September 9, 2026

Shedding the World: A Tree and Its Fruit 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:15-16

A false prophet is a religious imposter. You've seen them, especially those in the entertainment industry and among athletes. When they win, they proclaim to thank God, our Father, and sometimes use the name of Jesus. However, when you look at their actions and how they live, it is obvious they don't know Him at all. They proclaim God and continue to live an indulgent lifestyle. We have to ask ourselves, who is the god they worship? Is it our God, the Almighty, or someone else? They say they love God and honor Him, but their fruit tells us something else. 

These people, if that's what they are, are the ones Jesus speaks of when he tells us that they will be cut down and cast into the fire. It's not just the stars and athletes; it's many evangelists and religious singers, which scares me most because they bring a seemingly good word in the name of Jesus but come from the same tree as those stars and athletes, and can easily lead many astray. Discernment is key. 

I call this series "Shedding the World" because I've found that much of what I think is good may have an evil beginning, and I'm drawn to it because it's attractive. It's made me question everything that I find fascinating. The enemy presents himself as an angel of light; question the light and examine the fruit. Discernment is imperative. Here's what Jesus says:

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:19-20

September 8, 2026

Shedding the World 

The Golden Rule 

I titled this series “Shedding the World” because, in this world, many issues are thrown in the face of a Christ-follower. We are tempted by shiny objects meant to distract us from our goal of separating ourselves from worldly influences. Things we think are good and well might be detrimental to our faith. That’s why, as much as we tread carefully in this world, trying to follow Jesus exclusively, we encounter people and things that distract us from him, even causing us to sin by accident. 

Important side note: ask forgiveness daily, even if you don’t think you did anything wrong. 

For example, as I was writing this devotional, I heard a knock on my window. It was a bird reminding me to give them some seeds. That little bird, as cute as it was, interfered with my study. If I hadn’t been able to use this distraction in the devotional, I would have blamed the enemy, and it may well have been, but since God can use anything for His good, I shouldn’t be too irritated.

It’s hard to stay on the narrow path as Jesus commanded; even so, we need to do our best to remain faithful to him and live out our faith with fear and trembling. 

In this portion of Scripture, it tells us to treat people the way we want to be treated and to stay on the narrow path. If you aren’t already trying to do that, have you truly changed your direction from evil to good after accepting Jesus as your Savior? The Holy Spirit should be convicting you of these things. Here is what Jesus said:

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:12-14

September 7, 2026

Shedding the World 

Ask, and It Will Be Given 

I can remember that as a child, I wanted certain things. God knew what would make me happy and draw me closer to Him. When I grew up, He answered some of those prayers by giving me a husband who could help make them happen. I've always loved the beach; it's my happy place. I take long walks, talk with God, look for shells, soak up the sun, and find overwhelming peace. Without a doubt, I know that it was God who set into motion a way to answer that prayer. 

When I say I hold conversations with Him, it's seriously a chat. I ask Him questions that He answers immediately, and sometimes before I get the question out of my mouth. How do you tell the difference? The answers are quick and decisive, not wishy-washy, and often come before you finish your thought, and they line up biblically. Intrusive thoughts and negative self-talk are not from God. 

The point is to ask God for your heart's desires, whether physical or spiritual, make them known to Him, and He will answer. If He doesn't give you the answer you desire, know that it would have become something harmful for you. Our Father only gives us good gifts. Knowing this, showing Him gratitude, gratefulness, and thankfulness goes straight to His heart and will encourage Him to keep giving you your heart's desire. Here's what Jesus says about it:

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ——-If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:7-8 & 11

September 6, 2026

Shedding the World

Judging Others

One day, as Christ-followers, we will sit in judgment of the world with Jesus, but right now we are not in that position. Why do we care? Each of us has just one life to live, and other people may be doing things we wouldn't do, but they may also be battling demons we've never encountered. We have our own problems to deal with, so why be nosy, involve ourselves in others' problems, or judge them for how they handle them? We are accountable for our own actions, so tread carefully and focus on what you need to clean up in your life rather than concern yourself with other people's lives.

Jesus says it in two ways: get the log out of your own eye before you try to get the twig out of someone else's eye, and don't worry yourself about the dogs and the pigs because it will come back to bite you in the end.

What this all boils down to is that we should mind our own business. It's as simple as that. Other people have to work things out for themselves, and we have enough to deal with in our own lives. 

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Matthew 7:5-6

September 5, 2026

Shedding the World 

Do Not Be Anxious 

Anxiety is a daily issue that many have to deal with; it may not even be their own, but may come from those around them. Those of us who tend to have a calm demeanor often have friends and family around us who are anxious and overwhelmed by their negative anticipation of the future. Are we given those people to teach them how to stay calm? Is it a challenge from God to keep us on our toes? Maybe God wants us to learn to keep our peace when those around us fall apart, so we become the peace they need. One thing I do know is that it can cause unnecessary conflict in an otherwise peaceful existence. Rather than being a light, it casts a shadow on them and everyone around them. It is useless for any of us to anticipate what will happen tomorrow; don't we have enough to worry about today? Here is what Jesus says about this matter:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:33-34

Jesus also says:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

If you are not calm and carrying a peaceful demeanor, you are not living the way Jesus taught. Let's get it together and start living out Jesus' teachings.

September 4, 2026

Shedding the World 

Store Your Treasures in Heaven 

It's nice to be comfortable, have a great place to sleep, nice clothing, and an abundance of food. However, when we obsess over becoming wealthy or adding more to what we have, it becomes a burdensome problem. 

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. James 5:1-2

A person who stores their treasures on earth tends to make everything in their life about gaining the next dollar, no matter who they hurt in the process.

Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. James 5:6

The Matthew Henry Commentary gives us some points to consider:

1. We must not count these things the best things, nor the most valuable in themselves.
2. We must not covet an abundance of these things, nor be still grasping at more and more of them… as never knowing when we have enough. 
3. We must not confide in them for our future, as our security.
4. We must not content ourselves with them, as all we need or desire.

For these reasons, Jesus tells us not to lay up treasures on earth, but to store our treasure in heaven, where it won't deteriorate. Unfortunately, our lives revolve around making the next buck, so much so that we've become slaves to the almighty dollar, and most of the time it leads to our unhappiness. When we get our minds right on this issue, as Jesus says, we will find our true happiness.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

September 3, 2026

Shedding the World

Fasting

If you want to hear from God, fasting will clear the brain fog so His voice becomes clear. It's your mind's power over your body. Remember, our body is just a vessel; we are spirit and soul, but we need our body to do the work God called us to do. When you fast, it triggers autophagy, which cleanses your body and brain of useless, dead cells. It's the perfect way to renew your mind. 

However, like praying in private, we should also fast in private. In Jesus's day, people wanted attention to show how religious they were and would act tired, walking around with a long, diminished-looking face so people would notice. Jesus says our appearance should look like any other day, and like what he said about praying in private, he also says fasting in private will be rewarded by God openly. 

Our food is laced with so many chemicals that fasting will give our bodies a break and help promote our healing. If you are struggling with health issues, it might be a good idea to include fasting and praying in your healing process. If you are facing issues or conflicts and need God's direction, fasting with prayer will show God how serious you are and may prompt Him to answer your prayer more decisively, essentially rewarding you openly.

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:17-18

September 2, 2026

Shedding the World

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:7

I’m sure you’ve seen video clips of people arguing and they repeat their words incessantly thinking that they weren’t heard. It’s obnoxious. Jesus tells us not to talk to the Father like that; we are not in an argument with Him. It is unnecessary to draw out your prayer by repeating your words as if He cannot hear you. He knows what you need and even what you are about to ask for before the words part from your lips. Get to the point and leave it there. Don’t make a big show of praying, keep it simple if asked to pray in front of others. Back in Jesus’s day, the Pharisees and Sadducees would stand on a corner praying to be seen as holy. Jesus say that they receive their notoriety and reward right then and there. Listen to this: those who pray privately will receive their reward from God openly. I never realized that praying was rewarded. Here is the scripture: 

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6

Prayer is nothing more than speaking to God. Don’t make it weird. Just because we’ve given our conversation with God the name “prayer,” doesn’t mean it needs to be eloquent or polished. And remember: you are never alone so you always have someone to talk to; talk to Him; He wants to hear from you whether it’s at a set time or throughout your day. By the way, your “closet” can be anywhere as long as it’s private; it’s a conversation between you and God. 

Side note: a conversation is where ideas are exchanged, so make sure you allow some quiet time so you can hear God respond to your questions; He will speak to you, but sometimes we are not quiet enough to hear Him.

September 1, 2026

Shedding the World 

Giving to the Needy 

Shedding the world and its encumbrances is not only about letting go of worldly activities and sinfulness, but it’s also about doing things that are pleasing to God. Giving to the poor and needy is one of those things that God expects us to do. There is a caveat: if you want to reap godly benefits and please Him, it must be done in secret. To do otherwise is to receive your reward right then and there, as people of the world see you and commend you for it, closing the door on God’s generosity here on earth, and any heavenly reward that He might have bestowed on you. Here is what Jesus said:

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:3-4

Scripture after scripture gives you the keys to wealth, and they all read the same: give to people in need, and you will reap the benefits. 

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Proverbs 11:24-25

If you give generously, you will receive generously, but if you are stingy and don’t share with people in need, you will end up in poverty yourself. However, we must give secretly; otherwise, the accolades of others will be your reward, and that will be all you get. 

August 31, 2026

Shedding the World 

Love Your Enemies

Why do we hate others? They’ve either hurt us by mistreating us or disappointed us in some way. Other reasons may apply, depending on our situation. Some people also hate us for little or no reason; we probably don’t know them all. Some people hate Christ-followers because we love him. Others hate us because of our political stance, but whatever the reason, we don’t have to act as they do because we have an obligation to Jesus to show love to everyone. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t have to be buddy-buddy with people that hate us; it’s unlikely that we will invite them to dinner, unless God prompts us to. And in the unlikely situation that we see them in public, we should be courteous to them, because the Jesus in us is greater than the hurt that we’ve felt because of them. Anyone can love those who love them, but the true test of having Jesus in you is the ability to love those who hate you. If you truly want to let go of the world, allow the Holy Spirit to work in you so you let go of hatred and hostility for your enemies. Don’t drink the poison expecting it to kill your enemy because it won’t; it will only cause problems with your own mental health. Here is what Jesus says about this subject:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:43-44

August 30, 2026

Shedding the World 

Retaliation 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. Matthew 5:38-40

Are we supposed to be timid and passive? The same Jesus that said this also told his disciples to take a sword with them. 

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Luke 22:36

Jesus knew life would be hard for his disciples after he was gone, and that evil people would come against them, so they needed to be ready to defend themselves. We are there now. We live in such a vile world where people seem to have no conscience and will come after you for little or no reason, especially a Christ-follower. I think the verses in Matthew are for minor discretions; otherwise, why would he then later tell them to bring a sword? Something that takes away life, or devastates your family, deserves to be taken under the legal process to determine the guilt or innocence of the perpetrator.

There are things we can and should let go of, but other, more delicate issues need to be sorted out in a court of law. 

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

August 29, 2026

Shedding the World

Oaths

We hear it said all the time, "I swear to God!" as a way to emphasize whatever comes next in that sentence. Liars say it so often that we need to be cautious about believing someone who uses such language. This is what Jesus says about such as this:

But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:34-36

He also tells us to let our yes mean yes and our no mean no. 

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Matthew 5:37

The third commandment says not to take the Lord's name in vain, which is exactly what you do when you swear by it without keeping your promise to follow through on that oath. Perhaps you swear in the name of God, and what you swore about was a lie; that is taking an oath using the name of God. This is an easy command to avoid, but if you must, as when you are on the witness stand in front of a judge or jury, make sure to tell the whole truth because the end of that swearing-in is usually followed by the words "so help me God." So, in regular day-to-day conversations, use the words yes or no without invoking the name of God, thus avoiding making it an oath.