July 12, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

I Have Been Waiting For This To Happen…When the Uncommon Becomes the New Normal!

I have been waiting for what God spoke to me what would be coming. I believe it is now here. I have been waiting patiently for the signs that accompany His spoken words to me.

The Day of the Lord is upon us all. This is not a revival, which many in the Body of Christ has called it, but it is the Second Pentecost as God has written about in the Bible and has spoken to me and other faithful witnesses in the Body of Christ.

I have heard about many Christians being persecuted and killed, music (songs) that speak solely about Jesus Christ and the Presence of God fills the buildings where they are sung, and of course the multitudes of people who are coming to Christ throughout the world. This is no accident or just another revival but is spoken in Scriptures and will only grow and grow until Christ returns. My dad wanted to see it happen, but God’s ways are not our timetable to predict.

If you are not reading the Book of Isaiah, you will not understand the importance of this time, nor will you understand the Day of the Lord. It is upon us and what is left is the uncommon becoming the New Normal.

Walking on water will become normal, women receiving their children given back to them from the dead, miracles and healings will be so common they will become too numerous to mention. No longer will it be said that some miracles are more difficult than others. Faith will be commonplace, so no miracle or healing will be more difficult for our faith to make it happen. Healings will be for the asking and miracles will happen without prayer.

But all of this will happen so the Judgment of God can follow. Forgiveness will flow as water and repentance will become so great people will cry for days. People will find the Fear of God and learn to take comfort in its manifestation. All of this will be done for the Glory of God alone. You will not need a prophet to tell you what to do and a teacher telling you the mysteries of God’s Truth for all will know and understand in the Body of Christ.

It is upon us! Get yourself ready for manifestations of the Holy Spirit that will surprise even the greatest of Christians among us. It is here; Jesus is here, and the Holy Spirit of Truth is about to make it happen. Even so, Lord Jesus, make it happen—be glorified in us.

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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July 11, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

The Series of Personal Testimonies, #5: Where Is Justice & Education?

America’s Death Will Only Come From Within

All of us violate regulations, codes, or laws each day, from a simple speed limit to laws we do not even know exist. The State of California has 13 large volumes of educational codes—most states only have one volume, and between local, state, and federal laws, not counting all the special government agencies, it is impossible to know and obey all the laws.

I have a good friend who is a judge. He is honorable, smart, a hard worker, and takes his job seriously, but those are not his best qualities. He is a committed family man; he cares about his wife and children, he is kind, loves to laugh, and most of all, a true Christian. That is not always the case for many people who write, enforce, and/or interpret the laws that govern America.

Earl W. Warren is one person who personifies how one’s character can influence a nation either for good or bad. He was a progressive, politically driven attorney general, a governor, and a Supreme Court Justice. He ruled often against anything that was Christian in nature. He wanted nothing to do with religion or God. If you would ask local Kern County residents who murdered his father, they would not hesitate to tell you that it was his son, Earl, and he got away with it.

Earl Warren with his passion against anything that has ties to Christianity undermined centuries of laws and the foundational beliefs of our Founding Fathers. He destroyed the educational system in America single handedly and put into place aspects of judicial thinking that has chipped away at constitutional common sense.

Henry Blackaby stated, in a Legal Conference at Focus of the Family in Colorado Springs in the 80’s, “Do not concern yourself with what Washington is doing but what God is doing!” He was speaking to an audience of judges, attorneys, clerks of the court and one lone superintendent—me. His concern was our relationship with Christ. It is that relationship alone that makes the difference in a courtroom, a state, or a nation. His stories were powerful and convincing. (If you have not read the book, The Man God Uses you need too.)

Our schools have been failing since the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, and other educational cases Earl Warren presided over during his term as Supreme Court Justice. No matter what we do, laws we pass, money we throw at our school systems they keep getting worse. America went from the best and highest rated schools and universities in the world at the beginning of the 60’s to among the worst in the world in so many categories.

Do not be fooled, God is not mocked. God notices everything, and He cares about what leaders at all levels of our government do from Presidents to Mayors; from School Superintendents to custodial staff; from Justices to court clerks. When God is ruled against in the implementation, interpretation, or writing of laws, God merely walks away. He leaves the people or institutions to themselves—to failure.

Warning #5: God judges nations not just on the sin of its people but also on the rulings/decisions of its leaders (Book of Proverbs).

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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July 5, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

The Series of Personal Testimonies, #4: You Have No Problems!

End of Discussion—God’s Final Answer.

We look today at our problems more than the successes in our lives. Problems get all the hype, the headlines in today’s news, and the emotional connections and personal reactions. What about all the non-problems we faced during the day? Where are the emotional gratifications that we need so badly to invest in when things go well, and the real-life stories that make us feel good? So often we are not grateful. We are not thankful. Instead, we look to having problems—what a waste of all that is good in humanity.

During my career in education, I seemed to inherit ‘the problems’ that others often struggled with. When I was brought, a problem there was always an emotional indebtedness to the problem on the part of the sender. My reaction was never one of supporting their personal connection to the problem but rather a simple statement: “Can the problem be fixed?” My response to their perspective on the problem usually always brought about a stunning and insightful reaction: “Well, I guess it can be fixed,” then I say, “I guess you do not have a problem.”

A problem is a problem when you cannot fix it! If a solution is found, if a correction can be made, where is the problem? It is time we quit reacting when a problem is stated. What the problem is in America today are the life-issues that cannot be solved without God and there are many. They usually are perpetuated by the idea that money alone can fix it. There is nothing farther from the truth. We cannot buy our way into contentment or security. We first need to know that every problem can be fixed but it takes strong character, willingness to sacrifice, and ability to see all aspects of the problem from God’s perspective. (God loves to solve problems!)

OK then, what is God’s perspective? It is found in a story that took place about 45 years ago. Two ministers got together to fast and pray for 21 days. During that time, they decide to compare what God was saying to them during their time of prayer. Each one was in a different location and kept a log of what God would tell them that day. To O.J., God said, “You do not have any problems if you are spiritual.” To Dale, God said, “You only have one problem, that is being spiritual.” When they handed to each other their notes for the day, they both began to laugh. To God life does have its struggles and disappointments but in Christ all problems have been solved…period!

We need to see our problems as God sees them—solved. It is not the problem that is my problem, but my perspective of the problem that is the problem. Only God can create problems that cannot be solved—not you, not me, not Satan. So, get ready for the Time of Revelations—when God does end everything with His world-stopping, unsolvable, & not-fixable problems.

A Warning—Do not fail to believe that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus”. Jesus already won; there are no problems He cannot fix.

Lesson for Today: God does not see problems;

He only sees His Son’s victory over all that is evil, wrong, and unfixable.

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What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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July 3, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

The Series of Personal Testimonies, #3: Celebrating What?

We celebrate so much today. In every calendar month, we are honoring this or that from what cars we buy, the food we eat, how we look, what we have accomplished, and everything in between. I am sure one can find something Americans are celebrating each day of the year. Most of what we celebrate does not need to be celebrated. Many times, we are asked to celebrate in what is prideful, immoral, or unhealthy—when will all this nonsense end? (The gay movement is a good example of this.)

Do you remember the musical group, Rare Earth? They were the only white group on the Motown record album label in the 60’s & 70’s. I saw them live in Fresno, and one of their greatest hits is still used in commercials today, “I Just Want to Celebrate.” I felt as a young man that I was on the right track—I wanted to celebrate life alone and let everything else go by the wayside just as the song suggested. Now, looking back, I wish I had stayed on track and not gotten caught up in the frenzy of personal happiness over what is right, good, and supportive to others.

God loves to celebrate, and He created us to celebrate too. There is going to be a party in heaven someday, and I want to be there. Nevertheless, Americans have allowed industries, cultures, and God deniers(so often for the sake of making money)to decide what we rejoice in and celebrate about on a daily basis.

Am I thankful? Yes; should I be ‘thankful in all things and for all things’, the Bible says. But to ‘rejoice always’ belongs for those things that are good and wholesome and definitely not for monetary gain or ‘being better than someone else’ attitude. Doing one’s best should always be celebrated whether we win or fail. I congratulate others on their successes by being glad for their efforts, but I am also happy for the person or group that did not have the talent but made the same sacrifice though did not medal. I especially do this when working with children as an educator.

Do not think that God does not notice our hypocrisy and pride, our ‘in your face’ attitudes, and our apathy against evil motives and behaviors. So, take a stand, be counted for celebrating good alone. This is a warning for all Americans: be happy in what is good; not in personal gratification, pride, monetary gain, abilities/talents, or accumulation of things.

The 4th of July is upon us, and America does indeed have something to celebrate. But it not because of the successes of mankind or our monetary accomplishments. Our success came from God, and our future successes is because the people of God look to Jesus Christ, listen to Him, seek His will and purposes; being thankful to God alone and rejoicing in His help, kindness, and strength to do what He wants for us. This is what started America and is the only success model for America for tomorrow.

Don’t believe me? Just take a history lesson of the leaders in American history, and you will find God in their lives, and after reading their prayers, you will see what God will do for people who look to Him alone for direction and strength. Today, let’s be thankful and rejoice that God has blessed America and not we ourselves—God alone deserves all the glory and thankfulness in our days of celebration, our 250th birthday!

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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June 21, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

The Series of Personal Testimonies, #3 Wisdom From God

This article needs to be read by all Christians and especially church leadership. I have underlined various statements that show the wisdom of God being applied to America’s lifestyle and the need for change… Steve

Read on blog or Reader Article by Phillip Lee, “The Pro-Gay Agenda: Where Is This All Going?” "We demand freedom from social restraint and independence from any and all moral order." “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” (Isaiah 5:20) Today, especially in America, little is being offered that promotes the truth about homosexuality, with the general public and the Church believing the many untruths and inaccuracies being offered. This did not happen by accident. This has been and continues to be a well-crafted strategic plan. The first step in Satan’s deception is to get you to doubt what God said. God’s Word has always been a love speech toward us. The devil is the one who uses hate speech. The devil hates God, so he hates what God loves most…you! Phase One: Get society and the Church to ‘accept’ the falsehood that someone can be a gay Christian (it’s ok to practice homosexuality), which then sets the stage for the transition to Phase Two. Phase Two: Revise Scripture to endorse and validate the homosexual disposition and agenda. Hence, pro-gay theology: “the abandonment of Scriptural truth; scientific information, social changes, and personal experience become the cornerstone of how ‘truth’ is determined.” For homosexual practice to be seen as acceptable and created by God, historic and traditional Christian teaching had to be discredited. Phase Three: Since it’s ok to be a gay Christian (according to pro-gay theology), then God Himself supports, approves, and validates homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Herein lies the true problem: a crisis of truth. Nowhere in the Bible does any Scripture, not one, approve of or support the notion or concept of gay Christian or same-sex relationships. Every time Scripture mentions homosexual practice it is always, without exception, mentioned in the context of a behavior in which no man or woman is to practice – not unlike many other behaviors. The Church cannot ‘welcome and affirm’ what God Himself never affirms. Yes, Jesus welcomed and loved every person, but He never, ever affirmed their sin – not once. That said, permit me to take this another direction for a moment. It is long overdue for many, including homosexual strugglers, to stop singling out homosexuality as the worst of all sins. Today, many view the person engaged in homosexual acts to be unsaved. Why are not the same assumptions made, at least with the same rigor and emphasis, regarding other sins such as fornication (pre-marital sex), idolatry, adultery, thievery, covetousness, alcoholism, slander, and deceit? An end must come to declaring those guilty of pre-marital sex as just, well, “disobedient Christians,” while declaring homosexuals definitely non-Christians. As Christians, our relationship with God through Christ is the cornerstone of our identity. Today, many are being told, “Accept yourself and follow your heart.” However, Jesus says, “Deny yourself and follow Me.” “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him; the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-6) You don’t have to give up your intellect to trust the Bible. You have to give up your pride. No one hates the LGBT community and all humanity more than the devil. Pastor Phillip Lee, Executive Director, His Way Out Ministries

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April 8, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ) The Series of Personal Testimonies that Glorify Jesus Christ Testimony #1 Fidelity to Truth by Phillip Lee Fidelity to truth, God’s absolute truth, both in doctrine and behavior, is not an option for faithful followers of Christ Jesus. When Christian leadership allows secular demands and guidance to trump Biblical teaching, the world has its foundation to boast of having become the light of the Church which completely reverses the formula that Jesus prescribed – "You are the light of the world" – (Matthew 5:14-16). However, there will always be those willing to say what is most definitely unpopular but nonetheless redemptive, standing for what is controversial but true, even when truth is being relentlessly and systematically obscured… It is 1981, I am living in San Francisco and very much a member of the gay community. On a Sunday afternoon, I leave my apartment and walk down Powell Street toward Market Street, the main drag of downtown San Francisco. The closer and closer I get to Market Street, clearly something is going on because the boulevard is lined with a huge crowd of people. I have happened upon my first Gay Pride Parade. I cannot believe what I am witnessing. Frankly, the first thought that occurred to me was – “Why aren’t these people being arrested?” – largely due to the pornographic nature and displays that are parading by, one after another after another. And, I am thinking, “This is what I am to be proud of?” It was my first and last gay pride parade. Today, far, far beyond equal rights for many groups in America in their attempts to reweave the social, cultural, and political fabric of this country, is an unquenchable thirst for power. Right on the heels of the power quest is a relentless crusade by many groups for acceptance and to gain society’s stamp of approval on a considerable list of various behaviors. When gay marriage became legal throughout America (but not lawful in the Kingdom of God), the entire lid to Pandora’s Box came off. Various groups that had been for a very long time standing along the sidelines waiting their turn, busted out of the box and began to be much more vocal and visible, demanding to be recognized and accepted. And, let me be perfectly clear by stating, we, the Church, did contribute to the past, and the on-going cultural vacuum that has allowed the redefinition of marriage, family, etc. to happen with so little resistance. One of the groups that came parading by in 1981 was the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), an organization at the forefront pushing for the right of adult homosexuals to have sex with minors. At its seventh General Membership Conference held in Boston in December 1993, NAMBLA adopted numerous and various points, as well as this position: “Whereas it is impossible to say at what age a person is capable of consenting to sex because every individual and every case is different; and therefore any attempt to set an age is capricious, arbitrary, and unfair…” NAMBLA has long been dedicated to the replacement of the age-of-consent laws. The push for the acceptance of pedophilia is by no means new on the scene as some seem to think today. The ongoing push and threat for the lowering of age-of-consent laws, so that sex with youth might be legally permissible, reveals a threat that pedophilia poses to children and through them, to society. Herein lies my concern… If you can get the public to think pedophilia is just another thing – then the battle for legal and social acceptance and rights is pretty much in the bag. Have we not traveled this exact same road before? No matter how strongly we may be opposed to any number of agendas, we are first of all called to be Christians who have the privilege of representing Christ to all the communities of the world, regardless of class, color, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. That said, it is not enough to condemn the darkness, if we fail to shine a light of hope on our disintegrating culture. “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, then I am not confessing Christ, however boldly, I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is tested.” Martin Luther

Pastor Phillip Lee, Executive Director, His Way Out Ministries

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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February 10, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

Final Parts From blog, Corner Stone Christian Fellowship

Timothy writes:

2. You Can’t Command Virtue, But You Can Spark Curiosity

The most profound transformations are not achieved through sheer willpower alone, but through the Holy Spirit’s power renewing our minds. The journey begins with a deep curiosity to know and understand God’s better way—a pursuit of divine wisdom over human understanding.

· The Renewing of the Mind: Lasting change is not behavior modification, but intellectual and spiritual transformation. We become what we continually expose our minds to.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” — Romans 12:2

· Trusting God’s Wisdom: The “curiosity” of the early Christian was not about questioning God, but about acknowledging that His wisdom surpasses their own, leading them to search the Scriptures.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

This reframing holds a powerful lesson for our own internal struggles. The grim war for self-control, so often framed by the tyrannical command “I must,” can be transformed into a curious investigation of “I wonder.” When we become apologists for our own best selves, using persuasion and discovery rather than brute force, our internal resistance softens. We shift from being a taskmaster demanding obedience to an explorer charting a new way of living. Curiosity, as the ancients knew, is a far more sustainable fuel for the journey than sheer, teeth-gritting willpower.

Genuine, lasting change is seldom forged in the crucible of willpower alone; it is cultivated in the fertile ground of inquiry and discovery. Early Christian apologists understood that you can reach people most effectively when you “pique their curiosity,” even if their initial motive is simply to prove you wrong.

Rather than merely demanding that Roman emperors stop their persecutions, the 2nd-century writer Athenagoras appealed directly to their intellectual pride, asking them to apply their “desire of knowledge and love of truth to the examination of our doctrine also.” He did not command them to obey; he invited them to investigate.

Similarly, Justin Martyr, in his defense of Christianity, didn’t just present it as a new set of rules. He framed it as the fulfillment of the great philosophical quest for truth that the Greco-Roman world already revered—a quest that even Socrates had begun. He argued that Christ completed what the greatest minds had only started.

And Socrates… exhorted them to become acquainted with the God who was to them unknown, by means of the investigation of reason, saying, “That it is neither easy to find the Father and Maker of all, nor, having found Him, is it safe to declare Him to all.” But these things our Christ did through His own power.

3. To Change Your Life, Redefine Your Values A key to early Christian self-mastery was a profound act of cognitive reframing. They adopted a new way to measure what was valuable, fundamentally redefining success and failure. What the Roman world called glory—power, wealth, pleasure—they identified as a spiritual danger. What the world called failure—persecution, humility, poverty—they saw as the path to true glory.

This new value system provided an incredibly stable foundation for their actions. It insulated them from both worldly temptations and worldly threats. If persecution is seen as an opportunity for ultimate victory, the threat of persecution loses its power. If wealth is seen as a potential snare, the temptation of greed is disarmed. Athenagoras demonstrated this keen awareness of how language shapes reality when he argued against the absurdity of judging Christians based on a name alone, rather than their actual deeds.

But no name in and by itself is reckoned either good or bad; names appear bad or good according as the actions underlying them are bad or good. You, however, have yourselves a dear knowledge of this, since you are well instructed in philosophy and all learning.

This redefinition is not just an intellectual exercise but a pre-emptive strike against temptation. By reframing wealth as a “spiritual danger,” the early Christian was not just resisting greed; they were dismantling the very logic that made greed seem appealing in the first place. This is a prime example of self-regulation: to win the battle before it even begins by choosing the battlefield and defining the terms of engagement. It is the deepest form of self-control: to choose the lens through which you see the world, and in doing so, to define what has power over you.

The early Christians didn’t just resist the world’s vices; they upended its very definition of success, honor, and blessing. The values of the Kingdom of God are often an inversion of the values of man.

· The Upside-Down Kingdom: Jesus’ teaching turns the world’s hierarchy on its head, defining true blessing not in terms of wealth or status, but in humility and spiritual need.

o “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… — Matthew 5:3

o Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:10 (The Beatitudes)

· The Contempt of Worldly Pride: The Apostles explicitly warned against adopting the value system of the secular age, insisting that what the world prizes is transient and foolish in God’s eyes.

o “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” — 1 John 2:16-17

o “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’…” — 1 Corinthians 3:19

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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February 9, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

Part 2: From blog, Corner Stone Christian Fellowship

Timothy writes:

What Early Christians Knew About-Self-Control that We’ve Forgotten

1. True Control Begins with Letting Go

While we instinctively think of self-control as tightening our grip—on our schedules, our desires, our ambitions—the early Christians taught that it begins with letting go. The source of their unshakeable resolve was a conscious decision to release their attachment to worldly reputation, possessions, and even the fear of death itself.

Consider the story of St. Felix of Nola. After his property was confiscated by the authorities, he was advised to reclaim it. His response was classic in this inverted logic: “in poverty he should be the more secure of possessing Christ.” He understood that by relinquishing what could be taken from him, he gained a spiritual security that was untouchable. This was the core belief of the early martyrs, who saw the ultimate freedom not in preserving their lives, but in their choice to face persecution rather than renounce their faith. The 3rd-century theologian Tertullian articulated this ultimate self-possession in the face of absolute external power:

It is assuredly a matter of my own inclination, being a Christian. Your condemnation, then, will only reach me in that case, if I wish to be condemned; but when all you can do to me, you can do only at my will, all you can do is dependent on my will, and is not in your power. …we would far rather be condemned than apostatize from God.

Because this was translated many years ago into English, it is hard to understand, here is the gist of what he is saying:

This is fundamentally my personal choice and conviction as a Christian. Your criticism will only affect me if I let it. What you can do to me is entirely up to my discretion; it’s within my control, not yours. We would choose condemnation over abandoning our faith in God.

If we adopt this mentality, it becomes a profound realignment of one’s identity and core values. By detaching one’s core identity from things that can be stripped away—status, wealth, physical comfort, life itself—a person becomes inwardly unconquerable. This principle of radical surrender is not merely a historical relic of a persecuted age, it is a practical psychological strategy for building resilience against modern anxieties. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and resilience training, and even the Stoic principles, have roots in these Christian ideas. In an era where our self-worth is so often tethered to career outcomes, social reputation, and online validation, the martyrs’ detachment offers a path to freedom. To become inwardly unconquerable is to find an antidote to a world that constantly seeks to conquer our attention and sense of self.

The world tells us that self-control is about mustering our own will, yet the early believers understood it as a fruit of the Spirit, birthed from giving up our rights and striving.

· The Paradox of Surrender: True freedom comes when we choose to relinquish the desire to control our own lives and commit our will to Christ. This is the great exchange: letting go of our own strength to receive His power.

o “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” — Luke 9:23

o “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” — Romans 12:1

· Self-Control as a Fruit: The discipline we seek is not a self-generated quality but an overflow of the Spirit’s presence once we surrender the steering wheel.

o “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” — Galatians 5:22-23

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What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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February 8, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

Becoming the Christian You Always Wanted to Be

It is not easy being the perfect Christian that so many Christians want to be. God loves you, but He seems to have so many rules. We forget that God has lots of things in place that will help us and make this walk with Him doable and exciting, but we must choose daily to follow Him at any cost and without reservation. This can be done if we take some personal action on our part for God to do all the wonderful things He does for us through His love.

The following article comes from a good friend, Timothy Brinkley, whom I found at a Christian university where I was working many years ago. Timothy has a great love for God and uses the love he found in Jesus to impact lives through his ministry and writings. I will be posting his article from his website/blog, Corner Stone Christian Fellowship, in four parts. What impressed me the most was his commitment to make sure it was ‘Spirit-Lead’ and not just something he wanted to write. This article will bless your soul and help you to stay in the love of God while serving Him. Timothy writes:

What Early Christians Knew About-Self-Control that We’ve Forgotten

Authors’ note: This was an attempt to use AI to write something good, but it really came out full of knowledge and not full of the Spirit and power. Even though I, Timothy Brinkley, fed the AI a bunch of Bible-based Christian historical writings, and edited it afterwards, it still does not come across as very Spirit-led. It comes across as people pleasing, trying to impress and sway people with words, and rather tasteless. This is not the kind of writing that I want to be regularly putting out there. I share it with you anyway so you can be a part of this journey, read what that looks like and hopefully in future be able to see what is more Spirit-led. May the Christ-followers out there be like the one who has an ear and is listening to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

The Lost Way of Dying to Self In a world overflowing with distractions, the struggle for self-control has become a defining feature of modern life. We chase focus, download digital productivity apps, and search for the perfect life-hack to master our impulses. Yet, despite our efforts, we often feel more scattered and less in command of our own lives than ever before. As a society, we seem to have misplaced the art of mentoring people in the fundamental skills of self-regulation. We often try to teach our youth with a sit-down-and-shut-up approach, failing to engage in the necessary adult conversations about the responsibilities and challenges of life. We shy away from nurturing critical-thinking on the complex topic of self-control, leaving a void where wisdom needs to be growing. Let us pivot, then, from the noise of the present to the quiet intensity of the ancient world. For the early Christians, self-regulation was not a productivity hack; it was the central drama of a meaningful life, a spiritual contest played out on the stage of the soul. Forged in the fires of persecution and steeped in a radical re-evaluation of the world, their approach to self-control was profound and counter-intuitive. In their ancient wisdom, we may find surprising modern applications for our own lives.

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What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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February 5, 2026 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John (2SoJ)

The Father of Lies: Spinning The Conversation Into Deception

Satan’s role in this world is to lie and deceive every human being. He lies to ‘work his way’ into a person’s life, and he often does just that through tempting you and getting you to accept his ‘line of thinking’ of deception.

Satan is your enemy, and he uses anyone willing to listen to him to convince others of his deception. Satan never tells the truth; he only uses lies and the manipulation of truth to destroy everything good, right, and Godly. My good friend Phillip states how this is done in the gay community and those who support the gay lifestyle in the following article: A Cause or the Cross, by Phillip Lee.

“When it comes to homosexuality and the many related issues, is it possible we, the Church, have been and continue to be guilty of putting ‘a cause’ before The Cross? If so, is it then possible we have abdicated our moral authority to speak to the issue of our time?

Clearly, the existence and high visibility of a movement with a clear agenda to promote the social acceptance of homosexuality (including bisexuality and transgender people) is beyond debate. The motives and goals of a relatively small segment of our society have been and continue to be significant and influential.

In the words of the Apostle Paul, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and for training.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Homosexuality is, clearly, only one of the myriad types of behavior that are condemned in the Bible, and it is condemned for the same reason as the rest – it is in direct opposition to human well-being, and an affront to the character of God. Therefore, the condemnation of homosexual practice is the perfect expression of compassion, because it seeks to warn and rescue those caught in the snare of same-sex attraction.

God has given the responsibility of outreach and ministry to all of us. Personally, I believe in and have every confidence in the Church’s ability, through Christ, to win gay communities around the world to Christ. We are all in this work together through Him, fulfilling the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20) That said, what is our focus and what are our motives?

Jesus and the writers of Scripture did not hesitate to condemn sin and immorality in whatever form they found it. They did so, for one reason: to liberate men and women from the grip of spiritual, psychological, and behavioral bondage. And they refused to minimize or whitewash the evil practice of any kind to bring as many as possible to the life-giving rule of God.

Should this not be our motive today, and why we go to lift high the Name of Jesus and The Cross?

While I completely agree with the concern for social justice, physical and psychological health, personal responsibility, and the importance of family, these are all values in which we the Church, should be concerned, is our greater and primary concern for all people, “Are they dead in sin or alive in Christ?”

If they’re dead in sin, it hardly matters what the sin is; they are dead in sin. The Cross and not ‘a cause’ must be the priority, for the homosexual – just as it must be for us all.

Our ultimate goal should not be to merely combat or bring a halt to the pro-gay movement or even to show that the biblical judgment against homosexuality is well-founded or to effect public policies – as important as all these points and matters are – we, Ambassadors for Christ, are to be instruments in the sovereign hand of God for the accomplishment of His redemptive purposes. Therefore, if we put ‘a cause’ before The Cross, we are seriously off course.

God’s passion should be our passion: “…that none should perish, but that all would have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

As an extension of the Church, I pray we all remember to put The Cross before ‘a cause.’ By introducing people to Christ Jesus and pointing them to the life-giving power of The Cross, men and women will find the freedom He has been offering them all along.

Please pray that through the Holy Spirit the eyes of these precious souls will become open to the fullness of life that God offers all of us through His Cross – not a cause.”

Pastor Phillip Lee, Executive Director, His Way Out Ministries

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Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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