Visiting Oglebay Resort in West Virginia was so lovely this past weekend, even with the rain! It was a big surprise that there are so many varieties of daffodils. Just lovely to get to see them!
It is a risky business to know about God, think Jesus died on the cross and rose again, but not have any interest in being with God's people regularly to worship. It is equally dangerous to have convinced oneself of being reconciled to God because of believing Jesus was God's son, but not read the Bible to see exactly who God is and what His standards are. What am I getting at? I'm getting at something we here at ACL see too many times to count. People who call themselves Christians, but who do not actually know the God of the Bible. They have created a set of characteristics they think represent God, but which actually do NOT represent God.
To know if we are truly a Christian these two issues are key--what do you believe about Jesus AND how do you respond when confronted with what the Bible says about your life and the decisions you are making? An actual Christian should be conforming their life to what the Scriptures say. It is the process of sanctification. We are sinners and only the blood of Christ cleanses us from the penalty of our sin. It is a one time acknowledgment before God that we see our shortcomings and we want Him to forgive us because of the sacrifice of Christ. That transaction, if followed up with a genuine desire to TURN from our sin, is what makes us born again. Our faith is proved by our actions.
No desire to worship regularly with God's people? RED FLAG
No desire to understand who Jesus/God really are, which is found in the Bible? RED FLAG
Choosing to live in open sin (like having sex outside the sanctity of marriage, having abortions, getting drunk, lying, cheating, engaging in homosexuality, gossiping with no repentance or remorse....)? RED FLAG
The mark of a life that has been forgiven by God, genuinely, is a changed life. It doesn't happen overnight, it is a process. Ask yourself simply--what am I doing about my belief in Jesus Christ this day? Obedience to God's word because of a repentant heart is a solid indication of a person who has been born again and will go to Heaven when they die. Saying you are a Christian but bearing no fruit according to the Bible is a sure sign you've deceived yourself and are not going to spend eternity in Heaven.
Have you ever been treated in a manner that really does not reflect who you are or how you have acted? This can be tough to determine since a believer knows how wicked their own heart can be, yet, there are times when we know how someone is acting toward us is really more of a reflection of their own struggles and not our own.
But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14
If you homeschool, perhaps people were unkind and unsupportive when you announced your plans to take responsibility for your children's education. Was this a reflection of people's beliefs in your ability, their lack of understanding about home education, or was it more an indicator of what they thought they could or couldn't manage themselves? We can't know another person's heart, but thinking in this way can help us give grace when we are being treated unjustly. Do what God has called you to do and let the results speak for themselves. It might take 20 years, but the fruit of a person's life doesn't lie. Sometimes even fellow believers do not see the need to keep kids out of the wicked public schools; leave it to the Lord. People carry different burdens and hurts, and pride isn't something believers are immune to. Let the Lord do the fighting.
17Brothers
For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. Gal 5:17
Being a Christian means we will be misunderstood, falsely accused, and treated unequally from how we treat others. The lost will not repent toward us, they will not admit wrongly attributing qualities to us which they actually possess. It is part of the spiritual battle being waged around us. Satan wants to separate, have hurt feelings and people who are 'right' at whatever expense. Let people be wrong and love them through it. Let people fail to acknowledge their unfair expectations of you and love them anyway. We will never convince people of what they are incapable of seeing, and the lost cannot see with spiritual eyes because they are spiritually dead. The natural man is a man who can only see in the human dimension, he cannot see or understand the things of God.
For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5
Evidence of whether we belong to God is how lovingly we forgive others, whether they've said they are sorry or not, whether they've repented or not. A vindictive or unforgiving heart is strong evidence of sin. Sometimes it is beneficial to point out to someone how they have hurt us, but sometimes it is better to overlook the sins of others against us. Don't we want others to offer that same courtesy to us?
Overlooking, or forgiving, means the issue is something we choose to forget. We do not harbor ill-will or feelings of resentment or frustration. We genuinely move on in love. Leave others to their games and own choices, you do what you're going to do and leave it at that. This is something we need the power of God to do. Remembering that He is just and will work all things out as they should be worked out in His time.
That said, at times God is calling us to love someone enough to be gently honest with them. We should be careful to remove the log in our own eye first so we can see clearly. Have we been guilty of what we're about to confront them with? If so it doesn't negate our ability to be used by God to help the other person, on the contrary, our own humility in admitting what we've done is how we can approach the person we're trying to 'save from themselves'. It is important to seek God's will and follow it--we don't want to ignore His leading and pretend we're overlooking righteously when it is actually avoiding His directive to confront in order to bring someone to repentance. Do what you are going to do and let others do what they are going to do, and leave it at that. This leads to a similar thought.
'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' is not synonymous with 'Do unto others as you have had done to you'. Note the difference. Letting someone off of our hook frees us to love and move forward, but when there is real pain due to someone's sinning against us, this can be extremely difficult. It can help to remember that God sees all and is just, and He has them on His hook. Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord, I will repay, Romans 12:19, God tells us not to avenge ourselves.
Most importantly, if we take time to thank God for what He has given and don't spend too much time on what He hasn't given or on what He's removed, we will be more content people. He is a good God.
The left wants to shut down religious freedom and expression. Believers have known this. The so-called Equality Act is not from God, and we know there are only two sides to choose from. God will prevail! Please pray for institutions like Cedarville University which are training tomorrow's leaders in truth and righteousness. We should be prepared to see many so-called Christian schools, universities and religious groups fall away in the days we're living in. We already see people who have claimed to be with Christ compromise and live completely opposite of what the Lord has instructed--more to come. Stay strong and do the right thing even if you are the only one.
Christian Colleges in Jeopardy
Here at ACL we love science. We are science focused in college rather than liberal arts focused. Being into science, we have to be critical thinkers. Part of thinking logically is evaluating the source of our information.
We know there is so-called science that says unborn humans aren't viable until birth, or is it valuable? Those who ignore the truth that people are created in God's image scientifically ignore or dismiss the pain unborn babies feel and that only God has the authority to end life. Are these worldly scientists one and the same who say man-made global warming is destroying our planet, acting as though we've tracked temperatures for more than 100 years? Could these scientists be the same who say gender can be altered? Do they also believe human life was a cosmic accident, which devalues it and gives credence to controlling people they see as less valuable? Are these the same folks not openly sharing the skyrocketing suicide rates that are the direct result of the way they've spun the dangers of the COVID virus? What is worse, risking contracting a virus with a one percent death rate or scaring someone in to taking their life, which carries a 100 percent death rate? Finally, could these scientists be the same who say people shouldn't trust a vaccine that is 95 percent effective, leaving out the fact one has to be exposed to an infected person which is increasingly rare--infected with a virus that has a 99 percent survival rate?
The sort of so-called scientists mentioned above fail to do something critical to right thinking. They have not weighed their ideas against what the only definitive source of truth says-the Scriptures. God is very pro-truth. He is the author of real science. God is love.
You know what ruler in history gave no heed to God's truth and used propaganda and fear to control people? There were a few, but the one which comes to my mind is Adolf Hitler. A mastermind at separating people, instilling fear, moving goal posts, and closely watching tactics that effectively brought about his goals so he could continue to twist the screws of control.
Keep an eye on the mainstream media and the Democrats. When they get a few more huge wins in controlling/ destroying our country, they will change the rhetoric they've spun about COVID, which moved people from going out a bit in October to now being more fearful even though vast numbers of Americans have been vaccinated and have continued to demonstrate the high survive rate of the virus. There is a right response to viruses and anything that is a risk to our well being. There are also overly dramatic responses to potential and real threats.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood in this world but the spiritual forces of darkness in our midst. Be reasonably careful based on your age, but be careful who you are trusting for information. It is very easy to be unreasonably cautious and paranoid if the ungodly mainstream media is your source of truth.
This post is an encouragement to have realistic expectations of others. Sometimes we need to lower our expectations and find contentment in that new place.
The following statement may seem obvious, but too often we think we need to be, or deserve to have, something more, but we are not a part of everyone's top priorities.
Can we handle that as adult people?
Not everyone is going to want a close relationship with us. Is that ok? Sometimes we wrongly expect others to put us at a higher priority ranking than we've put them. Or sometimes we mistakenly expect more from someone than they've ever really demonstrated toward us. We can do all sorts of things to demonstrate interest in being closer with someone, but at some point we may need to take inventory and ask ourselves if the recipient has made it clear they aren't interested, kindly of course. We're not talking about being ugly here. In this situation, who there has the problem? Perhaps some self examination is in order on why we want a closer relationship with someone. People change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. If we aren't growing in the same direction as an old friend, it should be expected that the same closeness won't remain--and often, it should not. If someone else has stayed as they always were but we haven't, sure, we can be the cause of the change. Can we be ok with that? The important thing is to love others and strive to be who God has called us to be in Christ.
The truth has been and remains that actions speak louder than words.
Take a minute to digest that. Take a look at your life and relationships with people you care about. Be observant in your recollections and be a realist. Are you regularly guilty of expecting more than others give? Are you expecting more back than you've given? If you continually live disappointed at the failure of others to meet your expectations, could the problem be your expectations rather than what the 'others' do? It is wrong to put oneself on a pedestal as someone who has done 'so much' that we are 'owed', and it is wrong to expect others to meet all our needs. We should serve others and love them and leave it to God to meet our needs. He will use people to do that, but we don't get to dictate which people.
Sometimes we can focus on past events more than present days when we take inventory, but we don't reach a point in life where we can start doing what we want to do irrespective of others. That is selfish, that is the thinking that leads to damaged relationships. As Christians, we are to always put others' interests before our own and we should strive to embody Romans 12:18, If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
As the majority of states start to open up (as they should have long ago), let's mend fences, embrace our loved ones and be forgiving, taking time to acknowledge it has been a hard year on many people in different ways. It is possible our response to COVID closed off doors of communication as we judged others and failed to consider other points of view. Perhaps this is going to be the best opportunity we've recently had to really love and appreciate those we care about, taking fresh accounts of who those people are.
Growing up in a home where honesty was a fluid concept, as a born again Christian, I see the damaging results. Too often, lying is masked as a 'white lie'. This notion rejects God's standard of truth and puts man in the seat of subjective judge. It attempts to convince oneself that the small lie is necessary and isn't hurting anyone. It is justified by our desires. The truth is that these little lies, the misleading statements and withholding what should be told, actually do damage. Distortion of truth aids in dulling the conscience God has given, and opens to door to greater sin. Trusting someone who lies in any capacity is simply unwise. Our spouses should know we never lie, it gives them confidence during hard marital times if they know we have a gold standard.
A high standard is critical if young eyes are watching. Teaching children to keep inappropriate secrets is something parents can inadvertently or intentionally do. Withholding what should not be withheld is a form of lying. Lying is not just saying what isn't so, it is withholding what we ought to tell. When we have failed, we often want to hide those failures by creating scenarios that allow us to avoid sharing information. Likewise, hiding behind our own pride so that we distort reality damages relationships. Relationships that should stand the test of time often crumble due to someone being disingenuous.
Being polite is not the same as being disingenuous. Secrets should be short-lived and intended to bless others with they are told. They should not be used to avoid consequences or mislead people's thinking. With this in mind, it should be noted that children do not process information the same as adults. Teaching them to keep secrets wrongly teaches them to violate their conscience. On the far end of the spectrum, child abusers do this; they try to convince a child that the wrong they are doing is ok, but a child's conscience has not been hardened to sin like an adults, and this violation starts the process of having feelings shame and guilt.
Sin takes us farther than we want to go and it's repercussions are far worse than we think. God is serious about honesty. If we are parents, we must model honesty in the strictest sense because children, especially older kids, see the truth of our actions. If they don't understand what we're doing at the time, they will later when they look back over their growing up years and put all of the pieces together.
The downward spiral of destruction that comes from lying and avoiding the truth is often irreversible in this life. There is healing in Christ if you have become someone who lies, aka a liar. Tell God what you have done (He already knows) and confess to those you have hurt. God forgives a sincerely repentant person, and your own heart will heal when you've done the right thing, even if others won't receive you. God will.
The Conscience, Revisited by John MacArthur
In today's political climate, followers of Christ cannot be genuine friends with those who refuse to divulge their political views. "Wow!" you say. "You guys are seriously into politics!" No, actually we aren't. We believe in living quiet and peaceable lives which represent truth, and that includes truth relating to the issues that are in the political arena which oppose God's design and what is right. In today's society, several critical political issue are either on God's side or are completely opposed to it. Believers in Christ are not to be unequally yoked, for what fellowship can light have with darkness? Ultimately, we know what someone believes not by what they say, but by what they do. If someone won't share how they voted, which is an action, we can be assured there is a good chance they are hiding something from us for a reason. Wives are to submit to their husbands, so a conversation might be needed if a Christian woman is married to an unbelieving husband. Christians must be shrewd as serpents yet innocent as doves. It is not hard to see how quickly we could be singled out for persecution and financially ruined in the days ahead, so we need to know who our enemy is. Our hope and trust is in the Lord. The days are evil. Cling to Christ. Read on.
Dear Friend of iVoterGuide,
Many Americans, including Christians, are still unaware of the immediate dangers facing religious freedoms and biblical values from the federal Equality Act of 2021 (H.R. 5).
However, because of iVoterGuide, voters in key congressional districts did see it coming.
More on that below.
But first, I want to give you some information you can share with others.
Many people ask: In a nation where we believe all individuals “are created equal” (Declaration of Independence) and where we believe in “equal protection of the laws” (Constitution, 14th Amendment), what is wrong with the Equality Act of 2021?
The answer is that this proposed law uses the word “equality” as a “code word” for just the opposite: inequality.
The “Equality Act” would impose discrimination—unequal treatment—against certain “disfavored” groups of American citizens, including conservative Christians, based on biblical views of sexuality and relationships.
Specifically, the law adds “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. And the legislation undercuts religious freedom in favor of those who see marriage and biological sex as fluid concepts, specifically overriding the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
It would penalize Americans for practicing their beliefs as they run their businesses, charities, medical practices (H.R. 5, Sec. 3), and even as they raise their children.
Let’s look at Bible-believing Christians, for example.
The federal government would discriminate against Christians—treat them unequally from others—by forcing them to violate their deep religious beliefs on sexuality.
This is already happening in certain “progressive” states and cities.
Under the Equality Act, discrimination against you would be condoned and upheld by federal law—nationwide.
Christians would be among those singled out for penalties if they expressed—or lived out in their business or many other areas of life—their biblical belief in the exclusive sacredness of sexuality that is only between monogamous, married biological men and women.
For instance, we’ve seen local governments issue fines and file lawsuits against Christian wedding vendors in “hot spots” around the nation. This would become the norm nationwide under the Equality Act.
Christians would be singled out for penalties if they expressed or lived out their biblical belief that there are only two sexes: biological men and women.
A Virginia public school teacher was fired over this issue recently under local law. Now this kind of attack would become a federal enforcement matter (Sec. 5).
Christians would be singled out for penalties if they expressed or lived out their biblical belief that forms of sexuality and gender are unnatural and wrong. This includes deep religious beliefs on homosexual behavior and marriage, transgenderism (men believing they are women or vice versa), or gender fluidity (you can choose your gender and it can change any time based on your feelings).
If you believe that biological males who think they are females should not compete against biological females in “women’s sports”—and you openly try to express or try to live according to that belief—you could face retribution with no protection in federal law (Sec. 3).
If Christian adoption agencies resist giving children to homosexual couples, or to a transgendered parent—they could be punished or forced to shut down (Sec. 3). It has happened in certain states. The Equality Act would make it national; there would be no escape.
The law could affect Christians who teach in public schools; who rent out houses or rooms; who practice medicine; and those who own businesses that hire employees or have separate male and female restrooms. The list would be long. There would be no geographic sanctuaries from such a federal law.
It’s not clear that Christians could win court challenges in all such cases. But it is clear that the current White House and Congress would have passed a law—the Equality Act—going against them and opening the door for discrimination enforced by federal agencies nationwide.
What can you do?
The Equality Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives. So you can voice your opinion to your U.S. senator as the Senate considers the bill.
But if it does become law, there are still countermeasures.
State legislatures could pass measures resisting it.
But most critically, the next Congress could flip to a conservative majority and repeal it.
And that’s where you can have a real impact.
Remember when I said above that “we saw this coming” and warned iVoterGuide users?
That is because iVoterGuide identified candidates most likely to vote for such a law!
This included the only three Republicans who voted FOR the Equality Act . . . two of whom we rated “Moderate” and one “Somewhat Liberal” rather than “Conservative.”
And that is also why I’m asking you to financially support our efforts to inform more voters and cover more candidates in primary elections—where the most conservative candidates can defeat “moderates” and move into the general election.
The Equality Act is causing a growing stir.
A backlash is building as people awaken to the implications of this legislation.
If more voters in 2022 are given the best information on more candidates, then the tide can turn in Congress and the Equality Act could be stopped when proposed again . . . or repealed if it passes this time.
The key will be who gets elected.
The key to “who gets elected” will be more voters with good information on more candidates.
And the key to that is the factual research by iVoterGuide—the most influential nonpartisan guide for Christians in America.
iVoterGuide evaluated 8,051 candidates in 2020. Nearly 3.5 million used iVoterGuide, helping make a difference in 1,941 races. These included 156 races where iVoterGuide voters exceeded the margin of victory, and among them were 22 primary elections for Congress in 2020.
Congress is almost evenly divided. In 2022, iVoterGuide voters can make the difference. Voters can elect candidates who share our biblical values and will stop the Equality Act if it fails to pass the Senate now and comes back in two years. Or iVoterGuide voters can elect enough of those candidates to repeal the act if it passes now.
Will you help us achieve this?
Can our team of researchers, data experts, and communications specialists count on you for a monthly gift of any size? . . . or even a single donation during this key month?
We saw it coming: We exposed who would likely vote for the Equality Act. We need to alert more voters about more candidates so that they can see clearly who will stop or, if necessary, reverse it. Please help us inform Christian voters and protect our freedoms and values.
For our future,
Debbie
Debbie Wuthnow
President, iVoterGuide
