Jul 26, 2026 17 min read Here's your Weekly Round-up with all the latest news...

Week 31

Your Weekly Round-up Sunday!

Welcome to Week 31. This week carries one golden thread from Monday right through to Friday: faith, not feelings; Christ, not self. We begin at the gate and ask who actually enters heaven — not the merely good, but the born-again believer. We look at the natural man who has nothing to say because he cannot hear God. We turn the mirror on ourselves when we fight the leading we cannot yet understand. Then we land on a sharp, personal question: do our words point people to us, or to the Saviour? And on Friday we step into the ongoing Christian manhood series with the praying man — the one who has stopped leaning on his own strength.

Read on their own, each post will help you. Read as one, they tell a single story — and that story pulls you off self and back onto Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith [Ephesians 2:8 KJV].

So take the week as a whole. Let it walk you off reputation, off reasoning, off feelings, and move you from hearing to doing…

With Christ's love,
Dave & Elaine

Building Your Faith on Biblical Foundations! Discover core Christian principles and deepen your relationship with Christ through biblical teaching and practical application…

Justified by Faith!

Understanding our position in Christ…

At the very heart of the Christian faith sits one word that changes everything: justified. To be justified is to be declared righteous before God — not because of anything we have done, but because of everything Christ has done. It is the foundation the whole Christian life is built on, and if we get this wrong, we get everything wrong.

Justification is a courtroom word. It is God the Judge declaring the guilty sinner righteous. Not "improved," not "trying harder," but declared righteous — because the moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ, God credits Christ's righteousness to our account and refuses to hold our sin against us. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ [Romans 5:1 KJV]. That peace is not a feeling that comes and goes; it is a settled standing that never moves.

And it is entirely God's work. We cannot earn it, deserve it, or achieve it: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast [Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV]. This is where so many go wrong. They hope to be good enough, decent enough, religious enough. But there is none righteous, no, not one [Romans 3:10 KJV], and our best efforts are, before God, but filthy rags [Isaiah 64:6 KJV].

So how does it come? By faith alone. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law [Romans 3:28 KJV]. Abraham is the pattern: Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness [Romans 4:3 KJV]. He was declared righteous not for what he did, but because he took God at His word — and the same is true for every soul that trusts in Christ.

The basis of it all is the cross. Jesus took our place, bore our punishment, and made the great exchange: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV]. The sinless One became sin, so that sinners could be made righteous. That is the gospel in a single line.

And here is the comfort: because your standing rests on Christ's finished work and not your shaky performance, it is secure. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus [Romans 8:1 KJV]. Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ.

Mind this, though — the faith that justifies is never idle. It always bears fruit. Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone [James 2:17 KJV]. We are saved by faith alone, but real faith is never alone; it walks it out. So rest today in what Christ has done, and let that settled peace send you out to live for Him…

"Something to think about" is a phrase that indicates there is a topic or idea presented that the reader should consider and contemplate, for further reflection or discussion. Published weekly on a Monday…

Monday 27/07/26

Heaven Isn't for Good People — It's for Believers!

Why "they were a good person" won't open the gate — and what actually does…

The lie we’ve all heard

No one goes to heaven on the strength of being a "good person." The Bible says there is none righteous, and Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him. Heaven is the home of the born-again — those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. The hope of being reunited with loved ones is the believer's hope, given to those who shared the same Saviour. The kindest thing we can do for the living is tell them the truth about Christ while there's still time — and make sure of our own salvation today…

Messages from the Outpost: Join us at our home church (186, Greenacres, Wetheral, Carlisle CA4 8LU, UK) every Tuesday & Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Tuesday 28/07/26

Why the Natural Man Has Nothing to Say!

Self, money and the world — three wells that soon run dry, and the deeper thirst underneath them…

When Talk Leaves You Empty

The natural man has little to say beyond self, money and the world, because without the Spirit he cannot grasp the deeper things of God. Our words reveal what fills the heart, and an empty heart draws only from shallow wells — which is why so much talk leaves us flat. We were made for eternity, so nothing less will satisfy. The believer, given a new nature and higher affections, has something real to say. But the answer to boredom is not pride; it is compassion — to see the empty talker as a hungry soul, season our speech with grace, and turn the conversation, kindly, toward the One who truly satisfies…

"Write this down" is a phrase used to draw attention to essential information that needs to be recorded or remembered. Published weekly on a Wednesday…

Wednesday 29/07/26

Are We Fighting Against God's Will?

Are we fighting against God's will in our lives? Has He revealed things to you that, by your five senses, you can't understand or see the purpose of?

When God shows you something you cannot explain

When God reveals something to us, He rarely lays it out in a way our five senses can grasp. The natural mind wants to understand before it obeys — but Scripture flips that on its head. Faith comes first; sight comes later. Fighting against God's revealed will doesn't pause His plan; it only prolongs our pain, as Jonah learned the hard way. The call is simple, though costly: surrender what you cannot see, walk in the light already given, and trust that obedience always makes sense in hindsight. Stop fighting. Start following…

Messages from the Outpost: Join us at our home church (186, Greenacres, Wetheral, Carlisle CA4 8LU, UK) every Tuesday & Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Thursday 30/07/26

Part of the Problem, or Part of the Solution?

Calling out error is the easy part. Pointing people back to Christ is the real work…

A question worth asking

Calling out false teachers and false doctrine is not wrong — Scripture commands us to test the spirits and to mark those who divide the flock. But exposing error is only half the work. The man who tears down and never builds up, who leaves people looking at him instead of at Christ, has quietly become part of the problem. The only real cure for false teaching has always been true teaching — God's Word set plainly before people, with Jesus lifted up in the centre. That is the whole heart of Back to Basics: pointing you away from men and back to the Word, back to Jesus Christ, back to the Father, through the Holy Spirit…

Back to Basics is a weekly Christian living teaching blog that focuses on teaching the principles of Christian living from a fundamental perspective. Published weekly on a Friday…

Friday 31/07/26

Part 4 — The Praying Man

Prayer is not the last resort. It is the first response…

The mark God looks for

Prayer is the breath of the Christian walk. A Christian man without prayer is a man trying to live the Christian life in his own strength — and that strength runs out fast. Prayer is not performance, not last resort, not crisis-only — it is a continual habit of dependence on God. Self-sufficiency, shame, and busyness pull men away from it. The remedy is simple: set anchors in the day, keep the line open, and when you fall out of it, come back. A praying man, even an ordinary one, is the kind of man God uses…

YouTube: Engaging Content Line-up on 'Back to Basics: Christian Living' YouTube Channel. Published weekly from Monday to Friday...

This Week: 27 - 31 July 2026

Welcome to this week's exciting line-up on our "Back to Basics: Christian Living" YouTube channel! We've carefully curated content designed to strengthen your faith, provide daily spiritual nourishment, and accompany you on your walk with Christ. From devotional moments to in-depth teachings, we're committed to bringing you resources that both inspire and equip…

Something to Think About?

Our "Something to Think About" playlist offers brief, thought-provoking reflections on Christian living. Each video presents meaningful topics designed for contemplation and spiritual growth, encouraging viewers to examine their faith more deeply. Whether you're seeking inspiration or wrestling with questions, these concise messages provide valuable insights to carry with you throughout your day and spark meaningful discussions with fellow believers….

Shorts: messages from the Outpost!

Discover the truth of God's Word. We're addressing the erosion of Biblical teachings in today's world and inviting everyone to join us on this journey. Our mission is to uphold the true teachings of Jesus, challenging misleading interpretations, and promoting accountability…

Write this Down…

Our Write This Down playlist features essential Christian teachings and biblical insights you'll want to remember. Each video highlights key principles for your faith journey that are worth noting down for future reference and spiritual growth….

Back to Basics: Christian Living

…Laying the foundation for a Christian life…

Back to Basics: Christian Living guides viewers through core principles of faith. Each video explores essential topics like prayer, scripture and community, offering practical advice and spiritual insights. Whether you're new to faith or deepening your understanding, this series provides key teachings for a life rooted in Christian values…

Back to Basics: Plain Truth!

The home for our unscheduled, Spirit-prompted teaching videos — the ones that don't fit the weekly slot but need saying now.

No fixed format. No fixed length. Just plain, practical, powerful teaching from the King James Bible — opened, explained, and applied.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves [James 1:22 KJV].

Back to Basics: Living Faith!

Morning: Awakening Faith! - is a series that inspires you to walk in the Spirit, live by faith, and fulfil God's purpose each day.

What's on my Heart: Unfiltered Faith! - A playlist featuring brief spiritual insights where I share God's wisdom on specific topics with practical applications for your Christian Walk.

Let's Read the Word Together! - A series dedicated to Scripture study and its practical application to daily life.

Back to Basics: Christian living Q&A - A question-and-answer format addressing viewers' faith-related inquiries.

Archive Collections: Under the Tree! - Building a solid foundation for a Christian life -Reflecting Christ, Overcoming Challenges, and Standing Strong in Faith offering insightful discussions on several topics related to Christian living & spiritual growth.

Subscribe to our channel and tune in to strengthen your faith today! Perfect for listening whilst commuting, relaxing or seeking daily inspiration...

Note: Remember, these schedules are subject to change, but we're committed to bringing you content that enriches your spiritual journey….

Blazing Apostles & Saturday Conversations Podcasts…

Ignite Your Faith: Explore Our Podcasts

Watch on YouTube to connect visually with our teachings. Whether you're new to faith or well-established, these podcasts offer practical biblical applications to deepen your spiritual life.

Discover our podcasts "Blazing Apostles" and "Saturday Conversations" with hosts Dave and Elaine. Through engaging discussions, stories and practical teachings, we explore foundational Christian principles that refresh your faith.

Back to Basics: Christian living - Unscripted!

Whether you're a long-time believer or just starting your spiritual journey, our podcast will inspire and challenge you to live a life that truly reflects your Christian values. Discover practical ways to apply biblical truths in your daily life and gain a renewed sense of purpose and connection with your faith...

Subscribe to our channel and tune in to strengthen your faith today! Perfect for listening whilst commuting, relaxing or seeking daily inspiration...

Note: Remember, these schedules are subject to change, but we're committed to bringing you content that enriches your spiritual journey….

NEWS! Updates and announcements about Back to Basics: Christian living, including content changes, newsletters, website updates, and valuable information for our audience…

This Week's Teaching’s: Faith, Not Feelings; Christ, Not Self

Four days, one thread — the difference between the natural man and the born-again believer…

This week the daily teaching blogs run Monday to Thursday, and though each stands on its own, they carry a single golden thread from start to finish: real faith versus mere religion and human goodness. From Monday's open question of who actually enters heaven, to Thursday's searching challenge about how we handle the truth, every post pulls the reader off self-reliance and back onto Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith [Ephesians 2:8 KJV].

Here's what's coming, and how it fits together.

Monday 27th — Heaven Isn't for Good People, It's for Believers! We begin at the gate itself. The comforting funeral line — "they were a good person, they'll be in heaven" — sounds kind, but it isn't biblical. There is none righteous, no, not one [Romans 3:10 KJV], and no man cometh unto the Father but by Christ [John 14:6 KJV]. Heaven is the home of the born-again, not a reward for being decent.

Tuesday 28th — Why the Natural Man Has Nothing to Say! Having settled who belongs to God, we look at the man who doesn't. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God [1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV] — so his talk circles the same shallow wells of self, money and the world, and leaves the soul empty. Not a call to look down on him, but to reach him with a word of grace.

Wednesday 29th — Are We Fighting Against God's Will? Now it turns inward, to the believer. When God leads in a way our five senses cannot explain, we push back and reason it away. But we walk by faith, not by sight [2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV]. Like Jonah, fighting God's will never stops His plan — it only stretches our pain. Stop wrestling; start following.

Thursday 30th — Part of the Problem, or Part of the Solution? The week lands on a sharp, personal test. Exposing error is biblical — but tearing down is only half the work. If our words leave people looking at us rather than at Jesus, we've become part of the problem, however right we were. The only cure for false teaching was ever true teaching, with Christ in the centre. He must increase, but I must decrease [John 3:30 KJV].

Read together, the week walks a clear road: stop trusting in self, in reputation, in reasoning, or in critics — and stand rightly with God through faith in His Son. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only [James 1:22 KJV].

And Friday 31st — Part 4: The Praying Man. Friday steps aside from the four-day thread to continue our ongoing Christian manhood series — but it carries the same heart straight through. A praying man is simply a man who has stopped leaning on his own strength. Prayer is not the last resort of the desperate; it is the daily breath of the dependent — men ought always to pray, and not to faint [Luke 18:1 KJV]. It's the natural home of everything the week has taught: faith, not feelings; Christ, not self…

A Personal Note from Me…

You'll notice I don't just line up four unrelated blogs and hope they land. I pray them through, I sit with them, and I look for the thread God is already weaving through the week — then I follow it.

This week that thread is a plain one: faith, not feelings; Christ, not self. I've pulled these teachings together on purpose, because read on their own each post is helpful — but read as one, they tell a single story. Monday stands at the gate and asks who really enters heaven. Tuesday shows the natural man who cannot hear God. Wednesday turns the mirror on us when we fight His leading. Thursday lands the sharpest blow of all — whether our words point people to ourselves or to the Saviour.

And Friday steps aside from that four-day thread to carry on our ongoing Christian manhood series with the praying man — yet it beats with the very same heart, because a praying man is simply the man who has stopped leaning on his own strength and learned to lean on God.

That's my method, and there's no secret to it. I don't teach to fill a slot; I teach to move you from hearing to doing — But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only [James 1:22 KJV]. I'd rather one truth grip you all week than five clever thoughts pass you by and change nothing by Monday.

So take the week as a whole. Let it walk you off self — off reputation, off reasoning, off feelings — and back onto Christ. That has always been the heartbeat of Back to Basics…

With Christ's love,
Dave

Back to Basics: Christian Living - Your Faith Journey. We're excited to share insights and practical guidance to help strengthen your faith journey in 2026…

Resting from Our Own Kingdoms!

When you stop building your own kingdom, you finally find rest in His…

How tired are you? Not end-of-the-day tired — soul-tired. The kind of weariness that comes from always being in control, always managing the outcome, always holding it together because you fear that if you let go, it all falls apart. That exhaustion has a cause, and it is this: we spend our lives building our own little kingdoms.

We do it without noticing. We build our name, our security, our reputation, our plans — and we call it wisdom and responsibility. But God calls it something else. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain [Psalm 127:1 KJV]. That is not a line for a greetings card; it is a warning. You can strive, sweat and lose sleep, but if God is not in it, you are labouring in vain.

Remember Babel. They said, let us make us a name — and the Lord came down and scattered the whole project [Genesis 11:4 KJV]. God will not sponsor our private empires; He will not bless a ladder leaned against the wrong wall. So the real question is simple: whose name are you living for?

The Lord Jesus taught us to pray first, Hallowed be thy name [Matthew 6:9 KJV] — His name, not ours. And John the Baptist gave us the model of a heart set free: He must increase, but I must decrease [John 3:30 KJV]. That is not weakness; it is a man finally stepping down off his own throne.

Because the Lord Jesus never came to help us build a better kingdom for ourselves. He came announcing God's: the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel [Mark 1:15 KJV]. Repentance is not merely turning from bad habits — it is turning from self-rule. And His promise to those who do is astonishing: seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you [Matthew 6:33 KJV]. The very things we exhaust ourselves chasing, He provides when we put Him first.

The paradox is beautiful. The moment we stop building our own kingdom and bow to His, we find the rest our souls have been aching for. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light [Matthew 11:28-30 KJV]. The yoke of self-rule crushes; the yoke of Christ carries. Why? Because in His Kingdom the outcomes are His responsibility, not yours. You are simply called to trust and obey.

So lay down the crown. Lay down the need to be right, to be seen, to secure tomorrow by anxious striving. Bow to the King of kings, seek first His Kingdom, and watch what God does when you finally stop building your own…