I’m from Oklahoma, which makes me an “Okie.” You can tell an Okie, you just can’t tell him much! Most people who know me consider me to be stubborn and a contrarian and I agree with that assessment. Some people think that I’m also argumentative and I’m all that. I have a natural tendency to go against the flow most of the time. I usually take the road less traveled because most of the time that’s the right road. I have dogged determination. I know what I know and I’m not easily swayed by the opinions of others. I’m also getting long in the tooth which is a nice way of saying I’m older than dirt. In short, I have most of the attributes needed to be an effective witness for Christ. Do you? If so then come join me as a foot soldier for God.
In the grand scheme of things our brief life here on earth is meaningless apart from a right relationship with God. King Solomon reminds us of that in the book of Ecclesiastes. Our life is like a morning mist that lingers but a short while and is no more. However, when we witness for Christ and save others for the kingdom of God that good work will be remembered by God in heaven and the rewards we receive will last for an eternity. Knowing that, can you think of any better use of your time? I can’t. It’s critically important that we use our brief time here on earth to witness for Christ as God commands us. It’s very important each believer saves at least one person for the kingdom of God.
Psalm 90:12 – Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 119:2 – Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!
Psalm 33:11 – The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.
I’m comfortable in my own skin which is what we should all strive for. I know who I am, where I came from, and where I’m going. Best of all, I know why I’m here on earth. Do you? The Bible, the wisdom literature of God, has all the answers to life’s questions so go find out your destiny if you don’t already know. You know, older people tend to get cranky and not suffer fools lightly because they’ve seen it all and done it all. I’m in that age group. I don’t have time to waste on foolish things. I don’t have time for false teachings, false doctrines and dealing with fools. I enjoy my own company and value my own counsel more than anyone else’s; with one exception. I will seek out and listen very carefully to anyone I consider to be wise. I recommend you also be wise and always strive to learn from those you consider wiser than yourself.
Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.
Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
1 John 5:11 – And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Ephesians 5:15-16 – See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
How can you tell if someone is wise? I’m glad you asked; but first let me tell you what I know. I rarely take anyone’s word about anything and that’s a good way to approach the world because the world is full of swindlers, thieves, liars and cheats. We’re in a fallen world and that’s just the way it is until Jesus comes. I never take anyone else’s opinion as the final word on any matter without verifying it and neither should you. Everyone has their own vested interests which may be different from yours so beware. I like to do my own homework in areas that interest me and I like to research the truth of any matter before I commit myself. I have always applied this process to the study of all religion, and with Christianity in particular. As I searched for God he found me. The Scriptures confirm that if you earnestly seek God you will find him. You have God’s promise and God cannot lie. I’ve been studying God’s word for over twenty years and you have my testimony that God is who he says he is and his word is true. I urge you to verify this yourself by studying God’s word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 – For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 4:13 – Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
I know that the Holy Bible is God’s word and God’s wisdom. In fact, the Bible is the only true source of wisdom in this world. Nobody can be truly considered as wise without at least a basic understanding and familiarity with the Bible. Many people have a hard time believing there’s a God or that the Christian God is the one and only true God. That’s understandable because we live in a fallen world where sin is pervasive. Satan is the god of this world and he has put blinders on nonbelievers so they can’t see the truth of God on their own and if that’s not enough then Satan will also seek to deceive men with false religions and fake gods. Regular reading of the Bible and prayers to God on a daily basis will keep Satan at bay. Scripture says to resist Satan and he will flee from you. The word of God can remove the scales from your eyes that Satan has put there and allow you to see the truth of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4 – Whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.
Psalm 53:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.
If you look closely at the holy books of all the false religions of the world you’ll see they are a bunch of vague contradictions and trite platitudes. It’s obvious they were all written by evil men with their own agenda. A plethora of words that sound good but signify nothing; words without meaning, power or wisdom. All the fake gods of all the false religions of the world stand mute before the true God of creation. Satan is not an original thinker but he is a master at imitation so he created false religions to compete with God for the affections of men. Satan is the father of Islam, Hinduism, Bhuddism and all the other Christian cults that are out there. Don’t be fooled by the lies of Satan and be drug down to the pit of hell with him. On the other hand, when you read the Bible the truth and wisdom of God shines through like the noon day sun.
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you also want to find God start reading the Bible daily, starting with the New Testament. Read the entire Bible all the way through and then do it again. As you do this ask God daily in prayer before your start reading the Bible to reveal himself to you and he will do it because God has promised in his word that he would do so. The Bible is without error and God cannot lie. At some point in your walk with the Lord the truth of God will be settled in your soul and give you peace like you have never known. Rarely does it take more than one reading of the Bible to find God, if you have an open mind. You have my testimony that it’ll happen to you like it did for me and millions of other Christians throughout the world.
Psalm 119:97-99 – Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
Romans 15:4 – For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope (salvation).
Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
As I continue my study of the Bible, God’s word is confirmed in countless ways and never contradicted. The books of the Bible fit together seamlessly as one word of God with one consistent message about the love God has for us. How could it be otherwise since God himself authored the Bible over a period of 1500 years, from 1400 BC to 100 AD, using godly men who were moved by the Holy Spirit? Bible critics have been trying to disprove the Bible for over 2000 years and they haven’t found any errors or inconsistencies yet but they keep looking. Only the Christian Bible has over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled and documented as historical fact. All the false religions in the entire history of the world do not have even one fulfilled prophecy. They can’t because they are not from God. Only the true God of creation knows the end from the beginning. Our God is the Lord, and Jesus Christ is his son.
2 Peter 1:21 – For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 37:27-28 – Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does nor forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 – I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
God wants us to know him and his salvation plan for man. When I first read about God’s plan for our salvation and fully understood the implications the first thought that came into my mind was, “this is perfect.” This could only have come from the mind of God. God’s salvation plan is perfect in its simplicity; so simple in fact that men think there must be a catch. I can tell you there is no catch. God wanted to make salvation easy for us. God is not trying to keep us out of heaven. God is inclusive and doing all he can to get as many of his children to heaven as possible. Never lose sight of the fact that God is good and he is always for us. Unlike all the other false religions that require men to jump through hoops without promising salvation, the Lord our God freely gives salvation unto eternal life to any man who asks for it. Those who repent of their sins, acknowledge God, and then accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have salvation unto eternal life in heaven given to them as a free gift by the grace of God. By his goodness and generosity God shows his love for us.
1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 – For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.
2 Corinthians 4:3 – But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
In Scripture God has identified those who have been saved as “wise” and those men who have rejected God and his saving grace as “fools.” These are only two types of people in the world. Don’t get me wrong, there are intelligent people, smart people, and clever people out there but that doesn’t make them wise. You also can’t use money as a yardstick for wisdom because money can’t buy happiness or salvation nor can man save himself like the humanists want us to believe. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ our Lord and the only way to true happiness is through obedience to the commands of God. The only way to know the command of God is to study the Bible. God gave us his word so we’ll know what we must do and why.
Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile).
Romans 11:33 – Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
2 Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
God watches over all believers because we are his children. We are God’s portion on this earth, his holy inheritance. All believers are saved but not all believers are wise; only those believers who actually immerse themselves in a study of God’s word and obey God’s commandments can be considered as wise. Truly wise men of God are as rare as hen’s teeth. Search them out and when you find them seek them as mentors and listen to their counsel. Of course the #1 counselor is God himself so talk to God often in prayer and watch for his revelations in Scripture. We talk to God in prayer and he promises to listen to us. God talks to us in Scripture so we need to be spiritually aware to hear him; the small still voice of God that speaks to our soul.
1 Timothy 1:9 – Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
1 John 3:1 – Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!
Colossians 4:2 – Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
God calls nonbelievers “fools” because they reject the truth of God that is right before their eyes and as a result of their unbelief they are destined to spend eternity in hell. All they have to do is believe in God, repent, and ask for his forgiveness of their sins. How hard is that? The nonbeliever can’t even do that simple little thing so their sins still abide on them and a just and fair God has no choice but to condemn them to the lake of fire and brimstone for all eternity where they will be in constant pain and agony. Millions of people are dying every day and going to hell forever for the lack of a witness about the saving grace of God. It’s such a waste! God leaves believers on this earth to witness the gospel message of Christ to nonbelievers to save as many as we can for the kingdom of God. We can’t save everyone but we can save one more for Jesus if we try.
Hebrews 10:31 – It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 9:27 – And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
Proverbs 13:13 – He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
God is good and always has our best interests at heart so therefore God never made man with the intent of sending anyone to hell. The nonbeliever makes the free will choice to serve God or Satan on their own, so they are without excuse. God knew who would accept his grace and who wouldn’t before he laid the foundation of the world because God knows the end from the beginning. Seek wisdom where you can find it and make the decision to serve God while you yet live. Once your heart stops beating your testing time on this earth is over and your fate is sealed. The ultimate destination of your eternal soul is either heaven or hell. There are no other choices so don’t delay making your choice. It only takes five minutes to change the destination of your eternal soul from hell to heaven for all eternity. Do it right now this minute!
Proverbs 16:4 – The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Romans 8:1 – There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
After our salvation God leaves us here to witness for Christ and do good works. That is our reasonable service to the God who made us and saved us. God has blessed all believers by allowing us to participate in his salvation plan for man and build up treasures for ourselves in heaven. God has bestowed this honor upon us and it’s our sacred duty to help save as many lost souls as we can for the kingdom of God. God says his harvest field is great and believers are his co-workers. Nonbelievers are the harvest field. I have answered God’s call to join him in helping save the lost. Come join me. Failure to obey God in this regard will mean the loss of rewards in heaven for all eternity.
2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
1 John 3:22 – And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 John 5:12 – He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
All believers will one day have to stand before the bema seat of Jesus Christ to have their good works judged before the Lord. If you haven’t witnessed for Christ and helped save at least one person for the kingdom of God all your other works will burn with fire. You could give a billion dollars to charity and it won’t do you a bit of good unless you also do the main thing, the important thing, which is to witness for Christ and save at least one soul for the kingdom of God. If you disobey God you will not have any rewards in heaven because you haven’t obeyed the Great Commission of Jesus given to all disciples of Christ, which is to witness the gospel message to all nonbelievers. See, I have told you. You must obey God or lose all rewards. Scripture tells us the mind of man cannot comprehend the riches God has in store for those who love him. Take God at his word and strive for the prize.
Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Psalm 34:15 – The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their cry.
Romans 10:9 – That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
I know I’m repeating myself here but repetition is good for the soul. When we say something over and over the mind starts to incorporate it into our belief system. That’s why if you’ll notice God repeats important spiritual truths many times in is word. God is trying to drum his truth into our heads. I’m moved by the Holy Spirit to blog so witnessing for Christ is always on my mind. It’s a consuming fire that never leaves me. During my early morning walk every day I’m talking to God and mentally composing my next blog. I love what I do. By his knowledge God created the physical universe we live in. Through his understanding God made the angels and man and established the physical laws of nature. Because of his wisdom God developed his perfect salvation plan for man. We don’t know God’s plan for us in heaven but we do know it’ll be greater than we can possibly imagine because Scripture says so. God is the source of all wisdom. God is wisdom. As children of the Most High we have the wisdom of God on the inside of us (the Holy Spirit) and we’ll share in God’s divine nature forevermore. The Holy Spirit will also reside in our glorified bodies in heaven which is why we will not be able to sin in heaven. God will complete our glorification by himself once we get to heaven. Praise God!
Ephesians 6:10 – Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Hebrews 13:15 – Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks in His name.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.