Truth & Knowledge: Episode 51 – “Living to Please God” In this episode, Trey Knowles explores what it truly means to live in a way that pleases God, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 4:2–12. God’s will for us is sanctification—set apart for His purpose. This means avoiding sexual immorality, learning self-control, and living in holiness and honor. Unlike the world, which follows its passions without knowing God, we are called to purity. Anyone who rejects this call is not rejecting human instruction, but God Himself—the very One who gives us His Holy Spirit. We are also commanded to love one another. The Thessalonians were already known for their love throughout Macedonia, yet Paul urged them to grow in love even more. Living to please God also means leading a quiet life, minding our own affairs, and working with our hands. In doing so, we not only honor God but also earn the respect of outsiders and live in a way that is not dependent on others. At its core, living to please God means holiness, love, and integrity—reflecting His Spirit in our daily lives.

James writes of the doubting person that he is “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:6–8). A doubter is a double-minded person. Jesus had in mind such a person when He spoke of the one who tries to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). As such, he is “unstable,” which comes from a Greek word meaning “unsteady, wavering, in both his character and feelings.”

A double-minded person is restless and confused in his thoughts, his actions, and his behavior. Such a person is always in conflict with himself. One torn by such inner conflict can never lean with confidence on God and His gracious promises. Correspondingly, the term unstable is analogous to a drunken man unable to walk a straight line, swaying one way, then another. He has no defined direction and as a result doesn’t get anywhere. Such a person is “unstable in all he does.”

Those who are double-minded do not have the faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:1, 3: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. . . . By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” We cannot be both “certain” and doubting, as is the double-minded person. One part of his mind is sure of something, while the other part doubts. It brings to mind the “pushmi-pullyu” of the Dr. Doolittle stories, an animal with a head at either end of its body and which was constantly trying to walk in two directions at once. Such is the double-minded man.

Jesus declared, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). God and the things of this world are of such opposite natures that it is impossible to love either one completely without hating the other. Those who try to love both will become unstable in all their ways. If someone struggles with being double-minded, he or she should read, study, and memorize the Word, for it is the Word of God that produces faith (Romans 10:17). And he or she should pray for faith. God freely gives what is good to those who ask Him (Luke 11:9–12), and it’s good to ask for an increase of faith (Luke 17:5; Mark 9:24).

10 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

10 But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.

17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

18 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

23 O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

Nicolaitan means "a follower of Nicolas." It comes from two Greek words, nikos and laos. Nikos means "conqueror" or "destroyer," and laos means "people." The original Nicolas was a conqueror or destroyer of the people!

Some people believe that the original Nicolas was Nimrod—the original archrebel, who conquered the people and founded a man-made civilization within two centuries after the Flood (Genesis 10:8-12)! While he was alive, Nimrod put himself in the place of God, or as the biblical text puts it, "he was a mighty hunter before the LORD" (verse 9). When he died, his admirers continued to worship him as a divine hero. They called him "Baal," a name found throughout the Old Testament, meaning "master" or "lord."

Nimrod also had other names. One, commonly used throughout Asia Minor, was "Santa" (see Lempriere's Classical Dictionary.) "Santa Claus" is but a shortened form of "Santa Nicholas" or "Saint Nicholas." Many unknowingly honor this Nicholas even in our day by by observing customs associated with December 25. Christmas originally was the Saturnalia or birthday of Nimrod. Of course, these customs handed down from ancient paganism have been renamed and made to appear innocent and good!

Others think that the Nicolas mentioned in Revelation 2 is the man called "Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch," ordained a deacon early in the church's history in Acts 6:1-6. Writings of the time say he later came to follow Gnostic teachings and became an ascetic, and many followed his new doctrine. For further information on this Nicolas and his affect on the church, please see Nicolaitanism Today

The exact origin of the Nicolaitans is unclear. Some Bible commentators believe they were a heretical sect who followed the teachings of Nicolas—whose name means “one who conquers the people”—who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mentioned in Acts 6:5. It is possible that Nicolas became an apostate, denying the true faith and became part of a group holding "the doctrine of Balaam," who taught Israel "to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality." Clement of Alexandria says, “They abandoned themselves to pleasure like goats, leading a life of self-indulgence.” Their teaching perverted grace and replaced liberty with license.

Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning "let us eat," as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place (2 Peter 2:15, 19; Jude 1:4).

Jesus commends the church of Ephesus for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans as He does (Revelation 2:6). No doubt the leaders of the Ephesian church protected their flock from these destructive heresies and kept their people from committing the same evil deeds. All sin is hateful to Christ, as it should be to His followers, as we hate men’s evil deeds, not the men themselves. For the church at Pergamos, Jesus had not commendation, but censure. Unlike the Ephesians, they actually embraced the teachings of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15). Jesus warns them that unless they repent, they are in danger of the judgment that is sure to fall on those who teach false doctrine, attack His church, and destroy His people. The sword of judgment is poised over their heads, and His patience is not limitless (Revelation 2:16; 19:15).

The lesson for us is that the church of the Lord Jesus throughout the ages has been plagued by those of the Nicolaitan spirit. The only way to recognize false teaching is to be intimately familiar with truth through the diligent study of the Word of God.

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 50 – “Adoption” In this episode, Trey Knowles unpacks the meaning of adoption in the Word of God. Before knowing Christ, I was lost—enslaved to the spiritual forces of the world, cut off from my true identity, and unable to receive my inheritance. But that is no longer the case. Through Jesus Christ, I have been redeemed, adopted, and made new. His Spirit now dwells in my heart, teaching me to cry out, “Abba, Father,” because I am His child. This is the reality for all who believe—we are His sons and daughters. Adoption means being made a legal son or daughter, and Scripture uses this image to reveal how God brings us into His family. Jesus the Messiah came so “that we might receive adoption to sonship”—and He fulfilled that mission completely. I am no longer abandoned or enslaved. I belong to God. As Romans 8:15 declares: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” This is who we are—we are children of God.

 Truth & Knowledge: Episode 49 – “Love Your Enemies, Love Covers a Multitude of Sins”

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 48 – “Black Man Identity Theft” In this episode, Trey Knowles delivers a powerful message to black men about reclaiming their true identity in God. He declares that black men will no longer live in fear, be brainwashed, or be deceived by the works of the devil. Instead, they are called to stand in truth, uplift one another, and walk in the light. Drawing from scripture, Knowles reminds listeners that God created man in His image and likeness—not as the derogatory labels placed upon them by society. Black men were not made to be enslaved, oppressed, or diminished, but to walk in dominion as husbands, fathers, and children of God. He emphasizes that anyone who leads black men into darkness is not for them, for God is love and calls His people to live in righteousness. Black men are not defined by sin, violence, or destruction—they are chosen, royal, and set apart to declare God’s glory. The message is clear: do not let the devil steal your identity. Instead, embrace your divine calling, uplift each other, and walk boldly as the people of God, created for light, love, and purpose.

Revelation 2 

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Truth & Knowledge series is a transformation podcast show, produced by Life Coaching Speaker Trey Knowles. This series is based on Transformation, Recognition, Salvation, and Substance, living life through the Spirit is what this show is about.

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 47 – “My Lord My Lord My Lord” In this episode, Trey Knowles unpacks the meaning of “My Lord My Lord My Lord”—a phrase that signifies my ruler, my master, my life. He reflects on how this understanding came to be: God, the Creator, gave him life and identity. Just as parents give birth and are responsible for guiding their children in the way they should go, God also provides His own instruction manual for humanity—His Word. Scripture teaches that parents serve as living guides for their children, and in the same way, God’s Word directs us. The Bible is described as life itself, a divine manual embedded within us from the beginning of creation. Trey emphasizes that Jesus affirmed this truth in Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” From the start, God’s Spirit testifies to our spirit, affirming that we are born of Him. “My Lord My Lord My Lord” is therefore an acknowledgment of God as our ruler, our master, and the very source of our life.

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 46 – “Blessed With Insurance”
In this episode, Trey Knowles reminds us that we are truly blessed with the assurance God provides—but it requires us to live out certain qualities. Drawing from 2 Peter 1:5–9, he emphasizes the importance of continually adding to our faith: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. When these virtues grow in us, they keep us effective and fruitful in our knowledge of Christ. Without them, we risk becoming spiritually shortsighted, forgetting the cleansing and freedom we have received from our past sins.

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 45 – “Confidence” In this episode, Trey Knowles speaks on the importance of strength and confidence. He encourages listeners to be confident in themselves, knowing that the world is full of voices that try to shake or steal that confidence. True confidence, however, is rooted in the Lord. By standing firm in Him, we remain steady and unshaken. When our foundation is solid in God, we won’t be led off course.

Truth & Knowledge: Episode 44 – “Perseverance” In this episode, Trey Knowles speaks on perseverance—the determination to press forward despite difficulties. To stop persevering is to give up or give in, but perseverance itself becomes proof of what we truly believe. Life is hard, and while we often long for ease—easy money, easy living, a life free from problems—“easy” isn’t always growth. True strength is forged through challenge, not comfort. Sometimes ease only comes after mastering the struggle. When difficulties arise, we face a choice: to quit or to compromise. Compromise lowers our standards, often fueled by fear. But fear has no place in love. Love never quits. Love always perseveres. The key is to live with hope and patience—trusting, enduring, and believing for the best even in tough times. Perseverance proves our faith and strengthens our character.