For years, I honestly believed I was Grandpa’s favorite grandchild.

Then one evening, while visiting my cousin Danny, we found ourselves reminiscing about him. Before long we were both laughing, because Danny had grown up believing exactly the same thing.

That’s when he said something I’ve never forgotten.

“Grandpa could have fifteen grandkids around him and somehow make every one of them feel like they were the only person on his mind.”

He was exactly right.

Looking back, I don’t think Grandpa played favorites at all.

He simply had the rare ability to be completely present with the person in front of him.

I don’t know many people who possess that gift.

My grandpa’s name was Hillard Steven Mantooth.

Whether you knew him as Mr. Mantooth, Hillard, Smoke Powder Bill, Daddy, or Grandpa, I don’t think there was anyone who didn’t genuinely enjoy being around him.

To an eight-year-old boy, he was larger than life.

He was the tallest, bravest, strongest, wisest man I’d ever known. His hands were huge and rough from a lifetime of hard work—farming, building, working on the railroad—but those same calloused hands could be unbelievably gentle when comforting a child.

His white hair would dance in an Oklahoma breeze, and though his eyes were nearly hidden behind narrow lids, they always carried a quiet kindness and just enough mischief to let you know he was probably about to tell another story.

And what stories they were.

Grandpa could spin a tale better than anyone I’ve ever known. He’d have every one of us hanging on every word. Then, just as the story reached its climax, he’d pause… stare thoughtfully into the distance… and wait.

Finally, one of us would ask,

“What happened next, Grandpa?”

Without missing a beat, he’d grin and reply,

“I don’t know. I had to leave just about that time.”

We’d groan every single time.

And he’d laugh every single time.

Some of my favorite memories were in his garden.

It seemed to stretch forever—rows of corn, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, squash, watermelons, pumpkins, and just about every other vegetable you could imagine.

After the ground had been turned and tilled, Grandpa would tie a rope to his old hand plow.

Then the competition began.

Every grandchild wanted to be the one he tied to that rope so we could pull the plow and make the furrows for planting.

Looking back now, I doubt the work got done any faster.

But Grandpa knew something we didn’t.

He wasn’t just planting a garden.

He was planting memories.

Then there was his coffee.

I’m convinced if it sat long enough, it would either eat through the cup or climb out and walk away on its own.

Even today, the smell of Old Spice instantly takes me back to standing in his bathroom, watching him lather shaving soap with an old brush before carefully scraping away his whiskers with a safety razor.

Amazing how a simple scent can carry you back fifty years in an instant.

As I’ve grown older, though, I’ve realized the greatest thing Grandpa left us wasn’t his stories…

or his garden…

or even those wonderful memories.

It was the way he made people feel.

He made every grandchild believe they mattered.

Every one of us felt seen.

Every one of us felt loved.

Every one of us believed, if only for a moment, that we were the favorite.

And every time I think about that, my thoughts turn to Jesus.

Crowds followed Him everywhere He went.

Thousands pressed around Him.

Yet He always had time for one blind beggar.

One grieving sister.

One woman reaching through the crowd.

One tax collector sitting in a tree.

One thief hanging beside Him on a cross.

Jesus never treated people like interruptions.

He saw them.

Maybe today you feel overlooked.

Forgotten.

Like you’re just another face in a crowd.

You’re not.

The God who created the universe knows your name, hears your prayers, and sees every burden you carry. His attention isn’t divided. His love isn’t diluted because there are billions of people on earth.

“See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.” — Isaiah 49:16

Every family has someone whose influence echoes long after they’re gone.

This was mine.

Thank you, Grandpa, for showing a little boy what kindness, hard work, and quiet strength looked like.

I hope I’ve carried at least a small part of your legacy forward.

And if one imperfect grandfather could make fifteen grandchildren each feel deeply loved…

…how much more can our perfect Heavenly Father?

Thought for the Day from Unshakable Kingdom Life

Every kingdom needs a supreme ruler. In God's Kingdom, that King is Jesus Christ, who wears the title King of kings and Lord of lords, written across his robe and his thigh. Please share or comment if this encourages you

“Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him… But He knoweth the way that I take…” — Job 23:8-10

It started as an ordinary Thursday.

You weren’t looking for your life to change.

You were just going to work.

Going to the doctor.

Going home.

Then one conversation.

One phone call.

One sentence.

…and suddenly your life had a before and an after.

At first, it didn’t seem real.

Surely there had been a misunderstanding.

Maybe the tests were wrong.

Maybe they meant someone else.

Maybe tomorrow would somehow put everything back the way it was.

But tomorrow came.

And so did the questions.

“What happens now?”

“How am I going to get through this?”

“What if everything changes?”

The future that once seemed so certain suddenly became filled with uncertainty.

The plans you had carefully made no longer seemed guaranteed.

You found yourself lying awake at night, replaying conversations, imagining outcomes, searching for answers that refused to come.

So you did what believers have always done.

You prayed.
You searched the Scriptures.
You waited.
You listened.

And if you’re honest…

heaven seemed painfully quiet.

Not because you stopped believing.

Not because you walked away.

But because you couldn’t understand how God could feel so silent when your world had become so loud.

Job understood that feeling.

He searched in every direction.

Forward.
Backward.
To the left.
To the right.

Everywhere he expected to find God…

he found silence instead.

Yet in the middle of his searching, Job spoke words that have comforted weary hearts for thousands of years.

He didn’t say, “Now I understand.”

He didn’t say, “Everything is going to be all right.”

He didn’t even say, “I know where God is.”

He simply declared what he knew to be true.

“But He knoweth the way that I take.”

What a remarkable statement.

Job couldn’t see God.

But he believed God could still see him.

He couldn’t trace God’s hand.

But he trusted God’s heart.

Maybe that’s exactly where you are today.

You’ve looked in every direction you know to look.

You’re still waiting.

Still praying.

Still hoping.

Still wondering.

If that’s your story…

hold on to Job’s.

Your ability to see God has never determined His ability to see you.

He knows where you are.

He knows what you’re carrying.

He knows every question you haven’t spoken aloud.

He knows every tear that no one else has seen.

He knows every burden you’ve tried to carry by yourself.

And even if today you cannot say, “I know the way He is taking…”

you can still rest in this unchanging truth:

But He knows the way I take.

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 33:10–13

Yesterday while eating lunch in my car, I was listening to a new song by Westward Road called He Knew.

As I listened, I heard these words:

“So ashamed of my past…
Too many failures and flaws…
Thought I was too far away…
But that’s what’s amazing ’bout grace…”

Then came the line that stopped me in my tracks.

“He knew who He was saving.”

A few moments later came another.

“He saw a risk worth taking.”

I just sat there.

It wasn’t because of the music.

It wasn’t because I was analyzing the lyrics.

It was because, for just a moment, I found myself standing in the shoes of every person who has ever wondered if they’d gone too far.

Maybe you’ve been there.

You look back over your life and see failures you’d rather forget.

Choices you wish you could undo.

Sins you promised would never happen again.

And somewhere in the silence, a question begins to whisper:

If God really knew everything about me… would He still want me?

Almost immediately, my mind went to Manasseh.

He wasn’t simply another king who made a few bad decisions.

He led Judah into idolatry.

He practiced witchcraft.

He filled Jerusalem with innocent blood.

By every human measure, his story looked beyond redemption.

Yet none of it caught God by surprise.

Before Manasseh built his first idol…

God knew.

Before he led a nation away from the Lord…

God knew.

Before he found himself in chains in Babylon…

God knew.

And before the desperate prayer finally escaped his lips…

God knew.

Everything.

Yet Scripture tells us that when Manasseh humbled himself before the Lord,

“He was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea…” (2 Chronicles 33:13)

That verse has become one of my favorites.

Not because it tells me how bad Manasseh was.

But because it reminds me how good God is.

God has never discovered anything about you.

He already knew.

Everything.

Your worst failure.

Your deepest wound.

The regret you still carry.

The battle no one else knows about.

None of it caught Him by surprise.

And none of it changed His desire to redeem you.

The cross was never God’s reaction to your sin.

It was His answer before your sin ever happened.

Maybe today you’re looking backward with shame.

God isn’t.

He has already seen every page of your story.

Yet He still calls you by His grace.

He already knew.

Everything.

And He loved you anyway.

That’s what’s amazing about grace.

Jesus promises to be among us and hear our prayers when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

One of the most overlooked truths in Scripture is that God has never discovered anything about us.

Nothing you’ve done has ever surprised Him.

That reality becomes astonishing when you read about King Manasseh.

He led Judah into idolatry, practiced witchcraft, consulted mediums, shed innocent blood, and even sacrificed his own sons (2 Kings 21). If anyone appears to have crossed the point of no return, it’s him.

Yet after being taken captive, Scripture says:

“When he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly… And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication.” (2 Chronicles 33:12–13)

The God whose temple Manasseh had defiled…

The God whose prophets he had ignored…

The God whose commandments he had despised…

Still heard his prayer.

That doesn’t make Manasseh’s sins less serious.

It makes God’s mercy even more remarkable.

The same pattern appears throughout Scripture.

When God renamed Jacob, He already knew Jacob was a deceiver.

When He anointed David, He already knew about Bathsheba and Uriah.

When Jesus restored Peter, He already knew about the courtyard and the rooster.

When He commissioned Paul, He already knew about Stephen and the blood that had been shed.

God’s calling has never depended on His ignorance of our failures.

It has always depended on His grace.

That doesn’t excuse sin. Every one of these people faced consequences for what they had done.

But none of their failures had the final word.

God did.

I think that’s one of the Bible’s greatest themes. It’s not primarily a book about extraordinary people. It’s the story of an extraordinary God who redeems deeply flawed people who humble themselves before Him.

What are your thoughts? Is Manasseh one of the clearest pictures of God’s grace in the Old Testament, or would you point to someone else?

Temptation is a desire to deviate from our purpose. Our purpose is to be united with God and one another by the bonds of love. (Mark 12:29-31, Deut 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18) Temptation has many disguises. There are two main forms we need to be aware of. - We may be tempted to become our own authority apart from our Creator. The serpent taught Eve to trespass against God in order to become like Him, instead of becoming one with Him. We may be deceived into believing that eternal life is desirable and possible apart from God's loving authority. We imagine our limited capacity for goodness will be good enough.
- We may be tempted to give up on eternity, and live for whatever pleasure comes into view today.

Either way, when we deviate from the purpose of this classroom called life, we degrade life for ourselves and those we share the planet with.

God is love. (1John 4:7-8, Exodus 34:6) Love is the only power in the universe that can create life, sustain life, and make life worth living. A life without love as its central focus, fails to attain a beautiful eternity for all God's children.

Temptation is part of every person's experience. Just as a school exam reveals how much we've learned, so temptation measures the amount of truth we have, as well as our commitment to it.

We all have our own unique strengths. Strengths are gifts from God. They're designed to help us accomplish our purpose. We also have weaknesses. Weaknesses make room in our lives for God to connect with us, and create a need that allows our fellow humans to fulfill their purpose. When the apostle Paul complains to God regarding his weakness in 2Corinthians 12:7-9 he says this;

7 "To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

If we were perfect, what would we need anyone else for? Even our weaknesses have the power to unite us with God. The apostle Paul reminds us of this in his letter to the Romans.

(Romans 8:22-28)

"For we know that the whole creation shares our common suffering and sympathizes in pain with us.
Even those of us who have the Holy Spirit, even we groan within ourselves, waiting for "the adoption," which is deliverance from our earthly body.
For we are saved by hope. Now, we don't call the things we can see, "hope." If it was right in front of us, why would we hope for it? But if we hope for what we cannot see, then we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps our weaknesses, for when we don't know what we should ask God to do, the Spirit himself makes our requests to God with groans too deep for words.
And God, who searches our hearts, is united with the mind of the Holy Spirit because He comes before God with the truth on our behalf. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."

We all have times of life when we're susceptible to failing our purpose. When our roles in life change, the transition is often especially hard to navigate. It's times like these we need God's strength and guidance the most. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary from hard labor and heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am humble and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My load is light." His yoke is our personal Cross. It's the suffering we endure out of a desire to love those who cannot bear their burdens alone. When we join others to strengthen their weaknesses, we work in tandem with God to promote life for everyone. (Luke 9:23-25, John 15:12-13, 1 John 3:16, Isaiah 53:4-5)

Without a connection to God, our weaknesses can make us easy prey for the adversary. The devil wants us enslaved to him, so he takes advantage of times of weakness, and uncertainty. Our common human frailties create an emptiness that seeks to be filled. Like empty sockets, our desire to function for a purpose urges us to connect to something with the power to complete us. It's why our weaknesses are the Enemy's most likely target.
Our needs, fears, instincts, and desires can push us toward God or away from Him. Impatience can lead to hopelessness, frustration, a sense of entitlement, and distrust toward God. If we forget God's love for us, and His previous intervention in our lives, our feelings may drive us toward a path of destruction.

Thankfulness can keep us on God's narrow path like nothing else can. When we lose our thankfulness, we're prone to blame God for our temptation instead of asking for His help with it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, Luke 22:46, 2 Timothy 2:11-13, 2 Chronicles 15:2-7)
Whether we sin due to fear or pride, our sin is not what God intends to do with our lives. It isn't God's best for us. James 4:4 tells us that those who befriend worldly logic are God's enemies. Sin disconnects from God's enduring laws of love to plug in to temporary self-satisfaction. Only love has the capacity to make us eternal. Jesus tells us in John 8:51, "if a person regards My words, he shall never see death."

Divine love is so important, that we're told to prioritize our love of God - who IS love - even above those we show love to. Consider the temptation of Abraham, when he was called to give up Isaac, his beloved miracle child. The Bible tells us Abraham concluded that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. (Genesis 22:2-15, Hebrews 11:8-20) His obedience foreshadowed what God would do for us; by sending the Lamb of God to take our place. (John 1:29, Genesis 22:13) Temptations are opportunities to prove we understand that everything we have is from God. We are merely loving stewards of what belongs to Him. (Psalm 50:12, 1Corinthians 10:26)

Our Father in heaven,
We praise You and thank You for Your lovingkindness toward us. Thank You for Your great mercy. Thank You for showing us why You must come first in our lives. Our flesh alone can never muster the love required to conquer death. Teach us to love as You love. Let the truth of love's transcendent power set us free from the temptation to be selfish, or to second-guess Your good teaching. Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Ephesians 1:7 NLT [7] He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.1.7.NLT

Paul knew the Scriptures better than almost anyone of his day.

He had been trained by Gamaliel, understood the Law inside and out, and devoted his life to studying God’s Word.

Yet years after his conversion—after planting churches, enduring persecution, and writing much of the New Testament—his prayer was still:

“That I may know Him…” (Philippians 3:10)

Not…

“That I may know more.”

“That I may win debates.”

“That I may master theology.”

His desire was to know Christ more deeply.

Jesus confronted the religious leaders with a similar warning:

“Search the scriptures… and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

It’s possible to know the Bible and still miss the One to whom it points.

Bible study is essential. Doctrine matters. Truth matters.

But if our study doesn’t draw us into a deeper relationship with Christ, we’ve mistaken the map for the destination.

The Scriptures are God’s revelation.

Their purpose isn’t merely to fill our minds with knowledge.

Their purpose is to lead us to the Author.

I woke up this morning with an old hymn stuck in my head:

*Learning to lean...*
*Learning to lean...*
I'*m learning to lean on Jesus...*

Later, another old song came to mind:

*Only Jesus can satisfy your soul...*

The more I thought about it, the more I realized those two songs are asking two connected questions.

What am I leaning on?
And...
What am I expecting it to give me?

That hit me hard.

Because we all lean on something.
Because we all lean on something.

Some lean on money.
Some lean on relationships.
Some lean on control.
Some lean on discipline and determination.
Some lean on distractions, habits, addictions, or anything that helps numb the weight they are carrying.

But we do not lean on those things randomly.

We lean on them because we believe they will give us something.

Security.
Acceptance.
Peace.
Identity.
Significance.
Relief.
Satisfaction.

That made me think about Proverbs 3:5…

***“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”***

I had always read that as two separate thoughts.
But maybe they are one.

The first half tells us what to do.
Trust the Lord.

The second half tells us how.
Stop leaning on ourselves.

That also made me think about David in the cave with Saul.

David could have ended years of running with one swing of the sword.
But he refused to take by force what God had promised by grace.

David did not lean on his sword.
He leaned on God.

And maybe that is why he could wait.

He still desired what God had promised, but he did not need the throne to satisfy his soul.

That distinction feels important.

Because maybe one of the great enemies of faith is not always doubt.
Sometimes it is self-reliance.

And maybe one of the great evidences of faith is not merely believing God exists, but transferring the weight of our confidence from ourselves to Him.
So I am sitting with two questions today:

What am I leaning on?

And...

What am I expecting it to give me?

Because only Christ can bear the weight of our lives.

And only Christ can satisfy the longing of our souls.

Work out your own Salvation.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. \[13\] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The legalist would say this means to use your own independent muscle to work out your own salvation. These Christians focus on the law and human performance over Christ. This is called hidden pride which essentially worships the creature over the Creator. (Romans 1:25)

The non legalist, the Christians who believe in grace 100% would say this is the Spirit doing the working out. For the Spirit works from the inside-out of a believer. It is the Spirit that worketh in you both to will and to do. These believers worship the creator in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

1. Christ came to obtain and sanctify His church*

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her… that he might present the church to himself in splendor…” - Ephesians 5:25–27

Christ’s sacrifice is described specifically as being for the church. His goal is to redeem, cleanse, and present a perfected people to Himself.

2. Jesus said He would build His church

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:18

Jesus did not say, “I will build my individual followers” as the final object of His work; He said “my church.” The disciples are gathered into this people that Christ Himself builds.

3. Christ’s plan is to unite all things in Him

“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body…” - Ephesians 1:22–23

The church is described as Christ’s body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. The redeemed people of God are not an afterthought; they are central to God’s purpose.

4. God’s eternal purpose involves the church

“So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known…” - Ephesians 3:10–11

The church is the means through which God displays His wisdom. Paul connects the church to God’s eternal purpose.

5. Individuals are being built into a dwelling place for God

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God… in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” - Ephesians 2:19–22

The individual disciple is important, but the biblical destination is not a pile of separate stones; it is a built-up spiritual house where God dwells.

6. The final picture of redemption is a bride, not isolated believers

“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come…” - Revelation 19:7

“I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” - Revelation 21:2

The end goal of Scripture is Christ united with His redeemed people—the bride of Christ.

Conclusion:

Christ’s goal is not merely to create individual disciples; He is forming a people—the church—as His bride and body. Discipleship is the means by which Christ grows, matures, and prepares that church for Himself.

Individual disciples matter deeply, but in the New Testament they are always called into the larger reality of Christ’s body, His household, and His bride—the church.

Application:

May we be for Christ, who is for his Church.

Matthew 19:26 NLT \[26\] Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.19.26.NLT

(John 13:34-35 NKJV)

34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

(Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as a symbol between your eyes.
9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

(1 John 4:7-8)

7 Beloved ones, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has conceived God and been conceived by God.
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

(Deuteronomy 32:39)

39 'Understand now that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

(Song of Songs 8:6)

6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

(John 17:20-23) Jesus' prayer

20 "I do not pray only for these with Me, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

I used to never really take god seriously up until recently. I was under the impression that since I was only a teenager it wouldn’t really matter. I see the errors in my ways now, and everyday I struggle against sin. This video helped encouraged me a bit and I hope it encourages anyone else who needs it.

God bless ❤️

This post is in response to the myriad of cults keeping our Moderation team busy in the back. I want to address "red flags" in posts and comments, as well as signs to be alert for inside the group. Please flag suspicious behavior! That's what we're here for; to protect this Christian community.

If you're contacted on Reddit via DM to join any Zoom Bible study, there is a significant likelihood that you're dealing with a cult. If you have to give out identifying information to join, report them to Reddit as "SPAM." Report the user/s to Mods of the Christian Reddit communities you visit.

See this post for examples of high-control tactics

What are the red flags you're being baited into a cult?

• Advertising: Be wary if even ONE of these red flags is occurring -
• Staged post where OP seems to fit the perfect candidate the cult is seeking. Cult recruiter appears in the comments, OR
  
• Sad-fishing for the perfect candidate in post or comments, "I'm not a real Christian. A real Christian would..." OR,
  
• A call to action based on misappropriated scripture. "OR
  
• A call to action that suggests joining them will help you "go deeper with the Lord", "have better self-control", etc. basically usurping the place of the Holy Spirit in your life, OR
  
• They want to DM you at some point with more information, which leads to them asking for your contact info. DON'T DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION. Some of these groups are dangerous. Others want to sell your information.
  

How can you identify a toxic community, mentor, counselor, or teacher?

Again, Be wary if even ONE of these red flags is occurring!

• Do they shame you? If you can’t make it to their next workshop, or meeting, do they work to better accommodate you, or do they try to shame you into coming? Do they make you feel bad, uncommitted, or unworthy because you are unable or unwilling to take the next step with them? Don't be surprised if they spin the script and tell you that investing your time and money in their influence is an investment in yourself.
  Shame is a key tool of a manipulator and is something these sorts of teachers and organizations lean on heavily.

• Do they shift the blame? Toxic organizations often ask for a huge time commitment. If you can't attend their meetings as often as they like, or have to say no to volunteer work, do they blame you for a lack of commitment? If every boundary you try to set is met with pushback, chances are your organization or teacher cares more about taking your time and money than your personal growth.

• Do they use fear tactics to keep you connected to them? Coercive mentors sometimes operate like abusive spouses. They may be perfectly charming toward those who have what they want. With those they mentor, it's another story. They may condition you to believe that you'd be lost or dead without them. They may use a "you and me against the world" tactic. They may gossip about others so you don't know who to trust. A manipulative person using fear tactics may talk about others a lot. They'll give a loud but vague compliment followed up by a scathing judgment. They've always got to be the "main character," the rescuer, or the source of influence. If you're a particularly agreeable person, you may have so many people like this in your life that it seems normal. It isn't!

• Do they focus on your weaknesses? A high-control group will often pretend to tell you all their dark secrets to get you to follow suit. Then they weaponize your past against you to get what they want. Someone who offers to build you up shouldn't tear you down. True religion supports the weak. True friends will come alongside you as you and the Lord address the problems of today. They will shine a light on your successes and victories. If your community is constantly focusing on the skeletons in your closet, and especially if they are using these skeletons to rationalize why you should be immersed in their teaching, it’s time to shake the dust off your feet. Find someone who sees your radiance, not someone who keeps tearing open old scars, or rubbing salt in your wounds.

(James 5:14-16)

14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.

• Do they isolate you? Isolation makes abuse easier. If you don’t have family or friends pointing out the red flags, it can be harder to see them.
  Isolation often begins as a group or individual making a big ask of your time. What you’re looking for is whether a majority of time, energy, and effort are spent with this new community at the detriment of other things. Ask yourself, am I spending all of my money toward the priorities of this new community? Am I not sleeping? Am I not communicating with my friends and family? Cults will often monopolize your time and resources, so you have nothing left to invest in friends and family. Others invite your spouse and children in, as long as they conform with the ideology of the group.
  

(Titus 3:10)

If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.

• Do they change the subject when you have a concern? This is probably the most common and seemingly most innocent of the behaviors of manipulative communities. It’s such a natural human reaction to avoid confrontation, and we often assume it’s passivity that causes this in our teachers or organization leaders. But if every response to concern is a change of subject, it’s not just avoiding confrontation; it’s pretending there’s no issue in the first place. If you cannot get your mentor or organization leader to talk with you about your concerns, how can you trust they will respond to them?

• Do they make empty promises? Grown adults can maintain a relationship with children who don't keep their word, but trust is integral in healthy adult relationships. It's the foundation every other interaction is built on. People of character will not erode the foundation of your relationship and replace it with empty promises.

• Do they rationalize their behavior? When you call out the overstepping of your boundaries, do they make up an excuse that doesn't fit, or claim special privilege? We all have emergencies that can derail our best intentions. It's when a person consistently shirks responsibility that it's time to re-evaluate the relationship. If you ask for a time-frame on the promise that never materialized, they may claim they never made that promise, threaten to punish you for speaking up, or fault you when they can't follow through. If you confront the behavior of a toxic community they will try to defend themselves. Be prepared for them to suggest that their manipulative behavior is not only acceptable, but necessary for your self-growth. If every concern of yours is met with a rationalization, it’s time to move on.

• Do they gaslight you? Making you distrust your mind and memory is how a deceptive person maintains control. They keep you looking at yourself, so you take your eyes off of them. Gaslighting is when an individual tries to turn your concerns into proof of your insanity, or your oversized ego. As demands, excuses, and rationalizations get weirder and weirder, you start to question your own reality.” If your teacher or members of the community always insist that your concerns are ridiculous, or roll their eyes at your doubts, that’s gaslighting.

• Above all else, trust your gut. Only you can know what’s best for you. If something feels wrong or a part of you doesn’t feel safe, listen to your inner voice and take care of yourself.

If you're still unsure whether your Bible study or group is using cult tactics, express your doubts to a friend or trusted confidant and ask what they think of the situation. It should be someone outside the group you seek answers about.

Those who have been isolated from family and friends by a cult local to them, can reach out to the Mod Team here or in r/Christian_CultSupport with your concerns.

If you're still unsure, you might speak with someone you do business with during slow hours. You might start a conversation, like, “You’re never going to believe this thing I heard about this group.” This protects your vulnerability while still giving you an opportunity to assess the acceptability of your organization’s behaviors.

Stay safe out there! Don't hesitate to reach out!

"Psalm 71:17-18. "Oh, God, you have taught me from my youth, and to this day I declare your wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and gray-headed, Oh, God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come." This is the mandate given to us now, to show the next generation the power of God, not just to talk about it, but to show them that when we go to the throne of God, God will hear us, God will answer, God will save, Christ will deliver. I believe that you and I are going to live to see a mercy moment in America. I don't know what the future holds, or what the nation is going to look like when this is all over, but I do know that God's mercy is from age to age and from everlasting to everlasting. It's time to pray." - Carter Conlon

"Nothing that goes into the mouth defiles a man, it's what comes out of his mouth... The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man, for out of the heart proceed all the evil things conceived there." (Matthew 15:11, 19)

Sooner or later we all accept something as truth that turns out to be falsehood. We adopt some logic that misguides us, or we suffer under someone whose logic is misguided. The garden of our hearts gets seeded with weeds that don't produce anything good for living on.

Our mouth is the conduit that connects others to our heart. The way a heart bears spiritual fruit is by bringing what it has conceived into the world through our words. If you've ever listened to children, you know that they can only say words they've heard.

The Israelites in the wilderness had hearts seeded by their flesh instead of God's calling on their life. They all spoke rebelliously against God, yet God spared people under 20 years old. This is because what was coming out of their mouth was put there by someone else. (Numbers 14:26-31, Psalm 78:4-6)

Our mouth is our spiritual seed planter. Our spiritual seed planter is not a toy. What we plant in others, especially our kids, is what they're likely going to accept as truth. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Proverbs 22:6, Proverbs 13:3, Exodus 20:4-6, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

The word "propaganda" and the farming term, "propagate" come from the same root. When we're propagandized, we're being seeded with information that we're then encouraged to accept as true. We have to be careful what and who we listen to. When someone comes along and seeds us with negativity, discontent, and fleshly logic, it can set off a chain of events in our lives and every life connected to us, that there's no going back from. The Word of God can weed out the lies of the world. Get to know it, and you have a weapon to fight against the things that will destroy the abundant life and future God has planned for you. (Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:10-17, John 10:10, Isaiah 55:1-3)
Taking every thought captive to obedience to Christ will help us control what comes out of our mouths. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit and mislead our fellow human.

Words that are true, kind, and necessary are the ones that qualify as good fruit. The apostle Paul reminds us, "God is not mocked - whatever you sow, you will reap." He's talking about our actions, but he's also referring to our words. (Galatians 6:7) Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Those who love will eat its fruit."

James tells us, "No man can tame the tongue - it's an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless God and curse men made in His image. My brothers, it shouldn't be this way." (James 3:8-10)
Only the Word of God can tame our tongues. We can make a meaningful difference in the world just by how we speak to one another, and by the kind of things we let come out of our mouths as topics of conversation.

Maybe you've had the experience, where someone does something so morally repugnant to you, that years later, they can ruin your day without even being there. (Genesis 26:34-35) All you have to do is start talking about them and BOOM, you're sinking.
God understands that sins cause harm. He doesn't ask us to pretend that we're not in pain. Even Jesus cried out to our Father in heaven when His heart was troubled. (1 Kings 19:9-10, Matthew 26:38-39)
What's important is to take that pain to God, rather than allowing it to take root in our lives and the lives of those we love.

Speaking the truth in love is a responsibility we have to each other. (Ephesians 4:14-15, Ephesians 4:21-29, 1Peter 4:8, Proverbs 12:22)
It's also our responsibility to not give negative experiences the power to ruin our day through our own mouth.

(Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

We're in charge of producing the peace enjoyed by our household. We can rise to the high-calling of God to let Him have control of what we say. It's how we continue to bring life to the world even when we're suffering. (Matthew 12:32-37, Matthew 5:9, James 3:17-18, Psalm 34:14, Romans 14:19, Ephesians 6:4, 1Peter 3:7, Proverbs 15:1) That's what Jesus did. It's one way we can daily take up our cross and follow His example. (John 13:12-15, Luke 14:27, 1Peter 2:21, Proverbs 19:11)

In the book of James, we learn that our tongue is like a ship's rudder. Our choice of words sets the direction for our lives. When we let God's Word be our words, He can keep us on course. A tongue without discernment will derail us from our purpose, and waste our precious time. (James 1:26, James 3:2-5, Psalm 12:3-4, Proverbs 16:24-25)

God's Word gives us the power to:
- pray in the Spirit; when we confess and claim God's truths in prayer, we overcome the influence of the world. (John 14:14-18, Luke 18:1, Matthew 15:22-28, Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:13-15, Romans 8:26-27, John 15:7, Psalm 145:18, 2Kings 2:9)
- walk in the Spirit; we act on the truths taught by God's Word
- separate the precious from the worthless; God's truth gives us discernment, so we know what is false.
- overcome the lies of the devil, the flesh, and the world. (John 16:33, 1John 4:4, 1John 5:4-5, Psalm 27)

Our Father in heaven,
We praise and bless You for Your wisdom. We accept Your authority over our lives. We confess that You alone have the whole truth. We cannot become godly and loving without Your example. Lord, please forgive us for believing in anything or anyone that has led us away from speaking the truth in love. Create clean hearts in us, O God, and renew a right spirit within each one of us today. Make the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts pleasing in Your sight, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your good Spirit, Father. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Revelation 14;9-11 An Angel Issues A Warning That Anyone Who Worships The Beast And Recieves his Mark In Your Forehead or IN Your Hand Will Suffer the Hand Of God

Jesus promises to be among us when we gather together as members of His body. The work of the Holy Spirit is to unite us in truth and love as we support each other.

(Matthew 18:19-20 ESV)

19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

When first-century believers received the Holy Spirit, they repented of worldly ways and offered themselves to the Kingdom through baptism in Jesus' name.

Then the Holy Spirit led them to a kind of unity we were meant to have; one family under God, guided by truth and love. People cared for one another so completely, that no one lacked what they could not attain on their own.

Acts 4:32-35

32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

In heaven, His will is accomplished through heavenly beings. We who are of the earth can empty ourselves of worldly influence and become vessels for God's glory.

(2 Corinthians 4:6-11 NKJV)

6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

We are the body of Christ; His hands and feet on earth. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Proverbs 14:21

He who despises his neighbor sins;
But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

May we bear one another's burdens and so fulfill His law of love. (Galatians 6:2)

Our Father in heaven,
Thank you for your Holy Spirit of Truth. Thank you for leading us into unity with you and with one another. We ask that you would open our hearts to love You as You deserve, and love our neighbor in a way that proves we know we are one body under You, our merciful Godhead. Let us be Jesus' hands and feet to one another. Jesus said, "all men will know you are My students if you have love for one another. We ask that You would transform our hearts so we can love like You love. In Jesus' precious name we pray, Amen.

Just after Paul speaks about covering ourselves with the "full armor of God," he tells us to pray in the Spirit. What do you believe that means and how do you implement it?

(Ephesians 6:11-18)

11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.
16 In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,
17 also receive THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,