Saturday, June 13, 2026
The gospel message Col 1
Paul has assured his readers in the Lycus Valley that when they received the preaching of Epaphras, they had received the true grace of God in receiving his gospel which was Paul’s gospel. This was in the context of their being visited by teachers of other versions of “the gospel” who came with additional “knowledge, rites and seasons”. These were unnecessary because Christ was supreme in creation and redemption and they had been reconciled to God by his Christ.
Firstly, Paul reminded them that Christ is supreme in creation. As the Son of God, he is not only the image of the invisible God but also the whole fullness of God dwells in him. He is both the creator and the heir of all things. Through him all things were created, both on earth and in the heavens. This included what could be seen and not seen. It included all things earthly and all things spiritual. Angels and demons were created through him. Moreover, he is eternal when all other things have their time. He is not only creator, but also the sustainer of all things. He is absolutely supreme in creation (1:15-18).
Secondly, Paul reminded the Colossians that Christ is supreme in redemption. Christ is also the head of the new humanity, the church. By his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection the new humanity had its origin and it’s life. Such is his person, in which the fullness of God dwells, and such is his death on the cross not only have the believers become right before God but also the new creation has been born. All things in heaven and all things on earth have been affected so that the new heaven and the new earth have come into existence by his work, by his physical life crucified. The whole of creation has now the hope of being at peace with God (1:19-20).
Thirdly, Paul reminded the Colossians that although once they used to be enemies with God in their minds because of their evil behaviour, they now are at peace with God because of Christ’s death and resurrection. However, God’s work doesn’t stop there. The ultimate goal is that they will be “holy, without blemish and free from accusation” before God at the day of judgement. The proviso is that they continue in the faith that has been delivered to them by Paul through Epaphras, so they are to stand firm in it.
They are not to add to that gospel the offerings of the false teachers who are visiting the province. The gospel which was delivered to them by Epaphras is the gospel which has been delivered to the Roman world by the apostle Paul, by the 12 apostles of Christ, by the believers on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem and is the gospel which is proclaimed by the whole of creation itself (Rom. 1: 19 –20). Like the God who preaches it, it is eternal!
Col 1 28 Him we proclaim
A Modus Operandi for the Christian Ministry by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey Modus operandi is a Latin phrase meaning “mode of operating” or “method of working.” While joyfully reminiscing about his ministry, Paul reminds those in Colossae about the mystery “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:24-27). In Colossians 1:28 Paul presents a modus operandi for the Christian ministry. Note its mission, manner, and motive. First, there is the worldwide mission of the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28a reads, “Him we preach. . .” Previously Paul explained, “[Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:15-20). The phrase “every man,” that’s repeated three times in Colossians 1:28, reveals that preaching Christ is the worldwide mission of the Christian ministry. Second, there is the wise manner concerning the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28b reads, “. . . warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom. . .” We are to be wise when so many are otherwise. Colossians 1:9-12 reads, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” This is part of the wise manner concerning the Christian ministry. Third, there is the warranted motive for the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28c reads, “that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” When something is “unwarranted” it is said to be “lacking adequate or official support, unjustified, not having a good reason, not reasonable or necessary, not appropriate.” The warranted motive for the Christian ministry is to present people “perfect,” meaning “mature or complete,” as it is translated from the Greek word, “teleios.” Paul concludes, “To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29). These dark and deceptive days we desperately need a modus operandi for the Christian ministry! Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don’t Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon ©June 11, 2025, All Rights Reserved
Col 1 28 Him we proclaim
A Modus Operandi for the Christian Ministry by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey Modus operandi is a Latin phrase meaning “mode of operating” or “method of working.” While joyfully reminiscing about his ministry, Paul reminds those in Colossae about the mystery “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:24-27). In Colossians 1:28 Paul presents a modus operandi for the Christian ministry. Note its mission, manner, and motive. First, there is the worldwide mission of the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28a reads, “Him we preach. . .” Previously Paul explained, “[Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:15-20). The phrase “every man,” that’s repeated three times in Colossians 1:28, reveals that preaching Christ is the worldwide mission of the Christian ministry. Second, there is the wise manner concerning the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28b reads, “. . . warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom. . .” We are to be wise when so many are otherwise. Colossians 1:9-12 reads, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” This is part of the wise manner concerning the Christian ministry. Third, there is the warranted motive for the Christian ministry. Colossians 1:28c reads, “that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” When something is “unwarranted” it is said to be “lacking adequate or official support, unjustified, not having a good reason, not reasonable or necessary, not appropriate.” The warranted motive for the Christian ministry is to present people “perfect,” meaning “mature or complete,” as it is translated from the Greek word, “teleios.” Paul concludes, “To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29). These dark and deceptive days we desperately need a modus operandi for the Christian ministry! Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don’t Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon ©June 11, 2025, All Rights Reserved
Vindicate me O Lord Against My Slanderers
Dr. F.B. Meyer counsels, "We make a great mistake in trying always to clear ourselves; we should be much wiser to go straight on, humbly doing the next thing, and leaving God to vindicate us. 'He will bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noonday.' In Psalm 105:19 there follow words which, rightly rendered, read thus: 'The word of the Lord cleared him.' What a triumphant clearing did God give His faithful servant. There will come hours in our lives, when we shall be misconstrued, misunderstood, slandered, falsely accused, wrongfully persecuted. At such times it is very difficult not to act on the policy of the men around us in the world. They at once appeal to law and force and public opinion. But the believer takes his case into a higher court, and lays it before his God. He is prepared to use any means that may appear divinely suggested. But he relies much more on the divine clearing than he does on his own most perfect arrangements. He is content to wait for months and years, till God arise to avenge his cause. It is a very little thing for him to be judged adversely at the bar of man: he cares only for the judgment of God, and awaits the moment when the righteous shall shine forth in the kingdom of their Father, as the sun when it breaks from all obscuring mists. 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.' Ah! what a clearing-up of mysteries, what dissipating of misunderstandings, what vindication of character shall be there! Oh, slandered ones, you can afford to await the verdict of eternity; of God, who will bring out your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon day." Dr. F.B. Meyer (1847-1929) in Joseph: Beloved, Hated, Exalted (London: Morgan and Scott LTD, 1910), 61-62.
Friday, June 12, 2026
Intimacy With God Philippians 3:1-17
For pride and power would one destroy God’s work?
Church discipline
I do not understand why I suspended when the young pastor was the one who lied to the session about us “Not” being reconciled in August 2025 at the chicken place in Penrith.
DISCOVER INTIMACY WITH GOD
As soon as the soul is united to Him by a living faith, you begin to know His resurrection power in your life. the ' power of His Resurrection.' The power of the life which resides in Christ pours into the receptive spirit, forthwith it rises from the grave of passion in which it had been imprisoned, escapes from the bondage of corruption by which it was held, and goes forth into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Just as the Christ could not be held by the bands of death, so the soul which trusts Him is emancipated, enthused, raised into an altogether new atmosphere, breathes the life of eternity, is thrilled by the powers of the unseen, and meets all appeals from the lower world with an abundance of life, which is impervious to disease, infirmity, and temptation. Just as a really healthy life may pass through micropes of disease, which would effect the overthrow of less vigorous and buoyant health, so the soul which is infilled with the Resurrection power of Christ, is more than a conqueror in the midst of anything.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Matt 16. Opinions
Your Opinion Matters by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey Adrian Rogers said, “Everyone has a right to his own opinion, but no one has a right to be wrong about the facts.” He also said, “Tolerance was once a good virtue, an entitlement to your own opinion. Now, tolerance is an unreasonable thought that all opinions are correct.” Matthew 16:13-19 provides an account of the exchange between Jesus and His disciples about His identity. Opinions varied then as they do today. This passage reveals three ways opinions need to be addressed. Some opinions need to be challenged. Matthew 16:13-14 reads, “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’” Matthew 16 records what is called “the most significant case of mistaken identity in history.” Paul warns about those who erroneously preach “another Jesus” in 2 Corinthians 11:4. Some opinions need to be changed. Matthew 16:15-17 reads, “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’” Someone explains, “Jesus commends Peter for this revelation, which was divinely inspired, indicating that human understanding alone was insufficient to fully comprehend His identity.” Some opinions need to be championed. Matthew 16:18-19 reads, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’” “This rock” refers to Peter’s confession of Jesus’ true identity, who is the Rock (1 Peter 2:4-8; Acts 4:11-12; and Psalm 118:22) upon whom the church is built (1 Corinthians 3:11). Stephen F. Olford shared the following in a letter dated April 24, 2000, about his book titled, A Time for Truth: “In this book I warn us to not fall prey to the scourge of post-modernism, which denies absolute truth for the subjective assertion that ‘your opinion is no better than my opinion, so let’s agree to differ since there is no absolute truth!’” R.A. Torrey said, “The truly wise man is he who believes the Bible against the opinions of any man. If the Bible says one thing, and any body of men says another, the wise man will decide, ‘This book is the Word of Him who cannot lie.’” “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). Charles H. Spurgeon said, “The Word of God is the anvil upon which the opinions of men are smashed.” Your opinion matters! Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don’t Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon © June 4, 2026 All Rights Reserved
Monday, June 08, 2026
When is it right to refuse to pray with someone ?
When it is wrong to pray with someone: Isaiah 1:15 “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood." We should refuse to pray with someone when: A. They deliberately lie: such as saying “in my quiet time today the reading was..”. Someone had used that line three times in six months with me. Either he hadn’t read his Bible since the start of the year or he was reading thirty chapters a day to get back to the same passage three times in six months (he had already admitted publicly at a men’s breakfast earlier that year that he had not been reading his Bible regularly). This is an Acts 5 situation where Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit. Consent to pray with them is consent to their act of deceit. B. They don’t care about God’s will only about power and control which they choose not to relinquish, “as this gives their life meaning and purpose.” C. They are divisive and oppressive to others. D. They aren’t living according to the principle of prayer in 1 Peter 3:7 ESV - Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. Such prayer together would involve someone in complicity in their sins.
Child Exploitation Materials
The extensive use of CEM indicates a person has a sexual interest in children given people usually choose the kind of pornography that resembles their sexual interests.171 When a perpetrator is caught with CEM it is often thought they will go onto contact offend when it is most likely they already have. 172
A recent study found 60 per cent of CEM offenders had committed contact sexual offences against children which had not been identified at the time of their arrest.1
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Types of perpetrators
Types of offenders
There is a community perception that every person who sexually abuses a child is a paedophile. This is not correct. Not all child sexual offenders are paedophiles. Rather paedophiles are a sub-set of child sexual offenders.110 Most child sexual offenders who come to police attention are opportunistic or situational perpetrators who do not meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for paedophilia. Opportunistic or situational
perpetrators often do not have a sexual interest in children and engage in child sexual abuse when an opportunity arises and/or due to the circumstances they are in.111 They are more likely to lack appropriate personal controls and be impulsive.112
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) noted some key differences between the two. They considered that:
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Opportunistic perpetrators may be more likely to be involved in general offending other than child sexual abuse, they are less likely to intentionally create situations where abuse occurs and be less likely to use
grooming strategies.113 They will abuse children where there is an opportunity to do so.
Situational perpetrators tend to abuse children in response to things that are occurring in their own life.114
This might include a lack of a positive adult relationships, low self-esteem or social isolation.115
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) describes a person as having Paedophilic Disorder when they have intense and recurrent sexual urges towards, and fantasies about, prepubescent children that have either been acted upon or which cause the person distress or interpersonal difficulties.116 They can also be referred to as fixed or persistent perpetrators.117
Put simply, paedophilia is a sexual preference for prepubescent children.118 The person can be either attracted specifically to males or females, or both.119 One indicator of paedophilic disorder is the extensive use of child exploitation material (CEM) given individuals usually choose the kind of pornography that resembles their
sexual interests.120
People usually become aware of their sexual interest in children around the time of puberty and it appears to be a lifelong condition.121 Most of what we know about paedophiles comes from clinical or criminal justice samples, from men who have already committed sexual offences against children.122 Given the known underreporting of child sexual abuse, the prevalence of paedophilia in the general population is largely unknown with the highest
possible reported prevalence in the male population being approximately three to five per cent.123
Paedophiles have a higher recidivism rate compared to opportunistic or situational offenders due to their sexual preference towards children.124 However, if a perpetrator is ready, willing and able to engage in sexual offender programs they can learn to manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards children and lead a healthy lifestyle. There are significant challenges to building our understanding of how to intervene or work with people that abuse children.125 This is impacted by inaccurate self-reporting by perpetrators who have been caught, including about other abuse they may have previously committed which has not been disclosed or detected.126 This has serious implications for approaches to risk assessment, treatment planning, sentencing decisions and supervisory conditions.127
Rates of child sexual abuse from Queensland commission
We know that most child sexual abuse offences are never reported to formal services like police or courts. The Australian Institute of Family Studies told the Review that: The sensitive nature of child sexual abuse means that victims and survivors may be reluctant to disclose their experiences. A recent study found that disclosure of child sexual abuse in Australia has been infrequent, with only 54.8% of all those who experienced [child sexual abuse] ever telling anyone anything about it. There are a range of cultural, economic, societal, religious, familial and institutional factors, alongside recollection and detection challenges, that likely contribute to underreporting of child sexual abuse. Underreporting is particularly likely for men and for victims and survivors who experienced child sexual abuse perpetrated by a parent or adult family member, a caregiver in an institutional setting, or a known adolescent they were romantically involved with. There are multiple and intersecting barriers to reporting faced by victim-survivors. Reporting may be delayed, it may occur in a staged way, or victim-survivors may not feel safe to disclose a full account of the abuse they have experienced. Where a victim-survivor’s initial disclosure is not believed or supported they are less likely to seek help or try to report the abuse in the future or to other people. Of the offences that are reported to police, most will never proceed to the conviction of a perpetrator. An inability to meet the requisite threshold to prove an offence beyond a reasonable doubt is a key barrier in pursuing child sexual offences through the criminal justice system. This does not mean that the offence did not occur. The threshold for pursuing matters through the criminal justice system is high. The result however is difficult to contend with, as the reality is that most perpetrators may never come to the attention of the law, or be held to account for the abuse they have committed. It is impossible to piece together a full picture
Saturday, June 06, 2026
Breakthrough from God
Thursday, June 04, 2026
AI
AI is dangerous because It subtly contributes to depersonalisation. Our infatuation with technology has the consequence of depriving ourselves of relationality. AI is being weaponised into drone (robotics etc as well) warfare. There is less conscience and consciousness of what it means to take another’s life. This depersonalisation is evident in the rise of violence among the young (particularly among youth tribes in Victoria) whose only relational dependence is on the militant gang mentality of their fellow “gamers.” The Archbishop of Sydney wrote an amazingly insightful article at Christmas: God didn’t send a philosophy or a religion, or a ritual, He sent His own Son to be received and known by each individual personally. We humans need relationships. We are in danger of losing our humanity by our dependence on technology. We ought to consciously decide to improve our relationships rather than isolate ourselves by our technologies.
Choose this day
Take It or Leave It by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.” On the journey of life, you will have checkpoints, chances, and choices. First, there are the checkpoints you meet. These checkpoints are divine encounters as we are convicted by the Holy Spirit about whom Jesus said, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged”(John 16:8-11). Someone explains, “The author of Hebrews quotes the words, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion,’ three times, in Hebrews 3:7–8, 15, and 4:7. These quotations from Psalm 95 are meant to exhort people to receive Christ and not have ‘a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God’(Hebrews 3:12).” Checkpoints are times to remind you of where you stand with the Lord. Paul exhorts in 2 Corinthians 13:5a, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. . .” Second, there are the chances you miss. Oswald J. Smith states, “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” Every unbeliever will be haunted throughout eternity with the memory of the chances they missed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and to receive His glorious salvation. You do not want to live forever saying, “I woulda, coulda, shoulda.” Jesus warns, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48b). If you are an unbeliever, one day you will be accountable to Jesus at the great white throne judgement for all the chances you missed. Third, there are the choices you make. Adrian Rogers explains, “You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose. You’re not free to choose the consequences of your choice. And, when you make a big choice, you make a lot of other choices right along with it.” C. S. Lewis cautions those still unbelieving who stand before Jesus at the end of life: “It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not.” As Moses called the Israelites to choose in Deuteronomy 30:15, I call you to choose while you can. Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, Author of Don’t Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah and Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice [Both available on Logos and Amazon ©June 4, 2025, All Rights Reserved
Phil 3 FINALLY
Phil 3 Finally! Rejoice in the Lord
Philippians 3:1-9 ESV - Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith
Finally!! lol most importantly!!
Rejoice in the Lord!!!
Matthew Henry, "The joy of the Lord is a divine armor against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and puts our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks . . . the taste of joy in our mouths makes the tempter's offerings seem bland by comparison." Psalm 34:5, 'They looked unto Him and were radiant.' 'Emerson came into our house this morning with a sunbeam in his face.' Peter described it as joy unspeakable and full of glory.
1 No more, my God, I boast no more
Of all the duties I have done;
I quit the hopes I held before,
To trust the merits of thy Son.
2 Now, for the love I bear his name,
What was my gain I count my loss;
My former pride I call my shame,
And nail my glory to his cross.
3 Yes, and I must and will esteem
All things but loss for Jesus’ sake;
O may my soul be found in him,
And of his righteousness partake!
4 The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before thy throne;
But faith can answer thy demands,
By pleading what my Lord has done.
He was seeking good pearls, and passed from stall to stall with the eye and touch of the connoisseur; but from each stall he turned away dissatisfied. At last he approached one of the sellers, and saw before him on the tray the most exquisite, perfect, and transparent pearl that his eyes had ever lit on. Asking the price, he discovered that it would take all the pearls he had bought, and all the gold in his pouch, to procure it. When he learnt that to win that he must sell everything else; and so he does. He counts the rest a loss and the pearl far better. He counted all things else but loss.
Have you done this ?
