It’s time to admit what we already know

A recent Christianity Today article told an interesting story. An Asian refugee immigrated to America thinking it was a “Christian country.” He said he believed that 100 percent of the American population believed in the message of Christ. 

He was surprised and confused when he went to a church and saw pews half-filled, with mostly older or aging adults. The young immigrant thought the younger people must be down the hall meeting in a different place. He later realized that the church didn’t have many people his age.

It might surprise you to learn that now, in America, less than one-in-four people attend church regularly. The number “who never attend has increased by eight percentage points—just since 2018.” It’s time for Christians to humble themselves and admit what we already know. 

Historical, biblical Christianity isn’t doing very well in our country. 

It’s also time for Christians to understand that the declining numbers reflect the future of the American church in the generation ahead. Kids who aren’t raised in church rarely end up in church as adults. 

Are we Europe? 

I have traveled to Europe with my husband and we always enjoyed going into the magnificent churches in those countries. We almost always commented on the fact that, on Sunday mornings, there were only a few older people seated in the pews. 

Is that what people who visit America will say about our churches in twenty or thirty years? 

The same Christianity Today article referenced a recent Pew Research Center report stating: “In less than fifty years, Christianity will likely no longer be the majority religion in the United States.” 

How will that change the character of this country? 

Is there good news about church attendance?

There could be good news, but it needs to be the good news, the gospel. 

The reason Christianity became a worldwide movement is that the Christian gospel is the truth. 

As the Apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith” (Romans 1:16–17). When people believe the gospel message, they receive salvation in Christ, are filled with the Holy Spirit, and their lives are changed. The word gospel means “good news,” and that is still our best news today. Paul finished Romans 1:17 with an important lesson: “The righteous shall live by faith.” 

The traditional, biblical gospel message has the same power now that it had when Paul was preaching it. Paul saw changed lives that, in turn, changed the culture. The pagan Greco-Roman empire gave way to the values of Christianity. Paul wrote the book of Romans, which is still considered the central theology of the Christian faith and presented the gospel to anyone who read it. 

I taught the book of Romans last year and called it “Theology 101.” Paul didn’t dance around sensitive topics. Instead, he dove into that thinking with the ancient truth of God. Paul didn’t put people’s feelings first. He chose to put people’s eternal lives ahead of their earthly situations and taught the gospel message, which transformed their thinking. Preaching the gospel was costly to Paul and it will be costly to our lives as well. But we need to remember the truth matters because the biblical gospel message changes people’s hearts and lives.  

The righteous live by faith so they are able to preach and teach the faith. When they do, others come to faith in Jesus as their Lord. 

Is there good news? 

Yes, but only if Christians are actively sharing the good news, the gospel, with others. Historically, that is the hope for the American church and the hope for our country.  

History matters

Biblical church history is a fascinating study. The ongoing story of God’s people reads like a roller-coaster ride. There has always been and there will always be people who believe in the Creator God revealed in the Bible. Those who believe the Bible know that salvation is God’s gift of grace through Jesus Christ. 

Christian history records eras of great growth and eras of stagnant faith. The church has always suffered when the preaching and teaching left the central truth of the gospel message and began to offer a personal or self-serving version of the truth. 

If we weaken the biblical gospel message, we weaken the church.  

What can we do? 

Sometimes statistics like those in the Christianity Today article sound overwhelming. 

We don’t like to admit our Christian faith isn’t thriving right now. We don’t like the fact that so many of our young adults choose to do other things on Sunday instead of attending church. We don’t like the fact that our kids and grandkids are suffering much higher levels of stress and anxiety. We don’t like to watch our evening news and see the rise in crimes, homelessness, lawlessness, and general dissatisfaction with the direction of things. 

We do talk about our declining churches with our peers. We do try to encourage our family members to know the Lord, but we don’t want to disenfranchise them or damage family unity. We do admit we are Christians, but we don’t usually tell others they need to be Christians too. We invite them to come to church with us for Easter but hope the preacher will invite them to the Lord. 

The righteous live by faith. We know we have eternal life because of our faith in Jesus Christ. But consider this thought: Can we be fully righteous, right with God, if we don’t heed the command to go and make disciples of all nations? 

Our Easter gift to God 

If we could offer just one gift to Jesus this Easter, it should be our obedience to his command. Jesus is deserving of our praise and our humble gratitude. But, if Jesus could ask one thing of the righteous, it would be to help others become righteous as well, living by faith. 

A friend and I were discussing the tension Christians feel today about sharing our faith without offending people in the process. I offered her this picture. 

Imagine a person standing in a warm, sandy spot enjoying the feel of it on her feet. She is happy and peaceful and would rather not be disturbed. 

You walk by and notice a warning sign for quicksand and realize she is slowly sinking lower. 

Would you leave her there to enjoy herself, or would you do everything possible to get her to reach out to you, grab on, and then walk away from that spot? 

That is how we should approach sharing the gospel. 

When we share the biblical gospel message, we are offering a person the most important gift of their lives. 

We are offering them salvation, eternal life in Christ. 

How can we hesitate? How can we leave them slowly sinking in their quicksand?  

It’s time to admit what we already know. The church in America is aging and shrinking. 

We know there is hope but only if we are willing to be messengers of the hope. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples.” Righteous people live by faith and live for the faith. 

May our obedience to share the gospel be our faith offering to Christ this Easter.

Until the whole world hears

Jesus said something to his disciples that seemed an impossibility until it happened.

It was Tuesday afternoon and Jesus had just left the temple gates. He was walking past the stone walls that were used to construct the temple when he told his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). 

Some of the stones Jesus was speaking of weighed as much as a 747 jet. The disciples were confused because, to them, what he was suggesting seemed physically impossible. It also seemed spiritually impossible. Why would God allow his dwelling place on earth to be destroyed? 

Yet, in AD 70, Jesus’ prediction came to pass. 

Jesus took his disciples to the Mount of Olives, where he told them something that seemed an impossibility, until now. 

Jesus told them dark days of tribulation would occur in the future. Then he said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).  

Jesus said that after the gospel was proclaimed to the world, to all nations, at some point the end would come—and Jesus always keeps his word. 

Why is 2030 being discussed as a significant year?

CNET published an article in 2019 that is worth considering. I read several other articles that agree with their thinking as well. The year 2030 is the worldwide goal of several nations and companies. 

Melinda Gates runs the Gates Foundation. She and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma are optimistic that they can help bring about the international cooperation needed to accomplish the goal. The article said, “The hope is that global collaboration will help connect every adult to a ‘digital network’ by 2030.” 

I’ve never been one to speculate about the end times. Scripture makes it very clear that no one knows the day or the hour when Jesus will return (Matthew 24:36). But, Jesus said that when the gospel had been proclaimed to the world, the end would come. 

Everyone who has access to the internet has access to the gospel message. Could it be possible that Jesus’ promise to his disciples on the Mount of Olives will be accomplished because of the internet? 

 

Until The Whole World Hears

Books that speculate on the “last days” or “end times” have been around for a long time. That subject was keenly important to Christian preachers and authors in the years that followed World War II. That was a time when many were convinced Christ’s return was imminent. 

Yet, we are still here. The gospel has not yet been presented and proclaimed to “all nations.” 

Our ministry is an internet ministry. We have felt for some time that our digital ministry has the potential to reach far more people for the Lord than we could have accomplished from a pulpit, platform, classroom, or series of books. The internet is the most potent mission field we have ever seen. 

It has been our privilege to provide many Christian leaders of many nations with tools to share biblical truth with their people. We would never speculate or proclaim that we know Christ is returning soon. We can say that, for the first time in human history, we can see that it could be possible, maybe even in our lifetimes. 

I have written and taught Bible studies for almost forty years. This year’s Bible study is titled Until the Whole World Hears. It is a series of studies that can be described as “last words” from several biblical authors. There are twenty lessons from Scripture because I think the only words that should create our theology about the end times should be those we find in God’s word. 

The lessons are mostly instruction about how God wants us to live, as faithful witnesses throughout our lives. They are the words of Jesus, Micah, James, Paul, and John that God made sure to preserve for us as Scripture, his perfect truth. They are lessons that you and I need to consider if we want to serve the Lord and his purpose in this world. 

I have created written and video lessons that anyone can receive. Simply go to FoundationsBibleStudies.org to sign up for the study, choose Until the Whole World Hears and click the “sign up for free” button on the checkout page (this is where you will create your login if this is your first study). If you have signed up for other studies, you will be redirected to sign in to your account and then hit the sign up button. Once a video releases, you can access it whenever you want, and it will stay in your library indefinitely.

Will the world be presented the gospel in our lifetime?

It is an interesting thought. More importantly, it is a thought that should prompt God’s people to live the kind of lives that our biblical authors encouraged. That is why I wrote this year’s study, and I hope you will want to study along with us. 

What if Melinda Gates and others will be able to connect the population of our world in the next decade? What if all of us, who present God’s word to people via the internet, are able to help accomplish Matthew 24:14? 

Interestingly, the articles, blogs, Bible studies, and more can live long past us on the internet. And God’s truth is unchanging.  

The Bible studies I write today will still be valid truth one hundred years from now, if the Lord tarries. 

I don’t know what God has planned for the world. Jesus didn’t know when he would return, and I know I have no idea. Nor am I claiming that he must come back as soon as the entire world has access to the internet. 

But, I do know this: Jesus never makes a promise that isn’t fulfilled. He can’t speak something that isn’t truth. 

And Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).  

Sign up, study, think, and pray

I would love to work through these important “last words” with all of you this year. I hope you will consider being a part of this study. 

I believe God wants the Remnant, those who are set apart for Christ, to be strengthened in his word. I know God wants us to put feet to our faith and share the gospel message with our culture. It isn’t hard to recognize people’s great need of the Lord when we consider our culture and our world. 

The study is free to anyone who would like it. It costs quite a bit to produce, so if you can make a donation of any size to help reimburse our costs, we would be grateful. 

Our goal is to encourage and inspire a digital awakening and help God’s people live the gospel truth in their daily lives. We were called to change the world. God wouldn’t have called us without equipping us for that call. 

Is Matthew 24:14 possible in our lifetime? 

I think so. 

Please, God, help us to live like we think so.

Amen?

Bringing the gospel back

If you have read this blog for a while, you have heard me voice my disappointment over the Hallmark Channel’s choice to bow to the demands of the LGBTQ community. This Christmas season, Hallmark will air the first “holiday” movie featuring a gay couple who are struggling to adopt a child. But, there is good news for all of you who just groaned inwardly.

There are a LOT of people who don’t want to invite unbiblical thinking into our homes. I’ve written several emails to the board of directors at Hallmark. I’ve also used my blog platform to encourage others to take a stand. 

The good news: our voices are louder than we might have thought. 

Welcome GAC to your televisions

I hope I’m not jumping the gun because this is a new station. But, everything I have read points to a channel you and your family can enjoy this Christmas without wondering if the “holiday” movie will offend. 

GAC’s tagline is “Stories well told.” They are promising to honor family, faith, and wholesome entertainment. 

Bill Abbott is the former CEO of Hallmark and is now directing the GAC channel. An article I read said, “Abbott, who helped Hallmark grow its streaming content and become one of the most popular family-friendly channels in the market, left in Jan. 2020 after the company came under fire after a commercial (and movie) featuring a gay marriage.” 

Again, the GAC station is new and I’ve not seen a lot of their programming yet, but I am encouraged by what I’ve read and seen so far. I wanted to alert you to the new channel for your Christmas season, but I also wanted to remind you that your voice and your values really do make a difference in the world.

Like Paul, we should be “unashamed of the gospel”

Honestly, I think Romans 1:16 is the theme of 2021 for me. I hope it will be for you as well. That verse says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” 

I am blogging this month on what it means to be reconciled to God, drawn into a close and righteous relationship with our heavenly Father. Our theme verse for the month says that God has entrusted us with “the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). You and I have been called by God to share his gospel message with boldness, unashamed and eager to be reconciled to God and help others do the same. Our boldness is born from the fact that the gospel is the power of God “that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). 

Christians have been blessed with God’s power through the Holy Spirit, and we have been given a message that can bring anyone into a reconciled relationship with their heavenly Father.  

Just when did Christians begin to feel “ashamed” to share our message with the world? 

We have been labeled “intolerant fanatics” by some, and that’s okay

I ran across an article last week that I used in my Bible study lecture. I googled “How is intolerance defined?” 

One article listed these three criteria: 

  • In general, an intolerant person displays fanaticism when defending their beliefs and stances.
  • They need security and certainty, even if it isn’t real.
  • They impose their way of seeing the world on others.

Consider the definition above in light of Jesus’ words to his disciples. Jesus “said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16:15–16). 

As I told my Bible study, those who share the gospel message might be considered intolerant fanatics by some standards, but we are disciples by the standards Jesus gave us. We have to choose who we are wanting to please and choose the goals we want to achieve.  

God doesn’t want to tolerate sin because it harms his children. He wants to forgive and redeem sin so people can be reconciled to him. And we are called to be his disciples. 

Disciples are unashamed of the gospel and share the message through the power of God’s Spirit. Disciples help others be reconciled to God and gain the promise of eternal life through Jesus. 

Your influence is more powerful than you realize

Why are God’s people choosing to stay quiet when we have been given this privilege as a disciple of Christ? 

When did we start following the world’s suggestions instead of God’s commands? 

  • Is it inappropriate to share the gospel, or is it an opportunity?
  • Are we forcing our beliefs on others, or are we sharing the gift of salvation we received?
  • Do we have “personal” truth, or is Jesus, “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)?

I often say, “Christians have a message some might find offensive so it has never been more important to speak his truth with his love for others. Our message can seem offensive so we have to work hard not to be offensive ourselves.” 

Christians have not been set aside, as some might suggest. Our message is actually standing out in our culture. 

  • Abortions are happening less often now. Even still, one is too many. Every abortion is taking a human life. Continue speaking up for those not yet born.
  • Television networks are noticing their numbers dwindle as a result of their programming. We vote our values every time we watch—or don’t watch—a program.

Christians should never underestimate our influence. Our only job is to yield ourselves to his Holy Spirit so that Jesus can speak through our words. You will never feel ashamed when the Lord has used your life and your voice to share biblical truth. 

Our message of reconciliation

If you know John 3:16–17, you can lead someone to faith in Christ. The entire gospel message is found in those two verses.  

Let’s fill our homes with strong, family values. Let’s fill our lives with the confidence that comes from living God’s values. Let’s fill our words of influence with “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” 

I’m going to fill my house with a lot more of the GAC station. I will vote with my remote in gratitude for a company that wanted to stand out in the crowd. My hope is that the channel will steadfastly hold to Christian and family values and become one of the most-watched stations in our country. 

Christians who are “unashamed of the gospel” are going to bring that message back to our culture. It’s beginning to happen thanks to all of us who are “intolerant fanatics,” also known as disciples of Christ.  

I’m in. 

Are you?

The difference between churchianity and Christianity

The auto-correct on my computer doesn’t like this title because “churchianity” isn’t a real word. 

It is, however, a real thing we need to consider. 

The difference between churchianity and Christianity relates to our worship.

What is churchianity?

There are so many benefits to growing up in church and continuing attendance as an adult. Church attendance strengthens families, guides the spiritual development of children, and provides a community of faithful people who work to know and care for each other. 

I grew up in church and married a pastor. My favorite people in this world attend church and love the Lord. I sometimes wonder who I would have become if I hadn’t known all the mentors and friends I gained from being part of a church family. 

There aren’t many downsides to lifelong church attendance, but there are a few. Nothing in this world will ever be perfect, churches included. A lot of us love the church and, if we aren’t careful, we can unknowingly confuse that with our love for Christ. 

Churchianity is to worship a church more than we worship Christ.

Not me Lord, not me

It’s possible that your first response to my definition of churchianity didn’t bother you. Those of us who are weekly church attenders would never worship a building or people in the building! 

Or do we? 

Consider these thoughts: 

  • On Sunday morning, do you say you are going to church or to worship?
  • On the way home from church, do you talk about the moments you experienced the Presence of Christ, or do you talk about who was present in the building?
  • Do you remember what you prayed for and learned from the sermon, or do you remember what someone wore, said, or the funny joke the pastor used to open his message?
  • Do you remember the songs you sang or the moments you had with the One you sang to?

We want our focus to be worship of God, yet we all have earthly idols and distractions that hinder our worship. 

There is a reason the first commandment came first. “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). It’s the same reason Jesus said the most important commandment was “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Jesus said “all the law and the Prophets” depend on that priority (v. 40).

Churchianity is not Christianity

I hope you attend a church you love, and I hope you are loved and cared for by your church. It’s supposed to be that way. But don’t ask the church to fulfill your spiritual needs. That is churchianity too. An institution can’t meet your spiritual need because that is the work of Christ. 

We can’t ask a church to be at the center of our lives. Christ belongs in that spot. You won’t find a church that is able to do what only Christ can accomplish. 

A church isn’t great because they have amazing programs, facilities, and a dynamic staff. A church is great if they have the Presence of Christ. A church is great when the Holy Spirit moves among the people. A church is a great institution when it causes people to know and worship Christ. 

Now you understand the difference between churchianity and Christianity. Churchianity draws people to an institution. Christianity draws people to Christ.

Does the definition of churchianity bother you a bit more now? 

I know it bothers me. 

The churches in Vermont

As I mentioned in last week’s blog post, we recently traveled in Vermont. Jim and I thought we were going on a working vacation. Instead, God met us there to change our work. I have no idea how many hours Jim and I spent sharing the thoughts and ideas that were sparked by our visit to that beautiful, yet lost, part of our nation. 

  • Why have so many churches lost their focus and, quite frankly, lost their members? 
  • Why have churches lost their crucial position of leadership in most communities? 
  • Why have churches become institutions instead of “houses of worship?” 
  • Why did the local ABC affiliate feel the need to run a disclaimer before they televised a local church’s worship? 
  • What will happen in the years ahead? 

As I mentioned in last week’s blog post, most of the churches we saw in Vermont were closed during the week. Many of the church buildings are community centers, libraries, or something besides a church. And many of the church signs we saw were more careful to display a “cause” than they displayed “Christ.”

Churchianity is worshiping a cause instead of Christ. (Maybe I should call that one causianity instead.) And that is true even when the “cause” is something Christ would approve. It’s such a fine line sometimes, but the line is there. 

“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). 

In other words, we are always to be more dedicated to our worship of Christ than even the worthiest of our causes. 

It has always been a problem and it always will be

The Pharisees weren’t bad people. They had just lost sight of God. They worshiped their traditions and laws. Their devotion to rules became more important than their devotion to God. As I often say, “If you have been a Christian more than three years, you have Pharisee potential.” We can’t help it. It’s hard not to appreciate what we can prove, test, see, and measure. 

That’s what Paul taught the church in Rome. We don’t even make it out of Romans chapter 1 before he is talking about the “wrath of God” on those who “suppress the truth” of his word. He tells them creation reveals the greatness of God so no one has an excuse not to believe in their Creator.

Yet, every generation has worshiped other gods. Paul said, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” (Romans 1:25). 

We have Paul’s words and the history of Scripture. We know the truth and we know not to worship a “created” god instead of the Creator. 

But, deep down, in that honest place between you and God, is there something in your life that has taken a position of higher value or honor than your Creator? 

Churchianity, causianity, or Christianity?

In the book of Revelation, Jesus gives a message for the seven churches, a message to all churches forever. There were things the churches got right and there were things Jesus “held against them.” But after receiving the message to the churches, John was given a vision of heaven. That vision is in Revelation 4. I hope you will have time to read the entire chapter. 

For now, I want to point out the worship John witnessed that took place in heaven. He saw “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:10–11). 

To all my dear readers: that is Christianity. 

May all of us see that heavenly throne and the One who is seated there. 

May we cast our crowns before him knowing only he is worthy of our worship. 

And may that be our goal until we stand before his throne one day. 

As Christians, we may have Pharisee potential and we will fail sometimes. But, if we know the goal, we know what to shoot for. 

And our world needs us to draw people to Christ because the church can’t save and fill their souls. That work is accomplished by Christ alone. 

May we invite people to church but lead them to the throne. 

Amen?

Every good person needs God

We spent ten beautiful days in Vermont, watching the trees turn the colorful shades of fall. We hiked along streams and through the dense woods, amazed at the sheer beauty of God’s creation. I had never been to Vermont before, and the natural beauty didn’t disappoint.

We learned a great deal while there about the history of the fourteenth state and the history the state is writing today. Jim and I spent a lot of time on our daily hikes talking about the contrasts and what the culture of Vermont should teach us today. 

Six bookstores – zero Bibles

Jim and I rarely walk past a bookstore that we don’t enter, especially when we are traveling. Bookstores are one of the best places to absorb the culture of an area because they sell what people want to read. After visiting the sixth bookstore in Vermont, I decided I needed to spend time somewhere else. 

I found some beautiful wooden boxes in the first bookstore and was hoping they would fit a Bible I have. I carried the box all over the store, looking for their shelf of Bibles. Finally, I asked the woman at the front desk where they might be. 

She reacted with a look I don’t have words for even now. She told me they didn’t carry Bibles. 

I probably reacted with a look she didn’t recognize either. We were both confused. 

I think she was wondering why I would be asking for a Bible in her bookstore. I was wondering why a bookstore didn’t carry the most important number-one bestseller ever printed. I thanked her for the help, purchased a couple of cards I liked, and then left the store.  

The woman at the bookstore was kind, but I’m fairly certain she was also very lost. There was a line of people behind me waiting to check out. I wish I could have invited the lady at the bookstore to have a cup of coffee and a conversation about the Bible.  

Lots of churches – little worship

Jim and I also have a habit of visiting churches wherever we go. We like to walk in the sanctuary and get a feel for what God’s people are up to in the area. 

Vermont has some of the most quaintly beautiful churches I have ever seen. Years ago I saw a calendar of the churches of Vermont that planted the ideas for this trip. I have wanted to visit Vermont for a long time so I could see that beautiful state and those country churches with all their history. I wanted to visit the quaint towns and learn their history. The history of Vermont dates back to the birth of America.  

Every small town had a beautiful church at the center. Most had tall white steeples and a cemetery beside them. The headstones were old and often unreadable, dating back to the early 1800s. The churches, like the cemeteries, have stories to tell about how difficult it was to survive the wars, the winters, and the other worries of life in the colonial years and after. 

We wanted to go in those churches and visit the places where people have worshipped for centuries. Of all the churches we visited, only one was open during the week. Some of the churches still met for worship on Sunday mornings, but many of the churches aren’t churches anymore. 

We were surprised at the number of church buildings that were community centers, libraries, or something else other than a church. Many of the steeples had come down and were not rebuilt. The former churches were often homes or places of business. 

Vermont is listed as one of the least religious states, with only 21 percent of its people attending a church of any kind on a weekly basis. That percentage is even worse than it appears given that many of the churches that still exist in the state proudly display signs and flags indicating they don’t align their worship with God’s word. 

Vermont is a mission field

Vermont is one of the most beautiful places God created in this country. The citizens are dedicated to their environment, their country, and their causes. I’ve never seen so many American flags proudly waving from the porches of homes. 

Vermont has a small population of dedicated Americans, most of whom vote completely differently than I do. Faith issues are not important to the majority of their citizens and are actually considered by many to be the root cause of what is wrong in our country. 

Truthfully, most of the people in Vermont are much more concerned about America than I am. And I am much more concerned about Americans than most of them. For most of the people in Vermont, this life is all that matters, and they are ready to fight for whatever makes their life on earth what they want it to be. 

I want to encourage people to focus their priorities on their eternal lives.  

There are a lot of good people in Vermont who need God. That was the topic of almost every hike and car trip that Jim and I had on our vacation. 

How do you give God to good people who don’t know they need him? 

Christians are ambassadors for Christ

Vacationing in Vermont was like walking the streets of a movie set. The quaint towns appear to be a slice of Americana, yet, if you look behind the facades, there is a great emptiness. The incredible natural beauty displays the existence of God to people who refuse to see him. They have exchanged their worship of the Creator for worship of the created (Romans 1:25). Most worship what God has made rather than the God who made it.  

Most of the people in Vermont don’t believe in God and don’t believe they need the salvation his Son died to provide. They don’t understand there is a Creator who wants to be their Father. They have reconciled themselves to the realities of this world because they don’t realize they need to be reconciled to God. They embrace and fight for their lives on earth because they don’t believe in a life eternal.  

If the Apostle Paul were alive today, he would want to go to Vermont and start evangelical churches, filled with people who would share their faith with others. He would call the Christians in the state to live boldly for the gospel message of Christ. He told the Christians in Corinth that God had entrusted them with “the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Paul said, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).  

Christians need to live as ambassadors for Christ, which means we need to be reconciled to God. When we are living rightly with God, we can help people understand they need him too.  

God entrusted Christians with His message

No matter where I go, I am called to be Christ’s ambassador. At first, it felt strange to carry my religion around in Vermont. Jim and I honestly felt like foreign missionaries in our own country. But what felt odd at first began to feel like our great privilege. We were able to have several conversations as “ambassadors” for Christ.  

We are now back home but still thoughtful. Is Vermont setting the direction for America, or will God’s people do that? 

Honestly, we don’t have that answer. 

Will the ambassadors for Christ prosper, or will the prince of this world have the most persuasive debaters?  

We enjoyed visiting with the good people of Vermont. We came home reminded of the fact that Christians are called to help good people understand their need for God. We are ambassadors and missionaries everywhere we go.  

It was good to travel in the beauty of God’s creation and remember that all people need to know and worship their Creator. As Christ’s ambassadors, how will you and I represent him to the people we encounter today?

The Hillbilly Elegy lessons for life

Can an R-rated movie teach biblical lessons? 

Sometimes. 

Do me a favor and stick with this blog post to the end. 

Jesus was sharing a final lesson in the upper room when he said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

Do you ever hear something so often the profound gets lost in the familiarity? 

Did you skim God’s verse above after reading the familiar words, “I am the vine; you are the branches?” 

Did the last line have its necessary impact? 

Jesus told his disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” 

I watched a movie this past weekend that took me on a thought journey. Those thoughts ended with this one: I wonder how many moments in my life I thought were nothing events will end up being something that mattered in heaven. 

There are Spirit-led moments in our lives when Jesus does something through us. Those are the moments that matter eternally. 

Conversely, there are also moments we think are something but in the end were nothing. (Think of Solomon’s description in Ecclesiastes 1:14: a chasing of the wind.) 

Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

THE R-RATED MOMENTS IN SCRIPTURE 

I often teach people that God speaks to his servants who will listen. I use Samuel’s lesson from Eli, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9 NIV). 

Jim and I watched Hillbilly Elegy and then spent a lot of time discussing what we saw and heard. I even had a conversation with a good friend. 

I need to give all of you a forewarning. The language in the movie is awful, the plot depressing, but the truth profound. I should probably say, “If God calls you to watch this movie, you should.” I know it is not a movie for everyone. This movie was raw, but it was also real. 

Hillbilly Elegy is on Netflix and rated R because of the language and the story itself. Jim and I would normally avoid movies like this one, but we felt like we should see it, and I’m glad we did. 

I was once again reminded that there are millions of people in this country, and in our own cities, who are lost and need a way out of the darkness. Their lives are rated R, but they deserve to know Jesus died for them and wants to bless them with his love and salvation. 

The first lesson learned: Real life can be rated R, and I don’t want to think about that. But, should Christians ignore or avoid difficult truth because of its R rating—or should we pay closer attention? 

There are a lot of passages in Scripture that are rarely taught or preached on Sundays because they seem inappropriate in church. Yet, God made certain to include them in our Bibles. Some of God’s word would be rated R if depicted in a movie, but it is still truth God wanted us to have. God never gave us permission to soften or reword Scripture. 

Some biblical passages would be rated R because God wanted us to know what lost looks like—and to care. 

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS JESUS 

One of the recurring themes of Hillbilly Elegy is the main character’s need to get away and separate from his “hillbilly” roots. He succeeds in life because he refuses to stay. 

There was a biblical message of truth the author probably didn’t intend. The truth of God’s word is true for the saved and unsaved. Truth is equally proven by the people who don’t believe it as by the people who do. 

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Every person remains lost until he or she decides to take the way out. It is difficult for Christians who have found their escape to understand why so many choose to remain lost. The movie does a good job explaining that choice. Everyone has to give up some things to choose a better way. 

Christians give up a lot of what the world has to offer when we choose to walk with Christ. Lost people don’t always understand or approve of our choices. A lot of what Christians gain through salvation is received eternally, not now. It is difficult for someone to want a way out if they have to give up what they have grown comfortable with on earth.

UPROOTING THE LOST 

Christ wants to do something through our lives. But he can’t produce his fruit in a life that isn’t grafted with his. We can’t remain planted in the world and be grafted onto the vine at the same time. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). 

The second lesson learned: A lot of people are deeply rooted in their own lives. If you have ever tried to dig up a deeply rooted plant or tree, you know it is difficult. But, the people who never get grafted to the vine are not going to survive eternally. Apart from Jesus there is nothing they can do to reach heaven on their own. Apart from Jesus there is nothing we can do to uproot the lost. With Jesus, we can do something to help. 

Jesus desperately cares about those who are rooted in the world and therefore not grafted in him. If we are drawing our strength and motivation from the vine, we will think and act like Christ. We will produce his fruit in our lives. The only chance a person has for eternal life is Jesus. 

Are we as desperate to care about the unsaved as our Lord does? 

WITH CHRIST WE WILL DO SOMETHING 

I watched a Christmas program Dolly Parton offered this year. She is in her mid-seventies now, and it is evident she has always cared about her roots. Her life has a “hillbilly elegy,” but she escaped some of that life through her music and fame. She always returned, however, because of her roots in God’s truth. She grew up in a family where faith mattered. It is obvious that faith is a high priority at this stage of her life. 

No one watching her show tonight could miss the impact the Lord has made in her life, and her desire to share her faith was evident. She has been a woman who found unbelievable success, but her satisfaction is evident in what she is able to do for the Lord. 

She did a wonderful job allowing Jesus to use her music and words to share his love. She sang a new song she’d just written for these difficult days of 2020. She wanted to share the hope of faith in God’s miracles. She said she wanted to do something to help. 

I think the Lord did that something through her. 

DO SOMETHING 

Today we need to be present in the upper room and hear Jesus say, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We need to believe those words just as much as those first disciples did. If we live attached to the Vine, we will produce the fruit of his Spirit. We will do something instead of nothing, and people around us will have the chance to know Christ. 

What are the something moments of your life? 

If you walk with Jesus, there are more of those times than you realize. 

The third thing I knew after watching that movie was this: Jesus deeply cares about those who are lost. If I’m drawing my priorities from the Vine, I will care too. 

The movie and the Christmas special were reminders that people can easily remain lost unless Christ does something through someone who knows that nothing eternal happens apart from him. 

I need to do a lot more something. 

How about you?

Chasing peace in a Walmart parking lot

I am now on Instagram, even though I’m still not quite sure what it is. I’ve always thought it was a place to post pictures of babies, dogs, and prom dates.


If you happen to know what it is and are on it, I hope you will follow me here.

I waited in my grocery pickup spot at Walmart for twenty minutes. 

My grocery order was ready, according to the app. This was the grocery order that was supposed to have been ready three hours earlier. 

I watched as I waited. Angry people got out of their cars demanding groceries and answers. They didn’t want to spend their Saturday in the parking lot either. 

The winds were howling, things were swirling in the air, and all of us wished we were somewhere else, doing something else. Then my order arrived. 

The person in the car next to me jumped out and demanded to know why I was getting my order when they had pulled into their spot before I had pulled into mine. 

That’s when I noticed the face of the young man delivering my groceries.

Chase peace 

The young man was gripping the cart and had to lock the wheels because the wind was blowing it around. He tried to explain that my order had been scheduled for pickup three hours earlier and orders were running way behind that day. He was cursed at before the angry person pulled away. Quickly, two cars fought for the newly emptied spot next to me. 

I got lucky that day. I was as cranky as the person in the car next to me. I had better things to do with my day than wait for a bunch of groceries. 

Then I saw my own attitude acted out in front of me. 

And I saw the face of the young man, who wasn’t to blame, being blamed. 

I got lucky that day because God gave me a chance to change my attitude before I spoke. 

The young man quickly put the groceries in the back of my car, trying to get his job done, and go on to the next person. Out of all the angry people in that parking lot, he had the right to be the angriest. Instead, he looked beaten down. He had just been cursed at because he came to work that day. 

I got lucky because I was given the chance to change my attitude before it was my turn to speak. 

The Bible says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19). Christians aren’t told to wish for peace; we’re told to pursue it. 

You’ve heard the familiar saying, “You get what you look for.” God told us to chase after peace. Pursue those things that cause and create mutual upbuilding. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9, emphasis added). 

I wrote this blog post in my head as I drove home. 

Chase peace, not privilege 

The news this week is tough. 

Our country relaxed our attitudes and now COVID is once again the lead story. Last spring, they told us the fall months would bring a second wave. We shouldn’t be surprised, but we seem to be. Americans are used to our freedoms and used to doing and having what we think we deserve. 

The person in the car next to me thought she deserved her groceries first. I thought I deserved my groceries three hours before I got them. The young man hauling our food deserved our gratitude. None of us were getting what we deserved. 

Americans are a privileged people, and we chase our privileges. God’s word tells us to chase peace, not privilege. “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). 

All of us sat in our comfortable cars, impatient because our grocery orders were delayed. Meanwhile, a young man pushed a cart in the wind and unloaded our food into our cars—and we thought we deserved something better. 

I looked at the young man’s face and realized he was doing his best and no one thought that was good enough. 

The next couple of months might seem like things aren’t good enough. The holidays are going to be different. The holidays this year should be different, if you want them to be safe. 

Are we chasing God’s peace for our present reality, or do we feel like we deserve something better?

Chase peace as a priority 

The highest priority for the next few months is to keep people safe until they can be vaccinated. All of us are tired of waiting. Some will get the vaccine first and others will be forced to wait. Everyone will need to “pursue peace,” but only some will. 

Today is a good day to make your choice. 

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). God’s children are blessed when they make peace. Creating peace in this world is our Christian priority. 

Why is peacemaking our job? 

That question is answered by Jesus’ half brother, James, the same brother who probably argued with Jesus about his preaching in Mark 3. James later wrote that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). 

Christians are tasked with making peace, not wishing for it. Our blessing, our eternal reward, and our “harvest of righteousness” result from that priority. 

Are you peaceful and content with your blessings these days, or wishing for something more? 

Let’s not wait for a vaccine to bring us peace. Let’s pursue peace now. 

We are children of God, tasked with peacemaking. Our blessing will be a harvest of righteousness. 

Who will be right with God because we choose to pursue peace? 

Chase peace as an opportunity 

When I met the eyes of the young man loading my groceries, he quickly looked away. I think he thought I was going to complain about the long wait. 

Truthfully, if I hadn’t seen him get “cursed,” I might have missed an opportunity. 

Instead of venting about the inconvenience, I was able to speak some words of peace, gratitude, and compassion. I got lucky that day. I was given the opportunity to witness someone else’s sin so I could recognize my own. I was given the opportunity to serve the Lord’s purpose. 

When the young man’s eyes looked up again, I was able to see a tired smile and I was blessed. 

All of us have opportunities ahead, especially in the next couple of months. This is a good day to decide how we are going to “pursue peace” in a season that is about peace. 

We don’t pursue peace by hoping for it. 

We are called to “make peace” for the sake of others and for ourselves. 

When you chase peace, you chase God 

I will close this blog with the words Paul wrote to close his second letter to Corinth: “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11). 

The next few months are an opportunity. 

Let’s commit to being peacemakers in a culture that desperately needs peace. 

Paul reminds us that when we aim at peace, we are literally seeking the presence of God. 

Don’t hope for peace; make peace. “And the God of love and peace will be with you.” 

I lived Paul’s words while driving home with all my groceries. 

As it turned out, I didn’t have anything better to do that day.

P.S. Have you signed up for my bible study, Foundations of Faith, yet?

It’s not too late, we just released another lesson!

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Have you seen Hobby Lobby’s Christmas ad for 2020?

If you haven’t watched the entire Christmas ad from Hobby Lobby for 2020, you should. 

The ad runs for more than a minute, so they are only running snippets of the ad right now. But the whole ad, seen in its entirety, will move your heart. 

I thought about saving this blog idea for a few weeks. After all, it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. 

But, I think Christmas 2020 is going to require some extra time for planning. (At least everyone who is responsible for shipping packages is telling us to plan ahead!) 

This Christmas will be unique because of the COVID-19 virus, because of continuing political angst, and because many of our holiday traditions won’t be very traditional this year. That’s why, when I saw this ad, I decided I should make sure all of you could see it as well. 

Hobby Lobby nailed it. 

I think they presented our country with an important message for our Christmas season. 

In a nutshell, Hobby Lobby reminds us that Christmas is what we make it. 

Hint: before you read the rest of this blog post, make sure you watch the ad. 

Who is our neighbor?  

That is the question an “expert in the law” asked Jesus because the expert was trying “to justify himself” (Luke 10:25–29). 

A lot of us could tell someone the story of the Good Samaritan, but it’s important to understand why Jesus told the story if we want to learn from the story. 

The verses preceding the story of the Good Samaritan put it in context: 

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” —Luke 10:25–29

The expert in the law wanted to know the law. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37) so the man would realize that it wasn’t about knowing as much as it was about doing. 

Jesus asked him, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:36–37). 

Neighbors have always mattered to God 

Sometime later, the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus again when they asked him to name the most important commandment. 

I’ve often quoted those verses, but Jesus’ answer was based on the Levitical law that originated with Moses: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18). 

The last phrase, “I am the Lord,” would not have been spoken by Jesus, but it would have been known by the Pharisees. Christians today miss a lot if they don’t know what Jesus and the Pharisees understood. 

When you see Leviticus 19:18 in the Bible, the word Lord is printed in capital letters, indicating it is the high and holy name God gave himself. It is the name we translate as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah,” meaning “I am.” 

No Jewish man was allowed to speak the name because it was considered too high and too holy to say. But, Jesus and the Pharisees knew the reason for the most important commandment to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” 

We love because God, the great “I am,” commanded it. 

We know that the Good Samaritan did the right thing. But Jesus would tell us the same thing he told the expert in the law: “Go and do likewise.” 

Obedience begins with knowing what to do, but we haven’t been obedient until it is done. 

A perfect Christmas ad 

There is a reason the ad from Hobby Lobby meant so much to me. 

Jim and I were working in our garage a couple of weekends ago. It was the week for big trash pickup, and we had a lot of “stuff” to get to the curb. 

It was a beautiful morning, and several neighbors were out walking and stopped by to speak to us. We have lived in this neighborhood for almost twelve years, but we had never met them before. My husband and I both enjoyed meeting them and getting to know a little of their story. 

Later that day, I received two text messages indicating that those neighbors had felt the same way. I told Jim that I want us to do a better job at being a “neighbor” in the days ahead. And I don’t want to wait until “after” COVID to find ways to do that. 

That is the part of the ad that touched me. An older couple helped two young people have a better holiday—even during a COVID Christmas. 

God will cause a lot of people to cross our paths during our lives. All of them have a need of some kind that we can help with. It might just be meeting the need for kindness and companionship. We can “love our neighbor as ourselves.” 

In fact, for God’s people, loving our neighbor is the best way to love ourselves. People who share kindness are most often those who receive it. That’s the culture the Lord would want for us to live in. 

The people in the story of the Good Samaritan each had an excuse for not stopping to help. None of them had a reason. Jesus—who was, is, and always will be God—knew the expert in the law was aware of the right thing to do. 

But he also knew there would always be excuses to do something else. So Jesus taught him how to define neighbor. A neighbor is the one who understands that our great “I am” has commanded us to be merciful. 

We love and obey God when we “go and do” what the Samaritan did.

Christmas, and the rest of the year, is what you make it 

Who are our neighbors? 

They are not necessarily the people we share a street with; our neighbors are those we share our lives with. 

Most importantly, they are the people God places on our daily paths. Caring for them might not seem like much in the moment. But when God puts a person in your path, he or she is the most important choice for that moment. 

The theme of the Hobby Lobby ad is “Christmas is what you make it.” Whom does God want your Christmas to be about? 

“Go and do” whatever the “Great I Am” commands. 

That’s how we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. 

We all have “neighbors” to love. 

Let’s plan ahead, get creative, and “make” this a great Thanksgiving and Christmas season—for his glory. 

NOTE: Our Advent devotional for 2020 is now available, and it was such a joy to write and compile Our Christmas Stories: 26 Reflections to Enrich Your Christmas Season. 

More than a few of you will find your stories in this book! 

And, while each story differs—some may even provide you with new Christmas traditions—they all ultimately celebrate the “good news of great joy” of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:10). Request your copy of Our Christmas Stories today!

God’s team gets the win

People used to make jokes about the Dallas Cowboys being “God’s team,” but it’s really “Jerry’s hobby.” 

I’d like to say that everyone would say last Sunday’s Dallas Cowboys game was incredible. But, we used to pastor in Atlanta, and I’m sure there are a lot of our friends there who would disagree. So, let’s just say most people would say the Cowboys/Falcons game was amazing. 

Believe it or not, that game inspired this blog post. 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Cowboys play with less energy than they played in the first quarter. They looked like they had not slept the night before, or that all of them had the virus. It was beyond frustrating to watch! 

Then they woke up. 

They played like a different team and had one of the biggest comebacks in history. I don’t understand why they seemed asleep in the first quarter, but I hope they figure it out a little earlier for next week’s game. 

The team looked depressed, and I wondered if there had been disagreements among the players. There is a lot of pressure on some to kneel and a lot of pressure to stand. There are people who are first string and others who want to be. What kinds of discussions or disagreements take place before a game? 

At some point, everyone in a Cowboys jersey decided to agree they were there for one reason: to win a game. 

And they did. 

It’s time to win 

God’s family is diverse. We don’t vote the same, look the same, or agree on the kind of music we want to hear. Some dress up, some dress casually, and some don’t have the luxury of making a choice. When we get to heaven, there will be unity all the time. 

Until heaven, we are all different. 

Most of the rhetoric these days is about the divisions among people. We spend a lot of time discussing our differences. But what about our commonalities? There are a lot of things all of us know are true. I think it is time to focus our thoughts in that direction. 

The Cowboys aren’t “God’s team”; Christians are. What if we are in the fourth quarter of human history? 

One thing is certain: we need to win the game. 

It’s time to take some chances 

According to an NBC Sports column, there was about a 6 percent chance that the Dallas Cowboys were going to recover that fourth-quarter onside kick. But, they took the chance because it was their only chance of winning the game. 

Is it time for God’s team to take some chances, even if the percentages aren’t on our side? 

According to one survey, 97 percent of people come to faith in Christ before the age of thirty. After thirty, the number of people who accept Christ as their Savior drops to just two percent. 

Don’t read further until you allow those numbers to sink in into your soul deeply and profoundly. 

God’s team is playing like the Cowboys in the first quarter of Sunday’s game. 

We are flat, lifeless, depressed, and completely out of the game. But here is a thought that should matter. The Cowboys only had a 6 percent chance at recovering the onside kick—but they did. They won Sunday’s game because they took a chance at the impossible. 

Are Christians today even attempting to buck the odds and take a chance? 

Biblical history is about attempting the impossible 

  • God created everything and everyone out of nothingness. All that is needed is God. 
  • God brought the floods and spared only a few. The only thing crucial is faith.
  • God provided a holy land to people who could never have conquered the enemy. God’s Presence was the only power they needed.
  • God disciplined those he loved, and they lost the land. Life eternal is always more important than the comfort, wealth, and safety of our earthly lives.
  • God sent his Son. Human beings were never going to choose his laws, so he allowed them to choose his forgiveness.

This could be the fourth quarter of the game. Is it time to attempt the impossible? 

Mary was just a teenage girl when the angel came to her and told her she was going to have a baby. She knew it wasn’t “possible.” And then the angel told her, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). I think that if the angel Gabriel brought a message to Christians today, it would be to remind us that we serve the God who has always made the impossible happen. 

We know the truth; we just need to trust the truth. 

Mary knew there was a 0 percent chance she could be pregnant. She also knew that if it were God’s will, it was 100 percent possible. 

We need to trust God instead of percentages. 

Trust what is certain 

Trust God’s sovereignty. 

Our news reports will be filled with percentage points and polls. Trust that God will remain in charge, regardless of any election. 

God told the prophet, “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’” (Isaiah 46:9–10). 

Pray, vote, and trust God to accomplish his purpose. He will. 

Trust that everyone you see is destined for heaven or hell. 

The Bible makes it clear, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). 

It isn’t our job to hope a person will go to heaven. It’s our job to make certain they understand their choice. Christians need to return to their first priority. We are disciples of Christ, called to make disciples of others. Nothing is more important than that priority. 

Trust that Christians will win. 

Have you felt like God’s team is losing the game? 

I wouldn’t have given the Cowboys any chance of victory last Sunday. Actually, I don’t give them much of a chance next Sunday. They are human beings, and every game is an uncertainty. 

Christians don’t need to ever doubt the outcome of their lives. For every person who has put their faith in Christ “will be saved” (Romans 10:13). 

We have a 100 percent chance of victory because Christ assured the outcome. 

Celebrate your victory 

I’m grinning right now as I type, thinking about the way Dak Prescott, the Cowboy’s quarterback, left the field jumping with joy, wearing a huge grin on his face. He had achieved an impossible victory. Nothing else mattered. 

What do our faces look like today? 

If people see us, will they know we are victorious?

Trust the outcome of the game, not what appears to be true according to the clock. Satan’s goal is to convince us to believe his statistics, not God’s. He is really good at convincing unbelievers, especially those who have reached their thirtieth birthday. We need to tell people the truth. 

We need to live like we just won the game! 

Evangelism is living with the truth of God and sharing it with others. What if our generation is living in the fourth quarter of the game? 

We need to play the game with that intensity. It’s time to win. In fact, we already have—so let’s make sure others join our side of the field. 

God’s team is going to win, and it will be a great celebration very soon. 

P.S. Have you signed up for my bible study, Foundations of Faith, yet? It’s not too late, we just released lesson 2!

Visit https://www.janetdenisonbiblestudy.com/ to sign up for this study, if you’ve already signed up you can login and access the newest video too.

Are you comfortable with holiness?

Quick note: The Bible study videos will post on Mondays, beginning next week.  The videos are free to everyone but in order to view them you will need to register your email address at: https://janetdenisonbiblestudy.com/ 

We have the study guide, Foundations of Faith available at our cost and we can ship them immediately.  I look forward to sharing this study with you….Janet

Do you remember when Christians were occasionally accused of having a “holier-than-thou” attitude?

Holiness became something we thought we were supposed to avoid in order to make others feel better about themselves. 

Sadly, holiness is our calling and our great gift. 

To start with, what is holiness? 

Most of our discomfort with the word can be cured with a right understanding of the definition. 

We need to define the word like Scripture defines it and not as our culture does. 

The biblical meaning of “holy” 

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for holy, qodes, meant “things belonging to God.” 

There were altars, places, the temple, and items involved in worship that were to be “made holy” by consecrating them only for God. 

In addition, God told Moses, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The people of Israel were set apart and asked to live holy lives because they belonged to God and therefore were consecrated for his holy work. 

In the New Testament, the word for holiness is similar but not exactly the same. Hagiazo meant “things that are made holy.” A person is made holy through the blood of Christ, and we are set apart from others in our world as a result. 

According to the New Testament, those who have received the Holy Spirit of Christ have been made holy. 

Christians are holy. 

We don’t need to work to be holy. We work to live as holy. 

Are you comfortable with your holiness? 

It’s not easy for Christians to see ourselves as holy, but we are. 

Jesus paid for our eternity. We have a new name. We are the adopted children of God. We have a first-class, paid-in-advance room on the ark. 

In other words, we survive the world’s upcoming flood eternally. For now, holiness means we live on the ark, separated from the world but still in it. 

The only remaining questions are: When will the rain begin, and when will God shut the door? 

Holiness is living our redeemed life 

I really enjoyed watching A Rush of Hope over the Labor Day weekend. 

According to reports, thousands of people gave their lives to Christ for the first time because they watched. Greg Laurie’s message was clear, biblical evangelism. A lot of people “booked their room” on the ark. 

I also watched I Can Only Imagine one more time. Laurie used clips from the movie in A Rush of Hope. I Can Only Imagine is a great reminder of the power of God to change a person’s life. 

In the movie, Bart Millard said something like, “My dad was a monster. But he became a good man through his faith in Christ. If Jesus can change my dad from a monster to a good man, Jesus can redeem anyone’s life.” 

If you grew up in the church like I did, our redeemed lives probably don’t look drastically different than our lives before salvation. But they are. 

Do you ever think about what your life would look like if you hadn’t met Jesus? 

Maybe we should rewrite the first line of Millard’s song with that thought: I can only imagine what it would be like If I could never walk by his side. 

We are called to be holy

I wrote a book more than a decade ago and titled it Content to be Good, Called to Be Godly. 

I was a preacher’s wife who felt like God’s church was headed in some wrong directions. Evangelism had often been exchanged for tolerance, and tolerance had offered inclusion. The problem was, some felt included by the church who might not have been included on the ark. I wanted to write a book to help people understand what God wants for our lives. 

God’s standards are high and holy. Jesus came to be both Savior and Lord. We aren’t allowed to lower God’s standards of faith in order to make people more comfortable. 

Why do Christians want to believe we are supposed to try to fit in with non-Christians? 

Why do we think we are supposed to act more like the world so that the world won’t think of us as “holier than thou?” 

Arrogance isn’t godly, but neither is pretending to be less than holy. 

Our faith in Christ sets us apart from the rest of the world. We have been “made holy.” Jesus paid the ultimate price for our safe passage on the ark. 

We shouldn’t want to go swimming in the floodwaters. 

Get comfortable with holiness

The point of this blog post is this: if we are uncomfortable with holiness, we probably won’t wear it. 

First Peter 5:5 tells Christians to “clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” In other words, holiness looks a lot like humility. We are supposed to wear it so Jesus will be noticed, not us. 

We didn’t earn our passage on the ark; it was a gift from Jesus. Let’s wear our gratitude for his gift each day. 

It isn’t comfortable at first, but, like most well-made garments, it gets more comfortable over time. In fact, if we wear our holiness every day, it might begin to feel like our favorite old T-shirts. 

People are observing our lives, and we will have the opportunity to help some gain safe passage on the ark. Everyone has been offered a ticket, but each person needs to get on board—before the rain starts and God closes the door. 

Get comfortable with your holiness. 

God paid a great price so you could own it. 

When the gate closes and the ramp is withdrawn, everyone will be wearing holiness. 

Then we will feel like we belong in the crowd. 

Until that day, get comfortable with feeling set apart, consecrated to God.