Truth or Consequences

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work — which is by faith.

– 1 Timothy 1:3-4 

It sounds like something found deep in the jungles of Africa, the Amazon rainforest — or maybe even on another planet. It’s a carnivorous plant called the Venus fly trap, which grows wild in the bogs of North and South Carolina. 

Venus fly traps feast on flies and other insects, and their secret lies in their attractive colors and outstretched, nectar-scented pads. When an unsuspecting victim lands on the exotic plant, sensors prepare its trap to shut. But by intelligent design, it takes more than a single motion to spring the snare. It’s only after a second sensor is activated that the Venus fly trap grabs its prey within 0.1 seconds. Soon, powerful fluids fill the sprung trap, which dissolve the insect into usable nutrients. The cycle then resumes, with the plant re-opening its pads to repeat the lethal deception.

This illustrates an important lesson for Christ-followers: Although it might seem innocent at the time, we can suffer great harm from those who teach Scripture in ways that are inconsistent with God’s Word. That’s because false doctrine can lead Believers astray while misdirecting seekers from the biblical straight-and-narrow pathway toward salvation. Examples include pseudo-Christian tenets such as name-it-claim it, salvation by works, and legalism. One popular Atlanta-area pastor has also advocated unhitching the Old Testament from the Christian faith. And in recent years another familiar pastor/author has denied certain essential Christian beliefs. Declaring that “love wins” and that hell is just symbolic, he’s proclaimed that people worldwide will be saved in the end — even if they haven’t professed their faith Christ. Of course, Believers know through John 14:6 that Jesus disagrees:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The threat from bad doctrine is nothing new to Christ-followers. About 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul addressed some of the false teachings of his day that were both confusing and upsetting to early believers in Jesus:

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,” Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8, “let them be under God’s curse!”

The good news is that God’s truth is near for those who seek it. And Christ-followers have open access to it through the Bible, prayer — and even wise counsel from fellow Believers. We should therefore have less trouble than others with telling right from wrong and discerning the traps of false doctrine. It’s a vital lesson that underscores the importance of biblical literacy.

If you hear or read something that seems inconsistent with Scripture, maybe it is. Check the Bible and ask a trusted Christian friend. And if the teaching is unbiblical, don’t follow it. But if it turns out to be legitimate, God could be using it to build your faith and help you become a bit more like our Savior … one passage at a time.

Can I Get a Witness?

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

– 1 John 4:14

According to AccuWeather, tourists recently flocked to Death Valley, CA, at the height of a heat wave to experience temperatures that neared 130 degrees. The official high on July 7, 2024, was 129 degrees at Death Valley National Park’s Furnace Creek Visitors Center. And that was followed by a week with afternoon temperatures in the upper 120s.

That’s in stark contrast to the brutally cold temperatures endured 247 years earlier in another famous valley. In December 1777, General George Washington’s Continental Army faced frigid, snowy conditions as it set up winter camp in Valley Forge, PA, during the Revolutionary War. The situation was grim for the 12,000-man rag-tag force. What’s more, Washington was under attack by members of Congress, who were criticizing his strategic choices and lack of success on the battlefield. Some even advocated his removal from command. With food, clothing, and ammunition in extremely short supply, Washington wrote: "… that unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place ... this Army must inevitably … starve, dissolve, or disperse…"

A great change would indeed take place. One Valley Forge resident testified that Washington was alone and on his knees in prayer in the woods. The tired general called aloud for God’s help — and not just with his army’s dire plight — but also for all of humanity and the world. The witness recalled that he was astonished at the power and earnestness of the general’s petition. “We never thought a man could be a soldier and a Christian,” he said. “But if there is one in the world, it is Washington.”

The rest, as they say, is history. In the darkness of Christmas night, Washington and his army crossed the ice-choked Delaware River to defeat the oblivious Hessian mercenaries hired by the British. The news of the Continental’s surprise victory spread quickly throughout the fledgling nation and soon revived the fading war effort. 

Although the eyes of America were on George Washington that snowy evening, he hadn’t sought an audience — except for One. But his sincere and humble prayers testified volumes about his fervent faith in his Creator’s ability to protect and save.

How about you and me? As Christ-followers, the world is watching us, too. Do our words and deeds each day testify to our faith in God’s ability to change the world and save souls? When we practice what we preach, it’s our faith in action that honors God. And when we seek to honor God, he seeks to honor us. As Psalm 35:28 proclaims:

My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.

Family Matters

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

– Acts 11:18

The Adoption Network reports that about 115,000 children are adopted each year in the United States, and 25% of them don’t share their adoptive parents’ race, culture, or ethnicity. Unfortunately, the adoption process can be stressful, tedious, and very expensive. Arrangements with the birthparents can fall through at the last minute, and agency fees, court costs, and other legal expenses can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars. But for those whose hearts are set on a special child, no price is too high.

Scripture reveals that God is quite familiar with the adoption process, its struggles, and legalities. That’s because in a very real sense, he’s the adoptive parent of every Christ-follower. When we first put our faith in his son — Jesus — as our Savior, God acted legally on our behalf and paid all the related costs. The result? Our eternal salvation and adoption into God’s royal family:

“You did not choose me; I chose you,” Jesus explains through the apostle John’s gospel. “And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.”

Before God became our Heavenly Father, we were spiritually dead. We had broken his laws, and our sinfulness had made us his enemies ... and him our Judge. But what’s so remarkable is that this same Judge has declared us not guilty. That’s because Christ paid the exorbitant price of our adoption through his death on the cross. For us then came a change of family, name, and home. And as God’s adopted children, it also meant an array of new privileges and responsibilities.

The implications are extraordinary. God — as our loving Father — is now approachable through prayer. He’s no longer some cold, impersonal being who’s only accessible through a priest. In fact, Jesus outraged the strict religious authorities of the day by referring to the Creator as Abba, which means Daddy in the Aramaic language. And he happens to be a Daddy who watches out for his kids!

Indeed, the Creator of our vast universe cares for us so much and knows us so intimately that he’s literally counted the hairs on our head. He’s also willing to pay any price to adopt us into his family. And for every Christ-follower, that’s exactly what he did to forever convey his name, protection, inheritance, and love. Because to him, family matters. 

 

Flavor of the Month

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”

– Acts 10:34-35

There’s a popular notion that one’s choice of faith, whether it be Christianity, Islam, Judaism, or something else, is little different than one’s choice of ice cream. Whether it’s vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, or pistachio, the flavor really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s all just a matter of personal preference and taste.

God’s message to us through the Bible, however, reveals that our choice is one of life or death. Author Philip Yancey wrote about an incident that reveals this crucial truth. Several decades ago, there was a conference held in England where theologians debated which belief was unique to Christianity. Other faiths held to the resurrection of the dead. And still others described their gods as coming to earth in human form. But after much heated discussion, C.S. Lewis — the noted author of Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, and other Christian classics — wandered into the room.

"What's all the hubbub about?" he inquired. When his colleagues disclosed the contentious topic, Lewis was quick to reply:

"Oh ...That's easy," he said. "It's grace."

What’s grace ... and why does it matter? 

Grace is God's free gift of favor to undeserving people like you and me. There's nothing we can do to earn it. We just need to accept it, embrace it, and live it out with transformed lives through our faith in Jesus Christ. Moreover, it's with grace that we not only survive, but thrive. 

The saying goes that religion is all about working and doing things to please God, but Christianity is all about the great thing that God has already done for us. It’s also through religion that we might imagine God warning us: “Work hard and be good so that you can be saved.” But when we turn our lives over to Jesus in faith, his actual loving message turns things on its head: 

“You have been saved. Now go out and do good in my name.”

Regardless of popular opinion, our choices — particularly those involving faith — have consequences. We can either choose manmade religion, where we face exhaustion and frustration due to our guaranteed failure to achieve, or embrace a God-made relationship, where Jesus has already paid the price for our salvation. All we must do is accept his remarkably gracious invitation and let him live through us. And even more amazing is that it’s an invitation that’s open to everyone:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock,” Jesus welcomes us through Revelation 3:20. “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Changed

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.

– Acts 10:44-45

Early followers of Jesus were called Little Christs because their newfound faith had transformed their lives for all to see. This odd group of people from all walks of life — rich and poor, male and female, slave and free — were markedly different from the rest of society. They somehow had grown more caring and generous toward both neighbors and strangers alike, and they willingly sacrificed their time and resources to ease sorrow and correct injustice. Ultimately, they had abandoned their old, selfish tendencies in favor of something much greater.

In a word, they were changed.

And that says much for their leader — an obscure rabbi from a distant corner of the Roman Empire, who just happened to be God’s own Son. Few recognized that at the time. But because some did and led changed lives while following Jesus, millions in future generations would help to change the world for the better. 

Modern-day Christ-followers must also set aside their selfish deeds and desires in favor of Jesus’ example. And like those first disciples transformed by the words of the Sermon on the Mount, we should recognize that Jesus the leader was also Jesus the follower. Christ spoke constantly with his Father (God) in prayer and always sought his guidance: 

“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing,” explained Jesus, “because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

It’s a radical approach that’s just as life-changing today as it was 20 centuries ago. And it’s also an approach that calls for personal action, commitment, and sacrifice. So, whether you’ve followed Jesus for five years or 55, grasp every opportunity to become more like him, walk in his ways, and see the world through his eyes. Then ask God to work through you with his Holy Spirit — that personal, loving Power, who makes it possible to leave your old self behind and become a new creation. 

It’s the change that makes a world of difference. 

Out of the Darkness

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

– James 1:2–3

According to Open Doors’ 2024 report on Christian persecution, our brothers and sisters in faith are being targeted worldwide — particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Last year, almost 15,000 churches and Christian properties were attacked. About 10,000 churches were forcibly closed in China. One in five Christians in Africa were victimized, especially in Nigeria. And the report reveals that it’s effectively a death sentence in North Korea if you’re discovered to be a Christ-follower. Other Asian nations where persecution runs rampant include India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

But religious oppression isn’t isolated to faraway lands. Here in the United States, recent incidents include Wayne State University’s de-recognition of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship — all because the group requires its leaders to be Christian. A Seattle-area assistant high school football coach was suspended for repeatedly praying on the field after games. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission twice targeted a Christian baker for declining to produce decorative cakes that celebrate same-sex marriage and gender transitioning. And last year, a gunman killed three adults and three children at the faith-based Covenant School in Nashville. The shooter’s manifesto cited her hatred of her conservative Christian upbringing as a primary motive.

Christ-followers shouldn’t be shocked by such disturbing headlines. In fact, let’s consider the following admonition from the apostle Peter — biblical guidance that’s just as applicable now as it was nearly 2,000 years ago:

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Peter adds that “… those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” But how can we do that amidst our current adversities? Let’s start by embracing these words from Jesus as recorded in John 15:20:

“Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

From the earliest Christ-followers to their 21st century counterparts like you and me, Believers have experienced dark times marked by persecution. But it’s because of this darkness that many outside our faith are finally recognizing their own plight — as well as their need for solid answers and a bright future. Let’s therefore turn our faith into light by embodying Jesus' truth and love. Matthew’s gospel puts it this way:

“Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.”

Leap of Faith

I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the LORD your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.

– Joshua 1:9

Are you the type who shies away from scary or dangerous situations? Or are you more of a thrill-seeker who loves excitement and adventure? 

If you're willing to take a leap of faith, consider skydiving, which happens to be a surprisingly safe sport. The United States Parachute Association reports that in 2023, there were just 10 civilian fatalities out of the estimated 3.65 million skydiving jumps made by its members in the U.S. Then there’s BASE jumping, which stands for Bridge, Antenna, Span, and Earth. Considered by many the world’s most dangerous sport, BASE jumping involves parachuting from tall structures — like buildings, cliffs and towers — at heights lower than 1,000 feet.

It’s probably hard for most people to relate to such fear-inducing daredevil activities. But every day, Christ-followers like you and me face intimidating challenges. And they’re obstacles that we have no hope of conquering on our own. Poverty, hunger, crime, and disease are just a few examples. Since we’re to serve as God’s hands and feet on earth, is it any surprise that Satan uses fear as his primary weapon against us? It’s the devil who plants the seeds of doubt that cause us to ask ourselves, “What if ...” That’s the two-word question that leads many to seek the safety found in procrastination and delay.

Our Creator, however, calls on Christ-followers to be bold and courageous. But what does courage really mean? First, it’s not the absence of fear. Instead, it’s more about moving forward despite fear. Our God stands with his people. And we can be encouraged by the everyday people he’s enabled to accomplish extraordinary things against overwhelming odds. We read in the Scriptures that David — an obscure shepherd boy — killed the fierce giant Goliath with a single, well-aimed stone from a slingshot. This is the same shepherd boy who eventually became the King of Israel and the one God called “a man after My own heart.” Likewise, the apostle Peter quite literally dove into the deep end when he accepted Jesus’ call to walk on water. Although he would one day deny even knowing Jesus when the going got tough, Peter later became a bold preacher who led many to faith in Christ. Two books of the New Testament also bear his name.

“With God with us, who can be against us?” the apostle Paul asks through his Letter to the Romans. And that’s more than a rhetorical question. Christ-followers can take heart that our Creator is preparing us now for what will be required of us later. And whatever we fear in life, we can rest assured that we don’t face it alone. In fact, it’s when we’re in God’s presence that we’re the most protected. We just need to come to our Father in prayer, listen for his response and guidance, and then take a leap of faith. That’s how we’ll find the boldness and courage to make a world of difference … one person at a time.