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Halloween humbug

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” —Ephesians 5:8–9

A recent Facebook post about David Green, the founder/owner of Hobby Lobby, caught my eye. He and I share a similar view of Halloween. I could blame my Halloween humbug on my age, except for the fact that I’ve always felt this way! (It might have grown worse with age, however!)

I admire the Green family, who, like Chick-fil-A, have chosen to keep their stores closed on Sundays. The Facebook post this week reiterated his position to put his faith ahead of his profits in his life. The recent post said, “Hobby Lobby founder David Green says he walked away from more than $22 million in Halloween merchandise sales after becoming convinced that continuing to sell the products conflicted with his Christian beliefs.” There are very few people who could walk away from a $22 million profit, but the Green family knows and is committed to the One they are walking toward.

I’ve never been a fan of Halloween. I don’t like creepy, scary movies, and I don’t like skeletons with creepy, scary eyes. I was at Home Depot a few weeks ago and saw a little boy looking at a Halloween decoration, and he was terrified. Dad was trying to get him to like it, but it wasn’t working. 

I especially don’t like the idea that Halloween is based on notions that have a lot more to do with Satan and the occult than with the things of God. I don’t much care for celebrating the darkness. Honestly, I am like the Scrooge of Halloween, and I just want to say “humbug” to the whole holiday.

According to an article from the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend a record 13.5 billion dollars on Halloween this year, up from last year’s record 13.1 billion! Apparently, I belong to the 26th percentile of Americans who don’t plan to celebrate next week. 

The NRF article says, “Activities like handing out candy (61%), dressing in costume (50%), decorating their home or yard (42%), carving pumpkins (42%) and watching scary movies (42%) are the top ways consumers mark the occasion. That adds up to an average expense of $115.14 per person.” 

That means Jim and I can spend $230 on a new Christmas decoration! (Let me confess I’ve already spent a bit more than that already!)

I say “humbug” for some good reasons

According to CBS News, the crime rate typically rises by 17 percent on Halloween night. The article attributes the increase to vandalism, drinking, crowds of strangers able to hide behind masks, and the fact that people are supposed to open their doors to whoever rings the doorbell that night. The holiday is no longer a time for neighborhood children to trick-or-treat in fun costumes; many use it as a way to steal from unsuspecting neighbors. 

Many churches host Halloween events as a community outreach, but those events usually take place in addition to the evening of the 31st and not as a replacement for Halloween. A LOT of candy is given and consumed as a result. As a former schoolteacher, I can tell you that the day after Halloween was usually a rough day in the classroom!

Does Halloween harm?

Rhonda Robinson wrote an excellent article about Halloween for Focus on the Family. I think she offers a great position for Christians to consider about the holiday. She has personal reasons for not wanting to celebrate the holiday, just like I do. Our reasons are different, but the outcome is the same. In the end, every Christian should spend some time giving this holiday some thought. It isn’t as innocuous as the culture would like us to believe.

Spiritually, we all need to make a Halloween choice. I know it is a fun day for a lot of people, and I recognize that I am in a small minority. I have just chosen to “avoid” most things Halloween. I don’t like celebrating the darkness. Additionally, I worked in a mission for many years and learned that the vast majority of our Latino population struggles with diabetes as they grow older. That disease contributes to several other significant health issues. A doctor friend explained that their culture is not genetically able to process sugar the way ours is. The mission I worked at stopped giving out items laden with sugar as a result.

The main reason I am a Halloween humbug is the connection the holiday has with the occult. The passage that most often speaks to me is Ephesians 5:8–9. Paul told the church in Ephesus, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Whatever you choose to do with Halloween is a personal decision that should be Spirit-led. I agree with Rhonda Robinson, who said, “You, too, have the freedom in Christ to follow the conviction of your own heart through the Holy Spirit. So that, whatever your family decides, others might see Christ working through you, and you can be a light in the darkness of a fallen world.”

Halloween humbug?

I must confess, I will likely continue to say “humbug” about Halloween, but I also hope that I will give God permission to interrupt my humbug any time he chooses. I plan to stay home and ignore the holiday, but I always want to accept any changes that God wants to make to my plans. After all, Jeremiah 29:11 begins with the words: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.

I hope all of you will enjoy God’s plan for your Halloween and the coming holiday season as well. All we have to do is ask the Lord for his plan, and we will. Truthfully, it isn’t because I don’t care about my neighbors, it’s because I do! I hope my “dark house” will give me the chance to carefully share my thoughts with someone who might ask. I’ll admit the Green family’s decision caused me to feel better about my Halloween humbug. 

Whatever you choose to do next week, choose what the Holy Spirit has led you to do, and you will be blessed. 

Photo by 지원 최 on Unsplash

Have you joined Theo’s bench club?

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Jim and I stop to sit on a bench almost every morning. It’s at the pond near our home. We love taking a few minutes to pause in our walk and enjoy the calm, the changing seasons, and the beauty of the sky above reflected in the water. 

This morning we ran into our friend and her daughter. This friend and her husband actually placed the bench by the pond that the neighbors enjoy. As we talked,the subject of the very popular book, Theo of Golden came up. We have all read it and discussed the important role his bench had in the book.

That prompted the title of this article. Have you joined Theo’s bench club? It’s not a real club, but it’s one all of us should consider joining. Theo’s bench was essentially his place of ministry.

Theo of Golden

I hope all of you have discovered this book. Allen Levi’s first and only novel miraculously spent fourteen weeks in the number one slot on the New York Times bestseller list. Tom Hanks is apparently in discussions about playing Theo in an upcoming movie, which will likely bring it back to the number one slot. If you have been on a plane, in a waiting room, or walked by a park bench, you probably have noticed someone reading Theo of Golden. And no respectable book club has failed to include the title on their list of books to discuss.

But this article isn’t about the book’s popularity. (Although fair warning: If St. Peter really does meet us at the gate . . .he might ask if you have read it!) Just teasing, kind of. 

This article is about Theo’s bench and about how each of us should consider finding our own.

What was the purpose of Theo’s bench?

Theo sat on his bench to:

Do you have a place, a spot in this world that is designed to take your thoughts to a deeper place with God, a place that is about his purpose for your day, your gifts, and your ministry with others?

Are you a member of the bench club?

Our friend’s grandson is a priest in the Catholic faith. He has enjoyed benches all over the world. He has used benches in some amazing spots to think, pray, and pursue the deeper thoughts of life. I think he and my husband would get along well!

All of us will have moments in our lives when we hit a rough spot and pray to God with desperation, earnestness, and need. Those are important prayers, and God is pleased when we come to him during those times. But Paul taught us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Theo’s bench was a place he enjoyed each day, much like our bench at the pond. He sat there expecting that his life and the lives of others would be impacted.

To become a member of the bench club, you simply need to consistently pursue the presence and purpose of Christ in the moments of your daily life. How do we pursue Christ? We live constantly aware that Jesus has a purpose for our entire day. We live ready for Jesus to interrupt our thoughts with his. He wants to guide our lives and will bring people into our path whom he would like us to minister to, and who will often become ministers or blessings to us as well. 

To become a member of the bench club is to find a place where you will choose to quiet your personal, self-focused thoughts and plans in order to be open to God’s instead.

Your bench club agenda each day:

  • Watch the world go by and think about the cultural issues and needs of your community.
  • Meditate on the Lord’s purpose for your day. Jeremiah 29:11 makes clear God has a plan.
  • Pray for and care about others that happen by, and those you will need to seek out.
  • Bless other people’s lives with something you can give, like a word of encouragement or help. 
  • Enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, and you will joyfully worship the Creator.
  • Consider things other than yourself, and your faith, joy, and ministry will expand as a result.

Life’s a “bench”

My friend’s daughter said that, and I laughed out loud. Yes, I know it’s a take on another phrase. But shouldn’t we change that phrase if we can!

I decided to write about Theo of Golden again to encourage others to find their own bench. I honestly believe that this book will impact anyone who reads it. The reason for its enormous success is because God has blessed it in miraculous ways. It’s also a success because people who read it want to share it with their friends. This book didn’t have a huge marketing budget or sales plan. It was number one for all those weeks because of word of mouth.

Tom Hanks is an amazing actor and I will see the movie if it comes out. But the movie will be a shadow of the experience received by reading, thinking about, and remembering the words of the novel. Reading a book in the quiet of your life gives you the time to think about the words.

Thinking with God takes time and effort. Maybe it also takes a bench.

A goal

I think I want to take more notice of the benches in this world. Most of them were put in place for a reason. Someone thought it would be a good idea for people to stop, sit here, and think.

What if for the rest of our lives we made it a goal to notice the benches in this world? How would things change, and who would we speak to if we were to stop, pray, and then allow God to bring his plan and purpose into those moments? What if you found a bench that you chose to sit on most days with that purpose in mind? I think that choice would likely become one of your favorite decisions, too! I would love to welcome you to the bench club.

Life’s a bench . . .or at least it could be!

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What Joshua would remind us about Ai and AI

“Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.’”’” —Joshua 7:13 

AI remains a leading news story, but there was an Ai in the Bible that we should consider today.

Joshua, son of Nun, had been a faithful companion of Moses for many years. He was one of the twelve spies sent into the promised land to bring back news and information about the people there. Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies who encouraged Moses to take the land because God would be with them. The other ten spies spoke of giants and other things they had seen. They warned Moses not to go because they were sure many, most, or all of them would die if they did.

Moses should have listened to Joshua, but he didn’t. Many years later, Joshua would lead the Israelites into the promised land, safely crossing the Jordan River at flood stage. The men were circumcised after crossing, and then several days later, they and their families were marched to an area near the city walls of Jericho, where they set up camp.

For six days, the Israelites marched around Jericho in the morning and then returned to their camp. God gave Joshua and the people very specific instructions for day seven. Joshua told his army to march around Jericho six times. Then, “The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury’” (Joshua 6:16–19).

What were the devoted things?

Oftentimes in Scripture, the words “devoted things” meant items that had been sacrificed or used in the worship of false gods. In Joshua 6, it simply meant the items made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron; things that were valuable and sacred to the Lord. These items were intended to be placed in a treasury and used for the good of all the people.

The people did just as Joshua told them, except for a man named Achan. Achan did not “keep away from the devoted things” he found in Jericho. Instead, he took them and buried them under his own tent back in the camp. Achan had treated Joshua’s words of instruction as a mere suggestion rather than as God’s command.

All was well until Joshua told the Israelites to take Ai.

How do the lessons of Ai speak to God’s people today?

The Israelites, confident after their miraculous battle with Jericho, decided there were not enough people in Ai to require the whole army to do battle. So, they decided for themselves to send only 3,000 men to do battle. That day, thirty-eight of Israel’s men died at the hands of their enemy. That night Joshua tore his robe and grieved. He called out his grief to God, disappointed that God had let them down, and their enemies were no longer fearful of them. God’s answer to Joshua is a word to Christians today.

God told Joshua that an Israelite had sinned and taken what belonged to the treasury. He told Joshua, “That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction” (Joshua 7:12). 

“Then God told Joshua how to fix the problem. God said, ‘Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, “Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.’”’” (Joshua 7:13). The devoted things that had been taken were returned, but the unfaithful were punished. Achan and his entire family were taken out of the camp and stoned. 

Is there still harsh punishment for the unholy?

The word “holy” means “set apart.” The Israelites had been given the promised land and all of its blessings for their lives. They just needed to live a holy life, set apart and obedient to God, and his blessings would sustain them. We know the rest of the story. The Israelites had it all, but eventually exchanged God’s instructions for their own desires.

President Trump has created a website called “AI.gov,” which, according to a recent Forbes article, is designed to “navigate government services using artificial intelligence.” It’s supposed to be a one-stop shop to help protect Americans by providing them with all they need from the government. It’s just difficult to trust AI for the important things in our lives.

Has anyone considered that only God is perfectly true? Has anyone asked God his opinion of today’s AI? Will God’s people consecrate themselves to God so that every truth is measured against the truth of God’s Word? The world’s truth has always been adapted or subjected to men’s ideas. God’s unchanging, perfect word has endured and transcended every generation, every culture, and every country.

Ai can teach us about AI

After the death of the unfaithful Achan, God gave Joshua new instructions. God told Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land” (Joshua 8:1).

This time, the people of Israel sought and obeyed God’s leadership, and they succeeded. Ai fell, and the Israelites were able to continue to take the promised land for their own.

As you consider the unknowns about AI, do you then consider the power of the God who actually knows all things?

As the news fills our minds with possibilities, do you trust God’s biblical promises instead? 

I wish I could hear someone on my television quote Romans 8:31: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” 

Jesus promised we would win

Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24 that there would be wars and rumors of wars. He told them there would be famines and earthquakes. He also told his disciples, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Ai won the first battle against the Israelites because the Israelites had sinned. They consecrated their lives, purged the sin from the camp, and Joshua led them to take the promised land for their home.

The world will swirl around us, but we can stand firm in the knowledge that we have a great and perfect God. If we follow his word, live holy lives, and walk with him, we can count on his peace, his guidance, and his invitation to a home in heaven.

AI can be like the first battle for Ai or like the miraculous battle with Jericho. We just need to choose whether we will be like Achan or like Joshua. Later, Joshua set that example when he said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). 

I wonder if Joshua was remembering Achan when he said that? We probably should think of Ai whenever we hear about AI. I wish the people working on AI today would take the time to pray and dedicate their thoughts and ideas to God’s Word. It looks like AI is going to play an important role in our country and our culture. Ai reminds us that success belongs to those who will walk with God as their King.

This is a good day to once again consecrate our lives, our families, and our minds to our holy God.

Photo by Travis Walser on Unsplash

How do you know God has spoken?

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” —Lamentations 3:22–26

I just came home after a beautiful walk this morning. We were out just as the sun was beginning to rise. I took one look at the sky and the verse, “his mercies are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23) floated through my mind. 

One of the most frequent jobs of the Holy Spirit is to bring Scripture to our thoughts. Jesus told his disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). When a Bible verse floats through your mind, it is likely Jesus speaking his message into your day. 

God’s voice is one of my favorite things to write about, speak on, and teach from Scripture. We all need to develop a sensitivity to his voice so that he can “direct our paths.” When last did God speak into your life? That is not a rhetorical question. You should have an answer now, but if you don’t, please finish reading this article.

Jesus often whispers to us

Jesus talks to us all the time. I have often quoted Frederick Faber, an English theologian who said, “There is hardly ever a complete silence in our soul. God is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly. Whenever the sounds of the world die out in the soul, or sink low, then we hear these whisperings of God. He is always whispering to us, only we do not always hear because of the noise, hurry, and distraction which life causes as it rushes on.” 

I’ve shared that quote so often with my readers that if you Google “well-nigh incessantly,” the first two things that pop up are my articles. Go AI!

That verse from Lamentations floated into my mind as I looked at the pinks, corals, blues, and purples of this morning’s sunrise, and I knew it was Jesus speaking. I have worked hard in my life to pray for discernment to recognize his voice. 

The first step to discerning God’s voice is an understanding that he “is whispering to us well-nigh incessantly.” I looked at the beauty of a sunrise that only the Creator could provide and acknowledged the power of God. It was then the Spirit reminded me of the daily, never-ending mercies and blessings of God. I often call moments like that a “good morning hug” from my heavenly Father.

God speaks his thoughts into our thoughts

My husband and I “do ministry.” Maybe it is easier for us to run to God for help because our “calling” requires his direction. But I don’t want anyone to think that our “calling” has different requirements than anyone else’s. Every child of God has been called to serve him, and every Christian has a spiritual gift and calling for their life. Every Christian needs to develop discernment and a need for God’s voice of direction. Otherwise, we will live self-directed lives influenced by the culture and people around us. We all need to recognize God’s voice when he speaks directly into our lives.

God led my husband to start a ministry before we had ever heard of “AI.” Now, AI is regularly pulling up our articles. God always knows the future and directs our lives accordingly. What are you doing today because of God’s leadership decades ago? If you take some time to meditate about that answer with God, he will likely surprise you with the answers.

God wants you to know his plan for your life even more than you want to know it. In fact, God often wants to bless our lives in ways that don’t feel like blessings at the moment.

A personal story about the personal voice of God

My dad was struggling with dementia and physical pain at the end of his life. I had been begging God for his direction because my mom was declining rapidly, trying to take care of him. I wanted to help, but that didn’t give me permission to instruct their personal choices. It was becoming a significant challenge, and one day, my dad’s neck started to swell. Mom took him to the doctor, who ran tests. Later that day, the doctor called them back to her office. 

I remember that day vividly. While my parents were at the doctor’s that morning, I finished writing the next year’s Bible study and joyfully hit “send” to deliver it for edits. Later, Mom called to tell me the doctor had called them back into the office, and I just knew I needed to take them. I was there when we found out Dad had lymphoma, and it was a terminal diagnosis. 

Mom and I were stunned by the news, but watched and listened as my dad, who normally struggled to have a conversation by this point, began to speak with a clarity we had not heard in years. Dad told the doctor that he was a Christian and had lived a good life. He told her that heaven was his future. He told the doctor that he wanted to refuse the treatments that would make his life difficult because he knew they couldn’t save his life. He comforted the doctor, me, and most importantly, Mom. 

I had to hurry back to the doctor’s office later that day because, in all the emotion, I had forgotten my iPad in her office. The doctor had instructed her staff to seat me in her office when I arrived. I waited for her, and when she entered the room and looked at me, she shook her head and said she had never seen anything like that. I was able to tell her that we had all witnessed the Holy Spirit take over that day. 

She was a Christian and worked with older people in her practice. I was really sad but felt the Holy Spirit author my thoughts and words to her that day. I shared with her a lesson that someone had shared with me decades before: The Holy Spirit is never limited by dementia or any other illness. He is always perfectly whole within a Christian life. I’ve wondered if that brief conversation in her office had a larger purpose in her calling as a doctor. God’s plans often have a greater purpose than we can know.

I want you to depend on God’s voice

I doubt you are drawn to enjoy the book of Lamentations in your Bibles. It’s a tough read! But the riches of chapter 3 are so worth the effort. I want to close with a few of those verses today. The entire passage that God reminded me of this morning holds these promises: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:22–26).

God is so good to care for our souls. Seek him often each day.

God speaks

I started writing this morning with a very different article in mind than the words you just read. So, I close now knowing that God wanted to speak these thoughts into someone’s life today. If you are thinking right now, “This is what I needed today,” know that the Holy Spirit is responsible for your thoughts. God’s mercies are so good…and they are new mercies each day. His personal work in our lives is as unique as every sunrise. 

Listen to your thoughts and learn to recognize his voice. God whispers to us “well nigh incessantly.” Don’t miss his voice and his morning hugs.

Photo by Dele Oke on Unsplash

Where should you sit?

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” —Psalm 46:10

I’m looking forward to attending a  CeCe Winans concert in a few weeks. She is a favorite of mine, and I was quick to sign up and choose great seats for the evening. Most performances, sporting events, and similar events are more enjoyable with a great seat. 

Good seats take some planning and tend to cost more, but definitely make the whole experience more memorable. My husband and I were talking about a popular quote from Luciano Pavarotti’s dad the other day. Pavarotti said his dad’s words made a huge difference in how he chose to live his life and in the seat he chose to use.

I thought my readers would enjoy his perspective because the choices we make in this life impact our eternal lives as well. 

Luciano Pavarotti’s life lesson

I was reading a Kennedy Center article that described Pavarotti saying, “Blessed with the sort of voice that comes around perhaps once in a century, Luciano Pavarotti placed his unique tenor instrument at the service of the great composers, revitalizing opera in our time and bringing beauty to generations of music lovers.” 

Pavarotti had a great instrument to work with, but it was hard work and personal choices that contributed to his success and fame. His dad was a baker by trade and the man who introduced his son to opera. Pavarotti studied voice with Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in his hometown. In addition, Pavarotti went to a teacher’s college and earned his degree. Upon graduation, he had an important discussion with his dad. The tenor was struggling to choose which career to pursue. He considered pursuing a career in performance music while also seeking a more “steady” job as a music teacher. 

Pavarotti’s dad gave him this advice: “If you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.” An article in Bible.org quotes Pavarotti saying, “I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book—whatever we choose—we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.”

A fresh look at multitasking

I grew up in the generation that invented the term “multitasking.” IBM was the first to publish the term in 1965, but multitasking became a popular buzzword in the 80’s and 90’s. It began as a term describing a computer’s ability to perform multiple tasks, even though the process slowed the machine down. 

In the 80’s and 90’s, it was applied to human efforts and meant “to juggle multiple tasks or responsibilities” simultaneously. I remember when “multitasking” was widely regarded as an attribute of success. 

Today, people have come to realize that our brains are a lot like those early computers. We are able to multitask, but it causes us to function with a lower degree of success. Pavarotti’s dad was right. “We can’t sit in two chairs at the same time without falling between them.” Pavarotti’s amazing success as a professional tenor is proof of dad’s advice: “Commitment is the key. Choose one chair.”

The advice of Scripture

The Bible has a lot to say about maintaining faith as our highest priority in this life. We live in a busy culture, and we have multiple responsibilities. Distraction and busyness seem to be the greatest dangers to our spiritual efforts. That’s been true since Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden and required to work hard for their food, shelter, family, and faith. What does Scripture say about “choosing one chair, spiritually”?

  • Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
  • God commanded Moses, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) and “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
  • The psalmist prayed, “teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
  • In the Revelation, Jesus warns the church in Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4).

If cell phones had been around in the first century, Jesus might not have owned one. Jesus walked through every day of his life focused on his God-given purpose. He came to earth to be the Messiah. His sole purpose was to save souls. I can’t see Jesus holding a finger up in the air and telling his disciples or those he was preaching to, “Sorry, but I need to get this.” Jesus isolated himself from everyone and everything at times just so that he could focus solely on God, his Father.

Human beings were created to know God. Satan does whatever he is able to keep that from happening.

Embrace aging and “be still”

There is a good article on multitasking in the elderly. We might take vitamins for brain health, but we still can’t multitask like we used to. According to the article, “doing two things at the same time isn’t always as productive or safe as focusing on one thing at a time.” The statement in the article that spoke most to me was, “Multitasking can sometimes sap our reserves and create stress, raising our cortisol levels, especially when we’re time pressured. If such performance is sustained over long periods, it can leave you feeling fatigued or just plain empty.”

God created human beings to know him, and he created us to age. It is good to slow down and focus our lives on the task at hand. God said, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).

When was the last time you stopped everything just to be still and exalt in God? Jesus died so that we could know God and live with him forever. We can’t chase the world and chase God at the same time. If we try, it’s like trying to sit in two chairs at the same time. We shouldn’t be surprised when we discover our souls have fallen to the ground.

Let’s find the time to sit quietly at the feet of God. Be still and know he is God. Be still and know that everything else can become a god in our lives. That singular, undistracted focus will provide peace and joy God intends for his children.

Where should you sit? Choose the chair located at the feet of Jesus. As the hymn says, “Look full in his wonderful face. The things of earth will grow strangely dim; in the light of his glory and grace.” 

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Our existential “treats”

“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” —Matthew 24:30–31

We are hearing that AI could be an existential threat in the next decade. Maybe AI is an existential “threat” to our world, and maybe it isn’t. Either way, there isn’t a whole lot most of us can do about that today except turn off the technology and give our world some good news. The gospel provides the existential help everyone will need.

What does the phrase “existential threat” mean? AI quoted the Cambridge dictionary, which says, “Existential Threat: A hazard that threatens total survival, such as a major war or climate catastrophe.”

COVID was an “existential threat” until it wasn’t. So were World Wars I and II. In fact, every time I drive in Dallas traffic, I am experiencing a personal “hazard that threatens” my survival! So, in the midst of all the AI threats, I wanted to write about the existential treats that might improve our outlook.

An existential perspective from The Terminator and the Giver of Life

The news has been warning that we might have only a decade left on earth. Does that mean the “Terminators” are coming? I never watched that movie, but I’ve seen several clips. I would like to compare some wisdom from both the movie and God’s Word. I asked AI for some famous lines from the movie, and I will compare them with the truth of Scripture.

“It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with.”

That line belongs to the character of Kyle Reese in the movie The Terminator. It is his now-famous description of the AI capacity of the relentless cyborg in the 1984 film. I’ve seen the clips of Arnold Schwarzenegger with his metal suit, red eyes, weapons, and cyborg vocals. I didn’t see the movie, but apparently, his cyborg personality is trying to help. Truthfully, I wouldn’t hang around long enough to try to reason with a cyborg!

On the other hand, God told Isaiah, “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). 

Your existential treat: Whatever might threaten a Christian’s life on earth is actually an avenue to their eternal mansion in glory. Our sins are forgiven. We have been washed as white as snow. We can look at a cyborg and say, “Go ahead. Make my day.” Different movie wisdom, but that line works!

“Come with me if you want to live.”

Arnold’s character told the frightened people in the movie to come with him for protection. They followed The Terminator and kept their lives on earth, but what did their lives look like? People were shot at, injured, blown up, and lived in constant fear. They were hungry, thirsty, in pain, and in need of just about everything, including a shower and a good night’s sleep! They were breathing, but were they really living?

Our existential treat: Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I’ll take that offer any day and every day! Jesus said, “Come with me if you want to live,” and offered us life eternal where there is no fear, no illness, no pain, and an eternal home with him. Christians are never really “at home” here on earth. By God’s grace, we don’t belong here forever.

“Hasta la vista, baby.”

The most famous line from The Terminator is my favorite. “Hasta la vista” means “see you later.” We are human beings, and we can’t help but cling to our temporary lives on earth. It’s what we know and much of the time, love. We don’t want to miss moments with family and friends. We might miss our beautiful sunrises and sunsets. So, we take medications and exercise, trusting that a healthy lifestyle will give us more time on earth. 

We need to think more often like Paul. He realized his earthly life was coming to an end. Rome was an “existential threat” to Christians of his day. He had been faithfully serving God, and now, he was in prison awaiting his termination. 

His words to Timothy are our existential treat: Paul told his protégé, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8).

Have you ever considered why God made certain that people would age? Aging is a daily existential threat to life on earth. God wanted us to look forward to life eternal. God wants us to witness to people we know and love so that they will be in heaven with us someday. God allows our steps to slow, our knees to ache, and our thoughts to turn to a home in heaven. 

Our existential treat: God wants us to look forward to life eternal and joyfully say “hasta la vista,” or “see you later” to those we love. Everything on earth is temporary, except the souls of the people around us who choose the grace of God that faith in Christ provides. 

If we only have ten years before the Terminators arrive . . .

People are saying that AI is an existential threat, and we might have only a decade of life before the cyborgs take over. If we want to get ready for the Terminators, then we should buy a set of encyclopedias for our shelves. We will also need really good books on gardening, hunting, and other practical survival needs. We will need to get a tent, a bicycle, a wheelbarrow, and some really good garden tools. We can also stockpile cans of beans and vegetables, and buy some chickens, cows, and pigs. 

Mostly, what we will need is our Bibles. We will want to remember that faith in Jesus is the only means of survival that will last forever.

Our existential treat that transcends all threats

Jesus encouraged his disciples, saying, “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:30–31).

The Bible commands us, “Do not worry.” Scripture also commands us to “go and make disciples.” Whatever AI decides to do is only a temporary threat to Christians. We just need to remember our job is to help people find faith in Christ and be ready for whatever happens in this world. Everyone deserves to know they have the hope of heaven.

Our existential treat: We will only say “hasta la vista” to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus promised we would “see them later.” 

Photo by Vince Fleming on Unsplash

My grandson is also my brother

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” —Galatians 3:25–29

Last Sunday morning, I was privileged to watch my grandson announce his faith and be baptized. Sometimes it’s easy to recognize a moment in life that will easily become a special memory. I am proud of my grandkids often during the year, but I especially value the spiritual moments that have eternal value.

My relationship with my “grands” changes when they step into the Christian faith. I think I will always see them as my grandchildren this side of heaven. Spiritually, I now know that Merrick is also my “brother” as well as my grandson. But I can’t imagine thinking of him as a brother today. In Jesus, we are born again, which gives us a unique relationship with God and with everyone else in this world. 

Everyone on earth is either a member of your eternal family or they are not. It’s not something I think about as often as I should. What will it be like when every relationship is with a family member in heaven?

Heaven’s family

Paul was trying to teach the Galatians the truth that our faith in Jesus changes everything. Jesus was born to earth and sacrificed himself on the cross for everyone’s sins, and through faith, they were “born again.” He taught about our heavenly relationships, saying, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:25–29).

Heaven’s family will not be defined by hierarchies of:

  • Race
  • Status or profession
  • Gender

Heaven’s family will be defined by:

  • Faith in Jesus Christ
  • Having the same Father as everyone else
  • Knowing we are all equally and perfectly loved

Jesus told us we were to think of our fellow Christians as our brothers and sisters in Christ. I have to believe that is just for our time on earth. I think in heaven we will simply think of everyone there as a beloved member of our family. Everyone will simply be another of God’s children. Everyone in heaven will be someone who is greatly loved by their Father, and everyone else there.

Paul’s family on earth

It’s difficult to know what kind of family relationships Paul experienced while living on earth. We know that he had a nephew, his sister’s son, who exposed the plot against him, thereby saving his life (Acts 23:16–22). Otherwise, the Bible never mentions his brothers, sisters, parents, or cousins. Some believe that because Paul was a Pharisee, he likely had a wife. Most Pharisees were married. If Paul did have a wife, did he also have children? The fact that we don’t know is not unusual. When Paul became a Christian, he would have been declared “dead” in his Jewish faith and therefore dead to his fellow Jews. If he had a wife and family who didn’t want to leave their Jewish faith, they would have been free of any legal ties to Paul.

Or Paul could have been a single man with no other close family ties. Maybe that is why Paul felt free to leave Jerusalem and hunt for Christians in Damascus. Maybe Paul didn’t feel what most fathers would feel if they were torn from their wives and children to be thrown in prison. Maybe Paul didn’t understand the horrors of his actions until later. Did Paul’s family relationships on earth impact his volatile relationships later?

Paul was single during his Christian life and ministry (1 Corinthians 7:8). That fact could have enabled him to be a missionary, entirely devoted to his calling. But Paul led a jailer to faith and then guided his entire family to faith in Christ. Paul saw women come to faith in Christ even when it threatened their relationships on earth. Paul led Timothy to faith even though Timothy’s father wasn’t in the picture. Paul saw families come to faith together, and he saw family relationships that were broken by the Christian faith. 

We can only guess about Paul’s family relationships on earth, but we know he understood and taught that our most important family was eternal. Paul wrote to the Galatians saying, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ’Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:6–7).

Paul saw his fellow Christians as his family on earth, maybe his only family on earth. He wanted Christians to understand what he knew about our eternal family. Paul taught that because of the Holy Spirit, we are a family of faith and God is our Father, our Dad. We will all inherit the promises of heaven and see everyone in heaven as our family for all eternity. We might be slaves on earth but we are joint heirs with Jesus in heaven. 

Can we live and think today like we will live and think eternally?

As I thought about the fact that my grandson is also my brother in Christ, I realized how difficult it is to actually comprehend heavenly relationships. I have not met most of the people who read my words every week through this article, yet each Christian reader is already a member of my family. 

How should that change the way I see the people around me? Should I just expect not to comprehend eternal realities? Or, should I live, think, and pray for people as who they will one day be in heaven, or soberly, think of them knowing that the only other eternal destiny is hell?

If we consider relationships from an eternal perspective, how would they change?

My grandson is also my brother in Christ. We will have an eternal relationship as fellow children of God, our Dad. Jesus provided that relationship to us through faith. I think Jesus would like us to consider people today from that eternal perspective.

Here is what I think about our eternal relationships. Paul wrote to the Ephesians with praise to God, saying, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21). 

Our relationships in heaven will be abundantly better than we could even ask for or imagine on earth. Until then, let’s work hard to experience heaven on earth as often as possible. Amen?

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

A tale of two novels

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” —Romans 11:33

I enjoyed a few weeks off from writing this article to focus on other things. I was able to complete my work for next year’s Bible study and outline a new book project. But I also spent time reading and being still to think. I’ve often said it is an effort to separate our thoughts from the normal daily things that fill our minds. It takes time to think at a new level and in new ways. I’m always amazed by the thoughts and ideas that God introduces when I set aside the average moments and make the effort to think with God and seek his thoughts. Those God-thoughts came in some unexpected ways this time!

Over my break, I read two novels that were excellent, in completely different ways. God used both novels to make me think differently about many things and to stretch my worldview. He gave me answers to the divisions in our culture, and each book also produced (or gave me) some new ideas. 

Two novels that can make a reader think

The first novel was The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, and the second was Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. You’ve probably heard of Kathryn Stockett. She wrote the now-famous novel, The Help, which also became a popular movie. She fell off the radar, however, and lost her contract with her publisher, because it took her fourteen years to write her second novel. She said she just couldn’t write anything she felt had value during those first years. Then, she created and came to know her fictional characters. Stockett credits the dialogue and circumstances we see in The Calamity Club to each of them. A book review in The New York Times is titled, “A Raucous Tale of Found Family by the Author of ‘The Help.’” That is an accurate description of the characters Stockett came to know and write about.

Most people have never heard of Allen Levi, a seventy-year-old lawyer, judge, musician, and now author. Theo of Golden is his first and only novel. A Wall Street Journal article was titled, “Theo of Golden Broke Every Rule in Publishing. It’s an Unprecedented Bestseller.” The article describes the novel as, “a nearly 400-page story of an old man who travels to a fictional Southern city where he mostly sits on a park bench.” Theo of Golden is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. It became a national bestseller simply because so many people shared it with their friends.

Great novels have great characters

I have enrolled in several writing seminars over the years, and the fiction-writing classes I attended always emphasized the importance of “character development.” Great novels cause you to engage with and care about the characters. The characters have to be interesting and believable, and the reader has to be drawn into their lives. Kathryn Stockett’s description of “getting to know” her characters and allowing them to write the dialogue was fascinating. Both novels featured rich character development. But the authors had very different purposes for their characters. As a result, the two novels create different worldviews for the reader.

I listened to a Southern Living podcast with Kathryn Stockett, where she described the thoughts that eventually led to her characters. She said she was inspired by history to write a novel about “the underestimated women” of a particular period. Fair warning: The New York Times was accurate to use the word “raucous.” I actually questioned some of the language and subject matter in this book until I read the epilogue at the back. I realized the book, while very one-sided, was based on historical facts. Let’s just say “the church” is not appreciated in this novel, and the street savvy of the characters is how they overcome oppression from people and politics in their lives.

Allen Levi’s characters were as diverse as the line at the coffee shop where the story begins. His novel isn’t limited to a particular period or a specific category of people, and as a result, Theo of Golden offers a broader view of the world. According to the Wall Street Journal article, Levi created his characters from “people he’d encountered over decades in his multifaceted career.” His novel doesn’t deny the difficulties and differences in the culture but points to the strength of people who embrace those realities. His characters learn to value others and extend grace to those around them. Levi wouldn’t allow the book to be listed as a “Christian” novel because he said that would limit his audience. The church is valued in his novel, but only when the Church, the true family of God, becomes people who are careful to live with biblical values.

Two different worldviews created two different novels

I read The Calamity Club first, and a couple of days later, Theo of Golden. I enjoyed both novels as well-written stories, but was struck by the very different approaches they took to their worldviews. I grieved the historical realities described in The Calamity Club, and it was a window into the way our culture still needs to improve and grow. The racism of the past was evil and, truthfully, is still evil today. Racism has always existed in our world, and it always will because it is an aspect of our sin natures. People are different, and unless our values reflect God’s, we will fail to understand how to love and serve others. 

The Calamity Club teaches that a person’s success depends on their ability to out-smart and out-wit those around them. The characters are rather one-sided, as the New York Times articles described them: “portraits of good and evil, of rich and poor, of women with class and those who can’t afford it.” The men in this novel seem “universally pathetic” and “comically impotent in more ways than one.” The women, in contrast, use the men’s weaknesses to justify their own behavior, and their strength and cunning are what enable them to overcome the odds. The New York Times described Stockett’s characters as “cartoonish,” but the end result is a story of “hell-raising entertainment.” I found those words both accurate and sadly true. 

Theo of Golden takes a very different approach. The characters develop slowly in this book, and the reader gets to know them slowly, much like we come to know people in our own lives. One quote in the Wall Street Journal article said, “Reading this book, you feel like, ‘If I just sit down with my neighbor and talk to them, I can effect change,’ and that’s a very powerful message.” Katie Couric did a podcast with the author, Allen Levi, and said, “To have this gentleman who just exuded kindness and compassion was like an antidote to all the tumult and vitriol in the world.”

Both novels were “good reads” with very different outcomes. If your current worldview is “us against them,” Stockett’s novel will likely be your preference. If your worldview is biblical, you will probably enjoy the complexities, the quiet values, and the realities described in Levi’s book. Reading both novels back-to-back provided a very accurate account of why worldviews clash in our world today. 

Both novels reflect and reveal truth. The question is, which novel do you want as your example for living in this world today?

We need to think as Isaiah 55 teaches

I want to close this article with the words of Isaiah 55. The entire passage is the best biblical conclusion I could write for each of us. That passage encourages us to submit our own thoughts to God. The two novels speak to human strength and weakness, and each of us has both. Isaiah 55:9 is God’s advice for our thoughts. God told the prophet, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

It was wonderful to have a few weeks to think with God. There is a quiet in my soul as a result. God used two extraordinarily different novels to broaden my worldview and to recommit me to the pursuit of God’s thoughts. His are the only perfect ideas in this world. God’s ideas have the power to change our world. That could be the theme of Theo of Golden.

I encourage you to read both novels, back-to-back. (Remember: The Calamity Club is “raucous” and NOT Christian literature.) It is the stark differences between the two novels that make them real and important, and that speak to the divisions in our world today. I honestly think God can use most anything to turn our thoughts to his. We can’t make a difference unless we care about everyone. I think that is the tale of two novels. Theo of Golden is the novel that best explains how caring can become the Christian’s way of life. 

Photo by Tony Hanks on Unsplash

The seven churches: Ephesus

The seven churches of Revelation are located in Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. The Revelation is John’s letter that traveled to many churches, so his messages were for every church then and now. Yet, Jesus pointed out the specific strengths and weaknesses of each church, illustrating how those strengths and weaknesses can impact a church community as well as an individual’s walk of faith.

I remember the first time I walked through the streets of Ephesus, amazed at the beauty and grandeur of the ruins and antiquities. You can make a virtual “visit” if you have never been there. Ephesus was a favorite city for some of Rome’s wealthy leaders. It’s located on the Aegean Sea with cool ocean breezes, making summer heat more bearable. In addition, it was located on a river that brought a continual source of fresh water. The wealthy from Rome could have owned a summer home in the city and often retired to that part of the world. Ephesus was also a major port city, making numerous goods from around the world available to those living there.

Why might Jesus have started with Ephesus?

In his revelation to John, Jesus mentions seven key churches in Asia Minor. Paul visited most of these churches on his missionary journeys. Ephesus was central to the region’s commerce, culture, and politics, and most Christians receiving John’s letter would have traveled to that city at some point.

Ephesus, a cultural seaport city, was well known for its many pagan practices and temples. The temple of Artemis, or Diana, is considered one of the “seven wonders of the world.” Diana was the goddess of fertility, and “worship” in that temple usually involved prostitution. Many sacrificial altars in the city involved dark and evil practices. 

It is thought that John brought Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Ephesus when they were forced to flee from Jerusalem. There is a home that is thought to be where she lived. The ruins of the Basilica of St. John are located next to the site where the apostle is said to have been buried. John ministered to all the churches mentioned in the Revelation, but apparently, Ephesus was his “home,” and Jesus spoke to that church first.

What did Jesus say about the church in Ephesus?

Jesus said, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write, ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:1–3).

The “angel” is likely the pastor who would have read John’s message to the church. The words read are the words of Christ who walks among the churches—the “golden lampstands” (Revelation 1:20). The job of the church and its congregation was to share the light of Christ with others. 

Those in the Ephesian church were given reasons to be proud of their character. John praised them for:

  • Their works or their Christian deeds done for the sake of the church and one another. They “toiled” to serve Christ through the church with patient endurance.
  • They did not put up with the people who “called themselves apostles” but were actually “evil.” John had written letters to these churches warning them to pay no attention to the Gnostics, a group that distorted the gospel of Christ and the original apostolic truth of Paul and others. The Gnostics’ message was considered more popular in Greco/Roman culture, and they had successfully turned some people away from the truth. The Ephesian church had not grown weary of faithfully honoring the pure truth of the Christian faith.

Jesus also said, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4). It’s difficult to fully understand what Jesus meant when he spoke those words. We know these churches had likely existed for about forty or fifty years by this time. Many in the early church were convinced that Christ would return quickly, yet decades had passed without his final coming. Life as a Christian in Ephesus had become increasingly difficult, and many suffered physically, mentally, and financially to continue in the Christian faith. Jesus praised them for their patient endurance but then told them they had “lost their first love.” Quite possibly, their devotion to Jesus and to sharing the gospel message had changed. Jesus told them to “remember” and “repent” or turn back to the “works” they had done at first. 

Remembering our “first love” for Christ is always a good idea—heartfelt gratitude and praise we felt when we realized our souls had been saved and heaven was our promised hope. We eagerly shared our faith with others, excited to share the good news. 

We are to love Jesus now, just as we loved him then. Jesus wants us to remember Easter and all he did to give us eternal life with God as our Father. 

The message to the Ephesian church reminds us that we can be faithful to our works or deeds at the church, yet forget to gratefully love and honor the One who is the reason for our church community of faith. 

Jesus told the Ephesian church, “I will come and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5). In other words, the light of God’s word is hindered or even extinguished if it does not shine through people who love its Author.

What does Jesus hate?

Jesus continued his message to the church in Ephesus with one last important message. He said, “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Revelation 2:6). 

Much study and writing have been done about the Nicolaitans, a group we don’t know much about. A Christianity Today article said, “The Nicolaitans appeared to conform to this Roman culture and seemed to encourage Christians in Ephesus to do the same in a time of dire persecution (1 Corinthians 6:12). In eating the food given to the idols. This implies they had gone to the temples to receive the food and would’ve had to engage in the immoralities there to acquire this meat.” Some believe a man, possibly named Nicolas, had led some in the church to compromise their faith to make their lives more bearable or pleasant. Jesus praised those who “hated” that behavior and said he hated it as well. The Christianity Today article also said, “Overall, the warnings against the Nicolaitans in Revelation emphasize the importance of maintaining the purity of the Christian faith and avoiding compromise with practices that are contrary to the teachings of Christ.”

The message to Ephesus

Jesus closed his message to the church in Ephesus, a message for every church, saying, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

Those who are Spirit-led are privy to the voice of Jesus in their lives today. Jesus promised those Spirit-led believers that they could look forward to an eternity in the “paradise of God.”

If your “first love” has faded, or if you have accepted teaching that is contrary to the pure perfection of God’s word, you can “repent” and turn back to a purer faith walk with Christ. All of us need to “have an ear” and “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” and to us.

These messages are timeless truth, directly from the teaching of Christ to John. We are blessed to read and study his truth. We will be abundantly and eternally blessed if we will listen and heed it today.

Photo by Marc Pell on Unsplash

Six signs you are a genuine Christian

I ran across an article from Huffington Post that caught my attention. The article was titled “6 Signs You’re A Truly Genuine Person.”  The article listed six ways people live according to their true selves. I was curious to see how I measured up, so I read the article.  By the time I reached the third point I knew I would be writing on the subject from a spiritual perspective. I am always amazed when people “discover” truths that God has revealed since the beginning. God has been teaching people how to be genuine since the book of Genesis.

I think one of the greatest needs in our world today is for Christians to learn how to maintain a genuine walk of faith. Unfortunately, we like lists that teach us if we know these six or seven things, then we will have attained X or Y. We need to remember that knowing and doing have always been hard for people. Adam and Eve knew they weren’t supposed to eat the fruit. The Pharisees knew what God’s word said about the coming Messiah. You and I know what God says about loving others and forgiving others, just to mention two. Has knowledge been enough for you? (I’ll plead the 5th!)

Michael Kernis and Brian Goldman are “authenticity research pioneers.”

They found that the following six signs mean that a person is living according to his or her true self. I added the spiritual emphasis to their teaching points. Let me know if you agree.

1. Genuine people have a good sense of self-esteem. They are not arrogant, nor are they overly worried about their flaws. Good self-esteem is found in the middle. A genuine person knows that all people are capable of many things and that no one is capable of perfection. God’s Word put it this way: “Righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24). Christians have a genuine quality when they realize that no one person is better than another. On the other hand, those of us who have discovered our redemption in Christ have been abundantly blessed.

2. Genuine people embrace vulnerability. A person with strong self-esteem can admit when they are failing. You can receive criticism without crumbling. Negative and positive feedback affect the way you think about something you have done, not the person you are.  Proverbs 27:17 reads, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” God will always give us other Christians to hold us accountable and help us. Occasionally, some of them can have sharp edges!

3. Genuine people share their true thoughts, beliefs and opinions with the world. No explanation needed. But God would add this clarification: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). I’ve known a lot of Christians, myself included, that don’t have much trouble sharing our thoughts and opinions – but speaking the truth in love can often be a struggle. Thank goodness genuine people can also embrace vulnerability!

4. Genuine people openly give and receive compliments. Enjoy the success of others. Recognize the greatness that is in others and be an encourager. Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Compliment Christians for what you see the Lord doing in their lives. It may “spur them on” to continue their ministries. But, empty compliments are just that. Refer back to #3. Genuine people tell the truth.

5. Genuine people really listen and prefer deep conversations. Empty conversations are similar to empty compliments. I love the book of James, and this is one of my favorite verses: “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). To that I would add: “One of the best ways to demonstrate God’s love is to listen to people” (Bruce Larsen).

6. Genuine people are driven by an inner voice rather than their surroundings. I think I could have written an entire blog on this one point. The Huffington Post article said, “When you have thought through what you think, what you feel, what’s important to you and why it’s important to you, that determines a certain sense of purpose and directive.” Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). When I wrote my book, Content to be Good, Called to be Godly, I titled the second chapter, “Do You Recognize the Voice of God?” I often tell people that the rest of the book really doesn’t matter unless they understand and embrace chapter two. Who is the author of your inner voice? I hope it is the Holy Spirit of God. Paul told the church in Corinth: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

D.L. Moody said, “More depends on my walk than my talk.” I hope all of us will walk in such a way that the world can believe the message of salvation. Genuine people have genuine faith in the genuine God. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). Genuine Christians listen to that inner voice and then walk in it. Enjoy your journey!

This blog was originally published on August 12, 2014.