by Leonard V Johnson
Greetings, Brethren, Co-Workers, and Friends around the world. Welcome,
Memphis, Tennessee; Guadalupe, Mexico; and Lima Duarte, Brazil! For this ── a beautiful 30th of December ── I want to bring you another
Personal From… I hope you enjoy these, as I love sending them to you.
Last weekend, I had a one-on-one conversation with a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist from
Colombia who has been in the United States for approximately twenty-four years and holds a Green Card, currently residing in San Francisco. Now, Colombia is a Participatory democracy.
Its president is Gustavo Urrego, and he is as left as you can get. He is affiliated with
the Historic Pact for Colombia (2011-2025), a political and electoral coalition in
Colombia with political parties and social movements with ideologies ranging from
the center-left to left-wing and far-left.
She reminded me that “Left-Wing” is only a political ideology, and that that is not who
she is. Yet, I spoke up and said, “Your political ideologies help influence your beliefs,
values, and your actions.” She has a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome
(TDS)! A term that describes such negative and hateful reactions to U.S. President
Donald Trump that the person becomes irrational and disconnected from Trump’s
true policies and positions on any given subject. As soon as she heard that I am pro-Trump, she began to badmouth and bash him, his policies, and his positions. Of
course, she brought up Epstein and his supposed Trump files. Saying how Trump
had slept with many underage girls. And I just calmly and politely as possible
responded with, “Where’s your proof?” At one point in the often-heated yet
controlled conversation, she began to speak very highly of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and the “wonderful work that she is doing for her state of New York.”
I responded with, “Yes. I’m sure that you love the whole Squad.” I asked her to name
one good thing that she has done for her state, and I think she responded with ──
she introduced a bill for an anti-poverty policy proposal called “A Just Society.” I’m
not quite sure. I really wasn’t listening here too closely. I, however, do know just
what AOC stands for and what she would love for “America” to become. And I
placed America in quotes here, because that was another of her “injustices.” That the
United States of America dares to call itself America, when Colombia is in America
as well. “It’s in Latin America,” she said. “Yes, indeed,” I said, “South America.” I
don’t know if you’ve ever paid attention, but in my writings, I usually always put the
“of” in italics when I write out the United States of America ── because the United
States is part of America.
At another point in the conversation, I had asked her if she knew the definition of
Socialism and how socialist countries fail. Her response was not the definition, but
rather, “all countries fall.” Yes, indeed. I asked her again, “What’s the definition?” I
gave her the definition of Socialism ──
“any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.” 1
And I didn’t give it verbatim, but she got the gist. She waved the answer off with her
hand. I then asked her how and in what way Socialism is better than Democracy. She
responded with ── “it makes people’s lives better by eliminating inequality and
provides welfare services to all” as if she was reading it from a cue card. Well… my response was, “Taking from the wealthy
and redistributing it to the poor, just a step down from Communism.” I gave the
classical answer. “O’ Communism is completely different than Socialism,” she said.
Yes, but not by much. As Charlie Kirk said in a debate with college students, “It’s
very tempting to want to be a Socialist, getting someone else to pay for something
that you might want. Yes, free sounds good, until you have to pay for it. And if you
think it’s expensive now, just wait until it’s free. There is a reason ── and it’s a very
tempting ideology; it sounds very good in practice. We have seen time and time
again, leaders try to paint societies as utopias. That man can be “perfected,” and that
government, as a central body, can then fix the ills of societies. I understand it, and
I sympathize with it. What would happen if America continues to go down this
dangerous ideology? Look, we will have a country completely unrecognizable, and
we must fight it at every single turn.” 2 And I suppose that this was my turn. And
although I am not as eloquent in speech as Charlie Kirk was, I certainly made some
points. And she did as well.
“The United States is a Capitalist Juggernaut!” she blurted out, sounding as if she
had just recently watched CNN. In fact, I asked her where she receives her political
news. I’m not sure that I got a direct answer, but it’s possibly from Facebook or
TikTok. “Well,” she said, “I imagine that you only listen to right-wing propaganda.” “No, I watch and read several different news sources, including a few that are not mainstream,” I answered.
At one point in the conversation, she reasoned that cocaine, methamphetamine, and even fentanyl should be made legal. With my eyes wide, staring at her, I just stayed quiet.
Then ── with the help of my wife ── the subject of annexation and conquest, also
known as colonization, came up. And with my wife nodding her head in agreement,
my Socialist friend went on to mention how the United States has been treating her
Colombia. “Yes,” my wife chimed in, “look at what America did to the native
Americans.” And our friend from San Francisco, “Indeed, they stole California,
Texas, and New Mexico!” I began to realize that she really didn’t have anything
educational to offer here; she was just finding things to complain about. When she first
mentioned the relations between Colombia and the United States, I thought she was
going to talk about our past relations, which have been relatively positive.
The relationship between Colombia and the United States has its roots in the 19th
century, evolving from cordial ties to a strategic partnership in the early 2000s. Key
issues that have shaped this relationship include the fight against Communism, the
War on Drugs, and counter-terrorism efforts. 3 I thought she was speaking about the
growing rift between the nation’s first leftist president and President Donald Trump.
But apparently, she was talking about something else.
She asked me why I do not celebrate Christmas. “Because,” I said, “God’s word
doesn’t want us to.” Without going into detail. She asked me if I was speaking of the
Old Testament ── “Yes, both the Old and the New.” She explained that in
Colombia, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th, known as Noche Buena, where
families gather for food, drinks, and dancing. It includes 9 nights of novenas.
Catholicism is a central part of the country's cultural and social fabric. She asked me
what I celebrated ── and I named some of them, again without going into detail.
“Feast of Tabernacles, Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Trumpets.” She
looked completely dumbfounded. “O’ well… the Bible was written by men, and then
translated over and over again,” she said. As my wife sat there beaming in
agreement. So, I came to understand that she knew that Christianity is incompatible
with Socialism. Socialism promotes a system of economic control and redistribution
that completely contradicts God’s living word.
“And about God …” she began. And that’s where I stopped her.
Speaking of Democratic Socialism, let’s segue into the subject of idols and idolatry. Because Socialism can certainly be an idol to many.
WHAT is your idol? What is it that you are truly dedicated to? Is it your family ──
your wife or husband, your children, your home, your pool, your pets? Your ideology? What are you
dedicated to? Is it the LORD God ── the family of God, which at this time consists
of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ? Is it the LORD God above all else? Or
is it your entertainment, your hobbies? What is it that keeps your mind most
occupied? What most occupies your interest? Is it your friends ── is it the big city
life? Is it people, is it things?
Surely, it’s not the LORD God ── is it? Most likely not. And, if it isn’t the LORD
God, well… then… It’s an IDOL. You are breaking God’s commandments, first and
foremost the first commandment, “’ You shall have no other gods before Me.’” –
Exodus 20:3.
In the article Unless the Father Draws Him ── which we also have in audio,
including audio in Swahili ── I give the definition of RELIGION.
It is not merely an incidental interest or hobby; it's not an ideology, or just something to “play” on Sunday,
like one would go to a social club. Religion is your connection with the LORD God
── your relationship with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Religion helps
you to realize your greatest purpose for being born ── the very reason why you are
here on planet Earth. The very purpose of your life. As well as how to properly live
your life and how to reach your ultimate purpose.
The Right Goal
The right goal in life ── is to pursue the very purpose of why the LORD God has
put the breath of life in you ── it’s because you were born of God, to share in the
very glory of creation, and to ultimately inherit divine nature, to be a GOD ── to
create as they do, to accomplish what they accomplish, to truly enjoy what they enjoy
── true everlasting love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
No other goal in life is greater.
“’ But seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, …’” – Matthew 6:33.
But look at you now. The Apostle James writes, “For what is your life? It is even a
vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14. The most
certain thing in this existence that we call “life” is what Benjamin Franklin was known to have said back in 1789, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain,
except death and taxes.” WE ARE GOING TO DIE.
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” – Hebrews
9:27.
Yet, the majority of people continue, day after day, month after month, and year after
year, pumping this existence that we call “life” into themselves, with no more
purpose than to try and be comfortable, or wealthy, or free from pain, and to please
themselves with their five basic senses ── with their minds on the passing moments
of the physical and the material things ── all of which will not last, all that will
eventually be no more.
Truly, truly, unless the LORD God’s holy and righteous character is being formed
and developed in your mind ── in your innermost being ── replacing your carnal
works of the flesh, which are: physical and spiritual adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, IDOLATRY, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders,
drunkenness (and drunkenness not just from liquor or drugs, but also from false
religions and false beliefs which leads to spiritual drunkenness, see: Revelation
18:3), revelries, and the like ── you will miss your ultimate goal. Because the
LORD God’s greatest purpose is to create within you, during this lifetime, a new
godly character, so that it can be perfected and that you may be gifted eternal life
── like God, self-containing, inherent LIFE.
Indeed, if Father God begins calling you, and you properly repent, and are properly
baptized ── having hands laid upon you ── and receive the glorious gift of the Holy Spirit,
placing within you their SPIRIT. Which enters into you their VERY LIFE ──
begetting you as a child of God, yet unborn. What the majority of professing
Christians call “being born again” should be termed “being begotten.”
Being born again actually means to be changed from mortal to immortal, from flesh
and blood to SPIRIT. As God’s living word teaches us ──
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our
Lord, 3) as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him [God the Father] who called us by glory and virtue,
4) by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the DIVINE NATURE having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2 Peter 1:2-4.
However, of course, our old human nature remains, and we continue to make
decisions whether to yield to the works of the flesh, or to resist them by yielding to
our new nature ── GOD’S NATURE WITHIN US ── led by the glorious Spirit of
God.
Now, you can only succeed and reach your ultimate goal if you continually keep
your eyes on the goal. When you are crossing a street while looking at your iPhone,
and you have not looked both ways before crossing, you may find yourself waking
up in a hospital, saying, “It all happened so fast!” Crossing any street means
ALWAYS BEING ALERT ── being vigilant every moment ── not what you may
deem “important” on your iPhone.
In the same manner ── God’s living word says ── “Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour. 9) Resist him, steadfast in the faith, …” – 1 Peter 5:8, 9.
If you allow other interests, material pursuits, to steal away your mind and your heart,
even for a few days, you are in grave danger of SPIRITUAL DEPLETION, that
could easily let you wake up being plunged into “the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone” – Revelation 21:7-8. Which is the second death.
We shouldn’t love anything or anyone greater than the LORD God! Our Lord Jesus
teaches, “’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And
he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38) And he who
does not take his cross [the mission in life that the LORD God bestows upon you]
and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39) He who finds his life will lose it, and
he who loses his life for My sake will find it.’” – Matthew 10:37-39.
This is one reason why the LORD God does not want you to have any gods before
Him. For your own sake, for your own interest, you must keep the LORD God above
all. And you must communicate with the LORD God, study God’s living word, and be
instructed by them.
Instructed in what? In the Word of God, the Truth of God, and in the Plan of God!
In the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That we should live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And those words to live by are in
our “Instruction Manual” that our Creator God has brought about to instruct us how
to LIVE and OPERATE this greatest piece of hardware ── the human body! We are
to study this “Instruction Manual” to discover and learn what the LORD God deems
is right and what is deemed wrong ── “’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today
against you, that I have set before you LIFE AND DEATH [speaking of the second
death], blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, …’” – Deuteronomy 30:19. We
must read, study, and learn from the LORD God in the Way of God. In the Way of
RIGHTEOUSNESS. And we must devote our lives to living God’s Way.
Also, and this is mighty important as well, without regular and constant prayer to Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ, one cannot maintain God’s Spirit within.
CHRIST IN YOU! And when God’s Spirit dwindles, the Apostle Paul had a phrase
for that. Quench (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The glorious and divine attributes of God’s
Spirit do flow through you as ‘rivers of living water.’ God’s Spirit should always be
in motion. It should never stagnate within you. We should always be growing in
grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:14; 2 Peter
3:18). Because, as I’ve often said, and I probably heard this quoted from Albert
Einstein, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” And as I’ve mentioned to my
dear Sister before, even if we are born into the very family of God after the first
resurrection (God willing), we will still be learning! Learning should never cease!
Truly, truly, if God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the things of God, the
glorious knowledge of God, the Law of God, the love of God, the Way of God ──
are always foremost on your mind, your thoughts, your interest ── and you are
praying ‘without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17), worshiping the Father ‘in spirit
and truth’ then God’s Spirit will not be quenched.
My friend, true spiritual mindedness is not just going to church on a Sunday, opening
up a Bible and reading along with the minister, singing a hymn, then after services
shaking everyone’s hand, then going home to watch Sunday afternoon football.
Spiritual mindedness is not sentimentalism. It’s not something you do to show your
neighbors that you are “a good guy.” It’s not just an emotional attitude. It’s not
certain religious phrases that so many feel compelled to yell out in church services,
“Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” Many people speak very “righteously”
and “religiously” ── yet whose hearts are far from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was indeed a perfect spiritual being ── a man who never
sinned (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), yet he did not go about
using overly religious-sounding words. He was not effeminate. He was a powerful, virile man ── showing us that true manliness is different from this world’s definition
of manliness ── yet He was kind, understanding, and gentle. He possessed
LEADERSHIP and STRENGTH perfectly blended with Wisdom, proper
judgment, knowledge, justice, longsuffering, compassion, and mercy. And His
decisions totally and always yielded to complete obedience to FATHER GOD! And
think on this… something that, unlike what Satan the Devil wants you to believe …
with God’s Spirit within us, we too can achieve! (cf. John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; 1 Peter
5:8; Revelation 2:7). WE CAN OVERCOME!
Our Lord Jesus Christ is our example. We must imitate Him!
Take a moment and study some of the men and women of God in the Old Testament
── Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Ruth, Moses, Esther, Jacob, Joseph, Rahab,
David, Miriam, Daniel, Hannah, Elijah, Deborah, Elisha. They were all different
from our Christ. And you and I are all different from our Christ. They, of course, had
human nature, human weaknesses, and they all sinned, yet they all repented and
strove to overcome. They were all men and women who had as their life’s goal their
ultimate purpose for being alive. They were all guided by the LORD God; they all
possessed leadership qualities (be sure to watch Personal From… Real Leadership),
they all consecrated themselves to the OBEDIENCE and will of the LORD God.
Also, take a moment and study our beloved apostles Peter and Paul. They were
different indeed when it came to their background, personality, and mission.
Yet, they both had the same life’s goal ── the very reason why they were born. They
were truly spiritual men, devoted to obeying the LORD God and serving mankind.
One thing to watch and guard against every moment of the day, the month, the year,
is allowing a root of bitterness, of jealousy, of hatred, to take root. We should never
allow ANYTHING, no matter how unjust, to make us sour and bitter. Because Satan
the Devil will exploit this ── will use this to his advantage. It is a mental and
spiritual poison that can spread within. Even our enemies, perceived or otherwise,
we are to love. “’ But I say to you WHO HEAR: Love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, 28) bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully
use you.’” – Luke 6:27-28. Though we should never condone their evils.
If you believe that someone has done you wrong, do not take revenge (Romans
12:19), do not get bitter about it ── take it immediately before the throne of grace,
the throne of justice, the throne of mercy, and let the LORD God punish and correct
them. Now, whether you believe me or not, I have come, by some 44 years of life
experience, often learning the hard way, to have supreme and complete faith in the
LORD God, and that they will never neglect in correcting me when I deserve it. God
corrects those He loves ──
“And [do not forget] the exhortation which speaks to you as to [children]:
‘My [children], do not despise the chastening of the LORD Nor be discouraged when
you are rebuked by Him; 6) For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges
every [child] whom He receives.’” – Hebrews 12:5-6.
Remember, Brothers and Sisters, one of God’s commandments is to remember
always the GLORIOUS MASTER PLAN THAT GOD NOT ONLY HAS IN MIND
FOR US ── BUT FOR ALL MANKIND! A SEVEN-THOUSAND-YEAR PLAN!
(Exodus 20:8). The Sabbath is a significant representation of God's Plan!
How grateful we ought to be to Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ! Our hearts
should be overflowing with love and gratitude to our great and awesome CREATOR
GOD for their love toward us. Surely, most of us don’t fully grasp what a huge price
He paid for us to make our calling possible. He wants us to change, to overcome, to
build, to root out and pull down (I go into detail concerning this, ‘to root out and
to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant’ in the sermon
“’ Blow the Trumpet!’” Which we also have in audio, Spanish, Swahili, and Hebrew),
and to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that we
may share in His glory! □
Bibliography:
1) Webster, M. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, tenth edition, Merriam-Webster's Incorporated, 1996,
pg. 1114.
2) https://www.charliekirk.co.za/video/why-socialism-always-fails-charlie-kirk-debate-compilation/4680.
3) Wikipedia contributors. "Colombia–United States relations." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Dec.
2025. Web. 27 Dec. 2025.
