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An Open Letter to James Talarico

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I woke up early Saturday morning with James Talarico on my mind. As I tried to go back to sleep, I literally said, “Lord, I don’t want to be thinking about James Talarico!!”

I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I got up, made a pot of coffee, and started to scroll on my phone through Facebook as the coffee was brewing expecting to sit down and have my quiet time with the Lord.

But what was the first thing I saw?! The following open letter from Pastor Jeff Mullen to Texas State Representative James Talarico. I wasn’t a follower of Pastor Mullen, although I am now, but one of my Facebook friends had shared this letter.

I knew this couldn’t be a “coincidence.”

I too have been posting about the false teachings of Talarico who claims to be a Christian pastor and seminary student while running as a Democrat for a Texas Senate seat. What has frustrated me, and maybe you too, is not only the way Talarico twists Scripture to endorse his party’s radical progressive liberal godless agenda, but that many people are gobbling it up because he’s trying to use Scripture to endorse sin.

They’re calling his false teachings “real Christianity” when it’s actually “real satanic.”

What I appreciated about Pastor Mullen’s letter below is that as one Facebook follower commented: “Such relevant insights, written in love while proclaiming truth.”

The only thing that Pastor Mullen didn’t address is Talarico referring to women as “neighbors with uteruses” and that his favorite people are trans children!

Talarico also recently gave the opening invocation as a current Texas State Rep where he addressed God as a “Holy mystery” with “so many names.”

He stated: “The Torah calls you Creator. The Quran calls you Peace. The Gita calls you Destroyer. The Dharma calls you Truth, and the First Epistle of John calls you perhaps the most beautiful name of all, Love.”

My response to him is the Book of John does NOT call Jesus “Love,” and He didn’t call himself Love. John opens with calling Jesus “the Word.”

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Exodus 20:3 states, “Thou shalt have NO OTHER Gods before me!” Talarico must’ve missed that important commandment.

Whether or not you live in Texas, it should upset you as a Christian that Talarico’s blasphemy is being passed off as “Christianity.”

You may be wondering, like me, why the Democrat party would try and run such a controversial candidate in the state of Texas. As I thought about it several reasons came to mind.

  1. The Democrat party before the 2024 election hired a very expensive “Christian” consulting firm to advise them on how to attract the Christian vote since their entire platform is anti-God and anti-Christian. But this firm was actually liberal woke. I remember laughing when I heard this.
  2. The Democrat party is so clueless about Christianity that they think Christians will vote for anyone who calls themselves a “Christian” even though he espouses and stands for the complete opposite of biblical doctrine.
  3. The Democrat party underestimated real Christians who can’t be intimidated, tricked, or manipulated.

The positive that’s come out of the media coverage of the Democrat darling Talarico is that more and more Christians are speaking out with the truth that counters Talarico’s false teaching. Like Pastor Mullen, many on social media, conservative news programs, and Bible believing Christians are countering Talarico with contextual biblical truths.

I hope you’ll read Pastor Mullen’s letter below and share this blog. It will also give you biblical responses when you encounter people who are believing Talarico’s heretical abuse of Scripture.

Remember even Satan knows Scripture and twists it to tempt and deceive.

Here is Pastor Mullen’s Open Letter to James Talarico . . .

I don’t typically write open letters…

Dear Representative Talarico,

My name is Jeff Mullen. As a pastor who spent thirty years shepherding God’s people, I have learned that what we believe about God shapes everything else. That is why I am writing this letter.

I do not write as a political opponent, but as a fellow citizen concerned about the growing confusion surrounding faith, truth, and Scripture. Because you frequently speak about Christianity, quote the Bible, and present your views as expressions of Christian conviction, I believe those claims deserve to be examined in light of God’s Word.

One of my greatest concerns is that many people know you are currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary while serving as a Texas State Representative and working toward ordination in the Presbyterian Church. As a result, many people understandably assume that your theological conclusions represent historic biblical Christianity. Your words, therefore, carry weight far beyond politics.

When theological claims are presented in the name of Christ, people naturally assume they are hearing biblical truth. My concern is that some of the positions you advocate may lead sincere people away from the clear teaching of Scripture and toward a version of Christianity that reflects the spirit of the age more than the Word of God.

Over thirty years of ministry, I have sat beside hospital beds, preached funerals, counseled struggling families, and watched countless people wrestle with questions of faith. One lesson stands above the rest: when we drift from Scripture, confusion always follows.

James warns that those who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). That reality has humbled me throughout my ministry, and it should humble anyone who publicly speaks in the name of Christ.

For that reason, I offer these thoughts—not as an attack, but as a pastoral appeal for biblical clarity and faithfulness.

1. Concerning Your Statement That God Is Non-Binary

God is spirit and transcends human limitations. Christians agree on that. The question, however, is not how modern culture categorizes God but how God has chosen to reveal Himself. Throughout Scripture, God consistently reveals Himself as Father. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Christ is the Son, and the Church is His Bride. These are not accidental descriptions but part of God’s self-revelation.

Every generation faces the temptation to reshape God according to its own values. Ancient cultures carved idols from stone. Modern cultures often carve them from ideology. Faithful Christianity begins by allowing God to define Himself rather than redefining Him according to cultural preferences. We do not improve upon divine revelation; we submit to it.

2. Concerning Your Statement That Other Religions Are Circling the Same Truth

Respect for people of different faiths is a Christian virtue. Surrendering truth is not. The suggestion that multiple religions ultimately lead to the same God stands in direct conflict with the words of Jesus Himself.

Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Peter echoed that truth when he proclaimed, “There is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12). Christianity does not teach that all roads lead to God. It teaches that God has provided one Savior for the world. We can love our neighbors of every faith while remaining faithful to the exclusive claims of Christ.

3. Concerning Your Statement That the Bible Is Silent on Abortion

While Scripture does not use the modern term abortion, it speaks clearly about life in the womb. David wrote, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). John the Baptist responded to Christ while still in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:41).

The consistent testimony of Scripture is that unborn children are known by God, created by God, and valued by God. The question is not whether the word abortion appears in the Bible. The question is whether the child in the womb is a human life bearing God’s image. Scripture answers that question repeatedly and clearly. Christians have historically defended the unborn not because of politics, but because every human life belongs to God.

4. Concerning Your Use of Mary’s Consent to Defend Abortion Rights

Mary’s response to Gabriel was not an assertion of autonomy but an expression of surrender. When told of God’s plan, she replied, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

The entire story of the incarnation celebrates the acceptance and protection of life within the womb. God Himself entered humanity through the womb of a woman. Mary’s example is not about the right to end life but the willingness to trust God with it. To use the incarnation as support for abortion requires reversing the very message the story proclaims.

5. Concerning Your Statement That Jesus Was a Radical Feminist

Jesus elevated the dignity of women in ways that challenged the culture of His day. He taught women, ministered to women, welcomed them among His followers, and entrusted women with proclaiming His resurrection.

Yet calling Jesus a radical feminist places a modern political label on One who transcends every political movement. Jesus did not come to advance an ideology; He came to save sinners and establish the Kingdom of God. Every political movement must ultimately be measured against Christ—not Christ against a political movement.

6. Concerning Your Statements About Biological Sex

Conversations about sex and gender involve real people and often deep personal struggles. Christians should approach them with compassion and humility. Yet compassion cannot require the abandonment of truth.

Scripture teaches that humanity was intentionally created as male and female. Genesis declares, “Male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27), and Jesus reaffirmed that truth (Matthew 19:4). The Christian understanding of sex is rooted not in cultural tradition but in God’s design. Our identity is not ultimately discovered through self-definition but through submission to the One who created us. God’s design is not restrictive; it is wise and good.

7. Concerning Your Support for Same-Sex Marriage and the Reinterpretation of Biblical Sexual Ethics

Few issues create more tension in modern Christianity than sexuality and marriage. The temptation is either to compromise truth in the name of love or abandon love in the name of truth. Scripture calls us to neither.

From Genesis to Revelation, marriage is presented as a covenant between one man and one woman. Jesus affirmed this design when He quoted Genesis and declared that the two become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6). The New Testament consistently teaches that sexual intimacy belongs within that covenant.

These teachings are not expressions of fear or hostility. They are expressions of God’s design for human flourishing. The call of discipleship is not the affirmation of every desire but the surrender of every area of life to the Lordship of Christ.

8. Concerning the Danger of Reshaping Christianity to Fit Culture

The deeper concern behind these issues is the temptation to reshape Christianity so it aligns more comfortably with the values of the age. The Church has faced this pressure for two thousand years. The source changes; the temptation remains the same.

Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when people would seek teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than what God has said (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The role of Christian leaders is not to make Scripture acceptable to the culture. It is to faithfully proclaim Scripture, whether the culture applauds or rejects it.

During my years in ministry, I learned that God does not call pastors to make Scripture popular. He calls us to make it plain.

When culture becomes the lens through which we interpret Scripture, truth is eventually replaced by preference. The question for every generation is not whether the Bible aligns with the culture, but whether we are willing to align ourselves with the Bible.

The Biblical Responsibility of Leaders

Representative Talarico,

Politics is temporary. Elections are temporary. Legislative victories are temporary. Souls are not.

Scripture teaches that those who influence others bear a greater responsibility before God. James warns that teachers will be judged more strictly. Jesus warns against leading others astray. These truths should humble every pastor, teacher, author, influencer, and public servant who speaks in God’s name.

They certainly humble me.

For thirty years, I stood behind a pulpit knowing that one day I would answer to God for every sermon I preached and every truth I taught. The same is true for anyone who publicly speaks about faith and Scripture.

The older I get, the less interested I am in winning arguments and the more concerned I am about whether people know the truth.

My concern is not your political party. My concern is whether the Jesus being presented to the public is the Jesus revealed in Scripture or a version reshaped by the spirit of the age.

America does not need progressive Christianity or conservative Christianity. America needs biblical Christianity—faithful to God’s Word, centered on Christ, and unafraid to proclaim truth in love.

My prayer for you is the same prayer I pray for myself: that every belief, every ambition, and every public statement would be brought under the authority of Scripture. Because one day neither of us will stand before voters, political parties, commentators, or public opinion.

We will stand before God and give an account.

Respectfully,

Jeff Mullen

Pastor Emeritus

Follower of Jesus Christ

To follow Pastor Jeff Mullen on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.mullen

What are your thoughts on this blog? Please leave a comment here.

June 1, 2026
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God is Always Watching: The Importance of Integrity

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When I was a little girl, I can still hear my mother cautioning me to do the right thing even when she wasn’t around because, “God is always watching!”

When I speak and write on mentoring I often say that the people parents mentor the most, even if it’s not intentional, are their children. Are you the woman today you want your daughter to become? Are you the man you want your son to become? Do you have the marriage you want your children to have? Because even when you’re not thinking about it, little eyes are watching how you act, what you say, how generous you are.

As Christians, does your walk match your talk? Are you the same person during the week as you are on Sunday morning at church?

A big responsibility you say. Yes, being a parent is the biggest responsibility you’ll ever have in life, unless you’re also a Christian and then how you represent Christ will top all other responsibilities while influencing everything you do.

This past week, we’ve seen a number of breaches of integrity being revealed, some literally in the dark and some out in the open.

Let’s start first with Chip and Joanna Gaines who built a financial empire with their “Fixer Upper” program. Their Magnolia merchandise is carried predominately at Target, as well as in their own stores. They’ve presented themselves as a wholesome family with Christian values and many adored them, even in my own family. Then recently they branched out into a new Magnolia Network series “Back To The Frontier” and all the Christian beliefs they portrayed in the past went out the window when they decided to attract a broader woke “progressive” audience. Just like every other program that has embraced the alphabet mafia, they included two “married” gay men who had adopted two boys.

When their shocked Christian audience and supporters called them out on deviating from biblical values, they doubled down right out of the liberal LGBTQ+ playbook calling Bible-believing Christians hateful and unloving. But what they were really saying is the Bible is hateful and unloving because the Bible has plenty to say about marriage (Gen. 2:24, Mark 10:6-9) and sexual sin (Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13, Rom. 26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Jude 1:7). So they weren’t just disparaging Christians, they were blaspheming God’s Word.

In Forsaken God? Remembering The Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I wrote about what can happen when the church succumbs to the world normalizing sin. There is no such thing as a “progressive” Christian or church because that actually describes a progressive fall away from God. “Woke” is simply the current word used for worldly and wicked.

Here’s a short excerpt from my book.
“God’s ways never change no matter the century—his ways are timeless and perfect and designed for our good, not our harm. Regardless of how the populace or government tries to redefine or politicize morality, immorality always is detestable to God, as it should be to every Bible-believing Christian, and that’s what we must share with the next generation. When they ask why is sexual immorality worse than other sins? We answer them: Because it violates God’s holy temple—our body—created in his image, which is why he tells us to, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Cor. 6:18-20). We need to have these kinds of conversations straight from Scripture with our children and grandchildren.

Satan is hijacking high-profile liberal pastors and several mainline denominations who expound that: the Bible isn’t inerrant or relevant, God is a myth, Jesus is a legend, and the church needs to catch up with the culture. Essentially, they’re atheists trying to mask themselves as “progressive Christians,” as if they’ve discovered the true, open-minded Christianity that doesn’t need the Bible. Wolves in sheep’s clothing—straight out of Titus 1:15-16. Culture never trumps Scripture. Even if you’ve been a member for years of one of these denominations or churches that now succumbs to this unbiblical, satanical teaching—run—leave immediately, and take your family with you.

The ‘liberals’ defiantly ignore Jesus’ warning that Christians are in the world, but not of the world. And Jesus didn’t come to conform to the culture; he came to reform the culture.”

I don’t know what made the Gaines conform to the culture and normalize sin. Was it all the money they made from Target who supported the alphabet merchandise right next to theirs and the Gaines never spoke out against it? Was it the desire to make more money at the expense of losing their biggest base, Christians? Read more here.

You can agree or disagree with this statement, but when we watch high-profile pastors, ministers, worship leaders, influencers who claim to be Christians fall prey to Satan’s worldly cultural agenda, you have to question if they were ever truly saved? Did they ever have a born-again experience? Because if they did, the Holy Spirit would be residing in their heart telling them not to go the way of the world. When the powers of darkness takeover a mind, it will spin it to whatever political or cultural narrative they desire.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Eph. 4:30 NLT

“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15

 “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?” Gal. 1:10

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Heb. 12:16

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15

God knows. God is ALWAYS watching!

Next, we see the apparent adulterous couple caught on a Kiss-Cam Jumbotron at a Coldplay concert where they thought they could hide their discretions amongst thousands of people. But there they were exposed on the big screen hugging not just for the concert people to see, but as they tried to hide, one of the performers laughingly said they were either camera shy or having an affair. These were two high profile people at a company and the married man who was a CEO has already resigned and embarrassed his company.

“For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:2-3

“Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, and their works are in the dark; they say, ‘Who sees us?’ and, ‘Who knows us?’” Is. 29:15

God Knows. God is ALWAYS watching!

Then we see the exposure of a former president and his administration manufacturing a hoax against his successor that they thought would never be revealed. They didn’t hide their trail very well. Everything the Obama administration was treasonously doing, they tried to convince the American public that Trump was doing. They must’ve been so sure they could take him down even after he was elected, that they got sloppy as all the memos and emails of this “treasonous conspiracy” are being revealed now.  

They failed twice. First with Trump being elected in 2016 and he probably also won in 2020, but their trickery worked that year. Hard as they tried to scheme and use lawfare to keep him out of the White House again, he won with a landslide lead in 2024, even after narrow escapes from assassination attempts.

How could they not know the man they had so wrongly persecuted for the past ten years would eventually find them out? He is now much wiser to how low the dark deep state will go to try to maintain/regain power. But the American people are also wiser.

I just saw a meme: “Trump and Russia were the only ones NOT involved in the Russia Russia Russia hoax!” We laugh, but it’s diabolically sad that the media also propagated the lies that so many believed.

“For nothing concealed will not be disclosed, nor hidden that will not be known.” Luke 8:17

“Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known.” Matt. 10:26

God knows. God is ALWAYS watching!

What Can We Learn From All of These Revelations?

I want to share with you what Devin Schubert wrote on Facebook regarding the Kiss Cam event, but it applies to everything we do as Christians as Schubert aptly concludes. I couldn’t say it any better.

“The kiss cam exposed more than a couple.

  • It exposed a truth we forget far too often:
  • Influence doesn’t turn off.
  • Not when you leave the office.
  • Not when the lights go down.
  • Not even when you think no one’s watching.
  • At a Coldplay concert this week, a CEO and his HR director got caught on camera.
  • Not at work.
  • Not on stage.
  • Just… in the crowd.
  • But that one moment of closeness?
  • Broadcasted to a stadium.
  • Then to the internet.
  • Then to the world.
  • Within hours, people had names, LinkedIn titles, marriage records, screenshots, apologies—real and fake.
  • Comments got shut down.
  • Accounts went private.
  • And the truth came crashing in:
  • What you do in secret eventually shows up in public.
  • What you build behind closed doors will always echo… good or bad.
  • Someone is always watching.
  • And someone is always learning from you.
  • So here’s what I want to say to every leader, coach, speaker, parent, entrepreneur, pastor, builder of anything:
  • Make sure your influence is worth following.
  • ✅Not just impressive—but integral.
  • ✅Not just polished—but pure.
  • ✅Not just inspiring—but honest.
  • Because you don’t lose influence overnight.
  • You lose it in quiet compromises.
  • And you gain it the same way.
  • One decision at a time.
  • One “no one’s watching” moment at a time.
  • Let this moment remind us:
  • You can influence with courage, or you can influence with compromise.
  • You can build for applause, or you can build for the Kingdom.
  • But only one lasts.
  • God sees what the cameras miss.
  • He rewards what man forgets.
  • And yes… grace is real, please don’t forget!
  • But so are consequences.
  • So lead well.
  • Live worthy.
  • Influence like it matters… because it always does.
  • We are people of legacy.
  • People of integrity.
  • And people of the Kingdom.
  • Let’s carry that with honor.” Devin Schubert

Integrity and character are who you are when you think no one is watching!

God knows. God is ALWAYS watching!

The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Pr. 15:3

You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. Ps. 90:8

For Self-Reflection

I saw the following posted on a friend’s Facebook page and thought it was so appropriate for all of us. We don’t know who the original author is . . .

“The other day I was hanging out with a friend. This friend is a Christian, but she doesn’t always act, speak or think like one. Some days she is nearly completely in line with God’s Word, and some days her life is a struggle that gets the best of her.

As our eyes met, I really wanted to say something about it but I decided to let the Lord speak to her heart knowing nothing that I say will have the same impact as the Father’s words.

So…. I prayed with her, and after some time had passed I winked at her and walked away from the mirror.

I try every day and I fail every day. I am so not perfect, I am a work in progress and I’m thankful for God’s grace and His promises to His believers.”

God Knows. God is ALWAYS watching!

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Pr. 28:13

Please leave a comment here!

July 21, 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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Jesus is Our First Love!

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I know I don’t have to remind you that this Wednesday is Valentine’s Day! A day we traditionally show that special someone how much they mean to us. It can also be a difficult time for someone who doesn’t have an object of their affection to dote on or to be the recipient of doting…but it doesn’t need to be a sad day for those who know Jesus as their First Love!

My First Prayer Garden

Almost thirty years ago, I realized that even though I was happily married after being single for 17 years, my love for my husband wasn’t to take priority over my First Love, Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are so clear about this. When we were first married, we vowed to each other that we would always put Jesus at the center of our marriage.

We love each other because he [God] loved us first. 1 John 4:19 NLT

I never wanted Jesus to say about us what He said about the church in Ephesus in Revelations 2:5 NLT “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”

The NIV translation says, “ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

Just as our earthly relationships take time, energy, and nurturing, I knew my spiritual relationship with Jesus required the same attention and devotion or it could become stale and routine. So I decided to approach my devotional time with Jesus each day with the same attitude I would lavish on my earthly love, Dave. I set about finding a special place to spend time with my First Love and I called it my prayer garden.

At that time, we were living in sunny Southern California, so I could have my quiet time outside almost every day. I’ll share with you in a moment how I have this date with Jesus now in our home in Idaho.

Thinking of Jesus as the lover of my soul and the One I love above all others, gave me the idea of creating a romantic atmosphere for my daily “Quiet Time” with Jesus. It needed all the touches of a special date. First, it must be quiet and free of interruptions, so that meant outside. Since my backyard was all cement, I arranged colorful potted plants in a shaded alcove of the patio and hung a hummingbird feeder. Our house overlooked a small lake, so I had a beautiful view. I placed a chair for Jesus and a chair for me with a small table in the center for a romantic fragrant candle. I later added wind chimes, and my son-in-law made a waterfall. Walla, I had a Prayer Garden.

The importance of having the chair for Jesus was to remind me that even on the days when I was rushed and missed our date . . . Jesus was still out there waiting for me. Every time I looked out at that prayer garden, my heart ached because I had neglected my First Love for whatever was happening in my life that day.

My Date Bag is Always Packed

Then I packed a date bag with my Bible, a journal, devotional, highlighters, pens, Post-it notes, current Bible Study, and oh yes, a lighter for the candle. One trip back into the house for something I forgot could be a major distraction.

First thing every morning, I grabbed my cup of coffee, my date bag, a blanket or sweater if it was chilly, and headed out for my date with Jesus in our Prayer Garden. Here is a major key to intimate time with my First Love—I shut the door to ALL interruptions. In those days, we didn’t have cell phones, so I let the answering machine take care of any phone calls and the family knew when I was having my Jesus date, the Do Not Disturb sign was out.

Now I was ready to read God’s love letter to me in my Bible, pray, journal, and work on a current Bible study. Most importantly, I could take time to hear God’s still small voice saying how much He loved me and telling me the plans He had for me.

When our date was finished, I repacked my date bag and put it back in the same spot every time by the patio door so it was ready for tomorrow’s big date. If the weather wasn’t good, Jesus and I curled up together on the couch and I played soft instrumental worship music in the background.

Idaho Dates with Jesus

When we were looking for a new home in Idaho, two things on my priority list were a writing room with an “ah ha” view and a place to have my special Quite Times with my First Love. As we toured homes, I was always looking for both, along with a kitchen with a scenic view, I could see the fireplace, and easily chat with visiting friends and family. In other words, don’t wall me in while I’m cooking!

Praise God we found the perfect home for us. Now that we live in Idaho with its four seasons, my Quiet Time locations change with the season. When the weather is nice, I’m out in the deck swing, and when it’s snowing or cold, I have a Quiet Time chair next to the fireplace with a beautiful forest view from our many windows. I still have my Quiet Time bag packed and ready to go depending on where I’m having my date with Jesus. It’s my most favorite part of the day!

At the end of our date, I sit back close my eyes and linger in conversational prayer being sure to let my First Love talk to me. He always whispers words of love and endearment as He reveals His plans, visions, and goals for us. Often, there are answers to prayers and previous questions. Many times, we just share a sweet silence.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Ps. 46:10 NLT

Like any wonderful date, I hate for it to end, but I know my First Love will be waiting eagerly for our special meeting tomorrow.

To keep romance exciting, it’s good to vary the activities on dates, so I constantly add freshness to my Quiet Time with variety. Each Christmas, I pick out a new devotional for the coming year. Sometimes, I select one with an area for journaling love letters to the Lord. I start my Quiet Time date by praying the armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18 and would never think of going into my day without this spiritual protection. I alternate working on my small group Bible studies or one I am doing for fun. Some years, I read completely through the Bible, and other times, I leisurely enjoy the Scriptures.

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matt. 22:36-39

How about you? Tell me about your dates with Jesus.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Here is a poem I wrote about my California Prayer Garden. Enjoy!

OUR PRAYER GARDEN

You wanted to meet me early in the morning

            In a place that was special to just you and me.

My heart was willing, and I had such a yearning

            To talk and be in your presence daily.

I began to arise just after the sun came up,

            And  searched for a place where we could meet.

It had to be quiet where no one would interrupt,

            For the time that we shared would be so sweet.

I moved from room to room,

            As I tried to find the aura,

For you and me to just commune

            Every day at the same hour.

As we began to spend our time,

            I felt you nudging as I would pray:

“Our get-togethers need fresh air and sunshine.

            Let’s be amongst the beauty of the day.”

Of course, it was there all along.

            The table, the patio, the view—

I had all the makings for a Prayer Garden,

            But flowers were sadly very few.

A “green thumb” I have never been,

            But I knew this was the spot for us.

And it would not be a Prayer Garden,

            Without the ferns, oleanders and hibiscus.

A shopping trip to the nursery was fun,

            Even though I didn’t know what to buy.

Some flowers wanted shade and others liked sun,

            So I just bought what caught my eye.

Soon my garden was worthy of comment.

            The flower beds were colorful and in full blossom,

 And the array of potted plants carpeted the cement.

            The transformation was truly awesome.

One final touch called out to me,

            Wind chimes to catch Your breath in the breeze.

A hummingbird feeder for quiet company,

            In the place where we will meet when ‘er You please.

Jesus, I know now why you sought a garden

            When you went to pray alone that night.

Amongst Your creation God’s presence is sovereign,              

            You just know God’s plans will turn out right.  Janet Thompson 7/17/96

Please leave a comment here to this blog. I always reply and enjoy reading your thoughts.

 I apologize that the link to reply to last week’s blog wasn’t working, but it is now if you would like to leave a comment or haven’t read it yet Respect Your Weapons of Fasting and Prayer!

One more thing. Thinking about those who might be alone on Valentine’s Day, many people in our churches can feel marginalized. I wrote an article for Crosswalk.com that I hope you’ll share with the pastors and ministry leaders in your church. It’s a slideshow if you read it on a computer. 13 Ways to Recognize the Overlooked People in Your Church.

February 12, 2024
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Once I was Blind, But Now I See!

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This week, I’m doing something I occasionally do and that’s promote a movie with a message that everyone needs to see and hear. I’m talking about the movie The Blind in theaters this week. Dave and I went to see it on 9/29 and even though I knew most of the story of Duck Dynasty’s Phil and Kay Robertson, I really didn’t know how bad it was before Jesus came into their life.

Decades before “Duck Dynasty,” Phil and Kay Robertson suffered a stormy early period of ten years in their marriage marred by Phil’s alcohol abuse and infidelity. “The Blind” captures their story of struggle, redemption, and hope.

When we were finding our seats at the theater, I saw a young teenage couple and asked if they knew what the story was about. They smiled and said they did. I told them how happy I was to see them there and that this film was reaching the next generation. After the movie, Dave and I started talking to a couple sitting next to us and discovered we had the same conservative faith beliefs and burden to protect children in our state’s schools and libraries. We were blessed to make new like-minded friends.

Let me backtrack a bit. Dave and I enjoyed watching the Robertson family with their four married sons’ families and Phil’s brother Uncle Si in their Duck Dynasty reality show adventures. That sparked our interest in learning more about them since the whole family was obviously Christian and they weren’t afraid to talk about their faith, Jesus, and family.

After Duck Dynasty ended, many in the Robertson family branched out with other shows, podcasts, books, and ministries.

Dave and I have a remote connection to the Robertson family. Their third son Willie Robertson’s wife Korie is the daughter of John and Chrys Howard owners of the former Howard Publishing that published my first two books, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey and Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help, & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. The Howards later sold their publishing company to Simon & Schuster, which still publishes those two books.

I never personally met Miss Kay [as she’s fondly called] or Phil Robertson, but they spoke several years ago in Nampa, Idaho and Dave and I attended. Phil is a bold evangelist and speaks freely about his life before Christ and the change accepting Jesus as his Savior made in his life, his marriage, and his family.

Recently, we heard Phil and Miss Kay interviewed by Kirk Cameron on his TBN program Takeaways. They said that their children felt the couple’s early tumultuous marriage years needed telling to share the miraculous transformation Jesus made in Phil’s life and Kay’s belief in him when he was haunted by the demons of alcohol, infidelity, and childhood memories. I don’t want to give away any spoilers because you need to see the movie, but to quote Phil, “You’ve got to come to the end of yourself to find the beginning of God.”

It’s one thing to read and even hear Phil and Miss Kay’s testimony, but to see it visually in this film is indescribable and inspirational. The portrayal of Kay and Phil is raw, open, and vulnerable. They hold nothing back of how bad things were and how good God is. In the Kirk Cameron interview, Phil revealed something I hadn’t heard before that he had learned of fathering a now 45-year-old daughter during his time of infidelity. She’s welcomed into the Robertson clan.

Their son, Willie Robertson, said in an interview with USA Today Network about The Blind, “It’s the early years of their marriage, so it’s gutting and raw. It’s definitely not ‘Duck Dynasty.'”

 “It tackles big issues – mental illness, depression, alcohol abuse,” Willie said.

Willie and his wife Korie Robertson produced the movie with their Tread Lively production company.

“Mom and dad have been very public about their early struggles, but seeing it up there on the screen really made it real for all of us,” Willie said. “It’s tough for them to open up that part of their life, but they’ve been willing to do it to try to reach others who are struggling. People see the family and ‘Duck Dynasty’ and think, ‘They have everything,’ but this story illustrates we had hard times like everyone else,” said Willie, who was 2 when his parents separated for a time.

“It’s powerful,” Willie said. “It’s a story of hope and redemption that shows you’re never too far gone to be saved.”

“In this movie, ‘The Blind,’ we let go of everything. We’re telling it,” Miss Kay says.

The 10-year span in The Blind depicts what Phil Robertson himself describes as his wild rebellious years of substance abuse and cheating before turning to God and building the clan’s Duck Commander duck-call manufacturing business into an empire in rural West Monroe.

Why would the Robertson’s be so open, vulnerable, and transparent about such a dark time in their life? Because they care more about saving lives than saving their reputation. Their testimony is one of redemption, love, and forgiveness. A wife who didn’t give up hope for her husband and a Jesus who can save even the most despicable wayward person. A testimony shared to bring others to Jesus.

It’s not about how bad you were, it’s about how good God is! He goes after the one that was lost even though 99 are saved. Which gives each of us hope for those we think will never change their life. If God could turn heathen Phil into an evangelist, he can and will save anyone who surrenders his or her life to Jesus Christ and seeks forgiveness for their sins.

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. Matt. 18:12-13

Why Share Our Testimony?

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. —1 John 5:11-12

But as for me, how good it is to be near God!  I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, And I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. —Ps. 73:28 NLT

There’s no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what He’s done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience. As we mature spiritually, we move beyond just remembering God’s goodness for our own benefit and start retelling our testimony to help others just like Phil and Kay have done.

We all have varied life testimonies in addition to our salvation testimony. Some of you have heard my “Feed my Sheep” testimony. If not, you can read a little here. I never tire of telling my story as History.

You may not think you have a testimony if you’ve been a Christian most of your life and life has gone smoothly. You can’t relate to Kay and Phil’s story or maybe even mine. God has been walking beside you guiding your life every step of the way. But that’s your testimony to others who worry about losing something by turning their lives over to God. You’re a living example of how good God really is!

Maybe you’re stumbling under the burden of a hidden past you’ve been too embarrassed to talk about and hope will never be revealed. Now may be the time to deal with those buried hurts and hang-ups. Like Phil and me, once they’re out in the open, Satan can’t use them against you anymore.

When I felt God leading me to write Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, I had to ask my daughter if she was okay with me revealing the prodigal time in her life before she accepted Christ as her Savior. I assured her that I would also be sharing how I was a prodigal raising a prodigal.

I write her response in the Acknowledgments: “My dearest Kim, you will always be my “baby. To share our story, to bare our souls, is no little thing. I admire and celebrate the beautiful, humble, and courageous Christian woman you have become. When I shared my vision for this book, you were on board and willing to let me expose our lives on these pages, all for the glory of God. That’s no small concession, since our life together has had many twists and turns—some we regret and others we celebrate. I thank God for making both our paths straight. We were lost and now we’re found. I love you baby.”

Kim told me, “Mom, if we can help one daughter and her parents, we need to share our story.” Kim also writes in the book what she was feeling and thinking during her prodigal years.

God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future. Like Phil and Kay’s testimony and Kim’s and mine, it’s the opportunity to give purpose to a crisis.

You might not make a movie, write a book, or tell your testimony from a stage, but God will bring people across your path and the Holy Spirit will prompt you to share. Every day, you encounter opportunities to share your testimony, and every time you tell it, you’ll remember how good God has been to you.

Revealing is the first step to healing!

Just like Phil’s spiraling down and my backsliding years, our testimony isn’t about how bad we were. Our message is the redemption and forgiveness available through our initial salvation or a rededication to Jesus Christ.

When people ask me how I made it through life’s difficulties, the best answer is, “I couldn’t have done it without God.” That’s your best answer too. It opens the door to share your story. By the way, your story doesn’t have to have a “happy ending” like the Robertson’s or mine for you to share it.

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you. It’s not a time to tell someone else’s story. Stick to details that pertain to you and those willing to let you include them in your story.

When anyone tells me about an encounter with God, or a memorable circumstance in his or her life, I always ask if they’re writing it down because God is going to use it as a life-experience testimony. My ministry tagline is “Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness.”

I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul [formerly Saul], a persecutor of Christians before he was struck blind by the Lord on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:1:1-18.

 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

Later in Acts 22:1-16, Paul told his testimony of transformation from being an enemy and persecutor of Christians to an evangelist sharing the Gospel.

As I watched in The Blind, Phil Robertson’s retreat into the forest almost living like an animal during his darkest times, I was reminded of the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony of living like a wild animal until he also surrendered to God (Daniel 4:1-37).

At the closing of The Blind movie, they showed comments on the screen. One was what Miss Kay said to the former pastor of the West Monroe White’s Ferry Church of Christ who visited Phil in Junction City during his darkest hour, planting a seed that eventually sprouted. Kay said to the pastor, “If you can help save Phil, he will go on to help save thousands.” Which Phil certainly has done!

While many may know of Phil’s tenaciously outspoken faith now, they may not know the hard and twisting road he walked before surrendering to Jesus. The title “The Blind is a play on words and refers both to, “I was blind, but now I see” (John 9:25), and to a shelter that conceals duck hunters called “the blind.“

“I think maybe if these people watch the movie and see how I was, and then they look at me now and see how I operate, [it will give them hope],” Mr. Robertson said. “You got to remember all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God so I’m not the only person that has sinned. The way out is faith in Jesus Christ.”

“I would have never dreamed I would be out there preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ when I was back there getting drunk as a skunk,” he continued. “But when that happened and I was freed from it, [everything changed]. That’s why I’ve been saying ever since that happened and I came to Jesus [what God can do].”

“Our prayer is that people will see the movie and know there’s hope. It’s never too late to be saved.”

“Jesus—that one sacrifice—has made perfect, forever, those who come to Him. If you just think about it, His blood gives us the opportunity to move beyond our sinful self,” Mr. Robertson said. “What do you get when He shows up, when you come to Him by faith? Love, joy, peace, patience…. It’s well worth the effort to follow Jesus faithfully.”

Amen!

If you didn’t receive my September newsletter, here’s the link. I would encourage you to read it.

Some of the “Why Share Your Testimony” discussion above is from my book Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten.

Please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

October 2, 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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What Our Culture Doesn’t Understand about Christ’s Love!

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My first career was as a Registered Dietitian. I went to college for four years at Cal Poly University and then another year of internship at the VA Hospital and UCLA in Santa Monica. I had grandiose visions of being the Florence Nightingale of dietetics! I would devote myself to helping people learn how to experience a healthy nutritional way of life. Maybe even save lives by teaching them how to eliminate foods contributing to their illnesses and replace them with foods that their body needed to heal and stay well. In my altruistic vision, they would be so grateful that I was part of their medical team working to restore their health and help them remain in good health.

Then I went out into the real world of hospital dietetics and my idealistic aspirations met resistance reality. Instead of welcoming my guidance in food restrictions and replacements that could possibly save their life, they would rather take a pill and hope for the best. How could I expect them to sacrifice their favorite foods they “loved,” almost more than life?! They were angry, disgruntled, or dismissed me for even thinking they would make lifestyle changes to give them a better quality of life.

When I tried to engage wives to help their husbands, they also resisted that I was asking them to remove foods he “loved”! I could see in her eyes as she shook her head that she wasn’t about to tackle changing her husband’s diet. It wasn’t worth the battle and often her way of showing love was to make all the foods he loved. I literally watched wives love their husbands to death rather than love them enough to learn how to nutritiously lengthen their lives by changing their diet.

I wasn’t trying to ruin these people’s lives; I was trying to save their lives. I didn’t hate them. I loved my fellow men and women enough to help them fight for their life, often as I watched the same patients return with the same health and diet-related issues.

Eventually, the rejection and frustration became more than I could envision for the rest of my life, and I changed careers. But once a Dietitian, always a Dietitian and I practice good eating habits for my family and myself. I try to get my husband to limit his intake of “junk food” and keep his weight down, not because I hate him, but because I love him!

I want my husband to be healthy and live a long life. There are certain foods I know will harm him. I want him putting into his God-given body foods that will build him up and not tear him down. I’m not always successful in convincing him, but I love him enough to keep trying.

This is exactly the same love that Christ shows to us! He doesn’t tell us to avoid sinful actions and thoughts that will harm us because he hates us; it’s because He loves us! He wants the best for us. God sent His only Son to die on the cross to give us an opportunity to turn from our sinful ways not to revel in them.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:16-19 NLT

There’s a false argument that lovers of sin try to use against Christians: “God loves me just like I am.” That’s Satan’s lie. Jesus never said that. Jesus does love everyone, and He accepts us where He finds us, BUT he loves us so much, He doesn’t want to leave us how He found us . . . sinning. Like the woman at the well, He tells us to go and sin no more!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Gal. 6:7-8 NLT

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3 NLT

Paul cautioned the church in Corinth:

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:18-20 NLT

Paul didn’t hate the Corinthians or any of the churches when he told them that homosexuality and sexual immorality was an abomination to God and detrimental to their own bodies. Paul loved them and that’s why he was warning them to repent from their sins.

Peter told those who repented of their sins and asked God’s forgiveness that they would receive the Holy Spirit to help them live a life pleasing to God.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

The World’s Futile Attempt to Redefine “Love”!

Today’s culture has tried to twist the truth into attacks on anyone who doesn’t go along with abortion, LGBQT, sexual immorality, transgenderism, or now the next level of perversion is brainwashing young children into believing God made them wrong and they can be whatever gender they choose.

Liberals or “progressives” try to bully us calling us haters or not good Christians when we don’t agree to their lifestyle choices, but it’s the exact opposite. It’s out of love and wanting people to experience eternity someday and God’s plan for their life while they’re here on earth that we refuse to agree with sin or be pressured into the world’s decadent mold.

Often, they try and use God’s Word against us, especially this verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31. What they don’t realize is Christians are experiencing the joy and peace of repenting from our sins and receiving the forgiving love of Jesus in our life and we want it for them too. That’s truly loving your neighbor.

Parents who love their children try to protect them from harm and now the culture is even attacking parents who will not acquiesce to the world’s perversion. Schools used to be a safe and trusted place, now every day we see videos of liberal school boards and teachers trying to confuse and indoctrinate young children with harmful evil beliefs and values.

Parents tell children “No” often as they’re growing up and sometimes the children resist and might even yell, “I hate you.” That’s hard to hear as a parent, but we know it’s a childish reaction when we’re stopping them from doing something harmful or sinful. They may later thank us for loving them enough to protect them from harm or evil.

Parents who are championing or tolerating their children’s waywardness are not helping them. That’s not love, especially when we know it will lead to heartache and maybe even a separation from God. Defending evil just because our children might be indulging in it is the furthest thing from love. As I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, we love our children unconditionally, but it doesn’t mean we love everything they do or try to justify wrongful behavior, just because our child is doing it.

God doesn’t rewrite the 10 Commandments when His children break them. He doesn’t change His views on sexual immorality, even when a government wrongfully legalizes it. He doesn’t decide that He made a mistake creating a little girl or a little boy or that He shouldn’t have designed sex and marriage to be between a woman and a man.

No matter how distorted our culture becomes God always stays the same. The Bible is His timeless guide for life until He returns to rescue us because He loves us and wants everyone to be with Him in heaven.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb. 13:8

It’s God’s will and His ways that should guide our life and that we should relentlessly defend regardless of those who bully us, call us names, or try to intimidate us. Our response should always be that we didn’t make up how God wants us to live our lives, God did, and He wrote it all down in the Bible.

I was so impressed with the Philadelphia Flyers hockey defenseman Ivan Provorov, who stood firm by his Russian Orthodox faith, and declined to participate in a “gay pride” event where the players wore gay pride jerseys with gay flags wrapped around their hockey sticks. The media went crazy and bullied him, many saying he was “hiding behind his religion.” He wasn’t hiding; he was staying steadfastly true to his beliefs.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov recently infuriated sports journalists when he refused to wear a rainbow jersey for warmups during “Pride Night,” citing his Russian Orthodox faith. “I respect everybody and I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”

I wonder how many Christian players succumbed to pressure and chose culture over Christ.

We’ll all have to answer to God for our actions someday and there will be no excuses or any people we acquiesce to now present then to defend us.

Jesus said Christians should be glad when we’re tormented and called names for our beliefs because the world hated Him, and they’ll hate us for being His followers. In today’s world, we should wear it as a badge of honor.

Not agreeing with someone’s sin does not mean we hate them; we love them enough to want them to turn to Jesus and not the world. Those calling us “haters” are actually haters of Jesus.

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 . . . Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures[a]: ‘They hated me without cause.’ John 15:16-25

I often say that being an evangelist is a lot like being a Dietitian. God does have a sense of humor since He didn’t let me get away from sharing a message that isn’t always popular or appreciated. But now God is asking me to help people have a healthy spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that will lead to eternal life in heaven instead of eternal life in hell. That’s what love does, and that’s what I’ll do as long as I have breath. I hope many of you will join me. The eternal life of someone dear to you could depend on it!

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14 NLT

13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NLT

You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant. 2 Tim. 4:3-5 The Message

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January 23, 2023
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Our Forever Valentine: Jesus, Our First Love!

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Since my Monday Morning Blog is posting on Valentine’s Day, I thought it was only appropriate that we talk about love. Typically, we think about romantic love on this day, but there are so many different aspects to love.

Remember in grammar school sharing Valentine’s cards with classmates. You might’ve had a crush on one of them, but mostly you were trying to collect as many cards as you could that day. I’m not even sure kids still are allowed to share Valentines today but it’s a fun memory for many of us. It wasn’t about love, but more about friendship and camaraderie.

February is the month of valentines, but it’s also National Heart Health month, and a good time to reflect on your diet and exercise regime. At least, be sure if you’re eating chocolates today, it’s dark chocolate! At our house, we’re hoping the snow will start melting and there will be glimpses of spring and warmer weather.

When I think about true love, my mind always goes to Jesus. Yes, my husband and I make plans to do something special to celebrate our love on Valentine’s Day, but we both know that Jesus is our First Love. We wouldn’t have made it these twenty-nine years through the stresses and trials of a blended family and other devastating life issues if we hadn’t put Jesus at the center of our marriage, but most importantly, at the center of each of our lives. We don’t want to ever forget that Jesus Christ is our First Love!

In Revelations 2:2-4, Jesus admonishes the church in Ephesus that even though they were a dutiful church following all the religious rules and ceremonies, they had forgotten who they were serving and why they were even a church. They weren’t showing or exemplifying the love of Jesus.

 I [Jesus] know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Removing the lampstand meant they would stop being an effective church. And if we’re not careful, the same thing could happen to us in our personal lives too! When we forget the love of Jesus that burned in our heart when we first gave our life to Him, Jesus says . . . no matter how many Bible studies we attend, how perfect our attendance is at church, or how much we volunteer and tithe. . . none of it matters if we’re motivated by duty and not love.

A pastor once asked the children how we know Jesus is alive today. Their answer was He lives in each of our hearts. That’s true love!

So whether you’re single or married, I want to share three important points about what love has to do with our witness for Jesus, especially as we look at the tumultuous times we live in today.

Christians Need to Love Each Other

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17

Jesus was talking to his disciples here and we are Jesus’s disciples now. God chose us to bear fruit and we can’t have a message of love if we don’t love each other. We can’t have dissention in the church or among church members. Sadly, Satan has used the current political and pandemic unrest to pit brothers and sisters in Christ against each other. In the Bible, there are no Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, Liberals, Conservatives, vaxxers or anti-vaxxer, maskers or anti-maskers.

There is only One timeless Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb. 13:8

There is also only one kind of Christian: “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

As born-again Bible-Believing Christians, we’re appointed to go out and bear testimony to the world together. We should unite as one front! Whatever allows us to share the Good News that Jesus saves, we’re for; whatever prohibits that freedom or tries to silence us, we’re against.

Whatever upholds the teachings of the Bible, we’re for; whatever prohibits or alters those teachings, we’re against.

We stand together for the sanctity of human life, marriage between a man and a woman, God creating us as men and women, and we’re not afraid to lovingly bear that fruit for Jesus.

Anything separating us on those issues isn’t from God!

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

Christ Loves Us with a Never-Ending Love

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

Sadly, we see divided churches, families, friends . . . all proclaiming to be Christians yet separated by issues where there should be unity, and Satan wins because our witness is compromised. That’s a shame! There is a lost world that really needs to see the love of Christ displayed through a body of Christ that shows the love of Christ and agrees on what it means to be a Christian. But we know today that’s not the case. The good news is that nothing we do can ever separate us from the love of God for those who have truly accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I had a man on Facebook tell me once that he had been a Christian for 50 years, read the Bible numerous times, been to church, talked to pastors, attended Bible study groups, but now has decided Christianity is a farce, doesn’t work for him anymore, and told me I needed to know that Jesus is not returning. Two things came to mind: (a) You can leave Jesus, but He will never leave you. (b) You can be a Christian in name only, but never have experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ, your First Love, which I wrote about in last week’s blog, A Society Crumbles That Doesn’t Recognize Sin. His words were so harsh I fear he was in the latter group.

I remember singing a song as a little girl, maybe you remember it too: “I have the love of Jesus love of Jesus down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay.”

How Much Love Do You Have to Give?

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 The Message

Do You Love Jesus Enough to Share Him with Others Or Are You Keeping All the Love To Yourself?

Another woman on Facebook wrote this:

FB woman: There are many other religions who do not make Jesus/Satan part of their belief system. All destined to damnation? It’s a big world out there and much of it overcomes the negative.

Me: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

FB woman: Written by John a century later, an evangelist trying to convert the world to his new religion. PBS and History Channel do wonderful educational shows on the origins of the Bible. Check them out. I have read the Bible extensively Janet, I just haven’t drawn the same dark conclusions. And the shows I mentioned are created by scientists and historians with no agenda but discovery. I wouldn’t want to rest my eternity on what someone else says.

This woman was very confused, but I was able to talk with her a little and point out that John was actually with Jesus during His ministry, not a century later, and she was resting her eternity on what scientists and television said rather than letting God speak to her through the Bible. Maybe I made some headway. My heart breaks for those misled by the liberal progressive godless agenda with their many “belief systems,” and for Christians who have forgotten their First Love.

Love says we will take the time to share the truth, wherever and whenever we have the opportunity.

I often have to remind myself that Jesus died for the liberal mainstream media and the godless radical progressives. It’s my job to let them know the gospel in a loving way. It’s up to them to make the choice. I don’t try to convince them, because you can’t reason with someone blinded by evil.

If they’re not following God, they’re following Satan. Those are the only two roads; there is no middle path. But now they’re accountable for knowing there is another way and maybe someone else will share a little more love down the road. Who knows, they just might decide that heavy load of anger, bitterness, revenge, meanness, bullying, lies . . . whatever has turned their heart so hard . . . just isn’t worth carrying around anymore.

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
    but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

4 Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:3-5 NLT

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Cor. 13:4-5

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You might also enjoy another blog How to Have a Date with Jesus!

February 14, 2022
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Don’t Just Go to Church, Be the Church

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We’ve just come through a period we never thought could happen in America: the government shut down churches. In the beginning of Covid, everyone was still trying to figure it all out. But soon it became obvious that the closures were indiscriminate as large box stores like COSTCO and Home Depot and liquor stores were still allowed to remain open. They were considered essential and churches were not. I wrote blogs during that period encouraging churches not to acquiesce, but sadly, many did. Some closed their doors for over a year and many went online giving the government a taste of success in ruling over churches.

Praise God, many bold and brave pastors recognized the tyranny and fought against it to keep meeting. Some at great peril but they understood the church needed to be together to pray, worship, fellowship, encourage each other, and be available to those who were fearful and wanted to know more about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Even saying the church is family didn’t impact the draconian “rules” because families were being told not to meet together!

You’ve heard it said that freedoms lost or surrendered are usually never regained. But thankfully, most churches have reconvened meeting again in person, and even with the continuing new variants, churches are staying open. Unfortunately, many Christians have not returned because they’re out of the habit or routine or they’re still living in fear. And that’s the enemy’s plan!

The media would have you think that surveys are proving the Christian population is diminishing, but you know better than to believe everything you read and hear. We live in an era where liberals are intent on demoralizing, demeaning, and denouncing Christians and everything we stand for and believe. Marxism/Socialism/Communism is anti-religion. Their cowardly tactic is shame and bullying. Trying to use the power of words, name-calling, and cancel culture to threaten and intimidate us into backing down from our faith and God’s Word. But those who live for Christ alone won’t be fooled or shaken!

I hope you stand with me in not being daunted by the enemy. But instead using this tumultuous time as an opportunity to be a vocal voice for the power of Jesus Christ to overcome evil in our world and in our life! As the apostle Paul told his mentee Timothy: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:8

Vine’s definition of ashamed is: “A strong feeling of shame preventing a person from doing something.” Is there something preventing you from doing what you know the Lord is asking of you to do?

If God wants us to do something and the Holy Spirit prompts us—regardless of how “politically incorrect” or unpopular it might be, we need to proudly declare the name of Jesus and follow the Great Commission He left for us to live out. We must unite together against the pressures of this world—no matter how many names they call us, laws they pass to quiet us, or how unpopular we become personally … our job as Christians is to speak and live the Gospel joyfully and fervently.

The True Christian World is Not Shrinking

Reality is that the true Christian population is not shrinking—Christians who would never back down in the face of adversity are actually increasing. What is shrinking is the gap between those who call themselves “Christian” hoping for a free ticket to heaven while following the world’s ways, and those who identify with Christ and are willing to follow Him wherever He leads, even if it means suffering for the Gospel, as Paul did.

Both Jesus and Paul were rivals to the accepted culture of their day and everything they did upset the social order. Why would we think it so strange when we encounter the same reaction and persecution?

Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. John 15:20

The pseudo-Christians are looking for a gospel they’ll never find: one that allows them to not make waves and keep their faith “private.” As that becomes more impossible, their faith becomes weaker and they fall away. Those “so called” Christians become lesser in number.

But to those who have the courage to be unpopular for Christ no matter what—their faith becomes stronger and their stance against the wrongs of this world becomes bolder. Yes, praise God, the true Christian population is increasing. Again, just like Paul tells Timothy, these Christians will:

 With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.—2 Timothy 1:8-10

There’s Only One Kind of Christian

God shields every Christian who believes in living out the Bible—and only the Bible. A new term has caught my attention: “Bible-believing Christian.” I shake my head every time I hear it because there is no other kind of Christian. If you don’t believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, call yourself anything you want, but don’t call yourself a Christian because that’s blasphemy and heresy.

God ordains the steps of every Christian who has surrendered their life to Jesus and is born-again. We need to be using what He has given us in the time that we have here on Earth. God had a reason for saving us. So when we speak up for God, He gives our words power and He infuses us with courage. Holy God-fearing people love God and others and tell the truth about God to everyone, even when the audience is hostile.

Liberals and nonbelievers try to taunt us with the argument that Jesus loved everyone so Christians should love everyone’s sins. But they’re twisting the word “love” to mean what they want it to mean. To use “love” to justify sin is the exact opposite of what Jesus taught and why He went to the cross.

God loves His creations so much He sent His only Son Jesus to die for them to repent of their sins.

 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

It’s true that Jesus loved the world and that’s why He died for everyone to have freedom from sin—sins that God hates. Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could keep on sinning, but so that we could live a life free from sin. That’s the true loving Gospel. Sharing the love of Christ and the Gospel with someone is the most loving thing you could do.

As Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery: “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:11-12

Sin is Sin Even When Our Family is Doing It

I know firsthand that one of the hardest things as a parent is to watch our children or grandchildren choose to sin. I wrote a book about Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter so I know the heartbreak of feeling like you can’t do anything to stop them. But you can love them and pray for them. The worst thing you can do is enable them by overlooking their sin, indulging their sin, or trying to convince yourself that their sin isn’t really that bad.

Remember, every murderer is someone’s child, but that doesn’t make murder OK. Every alcoholic is someone’s child, but alcoholism is wrong. Every thief has parents, but stealing is a sin. If your child is indulging in alternate lifestyles, having sex outside of marriage, or experimenting with “transgenderism” or homosexuality—it’s all sin. God doesn’t make any mistakes. He made girls as girls and boys as boys and he created girls to fall in love with boys, get married, and then enjoy sex as they come together as one.

The most loving thing you can do for your sinning child, or anyone, is to pray for him or her to seek Jesus, ask for forgiveness, change their sinful ways, and live a righteous life. It’s painful and it takes courage, but my daughter is so glad I never gave up praying for her and today that’s our testimony together.

Christianity is the Only All-Inclusive Faith

When the world says that Christians are “exclusive” that only shows their ignorance of Christianity, the most “inclusive” religion in the world. Jesus is available to everyone. He died for everyone, but sadly, not everyone will accept His loving free invitation to eternal life with Him.

Hell is real and when Jesus returns, those who do not believe in Him will experience that reality.

 I leave you with a scenario that depicts this tragedy:

A young boyfriend and girlfriend were in a tragic accident and died. They’re looking down on the scene:

Girl to boy: “I have to leave you now.”
Boy: “I want to go with you wherever you’re going.”
Girl: “I’m going to be with God, but you didn’t accept him so you can’t come with me.”

Boy: “Did you know this?”

Girl: “Yes …”

Boy: “Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Girl: “I was afraid I would lose you.”

Who are you so afraid of losing here on Earth that you’ll have to say goodbye to them forever in eternity? Don’t be ashamed or fearful to share the Gospel. Someone’s eternal life depends on it.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

“When God sees you, for those of us in Christ, he sees his Son, Jesus. And when we get a glimpse of how beautiful he is and how beautiful he becomes in us, we want to join him in beautifying this world!” [A quote from Saddleback Church newsletter “Three important things to believe about Jesus”]

If you don’t receive my monthly newsletter, here is a link to January’s edition and you can sign up on my website to receive it monthly. The opening article is: Are You Ready?

In case you didn’t read last week’s blog I encourage you to read it today as we watch the horrific war on our police officers! Police Officers Have Our Backs; Let’s Have Theirs!

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

The opening picture was created by Joshua Lutz, reppnforChrist.com. I saw it and knew immediately what the title of my blog should be. Originally, my title was Christianity Under Refining Fire! which also is a good one to describe the article don’t you think.

January 31, 2022
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In a Word: TRUST God!

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Monday Morning Blogs are back after my holiday sabbatical from writing. I hope you all had a blessed celebration of our Savior’s birth and are ready to start the New Year with God as your Shepherd and Guide! I’m refreshed and refueled, ready to face 2022 with God as my Savior, Provider, Healer, Protector, and so much more.

2022 is starting out with many of the same challenges and struggles carrying over from the past year with new ones on the horizon. But one thing we as Christians can always count on every year: Our God Reigns! He never changes and He is faithful to His faithful followers no matter the circumstances we find ourselves encountering.

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a familiar verse and one we must hold close to our hearts and live out, not just memorize!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Pr. 3:5-6 NLT

As Christians, we use freely the phrase “trust in the Lord,” but recently I was challenged to consider what does it really mean to solely trust God.

A familiar hymn we sing in church, Trust and Obey, says there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. Who doesn’t want to be happy in Jesus?! It seems the only way to do that is to not only trust in Jesus, but to also obey His Word and His Ways. It’s two-fold!

My Trust and Obey Encounter for 2022

In the past few years, I’ve prayed for a word from God that He specifically wants to use in guiding my life in the upcoming year. A word I would pray every morning to direct my actions and thoughts throughout the day. I don’t take this “word” selection lightly. I pray about it and look for confirmations the Lord always provides. When I select one, I find it helpful to share my word with friends so they can encourage me to stay faithful to apply the chosen word in my life, and I do the same for them.

2018’s word was Calm, a real challenge for excitable me! 2019 was JOY. 2020 was Glorify. 2021 was Resilience, which a friend advised me not to choose because it’s kind of like praying for patience. Resilience could mean I would encounter many obstacles and hardships, which indeed was the case. But praying for resilience every morning helped me face all those difficulties knowing that God was right beside me to help me endure with grace and bounce back with determination.

Sometimes, I make my words into acrostics:
J-ubliation O-ngoing all Y-ear

C-all A-lways on the L-ord M-oment by moment

I’ve always toyed with choosing “Trust,” but it never seemed the right fit even though I had written it down as a potential yearly word several times. Yet there it was again this year as the New Year approached and I was wrestling with the Lord if trust truly was the word He wanted for me. I wasn’t settled in my spirit on it, and like resilience, I wondered what I would face that would call on my trust in the Lord. After all, don’t I already trust You Lord?

Then on New Year’s Day, we were invited over to some friend’s house for a lovely Italian turkey luncheon. As I talked with one of the guests, I glanced over her shoulder and there on a side table was a wooden plaque that caught my eye. I quietly walked over to it and snapped a picture because I knew the Lord was telling me that TRUST was my word for 2022.

Like most of you, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming year in our personal lives or the life of our country, but I do know that every morning, I will need to trust that God does know and like the old hymn Trust and Obey goes on to say . . .

Not a shadow can rise,
  Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
  Not a doubt or a fear,
  Not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,
  Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
  Not a grief or a loss,
  Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove
  The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
  For the favor He shows,
  And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet
  We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
  What He says we will do;
  Where He sends, we will go.
Never fear, only trust and obey.

source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/christianlyrics/trustandobeylyrics.html

I’m not saying anyone is more spiritual for having a “word” for the year, but I am saying that trust in God is the core foundation of our faith. Without trust in the Lord, we’re left with misplaced trust in ourselves and/or a failing world which shouts, “trust the science,” when a good portion of the world doesn’t trust God’s scientific creation of two genders, marriage is between a man and a woman, or birth starts at conception! How could we ever trust the fallible government instead our infallible God?!

 Even when his enemies closed in on him, David could still compose his own song about trusting God in Psalm 31. Here are a few verses and I would encourage you to read the entire Psalm . . .

O Lord, I have come to you for protection;
    don’t let me be disgraced.
    Save me, for you do what is right.
2 Turn your ear to listen to me;
    rescue me quickly.
Be my rock of protection,
    a fortress where I will be safe.
3 You are my rock and my fortress.
    For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.
4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me,
    for I find protection in you alone.5 I entrust my spirit into your hand.
    Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

I hate those who worship worthless idols.
    I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
    for you have seen my troubles,
    and you care about the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to my enemies
    but have set me in a safe place.

14 But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
15 My future is in your hands.

Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
    For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
24 So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Praying for each of you to have a blessed and joyful 2022 as you trust in the Lord even when you don’t understand what He’s doing. Someday, it will all be made clear to us, but for now, we trust and obey.


Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. Pr. 16:20 NLT

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie ten Boom

PS If you did pick a word for 2022, please share with us in a comment!

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

January 10, 2022
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