I am grateful to have my wife’s library shelves moved back where they can be used! It has been thirteen years since we had space to do that. Time flies!
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!
Me: Last Saturday (22nd), You gave me a diagram that is useful to explain, among other things, the difference between salvation and sanctification. Would you lead me to more supporting scripture verses to go with that diagram?
Holy Spirit: I assume you mean in addition to the ones I gave you at the time?
Me: Yes. I have a sense there is much more.
Holy Spirit: Let’s start with Ephesians chapters five and six. They have much to say about walking: in love, in light, in wisdom, in the Word, in obedience, in the whole armor of God, and in faith by grace. Concerning the endpoints on the diagram, see Colossians 1:13.
This translation from darkness to light is a past event for the spirit of the believer. It is also an ongoing journey of growth and change (sanctification).
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!
Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!
Graphic depicting some aspects related to the mind, heart, and spirit.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:16
Me: Good morning, Jesus!
Jesus: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I am grateful that your word brings wisdom! I pray that You will help me to more deeply let it “dwell in me richly”.
Jesus: One way is for you to follow the instructions of this verse and sing more often.
Me: I am grateful that You always give me spiritual songs if I only turn my heart to You and open my mouth and lift my voice to You. I don’t know why I tend to skip that blessing.
Jesus:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
Those songs will be transforming. This is wisdom.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you! I tell you the truth of the way to walk in Me to abundant life.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of life light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 6:22-23
And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land”
Isaiah 6:9-12
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:4-5
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirt!
Holy Spirt: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I wrote “life” instead of “light” when writing down Matthew 6:22.
Holy Spirit: As you see from John 1:4, there is a sense in which they are equivalent.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness [a]was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:1-5
And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:5-9
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:19-21
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12
“A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
John 14:19-21
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit for leading me though these scriptures! I love You!
I am grateful to have the new yard hydrant installed and some of the dirt back in the hole.
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2 New King James Version
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Do we do such a poor job of communicating the Gospel, that instead of being drawn by the tender mercies named in this exhortation, many non-believers see judgmentalism, which they interpret as hatefulness?
Abba: Do you recall from the Scriptures when Jesus called Levi (later called Matthew) from his tax-collector’s booth?
Me: Yes, Luke 5, Matthew 9, and Mark chapter 2.
Abba: Levi was operating what you would call a toll booth today, on the Via Maris (meaning “way of the sea”). It was an ancient trade route that ran along the costal plain of the eastern Mediterranean. Levi’s tax collection was under the authority of Herod Antipas with the collected duties shared by Herod and Rome. The heavy fees collected were viewed by Jews as burdensome and ceremonially defiling, as the Jews chafed under their Roman occupation. Therefore, those who were making their living as tax collectors were viewed with the utmost contempt by the Jewish religious leaders, and by the Jewish populace who were subject to these taxes.
Me: From the passage in Luke, when Jesus called him, Levi got up and left everything behind and followed Jesus. Then, apparently, Levi put on a banquet to introduce all his tax-collector friends to Jesus (Luke 5:29). This caused the religious leaders to complain that Jesus and His disciples would stoop to eating with such “tax collectors and sinners”(v30).
Abba: And what was Jesus’ response to this charge?
Me: Verses 31 and 32 are well known: Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Abba: The religious leaders considered themselves above reproach. Though if you read the Scriptures diligently, it becomes plain that their righteousness was only self-righteousness. Levi, on the other hand, jumped up and followed immediately at the grace extended to him.
And that is the crux of the matter, so to speak. Those who consider themselves righteous are often judgmental, seeing themselves as superior. Those who understand their need of grace, are open to receive My righteousness.
Notice that Jesus did not say it is OK to keep on sinning. His call is to repentance. However, judgment is Mine.
Finally, some have mistakenly assumed that I can’t deal with sin as though it would pollute My holiness. If that were so, I would have ceased speaking to man entirely after the fall in the garden. What I can’t stand about sin, is the damage it does to My children. They even misinterpret My reaction to Jesus bearing the sin of the world on the cross. They will say I couldn’t look upon that sin. What was rending My heart was that My Son had to endure it.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:12-18 NKJV
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: “put to death the deeds of the flesh” recalls the process of rejecting the desire, for an alcoholic to drink or, really, the emphatic demands of any addictive or controlling behavior; that life may ensue instead of death.
Abba: Giving in to these assertive desires without restraint is, in fact, pandering to the flesh rather than the Spirit. I Am never going to lead in a spiritually self-destructive direction. (Do I even have to say that?) But the clamoring of the flesh is at odds with the Spirit.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12
It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life.
John 6:63
I spoke into the void (not empty space, for there was no space). I spoke all that is, and it came into being at My word. (Genesis 1) It is the same power that Jesus was referring to when He said, “the words that I speak”. The void did not have an option other than to obey My words. You do. This is why the scripture tells you to choose (Joshua 24:15, Deuteronomy 30:19, Revelation 3:20). You constantly have a choice. However, My Spirit is within the redeemed. They are sealed:
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:13
Me: Thank You Father! I am grateful for the recognition that squelching the clamoring of the flesh both possible and lifegiving. is I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! The flesh is like a demanding toddler. The demands are not aways in his best interest. I love you!
Graphic depicting some aspects related to the mind, heart, and spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:6-11
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I think Romans 8 may be my favorite passage of scripture.
Abba: What is not to like? No condemnation, freedom, righteousness, life, peace, adoption, heirs, glory, hope, help, purpose, deliverance, an protection, just to skim the surface.
Me: The benefits you have given us in Jesus are truly boundless! Thank You! I love You!
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:26-27 NKJV
Moreover I saw under the sun:
In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
I said in my heart,
“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
Ecclesiastes 3:16-17
Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Me: In our news, we hear of the arrest of some judges. The populace is divided as to whether their activities are justified, though they have violated the law. It seems the heart of the verse penned by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes is made manifest in our day, as I assume it was in his.
Judges appointed under more “liberal” administrations seem to have difficulty recognizing the trouble associated with continuing as they have been, now that the pendulum is swinging back the other way. I hear some voices decrying that the arrests are evil retribution and other voices crying that there has to be some way to deal with “activist” judges and hoping for more of the same. I am grateful that You are patient in Your judgment, giving us time for repentance (should we so choose). I pray that more will take stock of how far we fall short, and seek Your favor and Your truth.
Abba: There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25) There was a general societal understanding of right and wrong for a time in your nation’s history. Only a vestige of such understanding remains, a shadow left behind by those who have followed Me. It was left with their children, primarily by example, but delivered without clear sight that these accepted norms could only firmly stand when darkness in individual (yielded) hearts is banished by illumination by My Holy Spirit. As it now stands, there is incessant arguing to twist laws written to make society function well for all. Rather than justice, there is mere justification.
… having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:5
Without My sustaining power, under the degrading influence of sin, even truth once known will be forgotten. The judgements of men are imperfect for the truth does not reside in them naturally.
Jesus said to him, I AM the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
Me: Father, poll results to the question, “Would you consider yourself a ‘born-again’ or evangelical Christian?” was nearly the same in 2022 (33%) as in 1992 (36%). This is likely only a margin-of-error sized change in the past thirty years. Also, according to Gallup, in the same period, the percentage of people who think the Bible consists mostly of “fables and legends” has doubled (from 14% to 29%). These trends make me wonder, “How many true believers are there?” and “What do those who consider themselves ‘born-again’ base that assessment on?”.
Abba: Consider this teaching of Jesus:
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
There are many examples in scripture of My call being answered by a mere remnant of those who should have responded. I can empower the faithful to do great things.
In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people, For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, And for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Isaiah 28:5:6
(Though the above interjection for the remnant, all of Isaiah 28 bears on these questions, on the failure of priest, prophet, of pride and debauchery and on the painstaking process of growth for those who would seek God and do better. The passage culminates in the promise of the Savior.)
King Saul’s son Jonathan, speaking to his armor bearer, said,
“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
1 Samuel 14:6 (emphasis, mine)
As it was for Jonathan on that day, so it is for those committed to the narrow way, to those who enter by the narrow gate today.
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door (gate) of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:7-10
Me: Thank You Father! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome, Jon! I love you!
Gardening Update:
Aerial Photo of concrete-covered lot area south of barn.
The above (admittedly grainy) satellite photo is of the broken concrete south of the barn that covered an old animal-lot area there. The concrete turned out to be about six inches thick. Fortunately, none of this concrete had any reinforcement in it. The bottom-left section held the remains of dirt and more concrete removed from an old cesspool that was taken out near the house when the septic system was installed (to meet code) prior to our purchase of the property. Four feet of extra dirt and broken concrete was on top of the underlying concrete slab. This month, twelve dump-truck loads of concrete were hauled away and four truckloads of Iowa “black dirt” were hauled in to create 3000 more square feet of potential garden.
Added Garden Area
The photo above was taken today, showing what the area looks like after a half-day of tiller work to break up the pavement-like packing that resulted from the tracks of the skid loaders spreading and leveling the fill dirt. Give this four or five years of development and several loads of compost, and who knows? Maybe it will be a garden after all! The structure at the bottom right is the end of an old concrete feed bunker that stretches the entire 50-foot length. We left it there as a retaining wall.
And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:14
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:16
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
John 17:22
Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!
Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I lament the “divide and conquer” inroads the enemy is making into our society. There is so much discontent, name-calling, accusation, and even outright violence!
Holy Spirit: Do not expect peace to prevail where the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) is rejected. Your statement of gratitude today recognizes that the heart is the residence of Peace.
Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteousness of God tests the hearts and minds.
Those who have accepted Our invitation, who have allowed our indwelling have the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:26 –
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Those who have not accepted will still be subject to hosting evil vitriol, and will remain in fear, be filled with hate, strive in turmoil, and be overrun with anger. This is what you observe around you, to varying degrees of progression. The cure to this terminal sickness was purchased through Jesus’ blood shed for all. However, fear, hate, chaos, and anger are blinding. They obscure the light of Truth (Matthew 10:34).
Let the light you have been given shine (Matthew 5:16). The darkness has no defense against it. Encourage those who will listen to not respond to evil speech in kind. The dark response will merely merge with the darkness that baited them, resulting in more darkness.
Extracted from my handwritten journal for 3/1/2025.
I am grateful for the many reminders in Your word that the “natural” world is not all there is to Your marvelous creation! The visions of Ezekiel (and others) come to mind.
Me: Holy Spirit, when the five foolish virgins return to the marriage supper, presumably with more oil, they knock on the door and are denied entrance. How is that different than what Jesus is saying in Revelation 3:20?
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Holy Spirit:
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
First, the purpose of the lamps held by the virgins is not to provide light inside the marriage feast. The householder had lamps of his own to provide light for the house.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5;14-15
These lamps of the Virgins in this parable are symbolic of the spiritual state of the individual, whether the life that is in them persists in affecting the world for God’s glory. The oil represents Me. I Am not a commodity that can be obtained in the market. Remember that it was midnight. Your supposition that they returned with oil is not correct. The wise virgins had “extra” oil, more than they needed. This is symbolic of eternal life that is in Jesus.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6
On the point that the householder did not need their lamps, consider these verses.
“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
Isaiah 60:19
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Revelation 21:32
The virgins had lamps for the customary greeting of the bridegroom’s arrival for the wedding party. When the foolish virgins returned, the time for that welcome procession had passed.
Second, notice that the bridegroom was already arriving when the foolish virgins became painfully aware of their lack. The time had come, and they were unprepared. Also, when they return, knocking and crying, “Lord! Lord!”, the bridegroom answers, “I do not know you.” In Matthew seven, there is a similar statement to those saying “Lord, Lord” without the attendant relationship:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23
Earlier in Matthew seven are assurances of entry for everyone who comes asking, seeking, and knocking.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8
Again, to everything there is a season.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isaiah 55:6
Proverbs 1:20-33 speaks of the transience of opportunity. Do not think it is only the bridegroom’s rejection. There is a significant risk that the hardness of heart necessary for habitual rejection of the invitation will render one incapable of later acceptance.
If the planting, nurturing and growing and maturing seasons are missed, what will come at the season of harvest?
Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!
Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
Graphic depicting some aspects related to the mind, heart, and spirit.
And he saith unto me, “Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he saith unto me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Revelation 19:9
Me: Good morning, Father!
Abba: Good morning, Jon!
Look: Matthew 22:1-14 in which are the words of Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet. But I want you to consider this parable in light of the passion in my heart.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
The sons of the promise I made to Abraham have only intermittently sought My presence but have consistently returned to that which divided their attention. Though I have sought them continually, still their hearts have not returned. This is what Jesus was relating in the first seven verses of Matthew 22.
Me: Surely this is not the end of the story for Israel, is it?
Abba: May it never be! That is part of the message of the Holy Spirit to you yesterday. Israel was no more able to attain to the demands for righteous behavior under the Old Covenant than anyone else. The law should have convinced them of their inability to keep it outside of Me but they continued to congratulate themselves on being descended from Abraham and therefore in line for the promise I made to him (Genesis 12:1-3). Now they are invited as part of the second group in the parable (Matthew 22:8 and Revelation 19:9).
Again, look at the last part of the parable (verses 11-14), the king’s response to the man not wearing “wedding clothes”, provided for everyone for the host. This compares to the robe of righteousness provided by Jesus:
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 KJV
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelatiohn 19:8
This clean white linen garment is representative of the righteousness of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
And this:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:21-23 KJV
John 6:27-29 provides stark contrast to the works of those seeking to enter on their own righteousness and self-effort:
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Me: Thank You Father! I love You! Thank You for the eternal provision and right standing that come through relationship with You, though Jesus!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you (which should be obvious by now)!
PS: I have mentioned it before, but quoting from the KJV is not because I am especially enamored of the translation, but because it is in the public domain.
Missionary Sojourn 