October 11, 2024

                                                  Do Not Lie

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

– Exodus 20:16

Do not steal.

Do not lie.

Do not deceive one another.

– Leviticus 19:11

It happened again today. Another Facebook friend copied and shared “information” that was completely false.

It sounded good to people who want to believe the worst of President Biden and his administration. But it just wasn’t true. It was designed to make good people angry about the federal response to something horrific that happened to people in the path of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Let’s be clear here: FEMA, the military and many, many volunteers have been in these areas from the beginning. Keep in mind that the catastrophes are wide-spread. There is much ground to cover especially in Western North Carolina where so many mountain roads are washed away.

My cousin who lives just outside of Asheville asked for everyone to share her message. She’s a Republican and absolutely not a Biden fan. But she said that FEMA had been on the ground from the beginning, making sure the homeless had somewhere to live, making sure food, medicine and other supplies were delivered to people who were stranded up the mountain near her home. She said night had fallen but she could still hear the whirl of helicopter blades as the work continued.

As for the $750 everyone throws out, that is just the beginning. It’s for basics. There will be more money to come. Do victims need to fill out paperwork? Absolutely! Otherwise anyone could come in, claim to be a victim, and get money intended for true storm victims.

No. Migrants aren’t receiving money intended for storm victims. It’s a separate fund. Money designated for victims of natural disasters can only be used for that purpose.

FEMA cannot come in and take your home. That’s been a big rumor. People in some cases have refused to evacuate because they’re afraid FEMA will steal their home. It’s a lie. Mother Nature may take your home, but FEMA won’t.

I could go on and on about the misinformation – lies – that have been told recently. As Christians, we have a responsibility to check the accuracy of information before we share it as fact.

Lies have become a daily part of the political landscape. It’s wrong. But what’s worse is that we not only allow those lies, we share them. We make excuses for the lies and the people spewing the falsehoods.

Look at your Bible. What does it say? Don’t lie. Don’t bear false witness against another. Are you sharing false information? Are you voting for a candidate that does that too? Shame on you. Lies don’t become truth just because you want your candidate to win.

September 21, 2024

                 Don’t Excuse Lies

There are six things the LORD hates,

seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes,

a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes,

feet that are quick to rush into evil,

a false witness who pours out lies

and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

– Proverbs 6:16-19

Does a lie ever justify itself? Is it okay to excuse a person for lying when he explains its purpose? Is it okay to stir up strife to further your own agenda?

A candidate running for vice president of our country now admits he lied about Haitian migrants eating people’s pets. He explained that he just wanted to draw attention to the migrants who are being located into different communities in our country.

JD Vance has done great harm with his repeated lies. Springfield, Ohio, has dealt with bomb threats against their schools. The tension and fear torments residents, including the Haitian migrants who are here legally. They have sought refuge in our country because of the violence in Haiti. Now this?

The ripple from Vance’s lie, which Trump has also told, has spread to other towns. This week a meeting over the Haitian migrants in my own town packed a local church. A church? The media wasn’t allowed in. I didn’t attend.

The police chief did speak to a reporter. He said the migrants haven’t caused any trouble beyond normal percentages throughout the community. (All groups – white, black, hispanic, etc. cause some trouble from time to time.) The Haitians seem to be hard-working people who simply want to build a life here.

Hatred and fear born of a lie. We’re so afraid of taxing our resources by people who “shouldn’t be here.” Have we forgotten that God can multiply anything that we give to Him so that we have more than enough?

It’s appalling to me that a church would host such an event. I am furious that political candidates would continue to stir up hatred and fear to further their own political ambitions. And I am more than disappointed that Christians fall into the mob mentality and blindly follow and excuse evil.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

– 1 John 4:20-21

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

– John 13:34-35

Are you stirring up hatred or are you reaching out to others in love? Don’t claim to follow Jesus and demand that people made in God’s image be removed from your community. That’s not love. That’s not what Jesus would do.

September 19, 2024

 

Who Will You Follow?

But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. – James 1:14

Nazi Germany was filled with Christians. In fact, 95 percent of the population were either Protestant or Catholic. They followed Hitler. They turned a blind eye to evil. They believed the propaganda. They followed evil rather than God.

Why do I bring this up? Because I see the same thing happening now in our country. Christians are following evil and trying to justify it by claiming to follow their Christian “values.” They claim they aren’t following Trump but rather what he stands for regarding policies and values.

Did the Christians who followed Hitler believe they were following Jesus? Did they justify turning a blind eye to evil because it would benefit them financially? Did they choose to walk away rather than stand up for what is right?

I can’t make excuses for lies. I especially can’t make excuses for lies that harm people who were created in God’s image. Haitians - who are here legally – shouldn’t be persecuted to advance one man’s political agenda. That’s just wrong.

I can’t refuse to listen to a man who has repeatedly said that if elected he will use our government to punish those who opposed him. He has said he will release from prison those who stormed the capitol. He has told Christians they only need to vote once more and then they’ll never have to vote again.

How can anyone not hear his words? This is not the media distorting the truth. These are things Trump has said repeatedly.

My next question is this: why? Are you afraid that your life will change if you follow the Bible and welcome foreigners? Are you watching your bank account instead of reading your Bible? Have you turned a hard heart toward the poor?

Blindly following someone who doesn’t follow Jesus will lead us down a path of evil. In many ways, it already has. There is just so much hatred in our country today. And it is being fueled by political rhetoric based on lies and fear mongering.

Are you going to be a part of that? Or are you going to follow Jesus?

September 10, 2024

                            A Country Divided

Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. – Matthew 12:25

Jesus was casting out demons and, as always, His critics were nearby. They claimed that Jesus was working on the authority of Satan. Jesus’ response was to ask a question: why would Satan work against his own evil spirits by casting them out?

We must either follow Jesus or follow the world. And we must do so while the world taunts us with lies.

Abraham Lincoln recognized this truth when he said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Lincoln was speaking about slavery. He opposed slavery. Lincoln expected that the nation would become either all slavery or all not. The year was 1858. Fortunately, Lincoln won that election.

So here we are again, a nation divided. In Sunday school class I wrote two lists on the board and asked class members what the lists had in common. The lists included men and women, Christian and Muslim, Democrat and Republican. heterosexual and homosexual, wealthy and poor, highly educated and uneducated. I could go on and on but you get the point.

What’s the common denominator? Jesus loves every single person on that list just as much as He loves you and I. He died for every one of us. We are ALL created in the image of God. Male and female. Black and white. Hispanic. Asian. And on and on.

Right now we have people who truly believe they are better, and smarter, than others. It reminds me of Nazi Germany. Is that harsh? The truth often is. When Christians blindly follow and excuse evil in their midst, horror results. Nazi Germany was filled with Protestants and Catholics and a few other religions. Some supported Hitler. Others remained silent. A few dared to speak out.

The United States is divided. Some support a would-be dictator. Others fear a female leader. Some reach for change and unity. Which way will we go?

My mind remembers the horror of January 6th when rioters – supported by Donald Trump – stormed the United States Capitol and attempted to take control of the government and prevent the certification of election results. The possibility of a recurrence of that day frightens me. I hope it frightens you.

I love our country and our democracy. But, as Jesus said, a house divided against itself cannot stand. How will you vote? Will you vote?

Jesus was assaulted with lies and fear-mongering. He was wise enough to see it and respond accordingly, casting aside the lies and speaking truth. How about you? Are you wise enough to see the lies and cast them aside?

September 8, 2024

         Do Not Be Deceived

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

– 1 John 1:8

“I did nothing wrong,” the candidate proclaimed.

“It’s all a hoax.”

“Fake media.”

Do you really need me to list more comments or even to name the candidate responsible? Yet this is the man conservative Christians are holding up as their standard bearer.

Some have even gone so far as to proclaim Trump as “anointed” by God. They are “preaching” for a political candidate and making excuses for his behavior – both past and present behavior.

If Trump were truly chosen by God, there would be no need to make excuses for him. He would admit past sins, ask forgiveness and change his forward path. God is quick to forgive a contrite heart.

Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. We are ALL sinners. There is no hierarchy when it comes to sin. But God does have expectations for His people.

John writes: If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. – 1 John 1:10

Our nation has had some truly devout Christian presidents. Jimmy Carter comes immediately to mind. After his re-election defeat, he turned his attention to living out his faith. He taught Sunday School and he worked building houses with Habitat for Humanity.

We are all free to choose the political candidate that best reflects our values and our concerns and desires for this great nation. But do not fool yourself into believing that a man who has repeatedly violated Biblical principles is serving God. No. That man is only serving himself.

August 30, 2021

 

Walk Away

 

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. – Colossians 2:8

 

What do you believe? Why? It’s easy to throw out Jesus’ name. It isn’t so easy to truly believe what He says.

 

Jesus looked around and saw the good in people who perhaps hadn’t live an exemplary life. And He saw the evil among the religious elite who were so busy following their own manmade rules that they missed the Messiah.

 

A major topic nowadays involves all the available jobs and the mistaken belief that people simply won’t work. Yeah. I know. Some people truly are lazy and refuse to work. But that’s not true of everyone. In fact, it’s not true of anyone that I personally know. How about you?

 

I know people who can’t work right now because of illness. Cancer is a horrible disease. So is Covid. Should those people be condemned for not being able to work right now? What about the widow struggling to care for a sick child? Is she a deadbeat because she refuses to place her disease-ridden child in a daycare?

 

Where do we draw the line between laziness and despair? How do we fairly judge between the worthy and unworthy? We don’t. It’s not our job or our place. Jesus said to love everyone. He flatly stated to do good to the poor. He never once said to hoard your earthly treasures and condemn people who aren’t exactly like you. But we do it anyway.

 

I expect that from people who don’t know Jesus. How could they possibly understand Jesus’ love for the poor and downtrodden? They don’t realize the need to do good to others. But people of faith? People who proclaim Jesus as LORD and Savior? Those putdowns sting because they reveal a heart distanced from God.

 

None of us get it all right or all wrong. We don’t. We’re all guilty of derogatory comments we shouldn’t make, of judgements we have no place pronouncing. The challenge for us is to walk away when someone says something that doesn’t come from Jesus – especially when it’s something we really want to believe.

August 12, 2021

 

Some Fuel Discord

 

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.

– Romans 16:17-18

 

Beware of people who tell you exactly what you want to hear. We know the truth of this and, yet, we do it anyway. We want so badly to believe that our beliefs are true and honorable that we ignore God’s truth in a vain attempt to justify our hearts.

 

I dislike Donald Trump. I always have. It’s not personal. I’ve never met the man. But I can’t justify his lies, his arrogance and his commentary. Yes. I know. Only God knows the heart so we can never truly know what lies within. That said, I do believe James when he said that there should be evidence of faith.

 

Holding a Bible and throwing out a few words doesn’t mean someone truly knows Jesus. Faith isn’t a political mantle one can put on to gain votes and discard when it’s no longer convenient. Faith is the firm foundation by which we live our lives. True faith should be evident to everyone.

 

Faith, however, isn’t always politically correct. Faith tells us it isn’t always about us. Faith tells us to be good to the poor. Faith tells us to love our enemies. Faith calls us to a life that is neither easy nor comfortable. It calls us to put others first and that is something we simply cannot do.

 

Some people will always seek to divide. They find joy and power in listening to people argue and fight. They paint themselves in shiny armor, the hero of a story being written. The truth is distant and troubling. They are spawns of the devil, determined to divide God’s people and conquer the hearts of many for the one filled with darkness.

 

This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats. It’s about honesty and integrity. It’s about what the Bible actually says rather than what we wish it would say. Every time you look to a podium, holding that person up as savior, you have blasphemed the true God. Every time you defend a lie, ignore a truth or spread falsehoods, you show the darkness within your own soul.

 

Anger and hatred abound among God’s people. Trump repeatedly has fueled that discord. Look around. Everyone you see is made in God’s image. Stop talking and start listening – to God. Draw near to Him while your heart might still be saved.

December 20, 2018

Lies Disguised as Truth

“You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.” – Ezekiel 13:19

It’s all just a masquerade but so many people think it’s real. They get agitated and upset over something they believe, causing them to sin in ways they wouldn’t otherwise have sinned.

We gather together with hearts hardened toward others, righteous in our beliefs and unwilling to listen to the other viewpoint. We don’t bother to check our facts or review our sources, choosing to believe what sounds good over what is right.

During my first semester of college, we were required to take a course titled Mass Communications 101. This was long before tabloids joined the broadcast ranks and long before the internet was slammed with Facebook and YouTube and other venues. It was a time of clear lines between legitimate news journalists and those who shredded the truth in order to sensationalize a story.

We studied the ways in which tabloids would take a tiny fact and surround it with what ifs and possibilities and unnamed sources. A person who wasn’t careful could believe aliens had invaded Los Angeles or a celebrity was having an affair. No proof was required.

We the people enjoyed that. We fed on what was sordid. We snatched up the tabloids and clamored for more. It was juicy reading and we believed it all.

Every now and then someone would sue but mostly folks just let it go. It’s difficult to prove someone tried to harm you even though you could easily argue that lies are intended to harm.

We the people fueled it all with our insatiable appetite for those things that fueled our anger and inspired our passions. We hungered for reality shows that made us feel better about ourselves by exposing the sordid lives of others. Our soap operas of yesterday became the tabloid journalism of today.

I am amazed at those who truly believe if it’s on YouTube or Facebook that it has to be true. I can only shake my head at those who truly believe that “news” on television is created all the same. They can’t see that people arguing about an issue has nothing to do with “news” and everything to do with opinion.

This isn’t about political positions. It’s about facts. Just because one person said it doesn’t make it true. Do people research issues and check facts? No. It’s just too easy to focus on those who share our opinions and spread their views as facts.

We have created a monster. Or, maybe, Satan has created a monster and used us to do it. We seek to destroy each other, unable to share a civil conversation about any issues we disagree on. We are so busy fighting “for” God, that we’ve lost Him and we don’t even know it.

Satan works hard each day to lead us astray, to focus our fight on each. Every time we believe his lies, we become less of who we could be in Christ.

December 16, 2018

Words Reveal the Heart

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:14

We were talking about love. We were talking about putting God first and loving others as ourselves. We were talking about loving people who believe differently than we do and trusting God with all the rest.

The normally soft-spoken woman erupted without warning. She’d been watching soap operas and other things on YouTube and she used those “facts” to launch a vicious attack against homosexuality. Everyone in the room was shocked.

We are a diverse group. We are liberals and conservatives and all of us in between those two extremes. We are accustomed to passionate opinions that we don’t always agree with. It’s okay. We love Jesus and we love each other.

This was not that kind of sharing. It was mean and vicious. It was an opinion based on lies and ugliness. It was clear she doesn’t know any homosexuals and really hasn’t done any legitimate research. Isn’t that how it usually goes?

I really don’t care how you feel about homosexuality. This column isn’t about that. It’s about hating people you don’t know based on lies you choose to believe. It’s the same thing that happened to women (another woman in the group pointed this out), people of color, and those who are Jewish. We hate what we don’t understand which, in our minds, allows us to justify our behavior.

I don’t have a lot of answers. I don’t. Neither do you. We aren’t God and we don’t understand His ways. We aren’t meant to understand this side of heaven. That’s where faith and trust come in to play.

God has called us to love without exception. We are to love people who are different from us. We are to love people who harm us. We are to love others because He loved us first. God is love. If we believe that, how can we not love others? How can we justify refusing to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

People don’t come to Jesus because His followers (that would be you and me) criticize and condemn people who believe differently than we do. People don’t know how much God loves them because we lash out in anger and fear. People know Jesus as Lord and Savior because we love them no matter what.

Maybe my views are a product of my upbringing. That’s generally how it goes. My grandmother believed the Bible teaches that blacks are inferior to whites. It doesn’t, of course. I challenged her on it one day and she never backed down. I didn’t either. But it taught me something. It taught me that bigoted people will use the Bible to try and justify their beliefs. That’s why it is so very important to know what God says for ourselves rather than try and get our “facts” from YouTube, Facebook or television.

As I said earlier, I don’t have a lot of answers. But I do believe this: God has called me to love everyone. He has called me show others who He is through my actions. Through Him, I can love people who make decisions I don’t agree with. Through Him, I can forgive those who have hurt me deeply. Through Him, I can have civilized discussions about what the Bible really says.

Your words reveal your heart. What do your words say about you?

November 26, 2018

Spreading Lies

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,” – Exodus 23:1-2

A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. – Proverbs 17:4

It was one of those outrageous lies. You know what I’m talking about. Someone says something on Facebook and everyone starts sharing it without bothering to check the “facts.”

California is not trying to ban the Bible. The state legislature couldn’t even if it wanted to. The First Amendment still exists. Nor is the state attempting to shut down faith-based bookstores.

A legislator trying to stir up support for his campaign spread falsehoods about a proposed piece of legislation. It was something easily checked. But, well, the lie sounded right to people who want to think only the devil and his followers live in California.

What bothers me is our willingness to share lies like it’s nothing. It matters. When you seek to harm people by stirring up hatred and discord, you become part of the problem. You become a liar too.

I lived in California. I attended one of many churches in California. I know. It’s shocking to some of you. California is the home of many Christians. There are many, many homes filled with people who pray and study the Bible and try to live according to God’s Word.

Many of the people who spread Facebook lies consider themselves to be honest, Christian people. They would argue vehemently, defending themselves and saying they believed the lie. They didn’t bother to check the “facts” but, well, they’re entitled to their opinion. It’s just too easy to hit that share button. But when you repeat lies – gossip at its worst – you are a liar.

I know. Some people point the finger at Facebook and certainly that company must share the blame. But we each have individual responsibility to make sure that what we share is factual, not because it sounds right but because we’ve checked the facts.

Stop spreading lies, and hate, on Facebook and other social media outlets. It not only makes you look bad, it turns people away from Jesus.

September 29, 2018

What Do Your Words Reveal?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

One of the most interesting things about all the political talk is watching people justify their words and their opinions. It would be comical if it wasn’t so sad.

One woman, someone who sees herself as a fine Christian, was taken aback by a friend who responded to yet another hateful post on Facebook. The friend said something I’ve thought many times: She called the post hateful and mean and questioned this woman for writing it.

Naturally, it produced a defensive response. It’s “my opinion,” she insisted. “I have the right to express my opinion.” “It’s not hateful. I don’t use curse words.” “I’ve got a lot at stake in this debate.” And, here’s the clincher, “Christians have been silent too long.”

It took a great deal of self-control to keep from responding to that. Jesus has no part in this hatred that has spread over our land. He’s just the excuse some folks use for speaking from their own self-interests.

Let’s try something here. “He’s so stupid! Did you hear what he said? He’s nothing but a liar and a thief. Those people should be prosecuted. How dare they condemn a good man! I know he’s good. I don’t need to meet him. He’s good and those others are just awful people. I heard they stole money. Did you hear that? I know it’s true. I can tell. Can’t you? Yes! They need to go to jail. How dare they say something bad about such a good person when they’ve done so much evil!”

If you read or heard those words would you think the person was being hateful or mean? There are no curse words in there. A little gossip. A lot of commentary about something the writer would know nothing about. Slander. Lots of opinions. Words that are designed to fuel anger and spread hurt.

I made that up. You know that. But I could have copied and pasted those words from any number of Facebook posts from this woman or dozens more. Sure, they’re entitled to their “opinions.” I’ve big on the First Amendment and our right to free speech. What makes me angry is justifying this ugliness by claiming to defend Jesus.

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Luke 6:45

This is what Jesus said about evil words. Jesus isn’t in this ugliness. Unfortunately, those who don’t know Him, don’t know that God is love, turn away from the One who loves them most because of these lies.

What’s also unfortunate is what the ugly words reveal about the person saying them. The woman who got called out for her ugliness is someone I’ve known a long time. I always considered her to be a strong woman of faith, someone who is a prayer warrior. I’m starting to question that. I don’t know how someone who truly has the love of Jesus inside of them can be so consistently ugly with their words and opinions.

It’s makes me consider her heart. It makes me remember the ugly comments I’ve heard her make about the poor or about immigration. I’d excused those remarks. I’d given her a pass because she’s led such a sheltered life, without ever having to support herself or do without anything. I’d extended grace, the same grace she refuses to extend to anyone who disagrees with her opinions.

Jesus said our words reflect our hearts. What do your words reveal about you?

July 24, 2018

Be Careful What You Say

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” -- Luke 12:2-3

A friend has decided to join Facebook. He’s unsure if it’s something he can do or if it’s something only for younger folks with far more technical skills than he has. It’s easy, I told him. Just remember one very important thing: Never post anything you wouldn’t want the world to read.

Some people would argue with me about privacy settings and such. I stand by my advice. If you say it, whether publicly or in “private”, those words could become public. So, watch your words.

Have you ever told someone something in private and then had them repeat it to others? We’ve probably all felt that sting of betrayal. Private conversations aren’t meant for everyone.

And you know what? We’ve probably all been guilty of doing the same thing to someone else. It might not have been intentional but we did it just the same.

That’s the thing about words, whether written or spoken. You can’t ever take them back. The same is true of things that we do. They can’t ever be undone. The consequences continue on and on. God will forgive us if we repent and change course, but the consequences of our actions remain.

The political arena is no different. Perhaps it’s even more so. Those backroom deals really do exist. People work hard to cover up misbehavior. And people sometimes skirt the law for financial or power gains.

The Democrats and Republicans are good at pointing fingers. The truth is that both sides are guilty. One party’s guilt doesn’t erase the other party’s guilt.

Certainly, we need compromise. We used to have that. We had statesmen who reached across to those with opposing views in an effort to find a middle ground that everyone could live with. We’re too polarized for that anymore.

I am tired of it. How about you? Is Donald Trump guilty of working with the Russians to influence the presidential election? I don’t know. But I believe that the truth will eventually come out. Is Hillary Clinton guilty of erasing emails? I don’t know. But I believe that the truth will eventually come out.

God has a way of exposing deceit that can shake us to our core. Denials don’t work. Lies piled on top of lies don’t work. Ugliness can only masquerade as righteousness for so long before it becomes a bitter expose on the life we really lead as opposed to the life we claim to lead.

There is freedom in truth and honesty. There is freedom in keeping your own counsel, in taking matters to God first. There is freedom in only saying what you wouldn’t mind anyone else hearing.

Truth comes out in the end. God makes sure of it. So watch your words, whether you think anyone else is listening or not.

June 22, 2018

What Gospel Do You Hear?

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

– 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

What happens when following Jesus collides with protecting what you hold dear? Do you make the hard choice or do you cling to what you know, what’s comfortable, what you have “earned”?

Many of us are willing to share our excess but we aren’t willing to sacrifice anything to give to others. Our own hands may be outstretched to borrow and receive but not necessarily to give and to share.

And we’re happy to pull out a Bible verse to back it up. Ah, yes. Let’s pick and choose what we want to believe. Let’s twist the meaning of God’s Word so that it aligns up with what we desire.

It’s how some truly well-meaning religious people justify their hatred and anger at others. It’s how places such as Facebook end up being the catalyst that fuels bigotry and lies. We aren’t particularly concerned about truth so long as it lines up with what we want to believe.

Somehow, we think we’ve “earned” the right to be greedy. Somehow, we believe we are better than others who were born to different circumstances. We tell them to work to better themselves without offering a shred of hope. We cling to what is “mine” without any real understanding that it all belongs to God.

When did we come to believe that only certain parts of the gospel are directed at us? When did we start watering down what we don’t like and building up what we do like? When did we decide that labels such as “Republican” or “Democrat” are more valuable that “Christian” and “Righteous”?

Our country is being torn apart by hatred among people who say they are Christians. We no longer believe in kindness unless it’s directed as someone we know and approve of. We act as though mercy and grace are only available to those of our choosing. We judge what we do not know based on lies generated to protect all that we hold dear.

And what do we know? We feel threatened by anything and anyone who might take what we think we deserve. We forget that so much of what we have began with the happenstance of our birth. Yes. We might work hard but there’s so much more to what we gain than hard work. Some of the hardest workers on this earth are people who barely get by. That’s not a truth we want to hear.

We are a greedy people. We “need” this and we “need” that. Most of us have no idea what true need is. We’ve never wondered where our next meal will come from. We’ve never desperately sought a job, any job, so that we could keep a roof over our heads. We’ve never done without medical care because all the small jobs we’ve managed to put together don’t offer insurance. But we judge others as though we truly understand.

The gospel isn’t about judging; it’s about loving. The gospel isn’t about storing up on this earth; it’s about sharing. The gospel isn’t about us; it’s about others. We don’t hear that because it interferes with what we hold dear. And that’s not Jesus, no matter how many Sundays we sit on a church pew.

June 2, 2018

Don’t Fall For Satan’s Lies

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

-- Luke 19:8-9

Even in the world of prosperity theology, it seems extravagant. Televangelist Jesse Duplantis wants his followers to give him $54 million for a private jet. He already has three private planes but “God wants” him to have a new one.

I wonder how many foolish people will send him money, believing that God will bless them financially for doing so? This man isn’t of God. Do they know that? Do they understand just how far away from the gospel Duplantis’ rhetoric really is?

The man says that Jesus wouldn’t ride a donkey today. He and Kenneth Copeland insist that they can’t pray on commercial airlines that are filled with demons. Copeland’s word, not mine. They just “know” that God wants to bless them with private planes.

And mansions. We can’t forget the luxurious lifestyle Duplantis’ followers provide for him. Jesus didn’t even have a home of his own. Why would these imposters insist than God wants them to have mansions on this earth?

Because we are foolish people. Because desperate people fall for Satan’s lies. Because we want so badly to be rid of the heartache and pain, the struggles and the limits, of our own lives. So we believe what isn’t true in a futile attempt to become wealthy and live an easy life.

I want so desperately for these sad people to read the Bible for themselves. I want them to truly know Jesus, to know that He is enough. I want them to understand that even though life is sometimes hard, He walks with us every step of the way.

Jesus mingled with the poor. He ministered to sinners. He drove out demons. He touched lepers. He wept with friends. Jesus lived among the people who needed Him the most. He could easily have hid Himself in a mansion but Jesus chose to live amongst the downtrodden.

In fact, the only times Jesus was truly angry was when others were taking advantage of the poor. Just like Duplantis is doing right now.

I’ve no doubt that God will handle this imposter in His good time. But how many people will he lead astray before that time comes? How many lies will people believe? Peter tells us to be watchful because the devil prowls about looking for people to devour. Satan is no doubt feasting on the followers of this imposter. It is just so sad.

What, perhaps, is even sadder are those who don’t know Jesus and are turned away from His truth because of people who claim to be of God and yet aren’t. We must be strong. We must continue to shine His light on this dark world. We must expose those who take advantage of unsuspecting people.

Don’t fall for Satan’s lies. Stand strong and trust in the true King, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

April 21, 2018

When Is A Lie A Lie?

An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.

– Proverbs 14:5

When is a lie a lie? I know. You’re probably dismissing this question, thinking the answer is obvious. Are you sure?

A friend asks if you like her new dress. It is hideous. Do you tell her it looks great on her? Do you try and come up with something nice to say, such as “All that matters is that you like it,” avoiding telling your honest opinion. You don’t want to hurt her feelings. What do you say?

Or maybe your co-worker is ranting about something at work. You remain silent until he asks for your support. You desperately try to sidestep the issue because you don’t agree with him. Do you tell him you think he’s wrong? Or do you sidestep the issue, trying to find a way to avoid speaking your truth?

Truth isn’t always black and white. Sometimes it’s the gray area between being honest and avoiding hurting someone we value. We aren’t all wordsmiths, able to instantly come up with a truth that works without giving away our honest opinions. Sometimes we tell a “white lie” to avoid the pain. Is that wrong? Surely God understands. Doesn’t He?

Here’s another question: If you intentionally mislead someone to believe something you know isn’t the truth, did you lie to them? Technically, you didn’t. You used words to skirt the truth, knowing they would believe a falsehood. You didn’t bother to correct their conclusion because that was your point.

I call it playing word games with people. The deception causes much hurt. What happens when the truth emerges? What happens if your words lead others to think badly of someone? Maybe that was your point.

Is the intent to deceive really a lie? Well, that’s for God to judge but here’s what the Bible says: God looks at the heart. In your heart, did you lie? Did you deceive? There’s your answer.

My first semester of college included a Mass Communication 101 course. One of the things we studied was how tabloids can twist information to make it sound like something that isn’t true. They rarely get sued because it’s all based on a tidbit of truth. But it sure does mislead readers and viewers and hurt those who are the targets.

Oh, yes. The media. We all love to bash the media. Look in the mirror. Are you a consumer of mistruth? Do you share it on Facebook or other social media outlets? Do you check out your sources before you hit the share button or do you just assume that if it sounds like what you believe it must be true?

Hatred has a way of darkening our hearts without us even knowing it. We’re so focused on being right that we miss the lies right before us.

Think about your own language, your own beliefs, your own heart. How many times do you pass on a bit of gossip? How many times do you criticize without knowing the facts? How often do you judge what isn’t any of your business anyway?

I’ll ask you again: When is a lie a lie? Think about it. Look into your own heart. You may not be as honest as you think you are.

April 6, 2018

Betrayal Hurts

Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

– Matthew 26:14-16

Can you imagine how much it hurt Jesus to be betrayed by someone so close to Him? Jesus knew Judas would ultimately sell Him to be murdered. That was why Jesus came, after all. But, still, it had to break His heart.

Jesus was fully God and fully human. He felt the same pain we feel when someone we trusted turns on us. And for what? Thirty pieces of silver. Was it really worth the cost?

On this side, we understand that it had to be. Jesus died so we who believe won’t have to face death and eternal separation from God. Death couldn’t hold Him and, because of Him, it can’t hold us. What a wonderful gift! What an awesome God!

But have we ever considered His pain? It’s difficult to accept that a co-worker would go behind your back and plot to destroy you. It’s hard when it’s someone you know, someone who claims to share your faith, someone you believed liked you. But when it’s someone close to you, well, that’s a whole different level of heartache.

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” – John 13:21

He saw it coming. Jesus knew His friend, His disciple, a man who had spend three years by His side, was going to hand Him over to be crucified. He could have stopped it but He didn’t. Jesus loved us that much.

But do you think knowing the end result lessoned Jesus’ pain? John tells us Jesus was troubled. I would have wanted to stop it, to demand that my friend admit what he planned and change course. It sounds good but, honestly, someone who would plot against you, speak ill of you, isn’t likely to change course where there’s money and/or power involved.

There’s no way to completely guard against the evil that sometimes springs forth from hearts we thought we knew. To do so would leave us with hardened hearts, incapable of feeling anything. That’s surely not the answer. Maybe there is no answer.

The truth is that there will always be people masquerading as your friends who, in the end, will intentionally do you harm. There are people who call themselves family, either by blood or by law, that will turn on you, spreading lies and the ugliness that lives in their hearts.

Jesus gets it. He understands how deep the hurts goes. He feels your pain because He’s been there. And He knows that sometimes you don’t have any other choice but to continue on into the storm, seeing the betrayal that’s coming but being powerless to stop it.

I wish people would do different, don’t you? I wish everyone would end the games and just put on a cloak of honesty. But that’s not the real world. That’s not what some people are capable of doing.

We’re all flawed human beings, struggling to do the best we can while living in a fallen world. Those who intentionally seek to harm and destroy are inevitable. Keep your guard up and watch your heart. Don’t let the lies and deceit of others cause you to lose your way. Just cling tightly to Jesus and trust that He’ll be with you as you weather the inevitable storm.