Clever Lies that Defy the Facts

I'll be addressing this biblically important issue more frequently in the next few months (usually on Fridays) to equip Christians to understand and respond to specific misunderstandings and false claims. 

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If you say something often enough, it's treated as a fact—even if it's an outright lie. 

Today let's address one of those popular lies: Women will die or be denied necessary health care if abortion is limited in any way. 

It's so important that Christians know the truth and convey it accurately when someone makes this claim. 

Here are the facts: 

1. Doctors have always been free to save the lives of women with life-threatening pregnancies. 

2. In fact, saving a pregnant woman's life isn't actually defined as an abortion. That's because the goal is not to kill the baby but to prevent the death of the mother. The child may die in the process, but that is not the goal.

3. With modern medical techniques, some babies can survive if born during the second trimester and many can survive if born during the third trimester (source).

This proabortion lie is a clever way of claiming that abortion saves lives when it does the opposite: it kills the life of the unborn and leaves deep scars on the mother's emotions that only Jesus can heal. (See Post-abortion syndrome, Manipulative Ideologies, and Abortion Victims.) *

Ephesians 4:12-15 says we must speak the truth in love, growing up in our faith so "we will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth."

So please prepare your heart and mind by reading the additional facts and resources below.

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"No state has an abortion law that is a total ban on abortion. Every state law permits abortion when necessary to save a mother’s life." Texas and Idaho require a doctor's medical judgment to be involved in such cases, but they allow it when it's an authentic need. (Source – 5/24)

Honest doctors admit that some procedures to save a woman's life can cause the unborn child to die, but an actual abortion is never used to save a woman's life. An abortion is for one specific purpose—to kill the child, not to save the mother (30,000 Doctors Say Abortion Is Never Medically Necessary). 

Responding to the claim that "Abortion Can Be Medically Necessary": A five-minute video featuring a neonatologist who explains how physicians handle situations when the life of a pregnant mother is in danger.

Listen to a doctor who worked with difficult pregnancies explain the life-of-the-mother argument: Conversation with a Former Abortionist (six-minute video) or full twenty-five-minute interview HERE.

And please read my appreciation for my momma who became unexpectedly pregnant with me when my older sister was only three months old. See My 2022 Birthday Thoughts.

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No Shades of Grey

In 2012 everyone was talking about Fifty Shades of Grey, which became the best selling book of the decade. Sadly, it glorified abusive, sadomasochistic sex.

Despite the fact that such books lead to actual violence against women (Los Angeles Times), this book was wildly popular with women and was dubbed "mommy-porn." 

That was more than a decade ago, and since then our culture has moved further and further into darkness. And it's not just non-believers. We're seeing "shades of gray" in our churches as many professing believers move away from the light of Christ and into the gray hues of culture.

Every time we choose reading materials, music, television shows, or friendships, we follow the light or move into the shadows.

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7-8

So let's glorify God, enjoying sexual pleasure within the context of love and marriage, as God designed it…not as man has perverted it. And let's fill our minds with God's light, not culture's shades of gray.

These verses can help:

• Psalm 101:3 – read nothing vile.
• 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 – flee sexual immorality.
• Hebrews 13:4 – the marriage bed should be kept pure.
• Matthew 5:27-30 – lustful thoughts are sinful.
• Philippians 4:8 – think on things that are pure and praiseworthy.

Find additional insights in these one-minute devotions:

Haunted by What I'd Seen and Heard

Discernment: Use It or Lose It

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: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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What We Want to Hear and What We Need to Hear from God

Reading Scripture gives us encouragement, comfort, and inspiration, but it does even more than that:

"All Scripture is God-breathed and 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

We can't begin to understand God's wonderful love until we renew our minds in His Word (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 3:14-21), and that involves rebuke and correction as well as instruction and comfort (Ephesians 4:17-24).

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." ~ Jesus, Revelation 3:19

God's rebuke and correction protects us from cultural lies and equips us for His purposes. It's an important part of His wonderful fatherly love for us:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son." Hebrews 12:5-6 

It's not especially fun to be rebuked or corrected, but it's essential for our growth in the Lord. So let's never resist it!

See Compete for the Faith for more encouragement.

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Sometimes We Miss Seeing the Heart

Samuel arrived to anoint the next king of Israel. He assumed it was Eliab, the tall, handsome oldest brother. But God said:

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Then God told Samuel to anoint the youngest, least regarded brother, the shepherd boy David.

Fast-forward one chapter: 

David the shepherd boy encourages the Israeli army that God will give them victory over Goliath, and David puts his life on the line to defend God's honor. 

Tall, handsome Eliab stands around calling David names (1 Samuel 17:28).

What a contrast between David's and Eliab's hearts!

Dear Lord, help us look beyond externals like appearance, position, wealth, and popularity and see ♥s as You see them. 
 

For more insights, see King David's Key to a Healthy Faith and Don't Be Jealous of Other People's Gifts.

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. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase 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 other sites.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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God Tells Us NOT to Boast & God Tells Us to Boast!

The world listens to people who have exceptional knowledge and reasoning skills. The world respects people who “are in control” and in power. The world values wealth, fame, and celebrity. 

There’s nothing ungodly about being knowledgeable, strong, or wealthy—if we use those attributes biblically. But those things should never be the main goals in life, nor the source of our confidence. 

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches.’” Jeremiah 9:23 

Christ-followers don’t view things the way unbelievers view them (John 17:14-16). We know that God can give us whatever wisdom, strength, and wealth we need to accomplish His specific purposes for our lives (Ephesians 2:10). 

And those things should never be our boast. 

“‘Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:24

As we read and study Scripture, God's Spirit gives us a deeper and more accurate understanding of God's loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness (John 16:13; John 14:26). 

Only then can we boast! 

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See Aggressive Renewal and 3 Important Aspects of Growing in Our Faith in Christ. 

💙 Click the image below to find out about the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It can help you better understand the Lord's kindness, justice, and righteousness!

💙 Best of all, it's a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks and currently on sale for 25-30% off at Amazon, CBD, and Lifeway.

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A Popular Musician Thinks Behavior Doesn't Matter

God is incredibly patient and loving, but those who continually refuse to repent will bear His wrath. 

For example, God continually warned Judah, but the false prophets kept encouraging sinful practices and denying that God would punish them (Jeremiah 1; 6:13; 14:15). 

Jeremiah 23:14 compares sinful Judah to the “gay pride cities” of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Modern culture resembles wicked Judah, encouraging sinful practices and preaching a god who never punishes sin. 

I recently came across this disturbing example: 

Dan Haseltine, an ex-vangelical musician who advocates gay marriage, created the music for The Chosen. In the following quote, he misrepresents traditional Christianity and describes “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4).

“A lot of us have been force-fed a version of Jesus that only cares about our behaviors. And every episode [of The Chosen] pushes back on that.… Your behavior is not actually what matters.* It is the inner workings of your heart and your soul that will matter.… There's no shame. There's no condemnation.” (source) 

Ancient Judah would have agreed with Haseltine—until they experienced God's wrath. 

Romans 1:16-32 is a passage discredited by ex-vangelicals as a “clobber” passage because it clearly warns of God's wrath against unrepentant sinners (specifically mentioning certain sins such as homosexuality). And Paul begins the passage with words we must never forget: 

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16 

Our world draws closer to God's wrath each day, but God patiently holds out His offer of salvation—a salvation that always leads to godly behavior. (See passages below.)

Let's never be ashamed to “tell it like it is!”

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See Propaganda that "Clobbers" God's Loving Warnings and No One's Favorite Book: Nahum.

Notes: 

Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen, specifically chose Haseltine to do the music, saying he “was going to have a hard time imagining doing the show without Dan Haseltine.”  Please read Dallas Jenkins Explains the Story Behind The Chosen.

Haseltine is the lead singer for Jars of Clay, which originally presented itself as a “Christian band.” However, Haseltine started changing his views when he came out in support of gay marriage in 2014 (three years before the debut of The Chosen). In typical ex-vangelical fashion, he misrepresented God and Christianity by saying, “When someone tells you that the God of all creation hates you for who you love, it’s painful.” (source)

Haseltine continues to publicly support gay pride (source and source) and other ex-vangelical heresies (source). See Ex-vangelical Teachings for more on this movement. 

To read about another Haseltine claim, see Backward Logic.

*We aren't saved by being good enough, 

but our behavior is a reflection of our heart and it matters very much to God.

These are only a few of the passages that prove this truth:

1 John 1:8-10: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 

1 John 3:6: “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”

John 15:9-10: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

1 Peter 1:15-16: “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Jeremiah 17:10: “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

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Gail's Birthday Thoughts: A Bend in the Road

Gail shares this devotion on YouTube HERE.

I usually share a more personal devotion on my birthday and make it longer than one minute. And since I turned seventy-three today (7-18-24), today's devotion will take you two to three minutes to read. See Gail's Birthday Devotions for previous years.

Hebrews 11:8-10 talks about Abraham living his whole life “like a stranger in a foreign country” looking forward to his eternal home with God. And 1 Peter 2:11 reminds us that we’re “temporary residents and foreigners” here on earth so we shouldn’t get sidelined by worldly values.   

God has taught me this truth in a very practical way. Some of you know from previous devotions that I moved over twenty times before age twelve and over twenty times since getting married. I’ve lived as far west as California, as far east as New Jersey, as far north as North Dakota, and as far south as Florida, plus three years in “West Germany” (1979-82) and five years in Hungary. 

I understand what it’s like to be a “temporary resident and foreigner,” never quite fitting in, without long-time friends or family nearby. It can be difficult at times, but my husband and I believe God has sent us where He wanted us, to teach us things we needed to learn and to minister to others. 

God doesn’t call everyone to a nomadic life like ours, but He wants all of His children to understand that this earth is not our home. Whatever hardships we face here are insignificant compared to where we’re going. And when our lives on Earth are done, we’ll no longer be aliens and strangers. We’ll be home with our Lord and with our true family. Please read 2 Corinthians 5.

Recently, my husband and I have faced some difficulties as we’ve been seeking God’s will. Things haven't gone smoothly and finding God’s path has been challenging. It's not the first time this has happened in our lives. God has often taken us down another path than we expected, and we've grown stronger and been blessed by these “detours.” See Divine Detours.

If you have Wisdom for Life, I encourage you to read or reread Day 21: God's Unseen Footprints. It explains one of those blessings that wasn't obvious in our planning.

There's no denying that this process can be a bit confusing and even unsettling at times.

I shared some of my concerns with my friend Ginny,* a woman who has experienced many unexpected challenges in her walk with the Lord. She sent me this poem. It blessed me and I pray it will bless you, too, no matter what challenges you are facing. 

A Bend in the Road 

by Helen Steiner Rice 

Together we stand at Life's Crossroads 

And view what we think is the end, 

But God has a much bigger vision 

And he tells us it's only a bend 

For the road goes on and is smoother, 

And the "pause in the song" is a "rest," 

And the part that's unsung and unfinished 

is the sweetest and richest and best 

So rest and relax and grow stronger, 

let go and let God share your load, 

Your work is not finished or ended, 

You've just come to a "Bend in the road."

* Ginny is one of my heroes and I'm so blessed to have her as a friend. 

If you want to read a bit about her background, see When Hardship Is a Privilege. I've also written about Ginny in Backdoor Miracles.

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3 Ways Queen Esther Calls Us to Action

In Esther 3, the Persians plan to kill the Jews in Persia. Queen Esther is Jewish, and her uncle Mordecai tells her to speak to the king. Esther explains that she could die for approaching the king without permission. But Mordecai tells her that she has a responsibility to save her people because God had placed her in the royal household “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:12-14). 

Esther meets the challenge and saves the Jews. 

Acts 17:24-27 explains that God has also placed each of us in a specific time and place in history, and He has specific plans for each of us (Ephesians 2:10). 

When I heard about the attempted assassination of Trump, I remembered President Kennedy’s assassination when I was twelve. I thought of other world events I’ve experienced such as living in West Germany when Communists controlled half of Europe and living in Hungary as it recovered from forty years of atheistic Communist oppression. 

These things influenced my life, giving me opportunities to live my faith in specific ways based on my history, culture, family, location, and opportunities. 

Like Esther, Christians are commanded to speak up to save lives physically and spiritually:

1. Sharing Christ with the unsaved (Matthew 28:19) 

2. Speaking up for the oppressed, including the unborn (Proverbs 31:8-9) 

3. Warning people about the harms of immoral lifestyles (Ephesians 5:1-17)  

Let's seriously consider if we're living out our God-given purposes “for such a time as this.”

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My heart is heavy for the cause of the unborn. Some of you may feel I write too much about it. But I believe at such a time as this, as we head into an election that will decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of unborn children over the next four years, that I must speak up. I must regularly remind Christians of our responsibility and expose the many lies spread by proabortion advocates. 

When the evil of slavery was supported by the U.S. government, brave Christians spoke up against it while the majority did nothing and accepted proslavery lies. Please read Would You Have Justified Slavery?  

I will be writing more about abortion in the next few months to inspire the Esthers and Modecais who are willing to take a stand and want to know how to address the propaganda of the proabortion movement. 

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Has 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Happened in Your Life?

Do you remember the first time you understood that the Bible is the Word of God? 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul talks about his joy in seeing people accept Scripture “not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God.” He says he can see God’s Word changing the lives of the Thessalonian believers. 

 

Do you remember when your behavior began to change because of God’s Word?

We can go to church and read the Bible regularly. But until we genuinely give our lives to Christ, we cannot fully grasp Scripture's supernatural power:

“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

 

When Paul wrote Scripture, God used Paul's personality, but his words were divinely inspired. But people without God's Spirit see them simply as Paul's words, distorting the meaning “as they do the other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16).

When we know Christ, God’s Word comes alive. We discover it's “God-breathed,” equipping us in every area of our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It's not something we put on a shelf unopened. It’s an important part of our daily lives! 

 

Do you know the blessing of God's Word? 

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If you have never given your life to Christ, please read Eternal Life on Bible Love Notes which shares my misunderstandings about faith before I came to the Lord. And read Eternal Life on Bite Size Bible Study which explains my encounter with a dying unsaved woman who made the most important decision of her life.

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Consequences and Attitudes Toward Sin

When God forgives us, that means we don't suffer the consequences for our sins, right? 

Yes and no. 

We don't suffer condemnation—eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23; Romans 8:1). 

But Scripture tells us three important things about earthly consequences: 

1. Sin, by its very nature, has consequences (Galatians 6:7-8).  

2. God, as a loving Father, also punishes, disciplines, and trains those He loves (Hebrews 12:5-11; Revelation 3:19).  

3. We suffer worse consequences when we sin with a full understanding of what we're doing (Luke 12:47-48). 

Scripture also tells us three important things about our response to sin:

1. When we truly love Jesus, we want to obey His commands (John 14:23-24).

2. When we fail, we regret our sins and repent (1 John 1:8-10).

3. Our repentance is more than words. We make deliberate efforts to change (Philippians 2:12-13). 

We may not be able to repair all the earthly damage we do when we ignore God's commands, but sincere repentance completely restores our relationship with God.

And we have great comfort knowing that one day we will live sin-free and consequence-free in eternity. Hallelujah!  

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For more insights, see Is Sin Its Own Punishment? and Why Christians Still Face a Final Judgment. 

If you'd like to do a Bite Size Bible Study on this devotion with an interesting look at King David, check it out HERE.

I also 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: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. Find out about the two free Bible studies with purchase HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "look inside" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

 

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