Do Not Be Deceived

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

⁴Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:3-4

The text days that Jesus was talking about "the end of the age," but I wonder if He was also talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI). And I also wonder if we have arrived at "the end of the age" that Jesus was talking about. There is definitely a lot of deception happening these days.

There was a time, and not that long ago, when we had no reason to doubt news stories, photos, or videos that appeared on our newsfeeds. Those days are gone.

My wife was sad to learn that the LIMU emu was computer generated saying, "I thought it was real!" She's not alone in her thinking.

Pretty much any movie that comes out of Hollywood these days is fake. Or at least has some CGI in it. The movies are as fake as the actors in them - hired to play someone else in a green-screen sound stage somewhere.

And isn't that what WE are in danger of becoming? Every night we watch "fake news" orchestrated by a bunch of suits sitting around a conference table in a board room dozens of floors above the sidewalks where their audience walks.

Deception is everywhere, except in God's Word. It is constant. It is truthful. In the original text. Yet even some translations have become corrupt through "fleshly" interpretations. Stay away from The Message "Bible" for example, which is NOT a translation but a paraphrase written for kids. There are others.

The Jehovah's Witnesses have their own Bible (The New World Translation). So do the Mormons (The Book of Mormon). Both groups claim to be Christian, but their "religions" both features a fake Jesus.

There is only one Church, despite all the denominations on the planet - those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. No green screens are needed for the miracles and wonders that HE performs. He is the real deal. 

The Parable of Our Cat

Well, our cat is running back and forth throughout the house right now. Sunroom to living room, living room to bedroom, bedroom to sunroom. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Is our cat insane? Yes, but that's beside the point. I think our cat is simply happy.

Our cat is a "used" cat and by that I mean that my wife is the second owner. Our cat's previous life was spent in a small duplex with high, curtained windows . . . and a dog. Not that any of that is bad, but now it is living in a bigger, window-filled, dogless house and I think the cat is merely expressing joy in its new home.

The parable here is simple - a joyful life IN Christ. Think about it. Did we ourselves not journey from one "owner" to the next? Have we not been given a new heart? Are we not loved and cared for? We have all we need and SHOULD be joyful.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." - Philippians 4:4

Granted, our cat still gets into trouble from time to time. It's a curious cat. But we too can stray from the path of righteousness. But then we are corrected and forgiven.

My wife absolutely loves her cat. And the cat knows it. It will sleep on her lap and waits for her outside the bedroom door each morning. And then, when her owner finally emerges, well, let the joyful romping begin! Oh, to have a faith like that!

Got To Get You Into My Life

Another morning, waking up with another song in my head. Usually I have worship music playing on WBOB radio, but this morning it was The Beatles. Not sure why or where this song song came from but I gave it a listen anyway.

The first verse meant nothing. "I was alone, I took a ride. Etc." Big deal. But then the chorus...

Ooh, then I suddenly see you

Ooh, did I tell you I need you

Every single day of my life?

The song is probably about a woman, or drugs, but my mind is shaped a little differently than Mr. McCartney's. Think 'Jesus.'

When I look back at my spiritual transformation, I can pinpoint the day, the hour, the location, what I was doing, and who was there. It was sudden, that's for sure. As Paul said in his song, "then suddenly I see you." And that, I did.

The sudden realization that Jesus was real, for me anyway, was literally an eye-opening event. From that moment on, I began to see things differently. That brings us to the second and third lines of the chorus...

"Did I tell you I need you" and "every single day of my life."

After I figured out what was going on, it wasn't long before I realized just how much I needed Jesus. And that I would need Him every single day of my life.

I look at the chorus of this Beatle's song now and think, this is really a prayer. Not what Paul McCartney had in mind, I'm sure, but consider this prayer.

Dear Lord, I was living my life, totally blind to what I really needed. But then, I suddenly saw You, and I confess to you now, O Lord, that I need you every single day of my life. For without you I am nothing. I repent of my sins and submit to your authority. Make me into who you want me to be, Lord. I am so incredibly grateful to get you into my life! For who am I that you should rescue me? I am your servant, now, and forevermore. Amen.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” - Isaiah 12:2

Got To Get You Into My Life - The Beatles

And Yet

It's hard to watch the news these days without asking the question, "What's wrong with these people!? They just don't get it!" That question is nothing new.

"Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

¹¹He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹²Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables:

‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." - Matthew 13:10-13

Jesus then goes on to say....

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." - Matthew 13:16

What a humbling thing; the knowledge that we, a chosen group of sinners like us, have been given access to the kingdom of God!

And yet, to be clear, ALL are welcome. But few are chosen.

"For many are called, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:4

We had communion in our church yesterday. That's always a humbling time. We walk up front and get the little cups of juice and a piece of unleavened bread, then return to our seats. After praying, I put the bread into my mouth, but I don't chew it. Rather, I simply let it disolve. Why? Isaiah 53:5.

"He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:5

We know it was our sins that placed Him on that cross. And God crushed Him because of those sins. But just the thought of crushing "the bread of life" is something I don't want to be a part of. And yet, I was.

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:35

My prayer is that all would come to Christ and be saved. And yet, I am saddened by the knowledge that "the road is narrow" and not everyone will make that choice; some that I know and love. And that truly makes me sad. And yet, the choice is theirs. And God would welcome anyone, right up to the last second of life. Maranatha!

How Deep The Father's Love For Us - Fernando Ortega

Pain & Suffering

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

That verse holds the key that unlocks the answer to one of the most difficult questions in all of Christianity. "Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering in the world?"

Our church is having another youth group night in three weeks. By design we are turning our teaching in an apologetics direction - preparing our kids for life outside of their bubbles.

Turn your Bibles to Romans 9 and we'll look at a couple of questions that Paul asks the church. His questions turn into answers for our question about pain and suffering. Verses 22-24.

"What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? ²³What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?" - Romans 9:22-24

Think about it. This is from my February Bible study for our church kids . . .

It is the beauty and brilliance of your hearts, in Jesus Christ, that witnesses to a dark and dying world, the glory and majesty of God, who sent His Son Jesus to die a death that we ourselves deserve to die. That’s called grace, and mercy, and the Gospel.

Here’s one last question for you to think about. Why does a holy God, who hates sin, even allow us to live? John 3:16. “For God so loved."

God allows pain and suffering in order to draw us closer to Him. This phenomenon is repeated time and time again in the Old Testament. When we feel wonderful all the time, we tend to ignore God. It's in our nature. We were created to worship Him. Our pain and suffering draw us near to Him. But take heart. God has also promised us this . . .

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4

What Is Truth?

"What is truth?"

Of course, those were the famous words uttered by Pontius Pilate when he was talking with Jesus, just before the crucifixion of our dear Lord. Pilate was confused and he didn't know whom to believe.

First, he had the Jewish leaders yelling at him, "Crucify him!" Then his own wife said, "Have nothing to do with this man." Even Pilate couldn't find anything wrong with Jesus but for some reason all of the people in the Praetorium wanted Jesus dead. What to do? What to do?

Fast forward 2,000 years to 2026. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise. We as a culture find ourselves asking the same question. "Is this video real? Is it true?" Or, is it a deep fake?

The news media doesn't help matters much. CBS got sued by Trump for editing a Kamala Harris interview in such a way as to make her appear smart and coherent. Busted! So, what do we do? Who can we trust?

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

We are living in a world filled with lies. And Jesus tells us in John 8:44 that Satan is "the father of lies." And it's that simple. Jesus = truth, Satan = lies.

When we come to realize that God cannot lie why would we look anywhere else for the truth?

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" - Numbers 23:19

The innocent little girl in the picture above is totally fake. AI generated. In ALL things, consider the source. Is it of the world? Or it is of God?

AI Macarena

Down From Above

The Veil of the Temple, also known as the Temple Curtain, holds significant theological and symbolic importance in the biblical narrative. It was a large, ornate curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies, within the Temple in Jerusalem. This veil is mentioned in several key biblical passages and is central to understanding the relationship between God and humanity, particularly in the context of the New Testament.

The Veil of the Temple was a massive curtain, traditionally believed to be about 60 feet high and 30 feet wide, and several inches thick. It was made of fine linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully woven into it (Exodus 26:31-33). The veil served as a physical and symbolic barrier, signifying the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity. Only the High Priest could pass beyond the veil, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:2-34). - BibleHub.com

That's a pretty big veil - 30 feet wide and 60 feet high! The height of it is what's really interesting. Let's go to Matthew to read more about the curtain in the tabernacle.

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵²and the tombs broke open." - Matthew 27:50-52

Well, there WAS a powerful earthquake. That probably did it, right? Except there is nothing in the text that says the tabernacle sustained any damage other than one torn curtain. Hmm.

Well, I'm guessing that God Himself tore the curtain. He does things like that. He parts seas and stops up rivers. And He DOES reside ABOVE the curtain, in heaven.

I guess He could have sent an angel to tear the curtain. Angels do powerful things. Remember when "the angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 in the Assyrian camp" (2 Kings 19:35)?

Still, I'm thinking it was God Himself. He does monumental things like this, impressively dramatic things. He closed the door to the ark by Himself, and buried Moses by Himself, and of course the parting of the Red Sea.

I think He was telling mankind that there was no longer any separation between Him and us - through Jesus, His Son. And His shed blood.

"The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." - Hebrews 9:22

"It is finished." - Jesus, John 19:30

The Veil - David Crowder Band

Twenty Below

It was a little chilly here in central Wisconsin Friday morning. It's actually twenty below zero as I write this. Brrr! Still, my wife and I are nice and warm inside of our house. Our wonderful little bubble of love. Yay!

But of course, we still will venture outside. Gotta check the mail you know. I also like to visit friends. We still have to go outside our bubble, our comfort zone.

Speaking of bubbles, I recently wrote a story called The Bubble. It was about keeping certain things OUTSIDE of our lives. But what happens when we ourselves venture beyond the perimeter of our bubble and into "The World"? That's the topic for today's story. Let's start off with some scripture to get ourselves going in the right direction.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Oh, that's a good one! Memorize it AND live by it!

Remember Covid? We were fine while we were staying at home, but when we went outside, that's when we caught the bug. Another lesson worth remembering. The same advice is worthy to note for the Christian. Outside is darkness and death.

Do you remember what Jesus said when He related the Parable of the Wedding Feast?

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” - Matthew 22:13-14

The guy they threw outside was an uninvited guest. He came inside the Bridegroom's bubble and was quickly thrown out. Still, we DO have to go to the grocery store. We still have to go to work or to school.

What happens when we step outside of our bubble and into the "outer darkness?" Only if we are rooted in God's word can we return home unscathed. Yet, at home we allow "the outside" to enter through our television, computers and our "smart" phones. We must be cautious.

I just looked up from my writing and saw a commercial on TV that featured a woman standing in front of the camera in her bra and panties, jiggling her belly fat. Then, suddenly, there she was next with her beautiful NEW body. I looked away. So did my wife. Too late. But that was the topic of my previous story. Letting things in.

The point of THIS story is, what do we do when we venture OUTSIDE our bubble? What can we do to protect ourselves?

Guard your hearts. 

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

Protect yourselves.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." - Ephesians 6:11

Endure.

"You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." - Matthew 10:22

Do all of these things, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My final point is this. Water freezes at 32°. Shouldn't it be REALLY frozen solid at -20°. One would think so. Yet, I can drive a few miles from my house and see open water on a river. Why? Rapids. The water is very active. It doesn't stand still long enough to freeze. And that is our lesson for today.

Be active in God's Word and in the lives of those that God has placed in your life. You are there for a reason. Don't let your love grow cold.

Fear Not

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’" - Isaiah 41:10

Wow! Those are some very encouraging words. They were given through the prophet Isaiah to the Israelites who were struggling in their captivity. But what do they mean to us today? They mean the very same thing (with an asterisk).

God was speaking to "His people." Back then it was just to the Jewish people, but today, it also includes the Gentiles - those who have received the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus. And by "faith" I mean through repentance and surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ - the Messiah.

It's hard to explain but I have found this to be true: There is no fear in love. There is also peace. John confirms this.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." - 1 John 4:18

And where do we experience this "perfect love?" And how do we get perfected? 1.) Jesus. 2.) Become weak.

"My power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9"

Is it not true that, in our times of weakness, we pray? We pray more deeply, more meaningfully. Isn't that what God desires?

When I was in Boy Scouts 60 years ago we once said a prayer before our meals when we went camping. It went like this:

"Rub-a-dub-dub. Thanks for the grub. Yay, God!"

It's a wonder that we survived the weekend. God does not desire meaningless prayers and sacrifices. He wants our hearts to turn to Him in sincere repentance. And when we do, THEN we are blessed, we experience His peace, and truly realize the love He has for us.

"Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations - I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

¹⁴Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening." - Isaiah 1:13-15

But then comes this....

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

¹⁹If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; He's waiting for you. He's waiting to make you strong, in His love." - Isaiah 1:18-19

If we honor God, obey His commands, and seek His will, THEN we shall all know peace. THEN we shall have NO fear.

The Bubble

There is a danger in the church today, but it is not really new. It has been there for 2,000 years. But it's getting far worse.

We don't like all of the woke garbage being taught in our pubkic schools so we home school our children, right? That's good and all, but there is still a danger.

I watched an apologetics video recently that began by talking about a remote Brazilian tribe called the Nambikwara. 

The Nambikwara were first contacted in 1770 (256 years ago) but did not experience prolonged contact with Europeans until the early 20th century, when Brazilian army official Marechal Cândido Rondon passed through Nambikwara territory to extend the telegraph lines. He estimated that there were around 10,000 Nambikwara. Shortly after contact with European Brazilians, epidemics of measles and smallpox decimated the population to only 500 around 1930. - Wikipedia

A similar thing is happening in the church today as false teachers bring their "disease" of false doctrine into the flock. This is not good as church members soon start exhibiting symptoms and their beliefs deconstruct. So, what can we do?

Read and study your Bible. It is the best source of truth out there. God does not lie.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." - 2 Timothy 3:16

Teach the next generation about the dangers of these false teachers. 

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1

Educate yourself about these false teachers and their doctrine so you will recognize it, should it sneak in.

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." - Psalm 25:8-9

Things in these last days are only going to be getting worse. Be on your guard. Watch out for the wolves. Protect your bubble!

And pray.

Windy

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” - John 3:8

It was really windy Wednesday morning by us. We live in a pine tree plantation with many tall, swaying red pines. When the wind blows, we knows! As Jesus was saying to Nicodemus, we "hear the sound of it."

The wind itself is invisible to our eyes. We can see its effect on our trees, we can feel it when it pushes against us as we walk or drive our car, but we cannot see it.

It has been said that The Holy Spirit is living in those who believe in Jesus. We cannot see Him either, but we CAN see, and feel, the evidence of it. And just like the wind, He affects us and directs us.

A sailor uses the wind to get his boat to where he wants to go. He uses signs to determine its direction and steers accordingly. We can do the same thing with the Holy Spirit. We read the Bible to learn God's will. God causes events in our lives to encourage us along the right path.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." - Proverbs 32:8

God created each of us differently, with different gifts and abilities. He puts us through trials to refine us into a highly personal, human extension of His unconditional love, all for His glory. It's amazing.

Look at Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery down in Egypt. That was a bad day for Joseph. Imagine your own family, not only disowning you, but profiting off it.

But God . . . and Joseph.

"You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." - Genesis 50:20

Never underestimate God's ability to "bring about" good through a bad situation. Remember what Jesus did on a really windy day with His boys in the boat.

"A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

⁴⁰He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” - Mark 4:37-40

Trust in The Lord!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Adversity?

We all go through times of trial in our lives. Emotional or physical pain, decaying relationships, financial woes, the list goes on. Through reading the Bible, we can discover possible "reasons for the seasons" we are going through.

We come across words like "testing" and "refining" as we read. Here's an example.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." - James 1:2-3

These "testing" and "refining" words imply a tester, a refiner. That would be God. And WHY does He test us? Why does He want to refine us? He wants us to be holy.

"Be holy, for I am holy." - Leviticus 11:44,45

I just got done watching a video about pruning fruit trees. Trees like to do two things - grow wood and grow fruit. If left alone, trees will grow more wood than fruit. To change that, fruit growers prune some of the wood - unproductive branches.

You and I are like fruit trees. We also like to produce unproductive things. We also allow disease to grow in our branches - sin. God, however, wants us to be healthy and produce MUCH fruit. So He prunes.

Do you have adversity in your life right now? Could it be that God is pruning you, to shape you into who HE wants you to be?

Sometimes we ignore these testings and say things like "Well, that day sucked." Instead of wondering, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me?" or "Reveal to me what ir is you want from me."

We all go through times of trial. But what do we look like on the other side of it? Have we grown? Have we become stronger in our weakness?

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Refiner's Fire - The Worship Project