Steven Garofalo
Spirituality/Belief • Education • News
THE REAWAKENING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
By Steven Garofalo, July 26, 2023 (Copyright 2023)
July 26, 2023

NEXT PODCAST

THE REAWAKENING OF GOD’S PEOPLE

What’s happening in the world is nothing short of a reawakening of God people. A reawakening to God as we come to him with our broken culture and sick society. For millions it’s like waking up to riding their bike down an ally they never intended to turn down in a city you didn’t don’t recognize. They have been awakened to the reality of God’s Word and His ways as THE TRUTH. This is not just in the United States but in Europe and all over the world.

For example, Italy just removed the title or designation “wife” from same sex marriage certificates. I love all people including homosexuals just as Christ does…and I love God’s institution of marriage more than man’s ways. We should be encouraged and energized to stand with and for God in the same way; not in anger against others. Let’s remember to share the truth of God in love with such lost people in an effort to reach them for Christ. This is but one example of what those committed to Christ can and are doing  to turn our upside down world right side up again. This is nothing short of wonderful and encouraging!

We should all be encouraged and energized to stand with and for God, not in anger against others, including homosexuals. Let’s remember to share the truth of God in love with such lost people in an effort to reach them for Christ. The movement is different from the individual remember. What Georgia Meloni and the Italian government has done is but one example of what those committed to Christ can and are doing to right side our upside down world. And again, this is nothing short of wonderful and encouraging!

Millions if not billions of people have finally awoken to a world turned upside down, where right is called wrong and wrong called right. I would assert that it’s the materially comfortable church and Christian body who ALLOWED the moral deterioration to fester and become mainstream in order to keep the “status quo”. Evil is never that good, it’s us not being salt and light that allow evil to fester and spread. Let’s not be frustrated but become resolute to to change our world back towards God and His ways. In doing so, let’s keep in mind that we we didn’t get here in a day and we won’t get back in a day. The Psalmist in 119 tells us that the road back to God’s ways is one of obedience that will change us in the process of making the world a better place for our children’s generation. For example, Psalm 119:1-8 says that because those who obey the Lord are “blessed”, the psalmist prays that he would be even more “OBEDIENT” (v.5). In our modern culture, obedience is seen as a degrading attribute, even within many so called Christian homes. But God demands obedience along side His grace.

WHERE DO WE START?

The best place for you and I to start is in grasping such obedience. Is found in Psalm 119: 9-16. These verses make clear that a thirst and hunger to take hold of and authentically follow the Word of God spiritually cleanses us. Yes, it cleanses us. Verses 17-24 says that an ever-increasing understanding of the Word (v.18) will “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderous things about your law”. Embracing God’s Word and ways promotes a heavenly perspective for us as we pursue God in life. “Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes” (v.23). Even when tracked digitally, followed, watched and even persecuted, government officials have no power to stop you and I from meditating on God’s Word and statutes. If you feel helpless, please stop as that is nothing less than apathy and depressed thinking. Instead, let’s accept where we are at with great joy, as the Lord is waiting for you and I to embrace where He has allowed us to be in the present as authentic Christians.

Let’s zoom out and read Psalm 119 verses 20-24 below as the central point of today’s devotion. Please read these very short few verses.

Psalm 119:20-24 (ESV)

“20 My soul is consumed with longing

    for your rules at all times.

21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,

    who wander from your commandments.

22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,

    for I have kept your testimonies.

23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,

    your servant will meditate on your statutes.

24 Your testimonies are my delight;

    they are my counselors.”

MY TAKE-AWAY for you and I today is that our souls will be consumed by God’s ways if we invest in His Word, prayer and Spirit. If we pursue living out God’s statutes, which are His guard rails for how we are to think, act, raise our children, work, and treat others we will see the world begin to tilt right upside again over time. I want to make clear that seeking and working hard to keep God’s rules should not translate or evolve into religious legalism but rather culminate into an authentic faith effort to keep God’s ways in obedience out of life. The Psalmist in 119 says that this is something we as authentic followers of God “LONG FOR”. We should strive to keep God’s statutes as best we can at “ALL” times, not just on Sundays. And when God’s rebuke comes, we should stop and embrace what God is telling and teaching us as we need it. We should covet God’s correction and statues in obedience as the proper direction to keep us from waking up disoriented-driving that bicycle down an ally way we don’t recognize, in a city filled with chaos, in an upside down world. It didn’t need to be this way but the reality is that it is at present.

The good news is that the liberal, godless world order has peaked and is on its way down. The damage has been done and more is to come as they claw their way down to the pit of hell if they fail to submit to God’s biblical statutes by way of relationship with Jesus Christ.

Psalm 119:22 says “take away from me scorn and contempt”. While things thin out, the world still scorns us with contempt for keeping God’s Word, His ways (statues) and His testimonies.  That is a good thing because it teaches us to stand strong in His Word and ways. And it shows us the true value of His ways, His Word and the blood of His son Jesus Christ. We have taken this for granted as a people and nation. Even though our leaders (princes v.23) sit plotting against us as God’s servants-WHAT CAN YOU AND I DO? We should meditate on and study God’s Word, get into daily prayer, and live out our faith in obedience to His ways. (vs.23). Let’s keep in mind that God’s testimonies are our DELIGHT and our COUNSELOR(S) for how we are to live out life; work order our marriage, be parents, treat our neighbors, govern our nation, and the list goes on.

CONCLUSION: We are strangers on and to this earth. It’s important to understand that the psalmist in Psalm 119 was not native-born but sojourner. Because of this, he needed the road map of God’s commandments in order to find his way back to his home with God (Psalm 119:17-20). We are no different. We are at the same exact place today the Psalmist was at thousands of years ago. God’s Word is our counselor. Keeping his ways (rules), statues is our guard rails in living out our life. The psalmist knew that his source of comfort was found only in God’s ways, not mans or his own strength. He asked God to “open” his “eyes that” he might “behold wonderful things from God’s “law” (v.18). No matter how difficult the psalmist’s circumstances were, he was determined to “observe” God’s “testimonies” and make them his “delight”, function as his “counselors” (Psalm 119:22-23). And we can and should do the same.

What’s happening in the world is nothing short of a reawakening of God people. A reawakening to God as we come to him with our broken culture and sick society. For millions it’s like waking up to riding our bike down an ally they never intended to turn down in a city you didn’t don’t recognize. We have been now awakened to the reality of God’s Word and His ways as THE TRUTH. This is not just in the United States but in Europe and all over the world. And this is nothing short of wonderful and encouraging!

community logo
Join the Steven Garofalo Community
To read more articles like this, sign up and join my community today
0
What else you may like…
Videos
Podcasts
Posts
Articles
Live Chat
Let's Take Church & Faith Seriously

When we go to church, let us not take that for granted. Let's keep our eye's, heart and MIND focussed on God, His word and the sermon. Let's be careful to make promises to God we are not willing to keep. And let's enjoy being in God's presence. Let's take our faith and church seriously.

00:04:38
Back From Vacation…this is what we saw
00:00:13
A REMINDER FROM MIAMI
00:01:41
Live Chat
WHEN GOD REWARDS OUR GIVING

Jesus addresses when God rewards us for our good deeds. To be more specific, Christ discusses three pharisaic practices of piety. They include: 1) GIVING 2) PRAYER and 3) FASTING. Today, we are going to look at the first of these, which is when God rewards or does not reward our “GIVING”.

WHEN GOD REWARDS OUR GIVING
Live Chat
RADIO INTERVIEW-LOOKING BACK-Religious Freedom in 04-09-15

With the United States and world at a moral cross roads, today, we are looking back to an interview from 2015 whereby Steven was interviewed regarding "Religious Freedom". This is not a critique of any specific issues-but is a look back almost ten years (a full decade) to see where we came from. WHY? Becuase heading into 2026 we can look back to see where we are going. Again, the issue is not a critique on sexual orientation, but about religious freedom. People are people-and all people are sinners. Let's make sure to be compassionate with non-Christians in an effort to reach them for Christ while standing without compromise on the orthodox Word of God. Is that difficult. Yes it is.

GOD BLESS YOU!

RADIO INTERVIEW-LOOKING BACK-Religious Freedom in 04-09-15
Live Chat
CHRISTMAS=Equals=LOVE

Christmas IS or EQUALS LOVE. Merry Christmas to our COMMUNITY. May God continue to bless you, protect you, provide for you and give you great joy beyond understanding....Merry Christmas Eve-Steven

CHRISTMAS=Equals=LOVE
DON’T ALPINE ON THE “GOOD OLD DAYS”

“Say not, “Why were the former days better than these” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).

WHY? The answer is that the temptation to glorify the past at the expense of the must be resisted. The pleasures or advantages of THOSE DAYS may be more imaginary than real.

CONGRATULATIONS ZACHARIA GAROFALO! You have officially been awarded the Trail Life USA “FREEDOM AWARD!”

After 6.5 years Zach…you have earned this award. Mom and I are over the top PROUD OF YOU! May God bless you here forward as Trail Life USA has changed your life … in Christ.
Ps. This is sunstantially more difficult to earn than the Eagle Scout Award).

post photo preview
ARE YOU AS ZELOUS AS SAUL WAS?

It never ceases to amaze me how lethargic we as Christian’s can be. When we were saved we were called to. Called not to rest from God’s mission but rest only from the ways of this world. Sadly, most Christians are on the sidelines in today’s world. WHY? I think it’s because we feel we are in the safe cacoon of the Lord’s arms.

While true in one sense, the truth is that we are called to get out of the cacoon and into the battle of good and evil as representatives of Lord and Savior-standing slbodly for His goodness once saved. We are not called to relax by the beach but to share the love and truth of a Christ with anyone who happens to be at the beach when we are visiting. And the same wherever we go 24/7.

Our family is at the beach in Charleston this week and a nice Southern lady came up to Heather in the beach to speak with her-saying “you are a good southern Christian” aren’t you?” She was half right but we are not southern😎. Heather explained that she met me at a church in ...

post photo preview
DO PETS GO TO HEAVEN?

When I was in seminary, the question was raised as to if pets or animals in general go to heaven. Our professor, Dr. Norman Geisler said this: “Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the Cross for the human race, not animals.” I was working out at the gym one day when one of the regulars, who had just moved to Charlotte, NC from California told me that one of her beloved dogs died; and would that dog go to heaven. I have her the same answer. But, was that the whole story? That’s what we are going to look at today.

In a peace by Michael Housman, Founder of GotQuestions.Org, Housman wrote that “The BIble does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets or animals in general have souls, or spirits, or whether pets and other animals will be in heaven.

His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God in some ways; they are capable of spirituality; they have a mind, emotion, and “will”; and part of their “being” continues after death.

If pets and other animals do have a “soul” (or spirit or immaterial aspect), it must therefore be of a different and lesser “quality”. This difference possibly means that pets and other animal “souls”  do not continue in existence after death.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be in heaven is that animals are a port of God’s creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be pets and animals on the NEW EARTH as described in (Revelation 21:1). 

In the end, there will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitely whether some animals of these animals might be the pets we had here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever that turns out to be.

So, there you have it. I think that’s the best answer on the subject in all honest. Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and check out StevenGarofalo.Com for exclusive content and early release of our two weekly podcast.

Until next time, I’m your host Steven Garofalo, and this is your reason for truth for today.

Read full Article
AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

Read full Article
SOLA SCRIPTURA
A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

I grew up Catholic and now go to a Protestant or non-Catholic church in Charlotte, NC. Michael Houdmann, Founder and CEO of GotQuestions.Org writes that a major difference between the two boils down to believing in the Bible alone as God's word verses believing that God's word plus man's input as the divine inspired word of God.

WHAT DO PROTESTANTS BELIEVE?

A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?

Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

Read full Article
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals