July 2025 Newsletter

Frank Paul
Jul 16
8 min read

Quotes of the month

Too hot to keep changing sign.

Sin bad. Jesus Good.

Details inside.

Sign in front of a church

Satan cannot make hell beautiful, so he makes beautiful road that lead us there.

Holy Ghost Led & Bible Bred website

Unconditional love does not mean unconditional acceptance of bad behavior.

Christian Life Ministry website

Spiritual warfare is real. Be mindful of where you go, the company you keep, and what you put into your mind.

Trust Gods Words website

In silence, God ceases to be an object and becomes an experience.

Thomas Merton

The Relevance of 3,000 Year Old Scripture

by Frank Paul

2 Chronicles 7:14 states: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Is it possible that this Scripture verse written between 743 to 461 B.C., still has relevance today? When we look at the entirety of 1 and 2 Chronicles written between 1279 to 461 B.C., and possibly compiled by Isaiah and Ezra between 743 to 461 B.C., we are reading words written some 3,000 years ago. A long time, yes; but in God’s time, no. His Word is His word, regardless of when it was written; and we are to still obey it no matter when or where we hear or learn of it.

Of course culture has changed; what would not change over the span of three millennia? Jesus has arrived by now and fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. God instructed us 3,000 years ago to follow His commands, then He sent His Son 2,000 years ago to remind us, because society at that time had clearly forgotten; and now in 2025 I dare say it might be time for another reminder.

God always gives His children an escape route from impending disaster if we will just follow His commandments. It is not within our prerogative to tweak His commandments simply because they no longer correspond to our feelings as to how we should be able to live in our present culture. We follow His commandments, we live by His direction, period.

For far too many decades in this country we have been bending His rule of law to placate, quite frankly, a minority of people.

Solomon expressed this sentiment in Psalm 119:152, “Long ago I learned from your decrees, that you have established them forever.” Forever means forever, up to and including 2025.

Ezekiel was also used as a conduit for God’s words when he wrote in 33:5, “Since he heard the sound of the trumpet, but ignored the warning, his death is his own fault.” His death is his own fault; that brings it home. Harsh, perhaps; but true. Our 80 years or so of living pales in comparison to eternity.

In the 1850s Charles Spurgeon was also urging us to obey God’s commands when he wrote, “The words God spoke thousands of years ago are true at this hour.”

Present-day pastor, James Merritt states, “Our soul is going to reside somewhere after our physical death. Your life will intersect with the Cross sooner or later, one way or the other – either on your way up, or on your way down.” Pastor Merritt’s words mirror 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body; whether good or evil.”

The words of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the words of Jesus paraphrased by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10 are strikingly similar in their instruction and command, as are the words of Charles Spurgeon in the 1800s and Pastor Merritt in 2025.

We are stubborn and resistant today: we want it our way; but this is not a new phenomenon. Even the 1^st century disciples started to wonder about Jesus’ teachings and Jesus had to reel them back in by stating, “Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” John 8:51.

We are offered help in navigating through life, by the creator of life itself: God; and then His Son, Jesus; with bonus help from the Holy Spirit. Do not be so proud as to not take what is freely offered. Has it worked out for us today where we have everyone just doing their own thing, believing in their version of what is right or wrong? Unequivocally I would state no, it has not.

3,000 year old Scripture, 2,000 year old Scripture, modern day pastors all echo the same underlying theme: follow God’s commandments and your life will work out for the best. Nowhere does it say in Scripture, nor have I ever read or heard anywhere, that this will be the most popular approach to life. Conversely, Scripture warns us that we will be scorned and persecuted; that is why many do not follow His Commandments, because it is easier not to and go along with the crowd. Charles Spurgeon had something to say about crowds: “You will never go to heaven in a crowd.” Pointed and direct, but well stated.

If your heart is inclined to listen to Jesus and have a relationship with Him and His Father, or you are at least trying to work on that relationship, then follow their instructions; see where it takes you. Life can be challenging and difficult at times. Don’t you think

Jesus knew it would be. Of course He did. That is why He told His followers in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You should read that again. We all have someone who loves us so much and will take our burden as His own to give us rest. What a friend, what a Savior. I am going to follow His ways and see where it leads me. My hope and prayer are that you will do the same. 3,000 year old Scripture still relevant today, those are truly God breathed words.

Scripture sources:

KJV – King James Version

CSB -Christian Standard Bible

NIV – New International Version

(Editor’s note: I was going to put my next article here, “Burn The Boat You Arrived On,” but I read Pastor Begg’s article this morning and it really hit home. It’s a practical walk-through of our daily lives: work, relationships, prayer, et cetera; highlighting that everything we do, no matter how mundane we might think or feel it is, is all somehow, some way, part of God’s plan and providence. Hope you enjoy it.)

Searching for Lost Donkeys

by Alistair Begg

Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”

1 Samuel 9:3

When Kish sent Saul to look for his lost donkeys, neither father nor son could have known where the search would lead. Behind the scenes as Saul undertook this apparently mundane chore, God was sending him to Samuel. Soon the future king of Israel would meet the prophet of God – all because of some wayward farm animals.

This is a striking illustration of the doctrine of providence. God Almighty acts in and through the apparently random, humdrum bits and pieces of life. It’s a great mystery how God accomplishes His plan for creation as we think and act freely – yet the Bible assures us

that our liberty does not interfere with His secret will. And although He is the first cause of all things, He routinely uses a variety of means in order to bring about His purpose from all of eternity. This understanding stands in stark contrast to the views of our modern culture, which often sees life as either coldly deterministic or randomly meaningless.

And so, as you drive to the same workplace each day, or perform the same tasks each day, surrounded by the same people each day, recognize this: in it all, God is working out His purposes in your life and guiding you along in your life. Further down the road, with a bit of perception, you will be able to look back and recognize that the situations which were apparently arbitrary or commonplace when they happened were, in fact, part of God’s loving direction of your way (Proverbs 16:9).

In your life, you will have your own version of the frustration of the lost donkeys, the uncertainty of the search, and the surprise of finding a prophet. In all those ups and downs, remember that you are not bobbing around on the sea of chance, nor are you held in the grip of blind deterministic forces; you are being trained in the school of God’s providence. The good, the bad, the ugly, the foolish, the disastrous, the wise, the encouraging, the difficult, and the uncertain are all brought under the sovereign control of a God who “has done all things“ (Mark 7:37).

How can that transform your perspective on the rest of your day?

Good News

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Ancient Prayers

The Lord be my keeper, the Lord be my defence upon my right hand. The Lord preserve me from all evil, yea, the Lord keep my soul. The Lord preserve my going out, and my coming in, from this time forth for evermore.

O Lord, thou knowest, Thou art able, Thou art willing, to do good to my soul; I neither know how, nor am able, nor, as I ought, willing to do it.

Do Thou, O Lord, I beseech Thee, in Thine unspeakable loving-kindness, so order and dispose of me as Thou knowest to be best pleasing to Thee, and most expedient for me.

Thine are goodness, grace, love, kindness, O Thou lover of men, gentleness, tenderness, forbearance, long-suffering, manifold mercies, great mercies, abundant tender compassions.

Glory be to Thee, O Lord. Amen.

Lancelot Andrewes (1555 -1626)

Though we know not what is best, give to us, Lord, what Thou seest fit; only fit us for what Thou givest, and let it bring to our souls health and peace, with some good to our neighbor and the world, for Thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.

Make me to Thyself a temple of holy things, and abiding with me, O Lord, at the last, be ever gracious onto Thy servant.

Let me do some work which may be accepted in Thy mercy, though unworthy in Thy pure sight.

Bless my work to good, to the fulness of which it is capable, and let me thank Thee for it with joy in the end. Into Thy hands we commend our spirit, soul, and body, of which Thou art Creator, Saviour, Restorer, a God of truth.

Lord, to Thee I commit my going out and my coming in this day – Amen.

Rowland Williams (1817- 1870)

(Disclaimer: What you are reading is all me, with the exception of some articles I include by other Christian authors, but I always give them credit and their own byline.

I enjoy writing and creating. So I use no AI writing assist programs, nor will I ever going forward. Thank you, Frank Paul)