Are We Called to Seek Peace or Speak Truth?

A reader emailed to tell me I caused disunity in the Body of Christ by writing about things like abortion and transgenderism.

I agree. Those things cause disunity because there can be no unity between truth and lies, true faith and cultural faith. 

But don't take my word for this: 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~Jesus, John 14:27

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~Jesus, John 16:33

Unity within the Body of Christ is one of our goal, but that unity must be based on sound doctrine, not cultural approval. And Christians are not called to make peace with the world. We're called to fight Satan's lies (Ephesians 6:10-18). 

✔ We’re called to stand apart, not fit in (1 John 2:15-17).  

✔ We're called to expose sinful practices (Ephesians 5:11). 

✔ We aren’t called to be popular (Matthew 10:22). 

✔  We aren’t called to put friends, family, or culture above our loyalty to Christ (Luke 14:25-27). 

      

Our love for God is reflected in our respect for His commands, our willingness to speak up about sins that damage people's souls, and our deliberate efforts to live in the world without becoming like the world. See Romans 12:2.

 

True lovers of Christ prioritize our lives biblically, not culturally. 

✞✞✞

 

See Don't Fear Speaking Up and How Can Christians Stand Firm?

And please check out Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional that can help you stand firm. Click the picture below to read more about it.

God's Commands about Love & Marriage

In the last fifty years, our culture has shunned biblical commands about sexual behavior, and the world has grown darker. Sadly, some professing Christians have joined the darkness:

A 2020 survey by Pew Research found that “roughly one-third of evangelical Protestants say casual sex between consenting adults is always or sometimes acceptable.” 

Casual sex is defined as sex between people who have no established relationship. 

God not only warns against casual sex, but He also raises the bar on sexual behavior because He is our creator and fully understands how we are made. Scripture warns us that any sex outside of heterosexual marriage is sinful and damaging to our souls. 

Furthermore, sexual sins are in a class by themselves:

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”  1 Corinthians 6:18

Genuine Christians trust and obey God's instructions because His commands are loving and healthy, and we prove our belief in Him and love for Him by obedience:

“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.”  1 John 5:3-4 

Let's never be ashamed to preach and teach about the damage of sexual sins, even if the whole world mocks and despises us!

💙✞💙✞💙✞💙

For an in-depth look at what Scripture says about sex, see Sex Outside Marriage. 

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon. In addition, you can buy the book in Kindle format on Amazon and as an ebook on Barnes and Noble.

 

You can sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes. Find out more HERE.

BLN

Who Pulls Your Strings?

Did you know that many rich, famous, influential, and intellectual people are mere puppets of Satan, believing and promoting his lies? 

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:4

Satan is the “father of lies,” and his lies defy logic (John 8:43-44). Only someone with a blinded mind can believe them. For example:

✔ Only Satan could make someone believe the incredibly detailed beauty in our universe was formed by an accident called evolution.

See How Coke Evolved from a Rock.

✔ Only Satan could convince a man he's a woman or a woman she's a man. 

See A Letter Defending Male and Female.

✔ Only Satan could make people believe killing a baby was "healthcare."  

See Have You Taken a Bribe against the Innocent?

✔ Only Satan could convince people that they can accept the undeserved forgiveness of Christ while they hold on to bitterness toward others. 

See 4 Ways to Stop Drinking the Poison of Bitterness.

If we’re genuine believers, no one pulls our strings. We voluntarily follow God’s plan for our lives and seek to obey His commands.

If people aren’t following Jesus, they're blind puppets pulled about by Satan, the father of lies (John 8:43-44).

 

Dear Christians, let's pray that those blinded by Satan will turn to the God of Truth. 

💙💙💙

💙 The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs. You'll find some great sale prices on this hardcover devotional on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

 

BLN

Hebrews 12:1-3: Where to Focus Our Eyes

In Check Out the Great Cloud of Witnesses, Anything That Hinders, and Are Your Legs Entangled, we talked about important aspects of perseverance in Hebrews 12:1-3.

Now let's look at the most important truth in that passage: 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Hebrews 12:1-3  

If people reject us because of our faith, Jesus understands (John 15:18-25). If we're struggling with challenges and temptations, Jesus can empathize, and His life offers us many examples of standing firm in our faith ( Hebrews 4:15-16). When we consider what Christ did for us, it puts our hardships and sacrifices in perspective (Romans 12:1-2).

So let's keep our focus on our wonderful Savior and His plans and purposes for our lives.  

💙💙💙💙 

For more encouragement, see A Key to Having Peace and Asking God for 20/20 Spiritual Vision.

💙The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs. You'll find some great sale prices on this hardcover devotional on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

BLN

7 Ways to Shine for Christ

Jesus commands Christians to spread His light (Matthew 5:14-16). 

What does this mean? And how can we do this? 

Let's look at passages using the light analogy to find our answer:

1. We don't hide our light. We want our faith to shine wherever we are, not only at church (Matthew 5:14-15).

2. We remember that when we shine the light of Christ, we bring glory to God, not to ourselves (Matthew 5:16). 

3. When discouraged, we remind ourselves that because God called us out of darkness, we've become His chosen people, a royal priesthood, and His special possession (1 Peter 2:9)

4. We remember that only as we walk in the light can we have true fellowship with other light bearers and experience God's purifying work in our hearts (1 John 1:7). 

5. Because we are no longer in darkness, we seek to bear "the fruit of the light" (Ephesians 5:8-10). 

6. We seek to expose evil and harmful deeds of darkness in our world (Ephesians 5:11-14). 

7.  We remember that God is complete and perfect light without a dot of darkness, and we know that those who walk in darkness don't know Him (1 John 1:5-6).  

 

Perhaps our light can draw them to Christ—another reason to shine!

⭐🌟⭐🌟

See Whiners or Shiners and check out the short, nutritious Bible study on this subject at Bite Size Bible Study.

Click the image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

BLN

Dangerous Prayers

Today I'm sharing another devotion from Marika Marton.*

“How can a prayer be dangerous?” you might ask.

The answer is that many times we pray familiar prayers without truly considering how God might choose to answer them.

We often say things like: “God, help me change”, “Make me more like Jesus”, “Help me obey You”, “Cleanse me from sin”, or “Make me holy.”

We also sing songs with lyrics such as: “Lord, lead me, use me, be glorified through me, teach me Your ways.”

But do we really mean these prayers? Are we truly aware of what we're asking for? Are we ready to accept the way God might answer?

If we imagine that these kinds of prayers would be answered easily, as if with a magic wand, we’re mistaken.

Yes, God does answer prayers like these. But He often does so by allowing us difficult life circumstances—situations where He can cleanse us, shape us, and transform us. And yes, it has a cost.

Hebrews 12:11: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Still, even though the path may be hard, it is always worth it. If we are willing to receive God’s answers His way, our lives will glorify Him and will be filled with peace, joy, and contentment in the Lord (1 Peter 1:3-7).

So, let us be prepared for God’s way of answering such prayers! Don’t be afraid to pray them, but keep these thoughts in mind next time you pray or sing them.

✞✞✞

For more on this subject, see Nothing Strengthens Faith like This One Thing, Don't Wish for an Easy Life, and Ease or Endurance. 

* Marika lives in Subotica, Serbia. She is the translator for the Hungarian Bible Love Notes A szeretet üzenete, the administrator for the Serbian Bible Love Notes Biblijske Crtice Ljubavi, and the admin for Bible Love Notes English and foreign social media pages. Plus, she is my special friend. I will occasionally be featuring a devotion from Marika on Bible Love Notes. ~ Gail 

BLN

Lines in the Sand

Scripture reveals everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), but it doesn't explain everything.  

There are areas of mystery in our faith, but we obviously don't need to fully understand them or God would have explained them in Scripture (1 Corinthians 13:12; Deuteronomy 29:29).

We humans have a tendency to claim we know the answer to some of these mysteries, and we start drawing lines in the sand that God didn't draw.(1)

Don't get me wrong—our faith is based on clear absolutes that are non-negotiable. In those cases, we must draw lines that cannot be ignored. For example, we're commanded not to partner with people worshiping other gods (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). 

In addition, Christians must never accept cultural views of morality. God draws those lines by clearly defining right and wrong.

But neither should we make up formulas for healing or explanations for things not fully explained in Scripture. 

God has all the answers. We don't. He gives us what we need and expects us to trust Him for the rest (Job 36:26; Ephesians 3:18-21; Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 147:5).

Our faith gives us confidence even when we can't see all the answers (Hebrews 11:1-2).

God's truth is a vast ocean that washes away our man-made lines in the sand. So let's quit drawing them.

✞✞✞

See One of the Most Arrogant One-Liners Ever Uttered by Man for more on our problem of trying to play God. And check out Scripture vs. The Shack about a popular author who believes he can redefine Scripture to fit his false beliefs.

(1) Drawing lines in the sand is a metaphor meaning we decide how far we will go and no further. It is used in this devotion to illustrate times when we decide we know the full truth about a subject and refuse to admit that the subject is too vast to be contained within our "lines" of understanding.  

Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a one-minute devotion like this one delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes. Find out more HERE.

BLN

Do You Have a Minute?

Most adults read between 200-300 words per minute, which means they could read 3 John in 1-2 minutes, Jude or the first chapter of Philippians in 3 minutes, or the first chapter of John in 4 minutes.

I'm not suggesting that we speed-read the Bible. I'm just pointing out that there's really no excuse for failing to read it daily. Everyone has time to read a chapter or two and ask God how they can apply it to their lives. 

God’s Word is critically important for our well-being, guiding our decisions, warning us of sin, and protecting us from false teachings (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Sadly, I’m discovering that many people who genuinely love the Lord haven’t made it a habit to spend time with Him each day. If you read Bible Love Notes each day, that’s a good start. But I encourage you to go deeper. 

Find ways to make Bible reading more meaningful. For some, this may be Creative Bible Journaling, regular journaling (8 Reasons to Journal), comparing similar Scriptures, looking up the Greek or Hebrew, and reading good commentaries.(1)

See 5 Ideas for Studying the Bible.

We are living in challenging times, and we must be confidently using the sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:10-17) to protect our faith and destroy false teachings.

💙💙💙 

(1) Check out Biblehub.com, which features parallel versions of single Scriptures, original languages, and commentaries. You'll have to deal with some ads on their site, but they offer their resources for free.

BLN

Identifying False Teachings

These devotions explain common methods used by false teachers intentionally or through poor Bible scholarship. It's important to familiarize yourself with these errors so that you won't be deceived by false Bible teachings. 

Why not bookmark this collection and read through a devotion a day to improve your discernment. 

And be sure to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes so you can get a helpful devotion like these in your email each weekday.

 

Denying the Obvious

Beware of any teaching that denies the obvious meaning of a passage of Scripture. This short devotion offers an example.
 

 

Denying the Overall Message

Beware of any teaching that uses a few passages to deny an important aspect of the gospel. This short devotion offers an example.

 

Digesting Contradictions

Beware of any teaching that says a Scripture means the exact opposite of what it says. This short devotion offers an example.
 

Sure-Fire Way to Identify a False Teaching

Modern false teachers make a claim that tells us up front they are lying. This devotion explains.

 

💙 Have a one-minute Bible Love Notes devotion like these delivered to your email each weekday by signing up for a free subscription HERE. No spam, no ads, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

💙 If you enjoy Bible Love Notes one-minute devotions, I think you'll enjoy my hardcover devotional Wisdom for Life. Check out the great sales on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

 

Pretty Weeds We Let Grow in Our Lives

Today I'm sharing a devotion from Marika Marton.*

I love gardening.

Most weeds annoy me, and I usually pull them out as soon as they appear.

But a few times, I’ve come across weeds that actually looked pretty, so I let them grow. Some even bloomed with nice yellow flowers that I cut and placed in a vase on my kitchen table.

Then one day, I read an article warning about that very weed. It explained how, once it goes to seed, it can produce hundreds of new weeds, quickly overtaking a garden and choking out the good plants.

After reading that, I rushed outside and pulled out the “pretty weeds” I had purposely let grow. Some had grown so large that I couldn’t even pull out the roots by hand.

That moment reminded me of a powerful spiritual truth.

How often do we allow “spiritual weeds” to grow in our lives—bad habits or attitudes that slowly crowd out the good fruit God wants to grow in us?

How many sins or distractions do we nurture, while they quietly steal the time, energy, and focus we could be giving to things that truly matter?

Let’s take a moment to identify the “pretty weeds” in our lives—those things we’ve excused or even cherished—and deal with them before they spread or take root too deeply like the thorns described in Mark 4:19.

With God’s help, we can clear them out. And when we do, our spiritual garden will flourish.

“...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1

💙💙💙

For more insights, see Are You Choking on Thorns? and Discernment: Use It or Lose It.

 

* Marika lives in Subotica, Serbia. She is the translator for the Hungarian Bible Love Notes A szeretet üzenete, the administrator for the Serbian Bible Love Notes Biblijske Crtice Ljubavi, and the admin for Bible Love Notes English and foreign social media pages. Plus, she is my special friend. ~ Gail 

💙The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs. You'll find some great sale prices on this hardcover devotional on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

 

BLN