August 17, 2026

Shedding the World

The Things God Hates

Feet That Make Haste To Run To Evil

One thing I’ve noticed while studying the things God hates is that a person who commits one is usually the type who commits all of them, often at the same time. A pastor of a small church in a rural town in the South had a wife who was unhappy in their marriage. She was very jealous of him and would break down whenever he spoke with a woman. This man was no womanizer, but sometimes, as a preacher, you may be required to have a conversation with the opposite sex in the public eye. Rather than quietly leaving him, she devised a scheme to keep her position in the church and force him to resign. She even had a new preacher picked out to take his position. She began to set things in motion, but after being caught in a lie about him cheating, and then getting called out by the other person she accused, she began spreading the lie that he was a cheater to all the employees of the church that she had reign over, and if they wanted to keep their job, even if they didn’t believe her, they had no choice but to go along with it. The preacher felt he had no option but to resign; however, the people who knew him, including the church leadership, wouldn’t accept his resignation because they discerned that what they were hearing was an evil scheme with demonic empowerment. Fortunately for this little church, God was still on His throne and gave the preacher the courage to keep preaching and teaching the people who had trusted him. This church could have been dissolved, but that wasn’t a part of God’s plan. It wasn’t easy for the preacher to recover, but Jesus never promised that following him would be easy; in fact, he warned his disciples that they would be persecuted. Fortunately, the preacher had his day in the court of the Lord and received “not guilty” from our compassionate judge.

God hates people who run towards evil rather than turning away from it. If a Christ-follower decides to do their own thing rather than consult with God and listen to His Holy Spirit, they too will reap the consequences of their actions. It’s also not a good idea to devise a scheme against one of God’s anointed.

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19

He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Psalms 105:14-15

August 16, 2026

Shedding the World

The Things God Hates

A Heart That Devises Wicked Plans

When we look back to 2020 and its timestamp, which we remember so vividly, we find a perfect example of a heart that devises evil plans. From the creation of a virus to the pharmaceutical "solution," there was a common denominator in the wicked plan to experiment on and destroy many lives. Whether this was a certain doctor or the governmental institution that he represented, there was a master mind that devised the plan that maimed or killed a lot of people. First, they introduced the sickness, then spread fear through propaganda, knowing full well most people would recover with solutions already on the market. Part of the evil plan was to take those solutions off the market so you couldn't use them, opening the door for pharmaceutical companies to release a new medication before it was properly vetted. By the way, they are now using some of that same technology in the tried-and-tested vac*cines today, so you risk your own health by not using your God-given wisdom when considering injecting your body with substances that you know nothing about. Make sure you do your research. All of this is to say that if someone has evil intentions in their heart and devises plans for the downfall or harm of others, know that God sees it, and they will receive their just deserts. And even if we don't see justice done, you can be sure this doctor and his evil counterparts will get what's coming to them, and it will be worse than they ever imagined.

Side note: if you still trust that doctors and the government have your best interests at heart after all of this, then you've been hoodwinked and need to pray for God to open your eyes to the truth. It's all just a money-making scheme and a power grab. 

And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD. Zechariah 8:17

August 15, 2026

Shedding the World

The Things God Hates

Hands That Shed Innocent Blood 

A child is probably what we think of as the most innocent, though others have been accused who are also guiltless, whose lives have been taken away. Can you imagine living in a country where it is legal to snuff out the life of a child while it’s still safe and secure in its mother’s womb? I’m sorry to say it, but that’s where we are, and it’s sick. The hands of the politicians who made that an option are dripping with the blood of the innocent, as well as the morally corrupt parent who is capable of such an atrocity. Not only that, but the doctors who are performing such procedures and making money from their vile activity will face the fire in eternity unless they repent and follow Jesus. Even if they are saved through Jesus, they will have to live with the shame of their guilt for the rest of their lives and deal with whatever earthly punishment is required of them. Though by law a mother may be free to choose between life and death for their child, they are not free from the consequences of such a disturbing act. We all sin and are unworthy of salvation, but this happens to be one of the seven things that God hates. Thankfully, for the many who’ve participated in such an atrocious act, forgiveness is available if they seek Jesus and repent. 

Remember this song? Jesus loves the little children; all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world. 

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. Isaiah 59:2-3

August 14, 2026

Shedding the World

The Things God Hates

A Lying Tongue

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Proverbs 26:28

We’ve all encountered them, and we may even have them in our families: the known liar. Our family has a close connection with one who spews hatred about us and uses flattery to make the person she’s talking to think she is truthful. Her sweet tone of voice is part of her weaponry. She can hold you captive with her every word and make you believe that what she is saying is true. She mixes in just enough verifiable truth that you assume that it’s all true. She has hoodwinked many into believing her. What’s worse is she claims to be a Christian and was raised by a preacher. Unfortunately for this liar, God has released the enemy to collect the debt she owes, and now, in her grandmotherly age, she is paying the price. 

Remember, it is better to face the consequences of the truth than to participate in something that God hates. 

August 13, 2026

 

Shedding the World

The Things God Hates

A Proud Look

What in the world is a proud look? It’s pride! We all like nice things, but lifting your chin in the air like you’re better than others is considered a proud look. You’ve seen these people; they look down their noses at you, as if you are nothing but dirt; these people are in the church. I’ve got news for them: our flesh is nothing but dirt! We are made from the dust of the earth, and no amount of money will make you more than that. However, our soul and spirit can be refined by God for service to Him. The earthly things you have don’t change who you are, but if you’re not careful, they will cause you to have pride, which is the downfall of many. 

What can we do so that we don’t fall victim to pride or haughtiness? Ask the Holy Spirit to give us humble eyes to see others the way Jesus saw people, with a heart broken for their condition. If anyone had a reason to situate themselves above others, it was Jesus, but he, who was and is God, lowered himself to come in the form of a servant and made himself of no reputation. 

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Philippians 2:7

August 12, 2026

Shedding the World

Preface

Let me start by saying that God created this world, and everything He does is good. However, He also created evil! I know it’s hard to believe that our God, who is holy, just, righteous, and loving, is also the maker of the evil one, but I’m sure He has His reasons. It could be that the greatest test of our lives depends on our ability, with God’s help, of course, to reject evil and choose Him. 

Somewhere I crossed a line without knowing it, and likely because of the workings of the Holy Spirit, I started noticing that the things I’m drawn to, and love, turn out to be part of Satan’s evil plan of deception. As an example, start listening to the lyrics of your favorite musical artist from back in your day and the new music, and tell me if you think those came from the mouth of God; some Christian artists may be divinely inspired, but they are the few; sadly, we also need to be careful of those. Imagine belting out the lyrics of songs that were written solely to worship Satan. We might not mean to worship him, but he is smitten when a Christ-follower sings songs that are an anthem to him. The closer we get to Jesus, the more we begin to see the truth and realize that we are filthy beings and are only good because of Jesus. Fortunately, that’s a good place to be.

In this series, we will learn how to live in the world, but not be of the world.

Jesus said in John 17:15-16: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

August 11, 2026

3 John 1

The elder, believed to be the Apostle John, wrote to Gaius, commending him for treating others fairly, whether they were brethren or strangers. It seems that John’s point in writing was to tell him how nasty a man named Diotrephes treated him; he may have been part of Gaius’s church.

If you profess to be a Christ-follower, your temperament should be in the likeness of Jesus. If you don’t show a loving heart to others, do you truly have Jesus? Does the Holy Spirit reside in you? When we first started going to our church, we immediately faced opposition from someone who thought that I shouldn’t be using an electronic Bible. I get it; notifications can be distracting. However, what he didn’t know was that I was capable of verifying everything taught in real time, including looking up the Greek meanings and other things because I had my study tools right in front of me. He wanted the preacher to admonish me for using it. That didn’t happen, and I’m still there, and he’s gone. Not everyone who claims Jesus is saved, and you can tell who they are by their fruit. 

Don’t get so comfortable in your “Christianity” that you fail to reflect the likeness of Christ. People notice. John wasn’t going to put up with such nonsense from Diotrephes, and planned to handle the situation by reprimanding his evil deeds the next time he visited Gaius.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 3 John 1:11

August 10, 2026

2 John 1

Did you know that John specifically tells the “elect lady” not to receive into her home anyone who doesn’t accept the doctrine of Christ? What does that tell us about the people we bring into our own homes? Have you ever had someone come into your home that you felt left behind something vile? I had a dream that something dark loomed over me inside my home. That dream came true when I let a women come into my home who was taller than me, had dark hair, and she was angry with me for some reason; I think she was a potential tenant, but it’s been so long ago, I don’t remember all the details other than I let someone that I didn’t know into my home and they carried a darkness. Anyone who doesn’t accept Jesus as God carries that darkness, and John tells us not to receive them or to wish them well because we become a partaker in their evil deeds! Look at these verses:

 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John 1:9-11

When she left, I prayed scripture over my home and anointed every window and door so that if she had left behind any of her demons, they would leave because the Word of God was read in their presence. 

August 9, 2026

1 John 5

When my husband’s father passed away, all of his businesses were dropped into his lap. However, he knew that line of work because he had been immersed in it for his entire life, though he wasn’t a part of it when he died. He had to jump in and handle all the situations that his dad was involved in, including a few lawsuits, which was daunting for him. Thankfully, he is good at juggling and focusing and still able to manage our businesses at the same time. He says it was the worst four years of his life, but he handled them quite well. There were a few business partners of his dad’s that my husband knew had rejected, belittled, or taken advantage of him, and they came out of nowhere to try and do business with my husband, now that his dad was gone. Because he and his dad were close, the stories of their betrayal were shared, so he knew who were good business partners and who were the crooks. When they rejected his dad, they ultimately rejected my husband, the son. 

Imagine the same situation only bigger, on a worldwide scale: God the Father and God the Son. Those people who rejected God and didn’t turn their lives over to Him, the Son, Jesus came and called them out, and they ultimately rejected him too, but not without the consequences. We sometimes forget that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one. You can’t call on just one of them and reject the others; when you do that, you reject them all, similar to the situation with my husband and his dad. It will come back to bite you. We must acknowledge that they are three in one, and you can’t do business with one without doing business with the others. 

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 1 John 5:7

August 8, 2026

1 John 4

We Love Him Because He First Loved Us

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Did you know that it is possible to love someone who hates you? I am here to testify to that truth. I know of several people who hate me, but their reasons for hating me are not justified. Their hatefulness is out of jealousy or resentment because I chose not to go along with their evil deeds or side with them. Did you know that if you hate your brother, like a sibling or fellow Christ-follower, whether they are literally your sibling or figuratively your sibling, that the love of God is not in you? However, because God lives in you, it is impossible to hate someone. Here is how I see it: I don’t hate them; they are the ones who are hateful. However, just because I can still love them doesn’t mean I have to put up with their shenanigans or include them in my life; far from that. I refuse to harbor hate for anyone. As a Christ-follower, you need a change of heart if you can’t find love for others, even those who despise you. I may not ever forget how they treated me, but I will be cautious if ever I am around them. They will never know the secrets of my life, but they will also not control my emotions because of their hate; that’s on them. 

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:20

August 7, 2026

1 John 3

Who are the Children of God?

This third chapter of 1 John should be broken down and gone through verse by verse. It is such a tasty morsel to the palate of my mind that it should be eaten slowly to taste each ingredient individually because it is that good. However, I will concentrate on the verses that stood out the most and made an impact. Here they are:

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John 3:8-9

Those people who refrain from sinful behavior have the seed of God in them, but have you ever thought that if you were a habitual sinner, the seed of the devil was still in you? If God’s seed is not in you, then whose? We hear about NPC’s on social media, non-player characters. I believe these people may still have the seed of the devil in them because they take every narrative seen on television and repeated on social media as truth rather than use their minds and the Holy Spirit promptings to discern the truth. These are mindless individuals who believe everything they hear. The complete opposite can also be true of an NPC: they believe everything is a lie. That can get you in trouble if you start believing the Bible is a lie and that God isn’t real. 

How do we fix this? Get our hearts right and bent towards God. Help to pull these individuals from the fire that they’ve set with their sins. Tell them about Jesus and the love he has for us. Those of us who love Jesus are the few; too many people do not love him, and we need to change that. Do your part when prompted by the Holy Spirit, and God will bless you; I guarantee it!

August 6, 2026

1 John 2

Whoever Denies Jesus Denies the Father

Just like most people, I scroll through videos for entertainment. Lately, I've been following this woman whose content I like. However, recently, I heard her say that she doesn't follow Jesus, that she prays directly to God. I too pray directly to God, but only because of Jesus. It doesn't take discernment to see that she is a type of anti-Christ; she denied him out loud. I overlooked some things she said before her denial, because I enjoyed watching her. We do that sometimes, don't we? We can discern when people aren't good for us, yet we still watch them like watching a train wreck. She had said it one time before, but I thought I heard her wrong. When people tell you who they are, believe them the first time. Anyone who denies Jesus is a product of the devil, and they shouldn't be listened to, even if it's just for entertainment, because you don't know what kind of subliminal messaging the enemy might infuse in the message that you are receiving during your passive participation. I think that at some point she may have followed him, but because she is a weak person, she began listening to someone who led her away from him. She was never a part of the kingdom, because if she had been, she wouldn't be able to deny him. You may not know all the details of the Bible, but according to Scripture, the Holy Spirit gives you everything you need to know. 

The enemy's seduction is real, but the Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth. Like me, he may allow you to linger for a minute to help teach you a lesson, but he won't leave you there for very long before he gives you obvious clues. Keep your head on a swivel; the world is evil, but Jesus is good. 

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 1 John 2:19-23

August 5, 2026

1 John 1

Walking in the Light

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

You cannot and will not continue living a life full of sinfulness if you have Jesus. However, you will sin unintentionally on occasion, but God is forgiving, and if you confess, He is faithful to forgive you.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and justto forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Did you know that God didn’t create the sun and moon until the fourth day, but created light on the first day? Where is our light coming from if it’s not coming from the sun? This light is not the light emitted by God because He created it, and He is not a created being, even though He is light. I want to know where that light is coming from. That’s a glimpse into how my mind works. However, in 1 John 1, I believe that John is referring to God’s sinlessness as light because there is no darkness in Him at all. We are to strive to be like Jesus, full of light, knowing that it is impossible, but we should try anyway because Jesus cleanses us and forgives us of our sins if we trust in him. 

August 4, 2026

Jude

Grace Without Holiness

The Book of Jude is a warning against false teachers. Now, more than ever, we need to be cautious, because ravenous wolves are seething to devour us. What’s bad is they can creep in unexpectedly and deceive us by only slightly perverting the scriptures. 

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

These same false teachers will lead you to believe that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can go on sinning without the consequences, but that is a lie. It is very tempting to follow a teacher who promotes grace without holiness because that teaching allows you to behave as you please and fulfill your lustful desires. However, God expects us to avoid sin, but sometimes we miss the cues of the Holy Spirit or completely ignore his promptings and venture into sin. I’m not saying you will not be forgiven, but how can you continue in a lifestyle of debauchery without shame and still believe you are saved? Salvation is a complete change of direction, turning away from sinful behavior toward holiness. The world is a scary place, but Jesus is our salvation from it; listen carefully to the Holy Spirit as he guides you to all truth. 

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:17-21

August 3, 2026

The Weapon of Prayer

Modern Examples of Prayer Continued

Out of the example in this last chapter of The Weapon of Prayer, I found the following quote to be the most eye-opening:

“When God has specially promised the thing,” said Charles G. Finney, “we are bound to believe we shall receive it when we pray for it. You have no right to put in an ‘if,’ and say, ‘Lord, if it be Thy will, give me Thy Holy Spirit.’ This is to insult God. To put an ‘if’ in God’s promise when God has put none there, is tantamount to charging God with being insincere. It is like saying, ‘O God, if Thou art in earnest in making these promises, grant us the blessing we pray for.’”

I am guilty of using the word “if” on occasion when praying for mundane things. Instead, we should know that if God brings it to our mind, He intends to bring it to fruition.

Another person of prayer that I admire is a woman named Lady Maxwell. She prayed to be able to pray more. Who would have thought of that, but it’s a good idea. A woman asked her if she knew of anyone looking for a job as a maid because she needed one, and Lady Maxwell told her she would pray for one. We think we should only go to God with special requests, but He’s looking to hear from us about everything. 

A good reminder from Paul:

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17