Jesus’ Healing and Forgiveness of Sins: Exploring Divine Authority

Posted on 2026/10/19 by JimR, Chaplain

I asked my AI what did it mean for Jesus to heal someone in relation to forgiving sins.This was the answer.

Jesus connects healing to forgiving sins to demonstrate His authority as the Son of Man. By healing the paralytic, He showed that if He could heal physical ailments, He also had the authority to forgive sins, a divine prerogative.

Connection Between Healing and Forgiveness

Jesus links healing to the forgiveness of sins to illustrate His divine authority. By healing the paralytic, He showed that if He could address physical ailments, He also had the authority to forgive sins, a prerogative of God alone. This connection emphasizes that both acts stem from the same divine source.

What is meant by “divine prerogative”?

Jesus wielded divine prerogatives, stemming from His supernatural origin as the Son of God. A divine prerogative is a unique power or authority that belongs only to God, such as the ability to bring life or death through spoken word. Divine prerogatives are rights and powers belonging to God, which Christ asserts as part of His unique relationship as the Son. By claiming to work the miracle by His own will, Jesus is either guilty of blasphemy or rightly claiming a divine prerogative. This describes Jesus’s exclusive ability to perform miraculous acts, like healing through His word, demonstrating His unique divine authority – Attributed to: Wisdom Library. https://www.wisdomlib.org/christianity/concept/divine-prerogative

The Significance of the Miracle

When Jesus declared the paralytic’s sins forgiven before healing him, it served multiple purposes:

  • Validation of Authority: Healing the man physically confirmed His earlier declaration of forgiveness, showcasing His power and authority as the Son of Man.
  • Addressing Spiritual Needs: Jesus prioritized the man’s spiritual restoration over physical healing, indicating that spiritual health is paramount.

Theological Implications

The relationship between sin and sickness is deeply rooted in biblical theology. Key points include:

  • Holistic Restoration: Jesus’ actions reflect a broader theme of shalom, which encompasses spiritual, physical, and relational wholeness.
  • Public Verification: The visible act of healing provided tangible proof of the invisible reality of forgiveness, reinforcing His messianic identity.

Sins are intangible; paralysis is not. By accomplishing the harder outward task, Jesus empirically substantiates the unseen one. Ancient rabbis (m. Sanhedrin 3:5) considered verifiable signs decisive in judging a prophet. The immediate audience “glorified God” (v. 12), acknowledging both acts as of one source.

Theology Of Shalom—Wholeness

Biblical shalom embraces spiritual, physical, relational, and cosmic harmony. Isaiah foresaw a Servant who would usher in such wholeness (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus’ dual pronouncement inaugurates that eschatological peace: reconciliation with God and restoration of creation converge in His person.

Conclusion

Through His miracles, Jesus not only healed physical ailments but also addressed the deeper issue of sin. This duality highlights His unique role in offering both forgiveness and healing, affirming His divine authority and mission.

This example is found in:

Mark 2:9 – “Which is easier: to say to a paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?”

It’s a question I had, because I equate some healings to divine authority in the surrendered life of a follower of Christ to the ability to forgive sins as well.

Healing and Authority

Jesus sent his disciples with the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. This mission was not just about physical healing; it was also a demonstration of Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. The healings performed by the disciples served as signs that the kingdom of God was near.

Connection Between Healing and Forgiveness

Healing was closely linked to the message of spiritual salvation. By healing the sick, the disciples showed God’s compassion and power, reinforcing the idea that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins. This connection highlights the holistic nature of Jesus’ ministry, addressing both physical and spiritual needs.

Key Instructions Given to the Disciples

  • Heal the Sick: Disciples were commanded to heal various diseases.
  • Cast Out Demons: They were also given authority over unclean spirits.
  • Proclaim the Kingdom: Their mission included preaching the good news of God’s kingdom.

This approach emphasized that Jesus’ ministry was inclusive, reaching out to those marginalized by society, and demonstrating God’s love and power in tangible ways.

Matt. 10:1 – And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Were the disciples given authority to forgive sins as well?

Authority Given to the Disciples

Jesus’ Commissioning

Yes, Jesus did give His disciples the authority to declare sins forgiven. This is evident in John 20:22-23, where Jesus breathes on them and says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” This moment signifies a commissioning of the disciples for their future ministry.

Nature of the Authority

  • Under God’s Authority: The authority given to the disciples operates under God’s ultimate forgiveness. They do not possess the power to forgive sins independently; only God can truly forgive sins.
  • Declaration of Forgiveness: The disciples are empowered to announce God’s forgiveness based on their evaluation of a person’s repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Their role is to declare that sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name, not to forgive sins in the same way God does.

Simply said. Under God’s authority, we as ordained ministers of His calling we can forgive. But certainly not outside of that authority.

Posted in Biblical teaching, Christian Mission, Common Sense, God's Guidance, Maturity, Ponderings, Possibilities, Prayer, repentance, Respect for Life, Salvation, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Gits, Spiritual Growth | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From Parroting Scripture to Proven Truth: A Lifelong Call

Posted on 2026/10/18 by JimR, Chaplain

When God called me to be an envoy of His Word at thirteen, I had no idea of the ramifications of that calling. God told me I would be an evangelist. I remember lying in my bed at night and preaching to the ceiling. I did it with fervor. I did it with what I could only describe as parroting. I knew absolutely nothing else. I had not yet given my soul to Jesus in a confession of surrender. That didn’t happen until I was sixteen. I fought that. I only have to say the reason is my fear of people’s watching eyes. I finally succumbed to the Holy Ghost’s persistence.

This beginning went into invisible mode till I was twenty-seven. Eleven years had passed, and God started working on me again. It wasn’t till I was fifty-six that I realized that what I suffered on the cusp of my reawakening was depression. I had found myself floundering and not knowing what my life was all about. It wasn’t that I was failing in life. I was actually doing quite well. I had a job that carried clout with creditors. I could walk into any place and purchase whatever I wanted. But my heart could not buy what I needed.

I came to God once again with one request. I wanted to be among people who were hungry for Him. He did that. I had grown up as a good Baptist, so I thought. God placed me in an Assemblies of God church. Then, through a series of convincing events, I was baptised in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It was safe to say I was no longer in Kansas. If you don’t understand that statement, it comes from The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy was taken up in a tornado to another place far from her mundane world, into an adventure of a lifetime. And that I was. My life was forever changed. I found myself not wanting to parrot Biblical teachings that I had known for a lifetime. This event happened in my life on March 13th 1977.

My whole world had changed. I found a verse that stuck with me.

II Tim 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

With this new world around me and in me, I had stepped into another realm of life. My pastor at the time became my good friend, along with one other ranking member of the church. I practised speaking in tongues and interpretation. God had shown me this was real. I’d heard a woman give a message in tongues in a service, and without hesitation I heard the interpretation, not knowing what I was hearing; the second that was what was happening. Then, I heard a man in the choir begin to interpret word for word what I was hearing. I found myself laying my hands on people and, without pushing or any other provocation, watched people faint just from that touch. I later learned the Pentecostal term for that was “being slain in the Spirit”.

Then one day my bubble burst. The old line members did not like what my pastor was doing. I could not understand why. He had taken a church of barely thirty-five people to over two hundred in about a year. We were even breaking the race barrier. We became involved with a “black” church that was setting up a church in the heart of a drug-infested area of the city. Then the church split over differences of opinion. The old-line members fought and won. My pastor left. However, all left except for the original thirty-five. All was lost.

During this time, God introduced me to a rising church about an hour away via an FM radio program called “The Word of the Lord In The Light of Present Truth”. Pastor Kelley H. Varner had not long been called to a little town just north of Wilmington. The Word he was teaching when I heard him addressed the reality of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I was instantly drawn to knowing what had happened to my wife and me. At the time, my wife was raised in Pentecostalism. She thought she knew more than I did, but I didn’t stop at the open door; this event was there for me. This did not come without caveats. Pastor Varner began teaching about the false doctrine called the Rapture. Having been a follower of Hal Lindsey and John Wolvoord, I thought the any-minute event would initiate hell on earth for seven years after taking all Christians away from terra firma. This upset me to the point of anger. That anger made me dig in my heels. I vowed to prove Pastor Varner wrong. So I cut out his opinion, along with Lindsey and Wolvoord. I was going to find out for myself.

I had bought neutral study books. I didn’t want any of Schofield’s interpretation. I wanted the Bible’s words. I wanted the original language. Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic became my sources as I searched. After five or six months, I walked away with a surrender flag flying. I could not prove Pastor Varner wrong. So I dug into his teaching on it, and it bore truth I could not deny. In time, God showed me to study the culture of the day. This step deepened my understanding.

My thrust here is to say one thing. I’ve learned over my lifetime that every word that comes from my mouth in conversation, counselling, and ministry should be weighed accurately and as correctly as possible. Never, ever lie about something to cover a lack of knowledge. If I don’t know or I am not sure, I dig for an answer as close to the truth as possible. I never want to lead someone astray. As a minister of the Gospel, I’m accountable to everyone I speak to, and that accountability will affect their lives.

On another note, I will never offer what I consider truth to someone I discern to not know or is not open to a difference in their thinking. I know it will happen in some instances because I feel it is necessary, and I feel the Spirit clears me to say so. Otherwise, I remain silent. What I used to consider the fear of man in saying something is no longer an issue. It’s more of a judgment call to not present a stumbling block.

To summarise, I recommend that you keep your fervour for God’s Word. But to balance that fervour, do your homework. Study to show yourself approved. Find your bottom line not only from your study, but also from the voices of seasoned ministers who carry the same knowledge and weight in the Word. Cover yourself with the reasoning of these men and women. Don’t go out on a limb without it.

When I realized the weight of the words coming out of my mouth would judge me, I began taking responsibility for my research and prayer time to deliver the Word to the best of my knowledge.

Do the same for yourself.

Posted in Absolute(s), Abundant life, Biblical teaching, Common Sense, Failure Not An Option, Follow God, God's Calling, God's direction, God's Guidance, Hearing God, Maturity, Mental Health, More of God, Old Age, Patience, Ponderings, Possibilities, Prayer, Priorities, Respect for Life, Salvation, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Investments | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stop Calling It Spiritual Warfare: Live From Christ’s Victory

Posted on 2026/10/15 by JimR, Chaplain

This will take you to a whole new realm in God. Years ago, I decided not to give the evil one a place at my table. My life changed. I rarely feel the need for spiritual warfare. The less room you give the evil one, the less you have to deal with him. Put your face to God and seek Him in all things. When Jesus said “It is finished”, He meant just that.

“SPIRITUAL WARFARE” – MAYBE?

Written by Carrie Hathaway. You can find her on Facebook.

I have spent most of my life listening to Christians talk about “spiritual warfare.” And if you’ve spent much time in Christian circles, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Having problems in your marriage? “Spiritual warfare.” Kids acting like they’ve lost their ever-loving minds? “Spiritual warfare.” Bad diagnosis from the doctor? “Spiritual warfare.” Feeling depressed? “Spiritual warfare.” Can’t find a parking spot at Walmart? Well, clearly the devil is trying to keep you from getting your groceries.

I’m exaggerating a little, but not nearly as much as I wish I were.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve managed to turn almost every difficult, painful, inconvenient, or uncomfortable experience into a battle with the enemy. And in some Christian circles, it almost becomes a badge of honor. The more “spiritual warfare” you’re experiencing, the more important your assignment must be. After all, the enemy wouldn’t be attacking you so hard if you weren’t such a threat to his kingdom, right?

I used to believe every bit of that.

About four years ago, I had a conversation with a woman that completely changed my life. I didn’t know it at the time, but that conversation would begin unraveling an entire way of thinking about God, the enemy, and what Jesus actually accomplished on the cross.

I was exhausted. I was ministering in prisons, working with single moms, walking alongside women coming out of addiction and some incredibly dark places. And I was convinced I was experiencing severe “spiritual warfare” because I was pushing back the kingdom of darkness.

I sat down with this woman and began telling her how badly I was being attacked by the enemy. She listened kindly and asked me to explain what was happening and why I believed it was “spiritual warfare.”

So I told her. ALL of it. How hard ministry was, how much opposition I was facing, how exhausted I was, and how the enemy was obviously coming after me because of the work I was doing for God.

She looked at me and said, “Wow. You sound very important.”

Now, I probably should have recognized that she was setting me up right then and there. But apparently my arrogance and my exhaustion had joined forces and neither one was particularly interested in discernment that day.

😂

Then she asked me a question.

“Do you believe in the finished work of the cross? Do you believe Jesus meant it when He said, ‘It is finished’? Do you believe He has overcome?”

Well, OF COURSE I did. I gave her my very best Christian answer.

Then she asked, “Do you believe God is bigger than the enemy?”
Again, OF COURSE.

And then she said something that absolutely rocked my world.

“Then why do you keep getting down in the dirt and rolling around with the enemy?”

I cannot adequately explain what happened in that moment.

I’ve only had a handful of experiences in my life where I believe I’ve heard something audibly in the spiritual realm. And in that moment, I heard what sounded like a loud POP. Almost like someone had burst a balloon right next to my ear.

And suddenly, I saw it.

For the first time in my life, I could see the contradiction I had been living in.

I said I believed Jesus had conquered the enemy, but I was living as though the outcome of the battle was still undecided. I said I believed in the finished work of the cross, but I spent an enormous amount of time and energy fighting as though Jesus hadn’t finished anything.

I looked at her, absolutely stunned, and asked, “Wait. You mean I can opt out? Like, I can literally just choose not to participate?”

She started laughing.

“Jesus said He conquered all things. If you believe that, then act like it.”

Something shifted so deeply inside me that day that I have never been the same.

Now, here’s the part of the story I hadn’t even told her.

During that season, I was experiencing things that absolutely terrified me. Horrible dreams. Nights when I couldn’t sleep because I would see things crawling up the walls and across the ceiling of my bedroom. I was so afraid that there was a period when I stayed awake for three days, waiting for my husband to wake up in the mornings because I was terrified of being alone with what I was experiencing.

I was exhausted, frightened, and convinced I was under tremendous demonic oppression.

But the moment that woman spoke those words and my heart received what the Holy Spirit was showing me, everything changed.

The nightmares stopped. The terrifying experiences at night stopped. The thoughts that had tormented me stopped.

It was as though someone had flipped a light switch on inside my heart.
And the darkness that had seemed so powerful suddenly wasn’t.

Now, please don’t hear what I’m not saying.

I absolutely believe evil is real. I believe there are demonic forces. Scripture certainly doesn’t pretend otherwise. And I am not suggesting that every difficult circumstance disappears when we understand the truth, or that people who continue to struggle simply don’t have enough faith.

But I am suggesting that we Christians might need to SERIOUSLY reconsider how much attention, authority, and power we have been giving to an enemy that Jesus has already defeated.

Colossians 2:15 says that Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through the cross.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Notice He didn’t promise us a life without trouble. He promised us His victory and His presence in the middle of it.

We’ve become so consumed with identifying what the enemy is doing that we’ve forgotten to look for what our Father is doing. We’ve spent so much time rebuking darkness that we’ve forgotten we belong to the Light.

We talk about the devil as though he’s hiding behind every disappointment, every illness, every difficult relationship, and every closed door. And before long, we begin interpreting our entire lives through the activity of an enemy rather than the presence of a victorious Savior.

Think about that.

Whose power are we magnifying?
Whose presence are we looking for?
Whose victory are we actually living from?

I can tell you that since that conversation four years ago, I rarely even use the term “spiritual warfare” anymore.

And it certainly isn’t because my life has become easy. I’ve walked through some incredibly painful and difficult places over the last few years. There have been seasons of heartbreak, disappointment, exhaustion, and circumstances I wouldn’t wish on anybody.

But something is fundamentally different now.

When I find myself in a hard place, I don’t immediately start looking for a demon to blame or a battle to fight. I don’t roll out my warfare prayers and bind and cast out things. I sit with the Lord and ask, “Father, where are You in this? What do You want me to see? What is true about You, about me, and about this situation that I can’t see?”

Because He promised He would never leave me or forsake me.

And David wrote something in Psalm 139 that absolutely takes my breath away.
“If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!”

Do you understand what he’s saying?

Even in the deepest, darkest, most hellish place imaginable, God is still there. He’s never NOT THERE!

He’s not standing outside the darkness waiting for you to fight your way out so He can finally come close. He’s not intimidated by your circumstances. He’s not frightened by demons. He’s not wringing His hands wondering how this particular battle is going to turn out.

He’s there. Right there. With you.

And the more I have come to understand the finished work of Jesus, the less interested I have become in getting down in the dirt and wrestling with an enemy He has already defeated.

There is a tremendous difference between acknowledging that evil exists and organizing your entire spiritual life around fighting it.

One keeps your eyes open to reality. The other can keep your eyes so fixed on the darkness that you lose sight of the One who has overcome it.

I spent years believing I was supposed to fight for victory. Now I’m living from the victory of Jesus.

And let me tell you, the freedom on this side of that revelation is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

So maybe the next time life gets hard, before you announce that you’re under “spiritual warfare,” ask yourself a different question.

What if this isn’t an invitation to fight the devil?

What if it’s an invitation to become more deeply aware of the God who has never left you?

Because Jesus didn’t say, “It is finished… unless the enemy comes after you again.”

He said, “It is finished.”

And I think it’s time we started living like we believe Him. I feel like some of us needed to hear that today!!!

Posted in Abundant life, Biblical teaching, Christian, Failure Not An Option, Follow God, Hearing God, Maturity, Ponderings, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do Not Cast Away Your Confidence: Living by Faith Daily

Posted on 2026/10/12 by JimR, Chaplain

Hebrew 10-:35-39 – Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

I have found that I have gained much in understanding God in the last couple of years. Sadly, I admit I prayed for years more like when I felt like it. It wasn’t the daily morning time set aside to speak to God and to listen for His voice. I only started doing the latter this year. In the daily set-aside moments, I’ve found an explosion of growth in relationship.

I feel sometimes like I’m driving down a road. Sometimes I drift to the left or right. I have to correct back to the center of the road. Most times, I don’t realize I’m drifting until a little nudge tells me I am. The road is straight and narrow. It’s not like a tightrope. Picture a road only wide enough for one vehicle. We all have to travel our road for our own growth in God.

Phil 2:12 – Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

The word fear has a dire meaning, but it also has a very eye-opening meaning. That meaning is reverence for one’s husband.

To understand this, I have to use the metaphor of the bride of Christ. The bride of Christ is a significant metaphor in Christian theology that represents the church. In this imagery, Jesus is depicted as the bridegroom, emphasizing a deep, covenantal relationship between Christ and His followers. This concept is rooted in various New Testament scriptures, particularly in Ephesians 5:22–33, where the relationship between husband and wife is likened to that of Christ and the church.

In this example, Jesus is our husband. That is another study. As the church, we revere our husband. He has given His life for us. He has protected us from being lost. In answering His invitation to be saved, we have surrendered to His will above and beyond our own. Why would anyone want to live their own lives their way and lose it in the end? I reverence Jesus. I fear Him.

In all of this, I find it behooves me to follow Him, allow Him to lead me down this narrow road, and correct me when I drift to one side or the other. I must maintain my confidence. Knowing that confidence grows my endurance to follow. I don’t care how weary I get; I hope to keep my oath to God to follow Him. I ask Him that if I fall, He make Himself known to me and hold me till I cross the finish line.

The following is an excerpt from bibleref.com:

2 Tim 4:7 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

As Paul looked toward his coming death, he also looked back and gave three positive statements about his ministry. First, he declared confidence in his own efforts for the sake of Christ. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul had commanded Timothy to likewise, “fight the good fight of the faith.”

Second, Paul said he had completed the mission God gave him. Elsewhere, Paul spoke of the Christian faith as a race, saying, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24). In Hebrews 12:1, the author also noted, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Third, Paul writes that he has specifically held to the truth. Paul did not hold an ambiguous faith in God, but “the” faith: a specific belief in Jesus as the resurrected Messiah. The New Testament often calls belief in Jesus “the faith” (Acts 6:7; 13:8; 14:22; 16:5). Paul commanded the Corinthian Christians to “stand firm in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13), something he practiced in his own life. “The faith” has also been referred to several times in this letter (2 Timothy 1:13; 3:8).

My words to you are to do as Paul directed Timothy to fight the good fight. Or, in my analogy, drive in the center of the road. If you feel yourself drifting, correct your position on the road to eternal life.

Posted in Abundant life, Biblical teaching, Common Sense, God's Guidance, Maturity, Ponderings, repentance, Respect for Life, Righteous alarm, Sobering Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Principalities and Powers: Spiritual Warfare Behind U.S. Politics

Posted on 2026/10/06 by JimR, Chaplain

The Bible uses the terms “principalities” and “powers” to describe spiritual beings or authorities that exist in the unseen realm. These entities can be both angelic and demonic, and they play significant roles in influencing the world and engaging in spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:12 – “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers…”

Colossians 2:15 –  “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The verses above, in descending order, show us three things.

  1.  In Ephesians we are shown the struggle against spiritual forces in the unseen realm.
  2. Colossians shows us Christ’s victory over these entities.
  3. And Romans shows us, as believers, that no spiritual authority can separate us from God’s love.

Principalities and powers are in a continuous battle against God’s purposes. They are depicted as opposing forces that seek to negatively influence humanity.  We can see this clearly in our society today.

What are Principalities and Powers?

  1. Principalities: Derived from the Greek word “archai,” indicating a sense of rule or authority.
  2. Powers: Come from “exousiai,” which refers to delegated rights or authority.

Understanding principalities and powers is crucial for recognizing the spiritual dynamics at play in the world. These entities are part of a larger cosmic conflict, but believers can find assurance in the ultimate victory secured through Christ.

What are their characteristics in spiritual warfare?  Principalities and powers are often viewed as spiritual forces or entities that influence and govern various aspects of life in both the physical and spiritual realms. They can represent organized structures of evil, but believers are assured that through Christ’s victory, they have authority over these powers.

How do principalities and powers influence human behavior according to biblical texts?  The Bible describes principalities and powers as spiritual beings that influence human behavior by promoting deception, temptation, and rebellion against God. They operate within a structured hierarchy, affecting cultures, systems, and even individual actions, often working to undermine God’s purposes on earth.

What are the historical interpretations of principalities and powers in different religious traditions?

Principalities and powers are often interpreted as both spiritual and earthly authorities in various religious traditions. In Christianity, particularly in Paul’s writings, they are seen as forces that can be both benevolent and malevolent, influencing human affairs and opposing God’s purposes.

I watch people.  Observation will tell you what is going on.  Factual observations say a lot.  Some know me as someone with little to no sense of what’s going on.  What people do is so obvious it cannot be mistaken for something other than what it is.

Now.  Let me make some observations.  The United States is the last bastion of freedom in this world, with a large influence.  Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and Chairman of the Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964.  His words spoken against the United States are recorded.  He said, “We will take America without firing a shot… We will destroy you from within,” emphasizing subversion rather than direct conflict.”

His regime started the process.  He knew he would not see it through, but he firmly set it in motion.  The communist party began its work then and has now begun to show its head above the darkness it worked under for so many years.  It has worked its way into the Democratic Party, which in some circles has taken on the name of the Socialist Democratic Party.  That is blatantly saying it is communist.  They have set traps for anyone who speaks against it, using falsehoods and outright lies.  They concoct stories that are meant to destroy people.  The problem is that I see honest, well-meaning people falling for the deceptions they spread.  They have done so in a manner that has created chaos.  They’ve thrown in so many lies.

They have created racism and bias against minorities, which had been making progress for a few decades.  I’ll call out humans who have been influenced and have gained enough power to deceive people in large numbers.  Barack Obama, who is a Muslim, came to power by unseen forces at their bidding.  He has given his soul to that end.  That end is the defeat of the United States.  When his reign ended, he and his ilk saw to it that a mentally unfit man made it into the office of President.  Biden came to office.  He became Obama’s puppet.  Many times, cameras have caught Biden losing his way in a conversation, speaking nonsensical thoughts into the air.  He’s been caught on camera falling down a flight of stairs and on bicycles, trying to put on a good face, even as his ineptitude is always evident.  His body is there, but his mind has been gone a long time ago.  The result of trying to stand him up long enough to win a second term was that he so poorly represented their cause.  He was ousted for another inept individual whose word salad could not come close to the foundational truths needed to keep a country standing against anything.  

These people left the borders of our sovereign country wide open during Biden’s term.  Millions of people brought themselves into this country.  Many of them are criminals who were released in other countries.  Many of them came unvaccinated.  They came from multiple countries that shipped them to our southern border.  They traveled hundreds of miles and didn’t look haggard at all when they arrived.  Who fed and cared for them to get them to our border?  In all that, cartels in Mexico jumped in and did what cartels do.  They sent drugs and more criminals across our border.  Then that administration gave them our hard-earned money to keep them fed, healthy, and housed.  Not only that, when you look at some of these imported illegal aliens who got here, they were systematically dispersed to areas so as to create voting blocks.  How do you think these people got into office?

I’ve said enough for now.  But I will reiterate that the forces these people exert came from unseen powers in the heavenlies.  They’ve created chaos.  They are bent on destroying the last nation that has espoused freedom.  The United States is allowing it through former leaders.  Schumer is a sellout too.  Many other American politicians have sold their souls to the evil one.

Americans need to take this to heart.  Our country is dissolving before our very eyes because the spiritual principalities and powers of the air are bent on destroying God’s people.  We are the last holdout.  Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Evangelists, and Teachers need to take note, set their sights on spiritual warfare, and stop trying to fix what is broken with tactics formed in their human minds.  Prayer is the starting point.  If you can’t see what I’m saying, you need to reprioritize your thinking.  Aim high.  Surrender yourself to God.  Pray for victory through God’s hand.  Not by your good ideas.        

Posted in Christian, Common Sense, Failure Not An Option, Hearing God, history, Maturity, Mental Health, Patriotic, Patriotism, Righteous alarm, Sobering Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Bite That Broke Eternity: Seeing Eden With Spiritual Eyes

Posted on 2026/10/06 by JimR, Chaplain

Today is a short post.

Metaphorically, an apple with a bite missing led to Eve. Although I firmly believe it wasn’t an apple, but something far more damning. I believe it was partaking of knowledge forbidden to Adam and Eve. Why? Because it took away their immortality, in exchange for death, and all that is inherent to it.

People like to think in physical terms, but this tree in the garden may have had fruit; the depth of eating from it went far deeper than a physical fruit.

A friend posted the picture you see here. He said, “Tonight I will have a post that I consider pretty important. I hope many of you will read it and give it your sincere consideration. Nothing is wrong… just to be honest… something is changing.. I am changing… and that change… it all started with an apple. I hope many of you will read it and share your feedback this evening. Have a great morning and an even better day.”

I know what his thoughts are, and they likely have nothing to do with where my mind went. The Bible likes to put things in a frame that humans can connect with. Then comes spiritual growth, and the deeper meaning starts to surface.

My reason for the post is this. Those who have read this for most of their lives, thinking of an apple, need to start digging deeper. It’s time to start looking at things with our spiritual eyes and seek understanding of what’s really happening around us. All that is physical is the end result of spiritual motivations.

Eph 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

What’s really going on is in the invisible realm. These principalities and powers of the unseen realm are deceiving and puppeteering humankind.

That bite from a tree in the garden was the starting point of the chaos that is around us today.

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Trusting God as King: Restoring Family, Faith and True Freedom

Posted on 2026/09/27 by JimR, Chaplain

Do you remember what it was like as a child? No want, no bills, no worry, no concern about what may come your way. Your parents covered you. Your home was the kingdom. Your parents ruled. They made sure you never lacked. The Kingdom of God is the same way. Nothing could or can harm you.

Psalm 18:2-3 – The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

The United States of America emerged from the will of the people. It became the great American experiment. I think it meant well. In the early days of our Union, I believe the American public had a core value of keeping our nation solid and patriotic. In those days, solidarity was our nation’s saving grace.

However, I believe this core value began to erode. It had a dark underbelly that caused a failure to uphold this value. We allowed too much freedom to corrupt good moral sensibilities. The core value starts with the family. Families began to erode. Failure to teach children the basic values of life left them without boundaries. Losing a sense of right living led them down a slippery slope. The foundational belief in God was systematically dismantled in the name of freedom. Children began the journey from earning rights, which has now given way to a feeling of entitlement.

No one deserves something for nothing. Nothing has value if you didn’t work for it. This is destroying America. And I feel it will. There are no honest leaders. How did they get there? Because the family has broken down. Voting for individuals who cannot sustain our nation has brought us to this day.

Israel clamored for a king. Israel requested one as seen in 1 Samuel 8, the people wanted to be “like all the other nations,” with a king to lead them and fight their battles. God viewed this as a rejection of His kingship, but permitted their request.

So the biblical picture is that kingship was both a concession to Israel’s desire and an instrument God incorporated into his larger plan. The institution itself was permitted, but Israel’s demand for a king “like the nations” revealed a lack of trust in God.

This is evident in how children today respond to parental guidance. Here, we see a lost value: unlike God, parents do not command that families adhere to values. God was willing and able to lead, but decided to allow this to happen to teach a lesson, not to acquiesce in a relinquishment of duty.

Sadly, a lesson to learn is in motion. What is that lesson? To learn that God is the King. The one and only King. A King leads. He has sole authority. God has our best in mind. We fight it daily. Why? Because we think like Burger King. We want it our way. That’s an old selling line from a Burger King commercial from years ago. And that’s my point. We can’t have it our way. We are too flawed and immature. That’s why we are called “the children of God” as Christians.

As Christians, we seem to think we know better than God and want the ruling hand. We can’t do that. Look where we are. The world is in chaos. It’s evil against evil and even immature Christians against immature Christians. I have said, and always will say, that evil eats its own. If you see Christians doing that, I proclaim the same for them due to their inability to properly view God and His Kingship. This Kingship, viewed as a family, clears our view. The king, the father, is the King, our Father God. The church is the mother, the bride of Christ. The children have no say. These are the subjects of the kingdom. This may sound constrained, but I go back to the beginning of this post.

Did you trust your parents to take care of you? Again, I ask. Did you worry about bills, food on the table, a roof over your head? Did you worry about any lack in your life as a child? Sadly, that lack can be seen today. Families have been destroyed. But for those with values and those who teach those values to their children, there is no lack.

Trust God. He is your Father. He will lead. But only if you surrender and let Him control and direct your life. He has always provided for me. In my immaturity, He has never failed me because, at some point, I found I had no choice but to surrender. I have examples I could share of when I gave up and allowed Him to take over. He always had a way to do things that amazed me, and still does. My Father knows my heart. Do you know His? He wants to give you your best life yet.

Posted in Absolute(s), Abundant life, Biblical teaching, Children, Christian, Common Sense, Failure Not An Option, Family, Follow God, God's direction, God's Guidance, Growing up, Love, Maturity, Mental Health, Patience, Patriotic, Patriotism, Prayer, Priorities, repentance, Respect for Life, Righteous alarm, Salvation, Sobering Thoughts, Spiritual, Spiritual Growth | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Before You Judge: Walking in Noetic Discernment With God

Posted on 2026/09/21 by JimR, Chaplain

My inside screams at me lately. There are so many people out there who are proclaiming what is right and what is wrong. They are so busy telling anyone who will read or listen to them that the way others believe needs adjustment or these people are just plain wrong.

My suggestion is this:

Matthew 7:3-5 – And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

I have no time to point out others’ shortcomings when I am trying to get past my own. There is too much time to devote to developing a solid relationship with God. If I’m wrong about anything, I ask God to show me where I need to adjust. I know I’m not perfect (or I should say “fully mature”). I’m still growing in Him. For the most part, I consider my morning conversations with God to be aimed at that very endeavor.

I’ve developed enough maturity to be more careful about keeping my relationship with God secure. I keep my “knower” in check to not go beyond using it to condemn another member of the Body of Christ. My “knower” is what comes from my knowledge of the Word of God and ability to hear the Holy Spirit quickening me to be aware of truth or error.

A Greek word best describes what I’m saying. Noetic derives from the Greek adjective noētikos, meaning “intellectual,” from the verb noein (“to think”) and ultimately from the noun nous, meaning “mind.” Noetic is related to noesis, a rare noun that turns up in the field of philosophy and refers to the action of perceiving or thinking.

I consider this a step toward discernment. In general, discernment is accurately evaluating ourselves, people, and situations. We discern things correctly by clearly perceiving what is true, right, and essential. “To examine, prove, or test; scrutinize.” I don’t consider it judgment. In discernment, we weigh the knowledge of a thing, but we do not condemn it. It is a device of our makeup to protect us or to allow us to open up to what we encounter.

With that said, I don’t want to bring about condemnation of another soul who likely has a calling in their life. I just need to know whether they are using that calling correctly.

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

If anyone has a problem with a called man or woman of God, it is best to go directly to them and speak with them. I’m pointing towards a protocol for handling an errant minister of God. If it isn’t done right, we find ourselves no better than the one we deem to call out.

The protocol for addressing an errant member of the ministry typically involves several steps, starting with private, one-on-one conversations to address the issue directly. If the member remains unrepentant, the process may escalate to involving other church leaders and could ultimately lead to formal church discipline, including removal from membership.

With that said, we have no right to get on a soapbox and shout out the perceived wrongdoings of another. You will put yourself in jeopardy of discipline in the spiritual realm. I’m not willing to go so far as to have this type of encounter. That discipline comes directly from God.

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Jesus, Isaiah 61, and Luke 4:18 — What He Read and What He Omitted

Posted on 2026/09/17 by JimR, Chaplain

Jesus proclaimed this and this only at the beginning of his ministry. Not the verses that followed.

Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

He was quoting from Isaiah. Why did He stop there? Read the rest of what He didn’t read.

Isaiah 61:2-3 – To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

I want to refresh my memory on why He didn’t finish it. What’s your take? Because the rest was yet to be fulfilled. Have I provoked you to find out why?

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How Satan Operates Within God’s Limits

Posted on 2026/09/16 by JimR, Chaplain

Remember this:

In the biblical book of Job, Satan does appear to require God’s permission before testing Job. God allows Satan to afflict Job, but sets limits on what he can do (Job 1–2).

Jesus says something similar in Luke 22:31: “Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat,” suggesting that Satan’s actions are subject to God’s authority. In mainstream Christian interpretation, this means Satan is powerful but not God’s equal or an independent rival; God remains sovereign, though the passages also raise difficult questions about why God permits suffering.

Luke 22:31 – And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

Satan can’t just walk in your door and take over. He has to ask permission. Same thing with Job. He went to God for permission. You’re not hanging out a sign on your door that says, “Hey, come on in,” are you? We have a guest room in our house, but I don’t let just anyone come in and unpack their stuff. Quit giving the evil one room in your house.

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