by Jim Gustafson | Aug 16, 2026 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life “(John 6:63). God has structured our existence with two lives: 1) the one that finds our hope in what we see, feel and experience in this lifetime and 2) the life of the Spirit, one characterized by a hope in the unseen. The first is a temporary hope because all that is seen eventually vanishes or rots away. As a result, it is a hope that cannot be fulfilled. Ironically, it is embraced and encouraged by the world and claims to reward those that seek it. It has an end. It is dead (spiritually). It leads to death (physically). It is used by Satan to entice us and to deceive us. It seems right but does not satisfy—It leaves us always wanting more. “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). In the end, this temporal life disappoints. It is empty, void of any legitimate hope and meaningful purpose. Ecclesiastes describes it as vanity, it is like a wasteland. It promises much, but delivers only enough to keep you pursuing. Solomon presents a stark commentary on the realities of the hope in the temporal life, after having missed the life in the Spirit. It is stark because man has sought to make the life of the temporal something it was never meant to be. It seems that hope in the temporal is ultimately so full of despair, its purpose is to guide us...
by Jim Gustafson | Apr 28, 2026 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) “it is the power of God” (1Corinthans 1:18). Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24). “And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might” (Ephesians 1:19). “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:9). 1 Corinthians 15:1-6: The Gospel: 1) “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3) “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” First importance! The summing up of God’s purpose: the redemption of His own, the culmination of the power and theme of the entire Bible—the Gospel, starting with Genesis! The forgiveness of all sins! The removal of the guilt, the penalty, and overpowers the power of sin! The power of the confidence we have via the prophecies of the Old Testament Scriptures: the foretold coming Gospel over 100 times! 2) “And that He was buried, and...
by Jim Gustafson | Jan 12, 2026 | Articles, Mentors Corner
If you have studied using the methods outlined in the book, Studying, Interpreting and Applying the Bible, you know the authors emphasize he importance of words. They implore the reader to dive deep into their meanings and the relationship to the thoughts and concepts behind them. The serious student of the Bible is encouraged to pursue the author’s intent, implications, and unique nuances of the choice of specific words. Words represent ideas. Words are the medium by which we communicate ideas and thoughts. The greater and more specific a man’s vocabulary, the greater his ability to develop and communicate his thinking. This is particularly true when considering the infinite and indescribable character of God. Words matter in the pursuit of knowing and understanding Him. Without a correct understanding of the words, we risk misunderstanding His character and promises. This is critical to a growing and deepening relationship with Him—an expanding vocabulary! For example, take 1 John 2:2. The New American Standard Bible and the King James Version translate the Greek word hilasmos as “propitiation.” Other versions use the words: expiation, atonement, sacrifice, forgiveness, etc., each of which has a unique but inadequate meaning to the all-important work of the cross. Propitiation is the better word as it encompasses the total, final, complete satisfaction of God’s justice, declaring the believer innocent of all infractions through the Savior, Jesus. One such word that continues to intrigue me is the word “precious.” We invest in that which is precious to us; we protect it, embrace it. Hold it close. It is our priority, it reflects our hope. Precious things are rare, valuable...
by Jim Gustafson | Nov 15, 2025 | Articles, Mentors Corner
The following is a summary of the discussion with my 99 ½ year old Mother on November 9, 2025. Present with me was my wife, Diane. “Hi Mom, Its Jim and Diane.” “Oh, it is so good to see you. We have a lot of things to catch up on.” “Yes, but I have one thing I wanted to talk about.” “My going out?” “Yes. Last time we talked about you going out, you said you were going to hell.” “I did? Can I take my words back?! I don’t want to go to hell!” “The Bible tells us we have a choice. It’s our decision to make. When a person dies, their soul goes to heaven or hell—one of those two places. But the determination can only be made before death. You mentioned that you led an imperfect life.” “Yes.” “The Bible calls that “sin” and further says that all of us are guilty of sin or as you say, leading an imperfect life.” “So what do I do?” “The Bible says that you must believe.” “Believe what? I’ve led a pretty good life.” “Yes, but as you said, an imperfect one.” “Yes.” “But that can be corrected, right now.” “But how?” “What is required is belief. A confession of your belief.” “How do I know it is true? “You can know by faith. A commitment without knowing the result. God has set life up that we cannot know with certainty the future, but we can know by faith. Faith is the requirement to get into heaven. No one can be certain or prove that God is true...
by Jim Gustafson | Aug 4, 2025 | Articles, Mentors Corner
“Two things I asked of You: Do not refuse me before I die; Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I be in want and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9). NASB-95 Desperate men can do radical things. It seems that in desperation, all things are on the table. Particularly under pressure, men will steal, cheat, lie, deny God, hurt others they love and even murder, in an attempt to bring relief to themselves. Any and all of this, in order to get from under a trial, to relieve pain and move to higher ground. We are all capable of despicable acts to get relief from the pressures of life. There is nothing wrong with being desperate. To the contrary, the Bible is replete with examples of desperate men, making decisions out of their extreme hurt and need. Some decisions as recorded in the Scriptures were good and resulted in changes in perspectives and even circumstances; others resulted in more pain. So what is the difference? The answer lies in one’s perception of the source, purpose and goal of pain. The source of pain: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and...
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