Bible Fluff Is Not Enough

I signed up for a daily devotion from a best-selling Christian author, and every day she wrote of God's love, comfort, and approval. It was biblical, but she never mentioned sin nor challenged her readers to resist cultural lies. It was basically a feel-good-about-yourself pep-talk.

We need pep-talks, but they are not enough to bring us to a mature faith in Christ. God's Word "is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Many popular Christian resources aren't preparing us for our cultural challenges. Nor are many pastors.

I recently listened to a seeker-friendly sermon on Romans 1, and the pastor proudly told his congregation he hadn't preached on homosexuality for eight years. Like many other pastors, he's avoiding clear teachings in Scripture that Christians need to understand. He's failing to prepare his congregation for the increasing propaganda in our world.

When was the last time you heard your pastor teach God's loving warnings regarding LGBTQ lifestyles, abortion, universal salvation, leadership roles in the home and church, etc.? 

It's important that Christians are reminded regularly of Scriptural teachings so they can discern and reject anti-God propaganda. 

Half-truths have always been one of Satan’s most effective tools in drawing people away from true doctrine. That’s one reason I’ve written Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe.

So let's make sure we aren't satisfied with pep talks. Let's seek out teachers and resources that strengthen our discernment and prepare us to fight the good fight of faith (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 3:15). 🠄 Please read these passages.

✞✞✞

Lies in Disguise

by Gail 😊

Bible fluff is not enough

The gospel is built on stronger stuff

Scripture is meant to prepare and train 

Protecting us from sin and shame

✞✞✞

We must refuse to redefine sin

Let's reject those half-truths again and again

We sometimes do need assurance and praise 

But we must be prepared to stand firm in God's ways

✞✞✞

So let’s find resources that make us grow strong

Helping us judge what is right and what’s wrong

Learning God's truth which so many deny

Rejecting false teachings that are lies in disguise

💙💙💙

I also recommend The Results of a Sugary Gospel and Sugar-Coated Truth. 

If you liked this devotion, please sign up for a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to Bible Love Notes HERE. 

 

And check out Lies in Disguise, a book that can improve your discernment. You can find subjects of each chapter, reviews, and places to order Lies in Disguise HERE. 

 

BLN

Five Glorious Blessings of Easter

By Dawn Marie Wilson

Easter wasn’t simply one glorious event. Because of Resurrection Day, Christians experience many blessings that promote wonder and gratitude. Here are a few.

1. The Glory of Resurrection

Resurrection Day means victory over death—first Christ’s, and then believers’ (1 Corinthians 15:20-23; Romans 8:11). Believers’ resurrected bodies will be perfect and glorious (1 Corinthians 15:43; Philippians 3:21).

2. The Glory of Rescue

Christians—saved not only from death through Christ’s cross and resurrection, but also from sin’s guilt and shame (Romans 8:1)—are a testament to God’s glorious mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

3. The Glory of Rebirth

Believers are born again and renewed in Christ. Their “hope of glory” is a living hope that brings glory-filled joy (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 1:3-9).

4. The Glory of a Relationship

Believers are accepted and adopted in Christ, for their eternal good and God’s glory (Romans 15:7; Ephesians 1:5-6; John 17:22).

5. The Glory of Righteousness

Believers are made righteous, transformed—with ever-increasing glory—into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:3-5).

Resurrection Day brought a series of blessings that encourage believers to live for God, “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:5-6; 12-14).

✞✞✞✞ 

 

Dawn Marie Wilson is one of my special friends. She has served in church/parachurch revival ministries for fifty-plus years. 

She writes for Crosswalk.com and Arise Daily Devos, and blogs at Truth Talk with Dawn. 

Her co-authored book is Truth Talk for Hurting Hearts: Discover Peace and Comfort in God’s Perspective.

BLN

Good Newscasting Means Checking the Facts

It's important to get our facts straight, and it's important to get our Scriptures straight…

In 2015, NBC News anchor Brian Williams claimed that in 2003, he was in a helicopter forced down by enemy fire in Iraq. Crew members of that helicopter refuted his story, and he recanted. (source)

In 2003, in his original newscast, he reported the truth—that his Chinook arrived safely after the attack. But over the years, his story changed.

If it were a memory problem, as Williams claimed, there would have been an easy solution. He could have checked his original report for facts before sharing the story.

We Christians can also get fact and fiction confused by taking Bible verses out of context, forgetting cross-references that apply, or simply repeating popular Christian sayings without making sure they're accurate.  

God never lies (Numbers 23:19). His Word is completely trustworthy (Psalms 111:7). When we talk about God, His commands, His desires, His plans, His love, and His character, we need to check out facts by consulting Scripture.

We need to make sure we're sharing the authentic Good News, not a human version based on misunderstandings or errors.  

If we look intently into His Word, remembering what it says and acting on it, our words will be honest and true (James 1:22-25).

Let's make sure our story lines up with the "original report"—the perfect, unchanging Word of God (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6; Isaiah 40:8).

For more on this subject, see Every Verse in Context and Without the Bible, We're Lost. 

 

If you liked this devotion, please sign up for a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to Bible Love Notes HERE. And please check out these two helpful resources:

Check out these two helpful, relevant books:

WISDOM FOR LIFE: Do you know the story behind my book Wisdom for Life? You can read it HERE and find out where to purchase it online.

LIES IN DISGUISE: Check out the relevant subjects in each chapter, read some endorsements, and find out where to order Lies in Disguise HERE.

 

Picture of Brian Williams in some images is from Creative Commons. 

BLN

“Christian” Critical Race Theory Isn't Christian

I enjoyed twenty years of sweet Christian fellowship with an African-American friend. She held a prestigious position based on advanced education opportunities and had the respect of her interracial colleagues. Then she bought into CRT propaganda and now views everything (including me) through the lens of black victimhood and white privilege (Psalm 55:12-14). 

Even if people's experiences, actions, and attitudes disprove it, CRT insists that all whites are privileged promoters of racism and all blacks are victims. 

Genuine Christians rejected and fought against the evil of slavery when bigots and worldly Christians misused Scripture to define blacks as inferior. See Uneducated Bigotry.

And genuine Christians are now rejecting Critical Race Theory while bigots and worldly Christians misuse Scripture to approve it.  

CRT not only produces bitterness and hatred, but it also ignores the proud heritage of so many blacks who proved their faith and character in overcoming bigotry. Victimhood produces whiners, not winners. See George Washington Carver—He Overcame Evil and Get Out of Your Selfish Box.

In Christ, all believers are our brothers and sisters (Galatians 3:26-28). If we judge them based on the color of their skin, we need to read James 2:1-4, which says people who judge by outward appearance or wealth are “judges with evil thoughts.” 

The ungodly nature of “Christian CRT” is revealed in the self-righteous rhetoric it produces. (Please see my longer article, The New Racism Promoted by CRT.) 

I've received negative feedback for pointing out the evils of the Confederacy in my Devotions Addressing Racism, and I know that criticizing CRT won't make me popular either. But I believe we deny the truths of Scripture when we accept racism in any form. 

✞✞✞  

I'm glad to see that both blacks and whites are speaking out against CRT because we understand it produces racism and sends our country backwards. When things like CRT find their way into the church, they test our discernment and our faith. 

I think you'll appreciate these resources:

This one-minute video of a father and daughter went viral: Critical Race Theory.

Three-minute video with a sweet ending: Black Parents Speak Out Against Critical Race Theory.

A brief warning from Alisa Childers: Critical Race Theory Contradicts the Gospel

A five-minute explanation of Critical Race Theory: Prager U

BLN

Paul Addresses a Popular Worldly Meme

Statements like “follow your heart” are naive and dangerous. And they've been around for thousands of years. See Trust Your Heart?

In 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for saying, “I have the right to do anything … Food for the stomach and the stomach for food” (vss. 12-13).

People were saying that hunger is a God-given desire, and we eat when we're hungry. Likewise, sexual desire is God-given, so we should fulfill it whenever and however we want.(1) 

Paul makes it clear in this passage that following our hearts regarding sexual desires is not only naive and dangerous. It damages our hearts like no other sin: 

“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. … You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (vss. 18-20)

We can make sinful and damaging choices in every area of life, but sexual sin does deeper damage.(2)  

Our modern world rejects God's loving commands and promotes premarital sex, adultery, and pornography. And they reject God's commands and creation design to pursue LGBTQ lifestyles. 

In truth, when people follow their hearts, they're following Satan's heart of destruction (John 10:10). 

I'm grateful that God gives us the courage and strength to say no to unhealthy desires (1 Corinthians 10:13). And when we follow God's heart, we find true fulfillment, meaning, and purpose.

Please consider how you might lovingly share these truths with someone involved in sexual sin (James 5:19-20).  

✞✞✞ 

I also encourage you to read Sexual Sin Is Serious and  Did You Know that "Unnatural" Sins Are More Damaging to Our Souls? 

Notes:

(1) “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”

“This phrase reflects a common saying in Corinth, emphasizing the natural relationship between food and the stomach. In the Greco-Roman world, such expressions were used to justify indulgence in physical appetites.” (source)

(2) “All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” 

“This phrase suggests a self-destructive element inherent in sexual sin. It affects the individual's physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In the biblical context, the body is not merely a vessel but an integral part of one's identity and relationship with God.” (source) 

BLN