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Halloween and Reformation Day

Today, October 31, marks at least three celebrations. The first thought that comes to most people’s minds is probably Halloween.

Halloween was originally a Christian celebration, known as All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Hallows’ Day or All Saints’ Day. To hallow something is to celebrate its holiness.

All Hallows Day marked the beginning of AllHallowtide, a period on the liturgical calendar to remember those who died in Christ, especially the martyrs and saints.

In popular culture, it has degenerated into a celebration of death, the macabre, and the occult. Western civilization is becoming increasingly pagan in all aspects, but that’s a topic for another day.

This evening, you might celebrate All Hallows’ Eve or perhaps Halloween, depending on your beliefs and traditions. There is yet a third celebration.

You might want to celebrate Reformation Day. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (topics for debate) to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg, an event that symbolized the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Reformation Day remained unrecognized by the Roman Catholic Church around 2016, in time to commemorate the then-upcoming 500^th anniversary of the event.

Christians debate whether or not we should celebrate Halloween and that’s a matter for individual conscience.

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Romans 14:1-9

Whatever you choose to celebrate this evening, or even if you choose not to celebrate at all, may you do so in good conscience and without judging those who chose something different.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

The World Changed on Reformation Day

Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.

The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

31 October 2025
Who Is James?

Yesterday morning, I was reading in the Epistle of James. As Kathy and I discussed what I had been reading, the question of “who was James?” arose.

What does the Bible say?

James is identified as one of Jesus’ brothers. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55, see also Mark 6:3)

Jesus’s brothers did not believe. After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jewswere seeking to kill him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. (John 6:1-5)

Jesus appeared personally to James after His resurrection. “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:7)

He was a key player in the Jerusalem council when the issue of rules for gentile believers was debated. (Acts 15)

Paul calls James an Apostle. “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.” Galatians 1:18-19

Paul also refers to him as a pillar in the early church. “…James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me; they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” Galatians 2:10

James himself only identifies as a servant of Jesus. “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: (James 1:1)

Church history tells us that James was the first leader of the church in Jerusalem, effectively its first pastor. That comes through in the pastoral concern for his flock that shows in his letter.

Church history tells us that he was most likely stoned to death by the Jews in the early 60s AD, a fate shared by Stephen and other martyrs.

For me, James is a marvelous example of the grace of Jesus. The Lord took a hardcore unbeliever and transformed him into a willing servant and leader. The Apostle Paul gets mentioned often for being a hardcore Christian hater who was converted, but let’s not forget that Paul was not the only one.

I pray for all the hardcore disbelievers (of which I was one) to come to Christ and that their zeal for the enemy might be converted into zeal for the Lord.

Praise the Lord that He can soften the hardest heart.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.

30 October 2025
Spelunking – cave exploration – into the darkness

His nickname was Tiny, and he was anything but. I never knew his real name. We met during basic training for the Canadian military.

On Tiny’s right leg was a wide, eight-inch-long scar. When I asked about it, my friend told me that he had a fascination with caves and shared his one-time spelunking experience with me.

A “spelunk” is a cave or grotto, and “Spelunkers” are cave explorers. Sometimes they call themselves cavers.

Tiny and a friend, both aged fourteen or fifteen, decided to “check out” an old, abandoned mineshaft. It was not exactly a cave, but they knew where to find it and were unaware of any caves in the area. The shaft was bright as day for the first few feet.

The gradually lengthening shadows added to the excitement. Eventually, it was dark enough that the only light was from the narrow beam of their flashlight.

They had not gone very far into the shaft when Tiny found himself falling. He fell and landed flat on his back. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he could not respond to his friend’s desperate cries of “Are you okay?” It took a few moments before Tiny was able to croak out, “I think so.”

Tiny’s flashlight had broken in the fall, and they had no ropes or rescue equipment. At the moment, surrounded by the oppressive darkness, he had no idea of how far he had fallen. Getting out took many attempts at climbing various parts of the rock wall and numerous falls back into the darkness, while his friend encouraged him from above. During one of the falls, he sliced his leg open on a sharp rock.

Eventually, Tiny was able to work his way out. He estimated that the fall was only fifteen or twenty feet, but it seemed like forever in the darkness. He has not been back in a “cave” since. He will carry the scar of the misadventure to his grave.

Now, there is nothing wrong with the sport of spelunking, although I have no deep personal urge to go crawling about in the dark earth. My friend was fortunate; he could have been seriously injured or even killed, instead of a few bumps and bruises, a cut leg, and some wounded pride.

Like the cave attracts the caver, sometimes the darkness appeals to us. It draws us closer. Even the shadows seem to add to the excitement and pleasure of “forbidden fruit”. Before long, though, we find ourselves deep in the darkness and at risk.

Using their beautiful songs, the sirens in Greek mythology and Homer’s epic adventure stories lured unwary sailors to their death on the rocks. Satan does the same from the darkness. He wants to lure us to our destruction.

The Psalmist understood the siren call of the wicked. He knew there was a great danger in the beckoning whispers from the dark abyss.

Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.

Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.

They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.

Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find no fault in them.

And they say, “How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.

All in vain have I kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.

For all the day long I have been stricken
and rebuked every morning.

If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,

until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.

Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.

How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!

Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,

I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you.

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

Psalm 73

God sees it all and He knows it all. He knows when we have ventured into dark and forbidden places. He is there to stand by and rescue us, but we may carry scars from our misadventures for the rest of our lives. He warns us to stay out of dark places.

Until next time, rejoice. We serve a God who truly cares about what we do.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

# Right Belief Must Become Right Living

29 October 2025
Kittens and Birth – Theology of conversion

Watching the litter of kittens being born made me ponder the miracle of birth. That led me to recall a conversation. During a discussion on theology, I was asked whether I believed that salvation, “conversion” to Christianity was a process or a sudden event. My answer was yes.

“Now wait a minute,” my friend said. “I gave you an either-or choice. It cannot be both.”

Technically, both positions are correct. You see, along the way, the Lord is preparing our hearts for conversion. That is done through people and circumstances in our lives that point us in His direction. It is that uncomfortable feeling that we need something more. It is the gradual realization that we cannot do it on our own. It is the prompting and calling of the Holy Spirit, beckoning us towards salvation.

There comes a point when that process reaches a head, and we accept Jesus. Whatever your theology —Calvinist, Arminian, or something completely different —we agree that there comes a point when we cross the threshold , a conversion, a born again experience, and Christ becomes our Lord.

Theologians debate the ordo salutis. That’s a fancy Latin term meaning “order of salvation”. It refers to the sequence of events in salvation, outlining how God saves us. It includes stages such as election, calling, regeneration, faith, justification, sanctification, and glorification, though interpretations in differing schools of thought.

I find such topics fascinating to think about. However, we look at the moment of conversion, whether you agree with my thoughts that the rebirth is both a process and a sudden thing, or not, the fact remains that we must be born again. Jesus made that clear when speaking with Nicodemus (John 3:1-8)

Jesus is our only hope.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

Have you been saved from your sins, been born again through Christ? If you have praise Him for His mercy. If you haven’t, run to Him in repentant faith.

Until next time, may you be genuinely born again.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.

The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

The Hitching Post – Thoughts on the Gospel

28 October 2025
Stormy Seas – Calming the storm

I caught the news the other day and read that BC Ferries had canceled several sailings between Tsawwassen and Vancouver Island due to stormy weather. It happens now and then and is one of the expected perils of ferry travel.

That took my mind to the gospels. There are several accounts of Jesus calming storms on the Sea of Galilee.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41 ESV

I can only imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus spoke and the storm ceased. How many times later did they talk about the event amongst themselves?

It’s a powerful text. What is it about?

I’ve heard two versions over the years, each claiming to answer that question.

One says that it’s an astounding account of Jesus’ power, pointing to His control over the natural order and proving His divinity.

The other says it is to tell us that Jesus can calm the storms in our lives.

The first concerns the text itself; the second concerns a possible application of the text. The application is seldom, if ever, what the text is about.

Let me give another example. In the account of David v Goliath (1 Samuel 17), we learn that young David kills Goliath using a sling and a stone. David demonstrates his faith in the Lord. The text is not about how God can slay the giants in our lives.

When we read the Bible, we first need to look at what the text tells us. Then we move on to see what the text actually means (a process called exegesis). Exegesis is a scary ten-dollar word that basically means examining a text to determine what it really says. We do it all the time with the Bible, even without knowing the fancy word.

Finally, we might look at how the text can be applied to our lives (the application).

Moving directly to the application without understanding the text can lead to many incorrect understandings of what the Bible says and means.

Let’s allow the text to speak for itself.

Tribulation Produces Perseverance

The Hitching Post – Thoughts on the Gospel

27 October 2025
Issue 1837 Wolves October 24, 2025

I have been blessed to see a few packs of wolves in the wild. I’ve seen far more lone wolves than packs. Whether a lone wolf or a pack, I’ve always felt blessed to see them.

I’ve heard the songs of wolves in the wild far more often than I have seen them. Their songs never fail to give me goosebumps. Their songs, particularly if they are coming from different directions around your campfire, are both beautiful and unnerving.

Coyotes will also serenade at night. Their call is very different, and you would be highly unlikely to confuse the two, unless, perhaps, you had never heard a wolf pack.

Both wolves and coyotes can be problematic for farmers, as they are not adverse to preying on livestock. That creates a sort of love-hate relationship between the animals and the farmers.

Wolves had been known to attack humans, but such attacks are extremely rare. There are fewer than 100 recorded attacks in North America since 1750. Still, if you are interacting with them, caution is always advised.

Wolves are mentioned in the Bible, both the four-legged and two-legged varieties. We are warned against the two-legged variety.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20

Unfortunately, attacks by these wolves are not rare. Sometimes they can be found in your home church, striving to cut our little flocks for themselves. At other times, they can be the pastors or leaders of congregations.

They preach other gospels than the one Jesus taught. They twist the teachings of the Bible to benefit themselves. Sometimes they teach just enough truth that the flock doesn’t notice the poisonous errors.

Be on the lookout for them. Compare what you are being taught to the Bible and to the orthodox teachings the church has always held.

We are blessed to have easy access to the Word and to the great theologians of both yesterday and today. We have the Spirit to teach us how to discern truth from error.

Know what the truth is for yourself.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

24 October 2025
Issue 1836 – Upstream – October 23, 2025

Yesterday, Kathy and I took a little road trip. We visited the Weaver Creek Spawning Channels and the Chehalis River Trout and Salmon Enhancement Facility. They were amazing.

The Weaver Creek facility has 3km of manmade spawning channels, beautifully laid out for walking and viewing. Three species of salmon, sockeye, chum, and pinks, come here by the thousands to spawn and die.

Every year, the salmon return to where they were born to spawn. No one yet understands how they know where to return.

The salmon’s lifecycle is a miracle in itself. They are born in freshwater gravel beds and eventually travel downriver (often as much as 150 miles) to live their lives in the ocean. When it’s time to spawn, they return upstream in freshwater, overcoming a wide variety of obstacles, including waterfalls, to their place of birth.

I found it impossible to stand there and watch the salmon without marveling at God’s incredible creative power and the beauty of what He has made.

God has placed knowledge of their home into their hearts. In the same way, He has put a knowledge of our home into our hearts.

In 1670, Blaise Pascal wrote, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.”

When the Apostle Paul addressed the learned philosophers at the Areopagus, he said this…

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. Acts 17:22-27

Only God can truly fill that void in our lives. Everything else will fail.

Praise God for the wonderful way in which we are made, and that He calls us to Him.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.

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Please like and share this post with your friends and those in your circle of influence. Feel free to comment.

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#Salmon #hatchery #WeaverCReek #FraserValley #fisheries #nature #conservation #Biblestudy #creation #devotional #chehalis

23 October 2025
Issue 1835 – The Boardwalk October 22, 2025

The boardwalk gave us a dry path through the swampy undergrowth. Without it, we would have been wet to the knees.

There was another path that paralleled the one we took, but it wandered straight through the swamp without the benefit of a high and dry walkway. It ended somewhere deep in the wet.

It’s nice to have a clear path at times. The pathway to salvation is less clear in the world. Yet, one thing is apparent: almost every faith recognizes Jesus in some way.

The Baha’i believe he is who he claimed to be. The problem is that they accept other views that make the claims about their paths equally valid. So to them, Jesus is one of many ways.

The Muslim faith accepts Jesus as a prophet.

The Buddhists accept Jesus as an enlightened messenger, although they do not accept his claims of being God or the path to redemption.

The Hindu view of Jesus is as an avatar. An avatar is the descent of a deity into animal or human form for the sake of humanity. That means they accept him as a god.

The Rastafarians accept Christ as a prophet. The Shinto accept Him as another way to redemption. The orthodox Jewish view sees Christ as a man, not God. To the Sikh, Jesus was a prophet.

All these faiths acknowledge Jesus in some way, though they differ on the details. Since they all recognize Him, why don’t we look to the source and examine the words of Jesus Himself?

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:7-9

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7

Christ is the only path that will lead to your salvation. Don’t be lured into the weeds by those who acknowledge Him but refuse to accept what He clearly claimed.

If you haven’t done so yet, choose Jesus today.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.

__________________________________________

Please like and share this post with your friends and those in your circle of influence. Feel free to comment.

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

22 October 2025
A rockhound looks at the church

I love rocks. Since I was a small child, I have gone through many phases of collecting and working with stones and minerals.

I can’t imagine how many shiny stones my mother must have dug out of my pants pockets on laundry days. If I’m honest, it can still happen today.

Rock collectors range from the casual to the obsessed, from the small child bringing a few shiny stones home in their pocket to those who travel the world to collect the perfect piece.

A collector might collect pieces that catch their eye while out walking. Someone else might spend vast sums of money purchasing rare and unique specimens. One person might bring home common pieces, while another might collect only a particular type. Everyone’s tastes and circumstances are different.

I have found that rock collectors are very willing to talk about what they collect and often share their collections. I have had great conversations with perfect strangers on beaches, gravel bars, or even in the landscaped sections of parking lots about rocks. The rock bug seems to bite early in life and never goes away for most people.

A conundrum for rock collectors (or collectors of anything else, for that matter) is “what to do with them when you have brought them home?” How do you display them? How do you make room for more?

Of course, there will never be enough room. There will always be more or bigger specimens to collect. The variety of stone is virtually inexhaustible. Many are found in only one location worldwide. Others are common, but they come in an infinite array of colors, shapes, and patterns.

Unlike a rock collection, there is a collection that is guaranteed to be complete in time. That is the church. I don’t mean the outward manifestation of denominations and groups, or buildings, or even the gathering of believers. I am referring to everyone throughout time that God has ordained to be saved.

True believers are a gift to Christ from the Father.

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.” John 17:6-10

If we are a gift from the perfect Father to his precious Son, we will not be lost. Everyone, from everywhere and in any era included in the gift, will be saved.

God won’t be displaying us in a basket. We will be transformed into everything he made us to be and will be in His presence for eternity to come.

He elected His followers before the beginning of time to complete His work in them.

For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:28-29

Believers are chosen by a perfect God for a holy, eternal purpose. My piles of rocks might be pretty enough, but they will never compare with the wonder of the assembled, glorified church in the presence of their God.

I can hardly wait to see it.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Rocks and Minerals and Crystals… Oh My –

The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear

A rockhound looks at the church

Rocks and Minerals and Crystals… Oh My –

21 October 2025
Are They/Them our real enemies

I watched the news with increasing irritation. “They” were at it again. You know “them”, the ones who seem bent on destroying and nation and ridiculing everything we believe in.

I could feel my blood pressure rising and I began to have decidedly un-Christian thoughts. I could feel a full blown rant coming on.

Does that sound familiar? It happens to most of us at times. No matter what side of the political or religious spectrum you are on, there are always “those people” who seem to be out to undermine us.

“They” make us angry. We stop seeing “them” as people and begin to classify them into inhuman groups.

We forget that most of them are sincere in wanting the make the world a better place, even though we differ on what that looks like. We forget that God loves them too.

It’s one of the reasons we are told to put on the Armor of God.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:10-18a ESV

The enemy is a master of division. He divides us into camps which makes it easier for us to hate rather than love.

When we find ourselves with those feelings we need to remember that we are all created in God’s image and that He loves us so much He died for us, regardless of our position on issues.

We need Him to transform our hearts.

Lord teach us to Lord when it is so easy to hate. Teach us to put on the armor and live as you commanded.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed,

Kevin

Love Your Enemies

# Right Belief Must Become Right Living

20 October 2025