current events

How We Shouldn’t Be (and Should Be) Changed in 2020 (PART 2)

6 Comments / September 29, 2020

A couple of weeks ago, I took some time to consider some ways we shouldn’t let the unprecedented, overwhelming, and strange events of 2020 change us. Although that post didn’t garner a lot of interest, I believe it is a very important post. Sometimes we are changed in the wrong ways before we even realize it. But all that is going on should be changing us–just in the right way!

If any of us attended a biblical church in the 70s and 80s, when biblical prophecy was both promoted and studied with enthusiasm, then we recognize the enormity of what is going on here. I am making no predictions and I have no timeline, but anyone who is familiar with Revelation has to understand that this isn’t just like any other past world event. It’s bigger. It’s broader. It’s taking us right into the Revelation 13 scenario that always seemed so far away. And yet, here it is: Right here and right now.

As we reflect on all of this, it should be changing us in several ways. Some of these changes have probably happened naturally to us as we have processed all of this, but some of these take a little more intention. As with any year, we never want to get to the end of it without seeing strong growth in our walk with the Lord. 2020 has probably caused this growth a bit more naturally for us as we’ve had to contemplate some really hard things. And some of you have also endured some really hard things. Life was definitely different this year.

So how should this strange year be changing us?

1. We should gain a new perspective. As I sat on the porch with my sister-in-law a few weeks ago, our conversation went to these current events. Both of us agreed that our priorities had changed with this whole thing. Suddenly, certain things that had seemed so important had gone down several notches on the list. Many things have claimed our attention in this world, haven’t they? Fashion, an obsession with a spotless house, useless hobbies, extra-curricular activities for ourselves and for our children and so many more shallow things have demanded our attention and taken so much of our time. While these things aren’t wrong in and of themselves, they may have had the wrong priority in our lives and in the lives of our families. But this year has demanded we take another look at these things and should be giving us a new perspective on our time and energy and how we are expending them.

2. This should change our expectations. Most of us Christians have gotten used to being treated fairly well by others. But we can feel this changing, can’t we? It’s been changing slowly for many years but this year it has taken on warp speed. We know the Bible says that the world will hate us (John 15:18-19) but up until now we haven’t felt too much hatred. The part that makes this extra hard is that so many “Christians” are actually part of the world. And so we feel ostracized and ridiculed by those who would call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, upon a little further investigation, we can see that they are serving a different Christ. The remnant that is remaining true to God’s Word is shrinking dramatically during this time and that’s just how the Bible said it would be. As we endure and come to expect the hatred that is growing quickly now for those who hold to the literal understanding of God’s Word, may we remember we are in good company. Jesus and His disciples were also hated by many.

3. Gratitude should be increasing. Do you, like me, now have a deeper appreciation for the many simple blessings in life that before were taken for granted? Going to church, getting together with family and friends, store shelves filled with goods, going to a restaurant or store freely and without a face mask, and so many more things. When we realize that something we took for granted can be taken from us by the declaration of a pandemic or at the whim of a tyrannical leader, oh, how our gratitude for those things should increase. But not only those things. Don’t you find yourself appreciating your child’s (or grandchild’s) happy laughter so much more? Even a walk in the woods or a sunset seems to hold more glory than ever before. And God’s Word has become even more precious. If I can thank 2020 for anything, it is for the renewed appreciation of the things that really matter.

4. We should have a new courage, boldness, and urgency in sharing the Gospel. Have you felt it, too? An urgency to cast aside what people think about you in your passion to share the Good News? Suddenly, it doesn’t seem as if we have forever to share with that neighbor or friend. That family member who has intimidated us for years may be lost but we haven’t had the courage to have a hard conversation with them. But with the rapture feeling more imminent than ever, we recognize that now is the time. We can’t wait. 2020 should be filling us with a renewed and bold desire to share the Gospel and to have hard conversations with those who claim Christ but live without any fruit. We’ve always known that Jesus could come at any time and that people we love could be left behind, but now it feels more real than ever before, doesn’t it??

5. This should increase our desire to study the Bible, especially Bible prophecy. If we haven’t invested time in the study of scripture before now, this should start happening now. Especially if we are believers. Not only is the Bible our only anchor in this crazy time, but it is also rapidly coming true right before our eyes! If these two things don’t increase our desire for knowing the Word, then I don’t know what will.

6. This should build our faith. While many of us have faced many different trials–losing loved ones, economic hardships, illnesses, etc.–the world at large was a constant. Life always pretty much continued as normal outside our trial. But that isn’t the case this year and that fact has caused many of us to examine our hearts and see what we really were relying on for our safety and security. We have said the Lord is our Rock and that we trust Him many times before, but this year, like no other, demands we prove it. Recognizing that at any time and within a few short days, all of life can change should be changing our perspective from the temporal to the eternal. Oh, how easy it was to keep our eyes on this world when all was “normal”. But when normal was stripped away, our eyes were opened to just how much we were relying on that “normal” for our safety and security, instead of on God. This is a great opportunity to change our perspective and place our trust in God instead of in our circumstances (or country).

As we face the uncertain and the unknown, our faith and trust in what we “cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1) should be increasing. This should be a great faith-building year for all of us. We have faith that God is working out all things for His glory. We have faith that He will return for us. We have faith that He is preparing a place for us. While we could never “see the future” before, we made many assumptions, did we not? We assumed life would continue on as normal. We assumed we could continue our normal activities. We assumed that a Revelation 13 scenario was way down the road on the timeline. All of a sudden, our assumptions have come crashing down around our heads and we can’t “see” a thing. While this is certainly no fun, it really is amazing how God is using this in our lives to build our faith and to move our hope from this world to place it in Him alone.

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And there are some ways in which 2020 should be changing us. I don’t know what is ahead. Perhaps there could be another fifty years of this end time scenario unfolding before we are raptured. Or perhaps five years. Perhaps three months. None of us can know the future.

What we do know is that 2020 is a year like no other, showing a convergence of end time signs like no year ever before. May we consider this seriously and soberly as we continue to step forward into the future.

 

How We Shouldn’t Be (and Should Be) Changed in 2020 (PART 1)

7 Comments / September 15, 2020

I woke up feeling a bit chilly this morning. When I went to check the thermometer, I realized that it went down into the 40’s last night which is a sure indication that summer is on its way out and fall is coming. This is just another reminder that life doesn’t stay the same. Seasons come and go. We change jobs. Illness changes our way of life. Our kids grow up. We move to a new neighborhood. Life is so full of changes. But few years have brought as many changes (and threats of changes to come) to our lives than this one.

When we celebrated New Year’s Day in 2020 none of us had any idea all of the major (and quite surreal) events that lay ahead. We had no idea the ways in which our world would be altered in just a few short months. All of us, no matter where we live on the globe have experienced this upheaval. And, as for my fellow Americans reading this, I think you will agree with me that we had no idea how morality, constitutional freedoms, and “age old” beliefs about life would be challenged and finally turned completely upside down.

As believers, we have been given a time to shine. It is so important that we respond differently than the world, which is full of anger, malice, fear, and anxiety. Those in the world long to escape and so they turn to alcohol and drugs. Or they may over-consume food and entertainment. We may long for an “acceptable” escape, as well, but we are believers and shouldn’t need one because we have a hope the world doesn’t have. Oh, we might struggle with these things for a little while but we can’t stay there. True faith shines brightly in trials.

We have all been handed a bit of a strange and unexpected trial. It could get worse (and it might not) but do you agree with me that this is a perfect time to put into practice all we have said we believe for so many years? No matter if this comes easy or hard for us, the important thing is that we continue to work at it. We want to show the world that Jesus Christ truly does make a difference!

In next week’s post I want to specifically think through some of the ways this strange and life-altering year should be changing us if we are believers. Ways we may not have even considered.

But, first, in today’s post, let’s look at some ways this year’s strange events should not be changing us–

1. It should not be causing division and strife between genuine believers with differing opinions. There are a million opinions out there right now about every aspect of what’s going on. As believers, we have to determine what is clearly biblical and what isn’t. And then we  must stand on the biblical and let the rest roll. Romans 12:18 puts it like this– As much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men. We can only control ourselves and it is important we do so. We must not become bitter and angry at our brothers and sisters in Christ as we navigate this strange time. Disagreement in trivial matters is never worth broken fellowship. Satan would like nothing more than to divide the true Church.

2. This should not be causing us to hate people. As we watch incomprehensible things happen around us, we must continue to remember that these people are lost. They have no Savior, no changed heart, no reason to live a godly, pure life. That governor casting down ridiculous mandates; that kid in the streets rioting and looting; the lady at the store who screamed at you for not wearing your mask properly; the person posting on social media using bad language and going against God’s Word–these people do not know Christ. They are slaves of sin. This should fill our hearts with grace (albeit, it may take us awhile to reach that point–especially when it affects us directly.) But we cannot let hatred and bitterness towards those that don’t know Christ worm its way into our soul. These people are not our enemy–they are our mission field!

3. We should not be consumed by the news of this world. It is easy to become obsessed with all that is going on because there is SO much going on! And there is nothing wrong with keeping an eye out on what is happening. But when we are watching the news more than we are in the Word, there is a priority issue. When we can’t think or talk about anything else or when it starts affecting our moods or demeanor, then we are consuming too much.

4. It should not turn our focus to the politics of this world. We are not of this world and we are to set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). This does not mean we don’t vote or participate in politics as the Lord leads, but simply that our focus is not on this world. Our goal isn’t to save our country or to make things better on the earth. I see so many Christians looking towards a man to make things better. And, yet, God’s timeline may not be ours. It may never get better. We must remember that our citizenship is in heaven and not here on earth. We should be much more passionate about heaven and those who need to hear the Gospel so they can spend eternity there, than we are about making this old, broken earth a better place to live.

5. It should not be causing us to set specific dates for the rapture or the coming tribulation. While we can see puzzle pieces falling into place so quickly now, we certainly can’t know the specific day or hour. It can be a temptation for us, as believers, to start surmising about this. Especially as so many things converge into making the Lord’s soon return not only possible, but very likely! However, we must continue to live our lives, even while we look up expectantly. The doctrine of the rapture includes imminence–which means it could happen anytime. In the “twinkling of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:52). It could happen anytime, but we will never know exactly when until we meet each other in the air! And so we don’t spend time concerned with the “when”, but, instead, busy ourselves with the Lord’s work while there is still time.

6. It should not be making us fearful and anxious. Whether it is because of current trials we are in– losing a livelihood or lifelong business; worrying about unsaved children; experiencing illness in a hospital that doesn’t allow visitors; caring for aging parents that we aren’t allowed to see as they languish in a nursing home; and so so many others… OR…whether it is because of the uncertain and unknown future that doesn’t look as bright as it once did, these things can cause us to be very, very anxious. But God tells us in His Word that we are not to be anxious (Phil. 4:6-7). He tells us not to fear evil tidings (Psalm 112:7). He tells us not to worry about the future (Matt. 6:34). We are familiar with these verses and have even had to practice them as we have faced various trials. But has there ever been a better time than now–while the whole world seems to be spinning out of control–to really consider these promises and commands?

7. It should not be weakening our family relationships. When tensions rise high and we are struggling –whether financially or emotionally or in any other way–we can become very edgy and irritable. Living under a cloud of uncertainty is enough to make any of us feel on edge. Throw in a variety of perspectives and opinions about all that is going on and we can have the makings of much discord. And if there isn’t discord, there may simply be a lack of focus that keeps you from being really present in the moment. We can’t let this get the best of us and steal valuable moments from our families. We must intentionally value each member of our family and work at strengthening our relationships in the midst of this time. This includes spouses, kids, parents, and even that sibling that has views that are in direct opposition to ours. And once again we must remember that we can only control ourselves and our own responses.

 

So there are seven ways we should not be changing as we face these uncertain days. Have you found yourself falling prey to one or two of these? I know I have. I really have to check my heart and mind as I navigate this really strange time. Next time we will look at some ways this year should be changing us.

 

Christian, the Government Isn’t Going to Save Us

8 Comments / September 1, 2020

It’s been such a strange year. For those of us who are Americans, much of what we’ve held dear seems to be hanging in the balance. Many of us are clinging to the fragile hope that somehow everything will turn out okay after the November election. That somehow all will go back to normal if we just elect the right President.

Even this has divided Christians (or at least those who call themselves Christians). I am deeply, deeply troubled by the amount of Christians who give no value to moral issues and only focus on social justice issues. Something is very, very wrong when the focus is on something that was never even taught in the Bible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Social justice is a communist term. It is not from the Bible nor is it promoted in the Bible. (I beg of you to look for yourself if you don’t believe me.)

What is in the Bible is God’s hatred for murder (abortion) and sexual sin. We must think about this as we consider the upcoming election.

But no matter the outcome in November, we must remember that our salvation does not come from any earthly government.

In I Peter 2:11, we are called sojourners and pilgrims. A sojourner is someone who resides temporarily. A pilgrim is one who travels in a foreign land.

If we are a believer, then this earth is not our true home. We are just passing through.

However, many of us have made ourselves very comfortable here and we are in no hurry to leave this foreign land. We have set down deep roots and this is causing many of us to focus on what we can do to keep things the way they have always been. We are deeply concerned and perhaps even distraught at the thought of so many changes.

While this is only natural, it is important that we think through what we know from the Bible.

As we watch the world setting up for Revelation 13 (in a way that I honestly never thought I’d see in my lifetime), how do we even pray? We know that America can’t be strong in the last days or globalism would never be possible. And we know from our study of Revelation that globalism does happen eventually. So America must be weakened and broken at some point.

When this will happen in its finality, we can not know. Sometimes these things take time. Sometimes they happen fast. But we must remember we are pilgrims traveling in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

This is why we can’t put our hope in America. Or the government. Or a presidential candidate.

Our hope should be in Christ alone. He alone is our Savior.

He has saved us, not from temporary earthly pain and torment, but from eternal damnation. We must keep a proper perspective in the midst of all of this confusion and chaos.

All of the stability and security we felt with our normal way of life has been swept away within a few short months. But God has not changed. He is still the same–yesterday, today, and forever the same. Isn’t that an incredible thought in light of all that is going on in America and across the entire world? Everything may be different right now, but God is not. He is still our Rock and Refuge. He is our security.

And not only does God never change, but He is controlling everything that is happening (Proverbs 21:1; Psalm 22:28). He is fully sovereign and none of this is taking Him by surprise.

It may be His will that America grows strong again. Or it may be time for her to weaken beyond repair in order to start the process of creating the one world government prophesied in the book of Revelation. Whatever time it is, we need to be yielded to His will. Whatever time it is, we can rest firmly in the knowledge that this country and the whole world is in God’s hands and we can trust Him.

No matter what lies ahead for America and the rest of the world, we know we have a wonderfully safe and secure home waiting for us after this journey is over. And that’s something we can count on!

 

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’

Isaiah 12:2

 

 

The Faithful Few

6 Comments / July 14, 2020

Have you noticed the faithful growing fewer and fewer? With every trend, every heresy, every twisted Gospel message, more and more go. It is like we “Christians” are standing on the seashore and every wave takes a few (and, many times, much more than a few) from our midst and out to the sea of the world. Some were just standing too close to the shore, but many dive right in in their quest to better their life here on earth.

I use quotes because, obviously, most of these were never saved at all (according to scripture), but simply used the name of “Christian”. Many of these cling to the term “Christian” so that Christianity, as the world knows it, has become a hodge podge of social justice*, mysticism, ritualism, and selfish greed.

Thankfully, all is not lost if an unexpected wave tosses us into deception for a month or a year or five years. God continues to save His own from the ocean of spiritual chaos and confusion and return them safely to shore. Just as the Good Shepherd saves the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) so, too, does God rescue His own.

In the midst of all the wickedness and deception, there remains a remnant who still cling to God’s Word and desire to live out biblical Christianity. However, have you taken a look around recently? Those who choose to submit to God and believe in His literal Word are few. The shore, once overflowing with professing Christians, grows more and more sparse with each passing day.

We’d best stand back from the water as far as we can. Deception is growing increasingly stronger and more and more subtle. We knew this would happen because Paul told us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in 2 Timothy 3:13.

Along with this defection comes an immense increase in sin and worldliness. Let me explain.

The Bible is an amazing book. Even if you aren’t saved but choose to live by its principles, you will be spared much heartache and grief. Those who choose to live according to the ten commandments and the other laws found in this book lead much more successful, peaceful, and happy lives, as a rule. But as they jump into the waves of apostasy, they toss away the Book. And when that happens, an explosion of sin and worldly living isn’t far behind.

America is a great example of this. While it was never a Christian nation, per se, there was, historically, a large portion of the people who lived by the Bible. This has been eroding for many years now and we are currently watching the results of this erosion.

Think about this nation and what is happening. Not only is sin and worldliness abounding, but so-called Christians are participating and condoning it!

As I have been thinking about this a bit recently, I was remembering the exiles of Israel. The northern kingdom (Israel) was exiled to Assyria and then, later, the southern kingdom (Judah) to Babylon. Their lives were completely upended. Whether they went or were one of the few that stayed in the land, life was never the same for these Jews again. They were experiencing the wrath of God for their disobedience.

And we know that this also included the faithful few.

Israel was not without a few faithful followers of God. And, yet, they were exiled along with everybody else.

I have really been convicted recently of my “American” way of thinking. Sometimes things seep into our brains and we don’t even realize it is happening**.

We (I) have become so self-focused. I quickly fall into the thought pattern that this life is about me and my experience. Even though I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is not true and what my duty is here on earth, I find myself in a battle with myself almost daily.

Many of us can see what is coming. Without a change in direction, and soon, things are going to get bad. And our flesh cries “NO”. Please God, spare us. We deserve to be spared. We have been faithful! Oh, God, please remember this.

And, yet, when we look at scripture and then at history, we see that the faithful are rarely spared. In fact, they are often singled out and persecuted and even martyred. Oftentimes, this brings about a tremendous growth in the true church because this persecution and a true Christian’s reaction to it show the world that Jesus Christ is real!

One of our best examples of this is Paul. He is an amazing inspiration to me as I read his epistles. He wrote with such love, joy, and hope from prison! He knew that he would probably die for his faith and yet he continued to be faithful, encouraging, and inspiring to Christians. Instead of complaining or caving into despair, he rose above his circumstances.

This is no clearer than in Philippians 4:11-13, where we read–

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to [d]be abased, and I know how to [e]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through [f]Christ who strengthens me.

Dear readers, most of us have learned how to abound and how to be full. We have lived lives that, heretofore, were unheard of in their access to medical care, the peace and safety in our communities, and the abundance of material wealth. Even the poorest of the poor in America are many times richer than the richest poor person in other nations.

While I can’t know what’s ahead, I do wonder–and perhaps even expect–that we are all going to be learning how to be abased, to be hungry, and to suffer need. This world is changing and it is changing quickly.

We are reeling from the shock of it all and many of us (at least myself) are in deep mourning over what is happening. We realize that our lives are probably never going to be the same again.

Now is the time for us to grower deeper and stronger roots of faith. Now is the time to turn to God, which is the place we should have been turned to all along. Now is the time to examine our hearts for wrong motives, wrong places of trust, wrong desires. Now is the time to look to Jesus Christ and to reflect on eternal things.

I cannot predict what is in the future, for it is overwhelmingly uncertain right now. However, this can –and should– be a time of tremendous spiritual growth for us all.

God is not silent and we must remember that He loves us deeply. His hand is directing every minute of every day. We dare not grow discouraged. No matter what is ahead (and only God knows), may this time be one of looking to God for all we need. May it be a time of grounding us in the Faith. May it be a time of faithful study of the Word. And may it be a time of shining brighter and brighter, beckoning to  people who are drowning in the ocean of deception to swim ashore while they still can.

I will close with this familiar and comforting passage from Romans 8 (verses 31f). No matter what is ahead we are deeply loved and we are more than conquerors in Christ–

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

*Social Justice is a communist term. It is nowhere in scripture. Search it out for yourself. The social gospel is a false gospel. I could provide lots and lots of verses and articles, but why not search this one out for yourself? It would be a great exercise.

**I am sharing my own personal journey here on the blog during this strange time. While I often know how I should act or what God says in His Word, I have a much more difficult time living it. I just want to be up front about that. This has been a time of great struggle and discouragement for me. I continue on the path, but, when I take my eyes off the Lord for even a second, a deep-seated trepidation overtakes my soul. As we navigate this time together, as siblings in Christ, I hope that these posts are an encouragement to you. I just wanted to be clear that I, too, am struggling to live out what I write. May we together be victorious and join with Paul in saying “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

 

Christian, How Are You Responding?

6 Comments / July 7, 2020

I have a hard time pretending like all is normal right now. Because, let’s face it, it’s just not. I don’t think I can count the amount of times I’ve used the word “insanity” in the last four months. I am sure it is more times than I’ve used it in my entire life. I also can’t count the times I’ve said that I can’t imagine going through this without God and His Word. I would feel like a ship without a captain on a churning, angry sea.

After today, I am going to try to move to other subjects to write about (barring unforeseen circumstances). I know we are all tired of thinking about the world and its woes. We are ready for a different focus. We want to be encouraged, not reminded. But last night, as I was thinking, yet again, about the changes that have taken place, I was struck by the different ways this is processed by people. Please keep reading, because I do think you will be encouraged by the time you are done reading this.

At one time or another, all of us have our worlds upended. An unexpected death, a cancer diagnosis, a child that wanders from the Lord, a lost job, etc. We’ve all experienced something that has changed our world. But this is the first thing–at least for those of us under 60–that has changed all our worlds. I am talking about changing our day to day. Sure, there have been unsettling things in the past. But what is going on now has literally changed the daily life of almost every single person on this planet in some way. And it’s so strange, isn’t it? No matter where you go (not that many of us are going very many places these days), you have something to talk about with people. We are all experiencing the same thing. It is honestly hard to grasp how different the world is now than it was four months ago.

And, as we process this, I think we all respond differently. But there is only one way to respond that is the right way. Eventually, all Christians should arrive at this response, even if it takes awhile to get there (and for many of us it has. And is.)

So here are the five ways. The fifth is the right way, according to scripture. (Don’t take my word for it. My word means absolutely nothing. Study this for yourself in the Bible.)

First, many people respond by being in DENIAL.  If we just pretend like the world is the same maybe things will just go back to normal. If we don’t know there are bad men plotting our destruction, then maybe it won’t happen. Ignorance is bliss to this person. They’d just rather not know.

And, honestly, I get it. Some things we don’t have to know and not everyone has a passion to know the truth about what’s going on. That’s okay. That’s not what this is about.

Someone who is in denial is afraid to face reality. And, as believers, we should never be afraid to face the truth. We must dig our heads out of the sand and start looking around. This makes us much more effective witnesses for Christ. This shows the world that a true believer can face reality and still be okay. Anyone can dig their head in the sand. It takes someone strong and courageous to look around, admit the truth as they survey the state of things, and face it with serenity.

Second, many people are DECEIVED. So so many people are deceived. Few people are willing to actually search out facts for themselves. They take everything they hear at face value and never do any digging. If the government mandates it, then it must be right. If the media proclaims it, then it must be true. If social media says this is false information, well, then, it must be false. BUT when you start to dig beyond that, you will find a massive deception taking place. This is backed up by facts. Not speculation.

As Christians, we make ourselves vulnerable when we live in a state of deception. We become tools in the hands of those who seek to deceive us. How important it is to think for ourselves, rather than allow ourselves be spoon-fed a narrative.

Third, many people end up DEPRESSED. If you refuse to be in denial or to be deceived, this is where you can quickly find yourself. The outlook of this world is grim. We look upon increasing anarchy and violence. We see tyranny coming. We know God can change the course of this but we also know that, even if He does, it is only temporarily. World tyranny is coming. The timing remains unknown. But what has happened over the past four months has brought that truth ever closer.

Fourth, many respond in DEFIANCE. They believe they can stand up and fight against all that is taking place. They believe certain outcomes (such as elections) will change the course of things. And, while this is not necessarily wrong, their focus is on the fight. Rather than focusing on God and His Word and what it teaches us, they try to make things turn out the way they desire by doing certain things. As we work our way through the minefield of obeying the government vs. defiance against unbiblical mandates, we must always do so with an attitude of submission to God and His Will. We must remember our first priority is as a servant to God. We are just sojourners in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

But denial, deception, depression, and defiance are not our only options! We have one more. And it’s so much better!

We can respond with DEFERENCE. Deference to God and His Will. (I Peter 5:6; Matthew 6:9-10; James 4:7)

According to dictionary.com, deference is: respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.

When we defer our agendas to God’s agenda, our will to His will, our desires to His desires, then life takes on a whole new outlook.

Instead of the temporal, we focus on the eternal. Instead of the here and now, we remember that there is a there and then. Instead of mourning the loss of this world, we look forward to the promised new world.

Of course, this is much more easier said than done. And, if you are like me, you will bounce back and forth between different responses. Most of us know the right response. We must just make a choice.

And when we make that choice He fills our hearts with peace (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:6-7). You don’t believe in miracles? Well, God works a small miracle in the heart of a believer that yields to Him. I know because I’ve experienced this!

Here’s the thing…

The more we pray, spend time in the Word, and memorize passages of scripture, the easier this is to do. I have been writing about the power of God’s Word for ten years now and, yet, I am still in awe of this! The truth of this has become even more real to many of us as we face these unprecedented circumstances full of uncertainty. God’s Word is so powerful and yet so often we just ignore it.

We cannot respond in the right way to what is going on without it. Oh, fill yourself with it. Make time for it. Don’t let other things get in the way.

From my own personal experience, this is when fear and depression try to make their way in through the cracks in my soul. I have to keep this a priority. You do, too. At least, if we want to respond to all of this in a godly way. God has given us His Word for a reason. I am realizing that even more fully now.

We do not know the details of the future. But we do know a few things–

1. We know that we are on this earth at this specific time in world history for a reason. God has placed us here for such a time as this. As the world grows darker, our passion to share the Gospel should be increasing. Our passion to encourage other believers in the things of the Lord should be growing. The temporal things should be lessening in importance.

2. We know what we are supposed to be doing. God has given no disclaimer in His Word that we can let our guards down, stop growing spiritually, or lock ourselves in our own little worlds, when our world starts falling apart. We must continue to live a Christian life full of faith, hope, and love.

3. We know how this is going to end. God has been so kind to show us how this is all going to end. We know that God and His Kingdom will be gloriously victorious over all of this evil! We are on the winning side, and we dare not forget it! It may look like we are losing the battle now, but we will win the war!

So, my dear readers, don’t be discouraged. Pull your heads from the sand, search out the truth, refuse to be depressed, and be sure to temper the fight in you with God’s Word! God is still working all things for His glory and our good! (Psalm 72:19; Romans 8:28) and we have an absolutely amazing future ahead of us!

Be encouraged by these words from Revelation 22:1-5. This is what lies ahead for believers! Isn’t that exciting??—

And he showed me a [a]pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

 

 

Christian, Will You Let This Crush Your Spirit?

4 Comments / June 30, 2020

During the months of March and April, most of us were in shock. Life as we knew it came screeching to a halt and we found ourselves on house arrest. TVs blared “stay home stay safe” commercials. Empty grocery store shelves confirmed our panic. What in the world was going on?

In May, things started to loosen a bit. It wasn’t like before and we started wondering–would it ever be like before? But we could get out and about a bit and store shelves started filling up. We were still uneasy but most of us were trying to accept things at face value and resume a more normal way of life.

But then, at the end of May, there was the Floyd incident. And, at that time, all of us should have recognized that something fishy was going on with the virus narrative. I say this because, suddenly, social distancing and masks didn’t matter. The protests overrode these mandates and even our governor here in Pennsylvania walked in the protests and disobeyed his own mandate.

Other things started coming to light, as well: Things such as several states sending Covid patients back into nursing homes; skewed data practices; the encouragement of snitching. I have heard dozens of stories, both personal and through other avenues, that show the inconsistencies and outright lying of the press.

And then, as if to confirm all we were starting to wonder, social media started censoring anything it didn’t deem “appropriate”, which was any voice that was dissenting against the virus narrative.

At this point, most of us realized that it wasn’t about a virus at all. Oh, we knew there was a virus, but the lockdown itself had a far broader and deeper agenda.

During these last four months, we’ve been on a roller coaster ride of hopes and dashed hopes. We wonder what the future holds and, those of us who hold to a literal Revelation, wonder how this all will play into the end. It is very clear that it will. We are just not exactly sure how.

In the midst of our world changing so much, in the midst of losing a lot of the freedom that we thought we had, in the midst of uncertainty hanging over our heads, we simply can not allow our spirits to be crushed.

Isn’t that the temptation for many of us?

A crushed spirit feels unmotivated. It wonders “why bother?”

A crushed spirit feels disheartened and lacks joy.

A crushed spirit doesn’t look people in the eye and rarely smiles in public.

A crushed spirit focuses on self.

A crushed spirit worries and frets about the future.

A crushed spirit quietly succumbs and gives in.

The powers-that-be want to crush our spirits. People with crushed spirits are much easier to control. I have been reading a book about the Soviet Union during the Revolution and the years following and the similarities are eerily similar. You can almost see communism snaking its way into this once strong nation. You can see the crushing of the spirit of not only individuals but of a nation.

But here’s the thing– as Christians, our spirits should be uncrushable.

Of course, this is all a learning process for many of us, isn’t it? How do we, as believers, keep our spirits alive and hopeful? How do we guard against dejection and despair?

Well, the Bible has a thing or two to say about that. I won’t touch on it all, but I thought I’d mention a few things that I’ve been considering recently.

1. Keep our eyes focused in the right direction.

First, we must keep our mind on God. Isaiah 26:3 puts it like this–

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Second, we must stay focused on eternity, rather than temporal things. Colossians 3:1-2 makes this very clear–

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.

When our minds are on God and what He has promised us in the future, the things of this present time will fade in their significance. It doesn’t take away problems but rather lessens their importance, in light of Who God is and what awaits us in eternity.

2. Submit to God and resist the devil.

I have been thinking a lot about this. I can’t think of a better time that Satan and his minions would want to crush the spirits of Christians. There are a lot of people questioning what’s going on. There are so many in despair. Many are desperately hurting. If Satan can keep Christians looking the same way as the rest of the world, he has done his job. If we are also in despair, then we have nothing to offer to someone who is lost, do we? We are rendered utterly ineffective for God when we allow ourselves to be controlled by worry, fear, and despair.

And we are so susceptible to Satan’s spiritual attacks. He roars about like a lion, seeking to devour us (I Peter 5:8). This is in the Bible and not some made-up gobbledygook.

But James gives us our best defense against Satanic attacks in a short verse in chapter 4 (vs. 7)–

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

We have the capability to make Satan flee from us.

But it’s only through submitting to God first and then actively resisting the devil.

So let’s unpack that a bit. How do we do this exactly? It’s actually simpler than you may think.

First, we must submit to God’s will in all situations. Including the one that we all are currently in. We must accept it joyfully and choose contentment. This is the first step.

The second step is that we must evaluate our lives for sin. Have we left habitual sin creep into a corner of our lives and given Satan a right to be there?

When I feel under spiritual attack, I ask God these two questions–

Would you please show me any area I have not submitted to You?

Would you please show me any sin in my life that needs to be eradicated?

If I long to cling to my rebellion or sin, I ask Him to help me to want to give these things up. It’s not always instant but God works in a heart that longs to please Him. A great cause for gladness to any believer!

3. Abhor Evil, Love Others, and Serve the Lord.

Romans 12, beginning in verse 9, is a great description of the Christian life. If we follow Paul’s instructions here, we will not have time to be fretting and caught up in despair. We will be busy living a godly life, no matter what our circumstances–

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient[c] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[d] to hospitality.

Read that paragraph again and reflect on all that we are instructed to do in the verses. Keep in mind that it gives no caveat for when things aren’t going as we want them to or life turns upside down. It gives no exception clause for when we just don’t feel like doing these things.

4. Remember What Matters.

If you are a believer, then you have been saved from eternal hell through faith in Jesus Christ. When we consider eternity in hell and the greatness of God’s sacrifice, we inevitably turn towards the cross with a heart full of gratitude. We are saved! In the midst of all the uncertainty and discouragement, let’s not forget the greatest miracle of all: WE ARE SAVED!

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So there are four fairly simple things we can do to keep our spirit from being crushed. Please note that I didn’t use the word “easy.”

Some of you don’t need this post today. Probably many of you don’t. But for those of you who have struggled (and I know there are some of you because you’ve told me), I write this for you. This post reflects some of the process I’ve been working out in my own life over these past few months and I hope that it is an encouragement to you.

Of all people, we should be the most jubilant and joyful! May we remember this, in spite of all that is going on in the world around us!

 

If I Shout Louder Than You, Does That Mean I’m Right?

3 Comments / June 24, 2020

Friday night we sat down to watch a very forgettable movie. It was based on a true story but it was disjointed, hard to follow, and, if I’m honest, pretty boring.

But sometime during that couple of hours, one of the main characters was having an argument with someone. As they loudly bickered, he finally stopped and said something very profound: “If I shout louder than you, does that mean I’m right?”

Don’t you feel like that’s what is going on? The people who are shouting the loudest are demanding they are right. They are ripping down statues and destroying property and demanding name changes and all others sorts of nonsense, in their quest to be acknowledged as “RIGHT”.

But they aren’t right.

It doesn’t matter how loud someone screams or how much ruckus they make or what kind of tantrum they throw. These things are irrelevant to what is right.

Interestingly enough, if we’d just stop and think for a moment and do our own research, we’d see that those who are shouting the loudest are, as a rule, against what is right.

Of course, we first have to know what is right. This can only happen through our knowledge of God’s Word. There is no other way.

Once we have a good handle on what the Word teaches, we then can discern if the latest, greatest movement or trend is a godly one. If it’s a right one or a wrong one.

But most people get stuck at the first thing. They don’t know what is right, nor do most care.

Do YOU care about what is right?

If you do, then you have a responsibility to dig in and see what’s really going on beneath the obvious before you choose where to stand on any issue–whether it be current events, a popular Christian author or speaker, or the latest trend.

Look past all that the media is spewing forth; look past the “Christian noise” (the deafening insistence of the many who are deceived and following the world); look past what you always thought was true. And then ask yourself “What is really right here, according to scripture?”

Over the weekend, one of my daughters told me of a conversation she had recently. The woman she was talking to told her the advice her father gave her when she was a girl: If everyone is going one way, you probably want to go the other. At the very least you need to investigate what’s going on before following the crowd.

What great advice. So few parents are teaching their kids this important principle. I, too, was taught that if it’s popular, it’s probably not right. If we understand this basic principle of the world, it will make discerning what’s right a whole lot easier.

Of course, what makes this so much more troublesome for us is our desire to be liked by others. We want to fit in, join the group, follow the crowd. To stand out is difficult and often painful.

Are you willing to pay this price? This is a question I have asked myself often. If we can honestly answer yes, then God will open our eyes to the truth and give us strength to bear up under the name-calling, antagonism, and loneliness. It’s not fun but it is so worth it.

I don’t know all that much about this world. But I do know the One who knows everything. And I choose to stand quietly with Him in the midst of all this noise, taking opportunities to defend what is right as He provides them. In the midst of all the compromise, in the midst of all the chaos, I don’t need to shout the loudest because God will fight for me. I don’t need to shout the loudest because I know how this ends.

 

 

A Few More Thoughts and a Reminder

4 Comments / June 11, 2020

We’ve had a busy week around here. We welcomed our fifth grandchild! A beautiful little boy who is already loved so dearly by all of us. What an awesome thing to watch his two older brothers meet him for the first time. What a bright spot in the midst of all this chaos!

I enjoyed a couple of days with my grandsons while mommy was in the hospital and was reminded why you have kids when you are younger. I enjoyed every minute of it but I am sure tired. You grandparents who are raising your grandkids are doing an amazing and self-sacrificing thing. But most of us will do what we have to when we truly love someone, won’t we? That’s what love does.

At any rate, I feel like anything I write this week would be…contrived. I feel a bit disorganized inside my head. So I am going to just write some of my thoughts down about the recent events.

I am overwhelmed with emotion at what is going on in this country right now. It feels surreal and I told my husband the other night it feels like we are just waiting for the next thing to happen to a country already weakened by a virus (with a less than 1% death rate, no less…) and now being destroyed by a religion called Woke that was started by the death of a guy who was a longtime criminal. (And some are even wondering if he’s dead, given the mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident.)

Something evil is at work in this country. There are too many questions. Too many things that just don’t add up. In fact, aren’t some of these things making you question your own sanity?? How can people see situations so differently? Where they see freedom in the future, I see bondage. Where they see abundance, I see hunger. Where they see life, I see death.

If we do a study of history, we will learn two things. First, we will understand that those promoting communist ideology have not studied history. They couldn’t have or they’d understand where this ideology takes any society that tries to implement it. I think we are clearly seeing that they have been fed propaganda in our schools and universities and they are brainwashed.

Second, we will understand that societies have gone through these kinds of times since the beginning of time. We are not the only ones to experience uncertainty or dread. We are not alone in our fears and our questions for the future. This world is full of sin and Satan has been very active destroying it and it’s inhabitants since the fall.

As Americans, we have been rather sheltered from the awfulness of this world in many ways. Until now. Now we are tasting it firsthand and we can feel the solid ground of the greatest democracy in existence begin to shake beneath us. It’s so disconcerting.

But here’s what isn’t shaking: God. God and His Word are still as solid as they ever have been. Some of us are starting to understand that we may have had our security in the wrong place. That we were trusting in something that never existed in the first place.

If this doesn’t make any Christian turn to the truths of scripture I don’t know what will. Throughout all of time, God has held and taken care of His own. Sometimes that meant a pleasant life here on earth and sometimes it meant death. Sometimes life was so hard and for others, not so much. But whatever our lot in this life, we know God is with us. He has promised and we know He always keeps His promises.

To me, the beauty of the sky is a daily reminder that God cares about each one of us. The sun will continue to rise and set, no matter what else is going on around us.

Many are the evenings that I will look toward the west and have to grab my iPhone for a photo. And every now and again, I will look toward the east in the morning and do the same. The sky is a beautiful painting every single day. Whether it is cloudy and gray or filled with amazing color, we are reminded that God is in control.

We may fret and worry, but He is sovereign and not one tiny thing is going unnoticed by Him. He is allowing all that is happening for His purposes and plans. And He never changes.

We, the remnant, have much to look forward to in eternity. We, of all people, are so blessed. May we remember to keep our eyes on things above.

I’ve created a short video of those shots I’ve been taking this year. I hope it is a small blessing to you as you process all that is going on around you right now.

Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

Isaiah 45:5-7 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’

p.s In honor of the 10th anniversary of Growing4Life, I am raising money this month to help with the needs across the world during this economic crisis. Find out more here.

The Only Solution

8 Comments / June 3, 2020

When I was a little girl, we moved south for a short time. There, in my first grade class, I was one of only three white kids in the entire class. It didn’t bother me a bit and I quickly became best friends with a little black girl named Lisa. We were so young and neither of us had been taught that being a different color was a big deal, much less a bad thing.

I credit that experience with forming my young mind on this explosive thing called “racism”. It came at a critical time in my life and I am thankful for it. Unfortunately, many people did not have such an experience and there are many issues, not just between blacks and whites, but between all races, including Asians, Arabs, Indians, and many others. Wherever there are differences, there seems to be people who will mock and bully and harass.

And then there are those who would take advantage of the disunity that is a result of this tension and try to manipulate it to their own ends. I believe that we are definitely seeing that with the current protests that are resulting from the George Floyd case. There is much to be suspicious about when one really studies the details surrounding that case.

But that’s neither here nor there. What I want to take a look at today is how a Christian should respond biblically to something like this. I have been more than a little dismayed to see and hear about many who would call themselves Christians posting scripture verses out of context or promoting interviews with false teachers. Many have jumped on the wagon of the current movement without ever doing any research at all into what the movement actually stands for or taking a look at it through the lens of scripture.

Before we think through how we should respond to this issue of racism, let’s first take a look at what we know about this issue from scripture. I will give one scripture reference for each point, but if you do your research, you will find there are many more that support them. The Bible is a cohesive book that is unified throughout. It is truly amazing! Okay, so here we go–

1. We know this world is wicked and broken and will be until such a time as God destroys it and creates the new earth (Revelation 21).

While so many Christians believe falsely that we can make the world a perfect place and build God’s Kingdom here, the Bible teaches that this will not happen.

2. Every person is born dead in their sin. No race or color is an exception to this curse. (Romans 3:23)

Original sin is the rub in this culture. Even many Christians want to deny this. But without this admission–that I am a hopeless sinner–there is no salvation. We are not broken in need of a fixer. We are sinners in need of a Savior.

3. The Gospel is our only hope. (Romans 1:16)

The good news that Jesus took on our sin and nailed it to the cross, so that we could be made alive together with God and be forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14) is our only hope for true and lasting change. Psychology and other behavioral methods may make a little headway, but they are man-based and cannot yield the same permanent results as a heart that is truly changed by the Gospel. This is the culture’s only solution. But more about that later.

4. The Gospel is for everyone. (Colossians 3:11)

God makes no exception to who is accepted into His Kingdom. He cares not what race, what color, or what class anyone is. All are welcome. We only need confess our sin and believe (Romans 10:9).

5. In the last days, man will do almost anything to get his way. (2 Timothy 3:2)

We should not be surprised at what we see going on. Violence towards another person, theft, looting, and rioting are all part of a culture that has become obsessed with self. Self, along with its dreams and opinions, has become king and nothing else matters. There is no love for fellow man in a person who would kill another human being. But there is also no love in the heart of a person who would burn down small businesses that people worked hard to build or beloved historical buildings. Both are wrong. But both should not be unexpected. It would appear we are living in the last days, according to scripture. Whether they last another year or another hundred years, we can safely conclude that, if we take a consistent approach to interpreting scripture, we are moving quickly toward the end. The passage in 2 Timothy shows us what we can expect from mankind at this time and it is consistent with what we are seeing.

6. Sin is always sin. (Galatians 5:19-21)

The end never justifies the means. There is no place in scripture whatsoever that would promote sinning as a way to reach a desired goal–even if the goal is a good one. Looting and rioting to bring change is always wrong.

 

So these are some facts from scripture that we know. Now let’s take a look at how we should be responding.

First, we are personally accountable for how we treat all people. (I Corinthians 13) We have a responsibility to treat our elderly neighbor, the Asian nail salon worker, our frustrating relative, and our African-American co-worker the same way. Our treatment stems from God’s love that abides in a saved and charged heart.

Second, we are personally called to share the Gospel with all men, regardless of skin color or class. I don’t have a specific passage but we can see throughout Acts that Paul and his companions faithfully share the Gospel, no matter what culture they are in.

Third, we are to love our fellow man, no matter what skin color or class. I Corinthians 13 gives no exception clause.

Fourth–and listen to this carefully because it goes against what the evangelical world is telling you–we are not responsible for the sins of those who have gone on before us. We can do one thing and that is to work for change now. We cannot and will never be able to make up for past hurts and sins. Why this idea has taken on so much steam in the past years, especially in certain circles, I cannot tell. But nowhere in scripture are we called to make reparations for the sins of others.

And, finally, Fifth, we must keep turning to God’s Word to understand what’s going on in this world. It is making more and more sense, in light of these past few months. This is our only anchor and the more we study, the more we really get it. The more we know it, the less we are tempted to pull things out of context as we see so many other Christians do.

There is only one solution for any culture and that is the Gospel. We know from scripture that man will reject God. He will remain rebellious and unrepentant and grow increasingly wicked (Romans 1:19f) We cannot force people to accept the Gospel. We can only share it.

Let’s not get caught up in the wave of worldly thinking or the swiftly-flowing river of the masses. Our focus in a situation like this must remain on the Word. We must share the light of the Gospel in the midst of this darkness. For it is the only real hope any of us have at all.

 

Attacking Messengers, Crucifying Dissenters, and Belittling Questioners

7 Comments / May 13, 2020

Over the past twenty years or so, I have experienced the vitriol of those blindly following a person or a cause. Social media is the mecca for such interactions and to post a dissenting comment has made anyone come to expect sarcasm, anger, and even hatred. I have talked with others who have experienced this, as well.

This dynamic takes place anywhere people are gathered online. It seems a lot worse right now, but perhaps that is because so many of us are relegated to online interaction. Somehow when people get online, they remove all inhibitions. They would never, ever talk to someone face-to-face the way they talk to someone online. At least, I hope they wouldn’t!

But there are a lot of debates and disagreements and controversies going on online right now and I wanted to make you aware of a few things to look for as you watch this all take place.

By the way, while this does take place in the secular world quite a bit, we understand that they are unbelievers and have rejected God’s ways. While it is interesting to observe, it is certainly not surprising. However, it borders on tragic that this is the same approach of many in the evangelical circles. People that you trust. I encourage you to look for these as you encounter quarrels and controversies in these current days.

It is a three-pronged approach, where one, two, or all of these prongs may be used to put down the “enemy”. I wanted to make you aware of them because it is critically important that we recognize them and then move them aside in order to look at the real issue at hand. They are a decoy. They are a smoke screen to draw your eyes away from the real issue. Don’t be deceived.

Here are the three prongs–

1. Attack the Messenger. Instead of answering the accusations, they will attack the messenger. They will call them all kinds of names, put them down, make them out to be unloving, unkind, divisive, and unintelligent. They will dredge up old sins. They will cast doubt on their integrity. This trick is as old as the books, but don’t let them fool you. And, hey, in some cases, maybe the person sharing the message is some of those things. This still doesn’t release us from investigating to see if what they are saying is true. Beware character assassination. It is a bright red flag and should lead you to mistrust, rather than to trust, the person conducting it.

2. Crucifying Dissenters. How dare you disagree? You are NOT allowed to disagree and so we will crucify you with our words. I am not sure when the world changed but I see leaders encouraging their followers to act like this. Secular and Christian alike, their followers are using words to spread venom and hatred and, rather than discouraging this type of thing, the leader seems to encourage it. This is because it is an important part of the three-pronged approach. They are counting on their followers to silence anyone who disagrees. Blind loyalty yields a passion that will stop at nothing to defend its subject.

3. Belittling Questioners. If someone simply asks a question, they are belittled and mocked. If an accusation is raised and an honest questioner simply wants to find out more, they find out very quickly that, this, too, is NOT allowed. No questions may be asked of someone who has been faithful to the Lord for fifty years. No questions can be asked of the governor. No questions can be asked of the singer or the author or the pastor. No questions can be asked of the government or the politician. No questions allowed. Period. If you dare to ask them, people will call you selfish and question your character. They will call you names and ridicule you. All this, for simply asking a question.

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As I write this, my heart is heavy. It is especially heavy because I see this being used in the Christian world as much, or even more, than in the secular world. It is a treacherous world we live in these days. Please be on the look-out for these things. They are signs that all may not be right. Not a guarantee, of course, but definitely worth some research.

Before I close, I want to add one more {very important} thing–

As believers, we are called to respond differently! People are watching us. They see what we post and they are reading it.

Everything we post, whether it be a tweet, a Facebook post, a comment on a post, a comment on a news article or blog post, and anything else should be carefully worded with LOVE. There should never be biting sarcasm, anger, or vitriol spewing forth from our keyboards. This is a dishonor to our heavenly Father.

Make no mistake about it: We are in a spiritual war.

As we fight it, let’s be an asset to our King through truthful, loving, and kind interaction with others. Satan wants nothing more than to create havoc and chaos within the church. We can’t fall for his bait.

I don’t know where all this is headed. Or rather, I think I do. The world and the church has gone off in a direction over these past twenty years or so that I find most disheartening. But, thankfully, we know God is still on the throne. As His servants, may we carefully discern and examine all things. As His witnesses, may we do all we can to be a bright and shining light in this increasingly darkening world.

 

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