October 26, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

You’re Not that Important!

It is without question that we are precious and special to God. As the Bible states, God loved us so much He gave His Son to die for you and me. We are indeed important to God!

What gets us in trouble is not how God sees us but how we see ourselves. Indeed, I am not important, special, worthy, or honored, and I get myself in trouble when I think and act as if I am important and worthy of praise. I am never-ever a ‘somebody’ but rather always a ‘nobody’.

Jesus stated the no one is good but God, and Jesus did not consider Himself good because He was born in the image of man. If Jesus would not call Himself good where does that leave you and me?

The Apostle Paul described himself as the worst of all sinners, least of all the saints, and lastly, least and not worthy to be called an apostle of Jesus Christ. Are you better than Paul? Do you have a ministry greater than Paul? I do not think so!

This is how you should describe your worthiness and importance to God. Jesus’s disciples asked Him to increase their faith. (Who is the person with the greatest faith thereby the person that pleases God the most?) Here is Christ’s answer: Luke 17:5-10.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So, you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (NIV)

Yes, ‘unworthy servants’ that is who we are. Even if you did everything God asked you to do, even if you had faith as a mustard seed, and even if God called you His servant—you are still unworthy. This is the greatest person in God’s kingdom, who says completely, totally, and with an honest confession, “I am an unworthy servant and whatever I did it was my duty and responsibility to do—I deserve no honor; no recognition!”

That’s right, I am not important; I am the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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October 25, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

Are You a Fool?

Satan tries to fool us. In fact, he has fooled all of society. Adam and Eve had everything going for them and yet Satan fooled them. Adam and Eve decided that they could handle evil and could do things without God’s help.

As my good friend, Dave Hauser said, “All of humanity is trapped in Satan’s net of deception and sin.” There is no escape if we keep playing ‘the fool’—who believes whatever Satan tells us it is ‘OK, good for us, and it will benefit us’ to accept his foolish ways.

Take, for instance, the world and Satan are telling us that we can stop ‘Climate Change’. Only a fool believes this! Climate that we now face is not man-made nor can we stop the effects of our earth responding to the judgment of God. We will never be able to undo what God has purposed and is in control of—present-day climate change.

Every natural action or sequence of events has a spiritual component. No matter what we do or respond to in this world, we cannot avoid the spiritual component to what is taking place. God has purposed that this world ends in chaos and eventually be destroyed by the Hand of God. God is presently in the process of judging mankind for their decisions.

All of creation is expressing its displeasure for man’s attitude toward God. Humanity’s attitude toward God is one, the disbelief in God—the creator of all things; two, the rejection of Jesus Christ and His offer of life; and three, the failure to acknowledge our sin and our lack of humility.

California has been experiencing climate change throughout the state in so many ways, and it is not over. The ‘time of earthquakes’ is upon us. Earthquakes so powerful and devastating that will destroy its economy, its agricultural culture, and many of its people will die. It is coming shortly and without warning.

Whose fool will you be? Satan fool or a fool for Christ by believing in what the world does not want you to believe in. I rather follow Jesus, not the lies of Satan.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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October 14, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

It’s Time to Give Up!

It is time to give up, to give up those hidden sins. Those sins you have been hanging on to. You know, the sins only you know about—like the secret sins King David wrote about and experienced. Let’s see—the sins you think you have hidden from others and even God. You do not want others to know about what you have done, and doubt God will ever forgive you for those ‘hidden sins’.

Most likely it is the sins you are most embarrassed by, sins that you have not confessed and are afraid God will never forgive you for. Those secret sins that have been following you and remind you how much you are a ‘failure’. It is those sins that only Jesus will remind you of as Jesus reminded Peter of when Jesus was dying on the cross and looked at Peter when he denied Jesus for the third time.

It is those kinds of sins that the Holy Spirit wants to wash away; remove them from your life and give you peace and joy every time you look into a mirror and remember what kind of person you are.

God wants you free! Free from Satan accusing you before the Father, free from the guilt of your own conscious, and free from the bondage your sin is keeping you in.

It is time to find ‘Great Mercy’ as King David did. Freedom to enjoy the ‘new mercies’ of God each day. It is time to leave your sin behind in the River Jordan or at the foot of the Cross where Jesus died, or at the empty tomb when you see that Jesus is no longer buried there. It is time to give up each and every sin! My sins no longer belong to me; Christ has taken them away and made them His.

“God let the Holy Spirt convict me of my sin, give me your righteousness, and give me your judgment that no longer judges me but judges Satan who has always had a hold on my life because of my sin. I give all my sin to Jesus. God forgive me for your Son’s sake.”

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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September 26, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

God Scares Me!

Lately, God has been scaring me. He is very active in my life and my surroundings—this scares me. It is not the miracles I keep encountering, nor the answer to emotional prayers, nor what He is asking of me, but it is what God keeps telling me to read in His Word, the Bible, and He does not give up asking me to read a specific portion of Scripture until I read it. The Holy Spirit often says to me, “Read it again, once more, and again—one more time,” until I stop and consider what the verse(s) are saying. This frightens me!

You ask, ‘What is God asking me to read’? Mostly the Old Testament books of the minor prophets—the ones that speak of God’s judgement and the last days. He not only shows me things that I did not consider before, but the emotional feelings the Holy Spirit brings over me causes me to fear and desiring a hiding place in God, and He brings me into a state of prayer, forgiveness, and asking for God’s mercy not just for me but for everyone I know. I want now more than ever for the people of God to get ready for what is to come—what is now upon us!

Whenever God brings His judgment, He also brings His salvation. Judgement and salvation work together to bring God’s will to completion. There are many words of prophecy or words of knowledge today speaking of God’s two-edge sword. A sword that offers repentance and blessings as well as retribution and judgment. Who can stand in the presence of the Lord; who can be strong when God speaks? We fall on our faces when God shows up; we all are humbled and find ourselves unable to speak. We become as Job and refuse to answer God when He talks to us—I am afraid!

At the end of my readings God took me to the Book of Ruth. Once again is begins with judgment and God’s displeasure with His people to finding a place of mercy, forgiveness, and favor after God’s punishment upon His people.

My hope and your hope are found in the last verse of Ruth chapter one: (Ruth 1:22b)“and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.” If you and I want to find God when judgment is all around us, we must go back to Bethlehem—we must go back to Jesus where is all began and when mercy and hope first came to us. This is where I find peace; this is where I find comfort; this is where I find hope and a future. It is in Jesus Christ that I become unafraid and rediscovery what Jesus offers to me and how He changes me—He makes me a better person and I find who I was meant to be.

Jesus loves me when Godly fear takes over me and I find that hiding place that is only found under His covering and within His love.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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September 24, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

The Honorable Man

How does God measure a man? Ask the question, “What kind of man are you?”

Is an honorable man one who finds ‘great mercy’ as King David did or is he the man who ‘forgives sin’ as Jesus did?

Indeed, the measure of a man is a man who forgives and offers forgiveness to all those who sin against him and against Jesus Christ; not the man who receives great mercy.

This is the man who God the Father will grant complete and total forgiveness and on whom God will bestow great honor…it is the man who loves to forgive sin and gives forgiveness freely even when others do not deserve forgiveness.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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September 4, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

What is happening?

What is going wrong in this world? No matter where one lives or if one is visiting a remote uninhabitable part of the earth, there is uncertainty, confusion, and frustration. If it isn’t humans struggling to make sense out of what is taking place, it is ‘mother-nature’ struggling to keep itself alive and in harmony with itself. We are losing the battle to keep everything in balance and healthy.

Here is what we know or have been educated to believe—follow the facts.

One, we were either lied to or given false information about the Covid-19 virus. We are consistently given ‘new information’ each week, ‘change in plans’ in what to do to stay healthy, and/or kept in ‘a state of argument and disagreement’. I believe the CDC, AMA, and other world health groups have not and still do not understand this virus or how to combat it. I furthermore believe that at least 100’s of thousands, if not millions, of people have been inadvertently murdered by our medical profession and political leaders because of their lack of understanding what this virus is and how it works. This virus will always be among us, and will be constantly changing. This is not the end to ‘killer viruses’ and more will arrive on the scene deadlier than Covid-19.

Two, we have been told that man can control the outcome to a healthy earth. That Global Warming is man-made and therefore controllable by what man does. This will soon end just as the Theory of Evolution has now been almost totally debunked by scientists as a prominent theory of how things got started. Indeed, our decisions to a clean and wholesome earth are affected by what we do, but global warming has never been man-made nor can be. Just as scientists now believe that global warming has become too prevalent and persuasive in the earth to be caused by the human race. Scientists are now looking to the Sun as the chief cause of global warming as we know it. When will we learn that man is not that powerful to cause its own destruction? That something else is causing havoc on the earth, and if we keep going there will be no earth as we know it.

Three, we are fed lies daily and have been programmed to ‘learn to hate’ anything that disagrees with our point of view or political stance. Oh, how foolish we are. We are fools following fools. The collapse of Afghanistan is an example of what is going wrong with our political leaders, our military, and our ethical system in America. No one wants to consider a Biblical solution nor suggest any spiritual insight into what is taking place. More and more I see America avoiding Jesus Christ and adhering to the Anti-christ. America does not have just a moral problem it has a spiritual problem. Leaving God out of any equation or solution will only lead to an answer that will always fail. Will things get worse, yes they will! Will more die and our infrastructure and businesses fail, they certainly will. Once again, God will have the final say as He has in every culture and empire, and Jesus will judge all of mankind for failing to confess their sin and acknowledge Him as Lord. ‘Truth’ will find its way into everything we do and will become the only answer to a world gone crazy. This is what I see, and this is what I know…”A world without Jesus is no world at all.”

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.

August 30, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

#7 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

Fear and the other Fear

Rule #7. A lesson in understand “fear” from God’s perspective. I have the complete series of books “Jesus Freaks” by D.C. Talk. When I taught the class, ‘A Christian Worldview’, at a southern California university, I used these books to introduce students to the power of Christ and the cost of serving Him. Fear was a topic that found its way into many of the stories of Jesus Freaks, the stories of persecuted Christians. This indeed is a series of books every Christian should read!

Fear is often the ‘dividing line’ between God and man either doing God’s will or not doing His will. However, the Bible speaks of all kinds of fear. God asks us to fear Him, but then again, He chastises us for having fear. Fear can be complicated and can be used positively or negatively. When we live/walk in the Holy Spirit fear should be ‘a positive’ attribute in our lives, not a feeling that causes us to make wrong decisions.

A good example of this comes to us from ‘Down-Under’: “Australia rescue dogs shot over COVID restrictions,” the Sydney Morning Herald reports. This incident occurred in a rural area of New South Wales. People were so afraid of the virus that instead of doing the ‘right-thing’ they decided to murder dogs in order to save their own lives. What a miserable and unneeded example of total ignorance and lack of wisdom driven by unfounded fear–fear that comes from Satan.

Godly fear is based in trust, personal responsibility, and confidence that whatever God intends to do and/or is doing is always right and just and the end result is God being glorified and honored. Job and Jesus are the two of the best examples of Biblical characters having and exercising the Fear of God. Both men questioned God’s will for their lives, and both had to come to grips that ‘what God did or was asking them to do’, was/is right and just—that God has all things under His control and God has a much greater purpose to what has or will take place.

No one wants to live through the Fear of the Lord, but God asks us to completely align our lives with God’s will and commit our future to His purposes and plans. This is easier said than to live through such an experience as Job had to learn. Nevertheless, I fear God and, in that fear, I believe that God will work out His will no matter the cost to me—no matter what pain and suffering I will go through. It is never easy and hard to understand but in the end, the promises and blessings of God become greater and His presence overwhelming.

I will not fear what man or social media tells me to fear, but to fear God—yes, I will do this with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. As Jesus did, so can I because He walks beside me and often carries me.

Note: Remember, Jesus said, “Satan (your enemy) only lies, steals, kills, and destroys.”

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information, and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.

August 22, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

#6 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

Becoming the fullness of “Four” in the Church

The church has failed in doing God’s will throughout history. We have recorded historical events proving this thesis, as well as the accounts of the Church in the Book of Revelation. It is easy to fail God but do not worry, God’s Will, will always be accomplished and His mercy toward us lasts forever. Nevertheless, we must learn, attain to wisdom, and become overcomers leaving out mistakes and failures behind us.

It is obvious that the Church has failed God in four areas of our spiritual walk. I call this the 4-F’s of the Church (Faith, Fellowship, Freedom, and Friendship). It is imperative that all of us become aware of these failures and find the Grace of Jesus Christ to overcome the error of our ways. To understand Faith, Fellowship, Freedom, and Friendship we must understand how to love God. It is in loving God that we find Faith, Fellowship, Freedom, and Friendship, and to love God requires four attributes/attitudes/abilities. (The concept of 4 is everywhere in Scriptures.)

Jesus said in Luke 10:27, And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (ESV). Yes, the four ways one must love God—with your heart, soul, strength, and mind. To get all four aspects of our being to love God is no easy task. Oh, it is easy to love God with just one part of our being and maybe we find ourselves successful in loving God with two aspects of who we are. But four—every part of our make-up—all of what makes us tick, who we are, and what/why/how we do what we do, is almost not possible. This is why Jesus died for you and me. God wants all of us! We cannot hold back any part of us if we want to be successful in fulfilling Jesus’s commandment to love God.

This spiritual truth is simple; the wisdom of God is simple. Love God with all the four parts of our being and you will find the four parts that Scripture says are critical in doing God’s will—Faith, Fellowship, Freedom, and Friendship. Let me link the four together: heart =fellowship, soul=freedom, strength=faith, and mind=friendship. (I could explain the connection between these spiritual qualities in detail, but it is better ‘to let you pray and ask God’ for insight and wisdom. God’s wisdom is given to us freely and without reservation—so ask Him!)

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information, and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.

August 21, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

#5 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

The Anointing

Preface: It is important that we learn about and even pattern our lives after Biblical figures. However, we sometimes do not ‘get the point’ the Bible story is making. We interpret the actions of the Biblical figures in such a way that we fail to make a personal connection or the ability to be like a particular figure. This series, ‘Becoming the People of God’ will help you identify with the characters of the Bible and hopefully strengthen your faith and deepen your ability to believe in Jesus by ‘taking Him at His word’.

Rule #5. A lesson in anointing becoming an Elijah or Elisha. This is a simple lesson but has tremendous significance. First, you might like to read 1st & 2nd Kings, and focus on 2nd Kings chapter 2 verses 9 and 10: “And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

Elisha got what he asked for—a double portion of the anointing of God in his life, but he did not get a free ride to heaven in a chariot within a whirlwind. Elijah never died because took him—God translated him into heaven without dying. Elisha never got his free ride! Elisha had a double amount to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but he suffered more and died on earth. Who did the will of God more—they both did! But often when we receive anointing or any gifts from God does not mean we suffer less. In the Bible, these people usually suffered more and were persecuted & tried more.

Here is ‘the truth’ in this story. To hunger after God’s righteousness is not the same as to hunger after more anointing. To love God more does not mean you should desire more anointing. For God to give you or anyone more anointing is always a good thing, but it does not at any time make one more spiritual or perform the will of God above anyone else in the Body of Christ.

Why do you want more anointing? Will you be humbler after you get it? Will you have more love and righteousness because of the anointing? One’s motive is everything and being willing to suffer more persecution and be tried even greater will often be the cost that comes with more anointing. “To whom much is given, much will be required.” (Jesus said in Luke 12:48.) This is God’s wisdom; God holds one responsible for what He gives.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information, and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.

August 2, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

#4 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes & People of Faith

Have you ever wondered why you did not have enough faith? All of God’s kids have some measure of faith; the Bible is clear about this. But their faith does not always work in every situation. I bet you want more faith—the kind of faith that moves mountains! I am about to tell you how to get this kind of faith. It is not a secret though many Christians have failed in understanding what Jesus was saying.

First of all, Jesus said you do not need much faith—you either have faith or you do not have faith, and that little bit of faith is enough making all things available to you. “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If, ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20 KJV)

Secondly, one cannot make one’s faith work if one comes from a position of pride, personal worth, or self-importance. One’s lack of humility is the focal point of one’s faith working. If you have genuine humility, then whatever amount of faith you have is enough.

“The apostles said to the Lord,‘Increase our faith’!And the Lord said,“If you had faith likea grain of mustard seed, you could say to thismulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Will any one of you who has a servantplowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward, you will eat and drink’?Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So, you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17: 5-10 ESV)

I do not see the Church not having enough faith, but I see a Church full of pride. Christians seek significance, honor, respect, ‘position’, and most of all, display an attitude that says, “I am better than you.” It is the pride that is so prevalent in America; arrogance is destroying the church’s faith.

If only we would, one, position ourselves to be humble; two, merely respond to the will of God, and three, take God at His word/request (believe), we would have the faith God expects of us—faith that moves mountains, i.e., faith that destroys the works of the devil and places God’s purposes and action plans at the forefront of all that takes place on the earth. This is faith in action, and it is this faith God wants all of us to demonstrate.

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

This e-mail, including attachments, may include confidential and/or proprietary information, and may be used only by the person or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this e-mail is not the intended recipient or his or her authorized agent, the reader is hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by replying to this message and delete this e-mail immediately.