Trials

It is Good to Seek the Lord and to Wait on Him (But it’s Not Always Easy!)

1 Comment / April 1, 2025

A long time ago now, I found myself faced with a dilemma. After some time and a bit of rather flippant prayer, a solution presented itself that looked perfect. I didn’t even hesitate but went right on ahead, assuming this was from the Lord.

And, while I do believe the Lord was in control and knew exactly what He was doing, the decision didn’t turn out to be anything like I planned and life become a bit rocky for awhile there. I believe learning through this careless decision was part of God’s purpose and I did learn some hard lessons through the process.

This situation was brought to mind this morning as I read I Samuel 8. The Israelites think they want a king. And, while Samuel assures them they most certainly should not want this, predicting all the negative changes that will come to their lives—they insist.

Because they thought they knew best.

Just like the Israelites, I was desperate for a solution and thought I knew best. Rather than lean on the Lord and wait on His timing, I went right ahead and did what I thought looked right and would ease my burden.

But when we move ahead without God, our burdens aren’t eased. They are multiplied. As we move further on into Samuel, we will find that Israel moving on without God’s approval was costly. Just as I found out the same thing.

Making decisions and solving problems can be a difficult thing in this life. But I am learning that I need to submit myself to God’s will and wait on Him when I am faced with a dilemma. I am still learning to pray more comprehensively and more deeply about things; to pray with a more eternal perspective rather than a desperate “make my life easier” plea.

Israel wanted a quick fix and they thought that quick fix was a King. I wanted a quick fix and thought I knew what that was.

Both Israel and myself paid when we went that route. It’s a good reminder that we must seek the Lord and wait on Him. What does He desire for us?

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋. (Lamentations 3:25-26)

It’s good to seek the Lord and it’s good to wait on Him but this is NOT always an easy thing to do. Especially for those of us who just want resolution. The waiting is so hard and the temptation to just jump ahead with our own solution is a great one.

Oh, that we may continue to learn to seek the Lord and to wait on His timing. I have a feeling it will be a lifelong challenge to fully learn this important truth!

A Different Perspective on Trials

3 Comments / March 11, 2025

In a few days, one of my grandbabies will be having minor surgery. His mama called me yesterday and shared that, as she has been reading through Deuteronomy, she was struck by the comparison that is made between earthly parents with their children and God’s relationship with His children. (Hebrews 12 also expresses this idea very clearly.)

As she contemplates this surgery, she realized that she can’t make her son understand that this is both necessary and in his best interest. He is a baby and there is no possible way he can understand that the pain he must endure is for his own good. It is hurting her, for she hates to see one she loves so much suffer in any way. She wishes she could spare him but she cannot. She knows she needs to choose what is best for him in the long-term, despite her own feelings.

She will walk with him through the upcoming days, loving him and meeting his needs but he must go through the surgery. She loves him too much not to do what is best for him.

What a wonderful comparison as we consider our own trials. God will do what is best for us and we must walk through whatever is our lot in life. But He will not forsake us. He will walk with us and He will meet our needs as we walk through the trial.

So easy to write but so hard to live, right?

We can be like spoiled children, petulantly demanding relief from the pain. And, yet, just as my grandson cannot understand why he must go through his upcoming surgery because his mama is older and wiser than he, so we, too, cannot understand God’s purposes and reasons for our own sufferings.

God, in His infinite wisdom, knows what is best. He is infinitely higher and greater than we are. I think there is a fundamental lack of understanding of the great gulf that lies between God and man.

God is Creator. Man is created.

God knows all and has unlimited knowledge. Man knows so little and is so very limited.

God is unchanging. Man changes his mind all the time.

God is omnipotent over all. Man has power over just about nothing.

When we demand to know and shake our fist at God because of what we are going through, we are demonstrating a fundamental lack of understanding about who God is and who we are.

Now, let me add here that I do think it’s our natural response. It is so hard to think outside our own pain and hurt. It takes time to journey through a trial and end up with right and biblical thinking. And it takes some longer than others.

(Parenthetically, we must consider this same understanding about who God is and who we are in light of the doctrines we don’t understand or simply do not like. Sometimes, things we read in scripture do not seem loving or fair to our finite minds; we don’t like them; and so many simply reject them. And, yet if these things are clearly in scripture we cannot—we must not—reject God’s clear Word. Here again, we must surrender our pride and bow our knee to God and accept what He says without the need to understand.)

The key is to take the journey we are given and not land in a mire of pride and bitterness because we feel like we got a “raw deal”.

Life is hard. But, for God’s redeemed children, one day it will not be hard. Instead, it will be glorious.

Someone reminded me yesterday that God didn’t say “if” the Israelites reached the Promised Land, He said “when”. They then went on to remind me that it is the same for us. As we walk through this life, Heaven isn’t an “if”, it is a “when”.

Colossians 3:1-2 reminds us that we must keep our minds on things above and not on things below as we journey through this life. Having this perspective will strengthen us with God’s truth as we suffer through the mundane, daily troubles as well as the life-altering, overwhelming trials…and every trial in between.

As we travel the path that God has us on today, I hope this will be an encouragement to you. I can’t understand what you are going through today. But scripture teaches us that God not only knows exactly how you feel but it also teaches that He loves you and He has allowed what is in your life for your good and His purposes (Romans 8:28). He will not forsake you but has promised to be with you every step of the way.

This is what His Word says and this is what has been experienced by thousands—millions—of believers before us. May we all keep trusting that our Heavenly Father knows best as we experience His tender mercies and loving care through it all as we journey in this life.

When Our Status Quo Is Shattered

3 Comments / August 30, 2024

You will notice that the tagline right below the title of this blog (above) is “never satisfied with status quo”.

My thought in adding that many years ago was to remind us all that we should never just be satisfied to be a “good enough” Christian but to always be striving to please Christ more, to be more holy, to grow in grace.

But the bottom line is we all struggle with status quo living. Including myself. It’s just so much easier, isn’t it?

Status quo: The state of things; the way things are, as opposed to the way they could be; the existing state of affairs. 

When we live to the status quo it eliminates work. And thinking. And effort. And so we often naturally fall into it.

For example, when we get together with family or friends, it’s status quo to talk about current events, weather, and other trivial things. In most families and friend circles, it takes effort and thinking (and not a little courage!) to bring up the things of God and His Word.

(Aren’t you so grateful for the relationships you have where talking about the Lord doesn’t take effort and courage but is rather a natural outpouring of your mutual love for God?? What a blessing and joy!)

Or how about when we know something is wrong according to scripture but we are unwilling to speak up? It’s just so much easier to stick with the status quo than to make waves, isn’t it?

Or another example: We have a personal habit that we know we should change. We think, yes, I need to change that but when push comes to shove, it’s just so much easier to continue on as we always have whether it’s in our lack of personal Bible Study, our bad spending or health habits, the unkind way we treat a spouse or our kids, or any number of other unhelpful life habits we find ourselves doing over and over again.

Status quo living is always easier but it’s never better.

I believe this is one of the reasons trials come. They shake us out of our status quo life. We are forced to come face to face with ourselves. Is what we say we believe actually what we believe?

One example that would seem to affect us all no matter where we live in this world (I say this because I’ve talked personally with or have heard testimonies of this in so many counties and not just the United States)… The political system of an entire nation has been upended and is in utter chaos. Our status quo has changed without our consent and it’s beyond our control. How do we respond?

It’s been interesting and faith-building (although also sometimes very disappointing) to watch the responses of people when they are shaken out of their status quo lives.

Some rise to the challenge and cling to God and His Word and provide us a vivid reminder and encouragement that His promises are true. Oh, this doesn’t mean they never struggle. Not in the least. But their overall attitude is one of submission to the Lord’s will as they traverse the rocky path of trial and they trust that God loves them with an everlasting love and that He is good.

Others do not. They cling to things of this life and find themselves disillusioned and disappointed as their expectations go unmet or are even obliterated. They grow bitter or angry or depressed. God has not fulfilled their desires or expectations and they can’t get past that disappointment. Some who profess Christ never do get past this and their lives become a bitter, sorry mess. Or sometimes these kind of people end up living a life of escape from the pain through travel or hobbies or pets or any number of other things.

And probably most of us who honestly love the Lord and desire to please Him with our lives start off clinging to this world and eventually recognize the need for surrender. Generally, the journey to surrender eventually begins to take less and less time as we recognize with each preceding trial that God’s grace truly is sufficient and His mercies truly are new every morning.

Of course, trials come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it is one great trial and other times it’s just a bunch of little things all in a row. Sometimes they are absolutely life-altering and other times they are simply inconvenient or uncomfortable. Sometimes they are faced by an entire town or even a nation and other times they are intensely personal. No matter what they are, trials of any shape or size tend to shatter our status quo life and make us stop and think.

But whenever and in whatever way our status quo is broken, we each are forced to make a choice:

Will our faith and hope in God grow stronger as we surrender to His sovereign will?

OR

Will we turn to the things of this world to fulfill our hopes and to the wisdom of this world to find our answers?

I will leave you with this wonderful hymn that reminds us of where our hope truly lies if we have been saved by Christ alone. Our hope is “born of God’s own Word and nourished by His grace”. Oh, may we keep our hearts and minds stayed on God when our status quo is shattered (Isaiah 26:3). 

I HAVE A HOPE
(Charles Naylor, 1907)

I have a hope, serene and sure,
That anchors past the veil;
In all the storms it holds secure,
Nor will it ever fail.

Refrain:
My hope is born of God’s own word,
And nourished by His grace;
His promise true my soul hath heard,
And hope beholds His face.

I have a hope that looks away
From present woes and tears
To heaven’s bright eternal day,
Till sorrow disappears.

I have a hope that doth not fear
The silent grave to view,
Nay, doth not shrink though death appear,
For I shall live anew.

Light Unto My Path

1 Comment / August 6, 2024

I groaned. My Roku had stopped working again and so I was standing by my tv trying to reset it by unplugging it and then plugging it in again. Seems so simple, doesn’t it? I figured I could do such a small thing without light, right?

Wrong.

I couldn’t see a thing. The tv was in a dark-ish room and set in a cavity painted black that sits above our fireplace. And so I thought I’d let my fingers “do the walking” and tried to just “feel” where to put the plug in. Have you been there? Trying to put any plug in without being able to see often leads to frustration.

After a few frustrating moments I decided life is just too short for this and went to get my phone and turned on the flashlight. That little bit of light made short work of putting that roku back where it belonged.

What a wonderful picture of what the Bible does for us. Whether we are growing frustrated and anxious in the dark path we are traveling personally or the overall darkness of this world that is descending like a thick blanket on all our paths. No matter where we live there is no shortage of darkness. Illness and death, financial woes with the growing inflation, compromised churches and Christian organizations, corrupt governments, the growing wickedness and occultism in the culture; sometimes these things make it too dark to see.

Unless…

We have the Bible. God has told us that this is the light He has given us for the dark path we must travel through life—

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)

The Bible fills us with confidence in our Great God as we get to know Him through His Word. It tells us of His love for us and gives the way for eternal salvation through His Son, Jesus.

We find within its pages many wonderful promises of the grace, mercy, and lovingkindness that will be shed on us, as a believer, as we travel any path in this life. Some paths we choose but many we do not. God’s mercy will follow us wherever we go.

The Bible gives us the light of truth. Only by knowing what it says, can we protect ourselves from the deception and lies that are snowballing out of control.

It gives us His plan for the future, which, if we take it literally, sheds so much light on both historical events, as well as the events happening right now in our world.

And the Bible gives us eternal perspective. It reminds us that we are but pilgrims and strangers passing through a foreign land. This world is not our home.

It’s important to note that the verse above does not declare that God’s Word is a giant spotlight on the whole world, filling it with light. It is just a small lamp, shedding light one step at a time on the path of the believer.

While the Bible could conceivably light up anyone’s path, most of those in this world will never repent of their sins and turn to Christ alone for salvation. Unless we do this, we can read the Bible all we want but it will be like holding a flashlight but never turning it on. We cannot understand God’s Holy Word without the Holy Spirit. And we cannot have the help of the Holy Spirit without salvation.

If a small flashlight can make such a huge difference when trying to plug something in in the dark, how much more of a difference will the Bible make in our lives? If we’d but just treasure and use this lamp that God has given us specifically to light our paths.

If we have trusted Christ alone for our salvation, may we keep the light God has given us ever near as the darkness descends around us. For it is the only light we have as we travel in this dreary land.

Finding Perspective

4 Comments / June 11, 2024

We were at the Outer Banks for a little anniversary getaway last week. Just my husband and me. We had planned to go away last year for our 35th wedding anniversary but life got in the way. As it often does. (Our anniversary is not until August. Last week was just when we could make the time to get away for a few days.)

While we were vacationing last week, we ran into people from all over the United States and from the rest of the world, who come there to work for the summer, some who end up staying there to live.

I will often start a conversation with waiters and store clerks just to be friendly. And so I will ask just basic questions…questions like “how do you enjoy the weather here at the Outer Banks?” I found this particular question to be quite dependent upon where the person had come from. For example, one young lady from Ohio thought it was so warm there as compared to her native state. But the young woman from Jamaica thought it was so cold! Depending upon where they were coming from was what determined their answer to this particular question.

How true is this for each of us? What looks hard or difficult to some, looks like a “cakewalk” to others. For example, a few weeks ago when I flew to Texas by myself to visit my daughter and her family I had all sorts of troubles and trials in getting there and in coming back. To someone who flies regularly, I am sure they would just consider this par for the course. But to myself, unfamiliar with airports and already a bit on edge when I fly, it was quite difficult and I found myself almost in tears a time or two (I will add that I now know that I can fly by myself even if things don’t go as planned, knowing that God will shed His mercy on me even if my plans go all to shreds. As He showed me in amazing ways even on that journey. Such small things…and yet so big…!)

A few weeks ago, we found out that one of our closest friends has stage four cancer. The wife of the couple has been one of my best friends since we were in 5th grade. We are devastated for them and for ourselves. They know the Lord and He is sustaining them, but as many of you already know…the journey they are on is not an easy one. We love them both so much and we are still reeling from shock. But we recognize that we are hurting for our friends. My friend is hurting for her husband. Her husband is hurting for his beloved family. (Please do pray for them. I won’t share their names for privacy’s sake but God knows who they are…)

It has been challenging to process any of our own trials these past few weeks as we recognize the depth of theirs. And we’ve had quite a few. Some minor, others not as minor. But still not-so-big comparatively. What had looked big doesn’t look as big anymore. And, yet, they still need to be gone through. The illnesses, the infections, the aches and pains, the surgeries and the recoveries, the ridicule and antagonism that comes when we wholeheartedly follow the Lord, the loss of those we love, the very real grief that comes with life changes, the challenges that naturally come with marriage, having kids, and growing older.

I’d like to add here that I’ve been so grateful for our friends’ trust in God during their journey. Her kindness in praying for me with some of my own little trials amidst her great one has been a source of great encouragement to me. I know God is sustaining them as they travel this road through the many prayers that are being lifted for them. They are reminding both my husband and me that God’s promises are very real.

But back to the subject at hand…how we face trials can be so much about our perspective. What may look huge to us can morph into not-so-huge, depending on what else is going on in our lives. But, no matter what trials and troubles we are facing, whether big or small, they tell us so much about ourselves, don’t they?

If you subscribe to the blog and read the personal letter I sent out a few weeks ago (not posted publicly), then you will know that I intentionally took a break from writing these past few weeks. I have been so emotionally drained. I didn’t even feel like writing. Plus I didn’t really have time to write, either. Lots has been going on and it was best to just step back for a bit.

I shared on the Growing4Life Facebook page a week or so ago that my brother mentioned in a sermon how a lake can be clear blue on a still sunny day. But when the storm comes, the mud from the bottom comes swirling up and the water becomes a muddy mess. He compared this to what happens to us in trials. We can look like “pretty good” Christians but then the trials come and sins we thought we had victory over come roaring back or perhaps new sins beckon to us.

This is one of the things that has been so difficult for me specifically this past month or two (and maybe the past year) was recognizing how much sin is still in my heart as I have faced certain trials. Particularly the sins of worry and anxiety. Do I trust God or don’t I? Surely, I’ve come further than this? But no, no, I had to face the reality that I haven’t. It has been both discouraging and disappointing.

As I have struggled through this, I found myself feeling utterly unqualified to continue writing here or anywhere. My goodness, if I still struggle so, surely I have no business writing about God and His Word.

But one of the things God has been reminding me of during this time is that it’s not about me. If it was, I would have had to quit writing years ago. Or probably never even started. For I am an undeserving sinner who has been saved by God’s grace alone through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. I will never merit God’s favor. I have nothing good to offer. Jesus Christ is my only righteousness.

And so I don’t write because I’ve reached any kind of perfection or some spiritual “level”. For I am utterly hopeless this side of glory. I write because I want to point you (and myself) to God and to His Word, where we find not only His commands but also His abundant promises, given to those that love Him and want to please Him. I will keep singing my God’s praises and declaring the truth of His Word because I believe with my whole heart that it is our perfect and only anchor for the Christian life.

And so, though life hasn’t been as carefree as usual (and could continue in this way), I do find myself grateful that God has reminded me how much I need Him over these past few weeks. I am so thankful for the many mercies He has poured upon my life, the examples of strong Christian faith that He has given to me in believers around me, and the many encouraging words and prayers on my behalf (which include many from you, my readers. Your kind emails in response to my personal letter meant more to me than you can imagine).

As we all continue on as pilgrims traveling in a foreign land–some facing tremendous trials right now and others small ones (but perhaps numerous)– may we trust the Lord who loves us and cares for us, may we live for His glory, and may we take just one hour at a time, knowing that God’s great grace and mercy will lead us all the way.

Please Note: What I have shared here today is very personal. Perhaps too personal. It makes me feel very vulnerable. If this has encouraged you, I hope you will let me know because it is extremely disconcerting when I put myself “out on a limb” (so to speak) and there is little response.

I also want to be clear that I am not complaining about this season of life. We all walk through different seasons. And I have talked to so many that are going through similar seasons. Or much worse. This is not about me nor is it to draw attention to myself. As always, I just like to share what God is teaching me in different seasons of my life. And to remind us all that God is faithful in all our seasons.

Encouragement for the Lonely Believer

12 Comments / March 28, 2023

In the midst of an increasingly and very noticeable shift away from the Word (even in once-sound churches and ministries), we may find ourselves feeling lonely and discouraged. As we watch the crevices and cracks that are left in the wake of removing biblical authority (in practice, if not from doctrinal statements) be filled in with other things (such as reliance upon experience, unity with false religion, and tolerance), we find that few people are willing to stand with us against the apostasy that is coming in like a tsunami across all denominations and organizations that use the name of Jesus. The fear of being labeled “not very nice” and the sin of “appearing negative” are the great things to be avoided in most churches and Christian organizations these days and if you do not bow to this agenda, you are generally sidelined, ridiculed, or just plain ignored.

This change leaves so many Christians without the support that God intended for us to have one with another as we traverse this difficult journey of sharing a Gospel that is no longer tolerated and standing for the Truth of the Word that few people (even those who call themselves Christians) have interest in.

So what is a lonely Christian to do?

In my own journey, I’ve learned a few things along the way. I would like to encourage you today with some of the things that God has been teaching me over the past few years as many of you have mentioned to me your own battle in standing strong while feeling so alone.

First, seek to love and please God above all.

Mark 12:30 says we are to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, with all of our souls, with all of our minds, and with all of our strength. In other words, with our whole self. So often we hold back things from God that make us uncomfortable. Certain decisions that we know we should make but are just unwilling to. I have been learning that we need to give our all to God and let Him take care of the rest (and He does! He is so faithful!!). I have made many uncomfortable decisions with many questions marks. Some of those decisions have not gone at all how I thought they would and some have ended up much better and, even occasionally, worse than I thought. But here’s the thing–through it all God cares so deeply for the one who loves Him and makes choices with this love for God in mind. In fact, Romans 8:28 makes this so clear, doesn’t it?–

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

If we love Him, He will work all things out for our good and His glory. And this is no empty promise. I am sure that you, like me, can look back over your life and see His wonderful faithfulness through that tough choice to stand for truth when it required sacrifice. So even if we have to make a difficult decision that we know is the right decision, we can be confident that we are doing the right thing, despite any deep sadness or antagonism that may surround that decision.

Second, seek to know and honor the truth of God’s Word, at any cost.

This is no easy task in this current “Christian” culture. Most people are uninterested in the truth because–let’s face it– much of God’s truth from scripture certainly doesn’t give us the warm fuzzies or fill us with peace and comfort. None of us likes the idea of being a sinner; of there being an eternal hell for those who reject Christ; and any number of doctrines that make us uncomfortable from a human standpoint.

But God has given us His Word and we are to believe, submit to, and obey all of it. Notice there is no clause anywhere in scripture that tells us we can ignore, rewrite, or re-interpret what is confusing or unpleasant to us.

The one critical thing to keep in mind here is how the Bible becomes clearer and clearer the more effort we give to studying it. I remember talking to my brother (the Pastor) a few months ago and he mentioned how he was looking forward to studying a specific passage that had a lot of questions surrounding it. I said something along the lines of “Well, I guess we can’t always really know the answer.” And his response has stuck with me– “I have found that if I really give effort to studying it, the answer will be found in the Word.”

The problem for most of us is that we’d prefer to read a novel or watch a movie than to study the Word. And so we flounder in the confusion born of a lack of knowledge so much more than we should.

This is a constant and daily struggle and endeavor for me, as well. I have not arrived in any way. I am simply thankful that God has been teaching me the value of knowing His Word and of the authority it must hold for all who would claim Christ.

Third, don’t tolerate compromise.

Compare everything against scripture. As John says “Test the spirits” (I John 4:1) and Paul exhorts: “Test everything; hold fast what is good.” (I Thessalonians 5:21). If something shows itself to be unbiblical we should speak up with love. It is not easy but if not us, then who? Always be loving. Always use scripture. Man’s opinion doesn’t matter.

And if the party you are speaking to doesn’t care? If they have no interest in what you are saying or in looking at scripture? Well, then we learned a hard lesson about that very thing.

“If you stay you will become like them.” This is what we heard when we were seeking wise counsel in a very difficult situation so many years ago. This profound statement was filled with wisdom and we did find it to be true. In this current age of great apostasy, we (my husband and I) have learned that rather than affect the change we so longed for, we would end up giving in and tolerating unbiblical ideas and programs. Thankfully, we recognized that this is the first step on the path of deception. We are thankful for that wise counsel given so many years ago and continue to consider it whenever we are faced with a similar situation.

Fourth, don’t let yourself be ruled by the crowd, the trends, or by what’s popular.

Many, many years ago now, I spoke up against a false teacher that was being brought into the youth group at the church where I attended. At this time, this particular teacher was becoming well-loved in evangelical circles and my words were not well-received. I found myself second-guessing myself. But then I’d go to scripture, compare what this teacher was saying to the scripture, and realize afresh that–if one was judging this man by scripture–that he must be classified as a false teacher.

Many years passed and then one day, I remember very specifically realizing that this same teacher had now made his heresy abundantly clear through books he wrote and associations he had.

This experience reminded me to stand up for the truth, no matter what the world (and the mainstream church) is saying. It just doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is: What does God say?

Fifth, find your identity in God and not in the good opinions of fickle man.

I hate to even use the word “identity”. It brings the idea of psychological babble to my mind. But what I am referring to here is the deep need that we all have to be loved. We try to get that love through the wrong places and even as born-again believers we can find ourselves caving and compromising because we want so badly to be liked by our families, our friends, our co-workers, and our church families.

God has taught me much about this through the past thirteen years of blogging and through many other situations in my life. And, yet, I still battle this desire almost every day. I don’t want people to think I’m strange, negative, or divisive (or any other number of words that have been used to describe me in my efforts to stand for God’s Word).

And, always, in the midst of these accusations, I eventually come back to the same conclusion: God is my all. I need nothing else.

As a side note, I have learned that I must, with humility, evaluate every accusation and examine myself. I cannot simply and pridefully assume that someone is wrong when they say something about me I don’t like. And so that must be our first step as we encounter the opinions of others. And changes should be made if we find ourselves lacking in love or some other godly attribute. But, when it’s all said and done, it is God we must please and not man. Paul puts it like this in Galatians–

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

The only approval that matters is Christ’s. If we are worried about winning the approval of man we are going to be sorely disappointed as those who seek to speak truth. For man is generally uninterested in the spiritual truths of the Bible and will hate the one who shares it (John 15:18-20; I John 3:13). In fact, Peter tells us to expect to suffer for the sake of righteousness–

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (I Peter 4:12-14)

Sixth, keep your eyes on Jesus.

This can be so hard in the midst of such great apostasy and in a world heaving with trials and troubles, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. But as the prophet Isaiah reminds us so clearly, only the person whose mind is stayed on the Lord will experience the peace that is promised to the children of the Lord–

You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

It is when I allow my eyes to focus in on the troubles and the hurts and the pain that my spirit is so disturbed with in me. As one of my favorite hymns puts it–

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Seventh, and last but not least, give great effort to prayer and Bible study in the hard decisions.

Oh, what a faithful God we serve! If we will but seek Him and His will for our lives, He will make it known. Of course, it is not always on our timeline, is it?? But He cares about us and loves us so much (Romans 5:8; I Peter 5:7) and He has promised to guide and direct us as long as we aren’t leaning on our own understanding or continuing in willful sin but, instead, fearing and trusting Him above all else (Proverbs 3:5-8).

I am not sure if this of encouragement to anyone or not. I hope that it is. And, remember, that you are not alone. Not everyone is enamored with the modern fodder that goes by the name of Christianity. Not everyone is leaving the Bible behind. And not everyone has turned their back on biblical authority. And, through God’s faithfulness, you may find a little pocket in your own community of like-minded believers that will encourage your soul. But, if not, then God will provide you encouragement through some other avenue. Perhaps even through this blog.

Oh, my dear readers, stay the course. It would seem that our redemption draweth nigh! Let’s continue to proclaim the Gospel and stand for the Truth until the Lord returns! Maranatha!

Resisting the Roaring Lion

Leave a Comment / October 26, 2022

We have been studying I Peter this past month in the Growing4Life Bible Challenge. It is really hard to cover this book of the Bible in just four weeks but we are taking in as much as we can! There is so much there! We are now on the final chapter, chapter 5, and verses 6-11 contain much that is profoundly helpful for us believers in 2022–

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called [g]us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The first verses gives us a framework for the rest of the passage: Humble ourselves and cast our cares on God. These are two very basic things for the redeemed to remember:

First, we must be humble. We must stop thinking more “highly of ourselves than we ought”, as Paul puts it in Romans 12:3. Later on in that same chapter, Paul puts it like this: “Do not be wise in your own opinion.” (vs 16). This is a key aspect in a healthy Christian walk for a number of reasons but the two that come to mind: To be in right relationship both with God and with others necessitates humility.

Second, we must stop fretting and worrying. Instead, God tells us to cast our cares on Him and choose to trust Him to care for us. He has promised to do this not only here in this passage, but throughout scripture. He loves and cares for His own. He will never forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5)

Now with those two exhortations, Peter goes on to talk about our adversary. In our modern day Christianity, many believers shy away from talking about the devil. Of course, there is the other extreme, where one blames everything on the devil or thinks he can be ordered around, as if that is their job to do so (It’s not!!). So what should be our right response to the truth that we Christians do have an enemy and it is the devil?

Peter gives us some instruction in verse 8: Be sober and be vigilant.

Dictionary.com gives these partial definitions–

Sober–not intoxicated or drunk.

Let’s think back to what it says in Ephesians 5: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. From this, I believe we can deduct that Christian sobriety comes from being filled with the Spirit. And let’s remember: It is not just wine that makes us intoxicated! We can be intoxicated by any number of things: ungodly novels, worldly entertainment, temporal goals, money, hobbies; so much can intoxicate us into a state of caring little about spiritual things. This intoxication (or idolatry!) is what leaves us open to the attacks of our enemy. 

Vigilant–sleeplessly watchful

We are a spiritually lazy culture. Many people claiming Christ don’t even open their Bibles between Sundays. They are asleep spiritually. Caught up in their distractions and worldly living, they are uninterested in what really matters. Instead of being sleeplessly watchful, they are sound asleep and can’t see a thing. Vigilance is not a popular concept these days, but here in I Peter we are told it is necessary in order to protect ourselves from our enemy.

Why is it so important that we are sober and vigilant? What is the big deal? Peter goes on to tell us why it’s a very big deal:

Our adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour!

This is not just some fable or allegory told for our entertainment. This is 100% true.

We have an enemy who seeks to destroy us. Of course, if we are saved, there is nothing he can do about our eternal destinies. But he can, and often does, render the believer ineffective for the Kingdom of God by distracting us with the frivolous and the meaningless, by getting us caught up in unbiblical philosophies and practices, and, often, by tempting us to sin or to feel discouraged and without hope. And, since he often cloaks himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), he will be hard to spot–unless we are sober and vigilant and expect his attacks, both the obvious and the deceptive.

Peter goes on to say that we must resist the devil and remain steadfast in the faith.

We resist the devil and remain steadfast in our faith by submitting to God’s Will and obeying His Word. There is no other way. And, in fact, this is one of the biggest areas of life that Satan attacks us, for he does not want us in the Word of God, understanding God’s care for us, feeling conviction of sin, and recognizing the need to surrender our dreams and passions to God.

Of course, for all of us, resisting the devil and remaining steadfast in our faith is not an easy task. As Peter says, it often brings suffering. If you have read the biographies of men and women from the past, you will know that they suffered greatly as they battled Satan and stood for the truth. Whether on the African plains, in the Chinese village, or in the cathedrals and monasteries of Europe, wherever there have been people who share the Gospel and stand for truth, there is suffering.

Peter tells us to expect this suffering and to know that these same sufferings have been experienced by other believers all across the world.

But Peter doesn’t end there! (Aren’t you so glad he doesn’t??)

He goes on to remind us that God won’t just let us drown in suffering but, after suffering for just a while, God will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us. I wonder if God doesn’t use the suffering for these very purposes? For it is in suffering that we often experience these things. True believers aren’t weakened by suffering. They are strengthened. True believers aren’t shaken by suffering, they are settled. God, in His goodness and in His ultimate perfect plan works all things out for His glory and our good (Romans 8:28).

And then there is the final verse that reminds us of just how big this One, True God is that we belong to, as Peter reminds us that all glory and dominion belong to Him! We know glory means great praise, honor, adoration. But what does dominion mean? Well, in a nutshell, it means the “absolute right to rule”. God is the King of all.

While it may look like Satan is winning, he isn’t! Some battles may be lost, but the war will soon be over now and we are on the winning side! May this truth help us stay sober and vigilant. May it remind us that we are not resisting the devil alone, for we have the God of the Universe fighting with us and for us. And may we remember this truth as we suffer for our Savior, whom we are given the privilege to serve during our short time here on earth.

God has been so kind to give us His Word in this crazy, upside down world. I pray it is an encouragement to you as you go out into the world to soldier on for the Lord this day!

 

 

It’s All in How You Look at It

6 Comments / August 9, 2022

Do you remember laying on the ground when you were a kid and finding shapes in the clouds? Oftentimes, two people looking at the same cloud see two different things. One might see a dinosaur, while another may see a truck. That is because those looking have two different perspectives.

As believers, we should always have a different perspective than the world around us when it comes to the small irritations, the bigger frustrations, and even the great trials in our lives. But how often I fail at this very thing! I thought of this the other day when I took a quick trip to a store.

My eyes strained and tried to make sense of the words. But, as I stood in that toy store, I knew there was no way that I could decipher the small print on the box I had picked up. The words were just blurred blobs of black. And I have to admit that I sighed as I pulled out my reading glasses. The sigh indicated my frustration and my heart of complaint. Though I didn’t speak, my head was certainly thinking it and God knows my thoughts.

A few minutes later, this thought struck me: Have you considered just how many people in history never had the incredible gift of reading glasses to extend the usefulness of their eyes?!?

Whoah. As I thought through this, I knew it couldn’t have been but a few hundred years that they have been in existence. And, although literacy has not been in existence all that long and the need wouldn’t have been terribly great for reading glasses, I knew that it would have been frustrating to grow older and not be able to see anything close up.  All through history, women would have to have had to mend and sew and cook and bake and wash clothing. How frustrating it must have been for them as their eyesight failed and detailed work became impossible to do well–if at all.

And I was complaining? If even in my heart, I knew this was sinful. I had the wrong perspective! Instead of being thankful for God’s gift of eyeglasses, I was grumbling because I needed them.

As I intentionally turned my perspective right side up, my overall attitude changed. There is just not room for complaint in a heart that is filled with gratitude.

I wish I could say I am always so quick to see what is going on in my heart when I complain. But, alas, I am not. It’s like second nature for us all. It is the thing we turn to when things aren’t going our way. Sometimes we have the wherewithal to simply think it. Other times, we vocalize it. No matter how we express our complaining hearts, it is always sin.

The Bible says this in Philippians 2:14-15–

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

There are no exceptions that make a complaining heart acceptable. No conditions or set of circumstances that give us a right to complain.

If we continue to read the verses, we can see that this is how we shine as lights in the world. Isn’t this so interesting to reflect upon? We shine as lights in the world by not complaining and arguing about everything.

This has to mean then that when we do complain and argue (dispute), our lights are dimmed. Perhaps even turned off.

Later on in Philippians we read the following–

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Did you catch that word in there that keeps us from having a complaining heart? It is by bringing our requests to God with thanksgiving.

Complaints and thanksgiving cannot reside in a heart side-by-side. They are mutually exclusive.

So, practically speaking, how do we cultivate a thankful heart rather than a complaining heart?

Sometimes, we can just turn our complaint on its head and change our perspective, as I did with my glasses. When we are doing housework, we can instead thank God that we have a home. When we are taking care of the children, may we remember the tremendous blessing of caring for these precious souls. When our car breaks down, well, let’s thank the Lord for the car in the first place. You get the idea. This change in perspective can be a powerful tool.

But what about the things that happen in life that have no upside? The things that devastate us and are life-changing? How do we go from complaint to thankfulness then?

It is only through trusting God and His Sovereignty. Intentionally resting in His promises in scripture will enable us to endure and be thankful–not for them but through them as we dwell on His love, His grace, His mercy. Understanding and believing that ALL things work together for God’s purposes and for the good of those that love Him (Romans 8:28) –this truth can and will uphold us and carry us through the darkest days.

Yesterday, I was in the company of an elderly couple who has been through some very rough times in the past couple of years. Things are still frustrating and difficult for them. When I asked them how the Lord has helped them, the wife said something like, “He’s just been with us all the way.”

When she said that, I thought of these verses from Psalm 37 (vs 23-24)–

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

The Lord will uphold us, no matter what happens. And that is a reason to be thankful, no matter what we are going through.

Hearing this truth in the lives of those who have experienced it can be greatly encouraging. Even more encouraging is thinking back over our own lives and remembering the times we have been upheld. God won’t drop us now. We are His sheep and we can never be lost–

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. (John 10:28-29)

So may we turn our complaints into gratitude today. May we remember God’s promises. May we look at things from an eternal perspective and, with a heart of gratitude, shine as bright lights in this very dark world!

 

Life and Legos

5 Comments / June 15, 2022

Have you ever had assumptions made about you? People are really great at assuming. They assume they know your motives, your reasons, your “whys”. They make assumptions about choices and decisions. These assumptions are often fueled by rumors. Rumors that we are all too quick to listen to and pass along.

These rumors and assumptions can really get us down for we are rarely given an opportunity to defend ourselves.

Have you ever been faced with a terrifying bit of news? Of course you have. Whether it’s an unwelcome diagnosis from a doctor or a piece of news that comes to our ears through a news anchor, we have all had those moments.

These terrifying moments can bring on major fear and anxiety for they make us realize that we have zero control over what happens.

Have you ever been accused wrongly or unfairly treated? Whether it is through favoritism, a misunderstanding, or because of standing for what is right, these moments come to us all.

These unfair accusations can make us really angry, because, well…it’s just not fair!

Have you ever been broken-hearted or hopeless? Perhaps through the loss of a loved one, the betrayal of a friend, or the realization that you will have chronic pain for the rest of your life?

These moments of despair can make us depressed and zap all the joy from our lives because we just don’t feel like going on.

__________________________

I just finished reading the *biography of John Bunyan. He dealt with all of these things and more. As a young man, assumptions were made about him because he had been quite the wicked young man. The Lord got a hold of him and radically changed him but people just couldn’t forget the old man. He faced more trouble when his young wife died and left him with four young children to care for. Later on, he received the news of a prison sentence for a crime that wasn’t even a crime by the law of the land. It was totally and utterly wrongful imprisonment. While imprisoned, his precious Mary, his oldest (and blind) daughter passed away. When he was finally released from prison, his rabid opponents tried to stop his ministry through rumors and wrong accusations.

John found himself in a prison cell for twelve years. The religious wars in England at the time were ferocious and the tides turned every which way at any time. But, no matter which way it turned, his young wife (his second wife) found herself up against a brick wall in any effort to get him released.

Now, he could have grown depressed or angry. He could have ended up languishing in bitter disillusionment and unabated fury. But he didn’t.

Instead, he picked up quill and paper and started writing. And kept writing. And then wrote some more. His best known work is called Pilgrim’s Progress and is still a best seller among Christians today!

What was his key? Why could he continue on, despite the ill treatment and the heartbreak in his life?

There’s a small quote of his that shows us how he managed to do this. I have been mulling it over and over in my mind since I have first read it. I believe it is the key for us all–

“If ever I would suffer rightly I must first pass a sentence of death upon everything that can properly be called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all as dead to me and myself as dead to them. The second was to live upon God that is invisible.”

You see, he was putting scripture into practice. Paul basically told us this same thing in Philippians 3:8–

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

And so we must realize that it’s only in releasing our grip on the things of this world that we can experience the peace and joy that God has promised. It’s only in surrendering our sense of fairness, our reputations, our family members, our health, our finances, our futures to God and His Sovereign will that we can conquer our fears, worries, anger, and despondency.

This brings to mind an example of this I saw just a few years ago lived out right in front of my eyes. How well I remember the calm acceptance of my brother and his wife as they faced the fact that her journey on this earth was winding down to an end. It is because they were learning to release the things of this life to grasp instead the bright shining eternal gift of Christ.

As believers, the more we die to self and gain Christ, the more we are victorious in our Christian lives.

This isn’t exactly what most want to hear. In our self-obsessed culture, we want God to fulfill our dreams and pour down blessings.

But the actual blessings we receive from God aren’t all that appealing to the carnal soul.

__________________________

The other week, my son came into the house and said, “We have lots of legos!” I was confused and followed him out the door. What I saw sitting in the bed of his truck were 5-6 boxes of varying sizes filled with legos! A customer’s children had grown tired of legos and she didn’t want to bother selling them, so she asked if we wanted them. My son loaded them up and brought them home. Thousands of dollars worth of legos.

When our grandchildren laid eyes on those boxes they grew wide with excitement. As we pulled one off the truck and they saw all of the pieces and parts and potential, they were thrilled. Particularly the oldest, who at six years old, could really appreciate them.

Now, to an adult or a small baby, eh… who cares. Legos are not really their thing, right? Not really considered that big of a blessing. And maybe even a nuisance.

But to a child? Wow.

I think God’s blessings are a bit like that. They don’t look all that attractive to the unbeliever. Forgiveness of sins and peace with the God of the Universe? Eh. Not all that important, as they yearn after the worthless “fool’s gold” of this world. Peace and joy in the midst of trial? But they want promises of NO trials.

It isn’t until we are saved that God’s blessings fill us with awe and appreciation. Because they are specifically for those who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and eternal life.

And so victory and blessing in the Christian life isn’t going to look all that appealing to the unbeliever or perhaps even to the immature believer.

It isn’t until we give up the temporal for the eternal that we begin to understand.

 

I wish I could say I am able to live out the truth of John Bunyan’s statement above. I wish I could say that God’s blessings are always enough for me. But, unfortunately, in my battle with my flesh and my {ever-loosening but still tight} grip on this world, I cannot. I can only write about it in hopes to encourage us all towards this ideal, knowing that God will faithfully continue His work in those of us who are His as we journey together towards the eternal city.

 

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13

 

 

*A Pilgrim Path: John Bunyan’s Journey by Faith Cook. Highly recommend!

 

What Really Matters When Life Falls Apart?

Leave a Comment / March 1, 2022

This world is full of so much suffering. The latest we’ve been hearing about (or experiencing, depending where we find ourselves in the world at this time) is the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. There are many different stories, accounts, and reports making their rounds and, as has become the norm for us, we wonder who we should believe. There are so many lies. So much false information.

This is why hearing from reliable, first-hand sources becomes important in these situations. What is really going on? While there is much we can’t know, there is also so much we do know.

We know, with certainty, that the lives of millions of people have been thrown into utter turmoil in just a few hours. Sleep, food, water, gas have all become so much more precious as the Ukrainians strive to survive in the midst of an invasion by a neighboring country. They are sleeping in bomb shelters or corridors in order to protect their lives. Can’t imagine any of them are getting much sleep in that situation, can you? The shelves at the stores are becoming empty and they are starting to wonder how they will get food. If they want to escape the city, they find they can hardly move as they fight their way through all of the chaos and confusion. If you can even get gas, which has become scarce. Overnight, apartment buildings of peaceful citizens have been bombed in several cities, leaving innocent victims without homes in the middle of the winter. If they even survived the bombing…

Some of these struggling people are our Christian brothers and sisters. There is a thriving church in that country. Years ago, I was in Ukraine for a couple of weeks and one of my fondest memories is worshiping with the Christians there. I can remember singing in English while they were singing Ukrainian and feeling our bond in Christ. If we are believers, then we have family in Ukraine. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And they are really struggling right now.

Last week, my daughter, Jess, sent a couple text messages that are the heart of today’s post. She said something that really made me reflect on what really matters when your life falls apart. Such as what is happening to our Ukrainian siblings right now. At this moment.

Basically, her thought was if your Christianity can’t sustain you through these times, then it probably isn’t genuine. If it doesn’t work for Ukrainians in bomb shelters, Chinese imprisoned for their faith, or Nigerians and Indians under death threats from extremists, is it even real? Or is it, rather, some made-up ridiculousness that has absolutely no value when life grows ugly?

Do you think our Ukrainian Christian brothers and sisters are talking about their dreams or self-fulfillment? Are they sitting around and discussing the feminist agenda or social justice? Do you think getting wealthy is even on their list of priorities?

When life falls apart, none of these things matter. Not even a bit.

What matters are God’s promises to sustain us. To be our shield. To protect and shelter us. To give us peace and joy and comfort. The kind of peace and joy that goes far beyond “happily ever after” because, let’s face it: We all know life doesn’t work like that. It is not happily ever after (at least not in this world) and Christians do die in explosions. They get cancer and heart attacks at the most inopportune times. They lose their businesses and their savings. They get viciously killed by those who oppose them.

Christians are not guaranteed a happy life without problems. There is nothing in the Bible to suggest we are. Christians are not to fight for social justice (a Marxist term, never a Christian one) or to fix the world. We aren’t to be focused on our own selfish agendas or to use God like a genie in the sky to get what we want.

If anything can show us that these types of “Christianity” are false, it is what is happening right now.

What exactly does the Bible teach us about the Christian life? What does it say we can expect?

Yes, we can expect trials and troubles. Rather than avoiding them, the Bible says God will use them to grow us (Romans 8:28-29; James 1:2-4).

Yes, we can expect to be hated by the world, because our own Lord was hated. But we know that this is proof that we are Christ’s own and that the Holy Spirit will help us endure…even unto death (John 15).

So, contrary to much that is taught from “Christian” pulpits today, we cannot avoid these things. There is no magic prayer or sum of money we can give to a {fake} apostle that is going to miraculously make our life wonderful.

But, while we know these things will come (and may already be upon us), we also have the rich and abundant promises of our Heavenly Father to carry us through–

He will never, ever forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

The peace He gives is not like the world; it surpasses understanding (John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7).

He will walk with us through the “valley of the shadow of death” so that we need not fear evil (Psalm 23).

When we fall, we shall not be utterly cast down for the Father upholds us with His hand (Psalm 37:23-24)

Of course, as we read of God’s promises, we also find in scripture that there is an attitude we must have in order to experience these promises of God to the fullest–

We must keep our mind stayed on God (Isaiah 26:3)

We must trust in the Lord (Psalm 112:7)

We must choose not to worry or to be anxious (Matthew 6:34; Philippians 4:6-7)

We must cast our burden on the Lord (Psalm 55:22)

We must draw near to Him in truth (Psalm 145:18)

We must forsake the world and purify our lives (James 4:1-10)

And, then, after all of this, there is one important thing to remember that helps us to keep all of this in biblical perspective: The true believer knows that their best life isn’t now. It is the one to come!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-4)

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

 

The verses I’ve shared above are just a small sampling of the promises, the hope, and even the instruction that we find in God’s Word for those who have repented and trusted in Christ alone for their salvation. We can experience peace in the midst of the greatest storm. It has been a great joy reading of Ukrainian Christians testifying to this very thing!

I don’t think there are any Ukrainians turning to God’s Word to find out how they can be rich this morning. They are trusting in God to see them through the next day, the next hour…perhaps just the next few minutes.

What kind of Christianity are you hearing about on Sunday mornings? What is your preacher preaching? Is he pointing you to God’s Word as the final authority for the Christian life? Is he interpreting the Bible historically, grammatically, and literally, rather than allegorizing great chunks of it and casting doubts on its authenticity?

These are important questions we need to ask ourselves as the world grows darker. If we aren’t being fed true, biblical Christianity we are at much risk for having shallow roots that will not hold in life’s storms, much less in the chaos and confusion that threatens to consume us in the days ahead. We must be in the Word, both personally and in our churches. If our church is not preaching biblical Christianity, then we should not stay.

I don’t know how I ended up on challenging you all on your churches, but I believe that it is probably a challenge that we all need to hear. So many sit under and are influenced by ungodly preaching these days. May we not be numbered among them.

 

 

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