1-18-2026 Our turning point

In the seventies and eighties my Spiritual life was starting to grow. I was looking at what parts of my life l had already turned over he the Lord and did I actually know the direction my life was taking.  As I looked back from today, at the time Father gave me this song, I realize that I had just begun turning things over to Him and there was a long road to ‘hoe’ yet.  I still had a long way to go (in retrospect). 

I gave my life to the Lord in 1971, but I realized that a decade later, and as the decades rolled by, I still haven’t turned everything over to Him.  He wasn’t completely Lord of my Life!  Even today, I’m still finding myself turning things over to Him.  Some things are new situations while, even yet, other things pop up out of my past.

The enemy does his best to hold us down or, at least, hold us back from growing Spiritually.  From salvation, our job is to learn how to truly live for Jesus!  We face many crossroads in life so we have many decision to make over the years, as we decide whether we yield the situation over to Jesus or not.  It is not just dredging things up from the past and dealing with them (this shouldn’t be the case … but), but recognizing the new tactics of our enemy.

 The song brings out things that may have come into our life, then we recognize Jesus’ authority over them and then deal with them to remove the hindrance to our growth.  And each time, we discover that Jesus is the answer.

THE TURNING POINT (@’80’s-‘90’s, adjusted 2026)

(Refrain)

Verse 1

Decisions bring us to a turning point

And we must know who is our Lord

Praying my Lord your wisdom I seek

Guide my steps, hand me your sword

Yielding my life in all that I do

Abiding ever in your Holy Word

(Refsrin)

Verse 2

Life has many turns and crossroads are not a few

I travel the road and wonder oft times what shall I do

Hearing Your voice, abiding in Your Word

The choice becomes clear

My turning point

Refrain

I’ve come to the turning point

I must decide once and for all

Is Jesus just my Savior alone, or is he truly Lord of all

Is he the King of Kings, Master of everything

Did He our God anoint, to give to him my all

My turning point

(I sing the refrain at the beginning, then after each verse).

 

Even today, I still find new ‘adventures’ which challenge my trust in Jesus. I remember that

Jesus is my Lord and Savior (Acts 2:36).  The word translated “Lord” here is kurios (G2962) which is supreme authority, lord, master or ‘sir’ (respect).  “Christ” is used in this passage and is the word christos (5547) which means anointed or Messiah [referring to Jesus Christ].  Savior is the Greek word  soter (G4990) which is God, Christ or Savior.  Luke brings ‘Christ and Lord and Savior together in the same quotes as the angel as said to Mary “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).  And we know that baby was Jesus and it connects Father and Son as One.  And we now that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father (John 15:26), the unity of the Godhead.

Jesus will never leave us & won’t forsake us (Heb. 13:5).   Here the word for ‘leave’ is aniemi (G447) which is to loose, leave, desert.  ‘Forsake’ is the word egkataleipo  (1459) which means to leave behind, let remain, desert, forsake o leave. The bible says that a thing is established by two or more witnesses (Deut. 19:15, 2 Corinth.13:1), it is considered to be true.  When Jesus says ‘never leave’ nor ‘forsake’, He establishes the fact that He will always be with us!

He will guide and direct us – decisions and actions (Luke 12:11-12, John 14:25-26).  This doesn’t mean we don’t have to read the bible and/or pray to the Lord.  Paul tells both the Romans and the Thessalonians to always pray (Romans 12:12, Thess. 5:17).  Does this mean that we are on our knees 24 hours a day?  Of course not!  If that were true, we’d never get anything done in this world.  But as we encounter a ‘decision time’, when we are at home, just outdoors or even travelling down the road we can talk with the Lord.  Even though we might be in an inconvenient situation.  In our heart we can ask the Lord and He will give us what we need.  Remember, Father knows all about us, inside and out, our minds and our hearts (Heb. 4:12, Job 21:27, Psalm 139:1-2).  We can talk with Him, anytime, anyplace.  And no, we don’t have to shut our eyes, but our heart has to be with the Lord.  But even so, speak it out audibly.  We can speak in a soft, quiet voice.  Ask and we shall receive.  

All we need to do is believe Him and Jesus will bring victory into our lives.  Whoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, “our faith”.  Who overcomes the world is he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1John:5)?  Thank God we have victory through Jesus Christ (1 Corinth. 15:57).  For our sakes, Jesus has overcome the world (John 15:33).  So we are conquerors through Him who loves us (Rom. 8:37).  All this is capped by our faith.  Whatever we ask in prayer, believe it and we shall receive it (Matt. 21:22, Mark 11:24).   

None the less, when I find myself at a turning point, I find that my decision is “do I fully trust in Jesus or do I do it my way?  When we listen to the Lord, how can we go wrong?  After all, the Holy Ghost (breath of God) is in us and He will guide us in all that we do (John 16:13) – when we let Him.  Ask and we shall receive (Matt. 7-8), so Father will not hold the Holy Ghost back from us (Luke 11:13).  After all, Jesus said the Holy Ghost shall be in us (John 14:16-17).  Jesus reminded His apostles and disciples (just before He ascended) that when the Holy Ghost is come upon them, they shall have power (Acts 1:8) and the Holy Ghost has been available for us since the upper room (Acts 2:1-18)

Yet fear is our greatest enemy.  We fear things we are not sure about.  The power of love and a sound mind casts out fear (2Tim. 1:7).  When one doubts, he shall fear the day and the night and have no confidence in life (Deut. 28:66).  When we don’t fully trust the Lord, we fear.  So when we are afraid, are we putting our trust in the Lord (Psalm 56:5)?  We know that the Lord is our helper so why should we be concerned about what man can do to us (Heb. 13:6)?      

We have several major turning points in our lives.

Our decision to receive and follow Jesus is most important, it opens the door for everything else.

To allow the Holy Ghost full operation in our lives.  Baptism in the Holy Ghost.  Paul, and Phillip and Cornelius give us examples.

To accept and receive the ”calling” God has placed upon our lives.

To be obedient to Father, no matter what comes our way.

Trust in and know that Father is always with us.  After all, aren’t we the temple of God (1 Corinth.3:16)?

Our faith and our obedience give us what we need to succeed in this life.

Yes, there will be a zillion other turning points (decisions) we will have to face in our lives but as we remember these things, the rest will fall into proper place, no matter how many bumps in the road we hit.  After all, when the Lord is for us, who can stand against us (Rom. 8:31)? 

Amen

Hebrew and Greek references are from ‘Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance’.  Having had the opportunity to compare with other concordances, based on other translations of the bible, ieg. NIV, Living Bible, NSV, etc., the numerical references may not always be the same but the Hebrew and Greek words reference are.  Oft times, even our computer can help us find the right word and what it means.

1-10-2026 Predestination, saved or not saved?

 

The word ‘predestinate’ is only used twice in the bible.  Once in the present tense (now) and the other in the past-perfect context (something which is still continuing but started in the past).

The first is predestinate -Romans 8:29-30 (G4309 proorizo), the second is predestinated  - Ephesians 1:5, 11 (G4309 proorizo) which means predestine, predetermine, ordain before hand, predestinated.  Yes, It is the same word.  So, does God truly declare us saved, no matter what we do or say, before we are born?  If so, why do so many people endeavor to let Jesus into their heart?  What would be gained?

God is not slack, as we consider slackness, but He is long suffering that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  Perish (G622 acaph) is to relieve, destroy, leave behind, bluntly – not to have anymore.  If God has already determined that we will be with Him, why bother to let Jesus into our lives?  God does have a condition on our eternal status?  God requires our obedience as to what He has told us over the centuries, millennia (John 14:15, Psalm 3:8, 62:1, Isa. 12:2, Jonah 2:9 as well as John 3:16, Acts 4:12) so we can be with Him, forever.  With all this, there is no salvation without repentance which is metanoia (G3341- reversal of guilt, repentance).  We have to turn from not abiding in God to abiding in Him.

God called numerous prophets in the Bible to deliver His messages, including major figures like Joseph (Gen. 50:18-21), or Moses (Exod. 3:4-10), Samuel (1 Sam. 3 4-21), David (1 Sam. 16:7-13, Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-2, 8-16), Elisha (2 Kings 2:11-15),  Isaiah (Isa. 6:8), Jeremiah (Jer. 1:4-5), Ezekiel (Ezek.1:128),  Daniel (Dan. 10:9-12) ,  and John the Baptist, alongside many others like the Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, etc.) and women such as Miriam (Num. 12: 6—16) and Anna (Luke 2:34-39).  Al of whom are recognized for speaking God's word and/or doing what God had told them, often through direct encounters or divine visions.  Let’s not forget Paul as he encountered Jesus as he travelled to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18). 

Thus, we might say that all of these men and women of the bible were ‘predestined’ to their calling and, in a sense, we would be correct.  Each of these people mentioned here were obedient and faithful to the Lord and Father blessed them with specific tasks.   So do we get hung up on people who have been faithful and doing mighty works are ‘predestined’ to perform that which they did?  It wasn’t the works that got them into eternal relationship with Father.  It was their faithfulness to the Lord which enabled them to do what they did which opened their door to eternity.  Yet God had a plan for each of them, but each had to be obedient to the Lord for that plan to come into fruition. 

Faith is things hoped for but the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).  Read the list of faithful people in Hebrews chapter eleven.  They all believed and trusted in God and His coming Messiah.  Today, we believe the Messiah (Jesus) has already come and we await His return, to bring all who believe on Him, home.  The Jews knew the prophetic word of the coming Messiah but didn’t but, apparently, didn’t realize that the Messiah would first have to suffer (on the cross) and die for our transgressions (Isa. 53:1-2).  These two facts never seemed to register with Hebraic thinking.  They did believe that the Messiah would set up God’s kingdom here on earth.  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin (Heb. 922).  Here, remission is the Greek word aphesis (H859) which is pardon, forgiveness or remission.  We find this in the Old Testament as well “The life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls.  For it is the blood makes atonement for the soul” (Lev. 17:11).    

God has predestined all to come into His kingdom, but Father has given us all freewill.  Just because we’re ‘predestined doesn’t mean all will enter into God’s Kingdom.  Too many have and do exercise that freewill by telling God “no”!  Israel is an example when Moses challenged them at the golden calf and 3000 men fell by the sword (Exod. 32:25-28).  How about when Joshua challenged Israel as to whom they would serve (Joshua 32:14-25).  Jesus also asks us to choose Him to gain eternity (John 12:23-27).  So even though God desires all to come into His kingdom, He knows not all will accept His offer of life.  In order to abide in this gift of eternal life, we must first receive it and that eternal life is in Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11-12).

In the Old Testament, man’s ‘salvation’ was based on being obedient to the Law.  Jesus reprimanded the religious order saying that even though they knew the Law they didn’t abide in it (Matt. 23:25-28). Today, salvation is based upon receiving Jesus into our hearts as the true Messiah thus obtaining the power to show our love for Him by being obedient to the Law in what we say, do or think (John 14:15).

Jesus speaks about healing and other miracles.  Jesus tells us that “What things you desire, when you pray, believe you receive them and you shall have them” (Mark 11:24).  When we ask in faith, don’t waver, for when we waver, we are like waves of the sea and are tossed about (James 13:6-7).  When we have faith and do not doubt we can do what Jesus did… believe and receive (Matt. 21:21-22).  Jesus also encourages us when He said that he (us) who believe on Him shall do the works He did and greater because He goes to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do that Father is glorified in the Son”. (Matt. 14:12-15).  Ask anything in My name and I will do it!  So if you love Me, keep My Commandments (John 14:12-15).  And what are His commandments? Love the Father with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and the second is like it – love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31, Matt. 22:37-40).

So, we get benefits and have obligations with our relationship with the Lord to fulfill our ”pre-destination”.

One last example.  We buy ‘Johnny’ the toy which he has desired above all other toys.  We give it to him but we tell him that he must abide by our rules to keep it and enjoy it.  Should Johnny disobey our rules, we take his beloved toy from him for a while until he has ‘atoned’ for his disobedience.  Then we give him the toy back.  Should Johnny never make amends for his disobedience, it would be possible that he might never get the toy back.      

Are we predestined to be with the Lord?  Yes.  God said that He would (desires) that none would perish (2 Peter).  But, like with Johnny and his toy, when we continue in our disobedience, we may discover we will never enter into God’s kingdom.  His peace.  His love. 

Our predestination is not a blank check!  Can we get or do anything we want just because God loves us?   Of course not!  God is love and as we abide in His love, we are obedient to His will.  So through love and obedience, our ‘check’ becomes a secure thing.  Should we stray, repent and come back to Father seeking forgiveness?  We can receive God’s forgiveness.  Like the wayward child in Luke (Luke :15:18-24) we can be restored into that anticipation of abiding in the Lord forever.

We are predestined for eternal existence with Our Lord.  Yet not all will enter in.   We have the free choice to tell Him ‘no’ and miss out on the eternal love, joy and which peace which He offers.   Or we can freely choose to abide in God’s love with the promise of our eternal fellowship with Him.  And with this, we also have the free choice to operate any ‘special’ calling which He may have chosen us for.

Amen

 

 1-5-2026    (12-27-2025)      Getting to Know You

 

We’ve just celebrated the ‘birth’ of our Lord Jesus, but how well do we know the one whose life we pattern, that is after whom we shape our lives?

Father keeps bringing Job to my mind.  Yeah, the guy who had all those problems though he had not sinned.  The one who inspired the adage “the patience of Job”.  Job knew all about who God was then came he to know who God ‘really is (Job 42:5).  How many of us have come to the point in our lives where we have come to the same realization as Job?

We read the bible.  We talk and gain info from other Christians or listen to biblical teachers, but how well do we really know Jesus, God our heavenly Father or even the Holy Ghost?

We refer to God as the ‘Trinity’ (three persons in one).  How many of us think that we talking about three different people?  When I was younger, even into my twenties & thirties and with what I was hearing in the church, just reinforced this idea.  Okay, so what does the bible say about our relationship, (God & us)?  Who is God?

“Let us make man after our own likeness and give him dominion over the whole Earth”.  So God created ‘man’ in His own image both male and female (Gen. 1:26-27) then God explains how He made man (Gen. 2:7, 21-22). 

In my youth, God was explained as ‘three persons in one’!  Father, Son & Holy Ghost (Essence, Word and Breath.  We also are body, soul and spirit.  We are who we are.  God breathed life into Adam’s body (Gen 2:7) so we have a body and breath which gives us life.  The words we speak express our ideas to others and our breath carries what we said to their ears.  God spoke and brought things into existence.  Are we three persons in one, a trinity?  Body, soul and spirit?  Can we split into three parts?  Father reminded me of a pen knife I had as a child. It had a blade, a screw driver and maybe a can opener – all in one.  God is not a pen knife.  Though He created the heavens and he earth.  He can do whatever He desires just by speaking it into existence (Gen. chptr one)!

In the beginning – God… and His Spirit moved across the face of the waters (Gen. 1:1-2).  The Spirit of God is reflected in the Hebrew word ruwach (H7307 [breath, spirit) or the comparable Greek word is pneuma (G4151 [breeze, breath, Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:2, Psalm 33:6).  Who God is, or His breath, goes out and starts doing that which He intends. The Word is what God speaks or says and His breath carries His Word forth.  God spoke things into existence (John 1:1, Gen 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29).  God said ,and it was so! And then, Father put all that into a body of the man (Matt. 1:19 – 25, John 1;1), and whom we call His name, Jesus.

Jesus desires that who receives Him will be one with Him as He is One in the Father (John 10:30, John 17:14-23). That is an inseparable relationship.  Father declares that He is one God and that we should love Him with all our heart, soul and might strength (Deut. 6:4-5, Mark 29:30).  Paul told the Colossians that Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead, that is He is all that God is (theotes G2320 – 1 Col. 2:9-10).

Let’s take a look at what that involves

God spoke with Moses on the mount.  Moses says “If they ask me, whom shall I say sent me?”  God replies “I AM that I AM, tell them ‘I AM” has sent you (Exod. 3:14).  John, in his vision, sees one like the Son of man amongst the seven candlesticks, woolen hair, feet like brass and eyes like flames of fire who declared “I AM Alpha and Omega, the first and the last …”(Rev. 1:11).  Bear in mind, that Father has also said this “I Am the first and the Last you shall have no other Gods before me” (Isa. 44:6).

Moses declares that God is his salvation (Exod. 15:1-2) and Paul reminds the Romans (and us) that as we confess our sin and receive Jesus it is unto our heart, we have salvation (Rom. 10:9-13). There is no other name, under heaven whereby man must be saved (Acts 4:12).  Gather and Son, our Savior!

God protects us. He is our shield and buckler, He protects from evil, man and things of this world.  He even sets angels over us for protection (Psalm 91:1-11, Psalm 121:5-8).  Jesus protects from us evil (2 Thess. 3.3) and He preserves us so we can enter into His heavenly kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18).  Are we starting to get the connection?

Father/Jesus/Holy Ghost is our comforter.  He guides our steps, gives US peace and provides proof before our enemies that He does takes care of us (Psalm 23:1-6).  He is with us and strengthens us (I Sam. 41:10).  As Jesus suffered for us, so shall His comfort abound in us (1 Corinth, 1:5), Jesus knows how we feel.  The Holy Ghost is our comforter (John 14:16).  So why do we need the Comforter (the HG)?  Jesus encourages us to receive he Holy Ghost (John 20:22).  For when He comes into us, we shall receive power (Acts 1:8 - G1411 dunamis –explosive), just as Jesus had so we can go and do the works that He did (John 14:12).   There are  more examples of what Jesus did and examples that we can also do them.  Examples like when Peter and John healed the lame man (Acts 3:1-9) or Paul when he explains to the Corinthians that healing comes through God’s Power (1 Corinth. 2:1-4, Acts 19:11-12) and that power is the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of God. 

Jesus teaches (Matt. 5:1-2).  The Holy Ghost also teaches us and will give us what to say (John 14:26).

There are more examples where God shows us how complete He is in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost!  Father, Son and Holy Ghost is the Godhead!  Jesus is the physical representation we have of the Godhead!  These aren’t three beings functioning as one but One who can diversify Himself in expressing himself and His love towards us, who He is, what He does and how He does it!  AND He desires to share this love with us so we can not only live in His image, but operate in His image!  In how we look.  In what we say.  In what we do.  He is in us and give us he strength to do what He does.

Remember that Jesus said:  The hour comes and is even now when true worshippers shall worship Father in Spirit and in truth for Father seeks such to worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).  God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth!   God is who He is and asks us to be one with Him.  We should reflect His love in our lives so we can be His true children.  God is Spirit.  We have a spirit which gives us life and the Holy Ghost is He who connects the two for a Spirit to spirit connection (1 John 4:10-13).  If you will, we have a ‘hotline’ to God!

So, have we come to learn all about God or have we come to learn who God truly is?   We keep learning about Him as we read the scriptures and talk with Him.  As we talk to Him, the scriptures confirm what He has said to us.  So the scriptures and our prayers confirm each other as we learn to talk with God.  I AM, Savior, Teacher, Protector, Provider and more, says he Lord.

How well are getting to know our God?

Amen