Wednesday 4/3 ~ Discovering real truth

On April 3, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, ego, ethics, judging, knowledge, persecution, power, Scripture, sin, teaching, truth, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, April 3 (4/3), is 1st Timothy 4:3 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“They [false teachers] forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.”

It is hard for you to think that smiling, humble, Bible-quoting, holy-looking church leaders could be false teachers and condemned by the God they claim to represent. We want to think well of everyone. Isn’t that the way Christians are to think? But sometimes thinking well of someone and thinking well of the truth can clash. Now you have a choice to make ~ a hard choice.

The Apostle Paul, warned of false teachers in the church that would come in the future. Indeed, it did happen. A time came when certain Christians were ordered not to marry, and not to eat certain foods (for instance, on Friday. They claim it is a sin to disobey them and don’t show you the scriptures they refuse to obey.

Remember, your church leaders are going to be judged by God just like everyone else. Always, as the Apostle Peter once warned, “We ought to obey God and not men” (Acts 4:19). Besides, do you think this is one reason people have turned against “organized religion”?

This is why it is important to read the Bible for yourself. Use a concordance to look up all scriptures in the Bible with any keyword and you will learn what is true and not true. Isn’t it time for you to sort through everything you have been told? Isn’t it time for you to discover pure truth?

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Sunday 3/31 ~ Family

On April 1, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, Daily, family, forgiveness, judging, love, patience, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 31 (3/31), is Mark 3:31ff as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him and they told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.’ ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.’ “

Do you need a mediator between Jesus and yourself? Jesus said his followers are his brothers, sisters, and mother. You do not need anyone to intercede and beg Jesus to give you special attention (I Timothy 2:5). He already gives us special attention. After all, we are his family.

Oh, how comforting. No one has a perfect family here on earth. You love your family anyway. It is the same with Jesus’ family ~ the church. We are not perfect. But we forgive each other just as Jesus forgives us. Do not refuse to be with Jesus’ family because of someone’s imperfections of offenses. Ephesians 5:23 and elsewhere say Jesus is the head and we are his body. To break away from Jesus’ body is to break away from Jesus ~ our Brother, our Savior, the Lover of Your Soul.

No matter how dangerous the world was in Jesus’ time, JOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER protected his step-son.

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Friday 3/29 ~ Obscure Greatness

On March 29, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, governments, Inspirational, judging, persecution, sacrifice, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 29 (3/29), is Luke 3:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“…the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi….”

Who in the world were these five men: Joshua, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, and Levi? Some were named after famous Jews, but no one in this list was famous himself. In fact, nothing else is said in the Bible about any of these men. They’re just a single name in a single but long list made in obscurity.

Who were they that they earned even one brief mention in the Bible?

They were ancestors of Joseph, the human “father” of Jesus. What else? They were born and survived long enough to have sons. Not important at the time? No, but eventually it was.

We read obituaries and sometimes wonder about our own. Our whole life reduced to born, married, had a job, had children, died. That’s it. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just another one of billions in the world having come and gone.

Hold on! Maybe not!

Maybe your life, as ordinary as it seems now, will someday serve a greater purpose through your descendant or someone you become friends with. In a later generation ~ maybe ten or twenty generations from now ~ someone may do something extremely important for souls of the world. And it was made possible because of your “unordinary life” way back in the early twenty-first century when you survived one day at a time.

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Saturday 3/9 ~ Open the door and step inside

On March 9, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, eternity, forgiveness, InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, March 9 (3/9), is Ephesians 3:9f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“To make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ever wonder why God created the world? Here it is: The “mystery”. The” mystery” can be discovered by making a chart each time “mystery” appears in the Bible along with who understands it and who does not.

The “mystery” as expanded upon in this letter to the church in Ephesus, is Jesus paying the ransom for us sinners and setting us free from Satan. It is complete and full forgiveness for mankind.

Who does God desire to explain this “mystery” to? Rulers and authorities in heavenly realms [the spirit world] ~ God’s angels, Satan’s angels, demons and Satan. You see, angels don’t seem to get it, and Satan does not want anyone to be forgiven.

Satan spends a lot of time and energy convincing people good is bad and bad is good. He doesn’t want to be the only one going to hell. And he wants to prove he is stronger than God. But even when Satan is successful and we sin, God just negates it and forgives us. There is nothing that Satan can do that God cannot undo. That enrages Satan.

Oh, the grand “mystery”. It is God’s love demonstrated by the death and resurrection of his Son so we can be set free. This “mystery” is revealed through the church who has believed it.

Open the door to the “mystery” and step inside. God is there waiting for you. And he is smiling.

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Tuesday 2/19 ~ Citizenship

On February 19, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, church, family, governments, Heaven1 Comment

The scripture for today, February 19 (2/19), is Ephesians 2:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.”

Let us pretend there is a kingdom called Occland and we want to become a citizen of that kingdom. Of course, citizenship would not be automatic. And in the same way, citizenship in the Kingdom of God (being a Christian) is not automatic.

Just crossing the border and living in Occland would not automatically make us a citizen of Occland any more than just living in a Christian nation automatically makes us a Christian.

Owning a copy of Occland’s constitution would not automatically make us a citizen of Occland any more than owning a copy of the Bible automatically makes us a Christian.

Going to meetings of parliament or the Senate of Occland every time they met would not automatically make us a citizen of Occland any more than going to meetings with other Christians every Sunday automatically make us a Christian.

It just is not automatic. We would need to be invited into Occland, and then do things to accept Occland’s invitation. God invites us into his kingdom, but we must do things to accept his invitation. Romans 6 & 10, Acts 2 and 1st Peter 3 in the New Testament are good places to check it out. Do so.

Ah, to be citizens in the kingdom founded by the Creator of the universe. Is it possible? Really possible? For me too? For me too? It’s not automatic, but it is possible.

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Why an Old and New Testament…

On February 14, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, church, truth, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, February 14 (2/14), is Colossians 2:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“[God] having canceled the written code with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.”

It is beyond my comprehension why anyone would want the Law of Moses unless they don’t want to obey ALL 600 commands but want an excuse to justify one or two commandments HERE AND THERE they do want.

They want the part that says to tithe so they can get people’s money. (Actually, the good Jew gave one-third, not one-tenth.) Or they want a separate priesthood so they can feel important. Or they want showy things in worship like candles, incense, musical instruments (though they were only allowed the harp, lyre and cymbal) so they can enjoy themselves more.

Hold on! If we obey one command we are required to keep the entire Law of Moses ~ all 600 commands. Galatians 5:3 and James 2:10 say so. Are you up to it?

Our verse for today says the Law was against us; that is, it was impossible for us to keep perfectly. Try wading through Leviticus in the Old Testament. That’s where most of the old Law (“the written code with its regulations”) is.

It’s tedious. It regulated nearly every part of everyone’s daily life. It involved what we could and couldn’t eat, having to kill animals to die in our place whenever we sinned, stoning adulterers and rebellious children to death, having a separate Levite priesthood, giving a third of your income, reporting to priests as long as we had an open sore, use of candles, having to go to the Temple in Jerusalem three times a year, spreading blood on our doorposts, and on and on.

The book of Hebrews in the New Testament was written to help us understand that God’s new Law of Grace is much more spiritual. Read especially chapters 8 & 9. We have to make a choice: Old or New.

Hebrews was written about the time the Temple in Jerusalem was permanently destroyed, thus making it impossible to obey several things in the old Law. And a little time later the Jewish genealogies were destroyed, thus making it impossible to prove who was a Levite and eligible to be a priest.

But wait! Does that mean Christians should never read the Old Testament? The Old Testament of the Bible is not the same as the Law of Moses. The Law is a small part of the Old Testament. The rest of it is wonderful praise, amazing wisdom, accounts of people who did or did not try to follow God, and those astounding prophecies of Jesus all through them. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to wade through those old laws just as a reminder of what we have been set free from.

So, let us not neglect the Old Testament as so many people do. Thank God for the Old Testament.

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Sunday 2/10 ~ Worship and the devil

On February 10, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, ego, humility, Saved from hell, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, February 10 (2/10), is James 2:10 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”

Do we pray on Sunday and curse on Monday? Do we sing on Sunday and lie on Monday? Do we recite a scripture on Sunday and mock someone on Monday?

On the other hand, do we use this as an excuse not to go to church and worship? Do we refuse to attend because there are hypocrites in the church?

Do we refuse to go to work because there are hypocrites there who talk behind the boss’s back? Do we refuse to go to school because there are hypocrites there who would skip school if they could? Do we refuse to sit for two hours in a boring airport because there are hypocrites there smuggling things in their suitcases? Do we refuse to go to sporting events because there are hypocrites there who would literally “kill the umpire” if they could?

Even Jesus had a hypocrite among his 12 Apostles ~ Judas. That didn’t stop him from doing what was needed to save us from hell.

In a sense we are all hypocrites because we go to church and sing songs about giving everything for Jesus, then we go home and don’t. Or we sing songs about going into all the world and teaching the gospel, then we go home and don’t. Or we talk about the importance of praying for everyone around us and their loved ones, then we go home and don’t.

Perhaps Jesus was the biggest hypocrite of them all because he, who never, ever sinned, took the blame for your sins and went through excruciating body and soul death in your place. Oh, my Lord Jesus, how can I worship you enough? How can I thank you enough? How can my spirit touch your holiness? Get Satan away from me, for I am weak and need you.

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Friday 1/25 ~ Give up your freedom?

On January 25, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, ego, ethics, forgiveness, healing, judging, love, patienceLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 25 (1/25), is James 1:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it ~ he will be blessed in what he does.”

A lot of people do not understand that there was the Law of Moses with over 600 commands in the Old Testament, and the Law of Jesus with very few commands in the New Testament. Religious leaders use the Law of Moses to justify adding fancy or fun things to worship or a separate priesthood or tithing, or whatever they like.

But they leave out stoning for adultery or disobeying your parents, killing someone who killed your relative, knocking the eye out of someone who knocked your eye out, giving a third of your income (not just a tenth), killing animals to sacrifice, etc. It’s all part of the same Law!

Romans 7:4-7 says Christians have been released from the Law. Hebrews 8:13 & all of chapter 9 say the first covenant (testament/law) of Moses had regulations for worship but is obsolete in favor of the new covenant (testament/law). James 2:10 says if you try to live by the old Law but fail in just one point, you are guilty of all of it.

But how are you to know what was in the Old Law of Moses besides the fancy or fun things today’s religious leaders like? There is only one possible answer: Read it. Plow through Leviticus and all those minute codes. Then you will understand.

Let us truly let loose of the old Law of Moses and cling to the “perfect Law that gives freedom” in Christ.

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Tuesday 1/22 ~ Me radiant?

On January 22, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, eternity, Heaven, Inspirational, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, January 22, is Ephesians 1:22 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

What makes this so interesting is that the church is the body of Christ. What else is the church?

Colossians 1:18 says… the church has only one head on earth and in heaven ~ Jesus. (Some people claim to love his head but not his body. Hmmm.)

Matthew 16:17-18 says…the church is the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 5:25 & 32 says…the church is his bride.

Revelation 21:2, 9-10 says…the church bride is the new Holy City Jerusalem.

And what does Jesus think of the church? You already know this one. Ephesians 5:25-27 says he loved the church so much that he gave himself up for her, to make her radiant ~ no stains, no wrinkles, no blemishes.

Oh, that last part: I must have missed it before. Me radiant? Human, sinful me radiant? And no stains, Lord? No stains too?

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Sunday 1/6 ~ Well, which one is our leader?

On January 6, 2019July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, church, ego, Enemies, forgiveness, humility, judgingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, January 6, is Titus 1:6f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless ~ not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, nor pursuing dishonest gain.”

This is quite interesting. God does not leave us to guess the qualifications of a church leader. We don’t have to hold conferences or synods to decide on qualifications for this office, because God has already given them.

Something surprising here is that the word elder is used interchangeably with the word overseer (sometimes also translated bishop). The word elder comes from the Greek word presbyter. The word overseer/bishop is from the Greek word episcopos. Elder and overseer and bishop all are the same in this passage referring to the same office!

Here’s something else interesting about the elder/overseer/bishop: The word pastor comes from the Greek word for shepherd, poiman. In Acts 20:17, Paul sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus to talk to them. When they arrived, he said, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds [pastors] of the church of God which he bought with his own blood.” He called them by three titles.

Do you see the overlapping of the same office being called by different names? It’s kind of like father and papa being the same.

Titus 1:6f uses elder and overseer for the same office. Overseer is the same in Greek as bishop. Acts 20:17 uses elder, overseer, shepherd (pastor) for the same office.

In our daily lives, we have different words meaning the same person; such as father, parent, dad, papa ~ all names for the same position in the family.

So, too, for the family of God ~ the church ~ all these words overlap as names for the same office! And the qualifications for this office are found in our scripture for today, Titus 1:6f. Indeed, how interesting!

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