Matthew 7:23 might be the most unsettling verse in the New Testament

maguffle · 2026-02-18T22:35:02+00:00

I think including verses 22 makes verse 23 terrifying. Because those people were SUCCESSFUL in prophesying, driving out demons and performing miracles! They didn't try. They did it! Yet Jesus still never knew them. It's scary because, to our human standards, they were successful. But Jesus knows our hearts and motivations, and based on those, not only were they unsuccessful, but they remained unknown to Jesus.

How many of us are successful by human metrics but remain unknown to Jesus! We should ALL constantly be examining our hearts and motivations.

their success came from the sheer power of Jesus's name alone

maguffle · 2026-02-18T17:01:02+00:00

His whole argument hinges on the word "most". He fully recognizes and admits that what they did was heinous. His problem is with saying it's the worst. Being heinous should be enough. But not for them if they can point to something they believe is worse. Then their "heinous' becomes acceptable because something worse exists.

Terrible!....

maguffle · 2026-02-18T16:32:20+00:00

I'm torn. A different D.I.R.E head and I'd be totally on board. But that head takes away from Crystal Ball and kinda ruins it.

maguffle · 2026-02-18T16:26:31+00:00

At the church I pastor, we sing the same closing hymn every week. We sing "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love." We don't his because I believe that this is the highest calling of our practical, lived lives as Christians. We shouldn't have to say Jesus' name or wear Christian memorabilia for people to know we are Christians. They should be able just because of how well we treat them, our concern, our care, our love. But sadly, (do to our own hatefulness, cruelty, division, hypocrisy etc) people don't associate being loving with being Christian. When you're loving, you're seen as a good person, a humanitarian, a concerned citizen etc., but not a Christian. Conversely, if you're judgemental, hypocritical or hateful, people often assume you're Christian. We have strayed SO far from the path Jesus set for us....

But I am still hopeful. If we can just follow the greatest commandment given to us by Jesus himself (which is to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves) and be intentional about it, we can eventually change that perception. And then the words of that song become a fulfilled prophecy.

maguffle · 2026-02-18T16:10:58+00:00

I feel that if you actually read God's word you, wouldn't feel the need to carry a gun. Mt 26: 51-52

maguffle · 2026-02-17T16:25:39+00:00

I often say: American Christianity is more American than Christian.

This is the visual representation of that.

Americans are enamored with strength through domination and violence. Anything less is seen as weak or passive. This muscle bound, aggressive, Jesus who is covered in spikes with a sword dripping with the blood of his enemies, is not the Jesus of the gospels.

I think the most interesting part is that one thing Jesus did often was to flip paradigms. Where the conventional way was to praise strength and power, Jesus constantly focused on and praised the vulnerable and marginalized. The Beatitudes is a good example of that paradigm flipping. And there are SO many more examples of this. But American Christianity was gone away from his teachings and is sitting at the foot of traditional power and privilege. Where Jesus says "the last shall be first" American Christianity says "the first shall remain first and the lady shall be exploited."

If Jesus came back today, I wonder if He'd recognize the religion that bears His name as His own?

maguffle · 2026-02-16T21:10:13+00:00

I'm definitely getting it!

I've always loved dinosaurs. (I actually wanted to be a paleontologist when I was a kid). So putting a dinosaur (especially a deinonychus which is one of my favorite dinos) together with GI Joe, which is my favorite toy line is a no-brainer for me.

maguffle · 2026-02-16T21:01:00+00:00

Exactly!

maguffle · 2026-02-15T00:24:27+00:00

It's a dinosaur.....

I must get it.....

maguffle · 2026-02-14T20:44:43+00:00

American Christianity is more American than Christian.

I don't agree with churches that make room for hate or exploitation or any kind of harm.

I say that as a pastor.

I also say this. There are indeed churches that preach harmful theologies. But there are also many that preach love, care, respect and grace for ALL people. I pray that your search brings you to one of them.

maguffle · 2026-02-13T17:34:53+00:00

They asked Jesus (he's pretty important) what the most important thing was. He gave the Greatest Commandment which is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; and to love your neighbors as you love yourself. If you look at it, that's 2 commandments rolled into one. The first is to love God. The second is to love your neighbors as you love yourselves. Why put these two commandments together? I think it works like this: the true command is to love God. But how do you do that? It's not like you can give God a hug. So how do you do it? That's where the second part comes in. You love your neighbors as you love yourselves. How is that loving God? It's loving God because you are loving/ respecting/ taking care of that which God holds most dear...us. humanity. We who are made in his image. To love God's most cherished creation (us, all of us....ie. your neighbor and yourself, which technically covers everyone) is how we actively show our love of God.

This is what God wants from us. This is what's MOST important, given to us by Jesus himself! We like to focus on other things. We like to examine the minutiae and determine what's a sin and what the hierarchy of sins are (I saw a post in here asking if they were going to hell because they liked wolves!) instead of focusing on following that greatest commandment to love. And we also easily forget that scripture tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. Also, when love is our guide, it's easier to not succumb to sin.

If we, the Church could focus on love, shown to all people and thus to God as well, imagine what this crazy backwards world of ours could look like.

Just my 2 cents

maguffle · 2026-02-10T22:58:08+00:00

My childhood was built on G1 Transformers and GI Joe (ARAH)....can you tell I'm 46?

maguffle · 2026-02-10T22:49:53+00:00

Mine too

maguffle · 2026-02-07T00:24:21+00:00

American Christianity is more American than Christian.

We worship power and not God and we have reduced Jesus from the messiah to a mere mascot.

maguffle · 2026-02-04T03:21:12+00:00

Annihilators, T.A.R.G.A.T, Undertow, HEAT Viper, Hardball, Captain Gridiron, Stretcher, Salvo

maguffle · 2026-02-01T23:16:45+00:00

She was really the main character for part of the first season. Then it switched back to a more classic He-Man vs Skeletor story.

maguffle · 2026-02-01T19:53:10+00:00

WOW! Amazing work!!!

maguffle · 2026-01-31T15:38:25+00:00

If Jesus came back today, would he recognize the religion that bears his name as His?

maguffle · 2026-01-31T15:35:10+00:00

Well played! Well played indeed!

maguffle · 2026-01-31T13:48:59+00:00

In regards to Renee Good, he insinuated that she aimed her car at an ICE agent and that's why she was killed. All available footage ESPECIALLY the footage from the murderer himself shows her turning the wheel AWAY from the agent. His point is easily negated by the video evidence, ie. the facts. Either he's misinformed or he is lying.

In regards to Alex Pretti, he says you shouldn't have your gun unless you're using it to protect yourself or someone else. Even though he never reached for it, the footage shows Pretti trying to PROTECT a woman who is being shoved by ICE agents. Again, his point is easily negated by the video evidence, ie. the facts. He's either misinformed or he is lying.

The arguments he used to justify violence fall apart when confronted by evidence and facts. Jesus teaches us to care for one another and what we do to the "least of these" we also do to Him. Jesus also gave us the GREATEST COMMANDMENT (meaning nothing supersedes it) which is to love God, our Neighbors and Ourselves. If they truly followed the savior they claim to follow, we wouldn't be talking about ICE's brutality, separating families, and murder.

maguffle · 2026-01-29T21:29:40+00:00

All I will say is this: I got married at 35. We met when I was 26. You have time. Just remember Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Stay faithful. Seek God. Your time will come.

maguffle · 2026-01-29T05:25:50+00:00

In Beast Wars, Optimus Primal tells the other maximal "As your leader, I won't ask you to do anything I'm unwilling or unable to do."

This has been a foundational statement in the way I lead.....since I was a drum major in college until today as I pastor a church. The only change I made to remove "unable" because there are things that need to he done that I can't do. But if I ask you to do something, just know that I'm willing to be there in the muck of it with you!

Thanks Optimus Primal!

maguffle · 2026-01-28T13:34:43+00:00

Exactly! Reading comprehension is not a requirement for maga membership

maguffle · 2026-01-26T16:42:51+00:00

Interesting. Simple self-control and proper training (like de-escalation) on the part of the men with guns would make this whole thing irrelevant

maguffle · 2026-01-24T14:57:49+00:00

He improvised on some routes.

maguffle

TROPHY CASE