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Lack of exposure to Truth leads to blindness…

Sep30

Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 HCSB

The context of these verses reminds us that Jesus is about to send off his 12 disciples to go out on a mission to preach and heal. Knowing they will face hardship and suffering, Jesus highlights the tender care of God towards a sparrow. As His eye was on the Sparrow, even more was His eye on them. Too, He reminds them that since He is so aware of the number of hairs on their heads, then they need not be afraid. Jesus assures them that they are worth more than many sparrows. 

So off they went to face opposition, disappointment, persecution, and who knows what else, with confidence. They had experienced numerous events where Jesus revealed his power. They knew from experience that His words were powerful.

Then where does that leave us? We still have God’s word. We still have the verses from Matthew illustrating the depth and intensity of God’s care for us. And like the disciples, we have experienced evidence of God’s care over our lives. And where do we find such assurance, if not in the Bible? 

Individuals prone to sin as we are need a daily dose, a reminder, if you will, of God’s care. But if we don’t get that by reading the Bible regularly and spending time with God in prayer, what will be the end result? Well, I will tell you. We will futilely chase after worldly solutions attempting to resolve those trials, hardships, or suffering. And all the while, our solutions are but just a Biblical turning of the page away!

Without the solutions contained within the Bible, we won’t have the ammunition to fire back at the enemy. And he is so cleverly deceptive. We won’t even realize we are being manipulated, deceived, or distracted by his lies. We won’t realize we are being conformed to take on the world’s perspective. And as the lies are fired at us, we become desensitized to them. And doubts about God’s care for us will begin to take root. We will become fearful, doubtful. Goodness, I could go on and on with a list of Satan’s fiery darts he could choose with which to attack us!

Additionally, you see not only do we need to have consistent exposure to the Truths of God’s word, we must believe them! Obviously, the more exposure we have, then the stronger our faith will be. And not only that, our eyes will be opened to the details all around us that prove God is, in fact, taking care of us. It was just our lack of exposure to God’s truths that had resulted in our blindness.

Pulling back the curtain…

Sep9
Hand pulling back red curtain to reveal papers labeled LIES, FAKE NEWS, and MANIPULATION

As I watch a bit of news, I am aware of the push for Socialism and Communism to be accepted by the American people. Consider the clause, ‘endowed by their Creator’, from the Declaration of Independence. The two ideologies I mentioned previously, stand in stark contrast to such a pronouncement.

Nevertheless, the push is still on. It is believed by some that behind this push are wealthy individuals bent on advancing their agenda. Now, whether they are or are not, is not the purpose of this blog. My intention is to pull back the curtain and expose who is the unseen force behind these two ideologies (and for those pushing it). For in their framework, inherent rights are dished out by the government, not God.

Our inherent rights as human beings created in the image of God are endowed by our Creator/God! Guess who that makes angry? Yep, Satan! As Christians who understand the unholy war Satan has declared against God, we know that he would do anything to undermine God’s plan to redeem mankind. He will take every avenue available. One of those is to convince American individuals that our rights DO NOT come from God. Did you know that there are some political leaders who believe our rights come from the government? (Wonder when was the last time they read the Declaration of Independence!) Satan is making some headway, isn’t he.

His method, in this case, is to saturate the news reports with lies (that would be fiery darts that sound like truth to anyone ignorant of what God’s word or our founding documents say). By creating a void of Truth, he can manipulate us using human reasoning and false assumptions. For without God’s Scriptural truths, we have no basis on which to expose Satan’s cleverly designed lies.

Yet, when we do use the power of God’s word to pull back the curtain, Satan’s lies are exposed. Then we will be empowered to counter those lies with God’s truth. And remember, the more we know of God’s truth, our skill to recognize Satan’s lies increase.

The Dangers of Allowing Feelings to be Our Authority Instead of God’s Word

Sep2
Woman beside a signpost reading “Feelings/Emotions” and “God’s Word Scripture”

In a recent blog, I wrote about the casual attitude Christians sometimes have about their faith. In this particular blog, I would like to share something that fosters such an attitude. There is a prevailing way of thinking that says “feelings” are our ultimate authority So, if that is true where does that leave God? Because as any Christian knows, God guides us to do something sometimes that is uncomfortable. But in the end it turns out to bring more blessings into our lives than we could imagine. Let me give you an example.

When I found out that I was pregnant with my 4th child, I was not ‘feeling’ happy about it. I thought my family was complete with 3 daughters. My husband was in seminary and our lives were in preparation of a serious lifetime commitment to ministry. My youngest daughter was 4, and I was 34. I wasn’t ready to start all over with the baby thing.

But as a Christian, I knew of the preciousness of life. Therefore, abortion was never, and I mean never considered. Instead, I trusted God to work this out for my good and the good of our family and His glory. . Because that’s what His word says to do when faced with difficult situations. And guess what, eventually, my feelings changed as a result of trusting God and being guided by His word. And the blessing of our 4th child, a son? Well, there just isn’t enough words in the English language to describe the joy and the fulfillment I’ve known since giving birth to him.

If we are casual regarding spending time in God’s word, we will lack the wisdom and understanding we could access there. So when this sounding good attitude about ‘letting your feelings guide you’ comes around it sort of makes sense. As a result, the authority of God’s word is subtly replaced, and our feelings rise in influence. Consequently, we are driven to find solutions to our problems that will make us feel better. And when these solutions contradict God’s word, we are often unaware.

For Scriptures tells us it is the problems we have in life, when taken to God, that makes us over comers and victorious in life. But when we allow our feelings to dictate our actions, we play right into the hands of the enemy. All the blessings of having victory over trials and suffering are denied us. Consider the Truths of the following Words:

2 Corinthians 10 :3-4, NLT, We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. (These weapons are the Truths within Scripture)

Col. 2:8 NLT, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.”

Lamentations 3:22-24, 26 …my take

Aug26

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.

The book of Lamentations, attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, was written following the destruction of of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. They were feeling the consequences of their disobedience. The city is in ruins, the people are in mourning, and the atmosphere is heavy with despair. (BTW, the word portion means inheritance)

The above verses remind us that our God is faithful. Even when our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us. However, God’s word reveals to us that with the dawn of every morning, we can begin anew. We just need to be reminded of these verses in Lamentations. Hope can be restored and with faith we can wait quietly for our God’s deliverance. Just seek Him and be at peace. The fiery darts of doubt, worry, fear, etc., can be thwarted.

Oh, trust me, it won’t be easy. It may take awhile to regain our footing after difficult circumstances. The fiery darts of the enemy can come in like a flood. Especially, in our weakened moment. That’s why God has given us the ammunition of the above truth thought to resist the enemy’s weapons. Every morning we rise and turn our focus towards Jeremiah’s words to the suffering. Then we put one foot in front of the other. We remind ourselves of who God is. That He is bigger than our disappointments, our fears, our sufferings, our trials, etc. No matter what the enemy throws at us to bring us down, he cannot defeat God. (In 1 John 4:4 the word them refers to false prophets and those spreading deceptive spiritual ideas against Christ)

Remember, even if we have to refresh our faith every morning with these verses, we must keep at it. The enemy doesn’t give up easily. But be reminded that he is a defeated foe and eventually, we can claim the victory for our God fights the enemy and wins.

The Bible and the Truths therein, are our most powerful weapon against the enemy. But if we don’t go to God’s Word, we won’t know that! Will we?

Accepting the good days and the bad days…

Aug12

I don’t mind growing old. Wrinkles, declining energy, increases in aches and pains that’s all a part of life. Though many make efforts to curb or slow down the aging process, it is a futile effort. A person is better off just accepting this and moving forward.

Yet there is an aspect of growing old, that I find difficult to accept. Two aspects actually. I find it an exercise in frustration accepting the refusal of my body to tackle the tasks of cleaning and maintaining my home. (so does my husband) But the loneliness is perhaps the hardest. My husband and I have four married children. They have blessed us with ten grandchildren who range in age from eleven to twenty-two. They are scattered in various states and continents. Needless to say, visits are minimal.

Therefore, a verse like Psalm 118:24, doesn’t at first glance find a place to settle in my thoughts. Especially, when I am rambling about in a house built for a family of six. A house that has enveloped twenty of us on occasions!

Yet, I know that if I fail to reframe my focus, I will become a vulnerable target for the enemy’s fiery darts. How do I avoid this? God’s truth thoughts found within the pages of Scripture provide the answer. So I return to Psalm 118:24 for a deeper dive.

After a bit of study, it was revealed to me that the meaning of this verse doesn’t imply that even in the midst of trials we must be jumping for joy. While there are somedays that give cause to a celebratory mood, not every day will be like that. So in the difficult days or in times of trials we must frame our focus on the fact that God made that day.

So, in those difficult days, we remind ourselves that it is a day God has given to us. Though it may be heavy, God is there in that day. He has not forsaken us. Even in the midst of those kind of days, there are small gifts from God to comfort us. Look for them. They will be your solace.

Accepting the day God has given us, no matter what it may bring – good or bad, will produce the perspective that will sustain us. And that is cause to rejoice and be glad.

America’s Founding: The Cost of Ignoring God

Jul29
Large Holy Bible on table in front of officials with Capitol building visible
Turning back on God cast dark clouds over our future. Damaged flag indicates a country in danger.

As Christians we have the freewill to choose whether we will love and obey God. Satan takes advantage of our freedom by enticing us to disobey God. And by manipulation, lies, and deceit he gains victim after victim. And do you know what his most powerful weapon is? Ignorance of God’s word, the Bible, and lack of communication with God in prayer.

To continue with this month’s theme of the Founding of America, we must understand that just as ignorance of God’s word and lack of communication in prayer can make us vulnerable to Satan’s enticements to sin, so it applies to our country.

Consider the ignorance of far too many Americans about the details of our country’s beginnings. About the hand of God as was evident by miracle after miracle (I mean how does a small group of people defeat a world power like England). With our ignorance of our country’s beginnings, we played right into the enemy’s hands. His tactics are obvious to anyone who is firmly established in God’s wisdom. Our founding fathers were spiritually alert to how we could fail as a country. In George Washington’s farewell address he reminds us of this:

…reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

We are made in the image of God as most would concede. But do they grasp what that means? It means that we have the potential to reflect God’s character and authority. That makes us different from every other living creature. We can recognize right from wrong because we are God’s image bearers. But by rejecting God and His plan to redeem us, self rules and our image reflects the enemy.

Anyone or any country who denies God is left without protection from the enemy. Without the moral compass a belief in God offers, we are left to whatever influence we are impressed with. And that’s where Satan takes his advantage.

Our country should have learned her lesson when in June 15, 1962 school prayer was ruled as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Then a year later in 1962 the Supreme Court ruled against Bible reading in school. What followed should have been expected. God was not only removed from our public school system, but the public arena as well. And here we are struggling in our desire to be religiously neutral. Declining in moral strength all along.

If our founding fathers, had decided to keep the government neutral when it came to religion, there would be no 250 years of freedom for American citizens to celebrate in 2026!

A Refresh on the Revolution…

Jul22

There has been quite a bit of enthusiasm over our 250th birthday. There was the movie Young Washington which only wetted my appetite for more about our founding father. (And from what I’ve learned is, there will be.) The event Rededicate 250 held on the National Mall rekindled my hope for a return to the Christian principles embedded within our Constitution. Then the enthusiastic acceptance of our World Cup visitor friends, opened my eyes to appreciate my beloved country from a fresh perspective. Needless to say, I was inspired.

Since the Christian faith of our Founding Fathers is severely downplayed these days, I knew I needed a refresh on the facts of our Revolutionary days. So when I discovered Eric Metaxas’s book, “Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation,” I was intrigued. You know what drew me to his book? He told the whole story. He didn’t leave God out. That was and is the missing element of most history books of our day. And frankly I hungered for that missing element.

So I’m in the process of reading Mr. Metaxas’s book. And I’m enthralled. Being a Christian myself, Revolution enables me to see the leaders of our Revolution from a relatable perspective. It surprised me to know that our Revolution has been the only successful revolution of many world revolutions? Ours has lasted 250 years and is proof positive that adhering to the biblical principles within our Constitution is the reason why. For the world’s sake, in order to continue moving forward America must return to her Christian faith. And the words of Ronald Raegan, and Puritan pilgrim John Winthrop based on Matthew 5:14-16 tells us why:

“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.” John Winthrop

Raising up generations who are ignorant of the impact Christianity had on the formation of our country has produced the ignorance we are dealing with today. Did you know that it was reported that some of our leadership argued recently that our rights don’t come from God! This is shocking to me. However, is it any wonder we would be so misinformed about our country’s beginnings when we’ve lost sight of what motivated our Founding Fathers to establish such a country?

So I’m taking a refreshing plunge into a complete account of my country, thanks to Mr Metaxas. I do not care to continue in ignorance of all the nuances involved in the acts of faith and miracles of God that shaped our beloved United States of America. I strongly feel, if we desire to continue moving forward, we should be determined, as our Founding Fathers were, not to go without God.

Young Washington – Mistakes can make us

Jul7

This week America will celebrate her 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And a film portraying our country’s first president, George Washington, is highlighting our celebration. I believe, the timing of the release of this movie is Providential. For there is much to ponder and to learn from the movie, Young Washington.

For instance, Washington’s first attempts at leadership were massive failures. However, he chose to learn from those failures and history revealed it shaped him into becoming just the leader our country needed. His core belief in Providence fashioned a man who didn’t look to himself alone for his guidance. He depended on Providence to guide and protect him and his troops.

Now, I bring this up because America is being threatened from within. For there are those who would erase the roll of Providence in the formation of the United States of America, in particular of our Founding Fathers.

Yet, if we are hoping to extend America’s future, we had better acknowledge our errors as Washington did. For he famously quoted, “We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors.”

Acknowledging the protective power and guidance of God Almighty was the bedrock of his confidence. In a letter to the Rev. Samuel Langdon, Washington reflected this.

“The man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf. And it is my earnest prayer that we may so conduct ourselves as to merit a continuance of those blessings with which we have hitherto been favored.” — George Washington in a Sept. 28, 1789 letter to the Rev. Samuel Langdon

I believe the timing of this film is Providential. I pray it will inspire Americans to get informed as to who we are and what we are about. To turn our hearts back to God. To be taught the Truth and be set free by that Truth. We need to acknowledge our mistakes, Swallow our pride and make choices that will bring healing and strength to our beloved country.

And as a result get informed and acknowledge that God is calling us back to Himself. While recognizing the enemy. For he is that hidden voice, the motivator, behind those who are bent on destroying America.

Instead let us purpose to follow the course set for us in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden….” as referenced by President Raegan in his farewell address. A course that returns us to God and restores America. For if we do not, a Puritan pilgrim, John Winthrop back in 1630, warned us of the consequences:

“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.”

Philippians 4:6-7, My take…

Jul1
mountainside praying at sunrise
Saying thanks even when we don’t feel like it!

I have a one hour drive to the small country church where my husband pastors. The routine is he leaves before me and I drive in about an hour and half later. The larger portions of my journey are down a rural highway. So mostly I get to enjoy the displays of the four seasons whose star attraction is the stately trees.

Since the drive is somewhat lengthy, I habitually plug in my phone to a music app and select “Contemporary Christian Bands.” Since I am the sole listener, I get to pay attention to the words. And I pay attention because God is always faithful to whisper truths I need to be reminded of.

With grandchildren growing up and out, I just don’t get to enjoy their companionship as I use to. And because my kids either live too far away or a busy life prevents visits, their company is lacking as well. It’s hard to adjust to my solemn days. And I have to confess, lonely. My husband is a big help for having to do for him, keeps my mind occupied. But as a mom and grandmother, I find that the temptation to worry increases as the time between visits decreases.

Thus on the trip to church last Sunday God directed me to do something I hadn’t really done before. He charged me to evaluate the inner voice that was reminding me of the declining moments of memory making with my children and grans. To ask myself what was that inner voice trying to accomplish by reminding me of my sadness. I thought I was just pondering these sad thoughts in an attempt to try an understanding my aching heart.

While listening to a variety of songs I was reminded of God’s question. And I began noticing something. The words in the songs, reflected God’s faithfulness, mercy, compassion, and, yes, blessings even in difficult days. But that didn’t match up with the dialog in my head. So obviously, it wasn’t that I needed to have a better understanding of my troubles. The whisperings I was getting from God was ‘change the record.’

The point God was making was beginning to sink in. The feelings of sadness (feeling sorry for myself) were not prompted by God. With His encouragement, I now evaluate those thoughts as to their origin. And, as to their purpose. The answer is pretty obvious.

All I have to do to thwart the enemy’s attacks is to thank God for this season of my life. Children grow up and often move away. But God doesn’t run out of ideas for our lives when our house grows quiet and empty. Turning to Him in anticipation of what’s next will reveal new things to be thankful for. By allowing an attitude of thanksgiving to rule my thoughts. I will know peace. Not worry. Not sadness. Not loneliness. But a new appreciation for the changes God is making in my life.

Colossians 3:13, my take…

Jun24
Couple hugging with eyes closed in a warmly lit living room

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT


The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Colossae around AD 62 while imprisoned in Rome, addressing a church threatened by false teachings that diminished Christ’s supremacy and the new identity of believers in Him (Colossians 1:2, 28; 2:9–10) Historical context…

The book of Colossians reads as if it was written for our present day world. So much so that I feel it beckoning to me often lately. Most recently the 13th verse of Chapter 3. I’m familiar with the part of the verse that reminds us to forgive others as God forgave us. But you know what grabbed my attention in recent days? The phrase, “make allowances for each other’s faults…” caught my attention like other translations hadn’t.

What does ‘make allowances’ look like? In order for my readers to not miss what making allowances looks like, I am just going to have to resort to copying and pasting what my research turned up:

Practically, it looks like:

  • Patience in the face of mistakes – When someone does something wrong, you resist the urge to dwell on it or to make them pay. Instead, you “bear with” them, meaning you endure their shortcomings without condemnation BibleRef.com.
  • Choosing grace over condemnation – You recognize that everyone makes mistakes, and you respond with kindness and compassion, even when you’ve been wronged biblerepository.com.
  • Forgiveness without holding grudges – Forgiveness here is not about excusing harmful behavior, but about letting go of resentment and not using the offense to hurt someone again biblerepository.com.
  • Reflecting Christ’s forgiveness – The verse ties this to the fact that God forgave you completely when you were undeserving. “Making allowance” is living out that same mercy in your relationships Heartlight.
  • Active reconciliation – It can involve speaking gently, offering help, and restoring harmony when conflict arises BibleRef.com.

Sometimes our familiarity with terms like ‘forgiveness’ can cause assumptions that hide the practical applications. Assumptions that trick us into thinking we understand when it’s only a surface perception. I realized after returning to ‘make allowances’ time and time again, I had not grasped what that looked like.

And I regret that at 77 years of age, my focus is just now diving deeper. Now, when I ask myself, “What does making allowances look like?” I shift from what I thought I knew to plunging into a deeper understanding of forgiveness! Using the Bible as my point of reference.

After a lifetime of repetitive mistakes, I am compelled to make the effort of applying the 5 practical principles listed above. Goodness, this isn’t going to be easy. But ‘just telling myself the right thing to do is to forgive’ but not blending it with what the verse leads out with is incomplete obedience.

Well, dear readers, may my ingrained incomplete response over most of my life confession, become for you (and for me) a wake up call. Do whatever you feel compelled to do to add the above practical applications to what ‘making allowances’ looks like as you forgive others. It won’t be easy but it will be doable!