Questions we can ask to “Test the Spirits”-

Lisa M. Price1 Comment

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free- John 8:32 NASB

The book of 1st John was written by the Apostle John (Matthew 4:20-21, Matthew 17:1, Mark 5:37), from the city of Ephesus sometime around 90-95 A.D.  John was a very old man (late seventies or early eighties) when he wrote the book and the last living apostle. 

 The book of 1st John is a New Testament book I classify as “swan songs”. The term “swan song” is not a real theological term (I made it up). “Swan song” is actually a fancy-pants literary term for a farewell work or someone’s famous last words. John’s three letters as well as 2nd Peter and 2nd Timothy are swan songs because they were all written near the end of the apostle’s lives. Like all the swan songs John wrote 1st John with his impending death at the forefront of his mind. His overarching goal was to communicate critical truths that he hoped would empower followers of Jesus to survive and thrive in a world that would soon be devoid of apostolic wisdom. 

 John (and nearly every other New Testament writer) was deeply concerned about false teachers (sometimes called prophets) who had already begun to infiltrate the church and teach things that bore no resemblance to sound doctrine (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 24:11, Acts 20:28-30, 2nd Peter 2:1, 1st Timothy 1:1-3). John wanted his readers to understand the importance of practicing discernment where Christian teaching is concerned.   In John 4:1 the apostle says this:

 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

The word for spirit in this verse means “breath” or “wind”. John is (in my opinion) echoing an idea the apostle Paul talks about in Ephesians. It says: 

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming- Ephesians 4:14

 John is warning his readers (us) that there will always be folks who appear to be legitimate spiritual leaders, but who are in reality false teachers. These folks blow a lot of weird doctrine around. It is critical Christians learn to discern genuine biblical teachings from spiritual hot air so that they would not be blown around and taken captive by false teachings. False teachings deceive God’s people into believing things that could lead to sin and/or a detachment from real faith (Colossians 2:18-19,1st Timothy 4:1). John’s concern begs a question: how do modern Christians discern between a good spiritual teacher or teaching and a bad spiritual teacher or teaching? This is important because nothing has really changed since John wrote his book. There are still a lot of false teachers blowing a lot of bad ideas around. Following are some questions to ask about all teachers, pastors and teachings we come across. Asking these questions help us discern between spirits. 

Is the teacher/prophet’s teaching or practice found in the Bible?

If not, proceed with extreme caution. God gave us the Bible for many reasons, one of those reasons is to give us some standards of practice in our churches. There is simply no substitute for actually knowing what the Bible says and understanding it’s precepts. The only way to get to know the Bible is to read it.  It is imperative believers get into the Bible and learn it for themselves. The most efficient way to get taken captive by bad teaching or mislead by a bad teachers is to have an incomplete or shallow understanding of the Bible. 

Is the practice the teacher is advocating for prescriptive or descriptive?  

There are two kinds of practices found in the Bible: prescriptive and descriptive. A prescriptive practice is something we are explicitly told to do in Scripture. There are many prescriptive practices found in Scripture. Communion (Matthew 26:26-29, Luke 22:19,1st Corinthians 11:24, baptism (Matthew 28:16-20), marriage between a man and a woman (Hebrews 13:4, Genesis 2:24) are a few such examples. Descriptive practices are things that happened but we are not explicitly told to do those things.  Jephthah sacrificing his daughter in Judges 11:34-35 and communal living (Acts 2:42-47 are examples of descriptive practices. If a teacher insists believers embrace a descriptive practice it is a flaming-red flag. Run. 

Is the leader honoring Jesus in their behavior? 

Our generation of believers has bought into the lie that any sort of moral judgment over any behavior is a grave sin, perhaps even the unpardonable sin. This view is based on Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:37). Jesus’ teaching is important but Scripture’s teaching on judgment is more nuanced than one verse. It is true that no one can judge whether or not a person is worthy of heaven. That’s God’s job alone. Nor should believers worry about the behavior of non-believers (1st Corinthians 5:12-13). Again, that’s all on God to judge.  However, Christians are TOLD TO make moral judgments about the behavior of those who profess Christ as Lord (1stCorinthians 5:1-11). Some things are simply not okay for Christians (1st Corinthians 6:9-11, 1st Tmothy 1:8-11, Galatians 5:19-21), especially Christian leaders (Titus 1:7-9, 1st Timothy 3:1-13. It’s not our job to condemn Christians living in blatant sin, nor are we to withhold forgiveness when they repent. However, we are told to avoid spending time with those living in stubborn sin until they repent (1st Corinthians 5:12, 1st Corinthian 15:33-34) because sin tends to be contagious (Jude 22-23). A Christian leader who is living in serious sin is not someone we should be following.

And finally:

Where might this teaching lead? 

The true test of a teaching is where it leads those who follow it. Good teaching leads to holiness, righteousness, love and biblical grace (1st Corinthians 13, Titus 2:11-12, 1st John 3:6-8, Hebrews 12:14). Bad teaching leads to low view of holiness and an extreme view of grace that really becomes an excuse for sin and loose living. We are living on the cusp of a great revival, whether or not we see genuine revival in our lifetime will depend largely on how which voices we listen to.  

 Let’s contend hard for the truth faith (Jude 3-4).

Should Christians be Concerned about A.I?

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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour- 1st Peter 5:8 NKJV

I believe each generation of believers is uniquely chosen by God for the time they live in (1st Peter 2:9). That means (among other things) that each generation of believers has all they need “in Christ” to navigate the unique challenges, temptations and satanic schemes of their era (Esther 4:14, 2nd Peter 1:3, Matthew 10:18-20). This is true no matter how weird, crazy or evil their era might be. 

That does not mean Christians cannot be misled by the satanic schemes of their generation or tempted towards the sin that is predominant in their time, Christians can and sometimes are (Matthew 13:14-15). Therefore, it is imperative we understand our times and make every spiritual effort to walk in the Holy Spirit so that we are properly prepared for the unique issues our generation of believers is exposed to (1st Chronicles 12:32). 

I believe we are bumping up against one of those issues in this cultural moment. The issue is artificial intelligence or A.I. According to the online britannica.com artificial intelligence is:

 The ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience. 

A.I. is taking our world by storm. Just about everyone including many Christians are using A.I to do all sorts of things. This includes sorting through information, automating chores (like list making and report writing) and making decisions based on data A.I. provides. Many have even taken to using A.I. as a counselor, asking it for advice and seeking comfort from it. Others use it as a spiritual guide; they ask A. I. to interpret the Bible for them and ask it to create prayers for them.  

A.I is novel, convenient, intriguing, and super tempting to use but is it a good or a bad thing? 

Like most things A.I is not all bad and it does have some helpful uses. However, I believe A.I should be approached cautiously (if at all) for the following five reasons: 

A.I. is the new internet-

When the internet came into existence EVERYONE rushed to use it. We all signed up for AOL accounts and encouraged our children to play educational games on the it. We were all kind of amazed with how cool we were (Romans 1:22). When smartphones came along everyone who was anyone got one. Our importance (or lack thereof) was measured by how much time we spent on our blackberry’s. Now we know that was mostly all bad. Human beings are dumber, more depressed and more addicted because of the internet and smartphones. Almost everyone has a tough time putting their phone down and some young people find it very difficult to connect with others without the aid of technology. If A.I. turns out to be half as addictive as smartphones we will be in even bigger trouble because we don’t simply use A.I. to acquire information or entertain ourselves like we do with the internet. We use it to do our thinking for us; the implications are terrifying.  

A.I. is not neutral- 

Nor will it ever be. Every computer is programmed by a fallen and sinful human being with a set of values and bias’s (Romans 3:23, Romans 1:18, Romans 2:12), that likely do not align with the Bible.  That means that any advice or help A.I offers will be at best impersonal and detached from any moral value system. At worst it will be dark, anti-God and anti-life. Christians should be cautious about seeking secular advice from anyone, especially a soulless robot. 

A.I. will make us dumber-

Anytime we outsource our thinking we lose the ability to think for ourselves. If you use a calculator to do basic math problems, it eventually becomes challenging to do math without a calculator. This is because our brains are a little bit like a muscle. The more we use them, the stronger they get. The less we use them the weaker they become. The whole point of A.I is for the machine to think for us. This will inevitably lead to more dumb people. We do not need that. 

A.I. will increase human suffering- 

There have already been several scary episodes where A.I advised a person to self-harm or commit suicide. A.I does this because, unlike God and other humans it has no regard for human life (Luke 12:6-7, Psalm 8:4-5). If a machine has no regard for human life,  it makes sense for the machine to tell a heartbroken or despondent human their life is without meaning and they should just go ahead and die. Furthermore, A.I was designed to decrease the number of jobs human beings do. We are already seeing that most of those jobs will be replaced with lower paying manual labor types of jobs. This will lead to a lower standard of living for many people.  No one should be opposed to work (Genesis 2:15, 1st Thessalonians 4:11, 2nd Thessalonians 3:10) or in favor of more  human suffering (Proverbs 31:8-9). 

And finally,

We may lose the ability to discern right from wrong-

Discernment is the ability to tell right from wrong and good from evil (Philippians 1:9-10, Hebrews 5:14, 1st John 4:1).  We acquire discernment by consistently making smart choices concerning the influences we allow into our lives and the information we feed ourselves (Proverbs 15:14, Psalm 110:11, 2nd Timothy 3:15). Discernment can be lost due to bad influences, lack of willingness to use the discernment we do have and bad information (Luke 8:18). A.I has proven itself to be both a bad influence and a source of bad information. If we make a practice of relying on it for help and wisdom, we will lose the discernment we have. That would be a disaster in a culture where wisdom and discernment are already in short supply. 

Christians should handle A.I with caution always praying for wisdom. 

Truths Christians must Embrace to Prevent More Moral Failure in the Church-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 Produce fruit consistent with repentance- Matthew 3:8 NASB

Last week another well-known evangelical pastor/author admitted to a major moral failure (long-term adultery). His confession was followed by the announcement he will retire from ministry. Regrettably, these sorts of disclosures have become routine among Christian leaders. The stories are basically all the same. The leader has an affair (or dozens). Eventually, his sinful antics come to light, and he quickly decides it’s a good time to come clean. A public confession and tearful apology are made. Sometimes the leader retires from ministry sometimes they double-down on what they see as their “calling”. 

Occasionally, there is a slight twist in these stories. In these cases, the well-known leader dies. Various women (sometimes men) come out of the woodwork. All tell similar stories that inevitably involve sexual immorality, creepy power dynamics and sometimes even forced sex. In these cases, the leaders’ friends/minions/elders do exactly what they did when their leader was alive. They cover up the sin and/or intimate that the accuser has a mental illness and/or an unhealthy need for attention.  Eventually, the overwhelming magnitude of evidence becomes so damning that the dead guy’s minions can no longer maintain the lie that the leader was a morally respectable individual. The truth is quietly acknowledged, and a very low-key admission of wrongdoing is released to a small number of news outlets.  

Sigh.

I have observed this phenomenon enough times to know that the average Joe and Jane Christian tend to excuse the behavior of bad Christian leaders. We say stupid stuff like: it could happen to any one of us (Genesis 4:7) and this is why we should be thankful for grace (Titus 2:10-12). Sometimes it’s: he who is without sin should just go-ahead and throw the first stone (John 8:10), and of course: everyone sins (Romans 6:6-14). Then there’s: all sin is exactly the same so no one can judge anyone else (1st Corinthians 6:9-11) and my personal favorite: but his teaching has done so much good for the church. 

(Insert face-palm here). 

Lack of biblical wisdom and super questionable applications of theology aside. The churches collective loss of horror over sin has caused the church to lose its moral authority in the culture. No one takes Christianity seriously anymore and this is the number one reason why. 

Sigh. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. The church can (and must) do better.  However, in order for that to happen the church must return to a more biblical position on sin and grace.  Sin is deathly serious (Galatians 6:7, 1stCorinthians 6:17-18, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 6:23) and grace is not a massive bucket of forgiveness we can dip into anytime we decide we want to sin (Titus 2:10-12, Psalm 84:11, Romans 6:1-7). If we want church to become healthy again, we must return to believing and teaching these four basic biblical truths:

Real accountability is a non-negotiable for serious Christians- 

It just is. However, we must also acknowledge that real accountability is a lot harder to achieve that it looks on the surface. This is because accountability requires a spirit of humility that allows other people to call us out when we sin. No one becomes accountable to another person without some sort of consent. Accountability without consent is just catching someone in the act. This means we all ought to pray for the wisdom to be humble, teachable and repentant (Proverbs 11:2, Matthew 18:4, James 4:10). It also means that humility, candor and uprightness ought to be the criteria we look for in our leaders rather than high levels of self-confidence or copious educational degrees.

No one gets a pass on willful sin-

Everyone (yes everyone) feels they ought to get a pass at some point. This is either because they have done a lot of good for the kingdom and they feel sin should be their “reward” for faithful service. Or sometimes people feel that because they have been through a lot God should give them a break and let them have a little “fun”. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. No one gets to ignore the command to be holy (1st Peter 1:14-16) just because they have done a lot or been through a lot. Sin is the most dangerous thing on earth and God wants to protect us from it, not give us free pass to indulge in its toxicity. 

Incomplete theology has consequences-

The author/pastor who recently confessed to an eight-year-long adulterous affair wrote numerous books about grace. I read one of his books and frankly I found it quite troubling. Not because of what it said but because of what it didn’t say. The book wasn’t bad, just incomplete. He wrote page after page extolling the wonders of grace and forgiveness (which really are amazing). However, he said nothing said about the consequences of choosing to sin in a covenant relationship with God. Nor did he mention the many passages that state quite clearly that Christians who habitually practice certain sins will not inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:21,1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:16-21, Ephesians 5:5). Any teaching that only tells half the story on either sin or grace is false teaching. Period. 

And finally, 

You are what you do- 

 The book of 1st John explores our relationship to sin. One of the primary points John makes is that we are what we do (1st John 3:7-8). If we sin habitually and willfully, we are sinners. However, if we make a habit of practicing righteousness, we are righteous. It is true, sin can happen to anyone, but it doesn’t have to. Every day we make moral and spiritual choices that determine whether or not we dive into sin. Christians must stop thinking that sin is something that overtakes us. If we are in Christ we have a choice.  

Four Clear Indicators a Christian is Walking in the Light-

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Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven- Matthew 5:16 NASB

Okay, so, true confession time: 

 I know (and believe with all my heart) that all Scripture is good, useful and instructive (1st Timothy 3:16). Consequently, I believe everyone should read the Bible, all of it, not just the parts that give us good feels. Nonetheless, I am human and sadly there are books of the Bible I tend to avoid for devotional reading. Some of them make sense. Numbers is kind of depressing as is most of Judges.  I tend to avoid them both. The minor prophets involve a lot of thinking, because you have to know (and in my case remember) a lot of biblical history in order to understand them. Leviticus is well, Leviticus.  No one really likes Leviticus. 

However, some of the books I tend to avoid make a lot less sense. I think some of it comes down to writing style. 1stJohn is one of the books I tend to avoid. The Apostle John was definitely one of Jesus’ besties. He was also a VERY wordy guy, and I tend to gravitate towards a more abbreviated style of writing. 

Nonetheless, I recently felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to spend some quality time in the book of 1st John.  It has been incredibly gratifying. This little book is packed with wisdom, DEEP theology and some warnings that are especially relevant to our time. 

John begins his letter by stating in a very lovely but wordy kind of a way that Jesus is “life”. This means anyone who is “in Jesus” (2nd Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:11, Romans 6:23) will experience the earthly joy and honor of becoming partakers of God’s divine nature (2nd Peter 1:4) and a life of bliss and fellowship with God forever (1stCorinthians 2:9). Then John describes both Jesus and the Father as “light”. This means God is a being that has no darkness, evil or sin in Him. He describes our relationship to the God of light in this way:

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth- 1stJohn 1:5-7

 John makes it clear that a person can know, beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not they are “in the light” or fumbling around in spiritual and moral darkness. Walking in the light means we are walking in holiness, love and truth. 

So, how do we know if we are walking in the light? There are four markers that clearly indicate a Christian is walking in the light and in fellowship with the God of light. They are:

Walking in the light means we love other Christians- 

John makes it clear that one direct measure of one’s spiritual maturity is their love for other Christians (1st John 2:9-11, John 13:34-35, John 15:11-13, Romans 12:10, Galatians 5:13). Unfortunately, many Christians either flat-out ignore this command and make a regular practice of publicly saying unkind things about fellow believers or they love other Christians in a manner that is not really scriptural.  Christian love should never devolve into a sappy sentimental kind of emotionalism that celebrates walking in sin or immaturity. Genuine Christian love receives people as they are but loves them enough to help them grow and transform into someone infinitely better and more holy (1st Corinthians 13, 1st Peter 2:2, 2nd Peter 1:3-11, Ephesians 4:17-32). Christian love is always all about wanting the moral and spiritual best for everyone. 

Walking in the light means we are real about who we are-  

A genuine believer in Jesus does not pretend to be perfect or without sin (1st John 1:8). Nor do they lecture others on the importance of transparency and holiness while they sin their faces off. Genuine Christians are real about their own struggles and never hide their sin. An individual who is walking in the light makes a regular practice of confessing their sin to God and to other Christians (Acts 19:17-19, James 5:16, 1st John 1:9).  

Walking in the light means we hate our own sin- 

Sin is one of the primary themes of 1st John. John’s aim is to answer the question: Can a born-again believer sin? His answer is a qualified “yes”. John is clear a Christian can sin, but he also makes it clear it’s abnormal for them to choose a life of sin and/or deceit (1st John 3:4-10). If a Christian sins, Jesus will advocate (help, root for, defend) for them and forgive their sin (1st John 1:7-10, John 2:1-2). HOWEVER, John also makes it clear that our eagerness (or lack of eagerness) to obey God’s commands is a powerful indicator of our salvation, or lack thereof (1st John 2:3-6).   

And finally, 

Walking in the light means we want light-  

According to the Apostle the Christian faith is a series of progressive moves towards more holiness, more righteousness and more truth. This means that if we are walking in the light, we will have a voracious appetite for even more light. Anyone who wants more light goes to great lengths to deal with the sin in their lives and love others with greater fervency all the time (1st John 4:7). 

Three Game Changing Commitments for the New Year-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year for you- Exodus 12:2 NASB 

I tend to be a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to the New Year, although this was not always the case.  As a child I was fascinated by the whole concept of the New Year.  The notion of getting of a brand-spanking-new-year complete with an opportunity to self-improve felt like a gift to my immature brain. Young Lisa would daydream endlessly about becoming a better person in the new year and swear off all of her bad habits.  These dreams tended to lack any real strategy. Young Lisa did not yet know hope is not a replacement for strategy and hard work.   As a result, young Lisa’s high hopes for a better version of herself would typically be dashed no later than mid-February, when her resolutions to eat less sugar and be nicer would fall to pieces in a frenzied fit of cookie eating after yelling at one of her brothers. 

As a young pre-Christian adult all the New Years hullabaloo felt like a societal construct designed to shame people into doing things they should do all the time, not just at the new year. New Years eve also felt like a weird excuse to overindulge one last time before dealing with the results of all the overindulging that was done in November and December. After becoming a Christian, I found myself frequently annoyed by those who I (secretly) felt over over-spiritualized the new year with “words from the Lord” and Christianized versions of New Year’s resolutions. I also felt a lot of shame over my judgmental spirit. 

Sigh.

All that to say New Years themed posts have never really been my thing. The few I have written I don’t like very much, and if the number of reads they received are any indication, neither does anyone else. Nevertheless, this year I feel inspired to set my curmudgeonly ways aside and try again.  My inspiration is taken from Exodus 12:1-12 where God gives His people parameters for the Passover feast. The instructions given (if followed) would save every first-born in the land from certain death. The Passover feast was more than just a set of instructions regarding a particular situation. Nor was it just a celebration of God’s power or commemoration of a miracle. Passover was also intended to be the start of the New Year for the Israelite people (Exodus 12:2). Imbedded in God’s commands for the Passover are some incredibly useful guidelines that if put into practice become a real gamechanger for any new year. Those guidelines include:

Making a daily commitment to doing life God’s way – 

God’s instructions in Exodus 12 are insanely specific. Nothing was left to chance, nor was there a lot of wiggle room for interpretation.  Everything from the choice of the entrée to what they were supposed to wear while eating the meal were commanded by God. This indicates to me that the life of faith is not meant to be a DIY affair (Leviticus 18:4, Deuteronomy 7:11-12, Matthew 16:24, John 14:23-24). There was only one way to observe the feast of Passover. There’s only one way to get right with God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1st Timothy 2:5) and there is only one way to live a life of faith (Matthew 7:13-14). One very practical way we can commit to doing life God’s way daily is taking passages such as Romans 12, Colossians 3 and 2nd Peter 1:3-11 and make them our blueprint for day-to-day living. 

Make Christian community a priority-

Exodus twelve teaches that the life of faith is meant to be done together, rather than solo. No one was allowed to celebrate the Passover alone. Every family was to check in on the other families around them to make sure that everyone was with someone during the Passover celebration. This is (in my opinion) an indicator into exactly how important community is to those who wish to follow Jesus.  When we have close relationships with other Christians we are protected from false teachings because most false teachers tend to do their most damaging work secretly one-on-one with newer and weaker believers (2nd Peter 2:1). Community also safeguards believers from discouragement (2nd Corinthians 13:11, 1st Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:24-26). It also ensures our views are challenged in a way that can only make us better and wiser (Proverbs 27:17). It is no surprise that the greatest growth in the early church occurred when the church made relationship and community a very high priority (Acts 2:42-47). 

And finally, 

Make a commitment to be ready for whatever God brings along- 

The Passover was to be eaten fully clothed and in a state of readiness (Exodus 12:11). No one was to be barefoot or beltless. The idea was that everyone should be ready to hit the road the second God commanded it. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Jesus frequently warned His followers of the dangers of not being ready to do His will or for His return (Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:35). God promises blessing and favor for those who choose to be ready to do His will no matter the season (Psalm 119:173, 1st Peter 1:3-6, Revelation 19:7). Therefore, there is no better commitment we can make all year long than to be ready and willing to do whatever it is God is calling us to do at a moment’s notice.

The Best Bad Example this Week-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

No one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way- James 3:8-10 NASB

I have been writing this blog for a few years (thirteen to be exact). By design it has never been a space where I routinely share my political opinions. Nonetheless, long-time readers may recall a time in the not-so-distant past when I did occasionally write about politics or political issues. That changed a couple of years back when I made a deliberate decision to stop writing about political issues. My reasons were (and still are) as follows:

I realized exactly how divisive politics have become. I still have relatives who won’t talk to me because of political views I shared years ago. 

I came to a place where I recognized the limitations of politics. Chiefly, the reality that the “right” politics cannot transform a single human heart or save a single human soul.  Only Jesus can do that (1stCorinthians 5:17, 2nd Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2).  Without heart change born out of salvation there can be no real social change. 

    God made my personal calling crystal clear: I am to disciple believers and evangelize unbelievers, that’s it (Mark 16:15, 2nd Timothy 4:1-2).  Politics are no longer my gig.

    There are good Christian people who routinely share their political views. I truly believe God has called some of those folks to that realm of ministry (Romans 12:4-6). However, God has called me to other things, and I am okay with that. 

    All that being said.

    This week I came across a really good bad example that I really wanted to write about. However, the bad example involved a well-known political figure (more on that later) and I wasn’t sure how to proceed. After spending some quality time in prayer, I am convinced that even though the bad example took place in the political realm it has a lot of discipleship implications.  

    So here goes:

    It all started when Rob Reiner and his wife were tragically found dead in their home.  It was quickly determined that they were likely murdered by their son.  Donald Trump (the well-known political figure, I mentioned earlier) wrote a post on X sharing his very unfavorable opinion of Rob Reiner. He criticized most of his work as well as his political views. Trump intimated the Reiners were murdered by their child because they said unkind things about Trump and because they held the wrong political views. 

    Please understand.

    I am not opposed to Donald Trump. I voted for him. I am convinced he has done some good for the country. I believe whole heartedly he was and is a better choice than the alternative we had. My intention is not to denigrate the president just to shine some light on an issue that has crept into every aspect of the modern world, including church world. 

    The problem is with how we are choosing to speak (Proverbs 12:18). Many people have concluded it’s okay and even healthy to say WHATEVER they are thinking because they “know” it’s what’s everyone else is thinking.

     I am reasonably certain this is the logic behind many of President Trump’s comments. 

    He (and others like him) feel they are performing a public service by speaking “the truth” everyone is thinking but are too polite to share.  The problem with this logic is three-fold. First, not everyone is thinking those things. Thank God. There are still people in this world whose minds do not automatically jump to the meanest, most terrible thing imaginable. Choosing to say the meanest thing possible (whether it’s true or not) is a very effective way to spread ugliness and toxicity. It tends to reinforce thinking that ought to be examined and repented of, not embraced (James 3:5-6, 2nd Corinthians 13:5, 1st Corinthians 11:28, Galatians 6:3-5, Matthew 3:8, Acts 3:19) or spread like an infectious disease. 

    The second issue with this logic is that no one (except God and the people involved) knows what’s really true in the vast majority of situations. Assuming and stating we know something without proof (like why someone was murdered) is at best prideful and at worst beyond cruel (James 1:19, Proverbs 10:18).  

    And thirdly, assumptions hurt people unnecessarily. They just do. There are always two sides to a story (Proverbs 18:17). Unless we are willing and able to listen to both sides, we should be very cautious about weighing in on situations we know nothing about. I am convinced that anytime we share an assumption about a situation we are not personally familiar with we simply expand the size of our societies ever-increasing pool of ignorance.  

    I am not opposed to Christians (or anyone else) speaking truth. Speaking truth is what Christians are called to do (Matthew 10:26-27, Acts 4:29-31, 1st Corinthians 2:7). Believers in Jesus are to be a preserving influence in whatever culture they find themselves (Matthew 5:13). This means speaking truth fearlessly about all issues, but especially issues related to the word of God.  That said, any truth spoken should be spoken in the most loving way we can muster (Ephesians 4:15, Philippians 4:8). Any truth not spoken in love just becomes more nastiness and we do not need more of that. 

    The Biblical Definition of Humility-

    Lisa M. Price2 Comments

    Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you- 1st Peter 5:6 ESV

    Humility, is not, nor has it ever been a particularly popular subject. Nobody really likes it. If humility were a person, it would be the really decent, down-to-earth guy or gal everyone respects but no one wants to talk to at a party because they are just a little too good and that makes everyone else feel bad.

    It’s just not fun. 

    Nevertheless, after a recent trip through 1st Peter where humility is a reoccurring theme.  I felt compelled to dig a little deeper into what God has to say about humility. 

    The words “humble” and “humility” are used a total of eighty-three times in the Old and New Testament. Humility or the state of being humble is always linked to blessing when embraced (Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 15:33, Zephaniah 2:3, 2nd Chronicles 7:14, 2nd Chronicles 12:6-12, 2nd Chronicles 32:26, James 4:10).  It’s also linked to curses when snubbed (2nd Samuel 22:8, 2nd Chronicles 28:19, 2nd Chronicles 33;22-24). There is no way around it: God blesses and promotes the humble. No one with any sense at all wants to miss out on blessing and promotion.

    So, what does it really mean to act with humility? 

    The Greek word for humility is tapeinophrosýnē it means: “to have a deep sense of one’s own (moral) littleness”. 

     I confess I was seriously underwhelmed by that definition. 

    I expected more. A lot more. I expected a more colorful description, more specifics, possibly even a bad example or two. I figured the definition would include things like having zero pride, being a giver of grace and mercy, possessing concern for the welfare of others, a subdued view of oneself and deep respect for God and His moral directives. Then it hit me pretty much outa nowhere that when we have a deep sense of our own moral littleness our pride evaporates, other people become a priority, we are suddenly far less judgy and our view of ourselves shrinks like a cheap cotton shirt washed in hot water. A gut level awareness of our own moral littleness also causes our respect for God and His commands grows exponentially.

    Humility is potent (and beneficial) because when we become aware of our own moral littleness, we know exactly how weak and fallible we really are. We become deeply aware of what we don’t know and will likely never know. At that point, we understand deep down in our heart-of-hearts that we have no right to judge others because we deserve to be judged in the harshest way imaginable. As a result, we become gracious, merciful and kind even to people who don’t deserve mercy, grace or kindness. 

    It’s deeply paradoxical that developing an acute awareness of our own moral littleness (evil) has the power to make us more like the most morally perfect creature in all the universe: God Himself. 

    Okay, so how do we get a better handle on humility? 

    There are only two ways to acquire humility. We can be humbled involuntarily by God, or we can choose to humble ourselves (Exodus 10:3, 2nd Kings 22:14-20, Matthew 23:12, James 4:10, 1st Peter 5:5-6).  I highly recommend option two. Option one works, but it’s a tough road because God is a pro at humbling the proud (Proverbs 11:12, Proverbs 29:23). Option two requires more effort, but it is far less painful in the long run. 

    We gain a better understanding of our own moral littleness by:

    Knowing the limitations of our own goodness- 

    No human being is morally perfect (Psalm 106:6, Romans 3:23). Even the best human decisions and choices are often influenced by shady motives and a desire to manipulate God and other people into doing what we want. An awareness of our moral limitations does not make us morally perfect, but it does make us more humble about our own virtuousness. This in turn keeps pride to a minimum. An absence of pride creates a fertile ground for humility to take root. 

    Having a proper view of God- 

    God is morally perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 145:17, John 3:16-17, 2nd Peter 3:9). When we allow ourselves to lose sight of this reality, we stop looking to Him for help and guidance. This causes us to develop an inflated view of our own ability to judge people and situations. An inflated view of our ability to judge right from wrong often leads to accusing God of sin and wrongdoing (Job 1:22). Not cool. 

    Practicing ruthless self-examination-

    The key to avoiding pride and developing real humility is to know ourselves. When we know ourselves, we develop a willingness to second guess our assessments of people and situations. When we understand exactly how flawed we are we become less likely to insist we are right about everything. This understanding is the cornerstone of humility and a critical steppingstone to true wisdom (Proverbs 2:1-22. 

    And finally, we gain humility when we make a practice of: 

    Asking for help-

    God created us to be dependent on God and interdependent on others. Anytime we deny this reality and insist on doing life free of advice and help we inevitably become fools who think we are wise (Proverbs 1:25-33). Making a habit of asking for help, advice and wisdom sets us up for greatness in God’s eyes. Humility also creates space for wisdom to grow and God to bless our lives (1st Peter 5:5-6, James 4:6). We could all use a little more of that in our lives.

    Making Spiritual Sense of Those who Once Professed Christ but no Longer Live for Him-

    Lisa M. Price1 Comment

    The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the [word, immediately he falls away- Matthew 13:20-21 NASB

    From time-to-time, I have a conversation with the Lord that goes something like this:

    Me: Good morning God!  What do you want me to write about this week?

    God: I want you to write about ____________________.

    Me: Uh… I’m sorry God, I hate to tell you this but no one wants to read that. It will make people mad. 

    God: I know. Write it anyway. 

    Me: Sigh. Okay. 

    Such was the case this last week. I asked God for a topic. He gave me one. I argued with Him. He won. It’s His thing. 

    So.

    I work in an arena of ministry with many people who have relatives (usually adult kids, but not always) who are walking a very sinful path. Sometimes these adult kids are so steeped in sin they are walking several different sinful paths all at the same time (trust me it can be done). All these adult children know their behavior is wrong because they were raised to know right from wrong. The folks I work with are looking for some kind of spiritual hope for their loved one. More often than not, they find that hope in a commitment the adult child made to the Lord a long time ago, often in childhood or their early teens. Sometimes the child who is now walking in sin appeared to walk with God for a season. However, that ship has officially sailed. They are now living lives that completely oppose God and everything He’s all about.  Nonetheless, these parents cling to the belief that their child’s childhood commitment was the real deal and “proof” their child is a believer. 

    I hate to be the bearer of bad news (truly I do). 

    However, this line of thinking is not wise or biblical. It is personally comforting to believe a loved one is saved when they are living far from God. However, it is not in our best interest or theirs to hang all our hopes on a prayer a child (or an adult, for that matter) prayed at some point in the distant past, when there is zero fruit to indicate they have made the journey from spiritual death to spiritual life (Matthew 3:9-11, Matthew 7:16-20, Luke 6:43-44, John 15:4, Galatians 5:19-24). 

     Here’s why:

    False hope keeps us from praying rational and compassionate prayers-

    The most loving thing one human can do for another is pray for their salvation (Acts 2:21, Acts 4:12, 1stCorinthians 6:9-10, Titus 2:11-12).  Therefore, if a loved one does not live like a Christian the loving and logical thing is to assume they aren’t one and pray accordingly. If we get it wrong, the Lord will sort it out. 

    There is very little space in the New Testament for Christians who don’t at least try and act like Christians-

    There’s just not (Romans 6:1-23, Romans 7:4-6, Ephesians 2:1-10, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). It is normal for new Christians and even seasoned saints to stumble and even fall sometimes. No one this side of heaven is free of their sin nature. We should not assume that just because a Christian screws up (even in a really big way) they are unsaved. That being said, the Bible makes it clear: authentic believers in Jesus do not wallow around in sin for years and years with no apparent remorse or desire to change. Nor do they mock Jesus, Christianity or other Christians. True Christians do not write or speak about how freeing it is to depart the faith and live a life of unfettered sin. Jesus is clear: no fruit (or ONLY bad fruit) no salvation. That doesn’t mean anyone is doomed. As long as a person is breathing there is hope for redemption (John 3:16, Romans 5:7-9).  That said, we must be realistic about their spiritual state in order to help them. 

    Children don’t always understand the commitment they made-

    It is spiritually risky to assume a child or teenager understands or understood all the ins-and-outs of making a heartfelt commitment to Jesus when many saved adults struggle with the concepts of salvation and sanctification. We must understand that from a developmental standpoint the teen years are a period of life when people “try on” identities and decide who they want to be and how they want to live. If a teen or child “tries on” the identity of “Christian” or goes through the motions of living like a Christian for a season but never REALLY repents of their sin and follows through on a commitment to obey Jesus as the Lord of their life, the whole thing was (sadly) just another phase of childhood and nothing more. Consequently, it’s critical parents ensure children and teens who profess Christ are given a LOT of follow-up care and discipleship. It’s the best way to stack the odds in favor of a genuine commitment to Jesus (John 10:9). 

    I am not arguing people “lose” their salvation. However, Jesus made it clear there will be people who make commitments to God who don’t really mean it or understand what that commitment entails. Those people inevitably “fall away” (Matthew 7:13-23, Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 16:16). If those folks die without truly knowing Christ as Lord, they will not make it heaven. We prove our love for these people by praying fervently they will understand their spiritual reality and seek God while He can be found (Isaiah 55:6, Hebrews 4:6-7, 2nd Peter 3:9, Matthew 24:13).  

    Four Practical ways to Love the Unlovable Without Enabling Sin-

    Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

    We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people- 1st Thessalonians 5:14-15 NASB 

    One of the most challenging aspects of being twenty-first century follower of Jesus is the disparity between how Christians are commanded to behave in Scripture and how the world encourages people to behave. This contrast is especially glaring when it comes to dealing with the unlovable among us.

    The message we get from the world concerning this subject could not be more straight-forward and clear. Most non-Christians (including most secular counselors) believe and teach that unlovable people should be ejected from one’s life as quickly and efficiently as possible. If a friend, co-worker, parent, child or spouse is needy, rude, selfish, sinful or even just kind of dumb that person should be given the old heave-ho the second they indicate a lack of willingness (or ability) to change. 

    I won’t lie. 

    My flesh finds the counsel of the world appealing in this situation.  Life is short and unlovable people are, well, not fun to love. So, why waste time and energy on anyone who is less than awesome or reluctant to change?

    Well. 

    As much as I like this advice on a personal level, I also find it super hard to rationalize from a biblical perspective. Nowhere in the Bible are we given permission to eliminate unlovable people from our lives. Truly evil people, yes, the Bible has no issue with Christians avoiding truly evil, totally unrepentant people. We are also called to avoid those who might corrupt our character (1st Corinthians 15:33). That being said, Jesus made it abundantly clear that we are to love the unlovable (Matthew 5:44-46, Luke 6:27-32) and even pray (nice prayers) for those who mistreat us, even when they do it on purpose. Jesus followed His own admittedly hard advice. He prayed for those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34) and loved the man who would eventually turn Him over to be crucified (Judas). He forgave Peter for denying Him three times and He forgives US for ALL the really stupid stuff we do. None of us are Jesus. However, God has given us the power (through the indwelling Holy Spirit) do what Jesus did (John 14:11-13, Matthew 7:7, Luke 10:19). Here’s how to love an unlovable person without enabling bad behavior that makes the person even more unlovable:

    Set and enforce limits- 

    Unlovable people are oftentimes boundary busters. They overstep, ask for more than is reasonable and show little (or no) respect for what other people want or how they feel. This can become a valid source of bitterness for the person whose boundaries are being busted. Bitterness is bad. It should be avoided at all costs (Ephesians 4:30-31, Hebrews 12:15). The answer to this problem is not to kick the unlovable person to the curb. All that does is make the unlovable person bitter. The answer is to set limits for the person who will not set limits for themselves. There does not need to be a lot of discussion around these limits. Just decide what you will and will not do and then stick to your guns. This will keep you from becoming bitter. Getting free from the bondage of bitterness frees us up to love from the heart. 

    Forgive as often as necessary- 

    Forgiving others is something Christians are straight-up commanded to do (Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 18:15-35, Mark 11:25-26). However, contrary to popular belief forgiveness is not something we do for other people. Most people we need to forgive do not care all that much about being forgiven. Most unlovable people are more than happy to keep on making other people angry and bitter. Forgiveness is something we do for the sake of our own souls. Forgiving others is truly the ultimate in selfcare. When we forgive an unlovable person God frees us from anger, resentment and bitterness (Ephesians 4:31, Hebrews 12:15). That freedom allows us to love (and forgive) others joyfully, whether they deserve it or not. 

    Fight for the good- 

    Fighting for the good does not mean putting up with endless abuse, sin or disrespect. In fact, fighting for the good is the exact opposite of putting up with all sorts of sinful behavior in the name of being “loving”. It is not loving to allow people to sin; in fact, it’s the exact opposite of loving someone.  We fight for the good when we lovingly confront sin and refuse (in a kind way) to allow people to sin against us or anyone else (Galatians 6:1-5,1stThessalonians 5:14, James 5:19-20). Paul’s experience with Peter in Galatians 2:11-13 is a perfect example of this in action. The apostle Peter was sinning against Paul and the gentile Christians by refusing to eat with them when the Jews were around. Paul called him out on it and (apparently) Peter repented and started treating everyone the same all the time. If Paul had refused to confront Peter on his behavior it would have surely led to more sin. Not good. 

    And finally, we must:

    Do the things- 

    We must behave in a loving way towards unlovable people whether we feel the desire to do so or not. Showing kindness and love is not optional for believers in Jesus. It’s a command (Ephesians 4:32, Luke 6:35, Colossians 3:12, 2nd Timothy 2:24). It’s also the key to loving the unlovable in such a way they experience God’s love and care for all people. When we love the unlovable from the heart we become the hands and feet of Jesus in a sin-sick world. 

    Four Strategies for Being the Light in Terrible Times-

    Lisa M. Price1 Comment

    Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you- Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB

    We live in terrible times. 

    We just do. I am not being excessively dramatic, just stating an obvious fact. I will not belabor my point with a bunch of examples of how bad things have gotten, although I would have no problem doing so. Instead, I will point you towards 2nd Timothy 3:1-5. It’s pretty much where the whole stupid world is living right now. Paul’s words read like a brutally honest review of the social media page “Am I the A**hole?” or really any other social media page anywhere. 

    It says:  

     But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! NKJV

    None of this comes as a surprise to God (Psalm 139:4, Isaiah 40:20, Hebrews 4:13).

    God saw this whole messy muddle coming (we just read the prophesy). God also knew exactly how hard and discouraging it would be for His people to live in this period of human history (Galatians 6:9).  Knowing our current situation was ordained by the Almighty begs a critical question: 

    What does God expect from His people in terrible times? 

    Truth-be-told God doesn’t ask a whole lot those who live in terrible times (or any time for that matter). He doesn’t ask us to change the world. Nor does He want us to hide from the world and exist in a bubble surrounded only by church people. He for sure does not want us to live in a La La land where we pretend everything is great when it isn’t. All God really wants us to do is find ways to shine in the darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15). 

    That’s it. 

    We are to shine the light of Christ in the darkness of our times. That’s it.  We are not called to change anything in our own power. He just wants us to shine His light in all the dark places; He’ll do the rest. We do that our part by 

    Refusing to complain or grumble- 

    We become a light that shines in dark places when we cultivate a heart attitude that glorifies God and wins people to team Jesus (2nd Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 4:23, Mark 11:25, James 4:6-7). It’s simply a fact that no one in the history of forever has glorified God or won anyone to Jesus with grumbling, complaining or faultfinding (Philippians 2:12-15). It just doesn’t happen. We must do what God has called us to do (serve others, love others, provide for human needs) with a spirit of joy and love. This is not always easy, and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to anyone.  In order to obey this command, we must choose to walk in the Spirit at all times and in all situations (Galatians 5:13-16). The Holy Spirit gives us all the power we need to live a life of joy in a hard world. 

    Loving the jerks anyway- 

    All people are sinners (Romans 3:23). As a result, no one is really worthy of God’s love and grace. Nonetheless, God chooses to love people anyway, regardless of whether or not they are worthy of His love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1st John 3:1). Christians are called to be like God (Matthew 5:48). This means loving unlovable people (jerks) is a big part of our assignment as Christians. It is not easy to love an unlovable person; it helps to remember that from a biblical perspective love is less of a feeling and more of a decision. God wants us to show love to people whether we feel loving or not (1st Corinthians 13). Thankfully, God rewards obedience. Therefore, loving feelings almost always follow the choice to behave in a loving manner. 

    Choosing holiness in a world that just doesn’t get it- 

    Christians are called to be holy (1st Peter 1:15-16, Hebrews 12:14). Holiness can be defined as: being set apart from sin, walking in truth, adopting right behavior and choosing moral goodness (2nd Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 4:24, 2nd Peter 1:3-11). Choosing to be holy is a challenge in a world that truly believes such things are only for nubs and fools. Nonetheless, when we choose holiness, we purify ourselves, grow in our knowledge of God and point dying people to a holy God that loves them.

    And finally, 

    We must understand what we’re dealing with in these times-

    The times we live in are not terrible because the average Joe or Jane just woke up one day and decided terribleness is where it’s at.  Our times are terrible because we are nearing the end of all things (Daniel 12, Matthew 24, 2ndPeter 3:3). This means that people (unsaved and saved) are literally taking their cues on how to live from demonic teaching (1st Timothy 4:1). People are being told by social media, self-help books and even some clergy and counselors that contempt, hate, estrangement and hostility are all forms of self-care that lead to peace, freedom and personal happiness. The behavior we see is just an ugly byproduct of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). Christians cannot make a real difference using the weapons of this world (hate, estrangement, hostility, division). We shine in the darkness when we use the weapons of heaven: love, grace, kindness, holiness and truth.