One Of The Great Secrets To Enjoying Life

Proverbs 20:21, “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.”

Proverbs 21:20, “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.”

I couldn't think of a good Bible passage to go along with what I have to say, but these are all great truth passages. The first passage from Proverbs 20:21 could perfectly fit the Prodigal Son. He got his inheritance hastily and spent it all before he knew he was broke.

The second passage goes along with the first passage. We've all heard about reckless Hollywood multi-millionaire celebrities who foolishly spent every dollar they ever earned. A wise man retains riches. Proverbs 11:16, “A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.”

I have learned that one of the secrets to enjoying life is to take plenty of time to acquire things. I recently bought a Huber VRB-3 banjo with a radiused neck. I spent about one year looking at different banjos, watching many videos, reading lots of articles, listening to audio files of various banjos, et cetera. I saved up and paid cash. I really enjoyed that process of taking my time before buying anything. I actually enjoy the time preparing to buy something as much if not more than acquiring the purchase.

And that is a secret that I have learned, to better enjoy life. People who must gratify themselves immediately, and then pay for it later, never truly enjoy life. When I see someone driving a new SUV as big as a garage, I cannot help but feel sorry for them, knowing that 99% of them went into massive debt to acquire it. Dealerships now offer 8-year loan packages, which I think it insane and foolish. I paid cash for my 2013 Honda FIT when I bought it in 2021.

I saw a Gold Tone banjo advertisement today for their new OB-175 banjo. PayPal popped up inside the ad and said, "Play now and pay later" on credit. That is a terrible idea dear reader. Who can “play now” and enjoy something that you're already in debt for, and that dark cloud hangs over your head? I would much rather save up the money, learning all about whatever it is that I want to acquire, having fun deciding what I want, comparing products, and then when I have enough money saved up down the road, pay cash and enjoy the item when it is fully paid for. That makes good sense to me.

I think the vast majority of Americans today, especially this younger spoiled rotten generation, have the wrong attitude. They are spoiled and feel entitled. I have learned to save up the money first, and enjoy the preparation period as much as buying the item. I have enjoyed the last year looking at dozens of different banjos. It's fun to enjoy looking, comparing and learning for months before you buy something. Take your time. Save up money to pay cash.

Likewise, I am now enjoying learning about banjo bridges (which affect tone) and will take my time before I buy anything, and I'll buy a couple and then see how they sound, and go from there, instead of ordering a bunch of bridges all at once. Most people don't know how to enjoy life anymore. If you have to always buy things to be happy, you'll never be happy.

The same can be said about courtship leading up to marriage. There was something priceless, sweet and beautiful about the courtship period in the old days a century ago. We see courtship in Brian Wilson's beautiful song, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys. That is my favorite song by the Beach Boys. Today, teenagers are horribly encouraged by Walt Disney and Hollywood to "score" (fornicate outside of marriage - Hebrews 13:4), which ruins the specialness and sacredness of marriage. Premarital sex has ruined courtship. I think that is a crying shame. Young people are missing out on the joy of courtship, of waiting until their marriage day to have sex (carnal knowledge) for the first time, preserving its specialness.

I have learned to enjoy life more by enjoying the time before buying something, as much as I enjoy eventually buying it. I think it is a very wrong and even destructive attitude, that we need to enjoy everything immediately and then we'll pay it off for months or even years to come.

When I moved from Guam to Pensacola in 2021 I had saved up money for a long time, so that I paid cash and bought my 2013 Honda FIT before I even left Guam. The dealership in Pensacola had one of their employees pick me up at the airport and drove me to my new used vehicle. They even got the license plates for me. They were so kind and helpful at the Pensacola Honda Dealership. By God's grace and goodness, I didn't buy the vehicle by going into debt for years to come to pay for it. I saved up first.

I think most people who go into financial debt don't need to. I see young people driving brand new vehicles. Many of them are on 8-year loan payment plans, almost like a mortgage. I think that is really a bad deal. I have never bought a new vehicle my entire life and I am 59 years old. And I don't want a new vehicle. Used is good. Hey, my 2013 Honda FIT was brand new 13 years ago. I bought it in 2021. It still runs great! God has been very good to me.

I encourage you the next time you want to go buy something that is a bit pricey to wait a couple weeks, or even a few months. Learn about the different products. Shop around, read and compare, ask questions if you'd like, and make it a fun time of considering all the angles. I do that often and enjoy the entire acquisition process, long before I actually acquire anything.

Don't Be A Foolish Spender

I encourage you to listen to this practical sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “Hasty Fruit.” The greatest things in life we should pay for first, and then we enjoy them. Such is marriage. You earn it by proper courtship. Some of the most miserable people are those who choose to enjoy everything first, and then pay for it later. That's no way to go through life.

Approximately 77% of Americans have some form of debt, while only about 23% are completely debt-free. Common types of debt include credit cards, mortgages and student loans. I thank God that I am in the 23% group of debt-free Americans. That's not by mere coincidence. I am careful what I spend. I save up money before I buy big things.

I really like the old saying from The Great Depression...

Use it up,

Wear it out;

Make it do, 

do without.

People waste a lot of money buying things that they don't need.

When I shop at Walmart, I often see select foods at the aisle ends which cost much more than the other food. You are paying for the fancy packaging and brand names. I always buy “Great Value” products, which is Walmart's exclusive brand. The food is often half the price of name brands and the quality is just as good, if not better. I love Great Value foods.

When I go to Publix they charge around $8 for strawberries, which they cut the green tops off. I can get twice as many whole strawberries at Walmart for half that price. If you can afford it, go for it, but I try to be frugal when shopping. I don't smoke, drink booze or gamble on lottery tickets, which right there saves me thousands of dollars a year. The average Floridian spends $1,600 a year on tobacco products. What a waste of money!

It seems that everybody and their dog nowadays is begging for money. The Los Angeles Times and New York Times refuse to let you read their websites unless you pay them money to subscribe. No thanks, there are many other free news outlets. I refuse to throw money away.

Two sales people came to my door a couple years ago wanting to put solar panels on my roof in exchange for guaranteeing that I would only pay a certain amount for electricity every month. As I always do, I said I needed time to think about it. I learned that it is a common scam, which even the U.S. government warns people to avoid. The sales people used the pitch that my electric bill was so high in the summer, trying to get me worked up to draw me into their scam. I learned later on that if I had signed their contract, I would have been legally locked into their tyrannical scam for 25 YEARS! I recommend that you NEVER make hasty decisions dear reader.

When the nurse on Guam years ago in 2017 pressured me to take a Tetanus shot mixed with Whooping Cough vaccination, I said that I needed to think about it and do some reading, but I never took the shot, and I am so glad that I didn't from what I read. At least 25% of people who take the Whooping Cough vaccine experience side effects, such as soreness at the injection site or fever. Tetanus cases are rare in the United States, with only about 30 reported cases each year. It's just a money making scam. No thanks! I digress.

Getting back to the topic of this article, I encourage you to take time before buying things. Enjoy the process. Enjoy the moment. Save your money so you can pay cash when you're ready. Avoid going into debt. Avoid foolish adages, such as: “You only live once.” Although that is a true statement, you don't want to be miserable along the way in your one life. Being in debt all the time is no way to survive. It feels darn good to be debt free!

You Don't Need To Keep Up With The Joneses

You truly don't need to, “Keep up with the Joneses,” as the old adage goes. Who cares what your neighbours, relatives or co-workers drive or have. When I worked as a truck mechanic at an International Harvester Dealership in my early twenties (late 1980s), my older coworkers often pressured me to go into massive debt by buying a Snap On brand toolbox. Misery loves company and they wanted me in debt too. Thankfully, I was smarter than the average bear. Those boxes cost upwards of $15,000 when you buy a bottom, top and side cabinet. They come with ball-bearers that roll as smooth as butter. Nice!

But I wisely went to a local store called, The Tool Box, and I paid $600 for a bottom, top and side cabinet sale combined. Those tool boxes were all I needed. They served the same exact purpose as my coworkers who were in debt for $12,000 to Mac Tools and Snap On, which purpose is to simply provide a place to store your tools. I worked at that truck repair shop for 4 years and one week (1987-1991).

It was funny looking back in hindsight. When the Mac Tools and Snap On trucks drove onto the property, I used to watch grown men leave the building and hide outside until they were gone. The tool salesmen came to collect their weekly payments from the men who were in debt to them. What saith the Scripture? Proverbs 22:7, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” I never wanted to be in their debt, so I refused to buy anything from them.

Instead, I went down to Sears Roebuck & Co, which company at the time sold their awesome Craftsman tool line, which sold for a fraction of what Snap On and Mac Tools cost. Granted, the quality was inferior on some of Craftsman's tools (like hand wrenches) compared to Snap On and Mac Tools. But I bought a Craftsman torque-wrench for $35 and it worked great.

At one time Sears had 3,500 stores nationwide, but today only have 5 stores remaining open (two in Florida). My father loved shopping at Sears back in the day, and he always bought me one of those big soft pretzels each time we went, which I loved. Several of the men whom I worked with were always angry and bitter because they were in big time debt. Literally, it took them years to pay down those very expensive toolboxes.

And if that weren't bad enough, every Saturday when the business was closed the foreman brought a group of teenagers from his church to clean the shop. They used a caustic soap solution with acid in it to power scrub the greasy floors. Each truck bay had a sewer drain in the middle. As the industrial scrubbers cleaned the floors, they flung caustic soap onto the bottom of the tool boxes, literally eating the paint off the boxes. Oh man! I watched some of my coworkers go ballistic in anger on Monday when they came into work and saw the paint dissolved off their $7,000 tool box. Who could blame them?

Most of the red paint had been eaten away at the bottom of my $600 toolboxes, but I couldn't have cared less since I owned the boxes outright. Time and time again I praised God for giving me enough Horsesense not to go into debt like my coworkers did, over some metal boxes. Dear reader, I could share many more true stories with you about people who foolishly spent money. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with buying an expensive toolbox, or whatever, but you should save up the money first and then pay cash.

When I was growing up in the 1970s there were no credit cards. Praise God! When microwaves first came out they cost $1,500 and only wealthy people could afford one. I grew up eating Swanson TV dinners which all came in metal trays, never in plastic. All soda cans had removable tabs. Coke came in 16 ounce bottles. All cars were rear wheel drive. It was a much simpler time in our country. There was no hip hop, rap or grunge music. No one owned a personal computer or cell phone. There was no internet. Many younger Americans today cannot even imagine such a world. I was born in 1967.

Thank you dear reader for reading my ministry blog. Jesus is precious!!!

Beware Of Preachers Who Make Answers To Prayer Impossible

2nd Corinthians 5:4-7, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

This is a precious passage of Scripture full of truth. If you are a Christian, the day you got saved you became a member of God's heavenly family. The Apostle Paul reminds us here that as believers, even though we are present in an earthly body, we are also absent from the Lord.

This world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore

Oh Lord, you know
I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home
Then Lord, what will I do?

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore

I like that Gospel song. I am reminded each day by the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit that I am just a pilgrim passing through, and not a settler here on earth. 2nd Corinthians 5:7 says we walk by faith, not by sight, as saints. That is such a vital biblical truth to always keep in mind, especially when it comes to prayer. Living by faith means that we stay focused on the invisible things of God in the spirit world, which Romans 1:20b says “are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

Beware of Ignorant Preacher's False Teachings

That being said as introduction, I read a disturbing article today in the Sword of the Lord biweekly newspaper. The article by Pastor Len G. Broughton (1865-1936) starts on the front page, titled: “Why Prayer Is Not Answered.” The article then jumps to page 15, and then continues and finishes on page 19. I hate when the Sword prints articles haphazardly all over the place. Why the chaotic arrangement?

It's just like Pensacola Christian College's (PCC) multiple contradictory plans of salvation, which Sword editor Dr. Shelton Smith shameful sanctions and promotes. I am so disgusted with the Sword of the Lord. Contrary to their slogan displayed at the top of every newspaper which says they contend for the faith, they do not. They falsely claim to “stand” for salvation by faith, but then wickedly bid Godspeed to PCC's Lordship Salvation counterfeit gospel.

It is tragic that the love of money (a career) is a higher priority today to the Sword of the Lord than defending right doctrine. RIGHT DOCTRINE MATTERS!

PCC donated $7,000 to the Sword of the Lord back in 2015. Birds of a feather flock together. I will go to seed exposing these ungodly organizations, as did the Apostle Paul. Philippians 1:17b, “I am set for the defence of the gospel.” Paul admonishes his convert and soulwinning apprentice Titus in Titus 1:13b-14, “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.” Titus was not an apostle, and neither am I, but like Titus I am rebuking PCC and the Sword of the Lord sharply for their damnable false teachings. By supporting PCC, Dr. Shelton Smith and company are guilty partakers of PCC's heresies.

In his misleading article, Pastor Len G. Broughton lists three reasons for unanswered prayer:

1. Sin Harbored in the Heart
2. Lack of Faith Hinders
3. Prayer Blocked by Lack of Surrender

I cringed as I read this misleading article, because it is nonsense. Dear reader, prayer is asking which in itself is faith. We all have sin in our heart. And no one is wholly submitted to God. The whole spirit of Pastor Broughton's article is rooted in one's self righteousness, not trusting God. His requirements to get your prayers answered is to that YOU must surrender, YOU must turn from your sin, and YOU must have more faith. I contend that we should simply obey the Bible in 1st Peter 5:7b, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Either God will or won't answer your prayer, it's as simple as that. But dear reader, I discourage you from going down that worrisome road which Pastor Len G. Broughton is trying to take you down, putting the dangerous idea into your head that unless everything in your spiritual life is Kosher, you're screwed. The most discouraging book I've ever read is by Dr. John R. Rice titled, “Hindrances To Prayer.”

We know from the following passage that our prayers can be hindered by sin. 1st Peter 3:7, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” I humbly think it boils down to this. God sees everything (Psalms 139:1-6). Proverbs 24:12, “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it?  and shall not he render to every man according to his works?” The Lord cares about how we treat each other as human beings (Matthew 7:1-12).

God Will Answer Your Prayers If He Wants To

The first of the Ten Commandments deal with how we treat God. The last five deal with how we treat our neighbor. Galatians 5:14, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” It's all really quite simple dear friend. If you love God and people, and it's more than mere phony lip service that exists in 99% of Bible colleges and churches today, then God will answer your prayers according to His will.

But if you hurt people, like Pastor Jeff Redlin at PCC's Campus Church banning me from returning to their church, God won't answer your prayers. PCC is an abomination in His sight!

If you hurt people like Family Baptist Church kicked I and my wife out of church in June of 2025, God won't bless that hateful organization in their arrogance, worldliness and sin. The pastor's worldly wife and mother wear ungodly sexy pants, and their henpecked husbands sanction immodesty. Woe unto those wicked families in eternity! Woe unto Family Baptist Church and their damnable heresy that you must repent "of your sins" to get to Heaven.

I am so sick and fed up and tired of hearing these fearmonger preachers, who place a bunch of impossible burdens upon people's shoulders, trying to make us all worry for two dozen reasons why God won't answer our prayers. I hate that book by Dr. John R. Rice about “Hindrances To Prayer,” because after reading that impossible book I felt hopeless ever praying again.

I mean, there's no way that I could ever live up to all those high expectations to get my prayers answered. I am not a good Christian. In fact, I feel like a terrible Christian all the time (and so will you if you draw close to our holy Creator). I have enough faith to pray, but beyond that I am at a loss. God knows that I desire to think and live right to please Him, but I fail all the time. I have many faults, and so do you dear reader. There's no such thing as a “good Christian,” and there never has been and never will be. Only Jesus is sinless (Hebrews 4:15).

Beware Of Reasons for Unanswered Prayer Nonsense

I hate when preachers give a list of all the reasons why God won't answer your prayers. In so doing, they are wickedly placing heavy burdens upon your shoulders, which will cause you to continually question and worry why God didn't answer your prayers.

Over the past 24 years of my website ministry at Jesus-is-Savior.com, I have received countless emails from hurting, confused and worried people, who have been lied to by wicked neo-evangelical preachers (like Ray Comfort and Paul Washer) to continually worry if they are really saved because of the sins in their life. Since everyone struggles with sin (Romans 7:14-25), these poor folks are trapped in a cruel world of religious scrupulosity, worrying all the time if they are saved because of their sinful bad habits. Folks, that is not the free grace Gospel taught in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4.

The inspired King James Bible teaches that forgiveness of sins and eternal life are a free gift from God (Romans 5:15-18). In that beautiful passage of Scripture you will find the word “gift” mentioned SIX TIMES! And the phrase “free gift” is mentioned THREE TIMES! We know that nothing is free in this universe, and that applies to salvation as well. We read in 1st Peter 1:18-19 that it was Jesus who paid for our sins with His precious blood. How ridiculous is it then, when an incompetent pastor stands behind a pulpit and insists that you must turn from your sinning to receive God's free gift?

And likewise, I reject the fear-mongering preachers who continually blame people for unanswered prayers, continually making you feel like it's always your fault when God doesn't answer. Dear reader, God only saves sinners. God only answers the prayers of sinners. You don't have to climb the spiritual mountain to receive answers to prayer.

Pastor Len G. Broughton is wrong in his article which appeared in today's Sword of the Lord. I will never subscribe to the Sword of the Lord again, for a few reasons:

1. Editor Dr. Shelton Smith wickedly bids Godspeed to false prophets who preach another gospel at Pensacola Christian College. Shame on Dr. Smith!
2. The Sword of the Lord paper has become so lame and meaningless, not contending for the faith anymore.
3. The paper is full of lame advertisements to buy a bunch of crap and services.
4. It's just a waste of time and money to purchase their stupid newspaper.

Pastors foolishly make getting your prayers answered about works instead of faith. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Dear friend, all God expects of you is your faith. That is, that you trust and rely upon God. Throughout my day in my home, I often say, “Excuse me to the Lord,” if I am distracted while talking to Him. That is faith. God is pleased by my acknowledgment of His presence. I treat God like an individual person, because that is exactly who He is. Every day I often pause for a moment from whatever I am doing and I say, “I love you Lord.” That is faith.

Every time I work on my website and blog ministry to write another article, that is faith. Faith pleases God. The John 3:16 sign on my front lawn is faith in Christ. The “Jesus Loves You” sign in my backyard for my neighbours to see is faith.

It is a dangerous and unwise thing to pray and then put God on the spot to see if He answers. In so doing you are walking by sight, not by faith. I pray and then trust the Lord's wisdom and protective hand upon my life and ministry. Nothing can happen in any saint's life without the Lord's express permission (Job 1:10). 1st John 4:4b says “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” When Len G. Broughton and John R. Rice write about reasons for unanswered prayers, they are walking by sight. How do you know if God answers your prayers or not? I'm simply not qualified to make that call, and neither are you.

In fact, we are taught in Romans 8:26 that we simply do not know what to pray about. I sure don't, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Since we cannot see the unseen spirit world, nor see what is going on in the hearts of other people, we are at a disadvantage.

I am always leery of these charlatan preachers who boldly speak about getting their prayers answered. Why? It's because the world is full of unsaved heathens who enjoy the same success, wealth and prosperity, who have never prayed a day in their life.

I am not one of those superstitious Christians who prays for the sun to rise in the east tomorrow morning, and then praises God for answering my prayer when the sun rises in the east, which it has done every morning for billions of years. I hear people praising God for answered prayers that were almost assuredly mere coincidence. We certainly can and should thank God for everything, but I am very careful not to claim something as an answer to pray unless it is truly a miracle. Put another way, I am a fundamentalist not a nut.

I find the whole idea of trying to teach about unanswered prayer to be very frustrating. I feel like God never answers my prayers. But what do I know? I trust the Lord and I believe the Bible when it says in 1st Peter 5:7 that God cares about me. 1st Corinthians 1:9 teaches that God is faithful. I refuse to question those divine truths. Psalms 139:1-6 teaches that God knows when I lay down and rise up, and my very thoughts. God is omniscient.

Philippians 4:6-8 teaches that we shouldn't worry about anything as believers; but rather, bring everything to God in prayer, and then claim God's perfect peace that passeth all understanding, knowing that God is on the job. That is, bring your burden to the Lord and leave it there! John 14:27, “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.”

We know from 1st Peter 3:7 that mistreating one's spouse can hinder prayer. And we know from Matthew 5:23-24 that if a brother has ought against us, we are commanded to go make things right with our brother, and then come back with our gift to present to God. In other words, you cannot be wrong with people and right with God. We need to be right horizontally with humanity as well as vertically with God. That's not to say that we have to get along with everyone, nor that everyone needs to say good things about us; but it does mean that if we have wronged anyone, we need to apologize and make restitution if we have cheated them.

Pastors' Jeff Redlin at PCC's Campus Church, Marty Herron (former incompetent pastor of Harvest Baptist Church on Guam), Bill Adams (incompetent pastor of Smyrna Baptist Church in Pensacola), and Brad and Bobby Moffett (incompetent pastors of Family Baptist Church in Pensacola), all injuriously threw me under the bus. They cannot be right with God until they make things right with me. That is 100% biblical (1st Thessalonians 4:6). Those ungodly phonies should all be fired. I told the truth and they persecuted me for it. If you think I'm being hard on them, just wait until they suffer God's wrath (Psalms 6:1; Galatians 6:7; 2nd Corinthians 5:11).

Have Faith In God

Jesus said in Mark 11:22b, “Have faith in God.” I humbly believe that the only thing you need to worry about when it comes to prayer is how you treat other people. I do not believe surrendering to God has anything to do with getting your prayers answered. Discipleship has nothing to do with salvation, and I don't think it has much to do with God answering our prayers. God is my friend. He knows what is best for me. I have learned not to question His will. And as far as harboring sin in your heart, we all do that. We all have sinful bad habits, whether it be pride, anger, lust, lying, envy, gossip, et cetera. If getting all the sin out of our heart is required to receive answers to prayer, then we're in big trouble.

And of course, it all depends on what you are asking God to do. Pastor Jack Hyles in his helpful book 'Exploring Prayer With Jack Hyles' says if you want to purchase some bread from a bakery, that is simply a matter of asking. However, if you want to work in the bakery, that is something entirely different and requires much more. If we ask for something for our self, Jesus said you don't need to pray long prayers LIKE THE HEATHEN DO, because our heavenly Father already knows your needs (Matthew 6:7-8). But if you want something for others, then importunity in prayer is required by God (Luke 11:1-8).

 

I reject all these crazy sermons and books about why God doesn't answer our prayers. The plain truth is that God will answer your request if He wants to, and it is not our place to analyze God's reasons. Walk by faith dear reader, and trust God with the rest. Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

Normal Sinful People Get Their Prayers Answered

Please don't allow well-meaning preachers discourage you dear reader. In Acts 12:1-15 tells the remarkable story about the apostles' James and Peter. Herod had just murdered James, beheading him. When Herod saw that it greatly pleased the Jews, he intended to kill Peter also, but the early church prayed for God to deliver Peter. The angels of the Lord rescued him. When Peter came to the door where they were praying for his release, the maid Rhoda ran to tell the group, but they called her “mad” (crazy).

This remarkable true story just proves that even when you don't believe God will answer your prayers, He still might. Prayer in itself is all the faith you need if it is God's will to help you. I love this story. They were asking God to do something with a heart of unbelief. Contrary to Pastor Len Broughton's sermon, God answered their prayers even though they lacked faith.

Please don't misunderstand, there are some things that can hinder our prayers, which I have mentioned in this article, but I think most preachers go way overboard and that discourages Christians from praying. I don't think every sin hinders prayer, otherwise none of us could receive answers to prayer, because we all sin. I do think mistreating others hinders our prayers. I don't think God will refuse to answer your prayers because you smoke cigarettes, play the lottery or watch Hollywood movies. That is just my humble opinion.

We read in James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” God resists proud people! God resists the prayers of arrogant pastors like Jeff Redlin at PCC who refuse to heed the truth that Lordship Salvation and Misunderstood Repentance are false teachings. I think preachers often focus on the wrong reasons why God doesn't answer one's prayers. The Lord is far more concerned about the condition of your heart, than He is about your sinful habits. And the way that you treat God and people reveals the condition of your heart (Mark 12:30-31).

And I also believe that the good Lord usually gives us everything we need in advance, so that we don't even need to pray for those things. God has been so good to all of us. I want to encourage you to pray, which is why I wrote this article. Please don't let preachers discourage you by misleading you to think that you've got to become Super Christian to see answers to prayer. Those miserable believers at Rhoda's house were so carnal that they didn't believe her when God actually answered their prayer. I love that!

What saith the Scripture? James 5:17, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.” I love that! Elijah was a regular fella the Scripture tells us. In 1st Kings 19:1-5, we find the prophet Elijah running from wicked Jezebel who had threatened to kill all the prophets. Elijah feels overwhelmed and ask God's to kill him...

1st Kings 19:1-4, “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

And yet we read in James 5:17 that God answered Elijah's prayer for the rain to stop, to destroy wicked Ahab's wine orchard. Some people might call that a petty request, but the Lord cared about what Elijah cared about. And God cares about you too friend. I have prayed for God to break the yoke of pride of all the aforementioned ungodly pastors who hurt me.

You just keep on praying dear friend, and trust your God that He knows what is best. The Lord doesn't have a long list of reasons for not answering your prayers, He looks at your heart.

God Has Crowned Humanity With Glory And Honor

Psalm 8:3-5, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”

Dear reader, you and I are more special to God than we could ever possibly realize. The inspired Holy Bible says that God has created mankind a little lower than the angels, meaning that we are far more superior than we might think. The psalmist declares that God has crowned (encompassed) us with splendor and magnificence, giving us control over the earth. What a tremendous responsibility! 

Psalms 8:5 Meaning

This verse is filled with profound meaning about human dignity and our place in God’s creation. It reflects how God, in His infinite wisdom, created us in His image and bestowed upon us a unique honor that sets us apart from all other creation. When it mentions that we are “a little lower than the angels,” it illustrates that humans hold a special status in God’s eyes. Our existence is not merely by chance but by divine design.

The phrase “crowned him with glory and honour” suggests that we carry a significant role in God’s plan. We are not just any creation; we are given purpose and value. Being crowned brings forth the idea of having a place of authority or importance. This recognition speaks to our identity — he has made us to reflect His glory. We can see this concept of worth echoed in Genesis 1:26, where God made mankind in His image and likeness, implying that we are created with great dignity.

. . . Psalms 8:5 truly encapsulates the remarkable truth of our identity as human beings. We are crafted by God, blessed with extraordinary worth, carrying His image into the world. Understanding this leads us to live in a way that glorifies Him, impacting those around us positively.

As we navigate life’s challenges, we should hold onto reminders of our value and the temporary nature of our struggles. Let us keep uplifting one another and growing in faith, knowing that we are crowned with inherent glory. Embracing our role in creation also brings with it accountability — to love, serve, and reflect the goodness of God in all we do. SOURCE

God wants us to understand our esteemed value in His sight, which changes everything if we realize what we mean to our Creator. If we realize that we are crowned with glory and honor, and that God loves us unconditionally, then we will live our lives accordingly.

Humans are a higher expression of God’s creation. No lower species has ever composed a song, written a poem, or made a cooking recipe. We are promised a brighter future through faith alone in Jesus Christ, crowned with the dignity and power of dominion that comes from our omnipotent Creator. Each of us is precious, made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27).

With this precious Bible truth in view, it is difficult to see countless people being kicked out of today's worldly, corrupt and ungodly churches. I speak to their utter shame! Pastor Jack Hyles was right: “The Christian army is the only army in the world that kills its wounded.”

Dear reader, you are somebody to God. I read a T-shirt message about 30 years ago that a black girl was wearing at work, which read: “I am somebody cause God don't make no junk!” I like that a lot.

I subscribe to the Sword Of The Lord. I doubt if I will renew my subscription when it expires, because their publication has deteriorated far from what it once was when Dr. John R. Rice was its editor. Contrary to their slogan to earnestly contend for the faith, the Sword Of The Lord today is spiritually dead, woefully lacking of any fight anymore. The paper has changed its purpose to encouraging and pampering the saints, rather than fighting the good fight of faith.

That being said, in a recent issue of the Sword Of The Lord, I read an article by a pastor's wife in which she said that God doesn't need us. I couldn't disagree more. God does need us! What saith the Scripture? Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” God is looking for a few weak men. 2nd Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

God has wondrously made man a little lower the the angels. Mankind is brilliant, created in the very image of God our Maker. And yet, our faithful, good and gracious God understands our human weakness, temptations and frailties. Psalms 103:14, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” We are so unworthy and undeserving of such great incredible unconditional love. THANK YOU Lord for everything!

Don't Sink To The Bottom With The World

1st John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Pastor Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899) said something profound that I really like. He said:

“Christians should live in the world, but not be filled with it. A ship lives in the water, but if the water gets in the ship, she goes to the bottom. So Christians may live in the world, but if the world gets into them, they sink.”

What a great illustration! Dear reader, the world is not your friend. The world will never meet you half way on anything. What exactly is “the world”?

Here is an excellent quote from Pastor E.M. Bounds (1835-1913):

'The world' includes the mass of humanity that is alienated from God and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ. It involves worldly affairs, earthly things, riches, pleasures, and pursuits that are shallow, frail, and fleeting. These things stir desire, draw us away from God, and are obstacles to the cause of Christ. The divorced or torn relationships between Heaven and earth, between God and His creatures, finds its expression in the term 'the world.'” —Pastor Edward M. Bounds, a quote from chapter 7 - 'Overcoming The Enemy Of God,' from the classic book titled: “GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE”

In 2026, the world is as strange and wicked as ever. ...

10 Celebrities Who Sold Their Soul to Satan
(Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding)

The world has always been a wicked place alienated from God. Read what the Apostle John wrote nearly 2,000 years ago. 1st John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” There is nothing new under the sun.

Last year a local Baptist pastor and his wife, at the Family Baptist Church in Pensacola, got upset toward me over my website ministry. It was over this article in particular titled, 'Why A Christian Lady Ought Not Wear Pants.' You see, the pastor's wife and mother wear sexy pants in public. Although I never told them about my website ministry, people are nosy creatures and have a habit of finding things. And boy do they love to gossip!

The pastor insisted that his wife loves Jesus as much as anyone. The Bible says different...

1st John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Believers who love the world do not have a close walk with God. What saith the Scripture?

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

James 4:4, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Tragically, a fundamentalist Bible preacher taking a stand against women wearing pants today is viewed as being ridiculous, out of touch and ancient in his beliefs. But dear reader, God hasn't changed! God's prohibition for women to wear clothing which pertained to a man in Deuteronomy 22:5 has not changed. Evangelist John R. Rice (1895-1980) explains why Deuteronomy 22:5 still applies today; not mere ceremonial law as some foolishly claim, it is moral law.

Dwight L. Moody was absolutely right. A ship was intended to be in the water, just as God intended for us as believers to live in the world. John 17:15, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” But if water gets into the ship, it will sink thousands of feet to the bottom of the ocean. Likewise, if we let the world into our lives, we risk sinking to the bottom of life. This is what has happened to millions of Christians today, who are languishing in misery, depression and confusion.

The inspired Word of God in Romans 12:2b says to ”be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This is only possible by abiding in the Scripture, listening to solid Bible preaching, avoiding the counsel of the ungodly, and taking advice from godly friends and influences.

Millions of hurting Christians today hang around worldly friends. They listen to negative daily news on TV. They watch worldly movies. They listen to worldly music, which includes worldly Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). They are surrounded by negative family members. They don't live in the Holy Bible. They refuse to listen to fundamentalist Bible preaching by soulwinning men of God. They have dug their own grave and are wallowing in it in misery.

I humbly advise broken saints who are in the doldrums of life to get into the inspired King James Bible. Start listening to pastors' Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, Lester Roloff and other true soulwinning men of God. I have little use for the vast majority of today's spiritually dead, bad and corrupt clergy. Dear friend, don't sink to the bottom with this insane world today. Don't let the world in. Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) delivered a beautiful sermon called, 'Don't Get Adjusted,' which I recommend you listen to.

I am reminded of a popular Christian song popularized by Jim Reeves in 1962, “This World Is Not My Home.”

I think of these beautiful Christian lyrics oftentimes...

This world is not my home

I'm just a'passing through

My treasures are laid up

Somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me

From heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home

In this world anymore

Oh Lord, you know

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Always Keep Your Word

Proverbs 19:22, “The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.”

The longing (or delight) of the human heart man is to have mercy on others, to help people; but if he has to lie, make shady deals and commit evil to do so in order to raise the money, he'd be better off just being poor.

I think a perfect example of this Bible verse is New York City's incompetent mayor Zohran Mamdani. In the fall of 2025 he ran for the position of mayor in New York City, making a bunch of empty promises that any sensible person knew he couldn't possibly fulfill. Mamdani promised free child daycare for all New Yorker parents. Mamdani promised a price freeze on all rental units. Mamdani promised free subway transportation for everyone from now on. He essentially gave away the farm! His plan was to tax the rich and the public ate it up, loving his rhetoric. Well, when Mamdani won the election by a landslide and became mayor, the state's governor refused to go along with taxing the rich, and his plan backfired on him. Proverbs 19:22, “The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.”

To save face and come up with all that 'FREE' stuff that Mamdani promised to give away, he decided to tax the middle-class instead, by raising everyone's property taxes another 9.5% on top of some of the already highest property taxes in the country! Overburdened New York homeowners will now be taxed 19.84% a year!!! That is so criminal! Mamdani should be in prison for lying to get into office, knowing that there was no way he could honor his promises. Proverbs 19:22, “The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.”

I think Mr. Mamdani had good intentions as a young man, and a horrible socialist one I might add...

“Socialism is nothing more than shared misery.” —Winston Churchill

Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) explains Proverbs 19:22 this way...

A kindly, benevolent spirit appeals to all men because it is unselfish and thoughtful of others. But to make great promises while unable to fulfill them is reprehensible. It is far better to be poor and frankly admit one’s inability to do what the heart might desire, than to promise largely and be proven untrustworthy. To be what you are, and not to pretend to be what you are not, is a sound principle. An honest person, even if poor, gains the respect of anyone whose good opinion is worth having. See Peter and the lame man (Acts 3:6). SOURCE

Zohran Mamdani should have told the truth last year when running for mayor, and been upfront and honest with the people of New York. He's a sharp looking fella with a likable personality. I am confident that the citizens of New York would have still voted for him had he simply said they would all work together to find workable solutions, but his plan to tax the rich was doomed to fail from the start. A responsible leader understands that when you're in financial debt as a city, the only reasonable thing to do is cut spending. Sure, a lot of people are going to be angry and upset, but there is no other way. We've become so spoiled rotten in the United States that Americans refuse to do without anymore. Well, tough, that's life!

I love the old adage that was common during The Great Depression of the 1930s...

Use it up,
wear it out;
make it do,
do without

Yes Sir! That's the winning ticket! When you and I don't have the money, we do without. So why should the government have it any different? It's not the government's job to provide free daycare for children. It's not the city's job to provide free train rides. They need to put the petty thieves who don't pay their train fare in work camps; not prison, productive work camps! We are literally destroying ourselves with our freedom! No one should have a “right” to steal, shoot up on illegal drugs, hurt people, loiter in a tent on a sidewalk, or become a nuisance to society. Our reckless federal government has deliberately created this problem by allowing the fraudulent Federal Reserve to bankrupt our nation and run inflation into the stratosphere!

Avoid Making Promises To People

Dear reader, there is nothing worse than a liar. In fact, one of the seven things that God hates in Proverbs 6:16-19 is “a lying tongue.” Proverbs 26:28, “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.” Some people are habitual chronic liars. There are too many things that can go wrong. It is wise to refrain from making many promises to people. Granted, the marriage vows should be made at the wedding altar, and then honored for a lifetime. I am talking about the frivolous promises that we flippantly make to people day by day, which people so often fail to keep. I refuse to do that to anyone. Promises are important. And if you say you are going to do something, that becomes a promise!

I recently called Quality Roofing Solutions in Pensacola and spoke to one of their managers James Deere about repairs needed to my roof after hurricane Isaias. I was referred to him by Gulf Coast Home Inspections. I also asked James questions about adequate ventilation needs in my attic. He promised to email me some ventilation calculations which he said he'd obtain from Google satellite. He also promised to stop by my home that week to inspect my roof and needed repairs, included damaged vinyl soffits and fascia. But weeks later I never heard back from him.

So, I called James back but he refused to answer his phone. I sent him a text message and again gave him my address and email, kindly asking him to please keep his promises, but he just ignored me. It is bizarre, considering that we never had any cross words when I spoke with him. He mentioned to me that he is a Christian and attends a Baptist Church up on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola. Sadly, the guy is a liar! It's worldly abusive believers like him, if he is saved at all, why people have stopped going to church. There's a likely chance that his church is wrong on the Gospel. Professed Christians are often worse than the heathen world. The old adage is still very true that: A man is only as good as his word.

If you tell somebody that you are going to do something, you're integrity is at stake. Matthew 5:34, “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” When people would intentionally lie in Bible times, they knew it was wrong to swear by God's name, so to lessen the severity of their broken oath (at least in their own warped mind) they would swear by the earth instead. But the Scripture warns that a promise is a promise, regardless who or what you swear by, so it's best to just not make them.

During World War II, every teenage male in the United States was itching to join the cause for going to war to fight the evils of communism. But many of them were unqualified because they were under the age of 18. So, what they would do is write the number “18” on the bottom of their shoe, so they could honestly tell the recruitment officer, “I am over 18.” That is dishonest. When the truth must be hidden, something is very wrong. That is deception.

I rarely make promises to anyone, especially to God. A broken promise is a serious infraction. Jesus warned in Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Words are a powerful thing, for which words God (who is the keeper of our soul according to Proverbs 24:12) will hold us all accountable.

When Katie Stubblefield was a beautiful teenage girl in high school, it was another mean girl's hurtful words at school that caused Katie to go home and attempt suicide with her brother's shotgun. Instead, Katie blew her face office and is now maimed for the rest of her miserable life. The other girl (a spoiled brat) who caused Katie's dilemma went on to live a normal life. Teenagers are in no man's land so-to-speak. They are old enough to interact with the world around them, inflict great damage; but yet are not mature enough in their mental capacity to process their feelings, painful emotions, hormones and disappointments. The teenage years are a dangerous time for young people, and their parents need to be involved with their lives.

My heart goes out to Katie. Her father said she is a determined girl, passionate and hard working. It was those qualities which compelled Katie to attempt to take her own life. I can relate to her because I am the same way, hence my website ministry and my passionate writings. I get my feelings hurt all the time, because I am a sensitive man and many people are insensitive, unkind and mean.

One of the reasons why I don't like talking to people over the phone, or in live conversations, is because I am vulnerable. I just don't think fast enough. I need time to process everything. Due to that delay, and my sweet nature to avoid being unkind or offensive in any way, I keep it all in and stay quiet, usually later regretting the conversation. I am unable to speak up since my brain needs time to process what has been said. And if I do speak up without having had time to think about the matter, I usually regret that too. That is why I love my website ministry, because I have plenty of time to reflect upon my thoughts before publishing them.

As a rule, when I talk to people in live conversations I don't commit myself. I simply don't make promises. All my life I have prefaced my words with the phrase, “No promises!” And after I say that I usually keep my agreement that very same day. There is nothing more important for a man than that he honor his commitments, and fulfill that which he has committed to do. 2nd Peter 3:9, “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.”

That is why we read in Psalms 138:2, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” God honors His Words. The psalmist declares that God has magnified (elevated) His inspired Words above His own name. The reason why is obvious because God's character is only as trustworthy, sound and reliable as His Words. That's why I make such a big fuss over the hundreds of corrupted perversions of the Holy Bible in the English language today, which obscure God's simple plan of salvation and confuse everyone. God only wrote one Book!

Our word means something, let's be careful about making idle promises. There's nothing wrong with telling someone that you'll do your best, but you're not making any promises.

Pastor Jack Hyles Was Impatient Toward People At Times

Several weeks ago I was listening to a life changing 1982 sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “Imperfect People In Heaven,” in which sermon he teaches that we should continue the work of the saints now in Heaven.

Now, I truly love brother Hyles, but he annoys me at times. At 17:48 time in the sermon he yells at a fella for leaving the pew while he's preaching. The man probably needed to use the restroom. You can't mistreat people like that. Dr. Hyles had a bad habit of doing this to people. A few moments later in the sermon he scolds someone else for falling asleep, accusing him of not loving the truth.

Dear reader, I am different than most preachers. Just because I love Brother Hyles doesn't mean I'll look the other way and remain quiet when I think he is wrong. I speak up! Most people are partial toward their friends, family and supporters, but if the shoe fits wear it!

I used to work a full time job afternoons as a truck mechanic to support a wife and kids. I went to Bible college during the daytime. I went soulwinning and on church visitation for most of the day every Saturday. And I voluntarily drove a church bus for the Lord 200 miles every Sunday. I fell asleep in church on Sunday evenings on a regular basis right in front of Pastor Hyles.

One night in church I went down so hard that I banged my forehead on the wooden back of the pew in front of me, and everybody heard it, and all the hundred and some odd choir members saw it. I was so drained and tired. I eventually decided every week to sit in the overflow room, separate from the main auditorium, with the mothers holding their crying babies and late-comers rather than distract Dr. Hyles because I couldn't stay awake. But, I LOVED THE TRUTH! It would be very cruel for anyone to say to me, “You'd stay awake if you really loved the truth!” No Sir, that is simply not true.

I fell asleep while driving one night on the Dan Ryan Expressway, on the way home from work in Chicago. My vehicle crashed into the concrete wall. A semi-truck driver stopped and asked if I was okay, and by God's grace I was. Was it because I didn't love life that I fell asleep? Of course not, I was just plain ole tired. By the time I graduated from Hyles-Anderson College in 1993, I was absolutely burned out from burning the candle at both ends for the previous 8 years to earn my degree in Pastoral Theology, signed by Pastor Jack Hyles.

That being said, I have a tremendous amount of love, admiration and respect for Brother Hyles. He wasn't a perfect person, and neither are we. I can only hope and strive by God's grace to have as many good qualities as did Dr. Hyles. He was truly a beautiful man! Jack Hyles never had a godly father to raise him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but thankfully he did have a godly mother who taught him well. Praise God!

God used Pastor Hyles to help millions of people, both directly and indirectly. I didn't write this article to tear down Brother Hyles, God forbid; but rather, I wrote this article to teach my readers that it matters how we treat people. I heard Dr. Hyles admit that at times he mistreated others, and so have you and I. We are all guilty at times of dropping the ball of kindness. All God expects of any of us is that we do better today than we did yesterday.

Why Does The Devil Attack Us When We Are Tired?

Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

One of my ministry followers (for whom I am grateful) asked me a question today:

I always wondered why is it that when I am fatigued, tired, sleep-deprived, or whatnot, I tend to have much worse thinking and decision-making capabilities and tend to be much more prone to wrongful ways of thinking? 

As a saved man, I find it much easier to live for God and to study His word and think rightly when I am feeling well and am full of energy, and I tend to be much less prone to sinful thoughts or ideas, whereas when I am fatigued, I think thoughts that never even cross my mind when I am well-rested. 

Why is it that the devil tends to attack us when we are extremely fatigued/tired?

Here is my biblical answer:

Kindly, I think we give the Devil too much credit. The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9 that the human heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” When we are tired, depressed, afflicted by illness, stressed or overworked, we are more vulnerable to our own frailties, mood swings and weaknesses.

Romans 7:24-25, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

You and I will likely never meet the Devil. He can only be in one place at a time, unlike God who is omnipresent. Revelation 2:13a, “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is...” Although Jesus was speaking here to the church at Pergamos, I believe the Bible indicates that Satan to some degree influences religion. We know from Job 1:7b that Satan moves “to and fro in the earth.” My father would have called that, “bumming around.” 

Satan is aimless, a bum, who "walketh about" the Bible says in 1st Peter 5:8, seeking someone to devour (Greek: “to make disappear”). Satan wants to make God's children disappear from serving Christ; if he can discourage us to quit, or ruin our public testimony and consequently our effectiveness for Christ. Jesus said that “the thief” (clearly the Devil) comes ONLY to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). The Devil's only will for anyone's life is to prevent us from doing God's will.

As I mentioned, I think we give the Devil too much credit. Humans don't need a demon to inspire us to commit unimaginable evils. The human heart is toxic! 

But if the Devil or his demonic spirit minions were to attack us, they'd look for weakness to exploit, just like dirty thieves and other evil criminals of opportunity. 1st Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” The old adage is true: “An idle mind is the Devil's workshop.” Satan and his minions look for weakness to exploit. They look for a way to sneak false doctrine into a local church. Nothing spiritually hampers a church or Bible college as much as having a carnal uncaring leader who drops the ball. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Satan is our enemy. The world is our enemy. The flesh is our enemy. Of those three, the flesh is the worst, since it is our most formidable enemy that is with us 365 days a year. We are our own worst enemy, not the Devil.

Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

Romans 7:25, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” 

Speaking of the Devil we read in 1st Peter 5:9-10, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.​" We are already on the winning side through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Although it is possible, it is very unlikely if we will ever encounter Satan in our life. There's a much greater likelihood that we will encounter an evil person influenced or possessed by a demon. But guaranteed, we all have to contend with the selfish human flesh which is corrupt, and the toxic tongue that cannot be tamed because it reveals the desperately wicked heart (Matthew 15:19). Luke 6:45b, “...for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

I've said all that to say this—I do not believe it is the Devil attacking us when we are fatigued, tired, sleep-deprived, whatnot. It is our own flesh (which is what the word “carnal” means). The wicked human heart is fully capable of ruining one's day without the need for a demon to help out. This biblical truth applies to both saved and unsaved people, but the child of God has the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us.

The inspired Holy Bible teaches in Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”

Satan works in the soul of unbelievers. The Devil is their spiritual father (John 8:44). We clearly see the Satanic influence at work in his children. Never before have we seen the obvious war between good and evil as we do today in the United States. We truly are one nation, divided!

All of my life I have heard Christians attribute the troubles, losses, headaches and obstacles in their life to the Devil persecuting them. But it was God, not the Devil, who allowed Job to be horrified, traumatized and broken into the dust. It was God who intentionally led the Jews from bondage in Egypt into a different form of bondage in the Wilderness for 40 years. What saith the Scripture?

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

So, be careful about giving the Devil credit for what God may be doing in your life to test you, or giving Satan credit for the normal struggles of the flesh. I humbly think too many Christians are superstitious.

We are our own worst enemy, not the Devil