“Our only safety is to have Christ ever before us as our all-governing object; and the more steadfastly we look on Him, the more will His character be mirrored on our souls, and the more distinctly shall we reflect it to others. In looking to Him, we are enlightened; to have any other object before us is to be in blindness of popish bigotry and the clouds that arise in the Christian’s heart of self-occupation. To be true witnesses of a heavenly Christ, we must be heavenly minded, and heavenly in our ways. And heavenly-mindedness is the result, not of trying to be so, but of occupation with a heavenly Christ, according to the revelation which we have of Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit. In what direction is the eye? is always the important question, for the heart is sure to follow the eye, and the feet the heart.
The following passage may be accepted as a practical view of Christianity, both negatively and positively. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifying unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2: 11-14).”
Source: Andrew Miller, Miller’s Church History (PICKERING & INGLIS LTD, London 1976), p. 898
These two paragraphs express the lesson learned from the Roman Catholic pope and Emperor Philip’s attempt to kill the Reformation in the Netherlands by murdering the Protestants over a span of 40 YEARS. This occurred in the 1500s.
During trying times like these, with many storms upon us (literally and figuratively), no book provides greater comfort than the Bible.
Yet how many actually read it? Although there are studies noting a drop of Bible-reading among Americans in recent times, nonetheless, 47 million are reported to be “Scripture engaged.” No other book would come close to that kind of readership.
As of this writing, the education department of the state of Oklahoma is planning to purchase 55,000 Bibles for the public schools. I’m sure the left is gnashing their teeth over such a plan.
But historically the Bible was the reason that education for the masses was developed in America in the first place. The Puritan forefathers created schools for the masses (a forerunner to the public schools), so that children could learn to read, so they could read the Bible for themselves.
Someone might argue, “Well, that was the Puritans. But surely the founding fathers didn’t agree with that.”
But actually, they did argue for that in 1787 and in 1789 when the founders adopted the Northwest Ordinance. As new territories became states in the newly formed United States, they were to follow the same basic template.
Here’s what Article III of the Northwest Ordinance had to say about schools, which were voluntary at that time and often run by churches: “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”
The Bible was the chief textbook in one way or another for the first 200-300 years of America — and that’s when the children could read, because of it. It was the Bible that gave birth to Harvard, William and Mary, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, and so on.
It was only when the schools explicitly went against the Scriptures that American education went off the rails. Now there are major portions of society who can’t read, despite years of schooling.
Meanwhile, is there a correlation between reading the Scriptures and human flourishing?
Many social science studies have shown that church is good for society, that attending church on a regular basis lengthens your life (on average), and that attending church often improves the quality of your life as well. Dr. Byron Johnson of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion has spent years assessing studies on the impact of applied religion (generally, Christianity) leading to positive personal and societal improvement. Dr. Johnson even wrote a book showing how Christian belief and practice help lower criminal behavior. The book is appropriately titled, More God, Less Crime.
But what about Bible reading? A recent study that Dr. Johnson wrote, along with M. Bradshaw and S. J. Jang, is entitled, “Assessing the Link Between Bible Reading and Flourishing among Military Families.”
Before exploring their results (which were positive), the study mentions earlier related findings: “Previous research shows salutary associations between multiple dimensions of religiosity (including reading sacred texts) and different aspects of flourishing (e.g., physical health, psychological well-being, character and virtue, social connections and support).”
The abstract of the study noted: “Bible reading may promote overall mental, physical, and social well-being.”
They list at three of their findings on how the Bible fosters human flourishing: “First, Bible reading is likely to promote psychological well-being by helping individuals develop a close relationship with a loving and caring God who engages in the lives of individuals.”
They continue: “Second, Bible reading may facilitate feelings of divine control that help cope with stress. Third, positive and encouraging messages in the Bible may also promote purpose in life and guidance seeking, which may also enhance flourishing.”
I have found personally that when I started reading the Bible myself as a young man, it was such a great source of knowledge, for wisdom, for direction, for personal relations, etc.
The Bible was important to great Americans like George Washington, whose writings and speeches are filled with Biblical phrases, such as “And every man shall rest under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make them afraid.” This was Washington’s vision for America.
Even Jefferson collected many of the teachings of Jesus (including a few miracles) in a document for Native Americans, so they could benefit from them, just as we have. People mistakenly call this unpublished work “The Jefferson Bible.” But as Jefferson noted once, the morality of Jesus is the most sublime and greatest moral teaching of all time.
President Lincoln called the Scriptures “the best gift God has ever given men,” through which we learn about the Savior. Millions of Americans have revered the Bible.
As Ronald Reagan once said of the holy book, “Inside its pages lie all the answers to all the problems that man has ever known.”
To promote human flourishing, spread the message of the Scriptures.
Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is the executive director of the Providence Forum, an outreach of D. James Kennedy Ministries, where Jerry also serves as senior producer and an on-air host. He has written/co-written 33 books, including George Washington’s Sacred Fire (with Providence Forum founder Peter Lillback, Ph.D.) and What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (with D. James Kennedy, Ph.D.). http://www.djkm.org? @newcombejerry www.jerrynewcombe.com
By John Doane, Op-ed contributor Sunday, October 20, 2024
Lutheran reverend Yousef Zamgila (L) speaks to members of his congregation at the small improvised church they helped set up in a neighbours yard in Omdurman, Khartoums twin city, on August 22, 2019. Sudan’s Christians suffered decades of persecution under the regime of Islamist general Omar al-Bashir. | JEAN MARC MOJON/AFP via Getty Images
Several years ago Tony Campolo wrote, “I place my highest priority on the words of Jesus, emphasizing the 25th chapter of Matthew, where Jesus makes clear that on Judgment Day the defining question will be how each of us responded to those he calls ‘the least of these.’”
President Obama, speaking to the Pope at the occasion of his visit to the White House in 2015, stated “You call on all of us, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to put the ‘least of these’ at the center of our concerns.” And then the President went on to identify “the poor and the marginalized” as the “least of these.”
Others identify those needing adoption or the homeless as “the least of these.” Former NIH director Francis Collins in his recent book The Road to Wisdom identified “the poor, the sick, the orphans, the prisoners, [as] the least of these that Jesus said we are most called to help.”
Since Jesus makes this such an important issue, it would behoove us to identify those whom the Bible itself would call the “least of these.”
Notice that in Matthew 25:40 Jesus said, “… inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.” So the “least of these” are His brethren. Who are Jesus’ brethren? Hebrews 2:11 answers, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Romans 8:29 calls Jesus “the firstborn among many brethren.” 1 John 3:13-14 counsels us “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you,” but “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.”
So, love for the brethren (Christians) is a sign that we have eternal life, just as in Matthew 25 Jesus indicates that those who care for the least of His brethren are welcomed into His eternal Kingdom.
Some Christian writers have identified the brethren of Jesus in Matthew 25 as disciples called to preach the Gospel, such as those sent out by Jesus in Matthew 10. Those may indeed risk hunger, loneliness, nakedness and imprisonment, but the ones mentioned in Matthew 25 evidently refer to those who actually suffer such things.
Now we know from the rest of the Bible (e.g. Romans 4:3-8 and Romans 10:9) that our righteousness is based on our faith in the finished work of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and belief in His resurrection. So, the works on behalf of the least of Jesus’ brethren mentioned in Matthew 25 do not earn us salvation. Rather, they are a sign that we are already saved, as James said, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18).
Why is this important? First of all, this passage from Matthew should not be used for virtue signaling, to drum up support for one’s favorite charity, or to promote a government program. Our salvation is never based on our works, however good they may seem. Secondly, notice that the passage in Matthew 25 is part of the so-called Olivet Discourse starting in Matthew 24 where Jesus spoke to his disciples in private. In that context, Matthew 25: 31-46 gives His brethren, His disciples, a way to distinguish between others “blessed of My Father” (v. 34) and those deserving of “everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (v. 41).
As in other places, Jesus was sorting out appearances from reality. For example, before the breakup of the Soviet Union, many leaders in the World Council of Churches and major Christian denominations refused to believe that Christians were in prison for their faith in communist countries, even when presented with exhaustive evidence. Such leaders preferred to associate with leaders of state-controlled churches in those countries. Other nominal Christians either deny that Christians were suffering persecution in communist countries, or they were indifferent about helping them. The ones suffering persecution were indeed in prison. Their families were naked and hungry, because they had no income, and the governments forbade others from helping them. Like St. Paul, they were made “the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things” (1 Corinthians 4:13), surely the “least” ones.
Meanwhile, laymen supported efforts to bring relief to families of Christian martyrs and those in prison. When the communist governments of Eastern Europe collapsed, more Christians understood the magnitude of the persecution that had occurred. More Christians also became involved in helping our persecuted brethren elsewhere.
Nevertheless, one can still discern differences in how Christians and the world respond to the persecution of Jesus’ brethren. Believers still suffer severe persecution in communist China, North Korea, and Cuba. Recently it has also become fashionable to discourage criticism of Islam. However, it’s not fashionable to help Christians persecuted by Muslims in Nigeria or Iran, by Hindus in India or by Buddhists in Myanmar.
The worldly media generally ignores or downplays such persecution, and so it takes effort by Christians to identify it. Christians suffering this persecution are the “least” of Jesus’ brethren, hated by the world (1 John 3:13). But while they are persecuted, practical help provides encouragement that they are not forsaken (2 Corinthians 4:9). One can “visit” them also through prayer and letter writing.
Our priority is always our own household (1 Timothy 5:8) and our brothers and sisters in the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). When we help our persecuted brothers and sisters we exhibit our love for Christ, since Christ dwells within each believer (Colossians 1:2 and 1:27). Unbelievers do not have that love, because suffering for the name of Christ is foolishness to them. It is God Himself who puts that love into our hearts, so it is no cause for boasting.
John Doane received a bachelor’s degree from Yale, a PhD from MIT, and worked in microwave technology for Bell Laboratories, Princeton University and General Atomics. He served on the Board of Directors of Jesus to the Communist World (which later became Voice of the Martyrs). His recent articles have been published in the Creation Research Society Quarterly and The Christian Post.
A new study suggests that the mental health crisis in the United States may be more closely related to a lack of a biblical worldview than to commonly cited causes like chemical imbalances.
The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released the study Tuesday, attributing the rise in mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression and fear, to what researcher George Barna calls “worldview deficiencies” rather than “psychological or chemical imbalances.”
The findings are based on interviews conducted in January with 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18 or older, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
The report highlighted mental health struggles among younger generations, noting that 56% of Generation Z and 49% of millennials regularly experience anxiety, fear or depression. Generation Z refers to the youngest group of American adults, while millennials are defined as those born between 1984 and 2002. In total, one in three adults from these generations has at least one diagnosable mental disorder.
Barna sees a direct correlation between mental health challenges and the lack of a biblical worldview, which the Cultural Research Center defines as “a means of experiencing, interpreting, and responding to reality in light of biblical perspectives.” The CRC evaluates an individual’s biblical worldview based on their answers to a series of belief-related questions.
Only 1% of Generation Z and 2% of millennials possess a biblical worldview, according to Barna. He commented that it is “not uncommon to find a young adult who trusts feelings more than facts, sees no inherent value to life, believes in Karma, and rejects the existence of the biblical God.”
“Add to this a lack of any sense of purpose or meaning, and the idea that truth is subjective,” Barna explained. “This common set of components results in a lifestyle that is inconsistent, chaotic, frustrating, and lacking hope. Anxiety, depression, and fear are virtually inescapable in such a life.”
Barna highlighted several beliefs he considers contributors to mental unrest among young people. Seven out of ten individuals under 40 said their life lacks a clear purpose, while four out of five who reject God reported frequent experiences of fear and anxiety.
“The lifestyle that results from these common worldview components is one of chaos and fear,” Barna said. “However, embracing a biblical worldview offers a sense of purpose, security, and peace that can alleviate many of these mental health challenges.”
Barna also pointed to syncretism — described as a “blend of conflicting beliefs drawn from various worldviews” — as the dominant worldview among young Americans, adding that it’s “not surprising that anxiety, depression and fear are rampant among young adults who adopt syncretism.”
“Without a solid foundation of truth, their lives become inconsistent and chaotic,” he said, emphasizing that “the biblical worldview, by contrast, provides a framework that fosters emotional stability.”
Barna acknowledged that some situations do require conventional mental health treatments, such as counseling, prescription drugs or physical therapy, but he said that other mental health struggles may stem from “worldview components that trigger and sustain the condition.”
“If people instead embraced the core tenets of the biblical worldview, their lives would not be perfect,” Barna concluded, “but they would avoid many of the emotional and psychological pitfalls we’re seeing today.”
The report also examined the mental health of individuals whose beliefs directly conflict with the biblical worldview. Among those disengaged from both political involvement and Christian faith, 82% reported frequent experiences of anxiety, depression and fear, compared to 67% of respondents who were more engaged.
Incidents of fear, anxiety and depression were higher (46%) among those who believe gifted mediums can communicate with the spirits of the dead, compared to 34% of those who do not share this belief.
Similarly, 40% of respondents who consider “Mother Earth or the Universe” as an important guide reported mental health challenges, compared to 25% who did not. Among individuals classified as “consistently liberal” on social and political issues, 38% experienced frequent anxiety, depression or fear, while only 22% of those who did not identify as consistently liberal reported the same challenges.
Two different preachers came once to my country of Nigeria to preach two radically different sermons.
The first preacher gave his sermon to a large crowd that gathered for the crusade, many of whom dropped huge amounts of money on the altar. Many who were excited about the sermon removed their expensive gold bracelets, necklaces, and wristwatches and dropped them on the altar. A woman whose husband lives abroad brought the car key that her husband bought for her and gave it to the preacher.
The second preacher preached a sermon to the same people, and all the attendees fell on their knees and cried out to God for mercy. Many of them who had money in their pockets removed them and dropped it on the altar. Even criminals and robbers went back home, collected their ill-gotten money, and brought it back as an offering.
What could be responsible for these different reactions from the same people? It is important to note that both preachers preached from the same Bible, but the spirits behind the messages were not the same, and the goals of the two preachers were completely different. The first preacher wanted to unlock the wallets of his listeners while the second preacher wanted the hearts of his listeners to provoke repentance.
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:18-19). The first preacher belongs to the category of pastors who focus on earthly things and teach their followers to give so that they can be healed and become rich. Their god is not the God of the Bible but their belly. They do not have a passion for soul-winning, rather they concentrate all their energy on working to get more money from their listeners.
The second preacher sacrificially hazarded his life and worked tirelessly to bring souls to the Kingdom of God. Men like him preach Christ and Him crucified. Men like him want to ensure that sinners come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Every one of their sermons is geared towards provoking repentance. Their messages prick the hearts of the hearers for total surrender to the saving power of Christ. The more people hear the messages of this category of preachers, the more they grow in grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ.
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:37-38). The sermon that pricks the heart is biblical and saves and spiritually transforms lives — but the sermon that unlocks the wallet is unbiblical, destructive, and feeds the flesh.
Every Christian should soberly examine the messages which he or she listens to. Do the messages unlock your wallet, or do they prick your heart? Honest answers to this question will help you guard your soul from wolves in sheep’s clothing. Sermons that do not edify, correct and rebuke you will inevitably take you far away from God.
God has given to every minister of the Gospel the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). Any contrary ideology is either from man or the devil. All preachers should be focused on preaching Christ not Mammon. We cannot serve two masters at the same time (Mathew 6:24). Remember these truths, friends.
David, when he composed Psalms 23, knew this. Looking at life from the standpoint of a sheep, he wrote “He [the Good Shepherd] leads me beside quiet waters.” In other words, he alone knows where the still, quiet, deep, clean, pure water is to be found that can satisfy His sheep and keep them fit.
Generally speaking, water for the sheep came from three main sources: dew on the grass, deep wells, or springs and streams.
Most people are not aware that sheep can go for months on end, especially if the weather is not too hot, without actually drinking, if there is heavy dew on the grass each morning. Sheep, by habit, rise just before dawn and start to feed. Or if there is bright moonlight they will graze at night. The early hours are when the vegetation is drenched would dew, and sheep can keep fit on the amount of water taken in with their forage when they graze just before and after dawn.
Of course, dew is a clear, clean, pure source of water. And there is no more resplendent picture of still waters than the silver droplets of dew hanging heavy on leaves and grass at break of day.
The good shepherd, the diligent manager, makes sure that his sheep can be out and grazing on this dew-drenched vegetation. If necessary, it will mean he himself has to rise early to be out with his flock. On the home ranch or afield he will see to it that his sheep benefit from this early grazing.
In the Christian life it is a more than passing significance to observe that those who are often the most serene, most confident, and able to cope with life’s complexities are those who rise early each day to feed on God’s Word. It is in the quiet, early hours of the morning that they are led beside the quiet, still waters where they imbibe the very life of Christ for the day. This is much more than mere figure of speech. It is practical reality. The biographies of the great men and women of God repeatedly point out how the secret of the success in their spiritual life was attributed to the quiet time of each morning. There, alone, still, waiting for the Masters voice, one is led gently to the place where, as the old hymn puts it, “The still dews of His Spirit can be dropped into my life and soul.”
One comes away from these hours of meditation, reflection, and communion with Christ refreshed in mind and spirit. The thirst is slaked and the heart is quietly satisfied.
In my mind’s eye I can see my flock again. The gentleness, stillness, and softness of early morning always found my sheep knee-deep in dew- drenched grass. There they fed heavily and contentedly. As the sun rose and the heat burned the dew drops from the leaves, the flock would retire to find shade. There, fully satisfied and happily refreshed, they would lie down to rest and ruminate through the day. Nothing pleased me more.
I am confident this is the same reaction in my Master’s heart and mind when I meet the day in the same way. He loves to see me contented, quiet, at rest, and relaxed. He delights to know my soul and spirit have been refreshed and satisfied.
But the irony of life, and tragic truth for most Christians, is that this is not so. They often try, instead, to satisfy their thirst by pursuing almost every other sort of substitute. For their minds and intellects they will pursue knowledge, science, academic careers, vociferous reading, or off-beat companions. But they are always left panting and dissatisfied.
Some of my friends have been among the most learned and highly respected scientists and professors in the country. Yet about them there is often a strange yearning, and unsatisfied thirst which all their learning, all their knowledge, all their achievements have not satisfied
To appease the craving of their souls and emotions, men and women will turn to the arts, to culture, to music, to literary forms, trying to find fulfillment.
And again, so often, these are amongst the most jaded and dejected of people.
Amongst my acquaintances are some outstanding authors and artists. Yet it is significant that to many of them life is a mockery. They have tried drinking deeply from the wells of the world only to turn away unsatisfied — unquenched in their soul’s thirst. There are those who, to quench this thirst in their parched lives, have attempted to find refreshment in all sorts of physical pursuits and activities.
They try travel. Or they participate feverishly in sports. They attempt adventures of all sorts or indulge in social activities. They take up hobbies or engage in community efforts. But when all is said and everything has been done, they find themselves facing the same haunting, hollow, empty, unfilled thirst within.
The ancient prophet Jeremiah put it very bluntly when he declared, “My people… have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).
It is a compelling picture. It is an accurate portrayal of broken lives – shattered hopes – of barren souls that are dried up and parched and full of the dust of despair.
Among young people, especially the “beat” generation, the recourse to drugs, to alcohol, to sexual adventure in a mad desire to assuage their thirst is classic proof that such sordid indulgences are no substitute for the Spirit of the living God. These poor people are broken cisterns. Their lives are a misery. I have yet to talk to a truly happy “hippie”. Their faces show the desperation within.
And amid all this chaos of a confused, sick society, Christ comes quietly as of old and invites us to come to Him. He invites us to follow Him. He invites us to put our confidence in Him. For He it is who best knows how we can be satisfied. He knows that the human heart, the human personality, the human soul with this amazing capacity for God can never be satisfied with a substitute. Only the Spirit and life of Christ Himself will satisfy the thirsting soul.
From: W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 (Zondervan, 1970) p.61-64. Great book and I heartily recommend it to our readers. Carl
You either come to God for forgiveness and salvation based on what the Savior Jesus did on the Cross, or you’re going to come under divine judgment and come to Jesus as your Judge. Which will it be? Carl
Bryan Loritts provides a great challenge to build relationships that last in his new book Enduring Friendships: Sticking Together in an Age of Unfriending. The book uses Paul’s New Testament letter to Philemon as a backdrop for thinking deeply about friendship. And it does challenge us to think deeply about our relationships. Onesimus, the slave to Philemon, who likely stole and then ran away from his servitude, making him deserving of severe consequences if not death. Philemon, the enslaver, and partner in the gospel with Paul. Paul, the missionary, who led both of these men to Christ and now pleads with them to do hard things for their relationship and for the glory of God.
He wants Onesimus to repent and go back and face his offended enslaver.
He wants Philemon to repent and receive Onesimus, not as a slave who stole from him, but as a brother who merits his embrace and partnership.
Paul himself wants to pay whatever is owed to Philemon. “Put it on my account.”
We don’t know “the rest of the story”, but can imagine that repentance was had, forgiveness was extended, and God was glorified, because Onesimus is later counted as a Bishop in the early church.
This book reminds us that relationships are hard but worth fighting for. And enduring relationships are costly and take courage to pursue through the messiness of life. What a mess the book of Philemon offers up. But what a beautiful picture of grace and forgiveness if Paul’s formula is lived out. The offender repents, the offended forgives, and the beauty of reconciliation is witnessed by all.
I wish I could say I didn’t have any tangled messes of relationships in my 49 years, but I can’t. I wish I could say that I’ve always done the right and hard thing for the sake of reconciliation. In ministry, the slights received often make us callous toward deep relationships and make it easier just to let people walk away or not make the journey back to the one we offended. People come and go. Sometimes close relationships are resisted because we begin to expect slights, disrespect, betrayal, and eventual departure. Enduring Friendships reminds us that relationships are worth it.
The key to it all of course is Jesus. He empowers us to forgive, to receive grace, and to repent. And he did the hardest thing of all so that we could experience reconciliation by offering up his own body on the cross.
Some great thinking and maturing to be stirred up by Bryan Loritts’ new book. Grab a copy.
Here’s a few of my favorite quotes:
Soul-level friendship often feels like a full-time job with periods of bad compensation.
The problem is relationships are drama, and I don’t mean that in a negative way. Whose life is not made up of mountaintops and deep valleys? If we’re not up for drama, we are not ready for relationships.
A Christian who does not forgive is a contradiction in terms.
There is no lasting friendship without grace.
If you want to have sustained friendships over the course of your life, you must accept that you will at various points be Onesimus and Philemon – offender and offended.
When we fail to allow for nuance and complication, we set the table for short-lived friendships that never resurrect from the graveyard of offense and betrayal.
The journey of friendship is fraught with unavoidable hurt because those involved are marred by sin.
Gossip is saying something behind a person’s back we would never say to a person’s face. Flattery is saying something to a person’s face we would never say behind their back.
Pride is the #1 killer of friendship. Humility is the prime nourisher of healthy relationships.
When we are at death’s door and inevitably stare into the rearview mirror of our lives, we will not take joy in our acts of retribution.
An ungracious Christian is an oxymoron.
Nothing illumines our witness and stands more in contradistinction to our world than when we fight to remain at the table of friendship with people who we have wronged and who have wronged us.
About Lane Corley
I am – Follower of Jesus Christ – Husband to the beautiful and patient Heather Corley – Father of three. – Church Planter/Church Planting Catalyst for Send Network – When I can, I’m reading, raised bed gardening, and on mission with my church. – Hoping to be helpful.
I recently did a teaching on the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young and how to tell the book is a channeled book. She is channeling an unidentifiable spirit being who self identifies as ‘Jesus Christ’. But by examining what this spirit tells her in the light of the New Testament, you can tell that it is not the real Jesus Christ but a deceiving, seducing, evil spirit whose goal is to lead God’s people into occultic practices.
There are many ways to discern this deception: by comparing what the spirit says to what the real Jesus Christ said and did in the New Testament, how she used God Calling*, another channeled occult book, as her inspiration, misquoted Scripture, plus others means.
One of the ways you can tell is by the flattery and romantic non-sense that is used in the text.
Some examples are:
Let My gold-tinged Love wash over you and soak into the depths of your being.
When you seek my Face in response to My love call, both of us are blessed.
Look into My Face and feel the warmth of My Love-Light shining upon you.
When your joy in Me meets My joy in you, there are fireworks a heavenly ecstasy.
Take time to rest in the Love-Light of My Presence.
When you trustingly whisper My Name, My aching ears are soothed.
When you walk through a day in trusting dependence on Me, My aching heart is soothed.
Feel your face tingle as you bask in My Love-Light.
I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My Love.
As you listen to birds calling to one another, hear also my Love-call to you.
Now if you have read the New Testament, it does not take long for this type of verbiage to raise an alarm. I never read in the New Testament where Lord Jesus talked to Peter, John, James, or any of the other disciples this way. I can see ole Peter shaking his head and saying that Jesus never talked to him that way.
Apostle Paul warns us about the enemy of our soul using flattery to entrap us:
“Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Romans 16:17-18)
Paul warns us not to be ‘unsuspecting’ Christians, not to go through life thinking that the enemy does not have designs on us to bring us into captivity to their master satan. There are evil workers of the antichrist spirit (I John 4:3) who will use smooth and flattering speech to gain our trust and confidence resulting in our bondage.
Jude, the Lord’s half-brother, also warns us about flattery as a tool of deception:
“These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.” Jude v16
These sinners Jude is warning about are seeking power and control; power and control over you and me so we can help them accomplish their own wicked goals that are cloaked in a false robe of righteousness. The Lord warned us about those who look like sheep but speak like dragons (Rev.13:11).
The Old Testament prophet Daniel tells us that flattery (or smooth words) will be a tool of the ultimate human evil, the Antichrist. Daniel 11:32 says in part:
“…with flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant…” (HCSB).
Truly what Proverb 26:28 says concerning flattery is true:
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Watch out for this tool of the devil. Protect yourself from religious deception. Read the New Testament and know the Truth that will set you free from bondage to religion and protect you from wolves in sheep’s clothing.
“The word that is used in the original language for salvation covers the entire work of God on behalf of the human soul. I am sure that not one of us, not even the one who has spent the most time in the study of the word of God, can fully comprehend the height and the depth of the vast subject of salvation. The depth is our need, the height is the provision that God has made. Salvation begins when the sinner recognizes the fact that he is less perfect than God and therefore under condemnation.
In order to make this very practical, I shall appeal to you directly concerning your own salvation. God comes to you today, just as you are. There is nothing that you have to do in order to draw his attention to you. You do not have to make yourself better in order for him to start his work. There is an old hymn that puts it well:
Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream.
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
God comes to you whatever your background of education or the lack of it. He comes to you with your prejudices, however they may have been formed. He comes to you with the declaration that you are in a position that is desperate without His help, but he tells you that He is ready to furnish the help you need. Unfortunately, there are those who turn away from Him because they live in a world where illusions are so plentiful. A man is in vigorous health, making good money, and relatively happy. It is easy to think that since you are getting along so well in your progress through the world that you are also getting along well in your progress towards God. The fact is that you are lying in the embrace of death and do not realize your need.
A Chinese evangelist was once preaching on the street in a town in China. He spoke of the weight of sin and a heckler called out to ask how much that weight was. Fifty pounds? One hundred pounds? The evangelist answered: if you have a corpse lying in his coffin, will he feel a one hundred pound weight on his chest any more than a fifty pound weight? So the weight of sin is upon the human soul, and it is only when the Holy Spirit makes us conscious of need that we can feel the weight of sin and turn to the Saviour who is able to lift it.
If you fancy that you have an ability that can help you, you have never understood your own inability or the magnitude of the task which is demanded of you. A man might be the world’s champion Olympic swimmer, but if he were suddenly thrown overboard in the midst of the ocean, the distance to the shore would be totally beyond his powers. And God declares that you are overboard in the sea of sin and that estranges you from him. No breast-stroke of emotion can bring you to the shore. You must recognize your lost position and submit yourself to his sovereign grace. God commands men everywhere to repent. And repentance does not mean an emotional state of being sorry for your sins. It is derived from a Greek expression for the military command of “right about face”. You have been facing yourself, trusting in your own ability while Christ has been behind you, despised and rejected by you. You must about face. You must despise and reject your own efforts for salvation and realize that God has done all the work through the Saviour and that He requires you to put your trust in him.”
For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
Quote from Donald Grey Barnhouse, Man’s Ruin (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids), pp. 169-171
Question: Jesus said, “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14). I’ve heard thousands of prayers that were offered, in reliance upon that promise, “in the name of Jesus” or even “in the mighty name of Jesus,” sincere prayers from simple people that were never answered. Wouldn’t these many unanswered prayers offered “in the name of Jesus” prove that Christ doesn’t or can’t keep His word?
Response: “In the name of Jesus” is not a magic formula like “Open Sesame,” which merely had to be spoken once in order for the secret door to the thieves’ treasure to swing wide open. Merely repeating the words “in the name of Jesus” doesn’t make it so. For a prayer to be truly “in the name of Jesus,” it must be as He would express it if He were praying. It must be for the furtherance of His interests and to His glory. His name must be stamped on the character and engraved on the heart and life of the one praying “in His name.”
Many years ago I managed the affairs of a multimillionaire. In order to do so, I had been given the authority to act in His name. Powers of attorney giving me the right to sign his name and to conduct business in his name were registered in various counties and states. There was nothing on the face of the documents that would prevent me from making out a check for a million dollars, signing his name to it, and depositing it in my own bank account. Had I done so, however, he could have recovered from me in a court of equity.
Though the documents didn’t state it explicitly, it was understood that I had the power to use another person’s name only for his good and in his best interests, not my own. And so it is with our Lord. There are no restrictions stated in His promise that he will do whatever we ask in His name. It is understood, however, that to pray in His name is to ask as He would ask for His interests and glory.
Tragically, all too many Christians imagine that “in the name of Jesus” are magic words that, if added to a prayer, no matter how self-seeking, will enable a person to get from God whatever he or she desires. When the desired response doesn’t come from God there is often great confusion as to why earnest prayers aren’t answered, and even at times resentment against Christ for not keeping what is perceived to be His promise. James explained it well:
Ye ask [in prayer] and receive not because ye ask amiss, [not to God’s glory, but] that ye may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:3).
The event, so central to Scripture and, indeed, salvation itself, seems as though it is being reduced to a “sideshow” in what is the increasing paganization of culture and even the church. Dr. Peter Jones warned about this 22 years ago in his excellent 2001 book Pagans in the Pews. For way too many, the focus is now on them and not on the One who came to redeem us all.
In Soft Occultism, Patricia Patnode describes: Young women looking for meaning are enchanted by a new paganism elevating ego and material desire. Young men are also being “enchanted by a new paganism” for pretty much the same reasons. It elevates “ego and material desire.” It affirms and directs worship to the being they most love – themselves.
The paganism that is all the rage is not really new, of course, and has been part of the human condition since shortly after the fall. However, paganism in the Western world faded far away as Christianity ascended in the early centuries. It only seems to us starker and more pronounced today because it follows the Christian era and is strongly resurgent now that Christianity is being pushed aside. God and His Son have been pushed to the background of society and even the church, it seems.
Patnode writes: The new, default spiritual identity for young people in the West is soft occultism, or casual witchery. This identity can easily accompany an existing religious affiliation, and often does since it is so obviously integrated in most aspects of modern Western culture. Some may want to argue that this is only true in the culture outside the church, but the same transformation is happening in many of the “Seeker Sensitive,” “Purpose Driven,” narrative-focused churches, along with many other churches where we may not have expected it to have taken root. Like so many other infections, it seems small and merely bothersome until it is suddenly malignant and, everywhere, a threat to the body.”
It is interesting that Patnode points out that popular lifestyle gurus and life coaches borrow their material from the church!
The root of all kinds of evil is indeed the love of money, but the reason we love money so much is because we love ourselves, and money can, we think, make us happy. Self-love is the root of the root. The search to “uncover hidden knowledge of ourselves” entices us away from the clearly revealed knowledge about ourselves in the word of God. Sound biblical teaching and discipleship in the local church by the pastors, elders, and more mature believers is being gradually replaced with “Christian Life Coaching” and profiling systems. The soft occultism that is pervading much of the church entices and draws the unwary into its grip through “spiritual tools” from occultism like the Enneagram. It too often is embraced and grows through the aid of the pastors in those churches, as well as through Bible Colleges, seminaries, “Christian” publishing houses, and magazines.
A few years ago, I heard of an intriguing new personality test straight from the pulpit….I went home that day and took the test, thinking it was all fun and games and absolutely safe, of course, because I had heard it at church. Upon discovering my number, I was completely won over. At the time, I thought that beyond the pleasant emotional pull of simple “self-awareness,” it was a great tool of transformation, which pointed out my strengths and weaknesses and the blind spots that I had never noticed before but which were keeping me from being the best I could be. I thought it would help with the relationships in my life and could be a great way to authentically connect with others on a deeper level. What ended up happening, though, was the complete opposite. I became hyper-focused on my alleged “type,” and with crazy eyes, I shared it with my friends, family, acquaintances, and even absolute strangers in the grocery store.
I began placing everyone in a box according to what I viewed their “type” to be. In doing this, I felt that I was protected in a way from people I could never hope to comfortably mesh with. I took control into my own hands and steered clear of “certain types” and, for two years, dove headfirst into progressive Christianity without realizing it. I read books by a guy named Richard Rohr (whose occultic teachings, by the way, not a lot of pastors seem familiar with), listened to his followers, and read books by Ian Morgan Cron, Suzzane Stabile, and David G. Benner. I listened to podcasts about the types and read a slew of books based on false doctrine and a specific false view of God known as panentheism. Panentheism teaches that God is in everything. I read about the false self versus true self2 and how to properly relate to others with this spiritual tool. I began psychoanalyzing my family, friends, and close acquaintances, and for two years walked in this way.
Then, two very close friends warned me about this system and ideology that had obviously taken control of my life. The second they warned me about this tool, I realized I already knew the truth in my heart. For a while, though, I continued to double back to it because of the sway it held in my church at the time and many other churches in the Nashville area.…What I found was absolutely astonishing!…What I can mention is that the types originate from a form of automatic writing, which is an allegedly “spiritual way” of making contact with the “spirit world.” It is strange that no one seems to question who these “spirits” might be or whether making contact with these “spirits” is even a safe idea, let alone Christian! Indeed, the practice has origins in the occult and the demonic. I can say without a doubt that this “Tool” isn’t helpful at all, but a blind walk onto a pagan spiritual path – into which many Christians are walking blindly towards and/or have fallen into step with today. It’s getting in touch with an exciting “self” outside of the gospel – a self where you don’t need Jesus at all. I believe that this harmless seeming “Personality test” is an unholy Spirit in the church today, leading Christians out of truth, which is horrifying.
So many pastors and church members walk right into this false religious practice with a big smile on their face and joke with their friends about their types, all the while not realizing exactly what they have attached themselves to. Without thinking, Enneagram adherents start to place others in “personality boxes,” too, which is not kind. I have to wonder what’s truly being “made” of it all by sinister forces beneath the surface. Using it in our churches and messing around with this ideology is dark – horribly dark – and I’m saddened that very few seem to be paying attention.
All of my Christian life, I’ve listened to pastors preach about staying away from evil, and now I plead with you to do your own deep research and throw this evil out of the church. The flock needs protecting and shepherding like never before.https://midwestoutreach.org/2023/12/07/the-occulting-of-culture-and-the-church/
The son of a saloon keeper, Mel Trotter had learned bartending from his father when his dad was too drunk to pour a drink at the bar. As a young man, Trotter had resolved to escape the saloon, leaving home to take up barbering. Unfortunately, he was so successful as a barber that the income gave him the opportunity to gamble and drink at will.
Trying to escape big city temptations, Mel Trotter moved to Iowa about 1890 and managed to stay sober long enough to marry. But his wife soon discovered that she was married to an alcoholic. He repeatedly vowed to straighten out his life, once staying sober for 11 months. But even the birth of a beloved son could not keep him from drinking. After one 10 day binge, Trotter returned home to find his wife weeping over the dead body of their two year old son.
Trotter left his son’s funeral for a saloon. Then he hopped a train for Chicago, running from his failure, from alcohol, and from the certainty he could not conquer his addiction. He knew his life was running out, but he resolved to end it in anonymity.
The night of January 19, 1897, homeless, hatless, and coatless, Mel Trotter sold his shoes for one last drink before planning to commit suicide. The alcohol barely warmed him as he trudged barefoot through a Chicago blizzard, trying to find lake Michigan so he could drown his sorrows forever. Passing the darkened businesses on Van Buren Street, Trotter stumbled. A young man stepped out of the doorway of the only lit building, helped Trotter up, and invited him inside. Trotter followed, too numb to read the sign over the door: Pacific Garden Mission.
The man sat Trotter down in a warm room full of derelict men. The missions Superintendent, Harry Monroe, was in the middle of his evening message but broke off his comments when he saw Trotter. Monroe felt compelled to pray aloud, “Oh, God, save that poor, poor boy.”
Monroe then shared the story of his own troubled life before he had met Christ. “Jesus loves you”, he concluded, “and so do I. He wants to save you tonight. Put up your hand for prayer. Let God know you want to make room in your heart for him.” Barely understanding what he was doing, Trotter raised his hand. Something inside him rose up and accepted the invitation in simple faith. And in that moment the shackles of alcoholism and despair fell away.
Trotter spent the next 43 years ministering to the men and women he met on the streets, as lost and hopeless as he had been. His message was simple: “God loves you in the midst of the deepest failure and despair and his love has the power to change even the most ruined life.” He was ordained in 1905 and for 40 years served as a supervisor of a rescue mission in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Alumni of his mission founded 68 other rescue missions across the United States, and Trotter became an international evangelist.
That dark night in Chicago Mel Trotters life didn’t end — it began!
Have you ever struggled with an addiction, whether alcohol, drugs, sex, or something else? God is in the business of delivering men and women from addictions. He did it for Mel Trotter, and he can do it for you.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. Psalms 40:2
Source: E. Michael and Sharon Rusten, The One Year Christian History (Tyndale, 2003) pp. 38-39 (If you are a looking for an historical daily devotional, I heartily recommend this book.)
Do not stay in the chains of addiction. Let Jesus Christ deliver you today. Humble yourself and ask him to do it today, right now. God bless you.
Pray you and your family are having a great Christmas and New Year Season.
God has a sense of humor.
When the 19th century university elites of Germany began to say the Holy Bible was just a collection of old tales compiled from stories told around the campfire for generations and not reliable, God just sent some men with shovels and spades to the Middle East and had them dig in the ground to show these university elites who professed to be wise that they were fools.
I was recently reminded of this fact when I discovered a new YouTube Channel entitled “Expedition Bible” (link to website) that shows how archeology and ancient history confirms the Bible.
The videos take one archeological discovery in the Middle East (Iraq, Jordan, Israel, etc.) and shows how what was discovered confirms the places, people, and events mentioned in the Bible. The author adds certain tools (arrows, lines, camera angles, graphics, context, etc.) to the videos to help you understand what you are looking at, from what viewpoint and how it fits into the Bible narrative. The explanations and subject matter are the most comprehensive I have viewed.
An example would be the YouTube video concerning Nineveh. I understand if you’re afraid to click on published links, so in that case just go to YouTube and search for Expedition Bible.
Another bonus of the videos is that the author, Joel Kramer, a born-again archeologist, refers to some of the earliest published writings of archeologists who were early or the first to excavate places like Ur, the homeplace of Abraham; Babylon, where the Jews spent seventy years in exile and the birthplace of worldwide idolatry, and Nineveh, where Jonah preached and contains the palace of Sennacherib, who conquered parts of Israel. I have been able to find these out-of-print old titles online for free and in downloadable formats. If you are interested in ancient history, these books are a must have.
An example is the title Ur of Chaldees – A Record of Seven Years of Excavation by Leonard Woolley and published in 1929. Woolley was the archeologist in charge. Ur was where the biblical Abraham lived at one time and today is in modern Iraq.
Following is a link to the About page where you can learn about the author and his goals and, by scrolling down, you can see his statement of faith.
I hope you will check out the content and see how archeology confirms the Bible. Then share the information with your friends who still believe the lies of those old foolish university professors.
“If you want to be distracted, look around; if you want to be disgusted, look within; if you want to be delighted, look at Him.”
If we want to be distracted from our fruit bearing produced by our reverence for God, all we have to do is look around at the world and the seemingly hopelessness and futility of it all. We will soon find ourselves depressed and hopeless, distracted and overcome in spirit and soul by the world.
If we start to focus on our lack of fruit bearing and the sin that so easily besets us, we will be disgusted by what we see within ourself. We surely have sinned and come short of the glory of God…as born-again believers. We find ourselves still carrying on our back the corpse of the “old self”, our crucified sinful nature (Romans 6:5-7 & 7: 15-25). Truly disgusting.
But, if we focus on our Savior and Deliverer Jesus Christ and all He accomplished for us through His death and resurrection and His continued intercession for us, there is bright, living hope and assurance and Holy Spirit power for living a Christian life that is pleasing to Him.
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17: 9
Many years ago, in the early days of radio, an incident took place which I may well recount as a crystallization of the aims and purposes I had before me in undertaking this task: the exposition of the epistle to the Romans. In a certain city in central Pennsylvania, listeners were attempting to get my program from a distant station that was broadcasting on a wavelength so near to that of another station that the two programs sometimes became confused. From New York a certain minister was preaching his sermon at the same time that my Bible study was going forth. Friends told me that a woman who was trying to unscramble the two broadcast said, “If I hear a voice talking about the dignity of human personality, I know that I have the New York station. If the voice says that a man must be born again, I know that I have Dr. Barnhouse from Philadelphia.”
Within that exaggeration there is a profound truth, and within that truth there is the expression of the ministry which I seek to exercise. I am convinced that the ministry which seeks to exalt mankind can, in the end, do no good for mankind. On the contrary, the ministry which will reach the truths of man’s complete ruin in sin and God’s perfect remedy in Christ, can best reach the heart of the need of the human race and can bring the only remedy that can heal the heart which God has declared to be humanly incurable.
Quotation from: Donald Gray Barnhouse, Man’s Ruin– Romans 1: 1-32 (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 1952) p. 1
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a former Muslim and renowned critic of Islam, has revealed her conversion to Christianity, describing her journey from Islam to atheism and ultimately to Christianity.
In a Weekend Essay published on UnHerd, Hirsi Ali, who is known for her bestselling books and outspoken views, says her encounter with Bertrand Russell’s 1927 lecture “Why I am Not a Christian” led her to atheism, offering solace and escape from the fear instilled by religious doctrine. She found Russell’s views on religion, rooted in fear, resonant with her own experiences.
“It did not cross my mind, as I read it, that one day, nearly a century after he delivered it to the South London branch of the National Secular Society, I would be compelled to write an essay with precisely the opposite title,” adds Hirsi Ali, who is originally from Somalia and is a survivor of genital mutilation.
Hirsi Ali traces her initial disillusionment with Islam following the 9/11 terrorist attacks when she questioned the justifications for the attacks in the name of Islam.
During her teenage years in Nairobi, Hirsi Ali says she was influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, which instilled in her a strict interpretation of Islam.
This period was characterized by a strict adherence to religious practices and a deep-seated disdain for non-Muslims, particularly Jews. However, her later exposure to atheism through figures like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins provided a stark contrast to her previous beliefs.
Hirsi Ali attributes her turn to Christianity to a broader concern for the challenges facing Western civilization. She cites threats from authoritarian regimes, global Islamism, and “woke” ideology as catalysts for seeking a unifying force. Christianity, in her view, offers a foundation of values and traditions that uphold human life, freedom, and dignity, and counters the divisiveness she associates with atheism.
Responding to her embrace of the Christian faith, conservative Christian philosopher Dr. Robert George wrote on Facebook: “Two decades ago, under the influence of the writings of Bertrand Russell, she became an atheist. Her thought was that atheism was smart and sophisticated — it was allegedly what really intelligent people believed (the ‘brights,’ as Daniel Dennett embarrassingly labeled himself and his fellow unbelievers). It was the way to a world of rationality and civil liberty. Hirsi Ali is not the first to have gone down that misguided path. She now sees that it is indeed misguided and that there is, if I may quote scripture, ‘a more excellent way.’”
Hirsi Ali’s embrace of Christianity also stems from a personal quest for spiritual solace and meaning in life.
Hirsi Ali critiques atheism for leaving a “God hole,” which she believes has led to the rise of irrational ideologies and the erosion of Western values. She argues that Christianity provides a unifying story and foundational texts, similar to those in Islam, that can engage and mobilize people.
Speaking at the National Press Club in 2015, Hirsi Ali offered five amendments to the religion of Islam that Muslims should take seriously if they really want to bring about a peaceful reformation to their religion.
She suggested Muslims should view the Quran and the hadith as creations of human effort, potentially divinely inspired but ultimately human in origin. This perspective challenges the traditional view of Muhammad as a moral guide post-Mecca, which Hirsi Ali finds problematic.
As the second amendment, Hirsi Ali advocated for a change in how Muslims prioritize life after death over life before death. She called for a reorientation toward valuing earthly life more.
She also argued that Shariah law is responsible for widespread violence and oppression in Muslim cultures, exemplified by regimes like Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Islamic State terrorist group.
As her fourth amendment, she called for the elimination of the principle of “Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong.” This principle, according to Hirsi Ali, leads to vigilantism and mob justice, as seen in cases where citizens punish individuals for alleged violations of Shariah law or disrespect toward Muhammad.
Hirsi Ali also called for an end to the concept of Jihad as Holy war, advocating instead for a focus on peace.
“Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had prepared for you if you had obeyed Him. That is lost forever.” C.S. Lewis
While the government is not God—a truth they tend to forget from time to time—their burgeoning relationship with the companies developing artificial intelligence serves as a helpful parable for understanding a key component of our relationship with the Lord.
Scripture is clear that when our sin takes us outside of God’s will, there will be consequences (Galatians 6:7). And though that cost may be delayed at times, it doesn’t go away. As such, it is much better to work with God than to wait for him to correct us when we go off the right path. That doesn’t mean the Lord can’t redeem our mistakes, but it’s still far better to have never committed them in the first place.
C. S. Lewis described this principle well when he said of God, “Whatever you do, He will make good of it. But not the good He had prepared for you if you had obeyed Him. That is lost forever.”
As Christians, we must not make the mistake of giving up the good that God has prepared for us simply because it’s not what appeals to us in the moment. The Lord wants to direct our path because he alone knows what is ultimately best for us and for his kingdom. But he also loves us enough to give us the freedom to make that choice for ourselves.
So which path will you choose?
Will you take the road that seems best to you, deciding that it’s worth the risk of God “bringing down the hammer” to correct you in the future? Or will you let the Lord lead and submit to his will as you partner with him in advancing his kingdom?
Put that way, the choice should be simple. And, ultimately, it is. But it’s also one that all of us get wrong from time to time when we lose sight of what is really at stake.
So take some time now to pray and ask God if there are any ways that you have strayed from his will. If the Holy Spirit brings any to mind, repent and commit to whatever steps are required to correct those mistakes.
And don’t wait to do so. Every day spent outside of his will is filled with moments and opportunities you can’t get back.
Let’s make sure we don’t miss them today.
Source: Ryan Denison, PhD,Is “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy” AI Possible? Biden Issues Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence. November 3, 2023, Denison Forum.
Today, over 3,000 people groups have no missionary presence and likely have no access to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The lack of accurate knowledge about God’s saving grace is not limited to just these distant groups. You and I are surrounded by THE LOST every day regardless of what nation we live in.
Fellow Christian, what are you doing to fulfill the Lord’s commandment to:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
Psalm 119: 38 