One year ago this very day, I moved the crushing weight of over 5 decades of pride, dishonesty, and sexual immorality from my shoulders to the forgiving feet of Jesus at the foot of the cross. Now, I bear the earthly cross and the consequences of my actions but living my best life ever free of these sins.
@davemartin9419 Thanks for the encouragement, Dave! Your words mean a lot. Let’s keep striving to grow in faith and live boldly for Christ every day. Blessings to you, brother! 🙌🙏
That is why I respect those who teach. And that's why I do not claim to be a teacher what Windows spiritual teachings are twisted to make people followers and not leaders. Even in their own lives where a man's word supersedes out of God. I cannot keep silent. There's only one good teacher. And it's Jesus and if a man fails to even understand that at the simplest level who calls himself as a leader. Then I can't stand for that. I just want to be obedient. I don't want to be the guy who calls his stuff out. But I am more afraid of being silent than of being labeled as someone who speaks out thank you brother Miller for being a teacher and I know that you know the gravity of your words. And it makes me respect you for that even more because you know the burden that it carries. Thank you for trying to lead a knucklehead like me and help me out everyday. I'm grateful to you and all the brothers on here
@cowboyknight Brother, thank you for those kind and heartfelt words-they mean a lot. You're absolutely right: Jesus is the only truly good teacher, and any man who teaches must do so with reverence, humility, and full dependence on Him. I hear the weight in your words, and I respect your courage to speak up when the truth is compromised. I don't take this calling lightly. Every word carries responsibility, and I'm constantly reminded that it’s not about me-it’s about pointing men like you and me to the ultimate Leader. So thank you for letting me walk this road with you. None of us have it all figured out, but together, we can seek Jesus, learn from Him, and grow into the men He’s called us to be. Keep pursuing obedience, brother. Your desire to follow Him faithfully is what sets you apart. You’re not a knucklehead-you’re a man after God’s own heart, and that’s exactly who He uses. Stay strong, stay bold, and stay in the Word. We’re all in this together. Grateful for you, brother.
What you teach is mostly spot on, and any errors we as bereans should be checking, is to see if it is so according to the word. There is a disagreement I have with one aspect of what you said yesterday. You said salvation is not by works (which is true), and then you said our works are the evidence of our salvation. (I disagree here). I will give you an example. Say a man receives Jesus, and believes in the message of the gospel as a child of 8 years old. Later in life, this child grows up and goes to college he becomes then a let's say, "Unproductive christian" and becomes worldly, then he hears messages from teachers, saying our works are evidence of our salvation. This causes this person to become introspective and realizes, I need to go about doing works so I can prove to myself and to others that I am truly saved. He then proceeds to be about busy with evangelism, and involved heavily in the local church, gives to help poor people, does all things by the book, but turns out, it's motivated soley in order to quench nagging doubts about his own salvation. This is good works done in fleshly effort, not out of faith, but out of fear and doubt. So he basically begins to stack up works, just in case he stands before God and has to convince God that He is saved because all these works are the evidence of it. In essence, when someone receives Jesus, is a person not saved before he even begins to do works? So if works are not evident in his life, does this mean looking back at that moment, that God renniged on making Him born again, and went back on his word? You may answer ok, maybe he was not sincere when he asked Jesus into his life ! I say, can anybody know how sincere they were? Jeremiah 17 says the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, and we can not know it. So that would mean that no one could know they are saved because no one can know how sincere they were at the moment of salvation. This is the games we play with people, and if you add the doctrine of calvanism to the mix, you will have perpetually insecure christians constantly in doubt, filling their lives with works in a legalistic manner. The example of Rahab and Abraham is there for a reason. Rahab did not have to make multiple works to be justified she made a ONE time decision to hide the spies, and in faith, trusted she would be spared. Abraham made a ONE time decision to sacrifice Isaac and in faith believed that God would bring him back from the ashes. You see it wasn't multiple works that justified them, it was a one-time decision based on belief and faith in action that justified both Abraham and Rahab. The parallel is uncanny that when we are presented with the gospel we are to believe Jesus is the Son of God that he died to pay the penalty of our sins and that his sacrifice gives us His righteousness as a completed work and then make a ONE time decision to receive Him based on that belief. That is what James is conveying here, by using the examples of Rahab and Abraham. After that moment, any further works are never evidence of salvation. All works thereafter are only evidence of spiritual growth based on spiritual understanding of God's love for us, and we reciprocate it by our works. Our works should be christ expressing himself thru us, prompting us internaly to do this or that. This becomes more frequent the more we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Carnal minded Christians are immature and unproductive, as was much of the church at Corinth, but they were still christians. Your job as a teacher is not to pressure people or challenge them to do works. We should be fully dedicated to teaching the flock how to walk in the Spirit and how to live more often in the spiritual matrix, while still living physically in the earthly matrix. Works then will come naturally as a bi-product of walking in the Spirit. Any other form of works conjured up to prove our salvation is a dead work, because it's motivated, and born out of legalistic means, and fear of condemnation. Let's never teach people who are believers to do good works by giving them a list. The danger is that they will be doing it as a checklist, motivated by pressure and fear, and trying to counter the doubts the devil puts in their thoughts. This only contributes to christian insecurity. Capisce?
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed perspective. Your comment reflects a deep desire to uphold the truth of the gospel and protect believers from falling into the traps of legalism and insecurity. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify and engage with your "capisce." First, I fully agree with your foundational assertion that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift from God, and nothing we do can earn or add to it. This truth is central to the gospel and cannot be compromised. I also agree with your concern about works being misused as a source of assurance, leading to fear-based or legalistic behavior. However, I want to clarify what I meant by saying that works are the evidence of salvation. When I speak of works as evidence, I (and James) am not suggesting that they are a means of proving salvation to ourselves or to God. James and I are not concerned about this at all. Again he is writing to the Dispersion of believers, not unbelievers. Rather, I and James are communicating that Scripture clarifies that genuine faith naturally produces fruit over time as a reflection of the Spirit’s work in a believer's life. This is not about fear or obligation but about transformation (see Galatians 5:22-23 and John 15:5). You mentioned Rahab and Abraham, and I appreciate how you highlighted their one-time acts of faith. James uses their stories to demonstrate that true faith expresses itself in action (James 2:17-26). Their works were not about proving their salvation but were the natural outworking of their belief in God’s promises. Similarly, Jesus said, "By their fruit, you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16), indicating that fruit (works) is a visible outcome of what is already true inwardly. It’s not the root of salvation but its fruit. I agree with your concern about the introspective believer who falls into a legalistic mindset, striving to do good works out of fear or doubt. This is a valid caution. We must always teach that works flow from a place of love and gratitude, not from a checklist of duties or fear of condemnation. As Romans 8:1 reminds us, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Our identity and assurance come from God’s promise, not our performance. Your point about teaching believers to walk in the Spirit is crucial. When we walk in the Spirit, good works emerge naturally as Christ expresses Himself through us (Galatians 5:16-18). This aligns with your statement that works should be a byproduct of spiritual growth and love, not a desperate attempt to validate salvation. I wholeheartedly agree that pressuring believers to perform out of fear is counterproductive and contrary to the gospel. In summary, the works James and I referred to are not about proving salvation but about living it out. They are the overflow of a transformed life, driven by the Spirit, not by fear or legalism. Thank you again for your thoughtful response. I hope this clarifies my intent and strengthens our shared desire to point others to the freedom and joy found in Christ alone.
@VinceLeeMiller fantastico....fully ln board with that. I will add works is a by-product of walking in the Spirit springing from the fruit of the Spirit as you mentioned Gal 5:22 . I am of the belief that when we are walking in the flesh (As Christians) we will NOT produce any works of faith. Jesus only expresses himself to others through us when we are walking in the Spirit only. Any works produced apart from that is a dead work no matter how good it looks on the outside as in the example given in 1 cor if I give my body to be burned and don't have love it is worthless. Well love is fruit of the Spirit. So we as Christians are like a radio sign wave when it comes to this activity we are in and out, in and out , in and out meaning we walk in the spirit , walk in the flesh , walk in the spirit , walk in the flesh etc meaning inconsistent (myself included) and so in this thought I submit that we become more consistent in this practice as we mature as believers. So when we as an audience look at works we have no idea the motive behind it only God knows this that is why we don't pull the wheat before harvest . At the end of the age not us, but our works will be judged as metal, wood, hay or stubble and what work is not of the spirit but of the flesh will be burned up. Some will be saved with zero works to show because all of them were burned up but he himself was saved as if by fire. I REALLY wish christian teachers and pastors would teach so much more on How to walk in the Spirit. I am still after 50 years as a believer not an expert on how to do this. Why because I'm having to learn it on my own by trial and error especially since my flesh is so super strong and rebellious in some areas it prevents me from doing this with excellence and consistency. I often feel guilty because I do so much out of human effort that I have a very hard time analyzing my motive. It's like the line is blurred between works motivated by human effort and works that come from an expression of Jesus christ in me wanting to come out in my personality and so sometimes I feel I have two personalities my dark side and my light side. Circumstances and fleshly desires often determine what side of me is gonna be the front man in this show called life. It's the old romans 7 issue. I would really love to see more teaching on how to get out of romans 7 and get into galatians 5 can teachers please teach that more ????
Mark, I’m with you 100%-your words resonate so deeply! This ongoing struggle between the flesh and Spirit that you describe is something every believer wrestles with. Thank you for articulating it so well and bringing Romans 7, Romans 8, and Galatians 5 into the spotlight. Let's dig into this together. Moving Out of Romans 7 into Romans 8 and Galatians 5: Recognize the Reality of the Struggle Romans 7 captures the tension we all feel: "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Rom. 7:15). Acknowledging this is crucial-it humbles us and reminds us of our need for the Spirit daily. But don’t stop there. Romans 8:1 brings the freedom we long for: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This verse shifts our mindset from guilt to grace. Renew the Mind Daily The Spirit-filled life is about transformation, and that starts with the mind: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). Spend time in the Word, prayer, and worship-it tunes your "radio signal" to the Spirit’s frequency. Walk, Don’t Strive Galatians 5:16 says, "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Walking implies steady, intentional progress. It’s not a sprint but a journey, marked by daily submission to God’s leadership. Replace striving with abiding (John 15:4). Confess Quickly, Reconnect Immediately When you stumble (and we all do), confess and move forward. The enemy loves to keep us trapped in guilt, but 1 John 1:9 promises that God is faithful to forgive and cleanse. Reset your focus on Christ instead of your failure. Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit isn’t manufactured; it’s produced naturally as we abide in Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 lists love, joy, peace, patience, and more-all results of living in step with the Spirit. When you focus on your connection to Him, the fruit will follow. Mark, the beauty of Romans 8 and Galatians 5 is that they remind us it’s not about us trying harder; it’s about surrendering more. You’re right-our works, apart from the Spirit, are just dead efforts. But when we live by the Spirit, Jesus expresses Himself through us in ways we can’t even fully comprehend. Keep pressing forward, brother. Much love today.
Accept and believe! I choose Jesus every day. Amen, thank you Pastor Vince.
@airangel2992 Amen! Choosing Jesus every day is the ultimate declaration of faith and love.
One year ago this very day, I moved the crushing weight of over 5 decades of pride, dishonesty, and sexual immorality from my shoulders to the forgiving feet of Jesus at the foot of the cross. Now, I bear the earthly cross and the consequences of my actions but living my best life ever free of these sins.
Amen Pastor & Brother! 💪👊
Amen, I learned this recently. God's word!
@darrincoe4557 Amen, Darrin! There’s nothing more powerful than discovering the truth in God’s Word.
Keep it up!!
@davemartin9419 Thanks for the encouragement, Dave! Your words mean a lot. Let’s keep striving to grow in faith and live boldly for Christ every day. Blessings to you, brother! 🙌🙏
I woke myself up screaming again this morning. But this time I wasn’t screaming in fear, but in defiance and triumph. (Imagine the shout of a warrior)
Yes!!!
@ And now I can rejoice be I know that my “nightmares” were spiritual warfare.
That is why I respect those who teach. And that's why I do not claim to be a teacher what Windows spiritual teachings are twisted to make people followers and not leaders. Even in their own lives where a man's word supersedes out of God. I cannot keep silent. There's only one good teacher. And it's Jesus and if a man fails to even understand that at the simplest level who calls himself as a leader. Then I can't stand for that. I just want to be obedient. I don't want to be the guy who calls his stuff out. But I am more afraid of being silent than of being labeled as someone who speaks out thank you brother Miller for being a teacher and I know that you know the gravity of your words. And it makes me respect you for that even more because you know the burden that it carries. Thank you for trying to lead a knucklehead like me and help me out everyday. I'm grateful to you and all the brothers on here
@cowboyknight
Brother, thank you for those kind and heartfelt words-they mean a lot. You're absolutely right: Jesus is the only truly good teacher, and any man who teaches must do so with reverence, humility, and full dependence on Him. I hear the weight in your words, and I respect your courage to speak up when the truth is compromised.
I don't take this calling lightly. Every word carries responsibility, and I'm constantly reminded that it’s not about me-it’s about pointing men like you and me to the ultimate Leader. So thank you for letting me walk this road with you. None of us have it all figured out, but together, we can seek Jesus, learn from Him, and grow into the men He’s called us to be.
Keep pursuing obedience, brother. Your desire to follow Him faithfully is what sets you apart. You’re not a knucklehead-you’re a man after God’s own heart, and that’s exactly who He uses. Stay strong, stay bold, and stay in the Word. We’re all in this together.
Grateful for you, brother.
What you teach is mostly spot on, and any errors we as bereans should be checking, is to see if it is so according to the word. There is a disagreement I have with one aspect of what you said yesterday. You said salvation is not by works (which is true), and then you said our works are the evidence of our salvation. (I disagree here). I will give you an example. Say a man receives Jesus, and believes in the message of the gospel as a child of 8 years old. Later in life, this child grows up and goes to college he becomes then a let's say, "Unproductive christian" and becomes worldly, then he hears messages from teachers, saying our works are evidence of our salvation. This causes this person to become introspective and realizes, I need to go about doing works so I can prove to myself and to others that I am truly saved. He then proceeds to be about busy with evangelism, and involved heavily in the local church, gives to help poor people, does all things by the book, but turns out, it's motivated soley in order to quench nagging doubts about his own salvation. This is good works done in fleshly effort, not out of faith, but out of fear and doubt. So he basically begins to stack up works, just in case he stands before God and has to convince God that He is saved because all these works are the evidence of it. In essence, when someone receives Jesus, is a person not saved before he even begins to do works? So if works are not evident in his life, does this mean looking back at that moment, that God renniged on making Him born again, and went back on his word? You may answer ok, maybe he was not sincere when he asked Jesus into his life ! I say, can anybody know how sincere they were? Jeremiah 17 says the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, and we can not know it. So that would mean that no one could know they are saved because no one can know how sincere they were at the moment of salvation. This is the games we play with people, and if you add the doctrine of calvanism to the mix, you will have perpetually insecure christians constantly in doubt, filling their lives with works in a legalistic manner. The example of Rahab and Abraham is there for a reason. Rahab did not have to make multiple works to be justified she made a ONE time decision to hide the spies, and in faith, trusted she would be spared. Abraham made a ONE time decision to sacrifice Isaac and in faith believed that God would bring him back from the ashes. You see it wasn't multiple works that justified them, it was a one-time decision based on belief and faith in action that justified both Abraham and Rahab. The parallel is uncanny that when we are presented with the gospel we are to believe Jesus is the Son of God that he died to pay the penalty of our sins and that his sacrifice gives us His righteousness as a completed work and then make a ONE time decision to receive Him based on that belief. That is what James is conveying here, by using the examples of Rahab and Abraham. After that moment, any further works are never evidence of salvation. All works thereafter are only evidence of spiritual growth based on spiritual understanding of God's love for us, and we reciprocate it by our works. Our works should be christ expressing himself thru us, prompting us internaly to do this or that. This becomes more frequent the more we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Carnal minded Christians are immature and unproductive, as was much of the church at Corinth, but they were still christians. Your job as a teacher is not to pressure people or challenge them to do works. We should be fully dedicated to teaching the flock how to walk in the Spirit and how to live more often in the spiritual matrix, while still living physically in the earthly matrix. Works then will come naturally as a bi-product of walking in the Spirit. Any other form of works conjured up to prove our salvation is a dead work, because it's motivated, and born out of legalistic means, and fear of condemnation. Let's never teach people who are believers to do good works by giving them a list. The danger is that they will be doing it as a checklist, motivated by pressure and fear, and trying to counter the doubts the devil puts in their thoughts. This only contributes to christian insecurity. Capisce?
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed perspective. Your comment reflects a deep desire to uphold the truth of the gospel and protect believers from falling into the traps of legalism and insecurity. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify and engage with your "capisce."
First, I fully agree with your foundational assertion that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift from God, and nothing we do can earn or add to it. This truth is central to the gospel and cannot be compromised. I also agree with your concern about works being misused as a source of assurance, leading to fear-based or legalistic behavior.
However, I want to clarify what I meant by saying that works are the evidence of salvation. When I speak of works as evidence, I (and James) am not suggesting that they are a means of proving salvation to ourselves or to God. James and I are not concerned about this at all. Again he is writing to the Dispersion of believers, not unbelievers. Rather, I and James are communicating that Scripture clarifies that genuine faith naturally produces fruit over time as a reflection of the Spirit’s work in a believer's life. This is not about fear or obligation but about transformation (see Galatians 5:22-23 and John 15:5).
You mentioned Rahab and Abraham, and I appreciate how you highlighted their one-time acts of faith. James uses their stories to demonstrate that true faith expresses itself in action (James 2:17-26). Their works were not about proving their salvation but were the natural outworking of their belief in God’s promises. Similarly, Jesus said, "By their fruit, you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:16), indicating that fruit (works) is a visible outcome of what is already true inwardly. It’s not the root of salvation but its fruit.
I agree with your concern about the introspective believer who falls into a legalistic mindset, striving to do good works out of fear or doubt. This is a valid caution. We must always teach that works flow from a place of love and gratitude, not from a checklist of duties or fear of condemnation. As Romans 8:1 reminds us, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Our identity and assurance come from God’s promise, not our performance.
Your point about teaching believers to walk in the Spirit is crucial. When we walk in the Spirit, good works emerge naturally as Christ expresses Himself through us (Galatians 5:16-18). This aligns with your statement that works should be a byproduct of spiritual growth and love, not a desperate attempt to validate salvation. I wholeheartedly agree that pressuring believers to perform out of fear is counterproductive and contrary to the gospel.
In summary, the works James and I referred to are not about proving salvation but about living it out. They are the overflow of a transformed life, driven by the Spirit, not by fear or legalism. Thank you again for your thoughtful response. I hope this clarifies my intent and strengthens our shared desire to point others to the freedom and joy found in Christ alone.
@VinceLeeMiller fantastico....fully ln board with that. I will add works is a by-product of walking in the Spirit springing from the fruit of the Spirit as you mentioned Gal 5:22 . I am of the belief that when we are walking in the flesh (As Christians) we will NOT produce any works of faith. Jesus only expresses himself to others through us when we are walking in the Spirit only. Any works produced apart from that is a dead work no matter how good it looks on the outside as in the example given in 1 cor if I give my body to be burned and don't have love it is worthless. Well love is fruit of the Spirit. So we as Christians are like a radio sign wave when it comes to this activity we are in and out, in and out , in and out meaning we walk in the spirit , walk in the flesh , walk in the spirit , walk in the flesh etc meaning inconsistent (myself included) and so in this thought I submit that we become more consistent in this practice as we mature as believers. So when we as an audience look at works we have no idea the motive behind it only God knows this that is why we don't pull the wheat before harvest . At the end of the age not us, but our works will be judged as metal, wood, hay or stubble and what work is not of the spirit but of the flesh will be burned up. Some will be saved with zero works to show because all of them were burned up but he himself was saved as if by fire. I REALLY wish christian teachers and pastors would teach so much more on How to walk in the Spirit. I am still after 50 years as a believer not an expert on how to do this. Why because I'm having to learn it on my own by trial and error especially since my flesh is so super strong and rebellious in some areas it prevents me from doing this with excellence and consistency. I often feel guilty because I do so much out of human effort that I have a very hard time analyzing my motive. It's like the line is blurred between works motivated by human effort and works that come from an expression of Jesus christ in me wanting to come out in my personality and so sometimes I feel I have two personalities my dark side and my light side. Circumstances and fleshly desires often determine what side of me is gonna be the front man in this show called life. It's the old romans 7 issue. I would really love to see more teaching on how to get out of romans 7 and get into galatians 5 can teachers please teach that more ????
Mark, I’m with you 100%-your words resonate so deeply! This ongoing struggle between the flesh and Spirit that you describe is something every believer wrestles with. Thank you for articulating it so well and bringing Romans 7, Romans 8, and Galatians 5 into the spotlight. Let's dig into this together.
Moving Out of Romans 7 into Romans 8 and Galatians 5:
Recognize the Reality of the Struggle
Romans 7 captures the tension we all feel: "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Rom. 7:15). Acknowledging this is crucial-it humbles us and reminds us of our need for the Spirit daily. But don’t stop there. Romans 8:1 brings the freedom we long for: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This verse shifts our mindset from guilt to grace.
Renew the Mind Daily
The Spirit-filled life is about transformation, and that starts with the mind: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). Spend time in the Word, prayer, and worship-it tunes your "radio signal" to the Spirit’s frequency.
Walk, Don’t Strive
Galatians 5:16 says, "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Walking implies steady, intentional progress. It’s not a sprint but a journey, marked by daily submission to God’s leadership. Replace striving with abiding (John 15:4).
Confess Quickly, Reconnect Immediately
When you stumble (and we all do), confess and move forward. The enemy loves to keep us trapped in guilt, but 1 John 1:9 promises that God is faithful to forgive and cleanse. Reset your focus on Christ instead of your failure.
Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit isn’t manufactured; it’s produced naturally as we abide in Christ. Galatians 5:22-23 lists love, joy, peace, patience, and more-all results of living in step with the Spirit. When you focus on your connection to Him, the fruit will follow.
Mark, the beauty of Romans 8 and Galatians 5 is that they remind us it’s not about us trying harder; it’s about surrendering more. You’re right-our works, apart from the Spirit, are just dead efforts. But when we live by the Spirit, Jesus expresses Himself through us in ways we can’t even fully comprehend.
Keep pressing forward, brother. Much love today.
Deadlift? You been listening to my channel? 😅
I have!!!!
@VinceLeeMiller awesome thanks! James is loaded with good stuff