God, not earthly judges, determines what is right and wrong!

Question: When it comes to moral issues, do our votes still count?

Answer: First, remember how blessed we are to live in America where citizens have the Constitutional right of freedom of religion! We are also part of a democracy, so we are able to vote for those who govern over us. The majority vote wins. However, in many states, the majority vote of the people has been overruled by the majority vote of court judges — including the judges of the highest court in our country — the U.S. Supreme Court.

For example, a few years ago, over 60% of the voters in North Carolina voted in favor of Amendment One. This Amendment upheld marriage as only being recognized as a legal union between one man and one woman. But the people’s vote was overruled by court judges. So, even though Jesus, Himself, reaffirmed this one-man one-woman definition of marriage (read Matthew 19: 4-6), earthly judges are trying to push a different meaning. These judges are saying that marriage between two men or between two women is not only just fine, but a legal right. But by simply reading God’s Word, including Romans chapter 1: 18-32, Believers know that God includes homosexual behavior among many sins. We also learn that we all have committed sins and that is not okay with God.

Another example of earthly judges ruling against the Word of God is the with the 1973 Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision creating a new-found right to have abortions. They based their decision on a broad category of “a right to privacy.” They decided that abortions are just fine and deserve legal protection. They declared, in effect, that the baby in the mother’s womb is just a meaningless clump of cells. But God says the opposite. (See Psalm 139: 13-14)

While God’s Word clearly lists many actions as being sins, these particular examples are some that judges have legalized and many people even celebrate! But since these people have not been able to convince a clear majority of voters to accept these sinful actions, they are depending on earthly court judges to force their sinful beliefs on everyone else. Of course, they would say that they are just supporting what is fair and right. They accuse their opponents of being haters of diversity and inclusiveness. But the Bible warns us that we will encounter these type of people. They seem to think it is man, not God, who determines what’s right and wrong. They don’t understand that we learn right and wrong by reading the Bible. And, they don’t understand that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17 NKJV)

However, praise to our Father God in Heaven for His great mercy and grace! For the same Bible that tells us that “the wages of sin is death” also tells us that the “gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) So, as Believers, we must pray for the salvation of all those still caught up in sin. Pray for them to know that our loving God has provided us with a way back to Him through His only Son. Pray that they accept that Jesus was put to death on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. And, as Jesus rose again on the third day to be united with His Father God, we too can be in Heaven with God one day. God wants us to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, ask Him to forgive us of our sins, and live our lives to please God. No more embracing, promoting, or legislating what God calls sin. And, rest assured that no matter what earthly judges decide, God will not be mocked, and He is still in control! Amen!

Follow me on Twitter: @ValClarksPlace

Stop acting like a loser! Power up!

Aug10

Question: With so many immoral things happening in the world, I feel like Believers are losing the spiritual battle. Are we?

Answer: Observing this rebellion against God’s teachings naturally makes us feel like we’re losing the moral battle. But we feel this way because we are just looking at the circumstances instead of keeping our eyes focused on God. Remember, the Bible already tells us that these things are going to happen when people turn their backs on God and embrace sin. (See Romans 1 : 29 – 32) In fact, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (NKJV)

But, remember 1 Corinthians 15:57 which says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, Believers must continue to witness to unbelievers that they can be saved from the eternal damnation resulting from their sin. We must tell them that they can be saved from this eternal separation from God by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, asking Him to forgive them of their sins, repenting of their sins, and living their lives to please God.

Therefore, Believers must continue to proclaim the Word of God with renewed strength and boldness especially during these troubled times. We must hold fast to our faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must be able to say what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:16. He said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” God gives us the power through His Holy Spirit to guide and renew us each day so we can live by and spread His Word.

So, no matter the outcomes of the immoral decisions our society makes, Believers should not act like losers. The Word says that God will not be mocked. He will have the final word. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) And, through Him, we will have the victory!

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Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Jul9

Question: I don’t have enough money to pay my bills, my teenager continues to struggle at school, and just today, my car broke down on me…again! I just feel like giving up hope that my life is going to get easier anytime soon. Any advice?

Answer: Sounds like you’ve reached the point of just plain feeling sick and tired of being sick and tired! There are times in our lives when the problems tend to pop up one right after the other. We may not feel like we even get a chance to exhale before we’re having to tackle yet another anxiety-producing dilemma. And, if it isn’t the troubles weighing us down in our personal lives, there are also the many horrific stories we hear about happening in the world around us. Our hearts grow heavy as we learn of the increasing acts of violence and all sorts of evil going on around the world. We find it especially troublesome to hear these acts even being carried out against innocent children. After a while, we may just want to throw our hands up in disgust, feeling helpless to be able to stop all the lying, cheating, stealing, abuse, and murder we hear about in the news.

Don’t despair! Remember that God is not surprised about any of the things going on in our personal lives nor is He surprised about the many evil things going on in the world. He knows that the hearts of men are “desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV) This evil leads to sin, and this sin in us keeps us separated from a Holy God. The good news is that our loving God has provided us with the way back to Him — through His one and only Son, Jesus Christ! Jesus took the punishment we deserved on the cross, dying for our sins, and rising again on the third day. When we choose to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, ask Him to forgive our sins, and turn from our sinful ways, we show our faith in God. God, then gives us His Holy Spirit to guide us each day, giving us wisdom and peace as we navigate our way through even the most challenging situations in life.

Plus, God has given us His Holy Word, the Bible, to read and study in order to learn what He wants us to know about living our lives for Him. For example, when we find ourselves starting to fret about the troubling things in the world, remember John 16:33. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” And, when we become overwhelmed by the day-to-day challenges in our personal lives and feel like we want to give up trying to do better, remember Galatians 6:9. Here the Apostle Paul extends these encouraging words. He said, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

So, the next time you find yourself feeling sick and tired of being sick and tired, stop and pray! Keep “doing good.” God hears and answers our prayers — in His time and according to His will. He knows the situations we are dealing with. He loves us. He is always there for us to lean on, and He is faithful to always carry us through!

Follow me on Twitter: @ValClarksPlace

Stop letting the devil steal your joy!

Jun4

Question: Once again, just before my husband and I tried to go out for a “date” night, we got into an argument over something minor and it ruined the whole evening. How do we stop this depressing pattern?

Answer: First you and your husband should discuss the fact that this pattern of behavior happens. Then, pray together that God would guide your conversations with each other and bless you to communicate with each other in a way that would be pleasing to Him. Seek out good Christian resources to help you with this like the ones found on the Focus on the Family web site, www.focusonthefamily.com. Bottom line: you’ve got to stop letting the devil steal your joy!

You see, having the devil interfere in your life trying to cause trouble is nothing new. Satan works to cause us trouble. He even tried to cause trouble for Jesus Christ, Himself. Matthew 4:10 tells of the time when Satan tried to tempt Jesus to serve him instead of serving God. Satan took Jesus up on a high mountain to show Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Satan promised to give Jesus all the kingdoms if Jesus would worship him. But Jesus said, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” ( NKJV) Like Jesus, we too should be ready to speak the power of the Holy Word against the devil when we see he is trying to disrupt our lives.

There will be other times when we believe we are following God’s plan for our lives and Satan will try to get us off track. He may even do this by using someone in our lives we trust to try to derail us. He attempted this against Jesus. When the time came for Jesus to be crucified — to take the punishment in our place that we deserved for our sins — He began to explain to His disciples what was going to happen. That’s when His disciple Peter, “took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you!'” But Jesus recognized these words of the devil speaking through Peter. So Jesus pushed back by saying to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23) Again, like Jesus, we must be on guard against sinful advice even from those we consider friends. We must understand that it is the devil who is trying to use them to pull us away from God.

Therefore, when you can sense, for example, that an unhealthy argument is coming on between you and that other person — be it a spouse, child, parent, friend, or even a stranger — be on guard. Recognize this for what it really is, the work of the devil trying to destroy the joy of your relationship. Stop and pray to God to give you the right words to say. And, remember Ephesians 4:26-27, “‘Be angry, and do not sin,’ do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Remember, Satan wants to destroy our positive relationships and cause all kinds of trouble in our lives because he is evil. He wants us to be miserable and defeated just like him.

Above all, Satan wants to stop you from accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, from joyfully living your life to please God, and from having everlasting life in Heaven. Don’t let him do it! Accept Jesus Christ as your one and only Savior and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Turn away from your life of sin and start enjoying the blessed life God wants for you.

Jesus wants us to take comfort in His Words from John 10:10. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Take comfort in His words and stop letting the devil steal your joy!

Follow me on Twitter: @ValClarksPlace

Have you read the end of the Book? God and His people win!

May1

Question: Are Christians wasting their time in continuing to fight against our society’s downhill slide into moral decay?

Answer: Absolutely not! Remember that nothing going on in the world today comes as a surprise to God. God is all-knowing, so He already knows what’s going to happen. And, despite what we see happening in our world now, God is still in control! We as Believers are to stay faithful to His Holy Word. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9 NKJV )

God did not promise that life for the Believer was going to be easy. In fact, Jesus reminds us in John 15:18 that, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” So, we should not be surprised when the world mocks our commitment to standing for the truths of God’s Word. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where unbelievers are going beyond just mocking our beliefs as being intolerant and unintelligent. Now, they want to force Believers to support sinful behavior.

Disregarding our Constitutional First Amendment right to Religious Freedom, they are creating new laws that will punish Christians if we do not go along with behaviors God calls sin. They see Believers as being wrong in standing for the traditional moral teachings of God’s Word, especially on two of the most “hot button” subjects of today: abortion and homosexuality. Instead of agreeing with God’s Word in calling these things sin, they say these things are just fine. But, Isaiah 5:20 says “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” Verse 21 goes on to say, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” Only God Almighty says what things are right and what things are sin, not man!

Know that the Word says in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows that he will also reap.” So, whether or not people accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the Bible assures us of what is going to happen. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God has also highly exalted Him (Jesus) and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

By reading the Bible through to its final Book of Revelation, you will see how the Word says things will be in the end. For example, in Revelation 21:6-8 the Lord says, “…It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Therefore, by reading the end of the Book, you know that God and His people win! Praise the Lord! You should also recognize that we need to continue to pray for those who are unbelievers. It’s not God’s desire that anyone be lost “but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) So, let’s be evermore steadfast in following the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28: 19-20. He said to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” For as long as there is life, there is hope! Amen!

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Why do you support the lie and reject the truth?

Apr15

Question: Why are so many of today’s Christians willing to support those who push positions that go against God’s Word?

Answer: The bottom line is simply this: too many Christians are not willing to put God first in their lives. While most are quick to say that they only worship God and that they love and trust Jesus Christ, their actions say otherwise! They get into the habit of choosing to support the lies of Satan and rejecting the truth of God’s Holy Word!

For example, one of the ways Christians show that they have been deceived by Satan is when they support the world’s teachings that are opposite to God’s Word. One of these teachings is that there are multiple ways to Heaven. To support the lie that there are multiple ways to Heaven is to reject the truth that there is only one way to Heaven. That way is to accept Jesus Christ as your only Lord and Savior. Jesus said this Himself in John 14:6 when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJV) If you reject this truth then you call Jesus a liar. But Jesus never lied!

Another way some Christians show that they are rejecting God’s truth is when they support the world’s teachings that we are not showing love if we don’t accept, for example, the sexual lifestyles and reproductive choices of other people. They will accuse you of being hateful and intolerant. Since Christians will usually admit that “God is love,” then it stands to reason that the teachings from God’s Word must only be given out of love and not hate. Romans 1:18-32 tells us that every kind of behavior is not “tolerated ” by God. In fact the Bible clearly spells out that these behaviors listed are, indeed, sins against God. And unless those committing these sins — and those who “approve of those who practice them” — accept Jesus as their Savior, ask forgiveness of their sins and repent, they will not go to heaven! And, that IS the truth!

One more thing to note on this subject relates again to those last words found in Romans 1 verse 32 about those who “approve of those who practice them (sins).” Some Christians think they are exempt from facing God’s righteous judgment if they themselves don’t commit certain sins. But this verse reminds us that if you give your support to those who promote these sins, you will still face the judgment of God.

Therefore, make sure that you are not supporting the lie and rejecting the truth. Read God’s Holy Word to know what He says is the truth. Pray for wisdom and discernment to avoid falling for Satan’s lies. And remember 2 John 6, which reminds Believers that “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” In other words, make sure you are putting God first in your life so that in every situation, you”talk the walk, AND walk the talk!”

Follow me on Twitter: @ValClarksPlace

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Mar16

Question: Wouldn’t more people believe in Jesus if they could witness a miracle themselves?

Answer: You need look no further than the Bible itself to get your answer. Jesus performed many miracles in front of multitudes of people while He was on earth. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John vividly describe many of them. For example, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding (John, Ch. 2). Jesus fed the five thousand from five loaves and two fish (Luke, Ch. 9). He restored sight to the blind (Matthew, Ch. 9). He healed the sick. (Mark, Ch. 1) He even raised Lazarus from the dead (John, Ch.11). These and many other miracles people witnessed Him perform. Yet when they were given a choice, the people chose to save the life of a murderer and have Jesus crucified instead. Even having seen His miracles, they refused to believe in Jesus.

In Luke chapter 16:19 – 31, Jesus told the story of two men who died. One went to Heaven and one went to Hell. Concerned about his brothers, the man in Hell asked if the man in Heaven could be sent back to earth to warn them. He said, “…if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.”(NKJV) But, the man was told that if the brothers didn’t believe the Scriptures, they wouldn’t believe even if someone came back from the dead. Clearly, Jesus is teaching here that some seeing evidence will still not believe.

There are many people today who give their testimonies of the miracles God has worked in their lives. One current example of a miracle has been made into a movie called “Miracles from Heaven.” See the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CldGTG6iVrU. This is the real-life story of a little girl diagnosed with a terminal illness being instantly healed after falling while climbing a tree. She hit her head when she fell and was pronounced cured by her doctors – even though the doctors couldn’t explain why. Will seeing her story lead people to believe? We’ll see.

So, Christians, the next time you try to tell unbelievers why they need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, repent of their sins, and live their lives to please Him, be patient. Explain that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we all deserve for our sins — sins that separate us from a Holy God in Heaven. They may convince you that they will believe this when they see more proof. Know that they may not be telling you the truth. But, still tell them. Pray. And know that God’s Holy Spirit will always be able to change their hearts and help them to truly believe!

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

“We’re with you, Jesus…as long as we don’t get a better offer.”

Feb18

Question: Why are some Christians siding with those who stand against biblical teachings?

Answer: Sadly, many Christians have more of a “What’s in it for me?” attitude than a “put God first” attitude. They don’t take the time to examine themselves to see if they are making choices that please God. Instead, when they make choices on how best to deal with society’s issues, they mostly consider how the outcome will benefit them or the people they care more about. They don’t put the priority on what is right according to God’s Holy Word. If the two sides don’t match, it’s God’s side that takes a back seat in their choices.

For too many Christians, not only are they looking out for themselves first, but they also tend to side with what is popular with those they admire. For example, when some Christians are at parties with friends who are drinking heavily, making crude jokes, or belittling those who don’t embrace their sinful views on social issues, these Christians will likely remain silent. They don’t want to look unintelligent or seem like a religious extremist if they offer a biblical view on these topics. They also fear being excluded from future party invite lists or being labeled intolerant because they aren’t seen as embracing sinful lifestyles.

Other Christians fear losing favor with their boss at work. They’ve caught on to the unwritten rule that you never openly disagree with the boss if you want to get promoted. So, to stay in the good graces of their boss, they might choose to simply go along with employers or co-workers’ requests to donate to causes or organizations that the boss supports. They’ll agree to donate their money and even their time to these causes even if these causes promote views that go against the teachings of God’s Word. They choose getting ahead on the job before standing for their faith and refusing to participate in these sin-promoting activities.

Even more far-reaching in impact is when these Christians vote for politicians who clearly state that they are planning to push for legislation that goes against biblical teaching. These politicians promise good things like creating more jobs or helping the poor. Therefore, these Christians are willing to overlook the sinful things they also promise to do, like supporting abortions and redefining marriage to be something other than the biblical marriage of one man with one woman. Again, they choose to make God’s teachings take a back seat to the political promises they hope to get. These choices not only negatively affect them, they negatively affect the entire society and lead them away from God.

Christians must stop being hypocrites — praising Jesus and declaring their love for God on Sunday, then turning their backs on God when they think they’re getting a “better” offer on Monday! They must remember that Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (NKJV) In Exodus 20:3, God says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” When Christians choose social status, money, power, or any other thing that makes them put God after it, they are making these things more important than God is in their lives. They are making Jesus take a back seat to what they think is a better offer. We must always remember, though, that there is no better offer than receiving God’s gift of the saving grace of His Son, Jesus Christ!

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Beware! You’re being watched!

Jan21

Question: How do I get over my resentment of church people after witnessing hypocritical behavior by some of them?

Answer: Unfortunately, many people have blamed the entire church body for bad behavior they’ve seen or experienced from some in the church. Some have even used this reason to explain why they don’t want to attend church. But they need to know that like everybody else, when members of the church do wrong or treat people wrong, they sin against God. And, like everyone else, they will answer to God for their actions if they don’t ask forgiveness for and repent of their sins. Those Believers who have truly grown in their relationship with God already know this.

But you need to understand that your own relationship with God should not be based on the actions of humans. Your relationship with God must be based on your acceptance of the actions of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ! Jesus is the only one God sent to die on the cross and take the punishment we deserved for our sins. We can be thankful for His sacrificial death and resurrection. Only by accepting Jesus as our Savior, asking Him to forgive our sins and repenting from our sins, are we saved from eternal damnation. Then, we can look forward to going to heaven. And we make the first steps needed to develop godly feelings towards other people.

Because God’s Holy Spirit will then be guiding you and helping you to have the correct feelings towards others — whether they are doing the right things or doing the wrong things. You’ll learn to hate the sins and not the sinner. You’ll learn that you are to pray for people who are doing wrong instead of resenting them. Pray that they repent and do right. Love them because God loves them and wants them to live their lives for Him.

As Christians, we must remember that we are being watched by both fellow Believers as well as unbelievers. And just as the Pharisees watched Jesus hoping to find something they could use against Him (see Luke 6:6-11), our actions will also be used for and against us by others. Our actions can help draw people to Christ or push them away from Christ. The Bible teaches us in Matthew 5:13-16 that we are to represent the love of Jesus Christ to others by being “salt and light.” It says in verse 16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (NKJV)

Beware, Christians! You’re being watched! So, make sure what others see is the love of Jesus Christ in you!

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Don’t start the New Year believing the devil’s lies!

Dec30

Question: I can believe that God loves other people. But, with a past like mine, how could God really love somebody like me?

Answer: First, know that you are not alone in feeling this way. There are many people with pasts that include everything from using illegal drugs and drunkenness, to stealing, sexual promiscuity, and even murder who think there’s no hope for them to have a true relationship with a Holy God. But that is simply not true. These are just lies of the devil!

The Bible gives us many examples of how God has used people with troubled pasts. Take the prostitute Rahab. She hid the messengers of God when they needed help. Joshua 6:25 tells us that as a result of her actions — despite her background — Rahab and her household were saved by God. And in another example, look at the life of the Apostle Paul, a well-known persecutor and murderer of Christians, who was later used by God to be a great Christian leader. In 1st Timothy 1:15, Paul himself says: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (NKJV)

In fact, Satan even tried to get Jesus to believe his lies. Luke 4: 1 – 13 tells us how Satan encountered Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days trying to tempt Jesus to turn His back on God and worship him instead. It didn’t work. Satan failed to tempt Jesus away from God. In verse 8, Jesus responds by saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.'” So if Satan tried to get Jesus away from God, you know he is trying to get you. Don’t fall for his lies!

The truth is that God actually wants to have a relationship with us. But, as it says in Romans 3:23, “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” And our sins do separate us from God. But because God loves us so much He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him and to be able to join Him in Heaven one day. That one and only way is through Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and ask Him to forgive us of our sins and repent, we are reconciled to God. See John 3:16.

So remember, Satan doesn’t want you to have a relationship with God. He wants you to stay wallowing in your sins and separated from God because of them, and on your way to hell with him. Jesus says, “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) So, while we must realize that Satan wants us to feel unloved by God and defeated, we can stand strong against his lies. We can go into the new year knowing that we, indeed, have God’s love. Praise the Lord!

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace