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Easter Is the Perfect Time to Share Your Testimony!

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As I was thinking about how to honor Jesus this Holy Week prior to Easter, the Lord clearly told me it’s by encouraging my readers to not only share the reason for Easter, but also what Easter means to each of us personally. Our born-again testimony.

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

“It has come at last—
    salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
    has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
    before our God day and night.
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
    and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
    that they were afraid to die. Revelation 12:10-11

Ten times in the Book of Revelation, John refers to the importance and power of our testimony. In 1 John 5:11, John explains our testimony: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

I have some questions for you to consider . . .

–When was the last time you shared your testimony?

–How did surrendering your life to Jesus change your life?

–What’s your born-again experience?

–What sets our faith in Jesus Christ apart from any other religion in the world?

–What does the cross and resurrection mean to each of you personally?

Why Must You Be Born Again to Become a Christian?

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.” John 3:3-10 

11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” John 3:11-15.

Next, we have the verse so many of us have memorized since childhood.

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18

Those of us who are born again can become complacent about the power of our testimony. As Revelation 2:4 warns, we’ve forgotten our first love when we were so excited to tell everyone about the most important thing that’s ever happened in our life. Yes, above marriage, becoming parents, fame, fortune, position, possessions . . . Nothing compares to salvation and eternal life. Yet, it’s often our best-kept secret.

Just like Nicodemus, people may find it hard to believe our born-again testimony, but it should never mean we don’t tell it anyway. It also means that everyone who calls themselves a Christian must have a testimony.

–No one is a Christian since birth.

–No one becomes a Christian because they were born into a Christian home or had Christian parents.

–Being baptized doesn’t make you a Christian.

–Going to church every Sunday, doesn’t make you a Christian.

–Serving in Christian ministry, singing in the choir, fasting, reading the Bible every day, while all good things, does NOT make you a Christian.

–Believing in Jesus doesn’t make you a Christian. Even Satan believes in Jesus.

—Becoming a Christian means being born-again.

—Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior believing that He died on the Cross and rose in three days to offer eternal life to everyone who believes and asks for forgiveness of their sins is a free will spiritual act of surrender, repentance, and forgiveness that only Jesus offers. No one can make this decision for you, and no one can force you to make it.

–Becoming a Christian is between the Lord and you.

—When you surrender your life and heart to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes into your heart, mind, and soul. You’re supernaturally born again!

You might’ve asked Jesus to come into your heart in the silence of your home or in a stadium full of people. Maybe praying for salvation in church or with a relative, friend or mentor, or watching a sermon on television or reading a tract or the Bible. It doesn’t matter where you are or whether someone led you in a prayer.

For some people this is a quiet sacred moment, and others feel the ground moving under their feet. Some will weep. Some will laugh. Some may break out into song. Some know a change took place, but there wasn’t lightening or a noticeable outward sign, it was all within your spirit. That’s because God made us each unique with different personalities and responses, but every Christian has a testimony of accepting Jesus’ free invitation of salvation.

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:5-6

My Born Again Testimony

Every time I speak at a conference or women’s retreat, I share my testimony. I also have “My Testimony” on my website with the heading “Born Again” and a picture of the summer camp I was at when I gave my life to Christ.

Like many of you, I also experienced backsliding years. I share that story on my website also and in many of my books of rededicating my life to Christ and being called into full-time ministry and writing.

Share Your Story—Make It Your Testimony

In Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I stress the importance of remembering and sharing our testimony. Here are a few excerpts from chapter Twenty-Three, “Remember His Commission.”

“Your spiritual journey is your testimony that describes your life before you turned it over—or returned—to God and how you’ve transformed into a new creation in Christ.”

“You may not think you have a testimony if you’ve been a Christian most of your life and life has gone smoothly for you. Well, that smooth life didn’t just happen. God has been walking beside you guiding your life every step of the way. That’s your testimony to others who worry about losing something by turning their lives over to God. You are a living example of how good God really is!

But if you have a hidden past you’ve been too embarrassed to talk about, now is the time to deal with those buried hurts and hang-ups. . . God can use every experience for good, but not if we don’t let him. The Bible tells us “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), so hidden sin holds us in a death grip that silently destroys us spiritually, and often physically, from the inside out. Exposed sin loses its power. We don’t have to waste energy and emotion worrying about others discovering our past. We can ‘thank God we’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set us free to live openly in his freedom’ (personalized from Rom. 6:18 The Message).

Think back to an experience where you know it had to be God who rescued you and how you might make that a testimony of his goodness . . .Every time you give God the glory for something in your life, you testify to God’s goodness. Your salvation testimony shares your life before Jesus, how he changed your heart, and how he spiritually saved your life. God has given you a story to share for his glory, so seize every opportunity to praise him and encourage others. I like this saying: sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future. When we don’t share our story, we don’t share his story.

You must be willing to share how God helped you through difficult times, and that requires vulnerability, approachability, and responsibility. It’s your witness to his faithfulness. It’s the opportunity to give purpose to a crisis. Otherwise, you might spend your life feeling sorry for yourself—living as a victim instead of victorious. Revealing is the first step to healing.

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God and not on you. Don’t tell graphic details of anything to make someone else or you uncomfortable. It’s not a tell-all, and it’s not a time to tell someone else’s story. Stick to details that pertain to you. Don’t dramatize how bad you were; characterize how good God is!

If you haven’t written out your spiritual testimony here are some tips. Think of it in five parts:

  • Your life before Jesus.
  • How, when, why you realized you needed a Savior.
  • Making the commitment, or recommitment, and surrendering your life to Jesus.
  • The change in your life since becoming a Christian.
  • What being a Christian means to you.

In Psalm 71:15, the psalmist admits he’s not sure if what he says will help, but he’ll tell his story and let God choose how to use it: “My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all.” Some people may reject or rebuff your testimony. That’s not a sign to stop telling it; you plant a seed, and God does the watering. Peter reminds us always to be ready to share our testimony.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16

So don’t worry about how God will use your testimony, or how someone will receive it. Just be willing to speak up when you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and He’ll use it for God’s purpose. Sometimes it will be in a spiritual setting, other times when you least expect it. Be ready to share with or within . . .

  • Church
  • Bible study group or small group
  • Mentoring relationships
  • Others going through something similar
  • Conversations acknowledging God’s goodness in your daily life
  • Social media
  • Blogs
  • Unbelievers or skeptics
  • Support groups
  • Where else?”

Your Testimony Is Your Witness That Jesus Christ Lives!

Where does God want you to share your testimony this Easter, or anytime, and who needs to hear it?

Who needs to know the reason for your hope?

If you’re reading this blog and have never asked Jesus to come into your heart and been born again, here’s a prayer to pray if you’re ready now.

Salvation Prayer

Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned in my life and I want to tell you how sorry I am and I want to repent and change my ways. I ask you now to forgive me and cleanse me of those sins. Jesus, I want you to come into my heart and take residence there. I believe you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross to pay the price for my sins and then rose again in three days to offer me eternal life. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit and your love. Lord, I give you my life—make me a new creation in you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

If you prayed the Salvation Prayer: Welcome to the family of God! God just wiped away your past sins and gave you a clean slate. You have been born again into a new life in Christ. Congratulations! Celebrate and tell others about the decision you just made to become a follower of Jesus Christ—it’s your testimony. You’re ready to grow and mature spiritually. Happy first Easter as a new believer.

To all my readers I leave with you this message from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9:

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Note: As I’m writing this blog on Sunday 3/29/2026, President Trump has released a copy of a letter sent to him by Reverend Franklin Graham. I share it below as confirmation of everything I’ve written in this blog about how we become Christians.

In my blog last week, We’re One Nation Under God NOT Allah!, I said that the Christian faith is the only religion with a living spiritual Savior who died and rose again to offer us eternal life with Him. Jesus lives within the heart and soul of every Christian believer!

Please leave a comment here. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on my blogs.

March 30, 2026
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We’re One Nation Under God NOT Allah!

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This might be my most important blog so far in 2026! I hope you’ll read and share. Ignorance of what’s happening in our culture today is not bliss it’s foolish!

“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6

I was shocked when I saw on Tucker Carlson’s Facebook page what he posted from his podcast monologue on March 17.  “If you’re having trouble remembering the last time we killed a religious leader, it’s because we haven’t killed any religious leaders, at least not openly, because we don’t want to start religious wars, because they’re hard to fight and very hard to resolve.”—Tucker Carlson

Tucker was calling the brutal tyrannical Ayatollah who killed Americans and thousands of his own people simply a “religious leader!” Iranian “religious leaders” just publicly hung a nineteen-year-old Iranian Wrestling Olympian and two other teenagers who dared protest the current regime. That doesn’t sound “religious.” That’s barbaric tyranny!

Here was my comment on Tucker’s Facebook post:
“He’s calling the man who killed and tortured thousands of his own people and wants to do the same to Americans a “religious leader”? Seriously?? Islam is NOT a religion it’s a tyrannical death cult ideology. You would think someone like Tucker would know the difference between a religious leader and a pathological tyrannical killer.”—Janet Thompson

Tucker Carlson recently told the story of having a nightmare where he struggled with a monster in his sleep and woke up with scratch marks on his body. I’m wondering if he wasn’t struggling with a demon and the demon won. Tucker has been off the rails on Israel and Iran along with many other topics. This blog is not about Tucker, but if a once intelligent, investigative journalist that many of us admired when he was on FOX News could be so deceived, it’s no wonder that many Americans are also.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual force of this world rather than on Christ. Col. 2:8

New Yorkers who voted for a Muslim Islamist Communist are paying the price for their deception.

There are so many things I’m learning from my study of this false “religion” and its followers’ goal of making Islam not simply the dominate religion in the world, but the dominate government!

That’s the irony of the Biden Administration so hungry for power that they would let in millions of undocumented Islamists into the country thinking that they would all vote Democrat. They might actually do that in the beginning, but only long enough to get themselves into power and then they would dismiss all the ignorant Democrats who won’t know what hit them . . . maybe even literally.

What Democrats and Islam have in common right now is that both reject God and His Son Jesus Christ. The left wants to strip Americans’ identity by telling them you can be your own god and be whatever you want to call yourself. You want to be a woman, put on makeup and a dress and invade women’s sports. You want to be a cat. Put on a tale and pee in a litterbox.

The left’s power comes from breaking Americans into adversarial identity groups that go to war against each other. Whites. BLM. Jews. Palestinians. White liberal women. Suburban women. Gays. Trans. Evangelicals. “Progressive Christians.” On and on . . .

Disunity instead of unity.

When everyone can be your own god, Islam fills the gap. That’s why Islam is partnering with the left’s godless progressive liberal platform and not the conservative right which believes we are a country founded on Judeo/Christian values. The left and Islam both reject this premise.

In last week’s blog, FlashPoint Where Faith Meets Current Events, I pointed out that Democrats are embracing an unlikely partnership with Islam to try to block Christians’ political influence. Another unusual partnership “Queers for Palestine” are opposing twin demonic spirits. They link up around their mutual hate for God and the West with the same goal of destroying Judeo/Christian values. This draws two forces together that have nothing in common. In Palestine and Iran, the queers would be thrown off buildings, and they still will be when Islam is finished getting their votes.

Because of this alliance, President Trump is right when he says after the “death of Iran,” the Democrat party is America’s “greatest enemy.”

Islam Is NOT a Religion. It’s a Death Cult!

In the early 7th century CE, Islam was founded by Muhammed ibn Abdullah, a pedophile who at age 54 married a six-year-old and consummated the marriage when she was nine! He had eleven wives and dozens of concubines. He supposedly was a “prophet” who received divine revelations that became the Qur’an. Reading the Qur’an, that “divine revelation” is obviously from Satan.

Any pseudo religion founded and spearheaded by a mere person is a cult, not a “religion.” Islam is a death cult that kills its own people and the “infidels” who don’t succumb to Islam. Muhammed died. Jesus Christ died, rose again three days later, and lives today to save people from eternal death.

Not every Muslim is radical, but all Islam is radical. Islam is incompatible with the West. There’s no “moderate Islam.” The Qur’an is radical. 

“There is no radical Islam—Islam is radical.”—Gene Bailey, FlashPoint

Islam is 50 years into a 100-year plan to take over the world.

Islam is a political ideology masquerading as a religion. They hate the Jews because they are proof that God exists which is why Jews come under attack so often. Islam’s goal is to first takeover Israel the “little Satan” and then America the “big Satan.”

Iran isn’t just the center of a nuclear threat; it’s also the center of Islamic terrorism. President Trump working with Israel to dismantle the Islamic regime is protecting America from physical and governmental threats from the outside. But thanks to Biden, there are Islamists inside America and sleeper cells just waiting to be detonated.

Before the takeover by Islamists, Iran was a free democratic nation. A tragic example of what happens when citizens don’t recognize the enemy from within as Texas state representative Nate Schatzline points out in the above meme.

Islam’s goal right now is to get 10% of our population radicalized. Their biggest test targets are Texas and California. In Texas alone, there are 48 new mosques in the last two years and they’re trying to build self-contained Islamic communities. Texas just had to put on the ballot that Sharia Law isn’t allowed in Texas, but there are states like Minnesota where it’s already happening. Even here in Idaho, we passed a law against Sharia Law in our red state.

The top 10 Muslim populated states are New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Check out your state here.

Mosques aren’t churches like we know church. They are command infiltration centers preparing for war against the innocents in our country. You, me, and our families. They actually store their arms and ammunitions in the mosques and brag about how many church buildings they’ve bought and turned into mosques to worship Allah, not God.

They are literally Islamic Nationalists with the goal of Islam overtaking and ruling America. Yet, the Democrats call us Christian Nationalist because we want a country that honors the Constitution and God. We’re not looking to make America a theocracy, but Islam is focused on doing exactly that only their god is Allah and they want to replace the Constitution with Sharia Law.

The Democrats Are Actually Helping Islam!

Pay attention to how many Muslims are running for office as “Democrats.” In the November 7, 2025, election, 42 Muslims were elected to public office! The fake news celebrated this as “Political inclusion . . . The rising participation of Muslims in politics represents a shift from marginalization to empowerment, signaling a new chapter in America’s democratic story.”

That should alarm the reader who understands the goal of Islam in America.

Islam is an Arabic word that does not mean peace it means submit and only naive or uniformed pastors, Christians, and politicians would not know this. There’s only peace in Islam after everyone submits to Islam’s empowerment.

Only one faction of Islam is religious. They have no separation of church and government. The “church” is the government, and Iran is a perfect example. That’s why Tucker’s comments about a theocratic militant regime that’s intertwined into every aspect of life was so ludicrous. Dare I say, ignorant.

Islam is diametrically opposed to our Constitution and to Christianity. Islam cannot co-exist with either one.  Muslims will use parts of our Constitution like “freedom of religion” and pretend to be a religion to advance their cause. They will even pretend and lie to agree with our Constitution until they get into power. Mamdani is a perfect example.

“Holy Lying” or “Sacred Deceit” is called “Taquia” in Islam. No matter how smooth and nice they might sound, the Qur’an tells them lying to infidels (us) is permissible to achieve the goals of Islam. So everything Mamdani, or any Muslim candidate, says in their campaigns are lies masking their intentions. They feel no guilt, remorse, or need to apologize. You can’t believe anything they say!

The Democrats are the same. Look at Virginia Governor Spanberger who ran as a moderate and no sooner did she take the oath then she turned hard left. That’s why Islam feels comfortable partnering with Democrats . . . for now until Islam doesn’t need them anymore.

What legitimate “religion” honors lying to achieve goals instead of telling the truth? That has other gods besides The God? That murders anyone who doesn’t submit to their beliefs? Islam is diametrically opposed to Christianity and the Constitution.

How Islam Gains Power

There are three phases to Islamic takeover, which you can readily see is already happening in Egypt, European countries, and Australia. America is next.

  1. Claim minority status.
  2. Claim grievances.
  3. Cry victim. You need to help us because we’re being disadvantaged in some way. Think Muslim Illhan Omar and the Somalis.

Then they take power over the jurisdiction. When they infiltrate and grow in all areas from schools, justice /law system, business, commerce, medical field, politics, government. . . they soon dominate and then claim majority status.

Muslims: Immigrate. Agitate. Infiltrate. Dominate.

Ethnic Hispanics are turning to Islam in TX and CA. Islam gives them license over the “white man.” Islam has prayer beads and honors Mary, which is familiar to Catholics who often haven’t read the Bible so they’re ripe to read the Qur’an. Islam does not recognize or believe in Jesus.

Christians Must Be Equipped with the Truth!

Pulpits need to present the truth that there is only One God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His name is Yahweh. If you ask Muslims, “What’s the name of your God?” They answer, “Allah,” which is god in Arabic. They don’t know who their god is.

”It’s not a religion, but a political system run by terrorists. It is designed to overtake and control every other civilization.”—Terri Bailey FlashPoint

We need pastors and Christians walking in courage who aren’t afraid to talk about our role as Christians in today’s dangerous culture. Islam is strong in their evil intensions. Weak Christianity will fall and fail. Paul warned there would be those who talk like us, sound like us, but they’re weak and deny the power we have in Christ. No operational Holy Spirit in their life.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Tim. 4:1-2

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 1 Tim. 3-5

We can’t go to church without intending to do what we hear. Pray before church and when reading your Bible, “Lord speak to me.” Go to church expecting to hear God. Uncompromised. Leave with a winsome boldness for sharing and living the Truth to overcome the lies of the world.

God will use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Cor. 1:27

The church is where the battlefield begins. Christians must remember that we serve God alone. We can’t mix with or “tolerate” other beliefs and religions that want to destroy Christianity and our country. Satan puts on many faces but his main goal is always to steal, kill, and destroy. We must remain vigilant and wise.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

I’ve given you a lot of information. Not to scare you, but to make you vigilant and wise. This is a spiritual battle and if you live by the Holy Spirit you are in the battle, whether you want to or not. We fight this battle not for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

If you didn’t read my blog last week about Dave and I attending FlashPointLive in Boise, here’s the link.

I also recommend reading What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur’an: A History of Islam & The United States by William J. Federer

Please leave a comment and your thoughts on this article here.

*Pastor Martin Sedra quoted in the opening picture is originally from Egypt where he was raised in the midst of Christian persecution under Islamic rule. He now pastors in Australia but Australia also is fast becoming Islamic.

Following is a 21 Point factual overview of Why Not Sharia Law created by Terri and Gene Bailey at FlashPoint. This is a A FlashPoint digital free download.

March 23, 2026
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Pray that America Remains: One Nation Under God!

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Our Nation, the United States of America, will joyfully celebrate its 250th birthday this year on July 4th and the Trump Administration is planning a “huge” celebration. 250 years is a milestone many countries or empires may achieve . . . but then there’s often a rapid decline. 250 years is actually the life span of most great nations.

“While many like to comfort themselves that America is different, or even uniquely blessed by God, there’s no proof that we will escape the fate of other nations that one time believed the same about themselves,” Cal Thomas said in a recent presentation at the Heritage Foundation. Thomas’ talk was titled after his book, “America’s Expiration Date.”

After examining the historical precedent of former global superpowers, such as the Roman, Persian, Ottoman, and British empires, Thomas claims in his book that certain markers of cultural decline precede political decline. The book’s subtitle is “The Fall of Empires and Superpowers and the Future of the United States.”

Thomas says that in America: “Our past challenges were met with a resolve born out of a shared ethical and moral sense that is today in rapid retreat.” He mentioned one of the most disturbing markers of America’s decline is the casual devaluation of human life through abortion and daily deadly shootings in the inner cities that don’t even make the news anymore.

Thomas is hopeful that the cultural damage can be reversed with these three steps to restore common morality in America:

  1. Remove the next generation from public schools and liberal institutions of higher education.
  2. Encourage people to work and save and to look at government welfare programs as the last resort.
  3. Close the partisan gaps in public discourse and combat the left-leaning mainstream media.

On point #1 about schools, Thomas makes a great point:

“We don’t send our soldiers to train in the enemy’s camp, so why do we send our children to schools that teach them values so contrary to our own while expecting them to return home with those values and beliefs still intact?”

While Thomas’ battle plan is valid and perhaps a bit altruistic, I don’t believe healing America’s moral cultural decline is achievable without a return to God, who our founding fathers prayed to and were inspired by in designing and crafting this great American experiment.

Did you know that a majority of our laws come straight out of the Book of Deuteronomy?

The Declaration of Independence acknowledges that God is our Creator, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” 

The Pledge of Allegiance starts out “I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

 Regardless of whose picture is on our money, America’s national motto adopted in 1956 is on all our currency, “In God We Trust.” America’s guiding motto is commonly displayed in courtrooms across the United States above judges’ benches and is prominently displayed in various areas of the Supreme Court Chamber and the Capitol Rotunda reflecting the historical and cultural significance of the motto in American society and law.

When a government official is sworn into office, they put their hand on the Bible and pledge to honor the Constitution and the role of the position, “So help me God.” Even those who put their hand on the Quran, which I think is a travesty and should be illegal, still have to pledge, “So help me God,” NOT “So help me Allah!”

Even more essential than the three points made by Thomas to the survival of the United States is Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth’s, profound proclamation at the National Prayer Breakfast in D.C. on February 5, 2026:

“A country that forgets its God, forgets its greatness!”

President Trump also knows this to be true and that is why during his keynote speech at the National Prayer Breakfast he said this . . .

PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I’m pleased to announce that on May 17th, 2026, that we’re inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray, to give thanks, and to do something a lot of people said ‘boy that’s tough,’. . . we’re going to rededicate America as One Nation Under God!”

The room erupted in applause with a standing ovation.

President Trump continued, “That’s what I mean the spirit is so incredible. I thought it would take longer…but we’re doing so well. Maybe it’s because of religion. I’ve always said you just can’t have a great country if you don’t have religion. You have to believe in something. You have to believe that what we’re doing there’s a reason for it . . . People are going to church. They’re meeting people. Churches have seen 30% to 70% increase. There’s an increase in the number of converts and people going to church every week. Bible sales are through the roof. To support this exciting renewal … I’m announcing this National Day of Prayer!”  

Contrast President Trump’s speech at the National Prayer Breakfast with New York City mayor’s speech at an interfaith breakfast. Mamdani used Islam to lecture Americans about why they should resist ICE and illegal migration is necessary, although his own religion doesn’t allow non-Muslims to enter the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

“I consider my own faith, Islam, a religion built upon a narrative of migration. The story of the Hijrah reminds us of the prophet Muhammad, [who] was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina … If faith offers us the moral compass to stand alongside the stranger, government can provide the resources. Let’s create a new expectation of City Hall where power is wielded to love, to embrace, and protect. We will stand with the stranger today,” Mamdani said.

How does government “wield power to love”? Love is a choice. And those “strangers” he’s standing with that ICE is trying to protect New Yorkers from are illegal murderers, pedophiles, child molesters and traffickers, thieves, drug dealers . . . the worst of the worst. Mamdani is using power to love, embrace and protect illegal criminals instead of New Yorkers!

In a country whose motto is One Nation Under God, this mayor feels free to speak about Muhammad and Islamic “faith” as a role model for America’s biggest city! That should alarm everyone!

Islam is not a religion! It masquerades as a religion to take advantage of America’s religious rights protections. Islam is a political ideology with the goal of annihilating the infidels, Christians and Jews, and anyone who isn’t Muslim per the Quran and in that pursuit, they’re allowed to lie. Islam is not an ideology of peace. It’s an ideology of surrender to Islam and then there will be peace. Someone needs to call Mamdani out on that fact. Someone should’ve told New Yorkers that.

Pray For the Re-dedication of America as One Nation Under God!

A Facebook friend of mine shared the following commentary by Traci Coston, which she had posted on her Facebook page regarding President Trump’s announcement of the national gathering in D.C. on May 17 to again proclaim and rededicate America as “One Nation Under God.”

Traci addressed some of the issues maybe some of you are even feeling and wondering why God would choose President Trump for this national reawakening and turning America back to its roots founded in God and the Bible. I thought Traci used Scripture and her words well to confirm God’s timing and plan that we don’t always understand in our humanness, but praise God we’re alive today to experience it. So I’m going to share Traci’s post here for your consideration.

Traci Coston wrote . . .

“As believers, we need to pause and recognize what is happening in our nation. President Donald Trump has openly called the country to prayer and has declared a re-dedication of America back to God on May 17th on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. That should move us to pray, not argue.

Scripture says: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority…” (1 Timothy 2:1–2)

Notice it doesn’t say only the leaders you personally like, agree with, or fully understand. We are commanded to pray for those in authority because God works through leadership to bring order, restraint, and alignment.

Some believers refuse to pray for President Trump because they question his salvation or his motives. But Scripture addresses this too. Paul wrote that even when Christ was preached from mixed or selfish motives, he still rejoiced because the gospel was advancing:

“Whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18)

The issue is not whether a leader is perfect — it’s whether God is using them. Jesus Himself said: “Whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:40)

And He also made this spiritual truth unmistakably clear: “A house divided against itself cannot stand… Satan cannot cast out Satan.” (Mark 3:24–26)

Think about that carefully. A leader cannot be actively confronting evil, restraining darkness, calling a nation to prayer, and pointing people back to God by the power of the devil. Darkness does not cast out darkness. Evil does not war against itself. God may use vessels that don’t fit our expectations—sometimes when they don’t even fully understand what He’s doing through them.

Throughout Scripture, God used imperfect, unlikely, even resistant leaders to accomplish His purposes. What mattered was not their polish, but God’s power working through them. So instead of withholding prayer, criticizing from the sidelines, or demanding perfection before intercession, the Church should be doing what it has always been called to do:

Pray, intercede, ask God for wisdom, protection, repentance, and courage for our leaders, and thank God that His name is being lifted publicly again.

If a leader is calling the nation back to God, the response of believers should not be suspicion—it should be prayer.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)”

Thank you Traci for sharing this call to pray for and not against our President and our nation.

Hallelujah and Amen!

Please leave your comment here.

February 9, 2026
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Christ or Chaos: The Choice Is Yours!

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We’re at a crossroads in America today. Will we choose the lawful Truth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ and His Word, or the chaotic unlawful lies and demonic deception of the father of lies, Satan?! Thanks to social media and cell phones, we’re watching people’s choices play out in real time. Many people are willfully choosing satanic chaos even to the point of protesting against those who choose Christ, His ways, and His will for how we should live as citizens of this world.

By now, you’ve seen the videos of Black Lives Matter Marxists terrorizing worshipers during Sunday morning worship service at Cities Church in St Paul, Minnesota. You could watch it because fired CNN podcaster Don Lemon conspired with rioters to film the entire chaotic storming of the church. Lemon foolishly posted himself outside the church having donuts and coffee as the activists gathered to strategize their attack. He kissed the cheek of far-left Marxist agitator, Nekima Levy Armstrong who has since been arrested, and mentioned he had her on his podcast a few days prior where she probably told him her plans to invade the church, which is why he just “happened” to be there filming the entire travesty.

Interviewing her outside the church, Armstrong told Lemon they intermingled white protesters with black so it wouldn’t look like a black gang invading a mostly white church. She said they choose “unsuspecting targets” for the element of surprise.

They chose this church because they thought one of the pastors was working with ICE. Exactly, what does that have to do with BLM you might ask? Nothing! It’s simply an opportunity to create chaos. An excuse to attack Christians.

Some of the rioters planted themselves inside the church then jumped up when their cohorts ran through the doors yelling, screaming expletives, calling the parishioners white supremacists, Nazis, and unworthy Christians. The rioters blocked the stairs prohibiting parents from getting their children from Sunday school. Children were crying as families rushed out to their cars where antagonists followed berating the terrified children that their parents were going to burn in Hell as they surrounded their cars. One woman fled for safety out the backdoor of the church and broke her arm.

During all of this chaos, Don Lemon stuck a microphone in Lead Pastor Jonathan Parnell’s face who asked Lemon repeatedly to leave and told him, “This is shameful. We’re here to worship. We’re here to worship Jesus, because that’s the hope of these cities. That’s the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.”

Not deterred, Lemon continued deliriously chastising the pastor. Lemon maintained the terrorists had a “first amendment” right to be there and that he himself was a “Christian”?!  Lemon later tried to turn this travesty into a “racist” incident slandering the worshippers as “white supremacists” for gathering in church on a Sunday morning to worship Jesus!

Satan is Normalizing Chaos!

A headline as I write this blog reads “Minnesota Chaos.” Another headline screams “Chaos in the streets.”  Yet another, “Chaos on Court” where a middle school basketball game in Kentucky turned into a chaotic brawl with parents joining in as the announcer casually announced “They just tased Ryan,” like he was calling a play in the kids game!

An ICE agent told a group of chaotic Minneapolis screaming whistling agitators, “You’re trying to stop us from arresting a child molester! What’s wrong with you people?” That’s a good question. One protester said she was a mother of eight. She doesn’t want murderers and child molesters arrested to make Minneapolis safer for her children!?

When I watch these agitators literally acting like crazy people, I’m reminded of how the Bible describes someone possessed by a demon. Doesn’t Luke 9:39 describe the protesters you’re watching prohibit law enforcement from protecting their communities.

An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. Luke 9:39 (I literally saw a woman protester foaming at the mouth)

Videos of agitators and rioters are one long bleep covering their vile profanity. The “F” bomb has become their most frequently spewed obscenity, which godly Jesus-followers wouldn’t or shouldn’t ever use, so that’s the first clue Satan is influencing them.

There are only two spiritual realms in the world. You’re either Holy Spirit filled or demonic spirit filled.

If you’re not walking with Jesus, you’re walking with the devil. There is no in between!

The Bible refers to Christians as “children of God.”

  • John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
  • Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”
  • Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
  • 2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Satan also has children!

There’s a clear distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil. 

  •  1 John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
  • 1 John 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil.
  • John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Just as Christians have the Holy Spirit guiding us, demonic spirits guide those who reject Christ. They forfeit discernment and become easily deceived.

The term “demon possession” in Scripture describes a spiritual reality in which an individual is under the control of a demonic being suggesting oppression or direct indwelling by an evil spirit, resulting in physical, mental, and spiritual distress. They often yell and scream much like you’re watching people in the streets of Minneapolis. Or if you’ve heard William Kelly, a perpetual agitator showing up at many riots in other states and was arrested along with Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen for their roles in storming Cities Church. Kelly’s profane viral posts sound like these Scriptures.

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. Matt 8:16

 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him! Mark 1:23-26

When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. Mark 1:32

When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. Mark 5:2-5 [Think of the people wrestling with and resisting ICE]

Without Christ, Satan Creates Chaos!

We’re living in a world where rampant deception fueled by the liberal biased media fills the airways with lies. Liberal media hates Donald Trump and anyone who supports him, so they have deceived themselves into believing that nothing is too devious or evil to present Trump in a nefarious light and by association all conservatives and Republicans. Trump Derangement Syndrome isn’t a joke; it’s real. I believe Satan created TDS and uses it effectively to deceive people not grounded in the truth and discernment of Jesus Christ.

As an example, this past week there was a story of a 5-year-old boy pictured with ICE agents. Immediately the fake news ran with a story that was full of lies and no facts. They cried into the screen that ICE was now arresting innocent 5 year-olds or using them as bate, as they showed the picture of the young boy with his cute cap getting into an ICE car.

Truth: ICE tried to apprehend the little boy’s father who used his son as a decoy and took off running abandoning his son. ICE tried to return the boy to his mom. She refused to open the door and let him come back inside the house. ICE took care of the boy, getting him food until he was reunited with his father.

But because the lying media never retracted their original false heart-wrenching story, anyone who only watches lame stream media never discovered the truth and most people don’t take the time to research before they react.

As I’m writing today a protester with a loaded gun and 2 full magazines of bullets accosted ICE agents who were trying to arrest a criminal. The protester physically interfered with ICE and was shot. The criminal escaped. Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey’s press conference gave the impression the protester was unarmed and the media reported that lie. I saw some Minnesota Christians berating ICE for “killing an unarmed man” because they hadn’t done their homework before posting. That’s how the devil uses deception to even fool Christians if we’re not relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us before we speak and act.

A good friend of mine posted this truth on Facebook:

“Many are asking… How can they not see what seems obvious. Their minds have been governed by lies that they choose to believe.

Both sides will see the above statement and agree with an astounding, YES!!

But how is one to know if their heart has deceived them? Who is right?

We are a world that trusts our emotions and feelings and that becomes our truth. But the Lord warns us “Our heart above all things is deceitful, who could know it?”

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.

Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, Lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Whatever path you choose be careful it’s the path of truth and not emotions. The days are just going to get more and more deceitful and if we follow our hearts, we are sure to be deceived. Jesus is the truth! Guard your mind with truth!”

I couldn’t agree more!

Christ or Chaos?

The Rev. Joe Rigney, who lived in Minnesota for 18 years and helped plant Cities Church in St. Paul, now serves as associate pastor at a church in Moscow, Idaho. Rigney urged Christians to continue proclaiming the Gospel amid what he discerns as an escalating cultural hostility in the United States, leaving “Christ or chaos” as the only two options.

Rigney said there’s “escalating violence on the Left of normal Christian people, and I just want to underscore that piece of it.” He noted that, “This [Cities Church] is not a political church. These are normal, Bible-believing Evangelicals, their mission is worshiping Jesus, loving one another and seeking the good of the Twin Cities.”

Rigney went on to observe “there’s a deep sickness in our culture some in government authority are encouraging and only Jesus can fix.“

“They’re terrorizing normal, law-abiding citizens, and then they’re encouraging the lawless and the lawbreakers,” he said of government officials who refuse to punish evildoers. “And because of that, it’s bubbling up. It’s bubbling over, and it’s tragic. It really is tragic. And the only way out is for people to turn from their sins and to turn back to Christ. That’s the only hope this nation has. That’s the only hope for any of us.”

“When you think about the last 20 years and the escalating collisions we’ve seen in our country — about say, sex, sexuality, and people being harassed just because they won’t make a cake or because they won’t do flowers for a gay wedding — and you see that kind of escalating collision as Christians just try to live faithful lives,” Rigney said.

“The lawlessness spreads, and now it doesn’t matter if you’re a leader or not. It doesn’t matter if you’re prominent or not. You could just be what normal people going to church on a Sunday in an American town, and now you’re going to be harassed and intimidated,” he continued, but exhorted Christians “to keep preaching the Gospel, just like the early church.”

I agree with Rev. Rigney. Christians must always be actively fighting off the influence of the devil. We cannot let our guard down as we watch the fall of pillars in the church who thought they were invincible, like Christian author of What’s So Amazing About Grace Philip Yancy, who recently admitted to having an affair with a married woman for eight years! The devil can take down anyone who isn’t following 1 Peter 5:8-9.
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Ephesians 6:10-12 reminds us our battle is not against fellow humans, but against the devil.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Please leave your comments here.

January 26, 2026
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14 Ways To Celebrate A Peaceful Thanksgiving When Politically Divided!

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You may have read recently how Jimmy Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney who works as a producer and writer on her husband’s late-night show, admitted to being raised “in a very conservative, Republican household.” So when Trump was elected in 2016, though disappointed, she felt she could “understand it.” Regarding Trump’s second term, she’s not so understanding.

 “It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there fighting this man,” McNearney said on the Nov. 6 episode of “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast. “To me, them [family members] voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family,” she added, revealing that she had “unfortunately … lost relationships with people in my family because of it.”

She continued in the podcast, “I’ve sent many emails to family, like right before the election saying, ‘I’m begging you. Here’s the 10 reasons not to vote for this guy. Please don’t.’ And I either got ignored by 90% of them or got truly insane responses from a few. It’s definitely caused a strain.”

“I’ve definitely pulled in closer with the family that I feel more aligned with. And I hate that this has happened, you know? It feels silly. You know, part of me goes, ‘Don’t let politics get in the way.’ But to me, this isn’t politics. It’s truly values,” she explained. “And we just were not aligned anymore.” Read more of the interview here.

Actually, in that last sentence she hit on the division that has arisen between Republicans and Democrats or progressive Democrat Socialists. It truly is opposing “values” of good versus evil.

Taking Trump out of the discussion for a moment, let’s look at the atheistic godless values on the left: sacrificially killing babies in the womb, sexually indoctrinating young children in school, sexual mutilation of children, gender confusion, open borders, men in women’s sports, men pretending they’re women, gay marriage, legalizing and accepting sexual perversion, soft on crime, defunding the police, and so many more WOKE anti-God values that Christian conservatives unequivocally cannot and should not align with.

McNearney is correct, left and right values are definitely not the same. But notice she referred to the responses she received from her conservative relatives as “insane.” While McNearney didn’t admit to Trump Derangement Syndrome, she has the symptoms when she’s letting politics not only divide her family, but essentially disowning them because they don’t agree with her. Is this making her feel any better? She admits it isn’t.

“I feel like I’m kind of in constant conflict and I’m angry all the time, which isn’t healthy at all,” McNearney continued. “But I personalize everything now. When I see these terrible stories every day, I’m immediately mad at certain aunts, uncles, cousins who put him [Trump] in power. And it’s really hard.”

She’s not alone. When political views become thicker than family ties, it’s heartbreaking and feeds into Satan’s goal of disintegrating and dismantling the family.

Last year, a liberal extended family member was surprised we were celebrating a family Thanksgiving after the election. She had heard the ludicrous propaganda that families and friends with differing political views shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving together?! She believed this outrageous proclamation as fact and surveys show she’s not alone. A quarter of Americans said they were canceling Thanksgiving plans over political clashes. Pathetic and tragic.

Much of the mistruths, lies, and gaslighting coming from the liberal side of the aisle work to divide friends and families instead of uniting them around the things they do agree on like loving your family and heritage regardless of political or faith beliefs. Family ties should be stronger than politics and God tells us to love those who don’t agree with us, even though we don’t always love their actions, values, or beliefs. As Christians, we don’t cut them off, we show them the love of Christ, which we definitely can’t do if we don’t still strive for a personal relationship with them. Even when our values conflict, we still show them love.

I imagine many of you are having similar concerns and conversations this Thanksgiving. I remember my mom cautioning that if you want to keep the peace, don’t talk about religion or politics. As a kid, I never understood that warning. Believers are supposed to tell everyone about Jesus. Since being a Christian is our first identity . . . how could we not talk about our Savior? Likewise, if we’re happy about political policies that align with our faith and beliefs, then we shouldn’t have to stifle our joy.

I’m bold about my first role in life: being a born-again Christian. All other roles come second. As I wrote in Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, “Bold doesn’t mean obnoxious. It simply means not being afraid to speak the truth, even in the face of adversity: ‘Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold’ (2 Cor. 3:12).”

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. Philippians 1:20 NLT

Absolutely, we’re having another joyous Thanksgiving celebration this year with whoever is there. We have much to be thankful for beyond politics. So yes, I’ll be making my famous sweet potatoes for those who love them. And I’ll bring my legacy Thanksgiving tablecloth, which you’ll read about at the end of this article. We won’t let political or faith differences prevent us from giving praise, glory, and thanks to our Lord and Savior for another year of life together.

Daily, not just at Thanksgiving, my husband and I pray beseeching God to prepare us to be a light in the darkness . . . not to avoid the darkness because that would be the coward’s way out . . . but to help us respond as if Jesus was standing behind us speaking through us. You’ve all been in situations where it seemed like Satan was standing behind or speaking through the other person.  So how can we let Jesus reflect through us? Granted, some might not recognize Jesus . . . but they’ll see there’s something different about us.

14 Ways to Maintain Peace and Joy on Thanksgiving

As I prayed and talked to the Lord about family political and faith differences, here’s some scriptural ways to keep the peace. I’ll admit it’s not always easy and I definitely haven’t mastered them all. I’d love to hear your ideas too.

  1. Don’t worry what to say—“Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11 (Jesus was talking to his disciples if they were arrested, but I think it could apply to us too if we felt our faith or political beliefs was being tested or put on trial.)
  2. Speak kind words—“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Pr. 16:24 NLT
  3. Strive for peace—“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18
  4. Don’t instigate or respond to antagonistic discussions—“Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.” Pr. 26:17 NLT
  5. Play with children present—“We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.” Ps. 78:4 NLT
  6. Don’t drink—“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 NLT
  7. Smile, Smile, Smile—“Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” Psalm 42:5 The Message
  8. Listen—“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” Pr. 12:15 NLT
  9. Take a deep breath and think before you speak—“There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.” Pr. 29:20 NLT
  10. Less is more—“The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?” Ecc. 6:11 NLT “A time to be quiet and a time to speak.” Ecc. 3:7 NLT
  11. Pray mind prayers. — “Pray continually” 1 Thess. 5:17
  12. Have a sign or word with others that signals — Change the subject if the conversation gets heated or move into another room. “Twoare better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecc. 4:9
  13. If you’re hosting—Thank God for each guest. Pray over your home and each chair at the table. Pray as you normally would at the meal, your guests know they’re coming to a Christian home. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” 1 Peter 4:9
  14. If you’re a guest—As you approach the home, pray to be a blessing. If your hosts don’t pray before the meal, offer to give a blessing. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal. 5:22-23

Thanksgiving is a day for harmony and focusing on God. Giving Him thanks and praise in whatever way He leads. Fiction writers have a saying: “Show don’t tell.” You don’t always have to speak Jesus with your words. Show Him with your actions. People will want what you have!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 NLT

I do give thanks for each of you who follow me on this Monday Morning Blog. I pray you have a joyful, peaceful, and God-filled Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Legacy Tablecloth Idea

In Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I share how to use your Thanksgiving tablecloth as a conversation piece and a way to make memories for generations to come. Here’s an excerpt from the book. I hope it gives you some ideas. I’ll be taking our Thankful Tablecloth with us this Thanksgiving to my daughter’s house. My grandchildren love to look back at their tiny handprints and drawings when they were toddlers and the comments written over twenty-three years.

When my breast cancer journey started, I became keenly aware of making memories with my family. At times like that, you think seriously about your mortality and the legacy you want to leave with your loved ones. You appreciate each new day of life. The sun rising every morning is an act of God to celebrate.

Holidays like Thanksgiving have new meaning. Typically, Thanksgiving is a celebration where family and friends gather for a feast, and everyone says what they’re thankful for in the past year. But after finishing the dishes and putting away the leftovers, how many really remember what everyone said?

The Thanksgiving following my first breast cancer surgery in 2002, I had an idea of a Thankful Tablecloth. I purchased a Thanksgiving themed tablecloth with plenty of white space and a box of wash-resistant colored markers. After Thanksgiving dinner, I brought out the markers and asked everyone—kids included—to find a spot on the tablecloth to write what they were thankful for that year, sign, and date it. We traced handprints for the tiny ones with their name and age.

Today, we have years of thankful messages to read every Thanksgiving and remember the many acts of God’s goodness to us and the people who joined us at the celebration table each year. If we go to someone’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, I ask if I can bring our Thankful Tablecloth and markers. When I go to be with the Lord, I pray my family will continue bringing out the Thanksgiving Tablecloth as a reminder through the generations of how good God has been to our family and friends.

Opening Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
Have a blessed Thanksgiving. There won’t be a Monday Morning Blog Thanksgiving week and I might not be regular every Monday morning in December

Please leave a comment here.

November 17, 2025
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‘Maybe’ Is Not In God’s Vocabulary!

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I was praying last week with the Jack Hibbs LIFT daily morning prayer, which I’ve mentioned in blogs before, when he said something that caught my attention. He said you won’t find “maybe” used in the Bible. Actually, it’s in there but only three times, and never used by God or Jesus. Twice ‘maybe’ is used as a taunt to deny that God exists in 1 Kings 18:27 and Jonah 1:6, and another time in 1 Kings 18:5 by Ahab saying maybe they can find grass for the horses and mules. That’s it!

So think about that. God is never indecisive, wondering if maybe we should do one thing or another. His Word, the Bible, is always specific, confident, instructive, definitive, and direct. 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 Tim. 3:15-17

We’re the ones that interject maybes into the Scriptures and question the intent of what God is actually saying. Sometimes we want to give the benefit of the doubt or question His intent, but God says I tell you the Truth and you should absolutely follow it in your life. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

You might question that many people interpret the Bible differently. That’s true. The Bible might speak to each of us differently in our individual situation. But if we rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in exegesis of Scripture in context, and not on what we want the Bible to mean, Christians will usually agree on the interpretation.

A good example of misinterpreting Scripture is people saying that God is the God of love, so you need to love everything everyone does because God loves them. That’s what someone wants the Bible to mean, not what God actually says.

If you counter and ask, “Where does God say, ‘maybe’ it’s okay to sin in this area because I love you?” Of course, they can’t find anywhere it says this because God hates sin. Sin destroys the ones He loves. What God does say is that He loves us all so much, He sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross for those of us who ask for forgiveness for our sins, repent, and become followers of Jesus for eternity. (John 3:16)

When you look at all the red-letter words of Jesus in the Gospels, you won’t find Jesus ever using “maybe.” His words when he preached and taught are full of unqualified, unambiguous, unquestionable, and unwavering wisdom, lessons, and truth to live by.

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ He was the only way to heaven and there could be other beliefs or ways. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 No maybes.

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ if you follow me, you might be saved. He said you will be saved. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John. 10:9)

Jesus didn’t say you should ‘maybe’ repent and turn from your wicked ways. He said you must repent to be His follower. “I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” Luke 5:32

Jesus didn’t say ‘maybe’ that one sin will be okay because overall you’re a good person. He said go and sin no more. Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11

We’re the ones that try to soften the Gospel and Jesus’ own words by interjecting doubt or suggesting that ‘maybe’ Jesus didn’t really mean what He said.

Sadly, many pastors today want to make their congregations feel good about their sinful lives, insinuating that maybe it’s not all that bad if it makes you happy or it’s not hurting anyone. That’s a false gospel by a false teacher.

God is much more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.

Maybe In Our Vocabulary!

‘Maybe’ is noncommittal, non-decisive, and reluctant. Maybe we’ll come to your party. Maybe I’ll read the Bible. Maybe I’ll follow most of what the Bible says. Maybe we’ll go to church this weekend. Maybe we’ll come visit.

The Christian life is committed, decisive, and never reluctant. The antithesis of ‘maybe.’

God is looking for bold Christians who are fully committed and fully decisive in their spiritual and personal life. No maybes about it!

Our family rule at the Thompsons is let your yes be yes, and your no be no. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37 

‘Maybe’ and ‘try’ are ways to keep all your options open without making a full commitment. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. Or other times you don’t want to tell the person no, so you use ‘try’ or ‘maybe’. When I hear those two words, it means the person isn’t reliable. They’re not being forthright. I can’t count on them.

 When you ask someone about anything that has a yes or no answer and they answer with “Maybe,” or “I’ll try,” they most likely mean no. They’re just afraid to give the honest answer, “No.”

If someone says for example, “I’ll try to be on time.” I’ll counter with “That doesn’t sound very committed. Are you going to be on time or should I not expect you?” I want an answer I can depend on, knowing that circumstances can change but they’re going to make an effort. Just tell me yes or tell me no, but don’t say try or maybe.

A favorite stall of some is I need to check my calendar, but since most people today have a calendar on their phone, that’s pretty easy to check. I would prefer to hear, “We won’t be able to make it, but thanks for thinking of us.” Then they can always call later if their plans change and that’s always pleasant news.

There are certain situations where we want to pray before committing. That’s often advisable. In fact, many of us can think of a time we wish we had taken time to pray before saying yes. If that’s the case, then give a timeframe where the other person can expect you to respond. Stick to that time commitment.

Do you think that’s too strict or not flexible enough? Well, God is strict in His commands to us knowing that if we follow them with commitment, perseverance, and diligence, we’re going to be a better witness to others and live a fuller life in Christ.

How many of us who are married would’ve answered, “I’ll try” or “Maybe” when the pastor asked if we would love, honor, and cherish our spouse? If we want the ceremony to continue and the marriage to last, we say, “Yes” loudly, boldly, and committed.

Sometimes we say “maybe” because we’re really not sure what we want. It can mean numerous things, from “I’m not sure I want to do this,” to “I want to do that, but I’m not sure if I can” to “this doesn’t sound like how I want to spend my time” to any number of combinations that make us unsure.

Many times, kids that have lived with divorce and are trying to please both parents find themselves saying maybe or I’ll try because they don’t want to hurt either parent by saying no. Or even worse say “I’ll try” or “maybe” to both parents knowing they can’t be at both places. They live with that worry and angst hanging over them because eventually one of the parents is going to be disappointed when they don’t show up. It would’ve been better to tell one parent no but let’s make other plans to get together. That’s a hard lesson to learn.

If we can learn to say no when it’s not a sure yes, there’s clarity for everyone and actually much less stressful.

Like me, most people are looking for truth they can depend on. If we want to be good witnesses for Christ, we need to be the kind of people others can depend on to live by our words. Sometimes, we’re so uncomfortable saying no, we think we need to give long explanations to justify our reasons. That can lead to lying or making up a story. Not necessary. Not godly. Leviticus 19:11 commands “Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”

When you know your maybe really means no, you’re essentially lying to the other person. That’s why “maybe” and “try” are not in God’s vocabulary, but “yes” and “no” are. God never vacillates in the way He wants us to live. He sets boundaries and guidelines for us. We need to go and do likewise.

Freedom isn’t the ability to say maybe. It’s the ability to say no or yes and own it.

Please leave a comment here.

March 24, 2025
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The Truth About Grace

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Like many of you, I pray for the Lord to give me a word and verse He wants me to focus on to improve my spiritual witness and my walk in the New Year. At first, I chose ‘persistent’ for 2024, but my husband and friends quickly squelched that one reminding me that I already am a very persistent person in my faith and life. It must be a word where I need to improve.

As I prayed about my 2024 word, the Lord revealed that I needed a heavy dose of grace in my communication and actions. What I probably needed the most was patience, but we all know it’s not a good idea to pray for that or the Lord might give you an abundance of experiences requiring patience. However, patience is often required to exhibit grace.

The Scripture that best reflects my pursuit of grace is Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

I probably would’ve made a good lawyer because I do have skills to win an argument or get my point across, but I may win the case and lose the relationship. I first became awakened to focusing on grace when our Couples Group did The Chosen Bible Study, which covers the Sermon on the Mount. Lesson 3 was on Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” In that week’s study, two Scripture passages hit home to me.

 1 Peter 5:5 ESV “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Eph. 2:4-7 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Then we came to Lesson 5, The Merciful and Their Mandate, with Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

We were reminded that the ability to reflect meekness, mercy, and thus grace, comes from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17

So my 2024 word is ‘grace’ and the Scripture I will pray repeatedly is Colossians 4:6. But what about the Spirit of truth?

Balancing Grace and Truth

John 1:17 says, For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  Not Grace or Truth. Not Grace versus Truth. Grace and Truth. Yes, they can occur simultaneously, but it takes work. Displaying both grace and truth is a delicate balance, and often, we err towards one side or the other.

Christians often err on the side of grace resulting in sin not only tolerated, accepted, and overlooked, but made lawful and legal. We know the commandment “Thou shalt not kill,” but abortion is still legal in many states and called a “woman’s choice.” The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is a sin and marriage is between a man and a woman, but homosexual marriage is legal in America and called a lifestyle choice.

Sin has always been a choice, that’s why God sent His Son to earth to offer us mercy and grace. Not grace to keep on sinning . . . but grace to choose to turn from our wicked ways, seek forgiveness, and accept eternal life with Christ. An undeserved second chance to live a righteous life— the balance of grace and truth.

When faced with a sinful situation, many Christians fear sounding judgmental so their response is full of grace but evades the truth. This can appear to condone the sinful behavior. Or we’re so shocked or appalled at the sin we know God hates that we slam the person with biblical truth. Very few people are receptive to a condemning approach.

I tend to err on the side of wanting the truth told, but not always presenting it in a grace-filled manner. How do we not condemn, but not condone? How can we tell the truth, but still extend grace?

Truth or Grace?

“You’re late!” A greeting to the last arriving meeting members. Truth but no Grace.

“Where are you going to live?” A response to a Christian who announces she’s going to live with her boyfriend. Grace but no Truth.

“That dress looks terrible on you.” Truth but no Grace.

“It’s alright. No problem.” A reply to a friend backing out on an important commitment. Grace but no Truth.

“You’re going to hell if you keep up that behavior!” Truth but no Grace.

“Ok, I understand…” Said to the friend you babysat for numerous times, but when you ask to do a trade, she’s too busy. Grace but no Truth.

“Congratulations!” A gay couple tells you they are getting married. Grace but no Truth

Follow Jesus’ Example

Randy Alcorn wrote an excellent book, The Grace and Truth Paradox: Responding with Christ-like Balance. Randy points out that the early church drew thousands to Jesus by copying the only model they had at the time…Jesus Himself. Today, we often ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” Those people knew what Jesus would do. We could arrive at a number of adjectives describing the character of Christ that would let us know what He would do today, but Randy suggests all reduce to two character qualities…yes only two!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” John 1:1, 14.

Jesus was full of both grace and truth ALL the time. He had the perfect balance of justice and mercy. Not grace one time and truth another time. Everything He did and everything He said embodied both character qualities. Notice that grace comes first in the verse because it was a new concept to the early Christians. They knew about the truth of the law from the Old Testament, but the grace of forgiveness that Jesus brought was brand new to them. 

Even in Jesus’ day, with his example for them to emulate, some like the Pharisees still chose to rely only on truth, and we call them legalists. Jesus pointed out that the law could only reveal sin, but only the grace of Jesus Christ could remove it.

We want others to know Jesus by what they see in our life, but then we have to ask ourselves what do they see in us? Are we full of grace and truth? Does it seem like a paradox sometimes? It shouldn’t. Randy points out that grace without truth, or truth without grace, are like a bird without one wing.

Don’t Bait and Switch

Communicating with grace and truth is not telling someone something flattering, then zinging them with truth. That bait and switch approach is never effective. They feel manipulated and tricked. Have you ever had that happen where you wonder: Did they just compliment or chastise me? Telling the truth should never cause confusion. It needs to be clear and concise.

Grace also doesn’t mean sugarcoating. That’s not what Jesus did. The passage in John 4:7-26 with Jesus and the Samaritan woman is a pattern for displaying grace and truth. Notice Jesus didn’t compliment the woman, then slam her with the truth. He first asked her a question, “Will you give me a drink?” which was a display of grace since Jews didn’t talk to Samaritans. The remainder of the passage is an example of Jesus telling the truth with grace. He didn’t avoid the truth because it would embarrass or put her on the spot. He confronted her with the truth of her sin of living with a man that wasn’t her husband then mercifully offered her the grace of forgiveness and eternal life. And what was the result? The woman left her sinful life and became one of the first women evangelists (John 4:28-30).

What About You and Me?

We can check ourselves with Randy Alcorn’s “Two Point Checklist” to help determine if we are a grace and truth Christian.

1.  Are nonbelievers uncomfortable around you?

It could be you are erring on the side of legalistic truth. People were drawn to Christ, who was both grace and truth, but ran from the Pharisees who had only the ‘truth.’

2.  Do all nonbelievers like you?

A red flag you’re erring on the side of grace. The true spirit of grace is that you love enough to tell the biblical truth and share the Gospel.

 Truth without grace:            Destroys          Crushes

 Grace without truth:             Deceives          Cowardly

Grace and Truth together:    Draws              Christ

God’s truths are guardrails in life to prevent us from going over the cliff into the sinful abyss, not tools for beating us over the head. Truth is a lifeline, not a weapon. Truth can release someone from bondage or rescue him or her from certain death. When we choose to bypass truth and go straight to grace, it’s no longer grace. Offering someone grace without the truth—the guardrail that protects and sets us free to know the true grace of Jesus—is sending them over the cliff in a loving way.

A quote from Randy’s book: “Truth without grace breeds a self-righteous legalism that poisons the church and pushes the world away from Christ. Grace without truth breeds moral indifference and keeps people from seeing their need for Christ. Attempts to ‘soften’ the gospel by minimizing truth keep people from Jesus. Attempts to ‘toughen’ the gospel by minimizing grace keep people from Jesus. It’s not enough for us to offer grace or truth. We must offer both.”

This balance is something most of us will spend a lifetime trying to achieve and only Jesus was perfect at it, but the Holy Spirit will help us if we ask. Tricia McCary Rhodes writes in Taking Up Your Cross, “To be humble is to live always with poignant awareness of God’s extravagant grace poured out in exchange for our complete inadequacy.” Isn’t that the TRUTH!

“If we get it wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what else we get right.” —Randy Alcorn

In the first week of the New Year, I’ve heard the Holy Spirit repeatedly nudging me to remember grace or reminding me I bypassed it! The Holy Spirit and I are going to do a lot of communicating this year!

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Ps. 86:15

How about you? Did you pick a word and Scripture to guide you through 2024? Please share it with me.

Leave your comment here and I will reply!

January 8, 2024
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What’s the Big Deal About “Merry Christmas”?

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Many of us grew up in a culture that embraced Christmas. We said “Merry Christmas” as a joyful greeting, decorated Christmas trees, made Christmas cookies, sent out Christmas cards, gave Christmas presents, watched Christmas specials, participated in Christmas programs, and sang Christmas carols, not just at church but at school too!

Then subtly and slyly, the way Satan works, the concept of Christmas became culturally and socially controversial, even taboo. Stores and advertisers started removing the word “Christmas,” replacing it with “Holidays.” Sales personnel instructed to say, “Happy Holidays,” if anything at all. School Christmas programs called winter programs; Christmas break became winter break. People sued for publicly displaying nativity scenes. And on and on.

What’s wrong with saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”? What are the “Holidays?” On New Year’s, do you say, “Happy Holidays” or “Happy New Year.” To our Jewish friends, do we say, “Happy Holidays” or “Happy Hanukah”? Do we send out holiday cards or Christmas cards? Do we buy holiday presents or Christmas presents? Do we put up a holiday tree or a Christmas tree?

A progressive liberal satanic culture has attempted to remove Christ from Christmas. But that’s impossible! There’s no reason to celebrate Christmas without the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Nonbelievers may celebrate Christmas for secular reasons, but Jesus is the only real reason for Christmas, which can’t be denied or erased.

Christmas is a Christian celebration! Without the birth of Christ, there would be no Christmas.

So why the controversy with saying “Merry Christmas”? It’s because the secular world doesn’t want to admit they’re participating in a Christian celebration, so they try to neutralize Christmas to accommodate their unbelief. Retailers commercialize Christmas to make money, so they don’t want to “offend” customers, even though those that eliminate Christmas in their advertising, offend every Christian, or at least it should.

Why Is Satan Trying to Steal Christmas?

There’s a satanic war on Christmas and you’d have to be naïve, manipulated, or deceived not to acknowledge it. Satanists were actually allowed to erect a satanic display next to the manger scene in the Iowa Capitol Building by falsely claiming they’re a “religion!” Satan is the antithesis of Jesus. Satan, the father of lies, sin, and evil who was cast out of heaven with a third of the angels, is the reason Jesus came to earth as a baby.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-2, 14

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21

But Satan, who even tried to tempt Jesus before He started His ministry, has not resigned himself to being subservient to Jesus. As long as Satan is allowed to roam the world tempting and deceiving humans and promoting evil, he’ll try to duplicate, imitate, or eradicate the worship of Jesus Christ, especially on Jesus’ birthday.

A group that calls itself the Satanic Temple of Iowa placed with state permission an altar on the first floor of the Iowa State Capitol that displays what are described as the “seven fundamental tenets” of Satanism, including the statement that “the freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend.”

Completing the display are the temple’s seal, electric candles and a caped figure representing the pagan idol Baphomet, holding a ribbon-bedecked pentangle and topped with a gilded ram’s head. They actually wanted to use a real ram’s head, but the Capitol did say that was going too far.

Rightfully so, outrage and demands for removal came swiftly. Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman said in the Dec. 8 edition of his Sherman Liberty Letter that the “disgusting display” should be removed immediately and called “for clarifying legislation to be adopted in accordance with our State Constitution that prohibits satanic displays in our Capitol building and on all state owned property.” He further proposed additional legislation to clear the way for displaying the Ten Commandments in all state buildings, including the Capitol, and in Iowa public schools.

In an article appropriately titled, “Sherman: Iowa Constitution endorses God, and Satan is his enemy,” Sherman points to the preamble to the Iowa Constitution, which says, “WE THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF IOWA, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government, by the name of the State of Iowa.”

Sherman says the exhibit has drawn widespread “outrage and disgust” among Iowans, “but few people think there is much that can be legally done about it because of free speech and freedom of religion.” “However,” he adds, “I disagree.”

“According to these opening lines of our Constitution, the foundation for laws and continued blessing and success in Iowa is based on these points: 1. There is One Supreme God. 2. Blessings over this state come from the One Supreme God. 3. We must depend upon the One Supreme God if we want to enjoy continued blessings,” Sherman writes.

He continues, and I fully agree, it is “a tortured and twisted interpretation of law that affords Satan, who is universally understood to be the enemy of God, religious expression equal to God in an institution of government that depends upon God for continued blessings.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds released the following statement in response to the Satanic Temple display in the Iowa Capitol Building: “Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable. In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season.” 

Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple, said it is always important for the group to seek equal representation in public forums that are open for “religious displays.” “People assume that we’re there to insult Christians and we’re not,” Greaves said. “And I would hope that even people who disagree with the symbolism behind our values, whether they know what those values (are) or not, would at least appreciate that it’s certainly a greater evil to allow the government to pick and choose between forms of religious expression.”

Jesse Watters Primetime on Fox interviewed a man from another state who felt led to go to the Iowa Capitol and behead the satanic statue. I was quite impressed the way Jesse pointed out the evil of this display and the spiritual warfare going on between Satanists and Christians during Christmas. I hope you’ll listen to this discussion here. It’s not long, and I was cheering for Jesse taking such a bold stand for good against evil. He also had on Lee Greenwood to talk about his new God Bless the USA Bible that contains the Constitution. (Amazon is NOT carrying this Bible!)

The discussion on Jesse Watters’ show pointed out that the worship of Satan is an evil cult, NOT a religion. Satanists have no constitutional right to invade the Iowa Capitol or any government facility with a display the exact opposite of Christmas. What stopped more Iowa legislatures from speaking out and banning the satanic display? Fear! One of Satan’s favorite tools to silence the truth! Sadly, it’s working in our government and even in our churches.

There’s a spiritual war against Christmas. There’s a war against the Christian faith. Too many Christians and churches are silent. This is our time to shout and sing about why a Savior was born on Christmas day. Not surrender to Satan and secularism!

Our current President is cowardly afraid to acknowledge Jesus as the Reason for the season. In Biden’s tree lighting comments, he never once mentioned Jesus and used “holiday” more than “Christmas.”

When President Trump wished the nation and the world a Merry Christmas in 2017 at the national Christmas tree lighting ceremony, he noted that “the birth of Jesus Christ forever changed the course of human history.” Trump continued, “There is hardly an aspect of our lives today that His life has not touched: art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred dignity of every person everywhere in the world.” (Listen to President Trump live and read more of his message at In Christmas Tree Lighting, President Trump recalls ‘the Birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.’)

I posted Trump’s Tree Lighting message on Facebook that year and was amazed at how controversial it became. Some Christians saying this was a political stunt by President Trump. Really? Christians don’t make up the majority of the electorate and sadly, many fail to vote! In today’s secular culture there were probably more offended than thanked God for his message. Trump was brave and bold and he stated the truth. Refreshing in DC and I would speculate it’s why he’s coming under such a satanic attack right now.

 Those worrying about “political correctness” and inclusiveness on a clearly Christian federal “holiday” are the ones pulling the political satanic stunts. Tragically, it’s working.

That’s why Christians find themselves fighting not only to keep Christ in Christmas, but also to hold on to our religious freedoms.

What’s Our Role as Christians at Christmas?

With one week to go, here are some ideas:

  • Remind the world that every time they write 2023, or soon 2024, they acknowledge the birth of Jesus.
  • When someone tells you “Happy Holidays,” kindly and lovingly respond with “Merry Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.”
  • Have a Birthday Party for Jesus and invite your neighbors and friends, especially nonbelievers. (I wrote a blog on how to do this Celebrate CHRISTmas with a Birthday Party for Jesus)
  • Put a birthday bag under your Christmas tree and when someone asks whose birthday, joyfully answer, “It’s Jesus’ birthday.”
  • Greet everyone you meet, and in all your correspondence, with “Merry Christmas.”
  • Use every opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas and the story of Jesus’ birth.
  • Question schools and community efforts to remove the word Christmas and Christmas celebrations. We must not be silent. Voice your opinion. Be willing to take a bold stand for the Truth and for Jesus. Don’t let apathy or fear snuff out the light of Jesus.

When I asked my husband why Merry Christmas has become so controversial, he said, “Because the other side trying to eliminate a Christ-centered Christmas speaks louder than we do!”

Jesus was controversial when He walked the earth. They crucified Him for daring to say He was the Son of God who came to earth to save mankind from their sins. He told us that we too would not have it easy sharing our faith and the Gospel, but He also said whoever denies Him on earth, He will deny in Heaven.

32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. 34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:32-34 NLT)

One year, as a single working mom before I rededicated my life to the Lord, I was hurriedly trying to get out my Christmas cards. I signed all the cards “Merry Xmas.” Only one friend boldly admonished me in her Christmas card that I had left “Christ” out of Christmas. I still remember that. She was right.

Will you join me and other Christians in making sure the world remembers that Christmas has only One reason! We celebrate and give thanks for Jesus Christ coming to earth as a lowly baby to die on a cross and rise again three days later on Easter to offer eternal salvation to those who believe in Him.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Merry Blessed CHRISTmas and Happy 2024 from the Thompsons

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

PS Since Christmas and New Years are on Mondays, there won’t be another Monday Morning Blog until January 8, 2024. But if you receive my monthly newsletter, I hope to get one out before the end of the year. You can sign up on my website if you don’t receive it already.

December 18, 2023
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What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles?—Part 2

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Last week, we looked at the lies being told and sold to our culture, but especially to our precious children. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, here’s the link. I want to also add an update to that blog, What is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles—Part 1.

As a recap, in the previous blog, I talked about the pushback Kirk Cameron was receiving at libraries when he requested to read his new children’s book As You Grow about the Fruit of the Spirit and how in Arkansas, trans protestors showed up to heckle him and those attending. What I didn’t know at the time of that writing was that the protestors also had to listen to a former transgender woman, Laura Perry Smalts, read aloud Brave Books’ Elephants Are Not Birds authored by Ashley St. Clair.

The title of the article, which I hope you’ll go to because it includes some amazing pictures and a video is “Former Transgender Person Reads Anti-Trans Book to 500, Including men in Drag: ‘I Want Kids to Hear the Truth!’”

A synopsis of Elephants Are Not Birds is the message “Most can see that there is a distinct difference between an elephant and a bird but in this story, we’ll see that even those lines are blurred when the lies of Culture the Vulture are accepted as truth by Kevin the Elephant.”

During the story hour, the crowd also heard Smalts’ testimony of how she used to find it difficult loving herself the way God created her, but faith had a huge effect on her journey. The presence of trans activists, men dressed in drag, actually drove home Smalts’ story to everyone in the room, especially the children.

Here’s the full comment about the event from Kirk Cameron.
“The small group of protesters, which included some grown men wearing silly makeup, dressed in skirts and heels, pretending to be women, listened to the reading of a kids’ book about God’s view of gender called, “Elephants Are Not Birds.” At the close of this sweet and funny story of a singing elephant named Kevin who was tricked by a vulture named “Culture” into thinking he might be a bird, the reader [Laura Smalts] then asked the 300 children, “Do you think elephants can be birds, even if they strap on silly wings and a beak?” In unison, and with great laughter, all 300 children confessed with gusto, “No!” I felt sad for the men in skirts. As it is written, “You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly. May their example shame and silence your enemies.” (Psalm 8:2).

Today, I want to explore four truths regarding genders and explore what God says in the Bible about His creation of humans and the plans He has for them. I hope you’ll ponder the Scriptures I’ve selected to support each of the four truths. First, let’s look at some of the misinformation spreading about the two genders and their roles in relationships.

What Do We Get Wrong About Biblical Gender Roles?

When I married my husband 30 years ago, I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade. I committed to God to live the rest of my life as a biblical Christian, wife, mother, and now grandmother. My daughter was not a Christian at the time and was appalled that her once independent successful businesswoman mom was now in her words, “Going to be a doormat.” She was skeptical of Dave, who actually is a gentle, kind, godly man, but she feared he was going to dominate me.

It wasn’t until she became a Christian several years later when she and her fiancé accepted Christ in a biblical marriage class that she had an awakening regarding the truth behind biblical gender roles

Many people and some churches have misconceptions about biblical gender roles. The attempt by culture to redefine genders has invaded every area of life. Wokeness discards and dismantles biblical and biological truths and tries to normalize lies. I’m not a biologist, but I do know what a man and woman are and I’m sure you do too.

Gender isn’t defined by how someone thinks, “identifies,” or chooses to act. God’s beautiful design for humanity is only two genders, which He calls male and female, or man and woman. You won’t find in the Bible “transgender,” “cisgenders,” “binaries,” “gender identity,” “drag queens,” “queer” “gay” or any of the manmade genders or pronoun reassignment allegories. God didn’t use those terms and we shouldn’t either.

Here’s the truth about what God says regarding the two biblical gender roles that should guide the thinking and actions of every Christian and pastor.

Truth #1 God Created Only Two Genders!

As substantiated by biology and the Bible, gender is determined at birth as male or female by observable genitalia. Yet, today we live in a world where gender identity has become a fluid concept and at last count, the delusional believe there are 81 genders and growing. That absurdity seems laughable and yet the woke culture is on a mission to not only spread that lie, but enforce it in laws attempting to erase the reality of God’s two genders: male and female.

At birth, God designed each human cell to contain 23 pairs of chromosomes. Twenty-two pairs look the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair, the sex chromosomes, differs between males and females. Females have two copies of the X chromosome while males have one X and one Y chromosome, thus determining their sex. That’s a scientific and biblical undeniable, unalterable fact!

Even infamous atheist scientist Richard Dawkins declares there are only two sexes as a matter of science: “That’s all there is to it.” Dawkins added that those who have tried to cancel JK Rowling for making the same point are “bullies”!

Once again, science agrees with Creation and confirms God is the Creator of two genders and only two!

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” Jer. 1:5

One revealing article admitted we’re born male or female, but erroneously added you can then learn to be whatever gender you want. Mind and emotional control is at the center of this demonic lie causing confusion and even bodily mutilation in young children and people of all ages.

Confusion or ambiguity is not from God. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:27 ESV

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. Gen. 5:1-2

Truth #2 Marriage Is Between a Man and a Woman

God designed men and women to unite as one in marriage with the capability of creating new life. They become helpmates, each spouse using the gifts God gave them.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper for him.” Gen. 2:18 

“Haven’t you read,” he [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?” Matt. 19:4-5

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen. 1:28 ESV

God gave women the blessing of carrying and giving birth to babies when that’s possible. Clearly only women can get pregnant and anyone who thinks otherwise is deceived or delusional.

11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. 1 Cor. 11:11-12

Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers? Job 31:15

The husband’s role is spiritual leader of the home protecting and loving his wife while wives acknowledge his leadership and both husband and wife submit to following Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word. Eph. 5:21-26

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Pet. 3:7

Truth #3 Sex is Between a Man and a Woman

God uniquely and deliberately created man and woman to fit perfectly together sexually. He clearly states that sex is between a heterosexual husband and wife. We must not be afraid to proclaim and live by this truth! Anything else is an abomination to the Lord.

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. Rom. 1:26-27 ESV

 22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable’”. Lev. 18:22

A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. Deut. 22:5

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality. 1 Cor. 6:9 ESV

10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[c] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 1 Tim. 1:10-11 NLT

Truth #4 Parents Are a Male and a Female

Parents consist of a male father and a female mother, not two fathers nor two mothers, although there often are single parents for a variety of reasons. When there are two parents, Dad is the head of the family but both Mom and Dad work together as a team raising the family.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—so it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth. Eph. 6:1

She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. 28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Pr. 31:27-29 NLT

Sexual and Gender Distortion is from Satan, the Father of Lies!

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Is. 5:2

Often, we’ll hear that the Bible doesn’t speak to gender or sexual issues, but that’s lying misinformation straight from Satan. Christians must address the gender crisis today speaking the truth with clarity and authority from God’s perspective as stated in the Word of God, the Bible.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. Eph. 5:11

Silence in the face of Satan’s lies conveys condoning and apathy to the many who will face eternity separated from God in hell. We could make an eternal difference in their life by sharing God’s truth. I wish more pastors understood the mantel God gives them to speak out against evil. That’s not political; it’s biblical! People need to hear where their sin leads.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 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 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV

4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? 5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. Rom. 2:4-11 NLT

“We love to tell people that God loves them and has compassion on them. And of course, that is true. Yet we are reluctant to say they are sinners who are separated from God. We need to tell the truth. Our culture needs to hear the truth. Yes, it’s easier to blend into the background and avoid offending anyone. But do we want to offend God? If we don’t tell the whole truth, then we will.”—Pastor Greg Laurie

I’m happy to report that our Idaho Governor, Brad Little, just joined two other state governors in signing a bill barring transgender students from using any school facilities like bathrooms, locker rooms, or overnight field trip facilities not consistent with their biological gender, regardless of their “gender identity.” Many Idahoan Christians, churches, and advocates like the Values Advocacy Council made their voices heard in getting this bill passed and signed.

Biology and morality should always triumph over confused “identity.” You are the gender God made you to be!

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March 27, 2023
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America Needs Truth Not Tolerance

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You might’ve noticed that I took a little longer to resume Monday Morning Blogs after Memorial Day break. I came down with a distressfully messy cold over Memorial Day, then a scratch on my cornea so I was trying to limit screen time while it healed. As hard as we tried to protect Dave from the cold, a week later he started coughing and sneezing too. A summer cold is not fun, and we take so many preventative supplements and eat so clean and healthy, I don’t know how it snuck through, but we’re both on the road to recovery now.

As always, the Lord has put a message on my heart to share that cannot be ignored, especially as we’re living in times that seem to resemble Sodom and Gomorrah and yet few are pushing back. Even many Christians and churches have decided to take the “safe” stance of tolerance as our children are being taught to believe that sin is normal and acceptable.

I mentioned to you previously that Dave and I enjoy watching Flashpoint on the Victory Channel and have shared it with many who become followers of this program that addresses current events with a biblical view of how Christians should respond to and engage in the culture. A recent show caught my attention, and God grabbed me with the assignment to share it because I knew what was being said was so true. I took notes as fast as I could and will present some of them here for you to consider.

Why Must Every Christian Know and Honor Biblical Truth?

Brenda Keesee, the author of Fight Like Heaven: A Cultural Guide to Living on Guard, responded to the Flashpoint host Gene Baily’s question about what pastors can do to help fight the spiritual warfare now going after our children, specifically trying to indoctrinate them in the “LGBTQ” lifestyle. She pointed out that the last generation was indoctrinated with abortion and the “women’s movement” and now that the enemy’s socialist/Marxist agenda has successfully normalized the gay way of life, it is now accelerating efforts to normalize transgenderism and gender confusion. When you give Satan a successful foothold, he moves on to the next victory!

You might’ve seen the disgusting clips of parents in Texas actually taking their children to a drag bar for a “Pride event” and having the young kids participate in perverse acts. What kind of parent would do that? Maybe a parent thinking they need to raise their children to be “tolerant” of all lifestyles. That’s what the liberal agenda and media drill into us that we’re prejudiced and intolerant when we don’t accept perversion instead of protecting our children and telling them the truth. Not wanting to be called names like “intolerant” or “homophobic” or worse, we cave to an immoral culture. This can happen even among Christians who would rather be woke tolerant than bold truth tellers.

New York City has paid $200,000 of taxpayer money to bring drag queen story hours into 34 public schools for children as young as three-years old! The events involve cross-dressed drag performers reading to schoolchildren at public schools, libraries and other LGBTQ centers, but have expanded to include coloring activities. Photos show drag performers instructing children in classrooms how to apply drag makeup. 

According to a reading list the non-profit shared online, performers read a variety of books ranging from classics like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Rainbow Fish,” which discuss topics like growth, acceptance and diversity, to others that more overtly discuss gender identity, such as “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish Swish Swish” and “The Dragtivity Book.”

Sometimes the parents were informed other times not.

Where is the outrage in the pulpit? Where are the pastors teaching the truth of what the Bible says about sinful living from the Bible not tolerance and acceptance from the culture?

Sadly, many are quiet and give the devil just the victory he’s celebrating today. You might have seen that abortion activists stood up in the middle of Joel Olsteen’s church while he was preaching and undressed shouting obscenities. That’s demonic. Something you would see demon-possessed women do in the Bible. But if Joel Olsteen has never spoken out against abortion, he left his door wide open for Satan. Even as this was occurring, he didn’t address it. He missed a perfect opportunity to say why abortion is biblically wrong and he didn’t take it.

Here are some shocking statistics:
1 out of 2 Christians don’t believe in absolute truth.

2 out of 3 Christians believe that absolute moral truth is determined by whether it furthers my beliefs.

There’s no definitive right and wrong. No moral consensus or compass. No reliance on biblical truth.

Does that shock you like it does me?!

Let’s Look at What the Bible Says About Truth Versus Tolerance

Before we look at God’s truth, it’s important we’re all understanding the terminology and definition of truth. I came across and amazing article and I’m going to share parts of it in this blog as well as next week when we look at the shocking realization that America is a Republic and NOT a Democracy, which the Democrats keep trying to tell us it is.

Let’s agree on some definitions of truth, fact, positive knowledge, and opinion.

Truth is defined as: “the body of real things, events, and facts.”  Simply said, truth is something real, a fact.  

Fact is defined as: “something that has actual existence,” or, “an actual occurrence.” It defines “in fact” as: “in truth.” Therefore, fact is truth, truth is fact, both are real, and one supports the other. 

Positive is defined as: “real, unqualified, and incontestable.” 

Knowledge is defined as: “the condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning.” 

Therefore, positive knowledge would be real, unqualified, and incontestable truth or fact. 

Incontestable means “indisputable” and “unquestionable.” In other words, BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT.   

Contrast those with the definition of opinion: “a view formed in the mind,” and, “a belief stronger than impression and LESS STRONG than positive knowledge.” Opinion, then, is LESS STRONG than either truth or fact which are both positive knowledge, meaning, opinion is not only “in the mind,” it’s make-believe and fantasy.

Fact and truth are real. Opinion is make-believe. 

Fact and truth are undebatable. An opinion is debatable. A fact or truth is something that really happened and is shown with unbiased words. An opinion is a perception of something that is expressed with biased words. A fact or truth can change opinion, but opinion cannot change either fact or truth. 

The only time fact or truth won’t change an opinion is when the person holding that opinion is either incapable of logical thought or behaving irrationally, or, in the case of a psychopathic mindset, lying, meaning, someone who might be mentally ill. Article IV Section 4 – Reclaim Our Republic Because Truth Matters

So when we speak biblical truth it is God’s irrefutable, undebatable, undeniable fact and not simply an opinion!

We determine truth by what does the Word of God say. Whether it’s popular or not, if God says it, we go with it! And that’s a fact. You can listen to different opinions, but we don’t tolerate or accept them as truth if they’re contrary to God’s Word, the Bible. The only infallible truth.

We’re not left to wonder and come up with our own definition of truth, Jesus is the Truth. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The Belt of Truth is the absolute truth that holds all the other parts of the armor of God together. When we don’t operate out of God’s Truth, we’re conceding to losing the spiritual battle. Truth is more than information. God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit, but without the Belt of Truth, our sword falls at our side useless. (Eph. 6:10-18)

Love speaks God’s truth. Not in a mean-spirited argumentative way or beating someone over the head with the Scriptures, but when Satan in the desert or demons in His ministry confronted Jesus, the only response He gave was to quote Scripture.

God’s Word is a weapon that the Holy Spirit will use to give life to the world, but we must know our Bible to use it and live by it effectively. Polls show that there are 28 million less Bible readers than a year ago!! I pray that doesn’t include you.

72% of Pastors don’t think the Bible is absolute.

1 in 6 Christians can’t identify current events with Scripture.

Many Christians base their faith on soundbites like: God is love. God loves everyone. Love the sinner not the sin. They’ve let this misconception of “theology” slide into “tolerance of sin” without realizing that when someone chooses to keep on sinning and not separate from that behavior, it becomes who they are!

God hates sin. He sent His One and Only Son Jesus to the cross to provide a way out of sin not to live in sin.

Love without truth is not love. We hurt people when we don’t share the truth. If I love someone, I need to bring the truth to him or her so that they can be free from the wages of sin, eternal death.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31

If there’s no truth, there’s no conviction, no repentance, no salvation.

You will never read in the Bible about God or Jesus tolerating sin and God was very specific in Romans 1:18-32 to outline exactly what is sin. He also said that for those who choose to keep on sinning, He will turn them over to the life they’ve chosen and the resulting consequences. He did NOT say it’s OK to keep on sinning and I’ll tolerate it.

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family. Pr. 6:16-20 NLT

Jesus Is Love but He Never Compromises on the Truth!

Let me close with an example of how Jesus lovingly shared the truth with a Samaritan woman living in sin.

Jesus first found common ground with her in asking for a drink of water while she was at the well, even though He a male Jew traditionally wouldn’t be talking to a Samaritan woman.

Then He intrigued her curiosity by suggesting she ask Him for living water and an opportunity for eternal life.

Next, he tactfully, called out her sin of living with a man who wasn’t her husband, which she admitted. Then He told her . . .

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:4-42

Jesus didn’t tolerate her sin, He confronted it. He showed her love by leading her out of her sinful life. He offered her eternal life, and she shared her faith with others who became believers! Who do you know living in sin who needs to be loved with the Truth? Tolerance hurts, Truth loves.

Let the Word of God guide you, not the culture.

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 18:2-4 NLT

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June 13, 2022
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