The Bible

The Challenge of Sharing the Gospel

I have been studying Revelation this year and the reality of what is coming for the world…and for many of the people around me every day…has been setting in. I’ve become more burdened than ever for the lost as I have been studying what is going to happen in what seems to be the very near future.

But…I also find it so very difficult to know the best way to “bring up” the Gospel in every day situations. Particularly in this culture of wishy-washy American Christianity where everyone thinks they are saved.

So I decided to do something I haven’t done for awhile: Pray that God would bring me an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

I have prayed this prayer off and on through the years and God always answers it in the most amazing ways. I am quite ashamed I don’t think to pray this more often.

At any rate, God provided me with no less than three different opportunities to plant seeds for the Gospel this past week. I couldn’t miss them. It was truly incredible!

However, as I talked with the first person God “dropped in my lap”, I quickly grew discouraged. I realized at that time that for anyone to find true biblical faith in this culture of deception and lies it would truly take a miracle (but then the redemption of any person is truly a miracle, isn’t it?!) But, let’s be honest: How is anyone to figure out their way through the maze that calls itself Christianity these days? A maze that is chock-full of dead ends and false teaching?

Most people turn to one of these dead ends when they are searching. They are resting comfortably in a dead end corner of the maze, thinking they have reached truth. Why did I think that sharing the Gospel with someone who is so confused could possibly be frutiful? How can I– a simple ordinary person– “unconfuse” them? Surely God needs someone much more knowledgeable and gifted than myself to do this job. My enthusiasm to share the Gospel was dissipating rapidly in the midst of these thoughts.

And that’s when the thought came: Just point them to the Bible.

Remind them that truth is found in the Bible. Encourage them to read their Bibles.

I could do that. I might not be gifted in evangelism and the person I am talking to might be super confused. But God is bigger than all of this. And He uses His Word to open blind eyes.

For it is the Word that will tell people the truth about their souls in a way I never could–

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

And Isaiah reminds us that God’s Word never returns void–

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

My discouragement that afternoon was replaced by a renewed enthusiasm. God doesn’t need me to share the Gospel so that someone can be saved. He can use a rock to do that. It’s not my responsibility to save someone. It’s my responsibility to plants seeds for the Gospel. Lots and lots of seeds. And I believe that I can do this most effectively by pointing people to the Bible.

And so I have been excited to plant seeds this past week. Just last night, God provided an amazing opportunity I never expected with a young man from the Philippines who was helping me through a tech issue. (Please pray for him if you think of it. His name is Joshua.)

And let me brutally honest here. I had to argue with myself a few times to bring up God to this young man. Why would I bring up the Gospel with this stranger on the other side of the world? But this thought kept coming to mind: Why wouldn’t you? I had nothing to lose and he had everything to gain.

God is slowly changing my perspective on witnessing. He is reminding me through His Word what is coming both on this earth and for eternity for those who reject Him. And He has reminded me that I need to be faithful to plant Gospel seeds when I am given the opportunity and let the rest in His hands. I have also been reminded that God answers prayer. Specifically, God is very faithful in answering the prayers for opportunities to share the Gospel. But, most importantly, I have been reminded that it is in pointing people to the Bible that people will figure out their way to biblical salvation through this crazy “Christian” landscape that looks so impossible to navigate.

There is a way for all to know the whole and wonderful truth about God’s marvelous gift of salvation. It is through the inerrant, inspired, and infallible Word of God.

Is God Really Faithful to His Promises?

Do you think God gets mad at you when you sin? Mad enough to change His mind about your salvation? Is there anything you can do to “stop being saved”?

I find it interesting that those who would answer a resounding “no” to this question would answer “yes” when it comes to Israel. A good portion of the Christian population now believes that God transferred His love for His beloved people from Israel to the Church, despite His promise of an everlasting covenant with Israel. They believe that God changed His mind.

I am so thankful for a pastor who preaches that the Church has not replaced Israel. He recently started a study in Romans 9-11 where he reminded us all what the Bible clearly teaches about this subject. Interestingly enough, God used these same chapters when I was reading through the Bible (several years ago now) to help me understand this very thing.

If you believe that the Church has replaced Israel, you are not finding it in the clear teaching of the Bible but rather in the teachings of a man who created a theology outside of scripture and then went to scripture to try to back it up. (I ask anyone who believes in Replacement Theology to do some honest searching into the hows and whys of its creation.)

I’ve been thinking of how this wrong theology is such a clear turning away from scripture as I’ve been studying Revelation. In chapter seven we read of 144,000 people from Israel’s tribes being sealed for God’s purposes. They are very specifically listed. Why would God have John write down such a specific list if it wasn’t going to happen?

Lehman Strauss writes this in his commentary on this chapter—

“The 144,000 are all Israelites; not one Gentile is among them. Those who spiritualize the Scriptures, making Israel and the Church one and confusing law and grace, rob the nation of Israel of her promised blessings and in so doing commit a serious evil.”

I agree!

But perhaps the greatest offense of Replacement Theology is its attack on the character of God. God promised Israel that His covenant was everlasting and forever. Here are a few examples from scripture of His promises to Israel–

 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. (Genesis 13:14-15)

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Genesis 7:17-18)

And I ask you: Do we get to redefine the words “everlasting” and “forever” just because they don’t fit our man-made theology?

And just in case the words “everlasting” and “forever” aren’t enough, God gave us Psalm 89, where he specifically says: I will remain faithful even if Israel is faithless.

His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. (Psalm 89:30-36)

If forever doesn’t mean forever and everlasting doesn’t mean everlasting; if Psalm 89 is simply a nice poem–then what does this mean for us and our salvation? Or as I once heard a pastor say: If God is through with the Jew, what does that mean for me and you?

We cannot assume that God will remain faithful to us if we believe He has turned His back on His chosen ones whom He promised never to turn His back on!

But, praise the Lord, He has NOT turned His back on Israel. Oh, the miracle of Israel! I could write pages and pages about the miracle that modern day Israel is. The fact that they have remained a distinct people group despite being dispersed throughout the world is its own miracle. The fact that they are in a land surrounded by enemies and yet still exist could only be a work of God. There are so many more reasons (and miracles) I could share. I have to agree with Lehman Strauss: To deny Israel its rightful inheritance is a serious evil. It is also very serious attack on the character of God.

God does NOT make conditional promises that are based on our behavior. We do not serve such a fickle God as One who would break His covenants with us. Oh, praise His name, He is faithful even when we are faithless!!

It is so important to mention here that Satan hates Israel. He will do all he can to persecute her; to render her obsolete; to eradicate her. I believe one of the ways he is accomplishing that today is through Replacement Theology.

When we are willing to approach scripture with a consistent hermeneutic (method of interpretation) and cast aside the ideas of man, then the Bible comes alive in its cohesiveness. It all makes so much sense!*

Now…just to be clear, I do not believe this is a salvation issue. I believe there are many earnest believers who believe in this wrong theology. And I am also aware that I have simplified some of the arguments here. However, at the end of the day, I sincerely believe that when we come to the point where we are willing to just accept what scripture says as we read it through, we must end up with a belief that God has not–nor will He ever–turn His back on Israel.

I know there are so many Christians these days who don’t believe that God has a future for Israel. You may be one of them. May I ask you to pray humbly and sincerely and ask God to show you what is true regarding this important subject? There was a time that I didn’t know what I believed nor did I care very much about it. I am so thankful that God, in His great mercy and kindness, opened my eyes to this truth and the importance of it. I pray that He does the same for you.


*If you’d like to study this subject more, may I suggest a series by my brother, Pastor Dean Good, where he goes through the Bible from the beginning to end, taking a look at how it all fits together so perfectly. It is one of my favorite series and was so helpful for me in understanding that God’s plan is incredible and perfect and no philosophy of man will thwart His purposes! You can find that series HERE. Scroll to the bottom of the page for the first sermon in the series. (There are two pages of sermons so don’t miss page one–which you will find a link to at the bottom of the page.)

Why Is There Such a Lack of Discernment?

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.

In the Light of His Word

Last week I was reading a story that contained a father figure that used the Bible as a weapon. The husband/father would shout Bible verses as he beat his wife and children. A few days later I watched the movie, Jane Eyre, and her school master was the exact same way. I am also currently reading the biography of a woman who was one of Brigham Young’s wives (Mormon leader). He, too– a wicked, wicked man–used the Bible to his own advantage, leaving a path of destruction and violence behind him.

All of these men used select Bible verses without context to scar people forever. Never mentioned by any of these men was the Gospel or any of the verses that talk about the love and joy found in the scriptures. Many men (and women, too), found in positions of leadership, have used and abused scripture for their own intentions and purposes throughout history. They are still doing this today.

I’ve been reflecting on this for awhile now. No wonder there are so many people unenamored with and disinterested in the whole of scripture. The religion that went by the name of Christianity for so many precious children was a religion of rules and laws devoid of love.

This is probably why so many adults, growing up in this kind of church or home, are prone to follow the false religion that goes by the same name that only focuses on the love of God. It is a swing in the opposite direction to the extreme. Some of them leave Christianity altogether, searching for peace in a different religion or even in denying God’s existence.

All false teaching that claims to be a branch of Christianity (Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, etc.) always stems from this ripping of verses out of context. Legalism (must do certain things in order to be saved) is no different.

Legalism is an EVIL false doctrine and its victims are countless.

But let’s remember this important fact: True salvation and wanting to follow Christ because we love Him leads to a desire to turn from the world and remove sin. It just does. It is part of the wonderful transformation in our lives. This is not legalism. This is being saved and becoming a “new creature”, just as we are promised (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Someone who professes to be a Christian and yet loves their sin and the world will always cry “legalism” if a fellow believer even hints at their desire to live a more pure and holy life. Because of this dynamic, I rather doubt that most Christians even understand what legalism really is.

How important that we realize that true legalism is ugly and God hates it. It puts the burden of being saved and staying saved on us. And what a heavy burden that is! I am so thankful for Ephesians 2:8-9 (some of my favorite verses in the whole Bible)–

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Works will not save us and they will not keep us saved. In fact, there is not even one thing we can do to save ourselves. Thank God we are saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and kept by Him for all eternity. Oh, how I love these verses I came across as I studied Revelation 1 a few weeks ago. Just read these incredible verses–

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)

He loves us and He freed us from our sins by His blood. He has no intention of ever letting us go! (John 10:28-29)


I was talking with someone the other day about how the culture is so obsessed with the “new”. They always want something better and bigger and different. But the message of the Bible is timeless and never changes: We are dead in our sins BUT GOD (Ephesians 2:1-7), who sent His Son to die for our sins so that we can be reconciled to Him. Satan has been trying to distort and twist this message forever, leading people into false religions, including the false religion of legalism. He will continue to do this as long as he is given free reign by God to do so.

Many of you have been reading this blog for a long time now. You have heard me just keep going back to the same truths of scripture over and over and over again. I am never going to give you some new doctrine or some new idea that propels me into greatness in the eyes of the world. I simply want to be faithful to the scriptures. It seems mundane and many readers grow bored with this. I get it. There is nothing exciting or innovative here.

But I hope what you will find here is a continual pointing to Jesus Christ and His Word. I hope you are encouraged to consider the whole Bible rather than just favorite parts. I hope that you are encouraged to find that balance that we find in scripture between the wrath of God and the love of God. Extremes are spiritually deadly because they are false religions.

I have not met many of you but my love for you compels me to keep writing and to keep encouraging you in the faith. I don’t do this because I am some echelon of spirituality. Quite the contrary. Often when I write I am struggling with some sin or worldly desire. I may be in my own depth of despair or be in the midst of an especially tough battle with my selfish, self-centered heart. Like you (if you are a redeemed child of God), the more I grow in Christ, the more I realize how far I have to go.

And so we continue on this path together, appreciating the heights of joy and happiness when they are given, but recognizing that most of life is made of ordinary days, some easy and some hard, where we are given the opportunity to simply trust and obey the Lord who saved us. Walking in the light of His Word, we trust and we obey. It’s not exciting or different or new. But it is what we are called to do.


When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Even the Smallest Choice

I was vacuuming before my guests would arrive for dinner when I saw the discarded band-aid lying on the floor. I hesitated for a brief moment before making the choice to sweep up that band-aid. That hesitation should have been the key to warn me. Just lean down to pick it up. But I was lazy and sweeping it up was just easier.

As soon as I did it, I knew I was in trouble. The vacuum started making a different noise. Somehow that band-aid had gotten caught in the tube somewhere. I stopped the vacuum, went and got a little tool, and tried to clear out the tubes to no avail at all. In fact, when I went to turn the vacuum back on it started to smell really hot. At that point, I handed it off to my “master-fixer” (my husband).

I thought about what an analogy this is for life when it comes to choices. I think so often we make choices that we know go against our better judgement but it’s just easier in the moment. But, in the long run, the choice leads to frustration and, sometimes, even heartache. The easier choice in the moment is rarely the better choice.

Even the smallest unwise choice can yield annoying and time-consuming consequences that affect both ourselves and perhaps those around us (as in the case of my choice affecting my husband and wasting his time.)

This is true about so many of our little choices, but as we approach the end of another year, I thought it might be good to turn our thoughts towards one specific choice that we Christians make every day: The choice to read and study our Bibles or to not read and study our Bibles.

What is the price we pay for making other things a priority, while ignoring the Bible? There are many but some of them are possibly: We grow comfortable in our habitual sins; our love for the world goes unchallenged; we are fearful and anxious as we face life’s circumstances; pride wells up in us; we lack discernment and accept anything that comes along and claims to be “Christian”. And–most importantly and almost epidemic in its proportions now–we just don’t really know our God which makes us so vulnerable to following a made-up (false) religion based on what we want God to be rather than Who He really is.

Studying our Bibles doesn’t mean that these things are automatically eliminated from our lives, for we will battle many of these things for much of our lives. No, rather, it is that the Bible consistently challenges us when we are tempted to fall into sin or into worldliness or into a status quo Christianity that isn’t pleasing to the Lord. The Bible sheds a brilliant light on false teaching and provides guidance for the small and large decisions we need to make as believers. And it provides comfort and peace through its many promises.

As you review your year, what does it look like in regards to Bible Study? Of course, we all have our challenges and trials that can make this harder at certain times of our lives (I’ll be the first to admit that operating as full-time caretaker for those first few weeks after my husband’s surgery exhausted me both physically and mentally.) But, taking these times into account, how did we do with the rest of the minutes, hours, and weeks we were given? Do we know God better than we did last year at this time? Do we know His Word more?

I know I’ve shared this so often but this has truly become why I write. I want to encourage my readers to study the Word of God for themselves. For most of my life I chose to read books and listen to people talk about the Bible. But a little over ten years ago, I started studying the Bible for myself. It was so life-changing that it has become my passion to encourage you, my reader, to start doing this for yourself.

Through simple Bible Study, in context and with a proper hermeneutic (method of interpretation) undisturbed by intellectual influence, we can get to know who God is and His plan for mankind. We see who we really are and what God has done for us personally. We begin to understand what we are called to as believers here in this life and become familiar with the many promises that God gives to His own dear children. Of course, we will come to passages that are puzzling. Not everything will make sense to our finite brains. God is God and there are things we can’t understand. But it is amazing how much we can understand, if we but give some of our time to this precious Book.

And, so as we approach the beginning of another year, I just want to encourage you to find some method of studying the Bible that you can stick with. Some approaches are overwhelming and so daunting that within a few weeks you just give up (I’ve started those!) I provide a plan for Bible study that might be helpful (find out more here) and I’d love to have you join me in reading the Bible this upcoming year. But there are many more options for Bible Study, as well.

The key is this: We take the time to consistently read and study our actual Bibles.

And, through our study, we will begin to know our God. Through His Word, He kindly reminds us of His many promises, gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) chastises and corrects us, and graciously provides all we need to live our lives for His glory.

There is no more important choice to make in the upcoming year as a Christian than this: Will we read and study our Bible?

If Jesus Really Came to Earth as a Tiny Baby, Then…

Christmas is “just around the corner”. For many, the holiday is purely secular, made up of family, gift-giving, and Santa Claus. But many people across the world still honor the birth of Christ, amidst their secular traditions.

A few weeks ago, my daughter mentioned that if you believe that Jesus came as a baby to this earth, then you must believe the rest of the Bible. You can’t have it both ways.

I would expand on this thought just a bit. If we believe that Jesus was miraculously conceived, that He was born in a stable in Bethlehem, that the angels sang to Shepherds in the fields at His birth, and that a special star guided wise men to His home, then we must also believe that–

-all people are born sinners; that there is nothing good in us and we are helpless and hopeless without God (Romans 3:10-11).
-Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins and to reconcile us with God (John 3:16; Romans 6:23, Titus 2:14; I John 1:7).
-we have no part in our salvation; there are no good works that contribute anything to our salvation and, in fact, salvation is a free gift from our loving Heavenly Father (Ephesians 2:8-9).
-Jesus rose victoriously and is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father (I Corinthians 15:3-4; Colossians 3:1).
-That Jesus will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15).

The Bible also teaches that a person who genuinely believes what the Bible tells us about Who Jesus is, all of it–from His lowly birth to His everlasting reign, is transformed from the inside out. They turn from self, sin, and the world (albeit not without a raging battle) as they seek to be more like Christ (Luke 9:23, Galatians 5:24-25; Colossians 3:9-10; 2 Peter 1:4).

It also tells us that God cares about the smallest details in the lives of His own dear children (Matthew 6:25-30; Romans 8:28-29).

You see, if we are going to be consistent, we can’t just believe in the story of Baby Jesus. If the story of Baby Jesus is true, then the whole Bible is true. And, yet, so many people love to rip this favorite story from the pages of the greatest Book ever written and grandly celebrate it, while just giving a passing nod–even completely ignoring– the rest.

For the believer, Christmas is about Jesus. Yes, I know all of the pagan history of many of the traditions. But for thousands of years, Christians have transformed a time that has been historically pagan and used it, instead, to celebrate the birth of the Savior. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

But in doing this, we also need to remember that this beautiful story is not an isolated event but is just one part of God’s whole amazing plan, put in place so that we could be reconciled with God and spend eternity in heaven. Yes, Jesus came to earth as a baby but oh, there is so much more than that one Holy Night! May we search the scriptures so that we have context for what really happened that night, rather than just celebrate this baby’s birth because, well, it’s just what we have always done.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season, as you contemplate the birth of Jesus and what it means for you personally and for the whole world. May we all remember to thank God this year for the greatest Gift ever given!


The 2024 Bible Reading Challenge Is Up!

Ten or more years ago now, God opened my blind eyes to the importance of reading His Word. I spent most of my life listening to what other people had to say about His Word, in sermons on Sunday, through devotionals, books, and through radio programs (which was what was available then; these days, people get their theology from podcasts and Instagram reels).

But then some painful circumstances entered my life and, through these, God showed me the importance for a believer to actually be reading and studying the Bible for themselves. And, while I still look at that particular time in my life and consider it difficult and painful, I praise God for the fruit that grew from it, for He used that time mightily in my life.

Through these past years of Bible study, my awe for it has grown and grown. God’s Word is so consistent, so cohesive, so amazing. I had no idea before I began to study it for myself what an absolutely incredible Book I was just leaving on my shelf to gather dust between Sundays.

This is why I offer the Bible Reading Challenge. I hope I can encourage at least one of you to stop leaving your Bible on your shelf and begin to read and study the Word for yourself.

About five years ago, I changed up the Bible Reading Challenge to only focusing on one chapter per week. This has been revolutionary in helping me understand the Bible so much better, giving me time to dig and search and compare. Participants have shared with me that they feel the same way. And so I am going to keep to this same schedule. We have been systematically going through the New Testament books, with some Old Testament books/character studies added, as well.

I am excited to share the 2024 Bible Reading Challenge with you today. The schedule is up on the blog and the links for the workbook and the facebook group are available on that page. You can find all the details here at this page.

I hope that you will consider joining me in studying your Bible in 2024!

Our Plan of Action for the Last Days

In 2 Timothy 3 we find out what the world will look like in the last days —

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (meaning: without restraint), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

While the world has always been evil, the convergence of last days signs that evidence themselves as we study prophetical passages like this one, has overwhelmingly confirmed that the last days are upon us now. How long they will last, we have no way of knowing, so we can’t make predictions or set dates. But this passage, along with other passages that give descriptions of what the end of this current age will look like, would certainly seem to confirm that they have begun.

This chapter goes on to share some very important information regarding these days, which includes our expectation of persecution as we try to stand against the “form of godliness that denies the power thereof” (otherwise known as fake Christianity).

But at the end of this chapter, Paul gives our plan of action as true believers as we endeavor to stand strong against the tidal wave of wickedness and apostasy–

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;15 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.16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Someone pointed out to me a year or two ago that this verse we are all so familiar with and many of us have memorized: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (verse 16 of 2 Timothy 4) was written specifically after the rest of the chapter. The verse, in its context, gives us our plan of action for such a time as this. Paul shows us what we must cling to as we endure these perilous last days.


In the past few weeks, I’ve been reminded, through a variety of events and conversations, of the danger of loving the world (and fostering our kids’ love for the world) while relegating God’s Word to the background or even to discount it completely. The world is eating Christians alive and, yet, those who call themselves Christians continue to feed on it and follow after worldly passions and dreams. Why is this?

I believe it is because God’s Word is not valued nor are those who call themselves Christians willing to follow the difficult parts that are within its pages.

In many churches and families, the Bible has become an afterthought, at best, and outdated and unnecessary, at worst. Many preachers insert a verse here or there to support their own opinions. Many parents care more about grades and sports than they do about the eternal destiny of their precious children. Throughout all walks of life, people who call themselves Christian live their lives without any love for God’s Holy Word.

This is leaving a generation (or perhaps two or three!) floating in a sea of non-absolutes, setting their hearts on worldly pursuits and passions… and utterly devoid of truth and completely severed from the anchor God has so kindly given us.

We cannot control the choices of others. While we can point people to God’s Word as He gives us opportunity, we cannot change hearts and minds. But we can choose, ourselves, this very day, to follow God’s plan of action and to ground ourselves in His Word. It’s a serious and urgent thing, this grounding ourselves in the Holy Scriptures. We are so susceptible to Satan’s subtle tricks and so vulnerable to worldly lusts without it.

I am so thankful God gave us the Bible and how He specifically reminds us in 2 Timothy 3 that our job is to continue strong in the faith and to remember the importance of His Word as we are blasted on every side with apostasy, deception, and wickedness. And as we do this, we can rest assured that–

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

So let’s not be discouraged and anxious but let’s keep ourselves immersed in God’s Word, remembering that it has the answers we need, no matter what challenge, trial, or conundrum we face today.

It’s All True or None of It Is

I remember talking to someone once who spent quite a bit of time with rather liberal Christians. The one thing this person told me is how much these people hate Paul. It’s pretty easy to guess why this is. While Paul gives us such encouragement regarding the love of Christ and His personal care for us (Romans 8) and encourages us to love one another (I Corinthians 13, Philippians 2), he also wrote quite a bit of what would be considered controversial in this modern day church era. He wrote about the role of women (I Timothy 2); he wrote about false teachers (Romans 16); he wrote about modesty (I Timothy 2); he told us about how those who practice and live in sin won’t inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5); he wrote about the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4); he wrote about having no fellowship with someone who claims Christ and yet lives in unrepentant sin (I Corinthians 5) and he set down very specific qualifications for church leaders (Titus 1). In fact, it is Paul who was charged by God to give much of the practical outworking of true faith to all believers throughout the ages.

But many of these truths are unwelcome to those who are looking to have their ears tickled. Rather than going to the Bible to find truth and words of life, they go to the Bible out of habit or duty…or perhaps they don’t study the Bible at all. And this lack of love for and trust in God’s inerrant, infallible Word leads to so many problems. One of them being the tendency to pick and choose what we like or don’t like.

As I have started studying I Timothy this week, I came across those unpopular verses about women and their role in the church. In the midst of a culture that has been feminized and crippled by the women’s liberation movement, there has been much effort to figure out a way to render these verses null and void.

Unfortunately, there is no possible way to do this unless we turn our backs on all that Paul has written, and therefore the entire Bible. Paul was either inspired or he wasn’t. We can’t say he was inspired to write the things we like but not inspired to write the things we don’t like. It just doesn’t work that way.

H.A. Ironside gave the account of a woman who was confused about this in his I Timothy commentary–

I remember years ago at a special series of meetings a servant of God was opening up many precious truths in connection with our calling in grace, our place in the body of Christ, our inheritance in Him, and other spiritual themes. One lady who attended the meetings was so stirred that she told how these truths had meant much to her and that she had received great blessing from them. Then in the course of the series of messages the preacher came to a certain passage in 1 Corinthians 14 that had to do with women’s behavior in the church of God. As he was reading—it was an open Bible class where people were free to ask questions—this same lady who had testified to having found such blessing through the precious Word spoke up and said, “I do not believe that. I think this is all nonsense. Paul was an old bachelor who hated women, and that is why he writes the way he does. We can’t depend upon what he says.”

The preacher said, “My dear sister, you have been rejoicing in the truth that nothing ‘shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Rom. 8:39), haven’t you?”

“Yes,” she said, “I do rejoice in that.”

“Well,” said the preacher, “I am pained to have to inform you that Paul said that, and Paul was an old bachelor, so you can’t depend upon what he says! I understand you have been rejoicing in the truth that there is ‘one body of which Christ is the head.’“

“Yes,” she said, “I rejoice in that too.” “Well, I am sorry to have to tell you that that is something made known to us by Paul, and Paul was an old bachelor, so you can’t depend upon what he says.” He went from one Scripture to another, pointing out the truths which were given to us by Paul, until that dear lady burst into tears and said, “May God forgive me. I see now that I have been trifling with the Word of God.”

One part of the Word is as truly inspired as another part. When you come across some things in God’s Word that you may think are perhaps questionable, remember that the Holy Spirit who presented Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit who showed how the way into the Holiest has been opened, is the same Holy Spirit of God who tells our sisters how they ought to behave, and how careful they ought to be to maintain feminine modesty.*

You see, we don’t get to choose. We don’t get to love and embrace what we like and toss away what we don’t. We must accept it all. But the beauty of it is that when we do…when we understand that all of God’s Word is the inspired, inerrant revelation of God to us and we accept it as the glorious gift it is, our hearts start to change. The rebellion in our hearts towards those things we hate starts to dissipate like the mist dissipates in the heat of the sun. When we ask God to change our hearts toward His Word, He does just that.

Does this mean we “like” every truth we read in the Word of God? I don’t think it does. This isn’t about liking or about feelings. But we accept them and we bow our knee to God, acknowledging that He knows best even if we don’t agree or understand.

If we don’t come to the Bible with this attitude then we may as well not come at all. It’s either all true or none of it is. We can’t have this middle ground that so many desire where we can embrace and apply all the comforting promises and words about loving others but then toss out God’s commands regarding women and false teachers and all of that other stuff that isn’t as palatable. We don’t have that right. If the Bible is God’s Word then it is all of His Word. We don’t get to pick and choose.

I am probably writing to the choir here as I know most of my readers would agree with me on this. But I do want to encourage you to be thinking about the conversations you have with others regarding this because much of the false teaching and wrong beliefs held by your family members, friends, and co-workers stem back to this one thing: They will not accept the Bible for what it is…the inspired, inerrant Word of God in its entirety given to us by our loving, holy God.

It’s either all true or none of it is. Oh, how important that we remember this as we read and study God’s Word and have conversations with others regarding what the Bible has to say about…well…everything.

*Ironside, Harry A.. Addresses on the First and Second epistles of Timothy (pp. 41-43). Unknown. Kindle Edition.

Can I Lose My Salvation?

There are a lot of teachers, preachers, authors, and ministries out there these days assuring you that you can lose your salvation. They use a variety of verses to back up this belief. And so–they say– we can never be sure if we are saved or not saved. They tell us we have the responsibility to not lose that golden ticket to heaven. This is a discouraging and disheartening view of Christianity, isn’t it?

Of course, the only question that matters is: Is this biblical? Are these verses being interpreted correctly? Are they in context and consistent with what the rest of scripture says?

I am wading into some deeper theological waters here–waters from which I generally shy away. But I wanted to share with you two reasons why I believe, without a doubt, that we can never lose our salvation.

First, it’s not consistent with God’s character. All through the Old Testament we see God’s faithfulness to Israel, despite their rebellion. All through scripture we read of His faithfulness to all His chosen and beloved children (Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:13; so many others)

Is this faithfulness dependent upon our goodness? Why, this even goes against the definition of the word faithful. You can’t be fickle and faithful at the same time.

Faithful: steadfast in affection or allegiance; firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty.

Second, it is totally out of character with the nature of salvation. If we can do nothing to win our salvation, why on earth would we be able to do anything to keep our salvation? Technically, this takes us back to a works-based religion; a religion that is based on our own efforts and what we can and must do for God in order to be (and stayed) saved. May it never be!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

There is nothing we can do to be saved or to keep our salvation. It is the gift of God.

Gift: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.

It wasn’t until I read and then memorized (and meditated upon) John 10:27-30 that I came to understand this concept more fully and with more confidence–

 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

No one can snatch us from our Father’s hand. And that would include our own selves. We can’t take ourselves out of the Father’s hand. We are literally unable to be removed from His hand once we are His! This should give us such great comfort.

So how do you explain all of those people that walk away from the faith and never come back? What is going on?

I think it’s clear from this passage that they were never saved at all. They, like Judas, were excellent pretenders. John talks about these people in I John 2:19–

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

They were not of us. They were not part of God’s family but just pretending to be for their own selfish reasons. True believers persevere to the end. True believers love God’s Word. True believers may backslide or struggle but they can never be removed from God’s family. God will not turn His back on us! Scripture says He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

I am dismayed at the popular false teaching that you can lose your salvation. I have only touched on this subject. There is so much more that could be said and I am sure theological reasons to cling to the truth that when we are saved we are saved forever of which I am unaware.

If you have been uncertain about this topic, may I encourage you to study your Bible instead of listening to what people say. Get to know Who God really IS through the Word and interpret all verses through what the Word says about God and about salvation. In doing this, we come to quickly understand that the Bible verses that talk about perseverance or works cannot mean that we need these things in order to be saved. Instead, they must mean that we will do these things because we are saved.

There is an enormous and infinite difference between these two beliefs, it there not?

Oh, friends, if you are one of God’s then you are His forever. If you aren’t sure that you are, then seek Him with all your heart.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)

God delights in answering our humble prayers to know Him more. So open up the Word and pray for wisdom. Ask Him to show you the truth about yourself with ears willing to hear and a heart willing to obey. He is so very faithful to His Word and He will answer your cry.

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