discernment – Growing 4 Life

It’s Not One or the Other

1 Comment / February 11, 2026 February 11, 2026

I’ve had an interesting past week, which included visits to a surgery center and the hospital. As I reflect on these visits, I realize they are a great analogy as to how we are to approach the “love vs truth” dichotomy we find in Christianity today.

A nurse or doctor who is loving and kind is worthless if they won’t do the hard stuff. If they won’t give us the medicine that we need because it will make us “feel bad”, they can be as nice as can be but we will understand their complete incompetence, won’t we?

As we grow sicker and sicker—or even lose our life—their “love” will mean nothing. In fact, we will recognize that it wasn’t love at all that drove their actions, but rather a self-love that made them want to avoid our “bad feelings”.

On the other hand, a nurse who is mean and gruff who gives us the right medicine, in spite of how it will make us “feel”, is certainly not the blessing they could be. They can do everything right, but if they do it with a frown on their face and a mean spirit…well, love is important, isn’t it?

Love and truth aren’t enemies. They are the greatest of friends.

I’ve noticed a really strange dichotomy in the recent years and I really want to encourage my readers to avoid it. It seems that many Christians are drawn only towards the “love and grace” posts, podcasts, sermons, and books. While another group is drawn only towards the “truth and discernment” posts, podcast, sermons, and books.

This ought not to be. As believers, we need to highly value both. I strive very hard to be balanced here because God has clearly shown in scripture that BOTH are important. I am well aware I don’t do this perfectly but I am trying.

If we step back and really think about it, we will recognize that there is no genuine love without truth.

Truth, no matter how it’s spoken, will save your life. To confirm the salvation of someone who has no fruit and zero interest in repentance or being more like Christ is not true love. No matter how that truth is spoken, if someone who has been deceived repents and believes on the name of Jesus Christ, they will receive eternal life.

But love does change everything. It makes [some] hearers much more willing to listen and plants many more seeds than a harsh, critical word. I write “some” in brackets because, at this juncture, we find many who have no interest in hearing the truth, no matter how lovingly it is said.

We are told that people will turn from the truth in the last days (2 Timothy 4:3-4). We are told there will be many false “Jesus”s in the last days and they will deceive many (Matthew 24:5). We are told that there will be perilous times in the last days with people following their lusts and calling it godliness (2 Timothy 3:1-9). And we are told that people will be deluded in the last days because they did not love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11).

No matter how close we are to the actual return of Christ, we are most definitely seeing these things the Bible warns us of. Christianity is getting more and more confusing every day because so many things are done in the “name of Jesus”.

But is it the real Jesus? When we compare this “Jesus” to scripture, we can see most definitely it is not our beloved Savior who died for us and calls us to forsake our sin and the world and follow Him.

The Bible is true or it isn’t. Our faith is either based on the Bible or it’s based on human philosophy and opinion.

We can’t just define Jesus to be the way we want Him to be and then call ourselves a “Christian”.

Honestly, I think many of us Christians thought we would be in jail by now, being persecuted for standing up for the true, biblical Jesus.

Instead, we find ourselves being persecuted and rejected by those who either profess a different Jesus or are deceived to think all of the “Jesus”s are the same person.

So let me go back to the beginning of this post. As genuine believers, who desire to follow Christ wholeheartedly, we need to understand that there is a very concerted effort to move the world towards a one world religion (which is exactly what scripture tells us will happen! The Bible is 100% true!)

This is something that can’t be done without taking the eyes of the people off of God’s Word. And so there has been a real effort to move the hearts and minds of Christians from the Bible and to, instead, value more highly human opinions and their own personal experiences.

As we live in the midst of this crazy, confusing migration of “Christians” from Bible-believing religion to mysticism (let’s call it what it is), we must be passionate about both truth and love. We cannot—we dare not—eliminate either one in this very dangerous time.

And by doing this, God will use us to plant seeds for His Kingdom. He is still working in the midst of the “Christian” chaos and He is still using His people here on earth. We don’t want to be deceived into unbiblical thinking or a wrong focus, lest we be rendered ineffective. We don’t have to choose one or the other because, as believers, we must choose BOTH, just as Jesus shows us so perfectly in scripture.

We won’t change the world, but one day at a time, we can make a difference in the lives we touch. May we be courageous enough to speak the hard truths of scripture with love and grace. May we love others well and stand boldly in the swelling tide of apostasy.

Peace in Tribulation

2 Comments / November 4, 2025 November 4, 2025

John 16:33 tells us that we will have tribulation in this world. In the chapter before and the chapter after, Jesus reminds us that we will be hated by the world. He says this in both chapters. It isn’t “you might be” or “you could be”. It is clear: To follow Jesus is to be hated by the world. Jesus puts it like this in John 17:14–

𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.

Can I be honest for a moment? This is why I am suspect about what is going on in our country today. It goes completely against what Jesus told us to expect from the world. It doesn’t say the world will embrace Jesus. It says that the world will hate Him…and His followers.

So if that is true (and this message is throughout the New Testament) then thoughtful Bible students must ask: Are these people actually following the true Jesus?

With just a bit of digging, it becomes clear that they are not. It may be that they are deceived. Some are most likely purposely deceiving for personal gain. But, if the Bible is our litmus test, then what is passing for Christianity today just…isn’t.

But this little verse in John 16 is such a comfort, given that our tribulation will not just be the normal stuff of life but will also include hatred from the world (which includes those who proclaim a Jesus that is not from scripture). Hatred, rejection, isolation, gossip…these are painful things to endure.

But Jesus reminds us: Yes, we will have tribulation in the world. We are not going to be spared tribulation. But we will have peace if we stay focused on Him.

Have you ever been in your home, by the fireplace or wrapped in a blanket, totally comfortable and at peace, while a bad storm raged outside?

The wind blew, the rain poured down, the thunder cracked, but you were safe inside your cozy home.

The peace of God is our safe place in our heart and mind. The storms will rage. The hurricanes will come and the unsettling winds will blow. Trials will threaten to undo us. But God’s peace settles into our hearts and gives us a safe place to weather the storm.

Let me just quickly add here: We will have no safe place to retreat to in our hearts if we do not surrender our will to God’s will in any given situation, be it small or large. (I know this from my own personal experience. With acceptance comes peace.)

Life is full of tribulation. Jesus told us to expect this. And that tribulation will sometimes come from directions we least expected. Sometimes it will come from people we trusted.

But Jesus reminds us: Yes, we will have tribulation but we are not like the world, hanging on to false hopes and fairy tale pretend gods.

Jesus is real. Jesus is God. And Jesus has promised, if we will but look to Him, to be the source for peace through it all.

Who’s Really Inside?

1 Comment / October 28, 2025 October 28, 2025

This past weekend, we had the opportunity to spend the weekend with my parents at the beach. It was extra fun, as the kind couple who allowed us to use their beach house had a street-legal golf cart that they said we could use. And so off we set on our adventure of exploring our favorite beach town from a golf cart!

Traveling down streets unknown to us before, we came across beautiful new houses, as well as small cottages that had been there for a long, long time. Most houses were beautifully cared for, while just a few sat a bit forlorn, needing a new coat of paint or some landscaping.

At one point, we went around a corner and we saw a brand new—rather large—building. It was cream-colored with black shutters and looked rather like a hotel…but not quite. As we traveled the block, the building became one story and stretched out the entire block. Curious to see what the building was, we turned the corner to find out as we came to the end of the block.

Lo and behold, what we saw surprised us all. For right behind the single story “building” (which ended up being only about two feet wide) sat the town’s electrical plant. None of us had even noticed the wires and towers behind the one story building.

We drove off and then I told my husband to turn around so I could take a photo (see below). I had been reading about the Pharisees and I knew that what we were seeing was a little like the Pharisees. They looked all nice and proper on the outside but they were downright ugly inside. Jesus called them whitened sepulchres (or whitewashed tombs)—

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)

We often hear stories of pastors or celebrities that “fall into sin” but these things do not happen in a vacuum. Many people put on an act and pretend to be something they are not. This is not unusual.

Oftentimes, the ugliest sins are hidden behind a “Christian” facade.

So many pretenders. So many liars. So many wolves in sheep’s clothing. They come as angels of light but they seek to starve your soul and take your eyes off the true God, the real Jesus, and the Bible.

But you know, these aren’t the only pretenders. I thought it was interesting to read this morning—

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:42-43)

Here we see chief rulers pretending not to believe on Jesus Christ because they loved the praise of men more than they loved God.

What an indictment! May this never be said of us.

Some people pretend to be something they aren’t because they lack courage and they love themselves and the praise of men more than they love God and the truth.

So how does this apply to us? Those of us who have been saved by faith in Christ alone are new creatures. And so what is inside of us should be consistent with what is outside of us.

There should be no hypocrisy in the life of a believer.

I remember years ago, someone using that verse about God looking on the heart, while man looks on the outside (I Samuel 16:7) as a reason to look and live like the world.

But that isn’t what that verse means at all. We can know this by reading this verse in the context of the rest of scripture.

God expects our outside to match our inside. We cannot be a new creature inside without looking like a new creature on the outside. All throughout the New Testament we are given the description of the true believer. We are told what God wants us to look like.

We will never be able to match that description perfectly, of course. But, through examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), by proving all things and holding fast to what is good (I Thess. 5:21), and by being diligent to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10-11) we will be sure to continue moving in the right direction.

Remember: It’s about direction, not perfection.

These things we are called to aren’t meant to be burdensome. We know that because Jesus tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).

If we are feeling burdened; if these things we are called to do not feel easy or light, well, then, perhaps we are a little like those chief priests—loving the praise of men more than we love the Lord. Having our souls entrenched in the things of this world, we struggle to turn from things that are not building us up in the faith. Loving the world and loving our sin keep us from growing as we should.

As we become less enamored with the things of this world and as our hatred for sin grows, the heavy burden we were feeling about holiness, turning from the world, and living for Jesus grows lighter and lighter.

And just to be honest, this only began to change for me when I began to read the Word—to really study it—for myself personally.

If we genuinely want to grow but the burden feels so heavy, then we must pray that God will give us that desire and open our eyes to what is keeping us fettered and imprisoned. What is keeping us from feeling the freedom we have in Christ to live a righteous life for God?

By the way—not to get too off topic—however, I feel like it is important to mention—

We are free to live righteously. We are not free to sin and we are not free to love the world and be like the world. This is so clear all throughout scripture but Romans 6 is a great place to start if you want to know more.

Life is full of challenges and one of those challenges is to be real and authentic. To be a godly person on the inside and the outside. Wherever this is not taking place, there is hypocrisy. God hates hypocrisy.

May we be those who shine the genuine light of Christ and may those who see that light find in us an example of consistency. May we be the same person both inside and out.

The facade that hides the electrical plant

Keep Looking Up!

1 Comment / September 30, 2025 September 30, 2025

Did you happen to notice that the internet and social media were abuzz with predictions that the rapture was happening on September 23? I even saw one guy say he was “a million percent positive” that it was happening on that date because God had told him this in a dream.

Of course, what do we know about unfulfilled prophesies?

We know that false prophesies are told by false prophets (Deut. 18:22). That would be the case with all men and women who label themselves prophets these days. They are rarely (if ever) right. And, yet, somehow people keep trusting them as “prophets”. What are they thinking?? But I digress…

What took place with these unfulfilled predictions has been a new wave of hatred against the biblical doctrine of the rapture. And, yes, it is biblical.

First, and foremost, we must turn to scripture to find out if it’s true. We can see this doctrine clearly expressed in I Corinthians 15:51-52, as well as in I Thessalonians 4:16-18. The doctrine is found other places throughout the New Testament, in other verses and passages. I really encourage you to dig into scripture and to believe it for what it says. Rather than believing what someone else tells you it says.

And, by the way, this was not a doctrine that started with some guy named Darby in the 1800s but it can be traced back through church history. Did you even know this? Because I had to do some digging to understand this. It is not a well-known fact of church history.

It is so important that we don’t just believe what we read or hear on the internet.

The other day a one-minute video popped up about the rapture by someone who had been recommended to me. And so I thought I’d watch it to see what he had to say. In this video, the guy “exposited” a chapter of the Bible that wasn’t even about the rapture, using it to prove there is no rapture!

This is the stuff that is going on. We need to be aware.

There is a reason the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is so maligned, ridiculed, and hated. And that is because it is TRUE.

I don’t know how they will explain the disappearance of the Christians but I have come to realize that it will be a much smaller group than I had first thought. The way is narrow, after all.

This unwelcome and unpleasant truth becomes clearer as we watch so many fall into the deception of the false and self-centered religion of “American Christianity”. Some of those are true believers who are just deceived but, looking at the fruit of lives, I am so grieved to wonder if many are not saved at all. Only God knows.

But there is a beautiful remnant of souls saved by the blood of Jesus. We know full well we have no merit of our own and that our salvation is based on Jesus Christ alone.

We are so deeply grateful to our loving and merciful God. We are the ones who must not be deceived but, rather, to keep looking up!

We have been told that we have not been appointed to God’s wrath which is going to be poured out upon this earth (I Thessalonians 5:9) God will come to get us one of these days, just as His Word says, and we are closer now than ever!

Some Thoughts About Our Nation’s Past Few Weeks

2 Comments / September 23, 2025 September 23, 2025

I was out of town for the past week and a half and had little time to write much of anything. Even over on the Facebook page I didn’t post much. In the meantime, there was a quite a lot going on in our nation.

While I didn’t have time to write, I did find some time to think about it all.

*When that horrible incident took place on the university campus almost two weeks ago, we all were in shock. It was unexpected and it was frightening.

What has taken place since then has been…interesting. To say the least.

And I may as well just tell you now: What I am going to write below is going to go against the flow of what is being said.

However…

As believers it is critical that we be more interested in what is true than we are in what is popular.

I’d like to go back in time for a moment. A little over 500 years ago, God moved men to leave the false Catholic Church. Until then, true believers were comprised of a small remnant that could be found in pockets throughout the world. But in the 1500s, Martin Luther, along with other men, recognized that the Catholic Church was teaching a works-based salvation while the Bible teaches a grace-based salvation. The two religions are in complete opposition to one another, although they use much of the same language and terms (see here for more information).

Since that time, the Catholic Church has been trying to bring Protestantism back to the “mother church”. And, in fact, accomplishing this has been one of the main purposes (or perhaps THE purpose) of the Jesuits.

What we have seen taking place over the past few weeks has done more to accomplish this than anything in recent or distant history.

Here’s why: The Charlie Kirk incident brought everyone together and very few Christians even raised an eyebrow. Catholics, Christians, Mormons, even Hindus praising God together. Doctrinal differences just fell away in the midst of the memorial service held to honor this man.

Why are we rejoicing about this? Even people who understand the danger of ecumenism have been rejoicing? I am honestly bewildered.

So what do we know to be true, according to scripture?

We know that God does not want us to link arms with people who do not teach biblical doctrine (Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-10). We know that the genuine way of Christianity is narrow and difficult, not popular and easy (Matthew 7:13-14). We know that we cannot be friends with the world (James 4:4) and that the world will hate us (John 15:18-19).

We also know that the world will join hands in a one-world worship system (Revelation 13). This will not happen in a vacuum.

So, if we understand these things from the Bible, how can we rejoice at what has been taking place? Why aren’t red flags being raised inside of us?

I have an idea about that…

But, first, let me say this: I do think that the Gospel being preached to such a large audience was wonderful. I wholeheartedly agree with Paul—

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

I am thankful that the Gospel was preached. But being thankful for this is not mutually exclusive with being wary. The verses above make it clear that not everyone who preaches the Gospel has pure motives.

Okay, so why are most Christians rejoicing at religions joining together to praise God?

Could it be that we have gotten distracted about what our role is as believers? Have we been deceived into believing our job is to make the world a better place?

This is an easy deception to fall for. We hear it everywhere we turn. It’s the message of much of the music labeled “Christian”; it’s in podcasts and sermons and books.

The “left” side has given us an enemy to fight against and many Christians have risen to the challenge. We have been told that the left side is wrong and the right side is right. But is it that simple?

It is not.

Morality is not Christianity. Changing policies and laws does not change hearts.

And, while any Christian most certainly would love to live in a moral country, we have to be careful we do not equate that with genuine conversions of souls. They are not even close to the same thing.

We need to remember this important truth: We are sojourners and pilgrims. We do not belong to this world.

We need to search the scripture for our purpose and our calling, instead of listening to “Christian” celebrities.

Amidst the cries of “Revival!” We need to ask ourselves: What is Revival, according to scripture?

I wrote this on Facebook yesterday—

Let’s remember that genuine revival is always based on scripture and transforms lives. Regenerated people become less sinful and less worldly (Romans 6:5-11; James 1:27; 4:4). True believers travel a narrow path that is hard and never popular (Matthew 7:13-14; John 15:18-19). Believers are told to never join with those teaching false doctrine (Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11).

“Revival” that is based on policy or morals is not revival. “Revival” that comes by linking arms with false religions is not revival. These things may yield cultural change but we cannot call it revival, according to scripture.

If what has taken place is true revival, then we will see transformed lives that are turning from sin and the world. We will see people who desire to avoid false teachers. We will see a rising interest in studying all of the Bible instead of cherry-picking verses.

And, while none of us can say for sure that revival isn’t taking place, it is important in these situations that we watch and wait to see what happens before adding our voices to the voices crying “Revival”.

On a different note…

I have found it extremely interesting (and deeply concerning) that conservatives are praising the fact that Jimmy Kimmel has been removed from TV for saying some very tasteless words in the middle of all of this. And they were tasteless and thoughtless and awful. On that we agree.

But, if we truly value free speech, we should be more than a little concerned about this.

To only have free speech for one side and not the other is an extremely dangerous view. It’s important to recognize this.

I have so much more I could say. But let me just conclude with this reminder: Don’t believe everything you hear.

We can’t just believe something is from God and of God because they use His name or quote a Bible verse. Our enemy seeks to devour us (I Peter 5:8). He comes as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). We need to be wise and wary.

We are called to test all things (I Thessalonians 5:21). We test them against scripture, which is our only anchor in all of this craziness (Acts 17:11).

That includes even the things that “everyone” is praising. It includes the things that will draw criticism and ridicule from even other believers if you can find the courage to question them.

But, at the end of the day, we must care about the truth of God’s Word more than we care about anything else.

I know that what I write here is not going to win me any prizes. I know that it is going in direct opposition to most of the Christian world and even many of my Christian friends.

I am not writing this from a heart of a criticism but, rather, I simply feel puzzled and concerned. Why are we Christians not asking questions about what just took place?

I pray that this post will be an encouragement to you to pause and consider what is really going on. And may we all be driven to get on our knees in humility and pray for discernment. We desperately need God’s help in the midst of these confusing and troublesome times!

*I am purposely being vague because of censorship. If you don’t know what happened, feel free to reply to this email.

How Do I Know if a Teacher is False or Just Confused?

3 Comments / August 5, 2025 August 5, 2025

So how do I know if a teacher, preacher, author, or songwriter is false? What if they are just confused? Does it matter?

Over the past year or two, I’ve noticed a cacophony of voices growing louder and louder. None of them are saying the same thing but, as a rule, they are mostly pointing away from God’s Word and pointing towards man’s opinions and experiences.

The one thing that makes this so VERY confusing is that most of these voices have lots of good (and even biblical) things to say. So unless you know what your Bible says, you will fall prey to the false teachings that creep into their messages—often unnoticed.

It’s a confusing, scary world where the church is no longer a safe space (actually…I am uncertain that it ever was a safe space in my lifetime, as I look back from this vantage point.)

But let’s go back in history for a moment before we continue on…

In the early 300s, Satan brought his tactic of syncretism to the Roman church through an Emperor named Constantine. Most of us remember hearing of Christians killed by lions in the Roman Amphitheaters or used as lights while they burned at the stake at Nero’s parties. Satan has been behind the cruel, torturous death of believers throughout the ages. That continues today in some areas of the world.

But in 312, he implemented something new in the church, as Constantine joined Rome’s pagan religion with the Christian religion. It became a religion that was a conglomeration of worship of “God” and worship of pagan deities.

If you are reading along with me in the Bible Reading Challenge this year, you will remember how God feels about syncretism. The Old Testament contains several stories of Israel combining their worship of the One True God with the pagan worship of the nations surrounding them. God hated it.

Well, this is, in essence, what the Catholic Church is. It is the amalgamation of Christianity with pagan religion. Do some research if you don’t believe me. Most saints are directly connected to a pagan deity.

So what is my point?

Satan has achieved tremendous success using this model of religion. He doesn’t care if someone is moral or upright. If they never turn from their own works and to Jesus alone for salvation, he still has them for eternity.

And, so, throughout the ages, he has worked hard to compromise any biblical church, organization, and institution with false doctrine and syncretism. It’s fairly easy to see if we take the time to look back over history.

Today, we can see this in living color, as we watch Satan try to marry biblical Christianity with mysticism. Once you see it, you can never unsee it. It’s so clear. But it’s also so very subtle.

Peter tells us that the devil is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8) and Paul reminds us that we wrestle not again flesh and blood but against powers of darkness and spiritual wickedness (Ephesians 6:12).

Really consider those truths for a moment. We don’t like to dwell on them. And we don’t need to, necessarily. But we must be aware of them. We are targets of Satan and he’s working hard to a) gain worship for himself and b) to render Christians ineffective.

Okay, what does that mean for us right now in our daily lives?

It means that we can’t just read any old book labeled Christian and call it good. We cannot just turn on a Christian radio station or watch a “Christian” movie and check our brains at the door. It means we have to use discernment for our new Bible Study book, the “Christian” bestseller recommended by a friend, the “Christian” show that everyone’s raving about, and, yes, the “Christian” band that sings those catchy tunes.

We have to be actively engaged in thinking “is this true according to scripture”? All the time. This takes so much work. But, given the truths from I Peter 5:8 and Ephesians 6:12, it’s vital for our spiritual protection (as well as for the spiritual protection of our precious children and grandchildren).

So back to my original question (which you are probably thinking that I totally forgot by now!)

How do I know if a teacher is false or just confused?

I just don’t think it matters. Whatever they are, we need to keep our distance from them as soon as we realize they are off.

The deception is growing by leaps and bounds. It can be exhausting to spot it. And ignorance is way easier to live in for the short term. But the damage will be great if we stay in deception.

Thankfully, God gives us the help we need for this time in His Word. Yes, evil men will grow worse in the last days. That is clearly true from the Word and from our experience, right?

So how do we discern the truth about all that swirls about us? Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us the answer to this question—

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:13-17)

Scripture is the key. At the end of the day, why someone is teaching a false doctrine and leading their followers astray is fairly irrelevant.

The important and quite relevant thing is to be aware that someone is leading us astray. And this will be done only through knowing God’s Word and recognizing its authority in the life of every believer.

It’s a crazy, confusing Christianity we find ourselves living in. And when you realize the level of deception that has infiltrated even the most solid of churches, it can be discouraging and exhausting. Situations come up and you wonder if you should say anything. Books are recommended and you just smile while inside you shudder to think of the deception that the book is teaching. Someone invites you to a concert or to hear a speaker and you have to say no but you know that if you explain why, the person who invited you won’t understand and maybe even get angry at you.

It’s no easy thing to follow hard after the truth. And, in fact, earlier in 2 Timothy 3, Paul reminds us that we will be persecuted if we do so.

The encouragement I offer to you as I close today is to be in the Word and in much prayer, as you seek to discern in this age of deception. God will give us the wisdom to discern and the courage and love to speak up when we are given the opportunity. We must rely solely on the Lord to fill us with His wisdom, His love, and His grace as we live in these spiritually confusing and troubled times.

Which Is the Real Lighthouse?

1 Comment / July 22, 2025 July 22, 2025

We spent a lovely week in Maine last week and one of the highlights was a “Puffin and Lighthouse” boat trip. As we motored among the many islands in the Acadia region, we saw seals and puffins (my first time seeing them! So fun!) and several lighthouses.

As the fog surrounded us on the ocean that morning, it was easy to see why lighthouses were desperately needed back in the day. They warned of shoals and rocks and kept sailors from shipwreck.

As we were shown some of the different lighthouses in the area, we noticed that quite a few weren’t all that tall. Many were shorter but still gave that needed warning to the ships coming through to the harbor.

As we looked all around us, the tour guide pointed out one lighthouse that actually wasn’t a lighthouse. Someone had built a lighthouse replica as they constructed their new home but it was fake and served no purpose at all.

If you look above, you will see a photo of that lighthouse beside a photo of an actual lighthouse. Can you tell which one is the real lighthouse? (I’ll let you know at the end of the post)

That false lighthouse was a vivid reminder to me that not everything is what it seems. Some things are fake. They are not what they appear to be.

We live in an unprecedented era of this very thing, don’t we? AI has taken deception to a whole new level.

This is especially dangerous when it comes to our spiritual health. If we follow a false teacher, they will lead us down a wrong path.

Jesus warns us that these false teachers won’t look outright false—

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

He also gives us a clue how we can know the difference—

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:16-20)

By their fruits. That is how we know if someone is genuine. That is why it is so important to watch someone you admire. What is their attitude about the Word of God? Where are they pointing their followers? Who are they quoting? Who do they admire? Who are their friends? What is important to them?

Answering these questions will help us to discern the fruit of their lives.

Anyone can look like a lighthouse. Jesus tells us how to discern if someone is really a lighthouse of Gospel Truth.

In the bright sunlight, it would really be impossible to tell which lighthouse is real. But when the fog rolls in or night comes, it is then that the difference is shown in all its glory. One lighthouse will shine and one won’t.

We haven’t really had dense fog or night yet. Not really. We’ve had some hard times during that weird time a few years back and it was interesting to watch how certain people handled things.

But I am reminded of how true colors come forth under persecution when I think of World War 2 Germany and how many pastors caved to the “state”. Or when I think of the conditions in some countries today, where to stand for Jesus is a death sentence. When it costs to be a Bible-believing Christian, few will pretend.

However, false lighthouses thrive and multiply when it’s such a rewarding endeavor without any cost.

Oh, people love their celebrities and many rise up to meet that desire.

I am sure close inspection of these lighthouses would also reveal the truth. I am reminded of a biography I read earlier this year that tore to shreds my opinion of a “godly Christian” most Christians greatly admire (from a distance), just as I did until, unfortunately, I got a closer look. Getting a glimpse into this person’s life was disheartening and discouraging and has made me wonder if they were a true lighthouse at all.

The celebrity culture is very dangerous. It puts our eyes on people instead of on God and His Word.

It is important that no stars in our eyes keep us from seeking God through His Word and seeing the truth.

Is someone a real lighthouse, shining the light of Jesus or are they fake, pretending to be a lighthouse when they really aren’t?

Jesus warns us that this is important. Paul and John echo this warning (Philippians 3:17-19; I John 2:18-19) Unfortunately, we don’t get to just warmly embrace everyone who comes in the name of Jesus. There are just too many that are using Him for personal gain and for deception.

It would be a nice world where we could trust everyone at face value. But scripture clearly shows us we cannot.

Just as I could not trust that the lighthouse on the left is not real, I cannot trust that a teacher is true without looking at their fruits.

Yes, it’s the lighthouse on the left that is the fake. Maybe you could tell. I could not. I was thankful for the tour guide who told us the truth.

Just as I am thankful for other believers who speak the truth. Even when it’s hard. Even when it costs them. They help me stay on the straight and narrow path and keep me from deception.

And that’s what we should be doing for each other, right? We are family after all and our love for each other should compel us to speak the truth. Humility helps us to receive the truth that is offered in love.

May we both speak and hear the truth, even when it hurts. And may we turn our eyes from celebrities and keep them focused fully on Jesus.

Judgements, the Bible, and Incomplete Information

1 Comment / June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025

We all make judgments. We make judgments about what is beautiful and what isn’t. And about what is “normal” and what “isn’t normal”. We make judgments about whether someone is doing something right or something wrong; And about whether someone is doing something wise or something foolish. We all do it. And we all do this quite naturally, whether we speak our judgments aloud or not.

But there are two things that we believers really should consider before we pass judgment. Before I go on I’d like to mention that this is something God has been teaching me, oh so gradually, over the course of my lifetime and I am definitely not the same person I used to be. But I am still growing in this area. It’s so easy to write about something the Bible teaches, but learning to live it out takes a lifetime.

The FIRST thing for our consideration is this: Is my judgment based on God’s Holy Word or is it based on my opinion?

If it’s based on my opinion then does it really matter? What makes one opinion better than another?

Here’s a silly example (albeit a practical one). Let’s consider a woman’s shirt. Let’s say I notice a co-worker’s new shirt and I just don’t like it. It’s bright and loud in a color I do not care for and I find it very unappealing. Why is my opinion about that shirt better than the wearer’s opinion? And does it really matter?

Now, let’s take that same shirt and let’s say that it is cut very low and is very immodest. The Bible tells us to dress modestly (I Timothy 2:9-10). So now I am making a judgment between right and wrong which, in fact, we are supposed to do (Matthew 7, I Thess. 5:21-22, and others).

Judgments that are based on our opinions don’t always need to be said. But sometimes they do need to be shared. For example, in committee meetings or family gatherings, when a plan is being developed or a vacation planned. At that point, we speak up with the understanding that there is really no “right” or “wrong” in the situation but that our opinion is simply based on preference.

But what we do with our biblical judgments? Are we to speak each one? This is probably worth a post all its own but, for the sake of time and space here today, let’s just nutshell it in this way: True love discerns, through prayer, when speaking truth is appropriate and is willing to confront when necessary. A lot of harm has been done by parents, pastors, teachers, and others who were simply unwilling to speak biblical truth into the lives of others because they were worried about offending.

This leads to the SECOND thing which we must consider: Are we are aware that we may have incomplete information as to why someone made a choice?

This is not regarding the actual making of judgments but, rather, about our attitudes that accompany our judgments.

When we make biblical judgments, we make them based on our own life experiences. This leads many of us to give no grace, no mercy, no lee-way for other life experiences.

So, for example, someone growing up in a Christian home will naturally know the Bible better than a baby Christian who just got saved as an adult and is learning. Do we have grace for the baby Christian who is just learning?

Or another example is that perhaps someone made a decision for a very good reason but you, looking from the outside, are not privy to the reason for that decision and are judging them for doing something unwise based on your incomplete information. We don’t always know the facts and perhaps they didn’t do anything unwise at all.

Do we give people the benefit of the doubt? Or do we fall prey to having a “holier than thou” attitude?

We only have our life experience from which to form judgements. But it’s so important to recognize that our life experiences are not the gold standard. Only the Bible can and should inform all of our judgments.

And this should lead us to grace and mercy as we remember our life is not their life. And they may have challenges about which we have no idea at all. This doesn’t mean we don’t talk with them when we see sin or worldliness. It just means we have a humble, loving attitude that acknowledges we may not know everything.

So… what if a judgment is based on scripture and you find yourself concerned about someone you love? What to do?

Our natural response is to gossip or to make sarcastic, passive-aggressive remarks letting others know how we feel. The godly response is to keep quiet and go to that person personally and find out the whole story; find out why they made the choice they did and lovingly and kindly point to the scripture that shows that it is wrong.

Can you see why correct interpretation and honest hermeneutics of God’s Word are so critical to life? There are so many manmade “rules” and “laws”—rules and laws that man has created that are simply not in scripture. And there are also so many principles and commands that go completely ignored and neglected by professing Christians who love the world.

And can you see why it’s so important to be able to recognize an opinion-based judgment from a scripture-based judgement?

I have been judged for many things throughout my life. One that sticks out in my memory is being judged for drinking orange juice with my pop-tart instead of milk. Someone made me feel like a fool because of this decision.

As I reflect on that experience, which is over twenty years ago now, I find it such an unnecessary judgement. It’s a silly example but there are so many just like it that happen every day.

Judgments like this build walls instead of building unity. They create division instead of creating a loving, safe place to grow together.

Oh, that we may recognize the difference between our subjective, opinion-based judgments and objective, scripture-based judgments. May we handle any judgment in a loving, biblical manner that will support and encourage God’s family, rather than tear it down.

The Wheat and the Tares

Leave a Comment / May 31, 2025 May 31, 2025

Recently, I decided to research some reviews for something we are preparing to buy. Reviews can be tricky because some people are never happy. But you can generally find a trend if you look hard enough.

But this got me thinking. Have you considered that religion is the one thing you are not allowed to honestly review? It’s the one thing that is considered off-limits to critique, evaluate, or examine.

Why is this?

It’s because religion, in all its forms, has become completely and utterly subjective. The individual gets to decide what is right for them (they are the judge), rather than God deciding what is good and right (He is the judge and has given us His Word to show us what is good and right).

While lots of people calling themselves Christians would never admit that they believe in universalism (everyone is going to heaven), they do believe in a form of it (everyone who “believes in Jesus” is going to heaven—no matter if their Jesus is in direct opposition to the Jesus of the Bible; no matter if they utterly ignore God’s Word; no matter that they live in sin and worldliness without conviction.)

I am not sure I realized until just now how we have been so deeply affected by relativism. Of course, I knew at some level. But it has so exponentially exploded so that you aren’t “allowed” to criticize anything. And if you do, you are the worst of the worst. You are the unloving, unkind one. YOU are the wicked, evil one.

It doesn’t matter if you have Bible verses in context as an argument. How dare you argue against someone’s opinion or feelings?

But opinions or feelings never inform true religion. My opinions and feelings are irrelevant to how Christianity is defined and lived out. And so are yours. I am no judge. None of us are. Our desire should be to proclaim the Word of God in its entirety. The Bible contains the most beautiful promises for God’s redeemed child. It also contains difficult commands that are not pleasant to my flesh. It has painful truths and delightful encouragement. Every single word of it is true and we don’t get to pick and choose what we want.

The Bible is what makes Christianity an objective religion. We don’t get to just go by our feelings, wherever they lead us. And, honestly, would we even want to? Oh, thank the Lord, we are not dependent upon our feelings for they will always end up leading us astray and away from God.

Many truths of scripture do not feel good. Many lies of the devil feel great. We can’t go by what we feel.

I was talking to one of my daughters last night and we were talking about how this subjectivity has infiltrated the churches—almost all churches— now. To the point that there are few Christians who don’t subscribe at some level to this feelings-oriented “Christianity”.

Who is saved? Who isn’t? The wheat and the tares are basically indistinguishable now (Matthew 13:24-30) and I certainly don’t know. But what I do know is that scripture is the basis for true, genuine Christianity and it will continue to be my guide, my litmus test, and my anchor.

If what someone is saying doesn’t line up with the Bible, I will be skeptical. If some famous celebrity is claiming to know Christ while boasting about still living in sin, I will assume he is lying. If some new trend comes on the scene to help me experience “God’s presence”, I will run.

Just because someone names the name of Jesus does not make them a genuine Christian. Remember—even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:17). Anyone can say words. It is our actions that prove our words.

So where does grace come in? Grace is an important word here because many people are blind to certain things. In fact, I would venture to say we are all blind at some level, no matter how much we love the Lord. It is the nature of humanity.

The other thing to remember is that true believers can resist certain truths because of what following the truth would cost them. I resisted a certain truth for 15 years. My conviction of it would come and go through those years, while I continued in a pattern of something that was not pleasing to my Savior. I praise the Lord for His patience with me over those years.

And so, we must have grace. True believers can be blind and can resist certain truths. We are not the judge and we are not God. We can’t know what is going on in any heart.

But the one thing we can do—and we can do with fervency—is pray. Ask God to save them or to grow their faith—He knows which is needed. Pray for those you see who are blind or are resisting the truth. Pray that God would open their eyes and soften their hearts.

And then, while we are at it, let’s pray the same thing for ourselves. Oh, that our eyes would be open and our hearts be teachable to the things God tells us in His Word.

We must just continue to do the next right thing as we endeavor to avoid the works of the flesh, walk in the Spirit, and crucify our flesh (Galatians 5). And this lifestyle is not burdensome to us because we have a new heart. It is the genuine Christian’s heart’s desire to live in this way and to please our Heavenly Father. Oh, our flesh may argue with us sometimes but, deep down inside, we want to be righteous.

May we not allow anyone to hoodwink us into thinking that we can worship or act any old way we want to and still follow Jesus. That is just not true, according to scripture. God has given us very specific guidance on what our lives should look like after salvation and those who are genuinely saved desire to follow this guidance.

May we hold onto the Bible with all our might as we live in the midst of this relative, subjective, groundless religion called “Christianity” (which clearly isn’t Christianity at all).

He Shall Direct Thy Paths

2 Comments / May 27, 2025 May 27, 2025

Proverbs 3:5-6 are probably two of the most-loved verses in all of scripture. They remind us to trust the Lord, to lean not on our own understanding, and promise us God’s direction. But as I was reading this chapter this morning, I realized that these two little verses must be taken in context. They are surrounded by some other pretty important nuggets of wisdom that can’t be overlooked if we long to trust the Lord and have Him direct our paths.

Such as…

(Vs. 1-2) we dare not forget God’s law and we must work diligently to keep His commandments. We are even told that, as a rule, doing this will give us a long life and peace. Of course, there are legitimate exceptions to this due to God’s sovereign will, but we can see how living a moral, upright life will keep us from a lot of harm.

(Vs. 3) Do not forsake mercy and truth. Can we overestimate the value of mercy and truth in the life of a believer?

Truth keeps us on the straight and narrow path and keeps us from deception. Our only hope of protection and a victorious Christian life is to love the truth of God’s Word more than we love anything else. This is easy to write but hard to live. We all have areas in which we are tempted to ignore, bypass, or outright reject the truth of scripture because the cost is so much higher than we are willing to pay. It is so important that we ask the Lord to give us courage and steadfastness and the willingness to submit to and obey His Word, no matter the cost.

Mercy is what will keep us humble as we seek to follow the truth. My grandfather used to say that “pride is a handle that fits any tool” and there is no tool that it fits better than trying to do what’s morally right and obeying God’s commands. But mercy will keep us from turning up our noses at others and will fill us with humility as we recognize that all genuine believers have victories and we all struggle—just in different ways. Mercy and grace abound in humility of heart and live in perfect harmony with Truth.

(Vs. 7) And then this most important verse after verse 6. This verse explains how we are practically able to execute verses 5 and 6.

First, we are not to be wise in our own eyes. Here we go back to pride again. Pride will keep us from submission to the Lord, it will keep us leaning on our own understanding instead of the Lord’s, it will cause us to stray from the narrow path, AND it will destroy our relationships.

Second, we are to fear the Lord. What does this mean? That we are “scared” of Him? No, of course not. The fear of the Lord means having the proper, reverential, submissive attitude towards the Lord. It means we live our lives with God at the center, instead of ourselves, holding Him in awe and recognizing His greatness, omnipotence, and glory. Earlier in this book, we read that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7). That’s how important it is that we fear the Lord.

Third, we are to depart from evil. We cannot expect the Lord to direct our paths if we are purposely walking outside His will in sin or worldliness. Evil comes in all shapes and sizes and, through our study of God’s Word, we soon begin to understand that we have far too narrow view of this word. It goes far beyond the “awful stuff” we tend to put in its category and encompasses but is not limited to: Wicked entertainment that goes against God both morally and philosophically; immodest dress and other ways we draw attention to ourselves; an unforgiving and unloving spirit; selfishness; rebellion against God’s laws; and passion for the world’s wealth and status (just to name a few!) If we are honest with ourselves, we all have something that tempts us to do evil. This is why it is so important that we be examining our hearts and our lives on a regular basis.

(Vs. 8) Doing these three things will not only help us to trust the Lord, lean not our understanding, and help us discern God’s direction for our path; but they will also make us healthy spiritually. They will enable us to live a victorious Christian life.

Sometimes we can oversimplify the words of God. And, while loving just two verses we pull out of scripture isn’t necessarily bad, it is so important that we study our favorite passages in the context which they are given. We will get so much more from God’s Word when we take the time to meditate upon our favorite verses in their proper context.

𝘔𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘸;
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴:
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦.
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦:
𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬;
𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵:
𝘚𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯.
𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵;
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘐𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘴.
𝘉𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴:
𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭.
𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴.
* Proverbs 3:1-8 *