Facts or Feelings: Faith or Failure

Dear Subscribers. I apologize for using the wrong link on the video for yesterday's devotion. You can find the video here: Lies in Disguise: The Beginning of the New Morality. Now for today's devotion:

What matters most to you: how something makes you feel or whether it's right and true? This is actually a very important question because it's a clear reflection of character.

It rarely feels good to be corrected or admit we're wrong and ask forgiveness. And it doesn't feel good to stand up for what's right in a group that rejects us. 

No one likes feeling bad, ashamed, responsible, hated, or vulnerable—but sometimes we're all of those things. 

Accepting correction and genuinely repenting are important aspects of maintaining a healthy relationship with the Lord.

God says, “I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope.” Isaiah 57:15

Doing what's right and speaking up for biblical truths proves our loyalty and protects us from false teachings: 

“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him...See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy...”  Colossians 2:6-8

Very often the things that make us “feel” bad are the things that make us spiritually healthy. So let's quit basing our values on feelings.

See Faith Should Fuel the Engine, with Feelings in the Caboose.

Would you like to do a short Bible study on this devotion? Check out today's Bite Size Bible Study.

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Lies in Disguise: The Beginning of the New Morality

“When Romans 1:18–32 describes the depravity of mankind, sexual sins play a prominent role. We are rightly concerned with the personal and cultural damage that comes from approving LGBTQ+ lifestyles, but our moral decline did not begin there.” Chapter 13 in Lies in Disguise

How did we get to the point described in Romans 1:30 where people are “God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil”? 

The answer is found in reading the context (Romans 1:18-32). It's a process starting when people “suppress the truth” in any area. For example, fifty years ago, sex outside of marriage was considered ungodly and damaging by both Christians and non-Christians in America.

When people began suppressing that truth, they still knew that LGBTQ lifestyles and abortion were damaging. But accepting one sin always leads to accepting other more destructive sins.

If we think mankind has reached the final limit, we're naive. We may not be able to turn things around, but we must not remain silent or give in to compromise. God's morals are healthy, protective, loving, and wise. 

Whenever people suppress the truth, they develop lies-in-disguise (half-truth arguments) to approve them. 

So let's stick to the whole truth and trust God's Spirit to give us the strength and wisdom to repent of our own sins and speak up graciously but firmly about the sexual sins destroying our nation and destroying people's lives.

May God give us wisdom and courage!

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This is one important reason I've written Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe. It's time for us to understand how to address these sins unashamedly. It's time for us to realize that loving someone means warning them of spiritual danger. 

Lies in Disguise can equip you to understand and address these important issues. And it's even more valuable if you study it with a friend or small group because it offers “Digging Deeper” questions to help you apply the truths in practical ways. 

 💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

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Lies in Disguise: Intolerant Tolerance

 “Our culture has gradually accepted and promoted increasingly immoral views about sexual intimacy, and those views have led to a new half-truth definition of tolerance. This new definition is used as a self-righteous shaming tool to promote uniformity of thought.” 

The quote above is from Lies in Disguise, Chapter 12: “Half-Truth: Tolerance Means Approval.”

You may not realize how much hatred this new kind of tolerance produces, but it basically condemns every Bible-believing Christian who is unafraid to graciously share God’s loving warnings.  

Chapter 12 provides a clear definition of true tolerance, points out some serious contradictions in the view I call “intolerant tolerance,” and helps us defend our freedom of Christian speech. 

Remember that God placed us in this time and place of history (Acts 17:26-27). One responsibility we have is to share the message of Christ with others, and the message includes warnings about sin. We must not keep quiet to accommodate intolerant tolerance! 

“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”  Luke 9:26

Lies in Disguise is incredibly helpful in explaining a variety of the half-truths that are negatively influencing the church, giving us Scriptural and logical ways to refute these lies.  

It's a much-needed book, and it's ideal for individual or group study, with questions at the end of each chapter.  

💙 Currently available from the publisher: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon: Lies in Disguise. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

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3 Ways to Maximize Your God-Given Gifts

As a stay-at-home mom who loved raising her children, I never thought I'd be a devotional blogger and the author of two books in my senior years. But I see how God used my life experiences for this later-in-life ministry.

For example, I've loved writing poetry since I was a young child. I was editor of my high school newspaper, and after becoming a Christian, I enjoyed writing my own Bible studies. For a few years, my kids and I published a little newspaper for our homeschool group. And I genuinely enjoyed the writing assignments in seminary.

Do you realize that God is using the details of your life to develop your gifts? And sometimes He reveals gifts you didn't know you had!

That's why we should:

1. Learn from every experience.
Mistakes and successes are good teachers.
Proverbs 9:9

2. Humbly listen to correction.
Listening to more mature/experienced people keeps us from learning everything the hard way.
Proverbs 19:20; Proverbs 10:17

3. Never stop learning.
Be a life-long student of God—never retire (Psalm 92:12-15).  And remember that "to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away" (Luke 19:26).

God designs each of us uniquely. Let's never stop learning and serving.

"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." 1 Peter 4:10

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For more on this subject, see Slip on Your Own Shoes and A Popular Lie: You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind to Do!

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Info about the devotional Wisdom for Life

Info about Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe 

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Which Do You Value Most: Sincerity or Truth?

By Marika Marton

 

We may be passionately sincere about something we believe, but that doesn't mean we're right. Sincerity is important, but when it is separated from truth, it becomes deception.

Deception does not require bad motives, only a false source. In other words, good intentions are not enough if we are not grounded in the truth. We can be sincerely wrong.

As Paul explained to those who sincerely thought the law could save them: “I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal… Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way…” (Romans 10:2–3).

What is truth? We can discover it only by returning to its source—God. Jesus calls Himself “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is not merely a concept; it is a Person who is the ultimate source of all truth.

Truth is not subjective. Not “everyone has their own truth,” as some believe. Nor is truth based on feelings. It is objective because it can be tested and verified. 

Unfortunately, people can sincerely believe in a false Jesus and false teachings because they do not know their Bible well.

Some Christians even believe they are helping people through occult practices (e.g., Reiki, yoga, or the Enneagram) because they have good and sincere intentions.

But they are deceived. Sincerity must always be connected to truth in order to be useful. When it is rooted in a false source, it will cause more harm than good.

Therefore, be sober-minded and test everything against Scripture. Be sincere—but be rooted in the truth.

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See also: The Choice Is Yours

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You and God May Not Have the Same Definition of a "Mistake"

Genuine confession is essential for our spiritual well-being.

We distance ourselves from God and damage our relationships when we ignore, excuse, underestimate, or justify our sins. 

We don't simply erase our sins. We honestly confess them and ask Christ's forgiveness, which He graciously gives.

One common problem is believing we only make “understandable mistakes.” See That's Just the Way I Am.

We must understand that when we sin, it's not a mistake. It's a choice. And we must be able to identify and confess it:

“Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” James 1:14 

Did you know that 1 Corinthians 11:26-32 warns us not to take communion until we have first examined ourselves? That's because “whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (v. 27). 

“If we would examine ourselves first, we would not come under God's judgment. But we are judged and punished by the Lord, so that we shall not be condemned together with the world” (vv. 31-32 GNT).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

Humble repentance begins when we're saved, and it not only brings us forgiveness, it also refreshes our souls (Acts 3:19). So let's make sure we're honestly and regularly examining ourselves.

Other passages on confession

 

For more insights, I encourage you to read these one-minute devotions: Confronting Sin: Understanding "The Spirit of Cain" and Self-Defense. 

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Lies in Disguise: Think God Heals Everyone if They Have Faith?

“As a new Christian, I heard teachings that assured me I’d be healed of any disease and financially blessed in my new faith. But I quickly realized that Scripture—and life—didn’t support these beliefs. Even if you haven’t been influenced by the health and wealth teachings, it’s important to understand them so you can help others understand why they are not biblical.” Lies in Disguise, Chapter 11, “Half-Truth: Good Christians Enjoy Health and Wealth.” 

God can and does heal, but we live in a fallen world, and He doesn't promise healing to everyone. We don't fully understand why God chooses to heal some and not others, but we know suffering can achieve godly purposes in our lives (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:28; John 16:33). 

Like other half-truths, the claim that God promises earthly healing is not only a contradiction to Scripture, but it also contains huge inconsistencies. 

We need to study God's Word so we know how to respond to this half-truth and help other Christians escape from this lie-in-disguise. It leads people to judge sick people, claiming they don't have enough faith. And it gives others false hope that God guarantees their earthly healing. 

And since it creates promises not found in Scripture, it's usually accompanied by claims that God also promises us wealth.

It's almost as if they chose this combination because health rhymes with wealth. But the fitting rhyme is actually stealth—misusing Scripture in order to sneak into churches and claim Scripture says what it doesn't.

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Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe is designed to help Christians graciously and effectively refute this and other false teachings that are weakening the church. 

Each explanation depends on Scripture, taken in context and accurately applied. 

💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

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Lies in Disguise: Think All Sins Are the Same in God's Eyes?

How often have you heard the claim that “all sins are the same in God’s eyes”? 

Let me share the first time that statement really got my attention and led me to study what Scripture actually teaches: 

“My husband was a career soldier. In the early 1980s, we lived at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he attended the Command and General Staff College. Ft. Leavenworth is also the location of the military prison, and that’s why we met “Bob.” He was out of prison appealing a rape charge, and he’d successfully convinced several local Christian leaders that he was a genuine believer who had been falsely accused. 

“These leaders encouraged Bob to attend our small neighborhood Bible study. After we’d fellowshipped with him for several weeks, we heard he was back in prison. He’d been arrested for raping a local woman, and he was clearly guilty.

“When our Bible study met a few days later, we expressed shock and confusion regarding the behavior of this man who had sat in our midst one week earlier. One woman in our group said something Christians often say when they want to sound fair-minded and forgiving: ‘Well, I know he sinned, but when I gossip, I am no different. God sees all sins the same.’”   – from Lies in Disguise, Half-Truths Many Christians Believe 

This wasn't the first time I'd heard this statement, but it troubled me, and I started researching it with God's Word.  

It became very clear that, according to Scripture, all sins are the same in two ways, but beyond that, God judges sins quite differently.

When Christians correctly handle God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15), we can understand this “lie in disguise” and explain it to others. And that's extremely important. 

All sins are sinful, and all need forgiveness, but God does not see murder the same as childish irresponsibility. God sees sins differently according to a person's knowledge, their ability to understand Scripture, their motives, and their heart. He also judges sins differently by how much they damage individuals and culture. For a few of the Scriptures that address this, see Luke 12:47-48, James 3:1, and 1 Corinthians 6:18.

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To gain a deeper, more thorough understanding of this half-truth, I encourage you to check out Lies in Disguise. 

It will help you understand this truth as well as give you the Scriptures you need to help others understand it.

 💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 
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When We Don't Agree with Fellow Believers

Are you sometimes confused by disagreements and conflict between Christians? Shouldn't believers all get along?

Applying biblical principles to our relationships will definitely help us get along with people, especially other believers. But do we all have to agree with each other?

No.

Paul and Barnabas, both mighty men of God, had a strong disagreement about John Mark joining their team, and they parted ways (Acts 15:36-41).

John Mark had proved unfaithful in a previous journey, and Paul didn't think he was trustworthy. But Barnabas strongly disagreed.

Barnabas took on challenging mentoring projects. After all, he mentored Paul, the former persecutor of Christians (Acts 9:26-27; Acts 11:25-26; Acts 13-14). Paul, on the other hand, mentored Timothy (Acts 16:1-5) and Titus (Titus 1), who seemed more compliant.

So who was wrong in this situation? Paul? Barnabas? Both of them? Neither of them?

We don't know. Perhaps God was showing us we don't all need to agree about ministry methods because he can use different personalities and methods for His purposes. 

There's nothing in Scripture that talks of ongoing animosity between Paul, Barnabas, and Mark. And in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul praises John Mark.

Reading between the lines, we'd find similar situations in missionary biographies and present-day ministry situations.*

We may not work well with everyone, but we must “get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).  

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In the video linked to this devotion, I also share my opinion about a recently published book that shares the differences between Elizabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint.

For additional insights, see these one-minute devotions:

Difficult Relationships: Important for Our Growth

When Boundaries are Bitter Barriers

Movin' On

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Greed Takes Two Very Different Forms: Wealth and Welfare

“I have never understood why it is ‘greed’ to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.” Thomas Sowell  

Greed takes several forms: Some are greedy to accumulate wealth and possessions. Some are lazy and expect others to provide for them.

Thomas Sowell is an African American, born in 1930, raised in poverty in the Harlem ghetto. However, he went on to earn multiple degrees, including a PhD in economics. At 95, he’s still a well-respected, award-winning economist, having held university and government positions and authored 45 books.

There are people who genuinely need help to survive. But we live in a culture where some people claim they are victims of circumstances, demanding food, clothing, and housing without attempting to support themselves. In addition, many adult children raised by hard-working parents expect their parents to make their lives easy for them.

God says:

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23

“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10

 And God gives this strong warning: “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Important aspects of our character are revealed in our attitude toward work, money, and possessions (Matthew 6:24), and also in our ability to recognize true treasure (Matthew 6:19-21).

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For more biblical insights, see 6 Biblical Principles About Money & Possessions and The Poison of Entitlement.

Note: There was a time when the majority of couples wanted children, but statistics show many are purposely remaining childless because children would interfere with their financial, leisure, and career goals. And the majority of mothers now work outside their homes even when it's not necessary. Many Christians have let culture discredit a role that God values (Titus 2:3-5).

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

Sowell quote source

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Why Questions and Confusion About God Can Lead to Deeper Faith

When I took the GRE exam to get into seminary, my best scores were on the analytical questions. I'm always analyzing things. 

It's a blessing when my research helps me find solid biblical answers to troubling questions. It's a problem when I try to understand things beyond my grasp.

God gives us all the knowledge we need to live for Him:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  2 Peter 1:3

But our earthly lives still contain some mystery:

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

After all, we're finite beings and our God is infinite: 

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29

When we trust God with things we can't fully understand, deeper faith begins because “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

If mystery causes us to doubt the character of God, then we need more faith, not more answers.

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Lies in Disguise: Salvation for God-Haters??

“Non-Christians from various backgrounds have long held universalist beliefs, claiming that all people will pass from life into eternal paradise, no matter what they believe. 

“And when it became popular to define God’s love as unconditional, an increasing number of professing Christians adopted the modified version of universalism, which is called ‘universal salvation.’”  

Chapter 9, Lies in Disguise.   

Universal salvation has grown in popularity with the assistance of books like The Shack, which fictionally portrayed God as forgiving and saving everyone according to the author's beliefs (source).

How can we believe that someone who has spent their whole life rejecting God will end up in heaven with missionaries, martyrs, and faithful Christians?

It can be hard to see past the errors promoted in modern "Christian" culture, but it's absolutely critical that we do it.

Those who promote universal salvation use out-of-context Scriptures to claim Jesus will save everyone because of His unconditional love. This is one of many ways this description of God's love leads to false beliefs. See Lies in Disguise: Unconditional Love.

Besides giving unbelievers false hope, universal salvation encourages them to be content in their sins.

These strong influences in our culture deserve our attention so we can correct them. But to do that, we need to learn truth from God's Word (2 Timothy 2:15). We need Berean skepticism, carefully checking everything a teacher says against Scripture (Acts 17:11). 

So let's do our best to learn God's Word so we can refute things like this that distort and disguise God's truth.

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Chapter 9 in Lies in Disguise gives us solid biblical help by thoroughly exposing the way Scripture is manipulated to support universal salvation. 

And it offers Digging Deeper questions that can be used individually or in small groups to better understand this half-truth belief.

Even if you haven't been confused or convinced of this half-truth, Lies in Disguise will give you Scriptural wisdom for refuting it.

💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 

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