The Truth – almost

My first words this week need to be words of gratitude. Many of you donated to our ministry last week through the North Texas Giving Day, and once again, we at Denison Ministries realize we are abundantly blessed. You, our readers and friends, make this ministry possible. We praise God for each of you.

I went back and forth on this blog post. Should I write it or should I not? In the end, the message was so close to the focus of our entire ministry that I decided it was important for us to consider.

If you have been a reader of this blog post for a while, you know I am a huge fan of Christian music. Some of the best “God thoughts” these days are in our music. A song that is playing often now on our Christian stations is one that I almost love. 

The song is practically perfect, except for one important line. The song is titled “The Truth,” and it is mostly true. Take a few minutes to listen to the song by Megan Woods. Are you able to discern the one line in “The Truth” that just isn’t biblical truth?

Why does that one line matter?

I spoke to two groups last week, making this point to both: God’s word is pure truth and doesn’t contain any error. Yet, we live in a culture that often feels the need to alter God’s word to align with or sympathize with people’s emotions, values, and feelings.

All of us at Denison Ministries have committed to a singular value. If we write content, we want it consistent with biblical teaching, even when it might not be a culturally popular subject. We never want to teach something about God that the Bible would not teach.

That’s why one morning when I was enjoying a Christian song titled “The Truth,” I cringed a little when I heard the chorus. Did you pick out the line that doesn’t stand with the “truth” of God’s word?

Megan Woods sings, “I was made in the image of a perfect King.” That is full truth. God is our Father, and he loves us completely, as a perfect King loves his child. But the line that follows that truth says, “He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing.” That one line is just not true. 

Why does that one line matter so much that I wanted to write a blog post about it? 

Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Jesus was praying for his disciples when he said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). If I could rewrite that one line in the song “The Truth,” it would say, “I was made in the image of a perfect King. He saved my soul and changed everything.”

Right now, a great movement in Christian ministry is especially appealing to the younger generations—one that is especially important to correct. The message intends to bring healing, comfort, and self-esteem to a generation that has been greatly impacted by the content and messaging of a lot of the social media they consume. But if a message isn’t biblically true, it won’t be truly helpful to our lives.

That one line in the song matters because while God loves us as we are, he would never leave us as we are. In fact, his great love for us is why he sent his Son to die for every sin we would commit. God gave us Jesus so that we could be “born again” and experience complete change. The problem with that one line is that it dismisses the lifelong journey of sanctification that God wants us to live. 

Why is the need for sanctification crucial biblical truth?

One of the great omissions in much of today’s popular preaching is God’s command to be sanctified. Over and over again, God said in the Old Testament, “Be holy because I am holy.” Jesus prayed we would be sanctified by the truth. 

In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul wrote to Christians who were slipping back into the Gentile practices they had lived with. Paul was very specific about their need to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord continuously. He wrote about their desire to carry on with some of the cultural practices, saying, “But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:20–24). 

To teach that God “wouldn’t change a thing” about our lives is to deny the truth of Scripture. It also gives the listener permission to live without the transforming work of the Holy Spirit that God has given his children. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9–10). 

God, our heavenly Father, loves us as we are. Our salvation means we are his beloved child. The perfection and holiness of God calls his children to live perfected holy lives, growing in wisdom and grace and knowledge of who he is. God wants his children to become more like him every day. 

How might the truth about sanctification change our culture? 

I love almost all of Megan Woods’s song, “The Truth,” but I had to write about that one line: Truth matters because partial truth deceives.

A 2024 WebMD article stated, “Teen mental health problems have hit a new peak in the US, and the gap between the number of teenagers who report conditions like anxiety, depression, and hopelessness and the number of those who receive treatment is increasing.”  Our kids need to know they are loved by a perfect God, but they also need to know that God’s truth is the source of their self-esteem. God doesn’t want to leave them as they are. He wants them to be sanctified by the truth and continuously strive to be like him. Holiness can be their lasting confidence if it is their lifelong goal. The same is true for all of us.

People’s feelings truly matter, just not as much as the truth of God’s word. God made certain we would have his word and be filled with his Spirit so that we could live with the discernment we need to ignore the cultural versions of truth and trust what actually is truth.

It might seem that I have been too picky about one line of a song, but if a song is titled “The Truth,” then it needs to be entirely true. Discernment matters, and as our culture continues to drift from biblical truth, it will become increasingly crucial that God’s children do not.

Our perfect God loves us as we are, but we can be grateful that he wants to change who we are. Our Father wants us to be sanctified, made holy, so we can become more like him.

How is your 401“e” doing?

I’m not sure why the tax season coincides with the Easter season, but it seems a prophetic correlation. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

I’ve been surrounded by forms, receipts, payments, household improvements, medical bills, donations, and a bunch of tax documents that say how much we spent, how much we earned, and how much we still owe. 

Tribulation comes in a lot of ways and the tax season is in my top twenty! 

As much as I hate messing with the tax season, it is a good review each year. All of the paperwork and number crunching is a good reminder of our choices and priorities. Easter, however, is the ultimate review of all that God feels is most important. 

In a word, it is “us.” 

What does God spend?

John 3:16 is the best description of what God spent for our sakes. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

That one verse describes God’s priorities. God loves “us.” He loved his creation. He loved this world. He loved his Son. He loved us with that same perfect love because he can’t love us with less than his best.  

God didn’t just spend; he gave. 

When I compared the money we spent to the money we gave, the two totals were very different. We enjoy supporting God’s work in the world and giving what we don’t need to people who do need it. 

But, the things we gave away were mostly the things we didn’t use or need anymore. When it comes to our income, God asks for a tithe and lets us have most of it for ourselves. But God gave his Son for our eternal salvation and sanctification. 

If we gave everything we owned, our offering would still not come close to the gifts we have received from our Lord.

What does God value?

God gave us Jesus so that whoever believes in him would never die. Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life in heaven. God values things that are eternal. God values everyone so he gave Jesus to everyone. God values our eternal lives; therefore, God gave what was necessary for us to live eternally. 

Now, God values our earthly lives with an eternal perspective. We are loved as his children. We are encouraged, led, and gifted to spend our earthly lives with eternal priorities. He wants to “store up” those things that will be treasure in heaven. 

Your 401“e” – are you planning for your eternity?

My taxes are done and the checks are in the mail. Another year, another return, and another thick file for our records. Whew!!! It is a GOOD FEELING to shut that drawer. 

It would be easy to focus on all that it costs to live in this world. It’s more important to remember that this life is temporary and if we have all that we need to send those checks, we are blessed! 

I remember our first years of marriage when paying taxes meant we had to be careful with our grocery shopping and gas money. We learned how to save for the future, and, while it still isn’t “fun” to write the checks, it is fulfilling to know we are able. 

As we get older, it is also fulfilling to know we have planned for our future. We have been blessed to serve several churches, and now our current ministry, that have wanted to help us save for retirement. There is a sense of security to have invested money toward those years. Thank you, Lord, for things like a 401(k) and other investments. That said, we are hopeful the “roller-coaster” graph will start that uphill climb again sometime soon. The “drops” do make my stomach turn just a bit! 

That’s why our 401“e”s need to be the most important investment we make. The “e” stands for eternity. The “k” in 401(k) stands for a specific IRS code that describes earthly retirement money. We work hard to invest in our 401(k)s, and we should work much harder to invest in things that will matter for all eternity. 

How do you invest in your 401“e”?

God made sure we would know how to invest our earthly lives in eternal priorities. We don’t have to wonder if our 401“e”s are doing well on that roller-coaster graph. 

Consider these verses: 

  • “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lᴏʀᴅ require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).
  • “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17).
  • “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy  6:17).
  • “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

There are so many verses in Scripture that define right, eternal priorities. I can sum them up by saying that when you have filed your last tax return here on earth, you will be presented with your treasure in heaven. 

Your 401“e” will take care of you for all eternity, and every day the Lord gives you on earth will provide the chance to make deposits that will benefit you forever. 

We can live with Easter priorities all year long

I’m glad our taxes are done and we can put that thick file in the drawer! But I’m also glad the annual reminder comes during this time of year. 

I am still grateful for our government and this country, even though it seems to get costlier each year. I honestly don’t want to call any other country home. So, I will pay taxes until I go to heaven and look forward to the day I live in my eternal home.  

If we can live with an Easter perspective all year, we will live more invested in God’s priorities than this world’s. We will file our last tax return one day and we will exchange this life for our lives eternal.  

How is your 401“e” doing? 

Easter is a good time to consider that graph line and make any necessary adjustments to send it or keep it on that steep upward climb. 

Your eternal investments will last forever. 

Some American quarantine positives

Everyone in my family is COVID-19 free and doing well. That enables me to find a few “bright sides” in this time of quarantine a little easier than some. 

I’m really starting to miss a few things, but I’ve also noticed a few things I am really enjoying about these days.

Creativity abounds in this country 

A lot of my phone messages are hysterical these days! 

They come with pictures and video clips that have been created to make us laugh during this COVID quarantine. Granted, some use this for political fodder, but most are about masks, distancing, cures for boredom, and other COVID-created topics. 

My friend sent me the famous self-portrait painting of Van Gogh, depicting him with a hanging mask. (Remember: he cut off one of his ears.) It was funny! 

I’ve also enjoyed the pictures of people going through the supermarket in hazmat suits made from shower curtains, facemasks made out of just about anything, and other funny pics. Most come with great one-liners, and many are just laugh-out-loud moments. 

It just feels great to laugh! 

My husband, Jim, did a Daily Article on Some Good News with John Krasinski. Those clips are definitely not intended to be Christian devotions, but I’ve watched all of the episodes and have enjoyed them very much. 

Most of the time, Americans have a great spirit about this crisis, and many have used this time in some wonderfully creative ways. 

Freedom to think and freedom to create ideas is a great gift. It is fun to see so many using their freedom well. 

Kindness is still a core value for most Americans 

Politics aside—okay, politics way aside—Americans value those who are kind to others. 

We applaud the people who are sacrificing their lives, their bank accounts, their savings, their time, and even their personal ambitions to use this time to be kind to others. 

The reminder for all of us today is, “Have we done more than just applaud?” 

The book of James reminds us to be “doers” of the word, not just “hearers.” Paul told the Ephesian church to “be kind to one another” (Ephesians 4:32). 

If all of us were required to do at least one act of kindness each day, how would that change the world? 

Kindness is a high and worthy standard for the Christian life, and one that our country still applauds. 

Hard work is still an American ambition 

The problems a lot of mayors and governors are facing today are not because people don’t want to work; it’s because they do. 

Working is so much of what our lives are about, especially if our work is also our calling. Most Americans like to have things and don’t mind working to get them. Most want to “have” so they also have something to give. Our church staff members are working hard to understand how they can open the doors for worship, for everyone who wants to participate. 

There are a lot of creative, hard-working people who will figure out how to stay safe, keep others safe, and still get people back to their paychecks. We just can’t put our paychecks ahead of our love for others. We can sacrifice a lot, just not a life. 

Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Paul’s words are perfect for these unique days in our country. Isn’t it amazing how that verse illustrates the enduring truth of God’s word? 

Humility and putting others first has always been God’s standard, and COVID-19 has served as a daily reminder that his enduring standards are high, holy, and for the benefit of everyone. 

Working hard is an important American value. 

Working hard to put others first is a high Christian value as well. 

More quarantine positives 

  • Walking through the neighborhood and waving at people I’ve never seen before.
  • Eating three meals a day with Jim.
  • Not eating a meal, once in a while, with Jim. (Let’s just call this appreciating solitude.)
  • FaceTiming with my grandkids.
  • Time to read lots of novels. 
  • New opportunities to share a word about Jesus with people.
  • An increased awareness for most Americans, that we aren’t the ones who rule the world.

An eternal positive 

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I am a huge fan of King Solomon’s wisdom. I rediscovered a verse from the book of Ecclesiastes. That book contains Solomon’s mature perspectives he recorded at the end of his life. 

Life is full of many seasons, and wisdom is a blessed perspective for every moment of life. 

King Solomon would teach us to see these COVID days with a wise and godly focus, remembering, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 

One day we will all look back at these days from a place of time and wisdom and view our COVID crisis as a time of blessing as well. God has always done what is best “from beginning to the end.” 

America will figure it out—especially if Christian Americans allow God to convey his holy perspective to our hearts and minds. 

Your chance to share some ideas 

I would like for all of you to use the comment section of this article to let us know your favorite quarantine moments. 

(By the way, we fixed the “comment button” so this should work now. Sorry about that last week.) 

What has this time provided you that you will remember as a blessing? 

Thank you for reading this blog post each week. 

I’m blessed to know I have brothers and sisters out there who I will spend all of eternity getting to know.  For now, I will enjoy reading your comments.

Have a great week.

New Every Morning

I raised two sons and, years ago, taught second grade. I remember clearly the excitement, stress, and potential the phrase “back-to-school” used to mean. 

This is a big week for a lot of people, but it is just another week for a lot of people as well. For some, “back-to-school” means huge changes to the weeks and months ahead. 

For people like me, it just means I should pay attention to those blinking school-zone lights while I’m driving.

An eight-month-old teacher

I had the joy of watching my grandkids recently. One morning, I sat with a cup of coffee and really watched them. My youngest grandson, Wells, is eight months old, and God spoke through his young life to remind me of something I tend to forget. 

No matter what I put in front of Wells, he reached for it, touched it, chewed on it, and shook it around. He didn’t want to miss anything. If something was out of reach, he strained for it and didn’t stop trying to get his hands around it. 

For Wells, every day is full of new experiences, and he works hard to learn about everything. “Back-to-school” is every moment of his life. 

God created us for growth

I was watching Wells stretch to reach everything around him when I “heard” my thoughts become these verses: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22–23). 

I thought about the fact that God created us to learn, grow, and strain to know him. Watching my grandson reminded me that one of the great joys of life is that every morning is a new opportunity.  

But, why don’t we always see the newness amidst the sameness

Those two verses of Lamentations offered a lesson about God’s greatness that all of us should strain to learn. 

Only God is both unchanging and new

  • God’s love is steadfast, unceasing. The only thing in our lives that stays the same is God’s love. Everything else changes. Why?
  • God’s mercies never come to an end. God could have made every person, every day, and everyone’s experiences the same. Instead, God created a complex, ever-changing world. Why?
  • God’s mercies are new every morning. God wanted us to wake up every day with the knowledge that we can do and learn something new with our daily moments. Why?
  • Great is God’s faithfulness. God created an always-changing world so we would understand that he is uniquely steadfast. The only thing in life that is unceasing is the powerful love of God. And his mercies are new every day.

“Back-to-school” is for everyone

Proverbs 18:15 says, “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” 

In other words, is there ever a day that wisdom allows us to stop learning? 

God literally created change so we would know his uniqueness in our lives.

God is the only unchanging, steadfast “rock.” The Lord has something new to teach us about himself today. 

We should be straining to fully experience that lesson.

Remember to chew on truth

Wells is sprouting new teeth these days. I had to keep an eye on everything he touched because, if he could get his hands on it, he was going to chew on it.  

Just another of my lessons from an eight-month-old. God doesn’t want me to just hear, read, or realize his truths. I ought to chew on them as well. We need to fully experience God, and, to do that, we need to think about, ponder on, and strain to fully learn his steadfast, unchanging, but always-new mercies.  

Do you need to go back to school today? 

Open God’s word, pray your way through the day, and you will experience God’s new mercies. And the same will be true for tomorrow.   

God spoke to me through my eight-month-old grandson. Let his voice surprise you today. 

It’s a new day—and God is faithful.