Tag Archive | God

Be careful who you listen to for the truth!

Question: One of my college religion professors told us that we should not interpret the Bible as being literally given by God. Is he right?

Answer: No. Your professor is wrong! That’s another reason why we should read God’s Holy Word for ourselves, so we can learn the truth. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (NKJV)

Therefore, your professor can be added to a list of people you must be careful of, when you listen to them, if you are a Believer. The Apostle John warns Christians not to believe everything they are told about matters pertaining to their faith. For there will be many claiming they are speaking moral truths, but in reality, they are lying! (Read 1 John 4:1-6) If they are telling you things that agree with what the Bible says, they are speaking the truth. But if they say other things that go against what the Bible says, they are not speaking God’s truth.

Sadly, instead of using this standard as their moral guide, too many people tend to blindly believe people simply based on the person’s likeability or popularity. That’s why you can find even Believers turning their back on God’s teachings to support the sinful teachings of their favorite celebrities and politicians. These famous people may be intelligent, beautiful, talented, and rich. So people admire and want to support them. And, in the case of the politicians, people may like the promises they make to them and just ignore it when those same politicians are clearly supporting sin. Jesus warns us about these “false teachers.” (See Matthew 7:15-19) Don’t be fooled into listening to their sinful teachings.

The Bible also tells us that people may prefer to listen to those who simply tell them what they want to hear. For example, 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.” In other words, they don’t want to listen to God.

So, Believers, be careful who you listen to for the truth. Know whether or not you are hearing the truth according to God’s Holy Word. Study the Bible for yourself and pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help you discern the difference between when you are hearing the truth and when you are hearing a lie. Only follow God’s truth!

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Does love really mean not calling sin…sin?

Feb11

Question: Shouldn’t Christians just show love to others and stop trying to shame them about their sins?

Answer: That depends on what you mean by “showing love.” Consider this: a good and loving parent teaches their child right from wrong and lets that child know that doing wrong (sinning) will lead to negative consequences. For example, the loving parent will teach their child not to play with matches. They will tell him what could happen if he started a fire that caused himself or others to be seriously burned. The parent would let the child know that his disobedience could even lead to the entire house burning to the ground. If that child still goes and plays with the matches, the parent will tell the child, again, why this was wrong and punish the child to discourage him from doing it again. Likely, that child will feel ashamed when being called out for doing wrong.

But, better that parent tell that child what he was doing was wrong than keeping the child ignorant of the dangers of his actions… actions that could possibly lead to catastrophic results! That parent telling the child his behavior was wrong was actually showing love to that child. For it would not be very loving to let that child remain unaware of his dangerous behavior and the potentially deadly consequences.

Likewise, God wants Believers to tell the world His Gospel. In fact, Jesus left us with the Great Commission to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” ( Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV) Of utmost importance in what His Holy Word teaches is the deadly consequences of our sin. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Since Romans 3:23 says that we “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” we all need our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Therefore, it would not be very loving to keep people ignorant of the dangers of their sinful behavior. Letting people know what sin is and the consequences of their sin is actually a loving thing to do. Just always let them know in ways that are compassionate and caring – remembering that we were all lost in sin until we accepted Jesus as our Savior. Thank God for His saving grace!

Follow me on Twitter: @valclarksplace

Please save me, Mommy!

Jan8

Question: With the 44th anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision this month, why do conservative Christians still want to deny women the right to choose?

Answer: Sadly, at least 58,586,256 babies have been aborted since the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationally in this country. (See http://www.nrlc.org/uploads/factsheets/FS01AbortionintheUS.pdf ) For Bible-believing Christians, this horribly high number of abortions continues to serve as motivation for the pro-life cause.

Christians know that it is Almighty God who gives life. We have read those powerful words of Psalm 139:13-14, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” (NKJV) As Believers, we also know that the Bible says children are a blessing from God. Psalm 127:3-5 says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” (NKJV) So, as Christians, we are to protect and value life!

Unfortunately, it is politically incorrect to even talk about the baby when discussing abortion. Abortion rights advocates tend to keep the debate centered around the woman and her so-called “right to choose” — meaning to “choose” to end her baby’s life. They do not discuss the baby’s right to live. They also tend to keep the debate focused around pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, or the need to abort to save the life of the mother. But statistics show that all 3 of these causes together amount to fewer than 5% of the reasons for abortions. Don’t hold your breath that the pro-choice crowd would even agree to outlaw all abortions except for these reasons. Their goal is to keep all abortions — without any restrictions.

That’s one reason the pro-choicers rally around Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions in this country. (See: http://dailysignal.com/2016/09/14/the-numbers-that-show-planned-parenthood-about-abortion-not-womens-health/amp/) While that organization does give referrals for things like mammograms and Pap tests, their main business and big money-maker is providing abortions. If you really believe their priority is just “women’s health” like they claim, ask them to stop the abortion part of their business and keep the other services to receive taxpayer money. Again, don’t hold your breath.

Meanwhile, many taxpayers would cringe at the knowledge that over half a billion dollars of their tax money is going to support this abortion organization which was started to promote eugenics. This is what Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger thought abortion could do for the black community — people she believed had undesirable traits. (See: http://www.afajournal.org/past-issues/2016/december/planned-parenthood-celebrates-100-years-7-million-dead-babies/ ) In recent years, more abortion clinics were located near African-American communities. The result: by 2011, the abortion rate for African -American women was higher than the rates for both Hispanic and white women, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (See more on this at http://www.blackgenocide.org/ and http://www.afajournal.org/past-issues/2012/october/she-called-it-racial-betterment/ )

Obviously, as Christians, we know that we are to pray for and help those who are in distress. That’s why Christians must reach out and help women who are experiencing unwanted pregnancies. We want these women to choose life, even if they decide to put their babies up for adoption. We want them to know that adoption is a loving option for those moms who do not choose to keep their babies because they were raped, don’t have enough money to take care of them, feel they are too young, etc. Some of the best resources available to help women with unwanted pregnancies are local crisis pregnancy centers (visit http://www.care-net.org). These centers can often provide free ultrasounds, baby clothes, and information on other resources in the community that can help them.

While no woman wants to be in a crisis pregnancy situation, women must be informed that what they are carrying is not some meaningless piece of tissue. It is a new life. Even if that new life was a result of something as horrible as rape, destroying the baby is not the morally correct thing to do. That baby from an evil, rapist biological father can still become the loving child of wonderful adoptive parents and become a great citizen of this world. (For helpful information on pro-life issues, check out the National Right to Life website at http://www.nrlc.org/ ) Also, while it is now very rare in this country to have a mother’s life literally threatened by giving birth, the Bible does speak of being able to practice self-defense to save your life. Even then, many mothers would want the doctors to do everything possible to try to save both mother and child.

All this said, if a woman has had an abortion and regrets her decision, Christians know that these women can ask the Lord to forgive them of their sins, and He will. They can be very effective spokespersons for the pro-life cause by telling other women with unwanted pregnancies not to listen to the deceptive voices of the pro-abortion movement. They can tell them, instead, to remember God’s Word. And, listen to the little voice of the new life inside them who wants to live and is saying, “Please save me, Mommy!”

Make the morally right choice: Choose life!

Updated from my January 23, 2013 Post

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!

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!

Follow me on Twitter: www.valclarksplace.com