discernment

Red is just not my color

July 16, 2024

The other morning as I sat on my back porch, I was filled with thankfulness at the view around me. But, in my opinion, the view was marred by one small thing. Not really, but sort of.

This spring, when we got our hundreds of flats of flowers that we plant for customers, there was one mistake. They sent red dragonwing begonias instead of white. My husband told me to keep them…that we would use them somewhere. In my head, I quickly reviewed my plans for each customer, as I wasn’t sure where we would use them, but we did keep them.

Since I had these red begonias that were just sitting there, I decided to use some red on my back patio. I haven’t used red…well, in perhaps forever. I am more of a “pink” person. But I thought this one year, it wouldn’t be a big deal, right?

Wrong.

I wish I would have planted my normal pink. I just don’t love red. Now, some of you feel the other way. You love red and don’t love pink. Or you love something different altogether…perhaps purple or yellow. We all have the colors we love and it’s so wonderful that we aren’t all the same. What a boring world this would be if we all liked the same things.

The freedom of opinion is a wonderful thing to have. But it’s not something we have when it comes to the scripture. Over the past few years, there has been a general trend towards making the Bible mean whatever it means to you. To believe that it doesn’t have just one interpretation.

So when Bible studies get together, they will ask questions like, “What does this verse mean to you?” Or the teacher will say “in my opinion, this verse means…”

But this isn’t how we should approach scripture. One of us doesn’t get to choose a certain interpretation because we like it, while someone else believes something different altogether.

As I once heard it said: You can be right and I can be wrong, I can be right and you can be wrong. We both can be wrong. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.

As soon as we believe that we can interpret scripture any old way we choose, we have undermined the authority of scripture. And I think that’s probably the whole point.

There has been a slow but steady effort to move Christians from the authority and trust of scripture. This has been replaced by personal authority (the individual gets to decide what a verse means) and trust in reasoning and feelings.

This change has happened so slowly that it is almost imperceptible. I think that is why so many have missed it. It’s only when we take a walk back through history that we can see this troubling change. It’s only as we study the future, according to scripture, that we see why this change had to take place.

We can’t change the world. And, most likely, we won’t change our churches or any large group of people in our circle. But we can recognize this and respond accordingly in our own lives, as well as to speak up about this as God gives us opportunity.

Who Is Jesus According to…? A Study of Religions (Before We Begin)

2 Comments / April 19, 2024

I’ve spent the last few weeks really studying who Jesus is in God’s Word and comparing this to a specific false religion that uses His name. As I’ve been studying, I realized that there are two key points that need to be shared before we can really get started on this series. The first one will be extremely helpful in ascertaining whether or not a religion using the name of “Jesus” is true or false. And the second point is beyond important as we continue on. Please don’t miss it.

FIRST KEY POINT:

It is critical to remember that, to God, there are only two religions: True Religion and False Religion. God has given us all we need to know to worship Him as He desires in His Holy Word. It is there we find true religion. Any religion that doesn’t submit to or abide by His Word is a false religion.

Now, I recognize that some may ask how is the Bible different from any other “Holy Book” and why is Christianity so special? Why is THIS the only (and exclusive) religion? While it is not the point of this post to delve too deeply into this question (which can be clearly answered, by the way), I would like to share the one thing that was rather an “Ah-Ha” moment for me personally regarding this specific question.

Did you know that Christianity is the ONLY religion where you don’t have to DO anything? There is nothing YOU can do to merit salvation. Heaven is a free gift, given by God because He loves us (John 3:16). It has nothing to do with works in any way (Ephesians 2:8-9).

All false religions, whether they use the name of Jesus or not, rely on good works at some level to merit eternal life. THIS is HOW Christianity is different. And THIS is why it’s the only true way.

God, in His amazing grace, reached down to sinful man and offered the free gift of salvation to those who seek Him. It’s an awe-inspiring and critical difference.

So this is how you know if a religion is true or false.

NOW, I would like to add here that there is a false religion that relies on a “decision to accept Christ” that has a heretical view of God’s Grace and true biblical faith. This, too, is a FALSE religion. To declare that one is saved simply because of a sentence that was said when moved emotionally and then yet to go on living the same sinful, worldly life is NOT true Christianity. We know this because the Bible tells us that such a change is wrought in the true child of God that they can’t help but be transformed in some way! We become a “new creature” as Paul puts it (2 Corinthians 5:17) As we are changed into the image of Christ, we all change at different rates and we must have grace for one another. But the Bible clearly shows us that if we aren’t changed at some level, then we aren’t saved. The difference is this: Our holy lives and good works aren’t the means of our salvation, they are the evidence of it.

I may actually feature this false religion that people view as “Christianity” later on in this series, as it seems that so many people have been deceived by this false teaching which has eternal consequences.

SECOND KEY POINT:

As I have been praying and thinking more about this upcoming series, I was struck by something rather profound. As we take some time to take a look at these religions that are using the name of our precious Savior in erroneous ways, it may be tempting for us to grow angry at those who are deceiving others or to be frustrated with family members or friends who just can’t see the truth.

It is critical to realize that it is the system that is false and, yes, even satanic. The people—no matter their role, whether leader or follower—well, they are, to put it simply, deceived.

They are our mission field. They are not our enemy.

According to scripture, our enemy is not flesh and blood. Our enemy is the devil. (Ephesians 6:11-12) He may use, manipulate, and deceive people. But the people are not our real enemy. They are simply deceived tools in the hands of our enemy.

How essential to keep this in mind as we continue on in this study. Our hearts should rightly be filled with righteous anger as we contemplate the deception that has robbed these lost souls of joy and peace and hope and we should weep for them.

It is my prayer that this series will be of great help to you in your conversations with those caught up in these false systems but find themselves seeking the Truth. And that, through the Holy Scriptures, you will be better equipped to reveal the errors that they have believed and point them to the light and life and freedom that can only be found in the true Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible.

Next week, we will lay the foundation for the rest of the series and answer the question: Who is Jesus, according to the Bible?

Why Is There Such a Lack of Discernment?

4 Comments / February 13, 2024

I’ve been having a lot of conversations over the course of this past week about the lack of discernment that is exponentially growing among believers. The lack of interest in sticking to the scriptures is truly astounding, isn’t it?

It would seem that as long as the name of Jesus is used along with a few Bible verses, these TV shows and movies and books and teachers and preachers are given a golden pass to teach and promote whatever they want.

The other week I was in a church service where, as the music started, the congregation began singing the lyrics on the screen in front of them. But something didn’t seem quite right. I realized what it was when the pastor stood up and said “wait a minute”. The organist had accidentally started playing a different hymn and we were singing our lyrics to the wrong tune. We were making it work but it wasn’t right. These things happen (as a pianist, don’t I know it!!) and we all laughed as she began playing the hymn that was on the screen.

I have found myself wondering what would have happened if the pastor wouldn’t have stood up and said “wait, that’s not right.” I think we all would have just kept singing, getting more and more confused along the way.

This is such a great picture of what discernment should look like in a church. Church leaders, pastors, and teachers should be protecting their people from the wolves that are trying to make their way into the flock. They should stand up and say “Wait! That’s not biblical. That’s not the truth.” Instead, what we find in so many churches these days are few that are willing to speak up about false teaching and, in fact, many who are actually embracing these wolves and promoting them. It’s a sad, sad plight that is honestly hard to wrap one’s brain around.

But why this lack? Why are so few leaders willing to speak up? Why do people get so angry at them if they do speak up? What is going on? If we are honest, there are various reasons for this, but there is a big one that I want to mention here specifically.

I was having a conversation about this topic with my son yesterday and he said something like this: People just aren’t interested in God anymore.

I’ve been thinking about this and I think he is exactly right. They only want the nice things they read about a man named Jesus. They don’t have any interest in learning about God’s wrath and justice and His glory. They only want the nice stuff that makes their self-centered lives more pleasant. This is why a “Chosen” or “He Gets Us” Jesus has so much appeal. This is why so many of these false teachers gain such a following. They appeal to our flesh.

And this isn’t new. The Shack, Jesus Calling, and a plethora of other books and movies have laid the groundwork. Completely redefining our beliefs about God and Jesus, these books paved the way for where we find ourselves today. People are not getting their theology and understanding of God from scripture. They are turning to these bestsellers that are so close to the truth and yet so far away. Satan comes as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He looks so good and yet He is so evil.

False teachers assure us of God’s love, grace, and mercy while never mentioning our need to repent of sin or God’s wrath, judgment, and holiness. They mention only the positives and never the negatives. It’s a one-sided religion that is woefully lacking. And, no matter the different details these false teachers give for their particular brand of religion, a religion that blatantly ignores these things so clearly found in scripture is absolutely FALSE.

But did you know that we were told in scripture that there would come a time that this would happen? Paul writes in 2 Timothy–

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

These people who refuse to discern aren’t victims of false teaching. But, rather, false teaching is God’s judgment on them. This is an important distinction to make. If someone is unwilling to hold to the authority of God’s Word in their life because they just don’t like certain things it says; if they are unwilling to follow Truth because it is unpleasant and would rather believe the LIE that is so much more pleasant…well, then they will find no lack of people and philosophies to woo them away from both the Word and the Truth.

It keeps coming back to the same thing doesn’t it? I am sure you are weary of me saying it but it just cannot be said enough! The Bible is our only anchor in this storm of heresy and apostasy that is swirling about us at an ever-increasing rate. Read it, study it, know it. Studying it with a humble heart willing to submit and obey all it says; this, through God’s precious Holy Spirit, is that which will hold us fast. Oh, how thankful we must be for God’s Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit who teaches us through His Word. God knew a time like this would come and He has provided all we need to stand fast!

NOTE: If you are just now becoming aware of the need to discern in this Christian culture; if you are just becoming aware that Jesus is being misrepresented in the culture at large; if you are wondering about a book study or an author your church is using; then I’d like to tell you about a little book I just published called Learn to Discern. It’s a short, easy read that will get you started in learning to discern, according to scripture. You can find it here.

What Color is the Sky?

3 Comments / February 8, 2024

Back in the 80s, there was an artist who liked to write songs about hot topics of the culture. One of the songs he wrote was about values clarification. You may not know what this is but I guarantee it has affected every one of our lives.

Values clarification is determining what has value based on subjectivity (personal “truth”) rather than objectivity (absolute truth). So his song was about a boat in which there were four people but only three could stay in it if it was to stay afloat. Which person had the “least value” and what criteria should be used to determine this?

This push to teach students values clarification was, in my opinion, very instrumental in moving the entire culture from absolute truth to subjective truth. From “This is true because it is true” to “This is true because this is what I have decided is true”. And from “This is true for all” to “this is my personal truth”.

But truth, by its very nature, must be true or false. There is no “truth” for you and a different “truth” for me. The sky cannot be both blue and purple at the same time. But most people would not argue with someone who says the sky is purple. They are content to let someone believe this, even if they don’t agree with them. And, in fact, they believe that there can be a different answer than four to the equation 2+2. They may believe the answer is four but they do not care and, in fact, willingly accept that someone else’s “truth” may lead them to a different answer.

This attitude about absolute truth is leading many Christians right off the cliff into the morass of relativity when it comes to discernment. Instead of using the Bible to judge what is right and what is wrong (because for a believer, the Bible is our ultimate test for these things), they are using emotion and feeling and pragmatism (does it work) to determine these things. They are determining what is true subjectively rather than objectively.

Let me give you an example…

Last week, I posted something my daughter had written about “The Chosen” TV series (you can find that here). Inevitably the comments come (more for her at this juncture than for me, although I did get a couple). The general spirit of these comments is “God is using this, how can you judge something God is using?” or “This has helped me to read my Bible more, how could you say this is bad?”

These people are determining truth by their own subjective experience, rather than by scripture. They are saying something is good, simply because it helped them or is helping someone else (pragmatism).

I just have to add here that if we think God needs a show from Hollywood that attacks His divinity and adds to His Words to reach people, we have a very, very low view of our all-powerful God. I’d also recommend reading Deuteronomy 13 to be reminded of how God feels about anyone who would lead his people astray. He does not take this lightly (to say the least!!)

Another example are the many popular books that make people “feel good”. They feel loved and comforted and encouraged. A book can’t possibly be wrong if it makes me feel so good, could it?

But should our feelings be our criteria for determining what is right, according to scripture? Is this what gives something “value”?

As genuine believers, we must hold the scripture as our authority and we must use this to determine what is right and good.

I think I am probably “preaching to the choir” here, because at this point if you are still sticking around here reading this blog, you are probably already aware of the danger of this type of thinking. And so let’s spend a moment or two considering how we talk to those who profess to follow Christ and yet just can’t see this danger.

This is a conundrum, isn’t it? It is an attitude that has reached every church and even every Christian family at some level. And it feels impossible to open someone’s eyes to how they are determining truth because they believe in their hearts that they are right. And guess what? It IS impossible for us to open their eyes. But God can!

And that is our HOPE. God–and only God–can open the eyes of someone who is determining truth in the wrong way. And so we must pray diligently.

As we pray, we must do our best to set a good example in our own lives of determining truth by scripture instead of by feelings. And, if we are given opportunities to have conversations about this with other Christians, we just keep pointing people to the Word. This is all we can do.

What we must never do is get into online debates or family arguments about this. Discussions are good but quarrels are not. If the person you are trying to point to the Word to determine truth wants no part of it, it’s best to just stop talking.

This is a very, very difficult time in which to be a Christian. Us older people can remember a time when truth was...truth. But that is simply not the case any more. We see this in a myriad of ways in secular culture but it has also crept into the church under the guise of “love and unity”.

Letting false teaching run amok among believers can never be defined as LOVE. And any unity that is based on “you believe what you want and I’ll believe what I want” is not true UNITY. But, unless someone is getting their definitions for love and for unity from scripture, they will have a very different opinion than you about this. These beautiful words that have so much meaning in scripture have literally been re-defined.

Oh, that we may continue to look to scripture as our anchor and our litmus test. And, as God gives us opportunities, may we encourage other believers to do the same.

If you’d like to read more about how to discern truth from error as a believer, along with some ideas on how to share the truth with others, perhaps my new book Learn to Discern (According to Scripture) would be helpful. It is available at this link. This is just a short book that I hope will help those who desire some help in learning to discern. I hope it will be a blessing to those who read it.

How Our Enemy Works

2 Comments / January 18, 2024

Last night we decided to watch a movie. We settled on a golf story that was rated G. It seemed well produced with a few familiar actors. As it began I noticed a verse from Isaiah flash up on the screen. I was distracted and didn’t take the time to read what that verse was. (I’ll come back to that later.)

As we settled in to watch, we enjoyed the story of a young golfer who had lost his way. Quite unsuspectingly, we ended up at the spiritual crux of the film, which was about 60 minutes in to the 90 minute film.

It started off quite innocently enough. Turning to the young man, his older mentor asked him a very good question:

What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? What will your epitaph be?

Thought-provoking, isn’t it? After a few moments more of conversation regarding this, the young man thanked his mentor for all his help…which led to the older gentleman going on to encourage the young golfer towards his version of god (no capital because it wasn’t God at all!)–

(queue moving music) And I quote: Don’t thank me. Thank Him (pointing upwards) because God is all around us…inside each of us. If you listen, there’s a still small voice of truth leading us….talking to us…and telling you that you can see God’s face. Feel His presence. Trust His love.

No sin. No wrath. No Savior. Just look within and there you will find God. What blasphemy!

Now, this movie, which gave the impression of being a Christian movie, complete with encouragement to read the Holy Bible and go to church, ended in a very enigmatic way. It pointed you to a website. I decided to go there, and while I found a reference or two to Jesus, I could find NO Gospel. The first thing I did find was a testimony regarding the attacks the “enemy” (Satan) had made on the film during its production.

Oh. My. Goodness. How clever of Satan, right? Attack a film that is ALL HIS to begin with to give the message validity in the eyes of Christians. That is how our enemy works.

That bit of advice that man gave his protege was not biblical. It was satanic. It was pure mysticism and completely against scripture. Jeremiah couldn’t put it any plainer in verse 9 of chapter 17–

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

When I want back to look at just what verse they had used at the beginning of that film, I saw that it was verse completely taken out of context to promote this wicked lie that was nestled into this G-rated film.

See how our enemy works? He produces these innocuous movies, using out of context verses, and gradually changes the belief system of those who don’t know their Bibles and what it really says.

Until most of those who would claim Christianity do believe those words that man said. After all, who doesn’t love a religion that tells you to look to yourself (while claiming it is God) for the answers?

This belief–the belief to FOLLOW OUR HEARTS–is the core of mysticism and occultism. This belief is what will lead the world into the coming one-world religion.

Along with this core belief comes a very innocuous “Jesus”. He is a kind and loving man who doesn’t care if you keep sinning or if you follow after that heart of yours. He just wants to support you in whatever you want to do.

A friend of mine put this so succinctly yesterday in a comment. I asked her if I could share her thoughts with you. (Thank you, Susie!)–

[Modern-Day Christianity] is so one sided where Jesus is loved as the caring, loving, gentle, “give me everything I want when I want it” person, to the neglect of obedient walking, sin confessing, holy living, fear and reverence of God….

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have both of those sides to them. We cannot have one without the other.

To put it bluntly, God gets to call the shots. He is God. We don’t get to reinvent a fluffy nice Jesus who gives all I want without me walking obediently to God’s Word, and avoiding or neglecting parts of scripture where God seems harsh. “Keep yourself in the love of God” means to keep the love of God in view always as you read scripture.

What we have today is a selfish lop-sided religion world-wide.

Amen! But you need to understand that this is not without purpose. To get a bunch of people claiming to be Christians but living for themselves; listening to themselves; obsessed with themselves is a BIG win for Satan. For these people believe they are saved. They use the right terms, they sing songs of praise to Jesus, and they have their devotions. Oh, how burdened I am for these people who are living for their own dreams, their own promotion, their own desires and yet believe they are saved.

Maybe that is you? Oh, if it is, may I call you from a self-centered life to a God-centered life? May I encourage you to read the actual Bible rather than a devotional that just makes you feel good? Learn what biblical Christianity is from the scripture. It is there alone that we learn to know God and begin to understand our sinful nature and just how lost and hopeless we are without Jesus.

In Sunday School this past Sunday our teacher said something very profound:

If [Christianity] doesn’t impact your life, it’s not real.

He was referring specifically to turning from sin and worldliness. If we aren’t actively trying to do this (albeit imperfectly!)…if we aren’t even conscious of the fact that we should be doing these things, we should be concerned. Have we been duped into believing the lies of the enemy?

I keep a pair of crocs by the front door where I leave the dogs out. Sometimes I need to go out to check on something or to encourage them to come inside. Lately, I’ve been finding one croc all over the place. Sometimes it is in the kitchen, other times the sun room. This morning I found one under a blanket in the family room.

Our lab, Dixie, likes to steal shoes. She doesn’t usually harm them but simply grabs one shoe and moves it for some reason. I find shoes at the most unexpected places.

True biblical Christians are like this. We will find them everywhere across this world. Sometimes in unexpected places. I’ve had the great privilege of getting to know some of you through this blog. I’ve heard the testimonies of some from missionaries or through YouTube. And, in other cases, I’ve read their biographies.

While there is a great tsunami of apostasy that has invaded evangelicalism, God still has His faithful remnant spread across the world. I pray that we all study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15) and consistently examine our hearts (2 Corinthians 13:5) to be sure that we are part of that remnant. And that we work diligently to share the TRUE Gospel amidst the flood of false gospels that abound.

(And, one final thing in conclusion– be so careful what you watch. Do not watch even one movie, read one book, or listen to one podcast without intentional discernment. Satan knows full well that some Christians won’t watch, read or even listen to certain things and so he uses things that we assume to be free from worldly influences to share his message. Pay attention to the philosophies that are infused into innocuous packages.)

Always More to Learn

3 Comments / December 12, 2023

This morning when I came downstairs, my dogs started barking as soon as they glanced out the side windows by our front door. I saw a township truck with a man setting out a flag that said “road closed”. I waited until he had gone and then left the dogs out.

Both started barking madly and rushing towards the sign which sat across the road. I shouted for them to stop and both did hold their ground (thankfully) but they kept barking at the big orange sign.

I told them just how silly they were. That it was just a sign. But the big dog just kept giving nervous glances and fierce single barks at the sign throughout her entire time outside. It was comical, really.

But it was such a great picture of what I’ve been thinking about over the past week or so.

Last week, I took my oldest grandson to Chocolate World in Hershey, PA for his “grandma day” (“grandma day” is my golden opportunity to spend one-on-one time with each grandchild who lives locally. So fun!) We wanted to do something Christmas-y but I was limited by a later appointment and I couldn’t find anything local enough that was open on a Wednesday.

While we were there, we decided to watch the new movie “experience” they have. While we stood waiting, Hershey facts flashed up on the screen:

Did you know 25 million Reese’s cups are made every single day?

Did you know 200 tons of Twizzlers are made every day?

As I pondered these unknown facts, I thought about how many things in this life I do not know.

This goes for me spiritually, as well. Through the years, I have had friends who have challenged me on different things and according to scripture. Things I didn’t realize were offensive to God. And, in this, I was not unlike my dogs. We both did not know an important piece of information. While, for my dogs it was the knowledge that the sign did not present any danger at all; for me, it was the knowledge that what I was doing (or reading or watching) did present a real spiritual danger.

Because there are just always things we don’t know.

I am so very, very grateful that God uses His Word and brings people and situations into my life that constantly challenge my status quo Christian life.

This happened to me again recently. Someone asked me a question and it has really gotten me thinking again about something I’ve always done. Forever. But… when I run it through the grid of scripture, I have to admit that it is not something that pleases God. I never thought for even a second of my entire life that there was anything wrong with this particular thing (and yes, I am purposefully being vague). But that question my friend asked just keeps coming back to my mind. And when I consider scripture and what it says, I know that I have been wrong in this area. Even though it was in ignorance, it was still sin.

Isn’t it so kind of our heavenly Father to conform us, bit by little bit, into Christ’s image? His lovingkindness is such a blessing. We could never handle it if it was done all at once. The realization of what it means to live a pure and holy life before God would be completely overwhelming and discouraging if we were to fully understand all at once.

I am so thankful that God so gently and so kindly transforms us, as we are willing to yield what we thought we loved and desired to Him. As I think about the things I have been convicted about over the years, I realize that I don’t even miss them. I’ve written about many of these here on the blog through the years. Giving up some of these things was excruciatingly hard. I didn’t want to do it. And, yet, as I look back, I realize that God changed my heart so completely after my obedience (sometimes obedience that was quite reluctant and took years!) that I don’t even miss these things I thought I couldn’t live without.

And, so, I am going to, in faith, step out in obedience once again and turn from something I have really enjoyed but that God has so kindly shown me does not please Him. Trusting that once I choose to obey, it won’t even matter to me anymore.

I am thankful that we can always be learning and growing. That we aren’t stuck in some stagnant place without hope. Of course, as we learn and grow, we also learn that we are further from God’s standard of perfection than we ever realized (and just how much we need Jesus as our Savior!!!) and we grow in our knowledge of the depth our own sinfulness and in our understanding of the awesome goodness and amazing grace of God.

I know one thing, I certainly look forward to the day when sin will no longer reign in this mortal body and that all I will do and want to do forever and ever will be to praise and please God without any flesh getting in the way. What a glorious day that will be!

It’s Simple Really

4 Comments / October 18, 2023

This morning as I studied my Bible, I got to thinking about something I heard yesterday in a sermon. Basically the thought was that false doctrines and teachings arise out of our lusts (for sin and for the world). This struck me profoundly.

The Bible’s message is actually pretty easy to understand. Sure, there are a few areas that are hard and we can’t really “get”. But, generally, it’s actually pretty understandable. The Bible clearly shows that we are lost sinners without hope and that salvation comes by faith in Christ alone through grace alone. There are NO works we can do to merit favor with God. It also clearly shows the terrible eternal destiny of those who reject Christ. Our call, as genuine believers, to please God, to turn from sin and worldly lusts and passions, to deny ourselves, to die to self, to call out false teachers, to expect persecution and antagonism for following the truth, and to turn from man’s vain philosophies (such as so-called “science”)… all these things are very plainly expressed.

So what is the problem?

The problem is that we want to “feed our flesh”. Oh, that awful flesh. It gets us into so much trouble. The old man wars with our new man and we can so easily lay our weapons down and stop fighting (i.e. rationalize and excuse our sin and worldliness away) if we but take a few verses out of context here or twist a verse or two there. And that’s how false doctrine is born.

As those who want to sincerely follow Christ, we must pray and ask God to open our eyes where we may be blind. We must ask Him to help us to follow the truth no matter the cost. This is a frightening prayer, isn’t it? And, yet, to be caught up in deception has far, far worse consequences than knowing the truth.

I was studying 2 Timothy 2 this morning and verses 3 and 4 of that chapter give us some guidance on how following the truth is even possible–

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

So, according to Paul, here in this chapter, we are to–

Endure hardship.

Remember that we are a soldier and God is our Captain (which means we are in a war!)

Do not entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life.

And there you have it: Three critical ways in which we must follow God’s Word, if we are to keep from being deceived and confused.

This is so much harder to live out than it is to write. The costs of following after God and His Word are very real and can be very painful. They can cost you relationships, material gain, jobs and careers, your beloved church home, and any other number of things.

But we must remember that it is worth it. Oh, so worth it. I am reminded of Paul’s words in another epistle–

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)

Paul tells us all is rubbish when compared to the treasure of knowing Christ. May we remember this as we travel in the confusing landscape that makes up modern day Christianity.

Following God is simple really. But it isn’t easy.

The Missing Earring

4 Comments / October 10, 2023

I was vacuuming the other day when I spotted something shiny on the carpet. I reached down to pick it up and realized it was a favorite earring. I have a rather bad habit of putting my earrings in the back corner of the fourth or fifth step so that I can grab them on my way upstairs. Up to this point, that had worked just fine.

That is…until Dixie came along. Our Labrador Retriever puppy gets into everything and I had grown a bit lazy with keeping the gate across the steps. I knew right away that she had found them.

But there was only one earring lying there. Where was the other one?

I briefly scanned the floor, the path to the steps, and the steps and then started to panic a bit. Had she eaten it? She must have eaten it!

I made the assumption that somehow (and for some unknown reason) she had eaten my earring. I started thinking about the size of it, trying to discern if we were going to be dealing with a pet emergency. I was also more than a little disappointed to lose a pair of earrings I actually cared about (there aren’t many that I would care about).

As I stood there, my husband came in the house and asked what was wrong. I cried out in dismay that Dixie had eaten one of my favorite earrings. He wisely cautioned me not to panic and to take some more time to look.

So I went back over the path from the steps to where I had found the earring. Nothing there. And then I stood at the steps and really looked at each one. The earring blended in with the carpet, which made it a bit harder to find. My eyes carefully searched each step. Reaching the bottom step, I finally saw the small piece of jewelry winking up at me.

How had I missed it the first time? I realized that it was because I was already assuming that Dixie ate it so I didn’t expect to find it.

I’ve been thinking about how this incident can teach us a variety of lessons regarding discerning the truth in a “Christian” culture filled with lies.

1. Laziness is dangerous. The whole problem with the earrings began because I couldn’t be bothered to shut the gate to the stairs. So many issues begin because we aren’t willing to do a little background work on that author that our best friend recommended or the Instagram account that our sister insists is just great. It’s just easier to go off someone’s recommendation, isn’t it? But we can’t do that anymore. We need to carefully make sure that this person recommended is someone that lines up with scripture. We can’t afford to be lazy.

2. Assumptions are rarely helpful. My assumption that the earring had been eaten kept me from seeing the truth: The earring was still on the steps. Only when I opened my mind to the possibility that I might find it, could my eyes see the actual truth of what really was. Oh, how similar this is to us in real life! Whether we assume someone is a biblical teacher or we assume someone is not a biblical teacher, we cannot fairly make an assessment until we compare something they have said, done, or written to scripture. We need to be open to the possibility that we are wrong in our assumption. It is critically important that God’s Word be our litmus test for ALL things. It is our only certain anchor in the midst of the religious chaos we find ourselves in.

3. We need to pay attention. I could have vacuumed that earring right up. Thankfully, my eye caught the little shiny object before I heard that familiar “clank clank” in the vacuum tube. But so often, in life, we don’t spot that lie before it’s too late. It’s so important that we become familiar with some of the common red flags that signal a false teacher OR a teacher that is moving away from solid biblical doctrine. (I wrote about some of these red flags we can be looking for in this post.)

4. We need to be teachable. When my husband encouraged me to keep looking for the earring, I could have just ignored him or even told him to “stop being so optimistic”, assuring him it was a lost cause. But, instead, in this instance (I don’t always respond like this!), I heard what he said and I followed his advice. I was so glad I did. I think so often when someone tells us something that goes against our assumptions or the thoughts already so firmly embedded in our minds, we just don’t want to hear what they have to say that might not agree with those assumptions and thoughts. BUT what if they are right? What if that person we so dearly love to follow is compromised? We have much so much to gain by at least checking into what they might be saying and so much to lose by not checking. It’s a win win situation. If they are biblical, we have lost nothing but a little time. If they aren’t biblical, we have saved ourselves from imbibing false teaching and straying off the narrow path.

I don’t know if this is helpful. I’ve noticed a real change in the “Christian” culture over the past few years. It seems to me that you are either someone who is already aware of what I wrote above or you are someone who doesn’t see the importance of what I wrote above and do not care. There just do not seem to be many in between anymore.

But, I know that God is still working on the hearts of His children, one by one. And so I hope that this will be an encouragement and blessing to someone out there today.

Can I Survive on Desserts?

2 Comments / July 12, 2023

What do you do for devotions? Do you have a book written by an author who shares a verse or two and then gives a bit of thought and application about that verse? Devotional books are quite popular and can be a big encouragement in our walk with the Lord.

But devotional books should not be considered our “time” with the Lord, for they are not really time spent in the Word. How do we know if the devotional book is solid if we aren’t reading and studying the actual Bible?

We really can’t. Let’s take a look at an example…

The most popular devotional ever, Jesus Calling, is filled with false teaching and error about Jesus. And, yet, this is what so many use as a devotional. I understand why. If we aren’t in the Word, doing the hard work of mining the treasure, then it looks pretty good. It’s filled with comforting words that we like. It is only when we actually study the life of Jesus that we can see that many things said about Jesus in that devotional are in direct opposition to who Jesus actually is.

That’s just one example. But there are many others.

Devotionals are easy to get down. They are like dessert. Full of “yummy” encouragement and sugared words, they build us up. A good devotional also convicts and challenges us. But they are, after every consideration, only dessert.

And just like we would never be able to survive–or at least survive with good health– if we only ate things filled with sugar and fat so, too, we cannot be in good spiritual health if we don’t fill ourselves with the meat of the Word.

Of course, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that a big component of this is time and laziness. Devotionals are easy. They are a quick way for us to check off “quiet time” on our long to-do list. Most of us don’t really desire to do the hard work of digging into God’s Word. And some of us probably don’t really know how and have just never bothered to learn.

The interesting and rewarding thing is this: When we commit to studying the actual Bible and go about doing it despite our feelings of apathy or inadequacy, we will be filled with more and more desire to know God and His Word. As they so often do in all aspects of life, feelings tend to follow along after the choices we make in our minds. As a good friend once told me–feelings should never be the engine of our choices but always the caboose. With our mind, we make the choice to study God’s Word faithfully and then the feelings will come, just like a caboose follows the train.

At any rate, I just wanted to take a few moments this morning and encourage you to eat your spiritual meat and veggies before getting to the dessert. While dessert certainly makes life sweeter, it will not sustain us for the long haul. May we view our devotionals as an “extra” and not the main course of our time spent with God.

Who is the Real Troubler?

3 Comments / June 8, 2023

I have been reading I Kings 18 and I just had to send out a second post to you all this week because it is just so interesting. And so very relevant to our own culture today.

In case you are unfamiliar with this book of the Bible, this particular passage in I Kings is about Elijah. In chapter 17, Elijah had pronounced to Ahab (wicked King of Israel) that God would judge Israel by allowing a three year drought—“there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (I Kings 17:1).

We are especially dry here where I live right now and so thinking through this took on new meaning. I can’t even imagine three whole years without rain!

In chapter 18, Elijah returns to Ahab three years later to pronounce that it would now rain. But this was not just a simple pronouncement. If you will remember, this is where Elijah calls all of the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel to a showdown. Whose God would answer by fire? (I Kings 18:24).

But let’s take a look at a few things of note in this chapter. There are quite a few lessons for all of us who seek to follow God whole-heartedly.

First, let’s take a look at a man by the name of Obadiah. He was over the King’s household but he “feared the Lord greatly” (I Kings 18:3) In fact, so much so that, when Jezebel sought to destroy all of the prophets of the Lord, he hid a hundred of them in a cave and took care of them.

So here was a man who was in a high place of influence and he used it for the good of God’s people. Not all are called to be teachers or preachers or influencers. Some are called to protect and to help and to support. Wherever we are, we must determine what our role is in God’s Kingdom. But we all do have one. God may have put you in a place of great influence, where you can really help and encourage those who are on the front lines. We should never neglect nor downplay this very important role in God’s family.

Second, we have this interesting exchange between Ahab and Elijah at the end of that three years—

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. (I Kings 18:17-18)

Ahab accuses Elijah of being the “troubler of Israel” but who is the real troubler here? Elijah says it to him straight: Ahab is! He has followed Baal and forsaken God and has brought judgment to Israel.

Oh, how often this happens still today! Particularly in churches. A person stands up for the truth of God’s Word against false teaching and they are demonized and ridiculed. They are called divisive and a “troublemaker”. Normally, they end up pushed out of the church. This has happened over and over again. I’d rather guess it has happened to some of you reading this right now.

It can be discouraging, can’t it? But we must remember that just because someone calls us the “troubler” does not necessarily make it true. Now…we can do things all wrong when we stand for truth and we certainly must be on guard to constantly and intentionally be checking our heart attitudes and our demeanor when we speak up in defense of God and His Word. But speaking up—even if we do it with the right attitude and in the kindest of ways—will often bring censure and anger. The truth of God’s Word is not something that most people love. Often, sadly, this includes even believers.

So don’t be discouraged if you’ve been called a “troubler” in your church or family or workplace. We need to check our attitudes, pray for grace and love, and then speak up against false doctrine and worldliness, when given opportunity. Just as we know God has commanded us to do.

Third, in I Kings 18, verse 21, Elijah accused the people of “limping between two opinions”. However, you can’t waffle between God and pagan worship. You can’t serve God and Satan at the same time. That’s what most in Israel were trying to do.

And I think that often happens in this culture, as well. Only we have more sophisticated, modern names for the things we worship than “Baal”. But, when it all comes down to it, it is the same thing.

When we choose to allow our child to play sports on a Sunday morning instead of go to church, we are dividing our allegiance. When we choose to watch a show or movie filled with wickedness, it’s probably time we just call it what it is: An act of allegiance to the devil. When we live and breathe work or education or even our families, they have become an idol that is in just as much competition with God as Baal ever was.

These idols in our lives sneak in. We don’t set out to worship anything else besides God. But, before we know it, our entire lives are wrapped up in something other than God. We must always be on guard against divided allegiance in our souls.

So those are just a few of the lessons God has for us in I Kings 18. There are more but I do not want to make this too long. I hope this has encouraged you this morning. I know it was very encouraging—and challenging, as well— for me to consider these things.

As we read on in chapter 18, we realize anew that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and that He, and He alone, is the ONE, TRUE GOD. May we keep this in our minds always as we seek to live for Him every single day.

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