PIC: caught-unaware. Joel2Revival. 12.1.2025
…how we offend God, “quench the Spirit”, and thus
have ineffective prayer – and are wimpy MerWeb
Sin, put simply, is “Disobeying God”…that’s it.
In this sin-soaked world the parameters of what constitutes “sin” tend to get blurred. Acting-out regardless of what God wants, is sin. Sinning habitually – is “living in sin“.
There is good – and – bad
In itself sin creates fuzzy-headed thinking. And many just don’t think deeply enough to apply Scripture to their everyday conversation and expression of their worldviews.
I hear people habitually use their pet saying — “It’s all good“. The implication seems to be: “Don’t worry about it. It will all work-out in the end.” But that is a fatalistic outlook, not what the Bible teaches. Neither karma Define karma nor fatalism Define fatalism fit into a Christian worldview.
Biblically, much in this temporary world is not good. People know it is not all good. Saying “It’s all good” could be indicative of an ovearching current of erroneous thinking in their life.
The Battle for Meaning
Reading the Bible can correct this tendency to adopt unTruths into our views. What God has given us is not equivocal or ambiguos. Better is thinking with God’s Word rather than conforming Romans 12:2 to the influences around us. Scriptures tell us…
PIC: Charilie Kirk was biblical… an Ephesians 4:22-24 Christian. Sept10.2025
Romans 12:9
Love is to be sincere and active
[the real thing
—without guile and hypocrisy].
Hate what is evil
[detest all ungodliness,
do not tolerate wickedness];
hold on tightly to what is good.
I prefer being biblical from my soul. Then I can ask with clarity: “What’s so good about that?” If I am loving what is of the world… then my thinking gets warped. 1
Because God is holy… it is easy for us sinners to offend Him. And sometimes we don’t realize it. Commonly, and somewhat amazing: some think their sins to be innocuous MerWeb. We may think our little sins are legitimate, “just fine with me” – and soon we’re running with them. We tend to keep our sins… thus offending God who is calling us to repent of them, reject them, “turn from” them.
Our faith is not a man-made religion, like Chrislam – which Satan created. Nor are we into Hinduism, where Hindus try and try to get God to accept them! Our faith is not some popular “whatever” religion where “anything goes“.
No. Our faith is a “most holy faith”. Jude 1:20 God creates us brand new, “set apart” for Himself. 1 Peter 1:15
Acting “holy” is logical and intelligent Romans 12:1 – when you are truly a follower of Jesus. So we present our self (body, soul, and spirit) “as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” Romans 12:1
1 Peter 1:15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]
2 Peter 3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God],
Romans 12:1
[a]Therefore I urge you, [b]brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
__________
Many want to think sin is against people. But when we sin against others – we actually also are sinning against God.
Romans 12:1b
present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
Jude 1:20
But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit
Being human, we are only strong spiritually when we are living in the Spirit. If we are not relating well to God… we offend Him, and His Spirit cannot empower us to live with His strength.
We humans are the odd creature, are we not? We get ornery and snap. Get irritable. We feel wronged so we sulk or get violent. We feel misunderstood so we hold resentments and gossip. We slander others. We hate Joe because he sinned. Jane was a jerk. So many ways.
We’ve got “1,000 ways to offend God”. And don’t know it. But we sure know it when it’s “the other way around” – when the sin is against us. Out the window go…tolerance, forgiveness, love and kindness. It’s not easy to forgive.
The Spirit is at work in us to produce love. Working with God? Got agape love? Is your life fruit – agape love?
And yes: “love covers a multitude of sins”. But, life gets out of balance (out of kilter) by sinning. There are many ways to get out of kilter, especially when out in the public square. We can offend God with what we say and do:
- what we think and feel,
- what we opine and defend in public,
- what we publish on our fancy media ePages
- what we send to eFriends on our list (obviously sent only to the ones in good standing – not the ones we unFriended.
- Cancelling someone… so not-so forgivingly.
Offending God
It may be that I have offended God, grieved Him, actively quenched the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:30: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him]….
1 Thessalonians 5:19: “Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.”
Here are some examples of offending God. These must certainly grieve God, you think?
* That other day, stumbling drunk…. So what? Nobody got hurt.
* It may be I stomped the puddle, so to speak…throwing mud on Mac. It was not such a nasty word I said to him.
* This morning I felt it was totally justified, getting irritated. Got irritable mouth sindrome?
* Entertaining my own wayward thoughts, like: I’m so proud to be a tare – not like those infernal wheat types
got no space for the irritating prig 2
his soul so smug and so self-righteous
got no humor no delights
I’m so glad that I’m a tare
not a Jesus Only Wheatie
not a rapture dreamin’ hopeless Christian
waiting for that Jesus to return
no I am so proud to be a tare
– Source: Running with the wheaties
* The world of illusion of some churchgoers
“If we refuse to admit
that we are sinners,
then we live in a world of illusion
and truth becomes a stranger to us.
– 1 John 1:9-10
* My wild and crazy stallion heart Excerpt:
Some of these are still rearing their ugly heads inside the cavern of my heart:
“bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander… along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]”
– Ephesians 4:31-32
* We are the odd creature, are we not?
The Repentful Heart… as opposed to The unRepentant Heart
What do you say after sinning? We can say something like:
Forgive me Lord
for I have sinned 3
I have fallen short 4
I have not been a rock
I have snapped like a twig
I need your grace….
Do you share with God your failures, your sins, what you need from Him? More than I know “I am short of holy“. So I pray about it.
– Source: Forgive me oh Lord for I know I have sinned
So, what to do when we have offended God? It can be anywhere – somewhere somehow with something. I certainly do not want to refuse to admit my sin.
Not admitting to it? Why on earth!? God sees right through our bare open heart.
A Repentant Sinner’s Prayer… is full of confession, remorse, a broken and contrite heart, broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent, repentance, rejecting sin as “sin”, desire to follow Jesus
See in one link or: Psalm 51:1, Psalm 51:17, James 4:8, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 66:2, Psalm 34:18
Psalm 51 is a Psalm by King David of Israel, written in confession and repentance after Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had seduced Bathsheba. He asked God: Wash me. Cleanse me.
*Quote from the article: Psalm 51. Wash me. Cleanse me.
Stand strong
I don’t want to be spiritually wimpy MerWeb. Sin does that to anyone. “Be a wimp for Christ”?! That is not my banner. Not my brand.
God is my refuge and my strength. I know I am strong in Him. How ’bout you?
Salvation always involves obedience to God. Always.
Got obedience working in you? Or are you featuring what is NOT even close to it? If so, I’d check into that if I were you, bro, sis.
FOR MORE:
Ever offended anyone? Offended God? What happens with that?
_________
What makes your prayers effective Excerpt:
See #3: Active sin breaks our relationship with God. He is holy, so our heart must be set apart for Him. And only He can cleanse a sin-blemished heart. To pray, while holding back on Him… is not effective with prayer. Plain and simple.
God hears us and wants us to approach Him with sincere and honest prayer Excerpt: God warns that if I have active sin in my life unconfessed sin, in my thoughts… He will not answer my prayers Psalm 66:18 KJV. Sin breaks daily relationship with God. But of course, sin does not break our salvation, because Christ secured our salvation on the cross. God is bigger than our sin and the Devil.
Our salvation will never be broken. Ever. But our relationship can be.
So, are you keeping sin? Not admitting to it? Then prayer is affected. God will not respond to the Christian with unconfessed sin.
If I regard sin and baseness in my heart [that is, if I know it is there and do nothing about it],
The Lord will not hear [me] “harbored sin in my heart” in the NET version
– Psalm 66:18 AMP
Psalm 51. Wash me. Cleanse me.
Turn from – Turn to…”turn from” them
Do not fear, I will help you – Isaiah 41:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 6:10-18
“God is my refuge and strength,
an ever present help
in times of trouble.”
– Psalm 46:1
The Righteous Person Excerpt: Seek after God
The righteous person is the one that, in spite of sin problems — seeks after God and actually submits to His will.
Look at examples of followers of God who had sin problems – yet were counted as righteous because they had an attitude of “I want to seek and submit to the will of God”:
Followers of God who had sin problems:
* The adulterous, murdering King David,
* the “denying Jesus”, “cut off an ear” violent disciple Peter,
* the “murdering Christians zealot” Apostle Paul,
* the harlot Rahab,
…and, actually — all believers: “…such were some of you….” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
____________
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor [f effeminate by perversion] effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God….
– Verse 9 of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
11 Such were some of you;
but you were washed,
but you were sanctified,
but you were justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and in the Spirit of our God.
– Verse 11 of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
____________
Is your life fruit Agape Love?…Got agape love flowing inside – to the outside?
Love and Agape Love in the Greek and in the New Testament
Road Sign: God is at work up ahead…The Spirit is at work in us to produce love. Working with God? Got agape love?
The non-stop work of God inside you and me…God is at work
Finally, believers, rejoice!
Be made complete
[be what you should be],
be comforted,
be like-minded,
live in peace
[enjoy the spiritual well-being
experienced by believers who walk closely with God];
and the God of love and peace
[the source of lovingkindness]
will be with you.
– 2 Corinthians 13:11
Sinners versus living in sin Excerpt:
We are all “sinners”. All of us are failing God in many ways – disobedient, time and time again. However, the born again believer does not accept sin in their life. They fight it! Though born again, changed into a new creation, they are still sinners, forgiven, yes, but still struggling against sinning.
On the other side, non-believers, sinners also, have made decisions to accept sin in their life. Whatever the sin may be (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) the “not-truly-saved” person has accepted a normalcy which reveals their true heart.
Their “normalcy” is contrary to God’s normal.
What you think and practice as compared with what Jesus thinks…fuzzy-headed thinking
Balancing-out my faith with my practice Excerpt: You cannot balance-out your faith with practices that are heinous to God and expect God to change His ways for you. God does not use a balance scale. I cannot “balance-out my faith” by practicing sin.
Got a Cracked Heart”?…is your “normalcy” from a crack in your heart? Have you “believed in vain” Excerpt:
“…believed in vain
[just superficially
and without complete commitment].”
– 1 Corinthians 15:2
See All in one link or: 1 Corinthians 15:2, Romans 6:4-7, Colossians 3:1-4
God’s Sin List – 1 Timothy 1:6-11
God’s Sin List
“…whatever… is
contrary to
the sound doctrine
that conforms to the gospel
concerning the
glory of the blessed God….”
– 1 Timothy 1:6-11
…nothing more, nothing less
NEW TESTAMENT…and Proverbs…listing sins
These are New Testament references (and Proverbs) listing sins. See all in one link, or:
2 Corinthians 12:20, 1 Timothy 5:13, Romans 1:29, Romans 1:24-25, Matthew 15:19, 1 Peter 2:1, Proverbs 16:28, Ephesians 4:31, 2 Peter 2, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 2 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Timothy 1:6-11, Romans 1:18-19, Matthew 7:21-23, Ephesians 4:17-19, Ephesians 4: verses 17-32
Consequences of supporting evil
When it comes to God, who wants mere opinions?
Hebrews 12:15-17…warning to all sinners: “later on… he was rejected“
Hebrews 12:15-17
15 See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; 16 and [see to it] that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears.
2 Corinthians 13:5
“Test and evaluate yourselves
to see whether you are in the faith
and living your lives as [committed] believers.
Examine yourselves [not me]!
Or do you not recognize this
about yourselves
[by an ongoing experience]
that Jesus Christ is in you
—unless indeed you fail the test
and are rejected as counterfeit?
God’s Sin List…FYI: You are in this article
The Bad Fruit List …Ephesians 4: verses 17-32
Bad fruit…extrapolated from Ephesians 4:verses 12-32
The sins around us and the sins we do
What escapes your notice? Excerpt: What escapes your notice?
Obviously, if “it” escapes your notice, you didn’t notice! Ha!
But now you’ve been notified something may be missing. What is it?
Don’t be that shallow, unthinking, self-confident King Solomon’s Fool.
Running in the dirty realm of “living in sin”
Running with sin and calling it “just fine with me”
Sin is – whatever God says it is!
– Source: The Bible is the standard for Christian thought and practice. Not me. Not you.
Issues in the public square affect our life and our faith…is the public square affecting you, or are you affecting them?
What is good and what is not Excerpt: God told us clearly what is good. And He also made it quite clear to us — what is not good.
If you go against Me
We are His creation, so He knows our thoughts. And He said, basically (my interpretation):
If you go against Me, what I, God, want, [what Jesus stands for], in anything… then you ARE against Me, (“saith the Lord”).
Who you stand with shows. It shows with how you live your life, with how you habitually act, with what you “post to” on social media, with “the thoughts and intentions of your heart….”
If Jesus discerns you have stood against Him, the consequence comes to you on That Day when you kneel in anguish and fear before God, The Judge.
He will say, basically: You have come before Me, before the seat of My Eternal Court, and I am against you.
(Extrapolated from: Matthew 7:23)
– “setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness”
Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
Except to be just,
and to love
[and to diligently
practice] kindness (compassion),
And to walk humbly with your God
[setting aside any overblown sense
of importance or
self-righteousness]?
See Facebook page joel2revival – https://www.facebook.com/joel2revival/. Email: joel2@joel2revival.org
Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
In Christ I am a strong person…I am strong in Him
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be [a]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
What is your brand?…Not my brand
The Problem with different brands of “Christian faith”
Not saved yet…your “brand”?
Running with sin and calling it “just fine with me”
Got unconfessed sin? Harboring sin makes anyone’s prayers ineffective
Running with the wheaties Excerpt: Do you think you have God wired? Got Him wired-in by His Holy Spirit? Are you like God Almighty – to have His thoughts? Think again!
Tolerating others and being biblical
Being unselfish, more thoughtful and gracious to others
How do you treat Christian brothers and sisters who have fallen into sin?
Forgiving and restoring the brother caught in a sin
Choose loving habits one by one by one
We are in God’s era of hope – grace, love, and forgiveness in Jesus’ Name
Choose loving habits – one by one by one
Is your life fruit – Agape Love? Excerpt: What on earth are you doing with your eternal soul? Producing anything lasting? – Galatians 5:22-23
Love ’em in Jesus Name…with His Agape Love
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception Excerpt: Are you still wrapped up in a condemning mode? Still failing to forgive? Still into gossiping about those who have failed? Still looking down on someone? Still intolerant, unkind, callous…? (Ephesians 4:17-32)? Or are you letting “God re-mold” your mind?
Being unselfish, more thoughtful and gracious to others
Forgiving and restoring the brother caught in a sin…(or sister)
Dealing with the sins of others…in these very evil times
Put this on…Resisting the pressures
Conform or Resist the Pressures
Are you “contrary” – not conforming to the Gospel?
Sins we love
Experiencing gossip “the other way around”…when it’s on you
What you love more than God Excerpt: What do you love a lot, really-really-A-LOT? Does it take you away from God?
The sins we can practice to go to Hell. Just so you know. Excerpt: …Telling it like it is – with a bit of satire.
How to go to Hell (a bit of satire…)
It’s an easy-peasy choice, choosing Hell. Following is a giant list of what you can do — to go to Hell. Not difficult – as there are many practices you can choose from. Or, just stay as-is, the easiest choice (just make “no choice” at all) because God has divided eternity for all of us.
As is, as we are, in sin, there is an uncrossable chasm between here and Heaven. Jesus is the only Way across that chasm.
Is Jesus’ worldview your worldview?
Worldviews and the Battle for Meaning
The one who is an idolator – 1 Corinthians 10:9-14, Ephesians 5:5
Letting it reign until Hell is Home
The sins we can practice to go to Hell. Just so you know.
What is more important than your eternity? Excerpt: Whoever you are – you must have realized by now that you yourself have no special entry visa permit to Heaven. The fear of death shows us all up with that. Why else do people fear dying and death? So what have you done about it?
The Bible gives us hope with our coming experience in this, death. Have you looked into it lately? I have – and I’m not afraid of death. What I rather prefer is what’s coming next!
Who do you think you are? You think God has privileged you above all others so that you may walk smoothly into Heaven when you die?
About Being Apostate… following “another gospel”
About False Teachings of Today
The Bethel Johnson’s Unbiblical Teachings
Get your 2:2 on! Excerpt: Come on folks. Get your 2:2 on! Revelation 2:2 I tut MirWeb: disapprove, reject these imposters. These who call themselves gifted by God – but are most definitely, biblically, not:
Revelation 2:2
‘I know [a]your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors”
Bill Johnson’s Christology: A New Age Christ?, part IIIb | Craig of CrossWise April 27, 2012 *See also:
Part I, The Christ Anointing and the Antichrist Spirit, Part II, Part IIIa and Part IV (Conclusion).
Answer to Open Challenge to Fans and Critics of Bill Johnson/Bethel Church | – Craig of CrossWise | September 7, 2013. Excerpt: “…In the following message, taken from Bill Johnson’s 12/20/09 sermon Jesus is our Model (2nd service)… [actual words spoken by Bill Johnson – recorded]:
“A form of this teaching, known as Gnosticism, goes all the way back to the second century (and perhaps the first century). …The basic worldview of the Gnostics was dualistic, such that all matter is evil, while spirit is good. Humankind, while inwardly spirit and hence good, was enfleshed by evil matter, the outward body. The goal was to escape the flesh, thus attaining self-redemption. This was accomplished through secret knowledge, or gnosis (new revelation) that came by way of mystical experiences from mystical practices.”
False Prophets | From the book: The Holy Spirit: Gifts & Ministries | by Diane S. Dew | © copyright 1976, 1998 | For more Dew, see: http://dianedew.com/index.shtml
Dividing Eternity…God has divided eternity
Footnotes
- Excerpt from We are the odd creature, are we not?
I rather prefer being an Ephesians 4:22-24 Christian:22 that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires,
23 and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude],
24 and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation].
– Ephesians 4:22-24. - MerWEb prig: one who offends or irritates by observance of proprieties (as of speech or manners) in a pointed manner or to an obnoxious degree.
- Luke 15:11-32 – verse 18. The Prodigal Son. Excerpt: I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.”
- Isaiah 53:6. All of us like sheep have gone astray, We have turned, each one, to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] To fall on Him instead of us.
Leave a Reply