Tag: Opinion

How Churches can Overcome a Toxic Culture-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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 5:14 and 16 NASB

 Secular culture has always had an element of toxicity to it. 

This is unavoidable because anything (or anyone) that isn’t actively for Christ will always be anti-Christ in some way (1st John 4:3). Nonetheless, until recently, much of secular culture was fairly neutral, some elements might have even been considered somewhat wholesome.

That ship has officially sailed. 

At this point in human history nearly every culture on earth has embraced every evil under the sun and started calling the evil “good” (Isaiah 5:20). Politics are corrupt, people are selfish, cruel and mean, many appear to be going feral, deviant sexual behaviors are embraced and celebrated. Parents are no longer honored, life is no longer held sacred, and marriage is no longer seen as a necessary steppingstone to parenthood (Romans 1:18-32, 2ndTimothy 3:1-5, 2nd Timothy 4:3). Sadly, that list is barely skimming the surface of our world-wide cultural brokenness.  

Sigh. 

Churches tend to take one of several unhealthy approaches in dealing with the ever-encroaching madness. Some mainline denominations gleefully embrace and celebrate the culture. In these churches abortion and euthanasia are viewed as gifts, they believe gender is a choice everyone gets to make and homosexuality, is just another sexual option on a long list of options. Politicians who battle for the “right” to live a life of what the Bible calls “sin” are applauded as heroes. 

 Other churches do their level best to simply ignore the culture. They focus on Jesus and how awesome He is and how awesome He is to those who love Him. These churches will do anything short of sin to keep negativity and ickiness from creeping into their churches.  If something problematic does find its way into the like the death of Charlie Kirk, a gay couple or outspoken political views the whole messy muddle is quickly swept under the rug, and leadership moves on to cheerier topics. 

Others attempt to fight the evil, not with good as the Bible instructs (Romans 12:18-21) but with mockery, condescension and mean-spiritedness. These folks poke fun at anyone who disagrees with the Bible, conservative political views or their expression of Christianity.

The drawback with the first approach is (hopefully) obvious. Embracing sin to win people to Jesus makes almost as much sense as believing someone could cast out a demon with the power of Satan (Matthew 9:33-34). It’s absurd. Celebrating sin just makes  something God expressly forbids feel safe (2nd Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19). This tactic keeps individuals deceived, disobedient to God and trapped in the ugliness and hopelessness of sin (2nd Peter 3:11, 1st John 1:6). 

The problems with second approach are more complex. On the surface this approach feels wholesome and agreeable because it limits offense and controversy and makes Christianity an easy thing for people to accept. However, because churches have remained silent regarding cultural issues an entire generation is mostly ignorant concerning a whole host of biblical issues including (but not limited to) abortion, euthanasia, gender, homosexuality and what it means to honor one’s parents. Furthermore, what you win people with you win them to. Winning folks to a wishy-washy, inoffensive form of Christianity will not form strong disciples able to withstand persecution.  This approach also cruelly ignores the pain of those who have been damaged by the culture. The Church ceases to be a place of healing if no one is ever allowed to talk about anything icky, contentious or hard.  

The third approach sometimes feels the most holy and helpful because it actively calls out sin and heresy.  However, no one in the history of forever has ever been mocked, belittled or shamed into holiness or right thinking. It just doesn’t happen. 

So, what should the church do about the culture? Following are four things we can do: 

Be real without embracing despair or hopelessness-

The culture is terrible. More and more people are choosing to live a life of sin. This damages the sinners and generates untold pain for their families. Politics are divisive and gross. This makes communication and finding common ground challenging. The state of the culture makes life uglier and living out our faith harder. These are realities we have to deal with. However, none of these issues make Jesus any less powerful or God any less good.  We must recognize the realities of our age without losing sight of God’s goodness or power to transform people and situations (Joshua 1:9, Galatians 6:9).

Be a hospital for those hurting from the culture-

Churches cannot ignore the damaged, brokenhearted people in their midst. Churches must acknowledge, love and provide opportunities for healing for those leaving sinful lifestyles including homosexuality and transgenderism. Churches must also come alongside family members (parents, grandparents, siblings) and help them to love wayward family members with the love of Jesus. 

Be like Jesus and not just the Jesus who turned over the tables in the temple- 

There were a lot of sides to Jesus and being like Jesus doesn’t mean we are always milk-toasty, wishy-washy and endlessly tolerant of every stupid thing to come along. It does mean we lead with love even when we have to say hard things and draw rigid lines around what we will and will not do (Romans 6:12-14, Ephesians 4:25, Ephesians 5:11-12). 

And finally:

Choose biblical relevance over cultural relevance- 

Forget about cultural relevance. Our culture is rotting from within; it has nothing to offer but death and sorrow. There’s nothing to be gained from aligning Christianity with death, sorrow and rot. Instead, Christians must choose to align with the Bible and fearlessly declare truth. It’s where life is found (Psalm 16:11, Deuteronomy 30:19) and a culture of death is overcome (John 10:10). 

The Newest Thing in Idolatry-

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they sprout I proclaim them to you.”- Isiah 42:8-9 NASB

Idolatry is about more than bowing down to a creepy little statue. 

Even back in the day when people bowed down to creepy little statues all the time idolatry was still about more than bowing down to a creepy little statue (Psalm 135:15-16, Revelation 9:20). It was about what the creepy little statue could do for you. All the creepy little statues offered something. Some (most) offered sexual freedom, others offered spiritual protection, safety or financial success. 

People still practice idolatry. 

 Although, the age of creepy little statues pretty much ended (at least in the west) with the dawn of the Christian age. Idolatry is best defined as being devoted to something more than we are devoted to God. Conversely, idolatry can be defined as depending on an object, substance or person to give us something we should only get from God like comfort, peace or a sense of significance (1st John 5:1).  Anything can become an idol. Drugs, alcohol, sex, fame, careers, money, families and children are all things we commonly put ahead of God or look to give us a sense of significance or personal peace (Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, 1st Corinthians 5:11). 

 Idolatry is more complex than it used to be.  

Idolatry is also getting more complex all the time. Instead of worshipping creepy little statues, substances or material things, modern people have put a new spin on idolatry. We have taken a whole bunch of ideas God came up, twisted those ideas into something God never intended and then we love the twisted version of the idea more than we love God’s original plan. Christian’s and non-Christians are alike are guilty of these spiritual and moral shenanigans. 

This creates all sorts of problems. 

When non-Christians do it, they simply bully people into accepting the new definition of the old word. They mock and humiliate anyone who disagrees with them. This effectively keeps truth from being told which inevitably leads to spiritual decay and moral bondage (Isaiah 59:14-15).  When Christians change God’s ideas it leads people away from sound doctrine into a wish-washy feel-good kind of faith that is incapable of saving anyone from anything. Following are ideas that have been changed to the determent of us all:

Love-

It’s hard to argue against love. After all, God is love (1st John 4:8, Zephaniah 3:17). That being said, the biblical definition of love (1st Corinthians 13) is very different from the moral free-for-all our culture defines as love. Truth-be-told and view of love that encourages something (anything) the Bible forbids is an idolatrous impostor of love that poses moral danger to anyone who buys into it. 

Kindness- 

The words “be kind” are everywhere. They are plastered all over tee-shirts, bumper stickers and throw pillows. Christians and non-Christians alike love to talk about kindness but it doesn’t mean what it used to mean. Old fashioned biblical kindness is awesome (Acts 9:36, Ephesians 4:32). It means doing the same types of things for other people we would like done for ourselves, forgiving others, loving like Jesus loved and assuming the best in others whenever possible (Luke 6:38, Galatians 5:22). Authentic biblical kindness is meant to point people to God and His offer of salvation which is the epitome of kindness. The new definition of kindness demands people be allowed to do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want. No one is ever allowed to give correction, words of caution or punishment, even if a person’s actions cause harm to themselves or others. This type of kindness actually the exact opposite of biblical kindness because it sends people to hell rather than pointing them to God. 

Peace- 

Worldly peace is all about an absence of conflict. Which often means one party simply acquiescing to the demands of the other in an effort to avoid further conflict and/or keep themselves out of trouble.   Biblical peace is rare in our fallen world even amongst Christians.  Biblical peace comes as a natural result of both parties being in alignment with God and His values (John 16:33). Any peace that does not consider what God would want for all parties involved is not true peace. It’s false peace. 

Compassion- 

Compassion is a deep awareness of another person’s suffering accompanied by a desire to alleviate it (Matthew 9:36). There are two common types of suffering in this world. This first is suffering due to circumstances beyond a person’s control like natural disasters and trauma. The second is suffering that comes about as a result of bad, stupid or sinful choices. Everyone agrees the first kind of suffering needs immediate relief through acts of kindness and generosity. The second kind of suffering is where things gets squishy. Godly compassion in these situations always involves helping people to see their need for repentance and real lasting change. As a result, biblical compassion often leads people to Jesus. However, idolatrous compassion seeks to make people feel good about bad choices and remove any conviction a person may feel for their sin. Without conviction no one will come to repentance (1st Corinthians 7:10). 

The twisting of ideas has transformed our world. Moral responsibility is a thing of the past and things that were once unthinkable are now commonplace. However, it’s never too late to change direction but it has to begin with God’s people. 

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). 

Should Christians be Concerned about A.I?

Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

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.  

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 Widespread Deceptions that are Literally Wrecking our World-

    Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

    See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ- Colossians 2:8 NASB 

    The Bible is full of promises. 

    Most of God’s promises are awesome. God promises to be with us (Psalm 91:11, Psalm 73:23). He also promises to forgive us (Psalm 130:4), to protect us (Psalm 46:1, 2nd Thessalonians 3:3) and to love us like crazy through the good, bad and ugly stuff of our lives (Zephaniah 3:17, John 3:16, Romans 8:37-39). 

    All really great things. 

    However, the Bible also promises (prophesies) that some not-so-great things will take place. Deception is one of those things. Deception has always been a part of life in this fallen world. However, both Jesus and the Apostle Paul promised the closer we inch towards the “end” the more deception there will be and the stranger that deception will become (Matthew 24:11-14, 2nd Thessalonians 2:3). I don’t know how close we are to the “end”.  No one does (Matthew 24:6, Matthew 25:13). However, I do know that just because of how time works we are closer now than we have ever been. I also know that there is more deception now than at any time in my lifetime. I have also observed that the deceptions are getting more complicated.  Without question, it’s getting harder to separate truth from fiction. This is because many of the most common deceptions have a seed of truth in them. Therefore, the deceptions sound good but believing them leads to all sorts of chaos including (in some cases) death of one sort or another (Proverbs 14:12). Some common deceptions are mostly unique to church world, others impact everyone. The first deception listed is unique to the church the other three have taken root inside and outside the church. 

    Sin doesn’t matter after salvation- 

     This is definitely one of the churchier deceptions. Many church people today believe that God has either (A) softened His stance on sin in general. Or (B) once we are in relationship with Jesus, sin is irrelevant because all sin (past, present and future) is forgiven. A is one-hundred-percent erroneous, God does not change (Jeremiah 4:28, Hebrews 13:8) and He is still taking a solid anti-sin stance (Matthew 5:30, Romans 6:15-18).  B is a little trickier to parse out. Mostly because it is true, all our sin is forgiven post-salvation. God doesn’t stop loving people because they mess up post-salvation (1st John 1:9). However, that does not mean it’s wise to sin intentionally simply because God is gracious and good (1st Corinthians 15:34). This kind of thinking is insanely immature, stunts our spiritual growth, and it stifles intimacy with God. It can also be a sign salvation never actually occurred. 

    God’s love is for everyone- 

    In one sense God’s love is for everyone because God’s love and promise of salvation is AVAILABLE to anyone. God doesn’t discriminate. Jew, gentile, male, female, rich, poor we are all equal and equally loved by God (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11). In another sense God’s love is not for everyone. God’s gift of salvation (the ultimate expression of God’s love) is for those who choose to do life God’s way. It’s for people who submit themselves to Jesus and obey God’s directives. God’s love is for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22) and then choose to live like they really believe He is Lord (1st John 2:5). The widespread belief in this lie has filled our churches with heathens who think they are heaven bound. 

    Constantly looking back at the negative will somehow bring us peace/happiness/wholeness in the present-

    It is true that our past oftentimes holds the key to why we are behaving in a particular way in the present. For example: a woman who never felt loved by her Dad will likely grow-up and have an unhealthy desire for male attention. This unhealthy desire could easily lead to promiscuity. Promiscuity is a sin (1st Corinthians 6:18, Hebrews 13:4, 1st Thessalonians 4:3-8). Knowing where her sinful desire “came from” can give the woman the knowledge she needs to change her behavior. However, spending too much time poking around in the past leads to rumination, which can lead to an unhealthy fixation on all the wrong things. Unhealthy fixations often lead to bitterness. Bitterness destroys our ability to live healthy, productive lives that bless others in the present (Hebrews 12:15). We should explore the past enough to get free of its negative impact and then commit to living fully and joyfully in the present. 

    Perception is reality- 

     This deception is wildly popular, and it’s taken the whole world straight to crazy town. People actually believe that if they think something is true then it is. No further investigation is needed. The problems with this deception are endless. This belief is at the root of most division and hate.  People who believe this deception hurt other people because they believe (erroneously) that people who are different from them are out to get them (usually with little or no evidence). The idea that our perception is reality leads some to harm their own bodies with drugs or surgeries because they believe their “brain was put in the wrong body”. But perhaps the biggest problem with this deception is that it causes people to shut their brains off and stop thinking. Folks decide that what they believe is true and they stop thinking. This causes people to make decisions based entirely on lies. 

    In these last days it is critical we live our lives free deception. The only way stay free of deception is by taking every thought we have and every idea we hear and measuring those thoughts and ideas against the perfect plumbline of Scripture (1st Timothy 3:16). When we do that truth sets us free (John 8:32). 

    Examining the Roots of the Estrangement Epidemic-

    Lisa M. Price1 Comment

    If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen- 1st John 4:20 NASB

    For much of human history family estrangements were fairly rare. Even the average heathen believed blood was thicker than water and that honoring one’s parents was just something decent people did (Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:4, Mark 10:19, Ephesians 6:1-3). When estrangements did occur, there was shame in being alienated from one’s parents.

    That ship has officially sailed. 

    Self-reporting indicates that at least 85 million adults (one-fourth of the population) are estranged from at least one family member (usually their parents). Many are proudly estranged, some even tout estrangement as the ultimate in “self-care”.  

    The number one reason given for an estrangement is nearly always “toxicity”. Toxicity is subjective. Toxicity is rarely defined as physical or sexual abuse or even cruelty. Instead, family members are commonly labeled “toxic” for far murkier issues which include (but are not limited to) voting the “wrong” way, offering unsolicited advice, or refusing to celebrate a gender transition. Adult children have also canceled family for attending the wrong church, using the wrong pronouns or having any expectations of the adult child.   

    I understand not all parent-child relationships are idyllic. There are parents who were physically or sexually abusive who remain obstinately unrepentant.  There are also parents of adult children who are addicted to drugs, cruel, or abusive towards their grandchildren. In these cases, the adult child should forgive as God requires (Matthew 6:14-16, Matthew 18:21-35, Ephesians 4:32). However, it is also totally appropriate for said child to establish boundaries and honor their parents from a bit of a distance (honoring from a distance might look like text communication, photos, cards and infrequent visits). 

    That said

     No one can find a single Bible verse that grants anyone permission to go “low” or “no contact” with family over anything as nebulous as “toxicity”.  Such verses simply do not exist. 

    This is an issue that need to be brought into the light.

    Many of the children who have gone “no contact” are professing Christians. Many of the parents who have been canceled by their children have no idea why.  Most churches are silent where this issue is concerned. This leaves all parties with no spiritual leadership or comfort when dealing with a family conflict.

    The problem of estrangement is huge. It cannot be solved or even completely explored in a blogpost. However, it is possible to shed some light on how we got here. Like most cultural phenomenon the estrangement epidemic has roots. In recent decades there have been dramatic cultural changes in how children are viewed and parented; as well as some profound changes in the value placed on relationships. I suspect much of the cultural transformation was brought on by:

    Therapy culture- 

    Even many Christians have traded biblical counsel and common-sense advice for secular therapy. A wise and godly counselor is literally worth their weight in gold (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 24:6). However, a bad therapist is one of the most dangerous forces on earth (Proverbs 12:5). Unfortunately, there are therapists who will gleefully diagnose parents they have never met with serious disorders such as narcissism or borderline personality disorder. Some therapists literally specialize in helping young adults estrange from their families. With this type of therapy there is no goal of reconciliation or mutual compromise. The only goal is separation and conflict. No therapist (no matter how skilled) can effectively diagnose anyone without at least one meeting. Furthermore, any therapist who does not at least attempt to get both sides of the story before recommending estrangement is guilty of malpractice (Proverbs 18:17, Psalm 1:1). Run from such people. 

    A pathological refusal to forgive-

    Many parents are bad parents in a way that does not constitute physical or sexual abuse. Some parents were/are emotionally distant. Others divorced and lived their own lives with little thought or regard to the needs of their offspring. Some parents yelled too much or were controlling or did not allow enough space for personal expression (Ephesians 6:4).  There are at least a million ways parents can fail and most do in one way or another. However, the commandments that mandate forgiveness and honoring parents are unconditional. God’s word simply leaves no legitimate wiggle room for any course of action except obedience.  Alas, forgiveness is no longer in fashion, even for the smallest of offenses or unintentional mistakes. Instead, many Christians and virtually all unbelievers label the person a who offended them a filthy name and move on. This attitude runs counter to Scripture, ruins those who refuse to forgive and destroys any opportunity for generational healing. 

    An idolized view of children- 

    An idol is anything or anyone that gets first place in our lives. For at least a generation, parents have been encouraged to idolize their children. Children have been told by parents and teachers they are really special, and their feelings are always super important. The goal has been to make kids feel good about themselves regardless of what they do or how they behave. Sacrificing for a child’s wellbeing has always been a standard of good parenting. However, today’s parents are encouraged to sacrifice so their kids can have luxuries previous generations reserved for adults who had worked hard all their lives.  If an individual is treated like an idol, no one should be surprised when they start behaving as if they are a god who has the right to determine their own destiny.  Is it any wonder that an entire generation has concluded they can determine their own gender and cut people out of their lives without an explanation? 

    Christians cannot control what unbelievers do or don’t do (1st Corinthians 5:12). If unbelievers continue to choose the dangerous path of embracing idolatry, hate and division, we have to let them. Our responsibility is to pray they have a change of heart before any more heartbreak ensues. Christians, on the other hand are called to embrace the heart of God (2nd Corinthians 13:11). This means we seek healing, peace and wholeness in every relationship (Romans 12:18, Hebrews 12:15). Churches and Church leaders must ask questions when presented with an estranged family and not assume they know who is at fault. Pastors must return to encouraging healing and forgiveness in families. Refusing to do so will only lead to more brokenness, pain and evil. It will result in the removal of God’s blessing (2nd Timothy 3:1-5). No one sane wants that. 

    How does one Christian Protect the Faith of Another?

    Lisa M. PriceLeave a comment

    I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another- John 13:34-35 NASB

    This week as I was reading through Matthew eighteen, I came across a statement Jesus made that no one really likes to talk about. Mostly, because no one really likes to think about what it really means:

    Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes! Matthew 18:7

    Contextually this verse is a part of a greater statement Jesus made about the faith of children. Because this verse (on the surface at least) appears to be ONLY about children it is rarely given the consideration it probably deserves. 

    I suspect Jesus wants us to apply a broader brush.

    Matthew eighteen is not just about the faith of “children” because Jesus says that all people must become “as children” in order to enter the Kingdom of God. So, when Jesus talks about people causing other people to stumble, I believe we should assume He is giving a general warning about how we conduct ourselves as Christians (Luke 17:1, Romans 14:13, 1st Corinthians 8:9). 

    HOWEVER.

    We should all assume that causing a child to sin, whether they love Jesus—or not— is a particularly outrageous form of wickedness that genuine Christians will avoid like the literal plaque. Seriously. 

    But I digress. 

    Jesus’ warning begs a couple of questions: 

    What is a stumbling block? 

    How does one person cause another to stumble? 

    Inquiring minds want to know, because inquiring minds recognize this issue is obviously a VERY big deal to Jesus.  A stumbling block is something one person does that causes another person to doubt the goodness of God or causes them to think it’s okay to do something that is unwise or even wrong. When we avoid certain attitudes and behaviors we protect the faith of those around us and we avoid becoming a stumbling block. Ultimately, it’s all about loving people well and avoiding the following:

    Grumbling- 

    I’m will not belabor this point, mostly because I wrote in-depth about grumbling just last week. Nevertheless, there are things that bear repeating. This is one of them. Grumbling, and its ugly counterparts (complaining, fault-finding, lack of gratitude) are contagious and can easily cause those weaker in the faith to stumble especially when the grumbling is focused on other Christians and/or Christian leaders.

    Refusing to Grow-

    Paul describes the church as a body where all the members are connected to one another. Not only that— we need one another (1st Corinthians 12:12-26). One way this works is through older Christians modeling the path of spiritual maturity to younger (or newer) believers (Titus 2:1-5). Anytime a believer refuses to grow and mature in Christ (Colossians 3, 2nd Peter 1:3-11) they hurt themselves and all the younger and/or less mature Christians who need to their positive example to aid in their own growth. 

    Demanding perfection from others-

    Nothing is more discouraging or sure to create a stumbling block with a new believer than an older believer who lacks patience and grace (1st Corinthians 13:4, 1st Thessalonians 5:14). New believers are a little bit like children (3rd John 1:4). Children are by their very nature messy, they make a lot of mistakes and sometimes they create chaos (1st Corinthians 13:11, 1st John 2:1-2).  Actual children and spiritual children need the big people around them to love them well and patiently lead them towards adulthood. They do not need people to make them feel like failures when they miss the mark. 

    Being flippant about our Christian freedom-

    Contrary to popular belief, Christian freedom is not about getting away with as much stuff as we can without getting sideways with God. True Christian freedom is about having a clear conscience and the spiritual power/moral fortitude to do what’s right (Galatians 5:1). When we use grace and/or Christian freedom as an excuse to walk as close to sin as possible we quickly become a stumbling block to others, especially those who are newer to the faith or who have a delicate conscience (1st Corinthians 8:9, Galatians 5:13, 1st Peter 2:1).

     Never getting around to the repentance part- 

    Repentance is central to the Christian faith (Matthew 3:2-8, Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19, 2nd Corinthians 7:10, Revelation 2:5). However, many Christians lack a solid theology of repentance. We must understand that true repentance is not simply about changing our behavior. Repentance is about aligning our thinking about every issue under the sun to God’s way of thinking. When we think the way God thinks our behavior inevitably comes into line with God’s will (Romans 12:1-2) 

    And finally, we become a stumbling block when we let people’s problems or issues in life keep us from investing in them or loving them well. Christians are called to be as much like Jesus as possible. Jesus was the ultimate investor in people. He was willing to die (the biggest investment one can make) so that we could have forgiveness for sin, a clear conscience, eternal life and relationship with God. We are most like Jesus when we are willing to look past a person’s problems and love them anyway. Love like that means we never become a stumbling block to anyone (1st Peter 4:8).