Category: Self-leadership

How do we Know if our Faith is the Real Deal or a Fraud?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude- Colossians 2:6-7 NASB 

Faith is the biggest of deals to God. 

Faith in Jesus and His resurrection saves sinful humans from the wages of their sin (John 3:16, John 11:25-26, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:10). Faith enables sinful humans to call a holy God their friend (James 2:23). Faith even impacts the power of prayer (Matthew 21:22, James 1:6, James 5:14-15). The faith of the people Jesus encountered even impacted Jesus’ ability/willingness to perform miracles during His time here on earth (Matthew 13:58, Mark 10:52).

The Bible defines faith as: 

Confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see- Hebrews 11:1

Faith is more than a pie-in-the-sky spiritual ideal we someday hope to attain. Faith is not simply a nice thing to have or something that earns believers spiritual bonus points. God sees faith as a nonnegotiable. 

The Bible also says this about faith: 

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him- Hebrews 11:6 

A cursory reading of nearly any Bible discussing faith points the reader to the idea that the kind of faith that pleases God is more than an intellectual acquiescence to the notion that He exists (James 2:19, Hebrews 10:22-23).  The faith God wants His people to have is much more solid than just simply believing in something in a passive, reflexive or instinctive kind of a way. 

This truth begs a couple of really critical questions:

 What does real faith “look like”? 

How do we know if the faith we possess is the real deal? 

How do we know our faith is the saving faith the Bible talks about (Ephesians 2:8) or something altogether different and less powerful?

How do we get the right “kind” of faith? 

These questions matter to believers in Jesus because no one can please God without faith (1st Peter 1:8-9). Real faith has several distinct elements all woven together that make faith a saving faith. Following are four of them:

Faith does-

Hebrews eleven is sometimes called the “Heroes of the Faith chapter” or the “Hall of Faith”. The writer lists individuals throughout biblical history who had faith that pleased God. All sorts of people made the list: men, women, young people, old people, prophets, warriors, priests, and even a few gentiles. All those folks had one thing in common: their faith got them busy (1st Peter 4:10, Galatians 1:23, Colossians 2:5). They all acted on their faith and did something God-honoring with their lives. Some worshipped, some blessed, some resisted earthly authority, others built, some brought God a better sacrifice and some simply longed deeply for life in the heavenly city. The best of the lot, the individuals God said the world is not worthy of died for what they believed in. They believed in faith their death was not wasted. Each person named or unnamed in Hebrews eleven did something meaningful simply BECAUSE they believed. Real faith is a verb. A person demonstrates their faith in God by living their lives for Him rather than themselves (Hebrews 6:12, James 2:20). 

Faith obeys- 

God does not measure a person’s faith based on their feelings, how demonstrative their worship is or how eloquent their words are or are not. None of that matters to God. God measures faith by a person’s obedience to God and His commands (Psalm 18:25, Psalm 25:10, Galatians 5:6).  Abrham is called “father of the faithful” (Romans 4:11) because he obeyed God. Abrham obeyed when he understood God and he obeyed when he didn’t understand God and because of his belief God credited Abrham’s faith (obedience) as righteousness. God hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8). If we really believe Jesus is who He says He is (God) and that He sacrificed Himself for our sins. Then God expects us to do what He tells us to do in Scripture.  Obedience is the fruit of faith, without obedience faith is questionable at best. 

Faith transforms- 

God does not redeem people simply to make them into a heaven bound version their hellish pre-Jesus self (Ephesians 2:10). People are redeemed to be transformed into the image of Jesus (Romans 12:2, 2nd Corinthians 3:18 Colossians 3:1-17, Ephesians 4:22, 1st Corinthians 5:17). If a person identifies as a believer in Jesus here will be some real change including a desire to let go of sinful behaviors (1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21) as well as a desire to please God with every part of their lives (2nd Peter 1:3-11, Galatians 5:22-23). If those desires don’t exist neither does the faith. 

Faith trusts- 

Faith that pleases God looks past circumstances and situations. This kind of faith brazenly ignores the obvious and looks at God. Faith chooses to believe God will do what He says He will do even when life is scary and difficult (Genesis 17:1). Because this kind of faith is God’s favorite, He will go to great lengths to grow this kind of faith in His people. Unfortunately, for His people this can mean some scary moments as we learn to trust Him with things that don’t always make sense to us.

Faith doesn’t just happen.

We acquire faith by believing in Jesus work on the cross, hearing the word of God and then doing what it tells us to do (Romans 10:17). Our faith becomes real and saving when we choose to let it change us into something infinitely better.  

Strategic Keys to Preventing Spiritual Burnout, Backsliding and Deconstruction-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord- 1st Peter 2:1-3 NASB

We all have them in our lives. 

People we love and care about who started the race of faith with a lot of hullabaloo and determination. Nevertheless, something went terribly wrong and they either deconstructed loudly and proudly or burnt-out slowly and left the Christian faith quietly. 

Their condition is sad, befuddling and scary all at the same time. It’s sad because we love them want everyone to experience every good thing Jesus has to offer (John 10:10). It’s befuddling because we cannot help but wonder what on earth happened. Were they never really believers?  If they are believers, will they make into heaven by the skin of their teeth with zero rewards? It’s scary because we don’t really know what the spiritual outcome will be for them.

Sadly, all the above questions are a bit above my paygrade. 

 I honestly don’t know if those who profess Christ and then regress permanently were ever really saved or not. Nor do I know what it will be like for them on judgment day. Jesus made it clear that there are people who appear to be Christians and are not (Matthew 13:30, Matthew 25).  It’s also true we are saved by grace, not works (Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9). However, everyone will receive rewards in keeping with their works (Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 25:14-29, 1st Corinthians 3:15).

I do know God is gracious and good (Luke 15:11-32, 1st John 1:9, Lamentations 3:22). Therefore, prevention is without a doubt more important than understanding the ins-and-outs of issues that are above our paygrade. The sad reality is regression (or backsliding) can happen to anyone (Hebrews 5:12-14, Romans 1:21). It doesn’t matter if the person has been a believer (or even a Christian leader) for a long time. Nor does it matter how many cool things they have done for the kingdom. Regression happens to every classification of Christian. Because Jesus had nothing good to say about quitters (Luke 9:62) today we are going to look at the most common causes of spiritual regression and how to prevent them. 

Drift- 

The book of Hebrews has a lot to say about the spiritual dangers of drift (Hebrews 2:1-4, Hebrews 5:12-14, Hebrews 10:25). Drift usually begins with a tough season that leads to a low-level spiritual burnout.  Everything in life is hard and deep in our hearts we know God could make things easier on us if He was willing and obviously, He is not willing or the season would be less hard. So, we intentionally or subconsciously slow communication with the Almighty to a trickle. As a result, our Bibles get a bit dusty, church attendance becomes spotty and our prayers are more fleeting and compulsory than passionate and honest.  Before we know it, it’s like “God who?”. The key to preventing drift is accountability to other people and a rock-solid commitment to appropriately dealing with our anger at God (see point four) and trusting Him to do what’s best for us even when the circumstances of our lives are not all we hoped they would be. 

 Ditching church- 

Attending Church doesn’t make a person a Christian, nor does church attendance automatically make an attender spiritually healthy. However, church attendance is a gage of our spiritual temperature.  A desire to ditch church is a clear indicator of a problem. However, attending a healthy, gospel proclaiming church puts us in proximity to things and people that encourage and promote growth like other Christians, solid Bible teaching and prayer (James 5:16). 

Lack of intentional growth- 

Spiritual growth does not happen without effort (2nd Peter 1:3-11).  Choosing to grow means making a daily commitment to pray, learn the Bible and practice holiness (Isaiah 35:8, 2nd Corinthians 7:1). Choosing to grow also means deciding every single day to get up and persevere in our faith even when life gets hard and God feels distant.  It means never giving up or giving into spiritual laziness (Hebrews 6:11). 

Hurt that gets the better of us-

The Bible does not shy away from the reality that this life is full of pain and heartache (Romans 8:18, 2ndCorinthians 1:5). If we are not careful the trouble and tribulation that’s a normal consequence of living in a fallen world can cause us to become bitter towards God. Bitterness can lead to spiritual defection (Matthew 13:21, Matthew 24:9-10, Hebrews 12:15). On the other hand, pain and hurt can cause us to grow and become even more rooted in our faith (1st Peter 1:6-9). Prayer and close Christian friends are the keys to keeping the tough stuff from getting the best of us (Matthew 26:14, 1st Peter 4:7, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Hebrews 10:24-25, 1st Thessalonians 5:11). However, waiting until there’s a crisis to build community or cultivate a prayer life will not do a whole lot for us. Prayer and community should be a priority for every Christian. The tough times will come (John 16:33) it’s on us to be spiritually prepared for those times (Matthew 7:24-27).  

And finally,  

Getting hung up on the stuff we don’t understand- 

No human being is capable of fully understanding why God does what He does (Isaiah 55:8-9). This means that when we come up against seasons of life or circumstances that make no sense. In those moments the only spiritually logical response is to trust and believe God is good and He is diligently working things out for our good (Romans 8:28). 

Solving the Worry Problem-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

If I say, “My foot slips”, Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up.In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul- Psalm 94:18-20 NKJV

Worry. 

We all do it. 

Just about every human on earth worries about the past, the future, their careers, their finances, their kids, their marriages, their health and the health of the people they love. Christians worry about the same stuff everyone else worries about. The biggest difference between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to worry is Christians feel guilty when they worry and most non-Christians simply see it as a problem to be medicated into extinction. As a result, worry and anxiety has become big business. In 2007 America spent eighteen billion dollars to medicate anxiety disorders in the United States.  That number does not include what was spent on counseling or herbal supplements used to treat anxiety and worry. 

That’s a lot of worry and a big old pile of money. 

The two questions Christians ought to ask themselves are: 

Is worry a sin? 

And 

What do I do about worry? 

Many Christians believe it is a sin to worry. Team “worry is a sin” believes there are verses that prove Jesus explicitly forbid worry (Luke 12:22-25, 1st Peter 5:7). They also believe His apostles reiterated His teaching in their letters. Team “worry is a sin” also believes any concern expressed over anything is worry and consequently is a sin. Ironically these teachings generate a lot of worry for a lot of folks.

I do not encourage Christians to worry (more on this later). That said, I am a member of team “worry is not a sin” for a couple of reasons. First, there are zero verses that explicitly state worry is a sin.  Furthermore, worry and anxiety do not appear on any of the “sin lists” in the Bible (Romans 1:18-32, 1st Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, 1st Timothy 1:8). Most significantly, Jesus’ teachings on worry seems to show deep concern for the wellbeing of the worrier (Matthew 6:25-26). Nowhere does Jesus indicate that worriers are sinning or in spiritual danger due to their anxiety (Hebrews 4:15). It’s also true the Bible makes a distinction between worry and appropriate concern. The apostles did not worry their heads off about anything. However, many of them expressed deep concern over issues in their letters, including false teachers (Acts 20, 2nd Peter 2:1, Jude), bad doctrine (1st Timothy 1:3, Hebrews 13:9, 1st John 4:1, 2nd Timothy 4:3) and sinful people impacting the church negatively (2nd Timothy 3:1-5, 1st Corinthians 5:1-12). There is nothing wrong with showing appropriate concern if your child is running in front of a car or you are being chased by a bear. Nonetheless, it is neurotic and unhealthy to lay around and worry about such things if they aren’t happening.  

That being said.

Just because something is not a sin doesn’t mean it’s beneficial (1st Corinthians 10:23).  To the contrary, Jesus’ teaching in Luke twelve makes it clear that worry is pointless and changes nothing.  So, what do we do about worry? In a broken and fallen world there is no end of things to worry about. However, there are some things we can do that will help us deal with worry appropriately. All of these (if done consistently) will have a bonus consequence of drawing us into closer relationship with Jesus.  

Be proactive about inviting God into the problem-solving process- 

I am convinced that this life is simply a training ground for whatever God has for believers in the next life (Matthew 25:1-29). This means our problems are more than just annoyances or things to get worked up over. They are opportunities to learn and grow into better people so that we are ready for the responsibilities of the next life. This means that problem solving is not running ahead of God (as some say). Instead, problem solving is an opportunity to grow as people learn from God and develop a skillset that will benefit us in this life and the next one. But in order for that to happen we have to invite God into every issue of life through prayer and be willing to let His spirit lead us to problem solve effectively. 

Make a daily practice of remembering the goodness of God-

Sometimes, we worry simply because we have forgotten all the ways and times God has rescued us, provided for us or protected us in the past. Making a practice of remembering how God has come through for us in the past is the best way to prevent the spiritual amnesia that leads to pointless, soul-sucking worry (Psalm 77:11, Deuteronomy 4:12, Psalm 103:2). 

Be intentional about putting the rest in God’s hands-

 I do not think worry is a sin. That said I do think a yearning to be in complete control of everything is (Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 37:4-6). Conquering worry begins with accepting the reality that control is elusive (impossible) in a fallen world. We must also acknowledge that much of our anxiety is related to our fear of loss of control (Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 118:6). It is simply a fact that there will always be things in life that are worrying and even intimidating. Our job as Christians is not to pretend everything is fine when it isn’t. Instead, God wants us to take our worries and fears to Him in prayer until those fears transform into child-like trust and love (Galatians 5:25). 

Four Clear Indicators a Christian is Walking in the Light-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

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). 

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.

    Four Strategies for Being the Light of Christ 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. 

    How to Spot a False Teacher in the Church-

    Lisa M. Price2 Comments

     There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute- 2nd Peter 2:1-2 

    Last week, I was scrolling a social media site, and I happened upon a post entitled “twelve false teachers to avoid”.  There were a couple of people on the list I had never heard of but for the most part it was a “who’s who” of popular Christianity. The poster (not someone I know) did not give a list of reasons for placing those folks on their list. It was just a list of names. The comments were passionate. Many disputed the posters conclusions; others felt the poster was spot-on. 

    I am not opposed to the notion of identifying false teachers the Church.  The New Testament frequently warns readers to be on the lookout for false teachers (Matthew 7:15, Acts 20:28-30, 2nd Peter 2:1-3, Jude 4). False teachers mislead and sometimes even entice people to sin (2nd Timothy 3:1-8). This makes all Christians look hypocritical, causing unsaved folks to reject Jesus because of the behavior of Christians (2nd Peter 2:1-2).  

    Not good. 

    Nonetheless, I don’t love the idea of publicly calling out false teachers. Such tactics lack grace, teach nothing and hurt those who may have made a mistake in their teaching and have since repented. All human leaders are fallible. Punishing anyone for immaturity or a mistake is worldly rather than Christian (Titus 3:11). Moreover, it seems to me it is more important for the average Joe or Jane Christian to be able to identify false teachers rather than be given a list of people to avoid.   So, in the interest of education I am providing a list, not of people to avoid but of characteristics to lookout for. The list is not exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start. 

    First and foremost:

    They are almost always squishy when it comes to sexuality-

    This is the most glaring red flag for false teachers today. Most (not all) false teachers take a worldly stand on sexual issues. Oftentimes they openly promote LGBTQ lifestyles in the name of “love” or “grace”. It is neither loving nor gracious to celebrate any behavior God explicitly forbids (Acts 15:29, Romans 1:24-27, 1st Corinthians 6:18, 2nd Corinthians 6:9-11, 1st Thessalonians 4: 3-8). 

    Their ministry is about something besides Jesus or living for Jesus- 

    Many false teachers center their ministry entirely around the “prophetic word”. These self-proclaimed “prophets” have a fresh “word from the Lord” nearly every day and their predications typically have a very low rate of accuracy.  Other false teachers focus mostly on politics or psychology. They tend to make the Bible secondary in their teachings. False teachers often blend politics or psychology with the Bible explaining away sin in psychological terms or making patriotism a standard of holiness. For the record, I am not opposed to patriotism or psychology as long as we put God first and keep the rest in perspective.  I also believe God speaks to and through people, even today (Hebrews 12:25). Furthermore, the New Testament explicitly cautions readers not to become contemptuous or dismissive of prophecy (1st Thessalonians 5:20-21). That being said, a healthy Christian teacher focuses MOST of their teachings on living a victorious Christian life, understanding the teachings of the Bible and glorifying Jesus, NOT on politics, psychology or the prophetic word.

    They resist authority including scriptural authority-

    Most (all) false teachers resist any kind of authority and are rarely (if ever) under a denominational covering. Furthermore, they tend to become angry and belligerent when told that their teachings do not measure up to biblical standards. Truth-be-told there is little real spiritual authority anymore, even in many denominations (Judges 21:25). Therefore, it is critical Christians study the Bible for themselves so they can spot erroneous teaching when it is presented (Acts 17:11, 2nd Timothy 2:15).

    The fruit is bad-

    Most false teachers do not have (for the most part) good fruit. They don’t lead a lot of people to the Lord and when they do those folks tend to fall away. They also tend to lack the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23, 2nd Peter 1:3-11, Colossians 3). Be on guard for those who make salvation secondary and/or talk about Christian virtues but do not walk them out.  

    They lack the character required for Christian leaders- 

    The Bible sets clear standards for those in Christian leadership. Anyone can have a bad day (or even a bad season) but for the most part a healthy Christian leader should be mature and tested (1st Timothy 3:6). They should also set a good example, be kind, clear minded, able to teach and patient with difficult people.  They should not be pugnacious (fighty), greedy, gossipy or given to drunkenness (Ephesians 4:11-15, 1st Timothy 3:1-13, 2nd Timothy 2:4). If a Christian leader is dishonest, lacking in virtue and/or cannot live in peace with most people most of the time, he or she should not be followed.  

    They are motivated primarily by money and attention- 

    There is nothing wrong or sinful with having a big ministry or lots of followers, nor is it wrong to raise a lot of money for godly causes.  However, a lot can go wrong when a teacher or preacher tailors their teaching to gain a huge following and raise a lot of money (Mark 8:36, 1st Timothy 6:3-6, Titus 1:10-11).  If a teacher or preacher talks a lot about money but very little about sin and living a righteous life, chances are good they are more interested in a personal following than seeing souls saved and people sanctified. 

    Ultimately, false teachers are a lot like the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-19. They tend to be all style with no real substance. They profess to believe all the right things but the more you look the more obvious it becomes that their lifestyle and teaching is a little “off”. The era of podcasts and YouTube has made it possible for false teachers to thrive with little or no real accountability. It’s on the individual Christian to choose who they follow wisely and practice discernment in all things. 

    How to Make Permanent Changes-

    Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

    Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexual, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God- 1st Corinthians 6:9b-11 NASB

    Christianity is a good news bad news kind of a deal. 

    The bad news of Christianity is that people are fallen and super sinful (Genesis 3) and because God loves people He does not want anyone to stay that way (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:17-24, John 3:16). Sin is the most harmful thing in the universe. If it is allowed to run wild it ALWAYS leads to our eternal destruction (Romans 6:23, 2ndThessalonians 1:7-9, Revelation 21:8).  

    The good news of Christianity is that anyone who submits their life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will be saved from the penalty of sin (hell) and given the supernatural ability (through the power of the Holy Spirit) to change (Acts 2:21, Titus 2:11-12, 2nd Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 9:28). The Holy Spirit empowers Christ followers to change their outward behavior AND their hearts. The result is that anyone who submits themselves to the Lordship of Jesus can actually become like Jesus from the inside out (2nd Corinthians 2:10, 2nd Corinthains 5:17, James 1:4, Hebrews 5:12-14). It’s a beautiful thing. 

    Unfortunately.

    We live in a weird world where many people, even many Christians behave as if they don’t really believe real and lasting change possible, even for Christians (Romans 6:11, 1st Corinthians 1:2, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:1-9). This view has oozed into how churches do discipleship and deal with sin. It has become disturbingly common for churches and church leaders to just expect new Christians to live as they have always lived. Repentance is rarely discussed, therefore many folks who identify as “serious Christians” have sex with people they are not married to, dishonor their parents, commit fraud or are greedy, selfish, jealous, unforgiving, slanderous, rude, arrogant and ungrateful (2nd Timothy 3:1-3). 

    All very sinful and not okay for God’s holy people (1st Peter 2:9-11). 

    No where is this situation better demonstrated than with a theology infiltrating many otherwise solid Christian churches. This theology is known as Side B. Side B teaches a person can be a Christian and identify as a gay person if they don’t have sex with someone of the same gender. 

    What? 

    Since when is that okay? Christians do not identify as their sin. This is no different than saying it’s okay to be a gossipy Christian, a Christian thief or a lying Christian.  God calls His people to change. It is not okay to settle for a consecrated version of our old sinful self. Change is never easy, however if a person is in Christ, it is possible if we do the following:  

    Understand and live out our new identity- 

    If a person is a Christian, their identity is as a follower of Jesus Christ. Period. Even things like our sex, race and country of origin are no longer our primary identify (Galatians 3:26-29). It is definitely not okay to find our identity in our sexual preferences, our worst sin or our most regrettable personality trait (Romans 8:1).  Believers in Jesus are a new creation in Christ (Colossians 1:1-3, Colossians 3:3, Ephesians 2:19). Understanding and owning this new identity empowers us to live out our new self, made in the image of Jesus. 

    Own the problem- 

    We must own our sin and call it out as sin. We cannot pretend we are without sin nor can we act as if our sin isn’t wrong if want to have any hope of real and lasting change (1st John 1:8-10). God is unspeakably gracious, kind and patient with us (Psalm 86:15, Psalm 116:5, Romans 8:32, 2nd Peter 3:9). He will meet us where we at as long as we confess our sin as sin. Being real and honest with ourselves, God and our closest Christian friends concerning our sin is a first step towards receiving the power we need to make permanent changes (James 5:16). 

    Don’t wait for desires to catch up with behavior-

    Over and over again God tells us to behave in a manner that reflects repentance and salvation whether we feel like it or not (Matthew 3:8, Acts 26:20b, 2nd Peter 1:5-11, Colossians 3). This isn’t because God wants to torture us, it’s because He understands how our brains work. God knows that changing our behavior changes the neural pathways in our brains. As our neural pathways change, we develop a desire to keep doing the things that have created those new pathways.  Unfortunately, many folks wait for their desires to change before they deal with bad behavior. This pretty much ensures we will never experience real and lasting change. 

    Get some help- 

    A pastor, mature Christian friend or a Christian counselor can help us to figure out why we do what we do (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22). Behavior has roots. A person may struggle with greed because they experienced poverty as a child. A woman may look to men for affirmation because she didn’t get healthy affirmation from her dad.  A person may struggle with addiction because they want to forget a traumatic event. These experiences do not excuse our sin. However, understanding the why of our sin does help us to change it.  Think about a behavior you have that you want to change and then pray for wisdom (1st Kings 22:5, Psalm 16:7). Spend some time thinking about what happened in your past that might make you prone to that behavior. Then run your thoughts past God, a friend, counselor and/or a pastor. It will not be long before you have a better handle on that behavior. 

    And finally:

    Ask God to do what you cannot do- 

    There are simply some things we cannot do on our own. Change is one of those things, and that’s okay. God does not want us to the Christian life on our own, in our own power and strength (Philippians 4:13). He wants us to ask Him for help. He wants to partner with us on our journey (John 15:1-27, Philippians 2:12-13, Hebrews 13:20-21). It’s how we grow closer to Him and become all He calls us to be (Philippians 1:6). 

    Becoming a Difference Maker-

    Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

    Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds- James 2:17b-18

    The very first thing the Bible says about human beings is that we are made in the image of God (1:26-27). This rudimentary theological fact manifests itself in a profound longing to create beauty, build, discover, reproduce and conquer the unknown and unconquered. This universal desire is real-world evidence of the image of God being played out in the lives of ALL people. It does not matter if a person chooses to acknowledge God or not. God’s image is still in them and so are all the aspirations and longings that go along with it. 

    All people want to make a mark on this world. 

    For those who do not know God this desire is most often revealed in a desire to make money, control events or rule over others and make oneself known (famous). For those who are born again (John 3:1-15) the longing to make a mark on this world should shift into a desire to make God known. If a Christian is correctly discipled, they will, over time, become more God-centered than self-centered (Matthew 28:19-20, 1st Peter 2:9). Therefore, a mature and growing Christian does not want to make a mark on the world simply for their own gain or recognition. A growing Christian wants to make a mark on this world for the good of other people and the glory of God (Matthew 28:16-20). For believers in Jesus good works or making a difference in this world is not optional, nor is it legalism. It is literally what were saved for (Matthew 5:13-16, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17-18). Too often, Christians become discouraged from making their own mark on the world for Jesus because they see the notoriety of “famous Christians” like a Charlie Kirk or Billy Graham and think their contribution to the body of Christ will never have a huge impact, so it’s pointless to try. This is a lie straight from the pit of hell, intended to keep Christians focused on the earthly rather than the eternal.  Every believer was designed by God to reveal God to the world through good works they do in their day-to-day lives. 

    The story of Tabithia (Dorcas) is found in Acts 9:36-41. She is the ultimate example of an “average” Christian who became a difference maker by taking her gifts, talents and abilities and using them for the good of others and the glory of God. Tabithia was a woman known throughout her church and community for caring for the needs of others. She was a seamstress who made clothing for the poor in her community (a very big deal back in the day). Presumably, she didn’t just make clothing she also told others about Jesus as she provided for their needs.  Tabithia made such a huge difference in the lives of the people in her community that her death created a huge void in the church and a bit of a crisis in the greater community. So much so, that some of the men in the church went to great lengths to find the apostle Peter in hopes that he could raise her from the dead so that she could continue her ministry. We become that kind of a difference maker by doing the following: 

    Make a regular habit of seeking the Lord- 

    When we seek God with all of hearts through prayer, Bible study and deep reflection on our Bible study, God reveals Himself to us in very real ways (Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 58:2).  The more we know God and the deeper our personal experiences go with God the more spiritual power we will have to make Him known. When we know God intimately, we naturally become good representatives and ambassadors of God in a world that desperately needs a clear vision of God (2nd Corinthians 5:20). 

    Find your gift and use it- 

    Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift as well as some natural talents (1st Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 4:7-8). Find your gift then ask God to show you how to use it to reach the maximum number of people.  

    Figure out what needs to be done and do it-

    There is no end to the things that need to be done inside the four walls of the local church. Many of the things that need to be done are not glamorous. However, when they get done God is honored and people are changed. There are people who need to be greeted, coffee that needs to be brewed, meals that need to be made, worship that needs to be led and children that need to be taught the word of God.  By choosing to serve in whatever way is needed in your local church you will glorify God and be used to bring about spiritual transformation in others (Romans 12). 

    Don’t pursue followers-

    Sadly, in our world many Christians decline to do what they can for the kingdom because they want to do something people will notice and get excited about. Truth-be-told other Christians may or may not notice or care about your contribution, but God will. God sees everything and rewards those who diligently serve Him (Matthew 6:13, Matthew 25:21, Revelation 22:12).

    And finally,

    It’s critical we remember that the things we do in our own power and strength will amount to very little in this world (1st Corinthians 3:10-15). It’s only things we do out of the overflow of our relationship with God that result in transformation. If you make a practice of seeking God and His righteousness first, the difference making is sure to follow (Matthew 6:33).