Saving Grace versus Saving Face

Many years ago, my husband Michael reported our car stolen. He couldn't believe someone had taken it from his workplace parking lot. 

That same day, our young son lost his soccer ball, and Michael gave him a fatherly lecture about responsibility.

Several days later, on his way to work, Michael discovered our car in an overflow parking lot where (for the first time ever) he'd parked it the day he'd reported it missing. 

We look back at that mistake and laugh, but it wasn't so funny at the time. My husband was embarrassed and humbled.

To make things more difficult, he found our son's soccer ball in the car.

After notifying the police about his mistake, Michael humbly sat down with our son and admitted he'd been the one at fault.

I suppose some men might have tossed the soccer ball in the nearest trash can instead of admitting their mistake to their son, but they'd have been the losers.

 

Michael's mistake/misunderstanding wasn't sinful because he genuinely believed both the car and soccer ball were lost. But it would have been sinful if he'd hidden or justified his error. 

Integrity isn't about saving face. It's about facing both mistakes and sins honestly. I believe my husband taught our son a valuable lesson by confessing his error and taking responsibility.

 

“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” Proverbs 12:22

 

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.”  Colossians 3:9

 

Let's be careful to be honest!

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For additional insights, see Spiritually Weak People Don't Repent.

💙Be sure to check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's for sale on Lifeway and Amazon. 

You can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes one-minute devotions HERE.

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Reject Propaganda About Salvation

This final quote in the propaganda series might be the most disturbing: 

“Jesus in Matthew 25 tells us exactly how you and I and every one of our fellow believers [are] going to be judged and how we’re going to be saved: by feeding the hungry, by healing the sick, by welcoming the stranger.” James Talarico, Texas Observer 

Salvation has nothing to do with good works! (Ephesians 2:8-9) It's given to those who believe and trust in Christ. All others “stand condemned” (John 3:16-18). 

True salvation results in good works (James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:10). 

But it also results in “deep conviction,” turning from sin (1 Thessalonians 1). 

Christ talked about far more than helping the needy. He warned against murder, anger, sexual immorality, lust, cowardice, occultism, idolatry, lying, etc. (Matthew 5:21-30; Revelation 21:8).  

Let's pray for Talarico and others who spread propaganda about salvation, Scripture, Jesus, sexually immoral lifestyles, and the sanctity of unborn life. May they understand Matthew 12:36-37:

“I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

“Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—leaders whose decrees permit injustice?” Psalm 94:20 (1)

We must have no alliance or fellowship with people who spread lies about God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). 

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11 

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See Righteousness Has Never Been Popular.  

(1) Psalm 94:20-23: “Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—leaders whose decrees permit injustice? They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.”

Please check out Lies in Disguise, a book that can give you solid biblical truth to identify and refute propaganda like the Talarico quotes in this series.  

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Joy and More Joy — Part 4

Joy is a huge and wonderful subject. There's always something new to learn. These three one-minute devotions offer insights.

 

Are You Able to Enjoy Simple Things in Life? 

Sometimes being childlike is a good thing. This one-minute devotion explains why.

 

 

Medicine with No Harmful Side Effects = Prov. 17:22

God prescribes this medicine in Proverbs, and it has no side effects but lots of benefits. 

 

Grateful, Joyous, Godly Laughter 

Laughter has many forms, both good and bad. This devotion talks about our need for healthy, wholesome laughter.  

 

Don't miss these other joy collections: 

Joy in Jesus is Healthy — Part 1
Enjoy these three one-minute devotions and discover how biblical joy can make you healthier!!

Joy is Healthy and Fun — Part 2
This small collection of three one-minute devotions shares fun and healthy aspects of biblical joy.

Joy in All Circumstances — Part 3
Biblical joy and worldly happiness are very different. These three one-minute devotions offer insights to enjoy!

💙 If you enjoy one-minute devotions like these, please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and is for sale on Lifeway and Amazon.  

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

 

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Reject Propaganda About Christ's Focus

“For the past 50 years in this country, the religious right, a political movement, convinced a lot of Christians in America that the two most important issues were ab..tion and homosexuality, two issues that aren't really discussed in Scripture. Ab..tion is never mentioned. Same sex consensual relationships are never mentioned. So it's remarkable to me that you have an entire political movement using Christianity to prioritize two issues that Jesus never talked about.”  James Talarico 

1. Who makes ab..tion and homosexuality important issues?

Those who passionately and aggressively promote them. 

Christians respond by obeying God commands to rescue the innocent and warn people of sins (Proverbs 24:11-12; 31:8; Romans 1:18-32). 

2. Are unborn life and homosexuality discussed in Scripture?

Yes! Clearly and repeatedly. 

For multiple Bible verses, see What Scripture Says About the Unborn and God's View of Homosexuality. Regarding Talarico's use of “consensual relationships,” see Responding to Revisionist Theology: Don't Overlook Verse 11. 

3. Did Jesus ever mention homosexuality?

He indirectly rejected gay lifestyles by affirming God's creation design for marriage and intimacy as one man and one woman in Matthew 19:4-6.

4. Did Jesus mention unborn life?

Scripture, which clearly teaches the sanctity of unborn life, is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). While Jesus didn't specifically mention it during his earthly life, He affirmed the Old Testament by quoting it as God's Word, and He foretold the New Testament teachings (John 14:25-26). See “Red-Letter-Only” False Teaching.

This Talarico quote is 90% outright lie and 10% half-truth lie-in-disguise. He is mocking God and deceiving people, and that should inspire us to speak up.

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If you want to better understand why I'm using Talarico's quotes in this series, see Let's Not Avoid Controversy. 

This is a good time to consider purchasing Lies In Disguise because it offers solid Bible teaching regarding the subjects that false teachers and politicians like Talarico are promoting. Click the title to read the description of each chapter in the book.

 

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Kick 'Em When They're Down

▶ Job was at his lowest point, having lost his material possessions, his health, and his children.

Then his friends came and “kicked him while he was down,” blaming him for his difficulties, which he didn't cause (Job 22).

Like Job's friends, some people kick with a big foot of bad theology called “Christian Karma,” assuming we must have done something to deserve our difficulty.  

See Job's Judgmental Friends.

▶ Paul was in prison suffering for his faith. 

Then some “Christian” teachers kicked him while he was down (Philippians 1:14-18).

In the midst of persecution, these teachers were kicking Paul with a big foot of jealousy because God had given Paul a special role in the early church.

See The Destroying Monsters of Jealousy and Envy.  

▶ Have you ever had someone kick you when you're down? 

When we're needing comfort and sympathy, it's heartbreaking to get kicked with false judgment or jealousy.

So what can we do?

1. Seek God, not man.

Like Job, refuse to accept blame we don't own (Job 2:3; 42:7). 

2. Stay focused.

Seek God's purposes instead of focusing on our hurt (Philippians 1:18-19).

3. Seek God's comfort. 

When others are kicking, God promises to hold us in His arms (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

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💙 Be sure to check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It's for sale on Lifeway and Amazon. 

And you can also sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions HERE.

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Let the Light of Scripture Reveal What’s Hidden in You

By Marika Marton

One morning, a beautiful ray of sunshine streamed into my kitchen. Suddenly, I noticed a dirty spot on the furniture that I hadn’t noticed before the light fell on it.

Another time, I accidentally left my reading glasses on when I went into the bathroom and noticed multiple dirty spots that I hadn’t seen without them.

After these experiences, I started thinking about how they relate to God’s Word and the way it shines into our lives, revealing things that nobody sees, even the most hidden “dirt.” Sometimes we deliberately want to hide these things; other times, we ignore them, and sometimes we are simply unaware of their existence.

But whichever the case is, God's Word is like a lamp (Psalm 119:105) to guide and also to shine its light on hidden sins (Ephesians 5:8-13). Like a pair of glasses, it magnifies and reveals our “innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12-13). But to be able to see these things, we must open our Bibles and read carefully.

When we discover some dirt in our lives, we need to have a genuinely repentant heart and ask God to cleanse us. It's such a wonderful thing to get rid of the “hidden dirt” and become clean again!

Next time you read your Bible, pay attention to the details that shed light on something in your life that you need to get rid of. Be honest about it. After you do what you need to do, you'll feel clean, free, and happy!

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Check out these two devotions about why God’s Word is also like a mirror:
Godly Mirror Gazing
The Mirror of God's Word

 

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6 Things to Remember in Our Anti-Christian Culture

What can we do in a world that has moved far away from God's commands and values?

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3

Psalm 11 tells us to remember these things:

1. God is still on His throne (v. 4). His truth will ultimately triumph.

2. He sees all that is happening (v. 4). He knows how difficult our culture makes our lives.

3. He examines the hearts of those who do what is right (v. 5). He knows who has right motives and actions.

4. He passionately hates wickedness (v. 5). God will always oppose evil no matter how popular it becomes.

5. He loves justice (vv. 6–7). Perfect justice will prevail in eternity. At first glance, we might say that justice doesn't prevail because Jesus' followers will not die for our sins. But that is also part of God's justice: Jesus died in our place.

6. Those who love Him will see His face. Hallelujah! (v. 7)

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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. And 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 e-book on Barnes and Noble.

 

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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Reject Propaganda About Scripture and Mary

I know this series on Talarico's quotes isn't popular with some readers, but I feel compelled to address these serious lies about the Lord and His Word (Galatians 1:10).

“This idea that there is a set Christian orthodoxy on the issue of ab..tion is just not rooted in Scripture.” James Talarico

Talarico claims life doesn't begin until a human being takes their first breath because Adam wasn't alive until God breathed life into him. 

He claims “in context of ab..tion … God asks for Mary's consent” to carry the Savior. Therefore, Talarico concludes that God is fine with a woman killing her child if she doesn't want it.

When asked about late-term procedures, he said they are “almost exclusively to save the life of the mother.” 

Let's see what Scripture says:

1. The sanctity of unborn life is deeply “rooted in Scripture.” 

See six Scriptures that show life begins at conception HERE.

2. Adam's creation was 100% unique (Genesis 2:4-25).

There was no pregnancy involved. Using Talarico's logic, we could claim no woman is alive until a man gives her one of his ribs (Genesis 2:21-22). 

3. In Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel never asks Mary's permission.(1)

Mary simply affirmed her willingness to fulfill God's plan. And Mary wasn't pregnant yet. To use this comparison would mean no woman gets pregnant without her consent, and we know that's not true.

And regarding late-term ab..tions: “The American Medical Association has reported that a late-term ab..tion is generally not necessary to save the life of the mother.” (source)

Talarico makes it clear that you can't approve ab..tion without believing lies.

And Proverbs 24:10-12 offers a strong warning to those who refuse to speak against the slaughter of the innocent. 

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(1) Using Mary as an example for this claim is even stranger because she is an example of someone who did the right thing even though it was difficult. See Mary Was Promised Soul-Piercing Pain & Incredible Joy. And for more encouragement, see Jesus Isn't Looking for Silent Partners.

All quotes: James Talarico

If you want to better understand why I'm using Talarico's quotes in this series, see Let's Not Avoid Controversy.  

 

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Joy in All Circumstances — Part 3

Biblical joy and worldly happiness are very different. These three one-minute devotions offer insights to enjoy! 

 

Happiness in Jesus 

Most of us get confused about the promises of Christ. This one-minute devotion addresses our confusion regarding happiness.

 

Crazy Joy

This book in the Bible, written from prison, is filled with encouragement to rejoice! What a blessing! 

 

Whiners and Shiners

We all have a choice when we face difficulties. Do you know what Ephesians 5:8 says about people with genuine faith?

 

Don't miss these other joy collections: 

Joy in Jesus Is Healthy — Part 1
Enjoy these three one-minute devotions and discover how biblical joy can make you healthier!!

Joy Is Healthy and Fun — Part 2
This small collection of three one-minute devotions highlights the fun and healthy aspects of biblical joy.

Joy and More Joy -- Part 4
This collection of 3 one-minute devotions give insights into the wonderful subject of biblical joy!

💙 If you enjoy one-minute devotions like these, please check out the Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life. It features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and is for sale at Lifeway and Amazon.  

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

 

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6 Character Traits of Christians Who Overcome Selfishness

Ever since Satan convinced Eve to place her desires above God's commands in the garden, he's been promoting pride and arrogance in the human race. 

When I scroll through “Christian posts” on social media, I'm regularly disappointed by messages emphasizing our significance and our desires instead of God's significance and desires.

⮞Narcissism is becoming more prevalent as people: 

(2 Timothy 3:1-5, 1 John 2:15-17)

1. Boast about themselves.
2. Refuse to confess mistakes, let alone their sins.
3. Have no respect for age or experience.
4. Value beauty, money, and power more than character.
5. Blame-shift. 
6. Compromise moral values.

Narcissism used to be a rare psychological problem, but this new form of narcissism is affecting many and giving them a destructive type of self-confidence.

⮞In contrast, God is looking for people who:

1. “Boast” about knowing Him (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
2. Accept correction (Proverbs 15:32).
3. Value the experience and wisdom of older Christians (Proverbs 23:22; Proverbs 30:11; 1 Timothy 5:1-2).
4. Value character and seek to develop it (Galatians 5:16-17).
5. Take personal responsibility, repenting of sin (1 John 1:9-10).
6. Refuse to conform to our culture (Romans 12:2).

These actions give us a healthy God-confidence.

We can't avoid the neo-narcissist voices in our culture, but we can reject them and seek a closer walk with the Lord. 💙 

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For more on this subject, check out the one-minute devotion The Pharisees Had High Self-Esteem. 

 

And check out the reasonably priced book Lies in Disguise. It offers wisdom about many of the half-truths that have infiltrated Christian teaching, such as the one briefly discussed in this devotion.

 

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