AUGUST 2026 UPDATE

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MEN APPLYING GRADUATE LEVEL CHRIST-LIKENESS

What’s Going on Here?

 

Here’s what Matthew 4:1 (AMP) tells me, “Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil.” (Emboldens and underlines mine.)

 

Wait a minute, that verse clearly expresses that the specific objective of the Holy Spirit was to expose Jesus to Satan! Why would the Holy Spirit purposely do that? Certainly, we can also recognize that the Holy Spirit would be in unison with God — Right!?

 

Now I’m prompted to delve into this so I can understand what the Holy Spirit and God were wanting to accomplish and why.

 

So, I’m starting here: I feel the need to discover first what the Greek word for tempted is. (I’ve emboldened the descriptions of the word “tempted” that seemed the most serious to me.) Peirazo (pi-rad-zo) means: to test, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline, prove, tempt. Peirazo is derived from peira (pi-rah) which means, to test, experience, trial. Peirasmos (pi-ras-mos) also is derived from, Peirazo but means: putting to proof (by experience [of good], experience [of evil] discipline or provocation) temptation, try. All of that is the Holy Spirit’s goal — and is very serious.

 

And Philippians 2:6-7 in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition tells me why the Holy Spirit did that by telling me: “6 Who (Jesus) being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.” (Parenthesis, emboldens and underlines mine.)

 

Then too, Philippians 2:6-7 in the New American Standard Bible repeats the Holy Spirit’s motives, “6 who (Jesus), as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.” (Parenthesis, emboldens and underlines mine.)

 

And also, Philippians 2:6-7 in the Wycliffe Bible repeats, “6 which when he was in the form of God, deemed not raven (means: to seize or seek), that himself were even to God; [which when he was in the form of God, deemed not raven (to seize or seek), himself to be even to God;]  7 but he lowed himself [but he meeked himself], (being patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble) taking the form of a servant, and was made into the likeness of men. (Parenthesis, emboldens and underlines mine.)

 

See it!? He became FULLY a MAN! He put aside His godhood! So being FULLY a man, the Holy Spirit’s job and goal was to introduce Jesus to the same circumstances all of us men face, Satan, (because He became fully a man) in order to be qualified as our Savior! To be classified as sinless, He needed to be tested and prove that He had passed the tests. He had to face everything He knew we were going to face. He made Himself subject to every kind of test we would face. Not the same circumstances but similar situations that mankind faces.

 

Even His half-brother James (having different fathers) instructs us in James 1:2-3 (AMP) to “2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials (Peirazo - pi-rad-zo - temptations, tests). 3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] (Peirasmos - pi-ras-mos) produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace] (like it perfected Jesus).” (Parenthesis mine.) This is what we at Christ Quest Ministries want for every Christian husband and father.

 

That’s how Jesus became qualified to be our Savior and Advocate; you can read about Him being our advocate in the March issue of our newsletter, The Upside Umbrella, found on our website.

 

And what is the purpose of an advocate? Advocates are to ensure that individuals receive the support and representation necessary to stay saved from Hell.

 

Here’s an example of Jesus’ advocacy: I get a picture of Jesus standing next to God looking down at me and God says to Jesus, “Did You see what Ken just did?” And Jesus my Savior and Advocate responds, “Yeah, that’s why I died for him.”

 

Thank You, Jesus!

MY SPIRITUAL UMBRELLA/CUP RUNNETH OVER

Lessons From God Are Everywhere

Remember these girls? I’m amazed as I recall with excitement that three years ago, I was positively delighted at the idea of having my own bees — becoming an apiculturist. But it didn’t take long to realize that I had no idea about my excellent degree of ignorance. Yet, even better, here are some the lessons God has shown me through my wanting to be an apiculturist.

 

Here goes: I’m reminded of ALL the men who are highly motivated and excited about getting a wife (may I compare that to the excitement to me getting my bees?) However, are husbands aware of the excellent degree of ignorance they possess? Proven through God having to command every husband to live with his wife in an understanding way — as well as the Christ does?

 

Next, I had them for about six months when a swarm of bees landed in the top of the tree that is seen partially in the picture.

 

Within a week though they had all landed on my hives and I didn’t know what to do with them. I found an “expert” who did know bees and he came over and vacuumed them into a box. Now he had more bees for himself.

 

That lack of knowing though, reminds me of how many marriages are seeking answers to their marriage problems (as I was with the bees) thinking their marriage was only physically troubled while not in the least being aware (as I wasn’t) that it was mostly spiritually troubled. But like me, they too sought an expert (but didn’t know they should seek a person who was an expert concerning the human spirit) to solve their spiritual problems. Though not like my bee problem, neither did the person from whom they sought answers understand their own human spirit, exactly like I didn’t understand bees.

 

Next, while in my bee suit, I was protected from the bees, however, while working at getting the honey out of the “frames,” the bees became greatly exasperated and since they couldn’t get at me, they attacked my innocent chickens in the pen next to them, stinging each of them 50-100 times in the head even as the chickens tried to escape the bees. They were all killed.

 

I’ve been stung 8 times. Once in 2025 and 7 time this year (2026), even though I distinctively felt like I had done nothing to deserve being stung. One time I got stung was while 25 feet away from the hive, while pruning my Gazania flowers. So, here’s the parallel: How many time has a husband felt undeservedly “stung” by his wife while not having a clue that he has, in fact, greatly exasperated her — she whom he’s supposed to understand and care for as the Christ does so he can resolve whatever the situation is? (See Ephesians 5:25-27.)

 

All that scared Nancy from going out and enjoying the back yard. The parallel? I wonder how many wives are scared to enjoy their marriage because they fear their husband’s scary stinging attitudes brought on by his un-Christ-likeness?

 

Additionally, it took a total of 8 hours in addition to the hours I spent discipling husbands (it consumed 4 hours each of two days). Each time I’d go through each hive, lifting out each frame so I could cut the honeycomb off of the frame, enabling me to lay it on the metal rack laying in each metal tray so it’s honey would drain into the tray. Next, I placed the honey in each frame remaining into the centrifuge so it could extract more honey. Then, the next day I got to clean up all the equipment with soap and water. 

 

All those work details were a huge distraction and cut into the time I could devote to discipling myself and other husbands. May I compare that with: How many husbands have work demands made of them through their work; and their wife and family pay the price of not having a husband and father whose priorities were to fulfill the greatest commission God has given a husband — that of being a living example of the Christ for them?

 

Then too, may I ask, does God say, “Husband’s love your job as much as you love yourself?” No! In Ephesians 5:33 (KJV) God says, “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself.”

 

Finally, since Nancy couldn’t go into the back yard because of her fear, things have changed. This picture is where the beehive used to be. The reason why I’m not in the picture is not because I got stung to death, but because I’m taking the picture of Nancy having been freed of her fear and now able to enjoy sitting in the shade of the tree. I love doing that for her!

TO QUENCH YOUR SPIRITUAL THIRST

No Shame Here

 

No matter what a husband or wife’s fondest dreams are about marriage, I can assure you, they’re nothing compared to what God has for us and how His ways will produce His ways in us when applied.

 

Therefore, if a Christian man’s marriage is not exemplary — that is, it’s not displaying nor exhibiting the love that Christ-likeness absolutely would generate toward his wife, then he’s not demonstrating Christ-like leadership. That is, he’s not literally caring for his wife as Jesus’ representative. As such, neither he nor his wife will experience the blessings God has for them through a husband’s application of Christ-like spiritual leadership.

 

Additionally, that husband is not providing a godly example. Yet God wants every Christian husband to have a testimony that’s so attractive, that others observing him and his marriage will see him and be presented with a choice — to decide if they want what they see God’s ways are accomplishing within that husband and his marriage, instead of having no choice but to endure his troubled marriage? A Christian marriage is supposed to be a glowing example of how to achieve a glorious marriage.”

 

If that’s not the case, then shame on that Christian husband.

 

However, if there is evidence that he’s an example of a man who does have an exemplary relationship with his wife, one in which his goal for her is: That every encounter she has with him, is to her, as though it were an encounter with Jesus, and that’s actually being fulfilled — then, if another married man is not prompted to ask, “How can I achieve a glorious marriage like you have too?” Then shame on that other man.  

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