August 1, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

I may not be perfect but my Savior loves me!

WWJWMTD

What would Jesus want me to do?

Dr. Steven J. Wentland www.wwjwmtd.com

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July 31, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

#3 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

“Distracted & Cursed”

It is without question that the Church became distracted by the Covid-19 Virus. Most Christians and many churches did not ask God ‘what to do’ nor ‘why the virus became a focal point’ in our culture. We failed God when God tested His people. We were ‘tried and found wanting’—unable to combat the virus with true wisdom and spiritual insight.

The Bible depicts what will come about in the last days and the Covid-19 virus is only the beginning of what is to come. This virus will never go away and will always be in our global atmosphere, so it is time to find a spiritual answer to a physical problem.

Everything in life has a spiritual component. Nothing exists in this world without the purposes and determination of God. To deal or not to deal with anything in this life one must look to God to discover how things operate and how to deal with any given situation. The Church rather looked to the government to keep them safe and to the medical field for answers. All the while God had the answer, but we are so selfish—we want our cake and to eat it too. We cannot live a lifestyle that is not healthy and practical or with gluttonous behavior that is not without consequences.

God has been sending ‘waves of repentance’ to His churches, but few have answered/responded—we have been distracted by the virus.

God has been saying “do not tempt the Lord thy God” but our ears have become dull with hearing what the world has to say (social media)—we have been distracted with false biblical teachings.

California is under the judgment of God with the drought, fires, power shortages, tax shortages, population leaving, an unbelievable homeless epidemic, and political turmoil—the church has been distracted by being more concerned with their programs, buildings, and money flow.

Listen to me Church, this is just the beginning. As I have stated often, California will be destroyed not because of the environment, geography, politics but because of the people’s unconfessed sin. “If my people who are called by my name would…”, but we become distracted by failing to repent, looking to God, and choosing the ‘moving of the Holy Spirit’.

Let’s become undistracted and instead looking for the wisdom of God that is found in Jesus Christ. It is time to fall in love with Jesus and relinquish the love for this world allowing it to be removed from our lives by the Spirit of Christ. We must become overcomers, not overcome by anything in this world (viruses or politics), and become ‘lights of truth’ in this world for others to see.

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.

July 27, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

Dirty Feet

Are you into “foot-washing’? If not, you should be! Not only for hygiene reasons, but for spiritual reasons.

Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to wash each other’s feet—for forgiveness reasons. Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” Matthew 5:4. Jesus was not talking about feeling sorry for oneself but for others. We are to carry each other’s burdens—their problems, sicknesses, sins, and their personal entrapments in darkness.

Moreover, Jesus said, “To pick up one’s cross daily and follow what I do” (the Gospels). We cry over our own sins and mistakes and misgivings, but Jesus is always asking us to help others find forgiveness, healing, and deliverance too. This is the true character of a Christian—one who helps others find what oneself has found in Christ.

Got dirty feet? Of course, you do! Need help with living a Christian life free of sin, guilt, sickness, and unforgiveness—allow others to wash your feet and freely wash their feet whenever they cannot wash their own. This is what Jesus Wants You to Do! Let’s begin to find forgiveness, healing, and true wholesome relationships for others—let’s begin to mourn and may our mourning be for others.

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.

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

#2 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

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 #2. The story of Samson is a great example/story of how God works, and if you are going to become ‘a person of faith’ you must embrace the ‘Judgment of God’.

Samson is often portrayed as a person of physical strength. He did exhibit tremendous strength through the blessings of God but that is not the ‘focus-point’ of his story. It is not his strength that is important (though it was the means to the end) but rather it is his determination to see God’s judgment of his enemies. Everything he did, every decision he made, and every event of the story were Samson tempting his enemies (the people who were persecuting and harassing Jews) to commit injustices so he could manifest God’s judgment on them. Samson was setting up the Philistines who were oppressing the Israelite nation to make mistakes so he could act as a judge and bring freedom to his Jewish brethren. (Read the Book of Judges, chapters 13-16.)

Samson was skillful in manipulating the Philistines to make rash and inappropriate decisions thereby giving him justification in executing justice and consequences for their poor behavior. This story is about God’s judgment on humans that fail to do things that are right, just, and appropriate. Does God bring judgment on individuals for their bad behavior? Yes, He does! In fact, this is one of the primary jobs of the Holy Spirit working in us, (John 16:8), “and when he (Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (ESV).

Book of Revelation has many examples of such judgment. Even Christ spoke of God’s future judgment concerning Jerusalem, “And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:41-44 KJV).

Today’s Christian Church does two things right (convict the world of sin and righteousness) but has yet accepted the command and working of the Holy Spirit to execute God’s righteous judgment on the world…to convict the world of judgment. This is the last and final command of Christ given us. Isaiah 61: 2b, “to proclaim the day of vengeance (judgment) of our God.” Jesus left this for us to do when He spoke of His mission on the earth—He left this portion of the Scripture for the Holy Spirit to work through us in the last days. Come-on Church, convict/manifest to the world the judgment of God!

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.

July 23, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

Introduction to #2 in the series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

This article is an introduction to Rule #2. I thought it best to give an insightful mini-theological lesson regarding Jesus’s ministry. You might need to understand this biblical truth before we move on to rule #2.

When Jesus began His ministry, He began it with ‘authority’ that the Father gave to Him. The Bible says He found ‘where it was written’ in Scripture (Isaiah 61:1-2) but only spoke of the good He would do during His ministry and left off the portion that speaks of God’s judgment. Luke 4:14-21 states: Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus did not speak of Isaiah 61: 2b, “to proclaim the day of vengeance (judgment) of our God.” Jesus left this for us to do when He spoke of His mission/calling on earth. His purpose was to leave this portion of the Scripture for the Holy Spirit to work through us (His church) and to fulfill in the last days. This Scripture (‘to execute the judgment of God’) is for us to fulfill in Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you doubt this, you need to read the Book of Revelation—this will explain in detail all that God expects you (the Church) to do. It is time to become the instruments of judgment. Please note, you can only do this if you go through the working of repentance and righteousness by the Holy Spirit and never consider the ‘judgment’ to be yours, but it (all judgment) belongs to God. God is only asking us to be the funnels to bring His purposes and justice in this world.

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.

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

The Series: Becoming the People of God

Warnings, Wisdom & White Robes

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 #1. Much too often we think we got God all figured out, however, this is never the case. Whenever we think we understand what God is doing, He takes another direction, a path we do not expect. The wisdom in following God is to follow Him even when it does not make sense or knowing where we are headed. Whenever God does something new (God is always full of surprises) we do not know the way and often we do not see it in the Bible until we have followed God, then we see it in Scriptures. This will be the case more and more before Christ returns (which will happen sooner than you think).

Take these two Biblical examples, the two ministries of John the Baptist and then with Jesus. Both ministries had the Jewish religion guessing and both men were not accepted by those in authority but rather irritated the ‘powers that be’.

First comes John, dressed like a homeless person, doesn’t eat right and says you must be baptized in water for God to forgive you. What? This is not in Jewish theology nor does it make sense to Jewish Rabbis. He also said, “the Messiah is coming!” How could he know? He has never met the Messiah and he does not explain what He will be like and where He is coming from. All of this must be a lie and for sure ‘God is not in any of what John is saying’, the religious leaders were saying. Oh, how wrong they were, and they thought they knew what God would be doing before the Messiah was to arrive.

Then came Jesus, the Messiah, the one the Jewish culture was waiting for. However, He (Jesus the Messiah) did not come as they believed how He would come and acting like a non-Jewish person. They knew how God worked (what God has done in the past) and when Jesus arrived, He was nothing like what they knew how God worked, and nothing like what God has done in the past and what God promised for the future. Jesus came from Nazareth, He had no formal training, he threw out of the Temple people that were making money from ‘being religious’, and last of all, He was healing people and doing miracles without Jewish permission. All of this was ‘hypocrisy’ to what Jewish theologians were saying about the Messiah. “The Messiah would have to be supportive of Jewish traditions, not criticize them; support Jewish laws and traditions and bring the Roman authority to their knees—not allow Romans to invade their county.” This man Jesus got all this wrong!

Every time, we have God figured out (the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit) I can tell you with confidence—we have it wrong. God does all things new and different. He gets all the glory, honor, and praise; we do not deserve anything—we must only obey with humility.

So be careful of teachers, prophets, and religious people in the last days (as the Bible states) because people will be deceived and mistaken when God does a new thing or anything that is not what He has done in the past…Jesus said, “Beware.”

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.

July 19, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

If you are not for Jesus Christ, you are against Him. There is no middle ground or gray area or any private/personal interpretation of the Bible.

Revelation 3:16 (NIV), “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Indeed, one can see God spitting people/His church out of His presence and from His protection. If this isn’t the Last Days, we are in deep trouble—can it get much worse?

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.

July 10, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

How does one know that he or she is doing the will of God?

(Jesus taught how to please God; always knowing what to do–Mathew 5: 2-10.)

SO, STOP MAKING GOD’S WILL COMPLICATED!

It is easy to know if you are doing the will of God each; all one must do is live by these eight attributes in your personal and daily lifestyle in any given situation:

1. Be in a constant state of repentance—“blessed are the poor in spirit”.

2. Be in prayer and offering forgiveness to others when they cannot do this for themselves—“blessed are those who mourn”.

3. Be humble, never prideful—"blessed are the meek”.

4. Always, always, always be hungry for God’s likeness—“blessed are those who hunger for God’s righteousness”.

5. Be quick to show forgiveness for when others hurt you—“blessed are the merciful for only then will they find forgiveness”.

6. What are your motives, to live for yourself or be faithful to God—“blessed are the pure in heart”.

7. Are you a person that seeks and strives for the unity in the Holy Spirit 24/7—”blessed are the peacemakers in the Body of Christ”.

8. Do you rejoice when you are persecuted, hated, and spoken evil of when you do what Jesus wants—“blessed are those who are persecuted for doing & living by God’s righteousness”.

This is and will always be ‘the will of God’ for every believer; for those who love Jesus more than they love themselves. The 8-step plan to do God’s will.

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.

July 9, 2021 WWJWMTD by Steve, the son of John

The Series: The People of God

The God of Miracles—Yesterday, Today & Forever

If you are to receive miracles that come from God in your life, & community, you must wrestle with and answer this question with passion and with a heart-felt response, “How can miracles from God become ‘regular events’ in my life, my family, and my community?”

I lost a set of keys to one of my trucks last month. This is very rare for me and I solicited help from my wife. We both traced my steps over the next two days, looked in all the drawers, went through my clothes, checked underthings, and scoured the outside—lawn and carport. Still no sign of the keys. In fact, we checked all these places three times—absolutely no sign of the keys.

A week later, as I was cleaning up a work project at the ranch, putting away tools and unused wood, I was entering the garage for the sixth time and said again in my head, a simple thought to God—’I would like God’s help in finding my keys’. Suddenly, God speaks to me, “Say your request out loud.” As I turned around in the garage, I said to God softly but with a requesting voice, “God, give my keys back to me.” I went back out of the garage to pick up another tool and returned to the garage in order to place it in my toolbox. As I opened one of the middle drawers, there I saw my keys to my truck. They were dirty, in full view, and as if dropped into the drawer. I immediately thanked God and was grateful and humbled.

I have had similar miracles over the years and God has been faithful to grant my requests—not all of them but many. Looking for miracles daily is the first step in receiving a miracle. Being grateful and gracious to God is step number two. Step three is always being humble, i.e., miracles do not come simply by faith or because you consider yourself worthy to receive them. Miracles are kisses from God. If we would learn to ‘kiss the Son of God, kiss Jesus Christ on the face’ miracles would become commonplace and would help one to believe in Jesus more.

This is why God sends miracles, so we would believe more and more in Jesus, His Son. The Gift of Miracles I do not express that I have, but my love for Jesus grows after each and every miracle I experience. One needs to tell God often, “God, if you do not do miracles then people will not believe in you. Your miracles help us to believe in you—people need your miracles to believe.”

Let’s become the people of God through the miracles that Jesus does among us.

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.

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

A Thoughtful Truth for the Week

Who’s Right?

The world says one thing and God says just the opposite.

The world says: ‘be a somebody, significant, and a go-getter’, but God says, ‘become a nobody, unimportant, and humble’.

The world says, ‘the earth is important, and one should do all you can to preserve it’, but God says, ‘do not love this world for it will pass away’.

The world says, ‘create your own destiny’, but God says, ‘to have your destiny and purpose in life—it comes only through Jesus Christ’.

The world says, ‘you must love yourself to succeed’, but God says, ‘you must deny yourself and bear each other’s burdens and trials in this life’.

The world says, ‘assert oneself’ but God says, ‘one person who esteems others above oneself inherits all that God has created and everything He has to offer’.

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.