduct yourself.

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NKJV

God fulfills the law for Christians for those who walk in the Spirit. He does this during the sanctification process for His sons. Abraham had proved he was a child of God sometime earlier during the 23 years. Yet, he continued to walk in the Spirit. If Abraham had decided to not walk in the Spirit at some point, as verse 13 states, be would have died physically and went to heaven. In heaven his faith had accomplished its goal and would be dead. Hence, the saying faith without works is dead.

James 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? NKJV

By continuing in the Spirit Abraham reached the level of perfection he was willing to work for.

To answer the question can faith without works save a person? Yes. As stated above there are people who do not have enough faith to withdraw from sin. Read 1Corinthians 11: 27-32 verse 32 those who were disciplined to death were not condemned with the world. Had they repented and quit drinking they would have continued in the sanctification process.

2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him,


He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. NKJV


Those who do not have faith enough to face withdrawing from sin but still let Jesus put them to death had no works. Their faith was without works yet it still got them to heaven.

The point James is making is that the only way we can see if a person has faith is to see some works from them. It's not a good indication, but it's all we have.

An Evil Spirit from the Lord

"Now the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul's servants said to him, “See now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command the servants who attend you to look for someone who is skillful in playing the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will feel better." 1 Sam. 16:14-16

Enter David, who plays the lyre and makes Saul feel better.

What is this evil spirit from the Lord that departs (or relents from tormenting Saul) when good music is played?

Isaiah 1

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
The Wickedness of Judah
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth;
for the LORD has spoken:
“Children have I reared and brought up,
but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its owner,
and the donkey its master’s crib,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the LORD,
they have despised the Holy One of Israel,
they are utterly estranged.
Why will you still be struck down?
Why will you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick,
and the whole heart faint.
From the sole of the foot even to the head,
there is no soundness in it,
but bruises and sores
and raw wounds;
they are not pressed out or bound up
or softened with oil.
Your country lies desolate;
your cities are burned with fire;
in your very presence
foreigners devour your land;
it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.
And the daughter of Zion is left
like a booth in a vineyard,
like a lodge in a cucumber field,
like a besieged city.
If the LORD of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.
Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
“When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
The Unfaithful City
How the faithful city
has become a harlot,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.
Therefore the Lord declares,
the LORD of hosts,
the Mighty One of Israel:
“Ah, I will get relief from my enemies
and avenge myself on my foes.
I will turn my hand against you
and will smelt away your dross as with lye
and remove all your alloy.
And I will restore your judges as at the first,
and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,
the faithful city.”
Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
For they shall be ashamed of the oaks
that you desired;
and you shall blush for the gardens
that you have chosen.
For you shall be like an oak
whose leaf withers,
and like a garden without water.
And the strong shall become tinder,
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them.

Isaiah 1

We must repent, we must fight our own wickedness and resist the devil. We must not let Christianity fall into a state of functional unbelief. How many of say that we believe in this and that but don’t? Perhaps it’s male headship? Perhaps it’s the inerrancy of scripture? The sermon on the mount and Jesus’ teaching on retaliation and adultery in the heart? Are these things real to us? How real? It’s not that we will be perfect, but we need to seek this perfection, we must seek to be more like Christ. This will not save us, doing what’s expected will not save you. Only Christ can save people, nut works are expected.

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:17-20

Lets us be the best Christians we can be. We all have our faults, let’s work on them and do what’s expected will God would have us do.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13

For The Greater Progress of The Gospel

“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” (Philippians 1:12-14 NASB1995)

Here I am going to share my testimony which parallels Paul’s testimony. It is a testimony I have shared before, only this is not a copy-paste. I am writing this fresh today as I am being led of the Lord this morning in what to say.

I believed in Jesus Christ at the age of 7. I am now 75 years old. I began teaching the Scriptures at the age of 16. I taught children, youth, and then mostly women in small group Bible studies. And then my husband and I had a ministry to college students and to college-age adults out of our home for 7.5 years. And I did some of the teaching there. Six years into this ministry the Lord called me to an additional ministry, to write down what he was teaching me from his word and to post these writings on the internet.

But here’s the background behind this. Throughout my life I have faced a lot of mistreatment from pastors and elders of churches, and from other Christians, but not for doing what was wrong, but for obeying God in doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord, according to his word. In the first case I was judged falsely and unjustly because of my walk of faith in obedience to my Lord by those whose walk of faith was rather self-serving, at times, or it was more casual and not taken as seriously as what I took my walk of faith.

And then I had a pastor who asked of me to ask of our ministry team about replacing our worship team with another team. So I did what he said. So we met with him, as a group, but he did the non-denial denial thing by saying, “I would never do that.” So I asked him why he then asked me to ask this of our leadership team, but he responded the same. Then I was called to meet with the elders, but they required that I admit that I lied, as a prerequisite to the meeting. But I did not lie. And so they put me on church discipline.

In another case, I was in a small group ladies Bible study. But there were some immoral and ungodly situations going on within the church, and so I offered the women some biblical and godly counsel in that matter. But then I was reported to the pastor who then sent me a threatening letter telling me that I was banned from the church property and that I would be arrested if I stepped foot on the property. But he was one of those pastors who was following the wrong people, and not the Scriptures taught in their context.

In yet another church situation I was with a friend in a small women’s group for the hurting. And I was one of the hurting, as was she. She was very timid and so she asked for my help to be able to share in the group what she wanted to share, and so I did as she requested. But then I got accused falsely of being a bully of some sort, and the leaders would not even listen to my case, and one of the pastors accused me falsely of intentions that were not mine, and he would not listen, even though my tears were streaming.

Also, a fellow Christian and his wife came to my house and he blasted me because I was testing the spirits, as I ought, and because I was sharing on Facebook the deceptions I was finding in the writings of certain people, exposing them for what they were, as I ought to do. For he was a fan of those authors. So he yelled at me in front of my husband, and he told me that I needed to be in the majority, and not in the minority, for he said that the majority is right, and the minority is wrong. He got that one wrong.

In another situation my husband and I were training to be church planters. I was asked by our church denomination’s local heads to speak about our ministry to a large gathering of pastors and official workers in this church denomination. So I shared what the Lord put on my heart to share, which was fully biblical, and which supported what the other speakers were saying, only to be accused falsely of not hearing from God, but with absolutely no basis for their accusation other than just their personal opinions.

But because of their rejections of me, and their mistreatments of me, God then called me to the internet, to be a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” That was 21 years ago, and by the grace of God I have been faithful in his service ever since then, now writing down what he teaches me from his word each day, and posting these writings on the internet, “so that a herald may run with it” (Habakkuk 2:2). And this has, indeed, turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.

Should I Not Preach Jesus

Based off 1 Corinthians 9:16-10:13
An Original Work / July 4, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love


Woe to me should I not preach Jesus.
I’m compelled to preach the full gospel.
I make myself a slave to ev’ryone
To win their hearts to Christ.
All this I do for my Lord Jesus,
And for the sake of His Name;
Do it for the sake of His gospel,
So that I, its blessings gain.

Scripture notates the sins of others;
Written down for us as examples
To keep us from setting our hearts
On evil as did those of old.
Do not worship other gods of man;
Do not give your hearts to them;
Not partake in immorality.
Do not test your Lord and King.

So, be careful if you think you are
Standing firm in your faith in Jesus.
God has given his word to warn us,
So through faith we will not fall.
No temptation has o’ertaken you
Except what is commonplace.
God is faithful to not let you be
Tempted past what you can bear.
He gives the way of escape.

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For The Greater Progress of The Gospel
An Original Work / July 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

To The Saints in Christ Jesus

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3-8 NASB1995)

Who are the saints in Christ Jesus? A saint is one who is holy (morally pure, consecrated to God, different from the world because becoming like Jesus). And how does one become a saint? By faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is no longer what we practice, but obedience to God and to his commands is what we practice, by his grace, and in his power.

And what is the gospel? It is that Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, was born as a human baby, but without sin, grew to manhood, and was hated by many who put him to death on a cross. But in his death on that cross he put our sins to death with him so that, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus, we might now die with him to sin and walk with him in obedience to his commands, in holy living, free from our slavery to sin, and free to serve the Lord Jesus with our lives, according to his will and purpose for our lives.

And that is what it means to participate in the gospel, too. And the Greek word for this is koinónia, which means fellowship, communion, sharing, participation and partnership, which involves our cooperation with God and with his work of grace in our lives. He provides the way for us to be saved from our sins and to have the hope of heaven when we die, but then we must participate with him in this work of grace by dying to sin and living to God in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, in his power.

And Paul’s confidence that Christ, who began a good work in the lives of the believers in Christ, would perfect that work until the day of Christ Jesus (of his return), was based on all of the above. They were those who had died with Christ to sin and who were now walking with Jesus in obedience to his commands in holy living. They were those who were no longer living for the sinful pleasures of the flesh. But in obedience to the Lord, they were growing and maturing in their walks of faith and in their surrender to the will of God.

So, what is this grace of which they were all partakers? It is not the kind of grace which is so popularized today which becomes a free license to continue living in sin without feelings of guilt and without punishment. For the grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And then, what was Paul’s prayer for them?

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11 NASB1995)

This is what the life of a Christian should look like. And this is not saying that we will be absolutely perfect always in everything that we do. And “the love” this is talking about is not human love, but agape love which comes from God and which prefers all that God prefers – holiness, righteousness, truth, obedience to God, faithfulness, moral purity and uprightness. For to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ involves us daily walking in obedience to our Lord, no longer as slaves to sin, but as servants of Christ.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love


My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

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To The Saints in Christ Jesus
An Original Work / July 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

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