Jude 10-11 – “In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. ⁹ But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰ Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.  ¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.”

Recently, my spirit has been stirred by a sense of something regarding the conclusion of 2024 and the start of 2025.   In 2024, I heard, “2024, the door to more.” As we are moving through 2025, I am hearing, “If you went through My door in 2024, you will thrive in the beehive of 2025.   If you have not gone through my door in 2024, you will strive in 2025.”   

I must admit that it has troubled me somewhat and caused me to reevaluate deeply and carefully 2024 and what I have and have not walked through and into.   If we have left things undone in 2024, we will face the struggles related to those unfinished assignments in 2025.

In 2025, the beehive embodies the reality that God is shutting some things down completely.   Something in the Book of Jude gripped my heart. Jude addressed the condition of hearts as he characterized the days to come.

He compared the modern mindset to Sodom and Gomorrah, the fallen angels pursuing lust and the lack of respect that was and would be prevalent.

Jude 10 identifies people who blaspheme against things that they have no comprehension of.   Then, in verse 11, my heart wept as I read and saw the reality in the world and some in the church, including leadership.

“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and have run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and have perished in the rebellion of Korah.”

Here is what I sensed in my heart.

• Cain = works, trying to earn favor by what we do.
• Balaam = money and fleshly lust.  Trying to use God and His Word for personal gain and to justify sin.
• Korah = power and position.  

We are to be living stones put into specific places by God’s assigned master builders.   If we try to usurp the God-ordained authority, we become rebellious, and the quest for position, power, purse, and prominence destroys us.

God is about to escalate the shutting down of many false things, and the directive of Revelation to the church in John’s prophecy is about to be fulfilled.

However, we must be cautious not to become self-righteous, but weep over their failures.   Let the words of Jude 23 resonate deeply within you.  Some will repent.    Jude 23 gives us the proper response, “AND when they repent, have mercy on them with compassion…”   God is always about restoration, and we should always view the failures of another, knowing that but for the grace of God, there goes me. We forgive completely out of our own complete forgiveness.

The beehive of 2025 is finding us thriving or striving.   The door of 2024 is the key!   What has God impressed upon you to do? Did you do it?   I have a sense in my spirit that it is not too late!   If you know something you didn’t finish in 2024, set your heart and hand to it and do it!   Do not allow 2025 to conclude without completing the assignment given to you!    Victory is in your grasp!

May your day be filled with the wonder of God’s love, mercy, and grace!   

Job 27:18 – “The wicked has built his house upon a spider’s web.”

As I read, prayed, and contemplated the Word of God today, a passage in the book of Job arrested me.   Job 27:18 is translated in various ways.  Most render it as the wicked building their house as a moth’s cocoon.   One renders it, “The wicked has built his house upon a spider’s web.”

A moth’s cocoon presents a unique imagery.   The fragile house of the moth is made of the material it consumes.    It feeds on what it has provided in its dwelling.   It is not dependent on anything outside that cocoon.

Those who trust themselves make their gold, goods, talents, networks, and abilities their source of strength.   Those who trust God are totally dependent upon Him and know those things are from Him, but also fleeting and temporary, making them unreliable.

We are to trust God who “hangs the world upon nothing.” (Job 26:7).  We are to trust the one who “Sees my ways and counts my steps.” (Job 31:4).  We are to trust the one who “Does not commit iniquity, neither perverts justice.” (Job 34:12).

As Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 3:5b – “Our strength comes from God.”   If we trust ourselves, our wealth, our possessions, knowledge, or ability, we grow weary.   But, if we totally surrender to God and He becomes our true source, then as 2 Corinthians 4:1 declares, “For this reason we are not weary of the ministry in which we are engaged…”

Life can be hard, but it is even harder if we place our trust in the wrong things.   Trust is demonstrated, not verbalized.  Trust is faith in action, rooted in anchored confidence.  We should examine our actions and attitudes to test our trust.  We walk by faith, not by sight.

So, do not build your house on a moth’s cocoon or a spider’s web.   Build it on the ROCK!   If we feed on ourselves, we will be consumed, but if we feed on Him, we will flourish!

Upon the Rock we stand!   Have a fantastic day!

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was drawn to 2 Chronicles 6 and 7.   It was a reminder, encouragement, and warning.   We are familiar with 2 Chronicles 7:14, but do we also consider the context and setting that gave rise to it?

The Temple had been completed.   In 2 Chronicles 5:14, in their first expression of worship, the glory came, and it was so powerful that the priests could not stand and minister.

In 2 Chronicles 6, Solomon prayed a prayer of remembrance to God, himself, and the people of God’s Covenant promises.   In 2 Chronicles 7:1, after Solomon’s prayer, the fire of God fell and consumed the sacrifice.  In verse 2, the presence of God was so powerful that the priests could not enter the house.   Sincerity, commitment, and worship produced the fertile ground for the presence.   

Then God came to Solomon a second time in a dream.  He informed Solomon that He had heard the prayer, seen the heart, and given the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Tragically, we stop quoting there and fail to see beyond the desired healing and forgiveness.   In verses 19, 20, and 21, we find the warning against turning away from or ignoring God’s ways.   They would be scattered and uprooted, and the temple would be in ruins.

Tragically, many want God’s blessings but fail to heed God’s requirements of obedience and surrender.  This applies to nations and individuals.  Scattered and uprooted could speak of a lack of stability and success.  It could be dissatisfaction and putting money in bags with holes.  It could be turmoil in every facet of life.

We incur God’s disfavor if we ignore or turn from complete surrender following self and selfishness.    If we humble ourselves, pray in repentance, and seek God wholeheartedly, rejecting evil and wickedness, God promises to hear, forgive, and heal.

Our world wants God’s favor without following God’s ways.  Our world wants to enjoy God’s blessings without total surrender.  Our world wants God’s guidance and protection while pursuing selfish purposes.  Our world wants to have God’s best without giving Him our best.

2 Chronicles 7:14 must be viewed in the context of chapters 5, 6, and 7.  Whole-hearted surrender, worship, and prayer provide the fertile ground for God’s favor and presence.  In His presence, there is peace, power, and provision.  Let’s seek Him and give Him our all.  He will then give us His all and meet all our needs.

Father, we ask that you help us to see the need, take the steps necessary to align our hearts with Yours, and Trust You completely!

Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron; so a man enlightens the face of his friend.”

I have been pondering some spiritual matters, and during my time of prayer, I have sensed an urgency in the Spirit. I don’t know, with certainty, what is about to happen, but I know that a shaking is coming. The remainder of 2025 may be a rough ride from which no one can hide.   A question in my spirit today was – “Which Are You?   A Sharpening Iron or a Caustic File?”

I sense a call from the heavens for unification in small groups of believers.   Not just to study the Word of God but to encourage, rebuild, and restore one another.  A threefold cord is not easily broken. Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron; so, a man enlightens the face of his friend.”   Galatians 6:1 instructs the strong to help restore the weak or those who find themselves trapped by sin.

Making God first is first!   Proverbs 30:5-7 is a powerful revelation of the true goal of life.   It is rooted in the Word of God, which is the written revelation of God’s heart and character.  It is being careful to obey God explicitly.  The writer encapsulated the goal in two things.  Being purged of vanity and lies.  All lies have a connection to pride.  Then, we need contentment in what we have materially.  The focus is not on stuff but on God.  It is not saying that desiring to better ourselves financially is wrong, but that it is secondary.

The Last Day’s characteristics are touched on in Proverbs 30:11-14—disrespect for parents, prideful and self-righteous, vicious with their mouths, devouring others with their words.

1 Peter 2:1-3 is a valuable guide and goal.  It begins with our action, which produces spiritual growth.  We grow to wholeness.   In 1 Peter 1:22-25, we see the process of sanctification through obedience (not works but heart).   That opens the door to being filled with Agape.   That love is manifested to others and produces a heart of purity.

Back to the idea of small groups.   We will need each other more and more as we move forward in time.  I encourage you to pray about what God would have you do and be.  Let’s be Iron that sharpens Iron in others!

The storm clouds may gather, but if we stand together in Jesus, we will weather the storm!  Have a fantastic day!

1 Peter 4:8  – “Love covers a multitude of sins.”

Last night, through the night, and today, in reading, praying, and pondering, a singular truth kept tugging at the chords of my heart.  That was the Power and Covering of Love!
That caused me to examine my own heart.  Not only to consider my failures, but also my response to others who have erred.

Love Covers…   That is intriguing on many levels.   Luke 17:3 and Matthew 18:15 instruct us to confront sin, so what about “Love” covering sin?   Covering can be understood as shielding from view.   It is not to make it a public display.   Not ignoring or justifying it, but not spreading it around as “News.”

Psalm 51 speaks of awareness of sin, and 1 John 1:9 assures us that if we confess (to God and whoever has been hurt or affected by it) our sin, we are forgiven by God.  If by God, then who is man to withhold forgiveness?

Proverbs 17:18 – “A friend loves at all times…” James 3:6 tells us the tongue is a raging fire.  We seem to forget that it is not just being harsh-tongued but being a purveyor of “News,“ exposing to public scrutiny a brother or sister who has erred. 

We say (thinking our words are benign), Did you hear, or what do you think about?  We are not covering them in love and are not fulfilling Galatians 6:1 to restore them.

Forgiveness carries with it the grace to cover transgression in a brother or sister.  We help our brothers confront their sins and help shield them from the tongues of gossip and accusers so they can be restored.

For example, if someone confesses to us and we expose that to others, the vicious tongues can use that and destroy their lives.  It can bring physical, financial, social, and emotional harm to them.  By spreading it rather than covering them, we participate in their harm rather than being instruments of restoration.

Galatians 6:1 says we cover them considering ourselves.   It could be us in that predicament.   Consider our forgiveness from God.   He covers us in love as He enables us to be restored.  Should we do less?  Love covers it, does not justify, but seeks complete restoration.  We deal with each other through love or selfishness, not both.

Lord, help me to love enough to cover my brothers and sisters needing restoration.  Let me be iron that sharpens iron, but not a rasp or a hammer doing harm.  Help me to always keep Your Forgiveness in the forefront of my heart and mind.

Rather than trying to be the Chief Exposers of Error, why not seek to be the Chief Reconciler and Restorer?   Which is the heart of Jesus?