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What Must I Do To Be Saved? Faith… A Phil Kulis Series

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Phil Kulis with tags , , , , , , , , , on March 19, 2026 by paulthepoke

Welcome to Part 6 of Phil’s series.

𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓, 𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋, 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄, 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇, 𝐁𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐌

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝?

It’s really quite simple.

Romans 10:9-10 “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Let God into your life. It’s not only about you answering an invitation but you offering one in exchange. When you sense God knocking on the door of your heart, open the door and let Him in. It goes both ways, you let God into your house, God lets you into His.

What else must you do?

Listen to Him. God’s Holy Spirit will begin to produce the fruits of Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. When you see these things manifesting in your life you will know that these things are done in God through you.

Read the Bible. Get to know God.

The New Covenant is this: God’s Law will not be written just in stone, but God will write His Law on your heart.

Jeremiah 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

You’ll know God’s Law is written on your heart when “Thou Shall Not” becomes “I Don’t Want To”. That is the evidence of repentance. That’s how you’ll know you’ve repented.

“Repent and believe the Gospel.”

~

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 of things hoped for, the 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 of things not seen.

The name of the 𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 is “And it came to pass…”

The 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 is a person’s behavior until it comes to pass.

Hebrews 11 is sometimes called “the hall of faith”. It mentions Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and the prophets. Even though they all had a close encounter with God they were still required to have faith! They were justified by acting in faith, doing what God told them to do. We can know God interacted with them because we see the 𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 of what happened when they acted in faith.

The same is true of our own actions. When we behave in a Godly way, not only we ourselves but others too have evidence of our faith.

𝐹𝑎𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑒’𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠.

Faith is the currency of the Kingdom. Faith is like a coin where Belief and Action are flip sides of that coin.

“Your Faith has made you well” and “Faith without works (action) is dead.”

Adam disbelieved God and acted on his disbelief. We are to believe God and act on that belief.

~

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐨 𝐈 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡?

In conversations with atheists, they continually demand, “prove to me God exists”. They reject the notion of faith.

If “the just shall live by faith” then without faith one cannot be justified. The very thing atheists demand – absolute undeniable proof, would disqualify them for justification.

Recently I was watching videos of NDE’s (Near Death Experiences). In all the tellings of these experiences there is one common element; after death all doubt is removed. Whether it’s a Heavenly or Hellish experience after death, they have absolute undeniable certainty of the truth of God. They know the Truth. However when they “come back” to this life they still have to demonstrate faith when explaining their experience to others.

In the presence of absolute undeniable certainty, Faith is simply impossible. They are exact opposites. In the afterlife Faith does not exist any longer. When there is no faith possible neither is there any possibility of justification by faith. Justification comes only by faith.

When a person dies and experiences absolute undeniable certainty their fate is permanently sealed. If they did not have justification by faith in this life, they cannot achieve it after death. This is why Hell is permanent. There is no faith in Hell, only absolute certainty.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Jesus explained that faith is required in this life before we die. “…that whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The just, shall live, by faith.

Believe

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Four Men Tear Up a Roof… Forgiveness

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Gospel with tags , , , , , , , , , , on February 5, 2023 by paulthepoke

Memory Verse: Mark 2:10-11 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

Scripture: Matthew 9:2-8, Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:18-26

Object Lesson: Imagine a world where if you break any traffic law that you have to pay a ten million dollar ($10,000,000) fine. If you are unable to pay the fine, you are sentenced to death. Regardless of the infraction, this is the just punishment.

Even if you run a stop sign, drive under the influence, or go two miles per hour over the speed limit, enforcement and punishment are consistent and there are no exceptions. The system is absolutely just.

If this were really the case, the roads would be empty. So you run a stop sign and the camera takes a picture of your infraction. The police come and haul you away to jail. You are waiting for trial and pending sentence. You know you did it. As you are cuffed and transferred to the judge in the court, a complete stranger comes in on your behalf and pays your fine. He plops down $10,000,000 on your behalf. Your debt has been paid.

Justice has been served in that the fine has been paid. You could not afford the fine, but the judge accepts the payment of the fine by this gentleman on your behalf. You are spared death and your life has been pardoned.

Doctrinal Emphasis: Forgiveness

Key Theme: Sin is forgiven once and for all.

The primary word for forgiveness in the New Testament is aphiemi/ἀφίημι. It means to remit or forgive debts or sins. It involves the complete removal of the cause or offence. This remission is based upon the vicarious and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. Jesus took our place. Definition provided by Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

Only God can forgive sins. The Pharisees and scribes of the day knew this all too well in Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:18-26, Matthew 9:2-8. This is the reason they took such offence when Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic. As far as they were concerned, this was a blasphemous act and speech by Jesus. In their eyes, He was an ordinary man and not God. He was not even a member of the religious structures of the day. No mere man can forgive sins.

Jesus is not just an ordinary man. Jesus is God and He has the ability to forgive sins.

On an individual level, the forgiveness of sins is complete and distant. Psalm 103:12 states “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Nations and individuals are forgiven of their sins. Israel’s sins corporately are forgiven in Psalm 85:2, “Thou didst forgive the iniquity of Thy people; thou didst cover all their sin.” This is also stated in Jeremiah 36:3b in reference to the house of Judah, “…then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

Personally, we have to be forgiven because we are all born sinners. Ephesians 2:1 tells us that we are all spiritually dead. This is part of our family tree passed down by Adam.

Fortunately, we have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of trespasses and sins, for His name’s sake (Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, 1 John 2:12).

The same concept is articulated in the Old Testament on personal level in…

Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am the One who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.”

The forgiveness of sins does not mean that we are free to do whatever we want without consequence.  We should not choose to abuse the work of the cross. Paul shuts down this argument in Romans 6:1b-2. “…Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?”

Jesus’ work on the cross is clearly an act of grace and mercy towards sinful man. Honestly, is this any way to respond to a Man who suffered and died a horrible death on our behalf because of all of our sins?

What if the roles were reversed in the sense that you had bailed someone out of deep trouble? What if that person (the one you bailed out of trouble) chose to continue the behavior that landed them in trouble? What would you think if the person you spared continued to live in a sinful manner? After all, you were willing to pay the fine with your life for the sinner.

Have some empathy, put yourself in Jesus’ sandals. Try to look at this issue from His view…

There are consequences for our bodily actions. Physically, we die. The wage of sin is death. If God did not punish sin, He would fail to be just.

Give the Man His due respect…

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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Defining Sin

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Freedom in Christ with tags , , , , , , , , , on February 20, 2022 by paulthepoke

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What is sin? How do we know what sin is?

iStock

The New Testament word for sin is ἁμαρτία/hamartia. Here is how the word is defined: failure; missing the mark; guilt, sin, a fault, failure, sinful deed.

The first time the term “sin” is used in the Old Testament is Genesis 4:7.

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.

The Hebrew word translated as sin is chatta’ah. Within in the context of the passage of Genesis 4:7, sin is simply not doing the right thing. One did not achieve the set standard.

A person can do their best with the best of intentions and fail to meet the standard. It is still a sin. Clearly, people can willingly choose to disobey God’s statute. This is a sin.

We stand before the dart board of life. The bullseye is the standard. The intent is a perfect shot. The stance is good. The technique has been mentally rehearsed. Confidence reigns supreme. The bullseye is coming. With all your heart, the dart flies. Woops… missed. We are all sinners.

Which leads to another question, how do we know what is the right thing? Who sets the standard for what is right and what is wrong?

Sin is rebellion against God’s righteous and just character. Sin has its roots in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.

We are all sinners. How are we going to manage our sinful ways? What is our response going to be to sin? God knows we are all sinners.

Cain’s response to his sin was to murder his brother Abel. Adam and Eve tried to cover and hide from their sin in the Garden. Judas hung himself. At Golgatha, one thief next to Jesus lashed out at Christ.

David turned from adultery, lies, deception and murder and moved his heart towards God. Saul was killing Christians until he was blinded and became the Apostle Paul. Matthew was a corrupt tax collector swindling his fellow Jew. Matthew was upholding the “laws” until he answered the call of Jesus. At the The Skull, one thief on the cross revered God the Man and admitted his guilt and understood his consequence. And today, that thief is in Paradise.

Psalm 51:4-5 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be justified in Your words and blameless in Your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

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Time to Raise Cash…Featuring Michael Douville

Posted in Michael Douville with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 3, 2018 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 19:35-36 You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.

Currency manipulation is global issue. The above verses are two of many examples provided in Scripture. All currencies are not balanced the same. Imagine that, the world’s economy is out of balance in regards to the standard of the Bible. All currencies are not created equal. There are global economic consequences when standards are out of balance and there is reconfiguration. God is not a big fan.

 

Michael

Many Researchers have been forecasting a rising US Dollar. This seems like an impossibility, but technical methodology from several different disciplines are coming to the same conclusion. A top researcher in March placed a 103.8 target from 88.1; currently, the dollar has risen to 92.46. Should the target be exceeded, a Spike could develop going much higher. The Dollar rose .7% on May 1, 2018 alone.  A strong dollar will pressure the repayments of debt across the Globe in an environment of struggling Municipalities, States, and Sovereign debtors. A stronger dollar will not only change the repayments dynamics, but the exports in Emerging Market Countries are affected as Commodities expressed in US Dollars lose value.

A stronger Dollar is enhanced not only by the perception that the US Economy will be stronger than any other, but also by the Interest Rate differential across the Globe and the avowed Federal Reserve policy of raising short term rates. Higher rates from both the Federal Reserve and the LIBOR affect 40-60% of all Global Debt; currently exceeding the 2008 Debt Record and now over $217 Trillion Dollars. Charles Nenner called the 10 year Treasury low at 1.6% in July of 2016. The trend line from 1981 has been broken at the 2.65% level and has now exceeded 3%; better than an 85% increase. With the trend line broken, rates could rise swiftly and approach 4.5% faster than thought possible. Normalization is occurring as Central Bank intervention recedes. Normal could easily be 5-6%; a double from here.

Prices in asset classes will be affected. Housing prices will be compressed as rates rise; Home buyers buy based on payments. Higher rates equal lower affordability; some Luxury Markets are already affected!  Equity prices will be affected as repatriated funds are reduced inversely with a stronger dollar. The US Dollar has depreciated 24% since the Presidential election. Take for example a US manufactured auto sold for 20,000 Euros in Germany in December 2016; the same car sold for 20,000 Euros in December 2017 netted the US Manufacturer 20+% more profit due to the Dollar decline; great news for Stock Prices. Bad news when the US Dollar rises; the same formula works negatively in reverse. Look for earnings to decline; stocks are correlated to earnings. Need I mention Bonds? Higher rates will decimate Bond values as well as higher rates will cause many more defaults across the Globe, again affecting the value of Fixed Income. Commodities will also be negatively affected by a spiking US Dollar as it will take fewer Dollars to purchase in local Currency as well as higher rates will certainly curb demand.

What to do? Everything cycles! Raise cash to purchase assets at lower US pricing. Research is indicating it will probably be a Spike; vicious, but not exceedingly long term. This will present HUGE opportunities for those prepared. Every Investor has personal goals. Review your portfolio and make the proper adjustments.

michael@michaeldouville.com

https://michaeldouville.com

https://paulthepoke.com/category/michael-douville/

 

 

 

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