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

Influencers

We all have "influencers" in our lives. Some people find them in their own household. A mom or dad, or maybe a brother or a sister. Other people turn to social media and are influenced there. Tiktok or YouTube or Instagram are their sources when seeking input into their lives. "Whatever turns you on," as my generation used to say.

Who are the "influencers" in YOUR life?

Before you answer that question, there needs to be a distinction between an "influencer," and a "teacher."

An influencer tries to get you to do or think  something, like in a Bud Lite commercial, while a teacher educates you in a certain way and shows you how you can accomplish something or instructs you in a certain area.

That's not to say that teachers can't influence us. They do. But the term "influencer" is a more modern day thing, and lately, more derogatory.

One of my teachers died on Thursday - Voddie Baucham. I first learned of Voddie's teaching and wisdom at a No Regrets Men's conference in the Milwaukee area. I was impressed with his speaking eloquence. He was also very knowledgeable about his usual topic - the Word of God.

My favorite sermon of his that comes to mind is about the nature and character of Jesus. There's a snippet of it below. In it he commented about certain churches and pastors who have strayed from God's Word and have begun teaching about Jesus in ways that are untrue. False teachers, the Bible calls them.

Voddie Baucham has "influenced" my life but only because he speaks the truth found in the Bible. He does not offer "opinions."

I will miss my brother in Christ, this gifted teacher of God's Word. Thank you for your teaching and for your example. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Needy Jesus - Voddie Baucham

A Thousand Words

It has been said that "a picture is worth a thousand words." I think that's true. There is a lot to be seen in a single photo. For example, consider today's photo.

This is a screen shot from a video that we all watched from Trump's Pennsylvania rally. The one when he was shot. It's a little blurry, but you can see Trump in the lower right, giving his speech, and wearing his red MAGA hat.

Behind him on the roof of the building are two snipers. They are looking off to their right, in the direction of the eventual would-be assasin. This is BEFORE any shots were fired.

I have several questions. What is Trump still doing on the stage if there is a suspicious person, in a shooting position, on a nearby roof? I read that authorities knew about the shooter 90 minutes before the shooting. What were they waiting for?

It's almost like they are waiting for the shooter to shoot before THEY shoot.

[Bob dons his tin-foil hat for a moment]

What if the shooter was ALLOWED to shoot? He apparently got off eight shots before the snipers took him out. That's according to the FBI, if you can believe THEM.

Here is another old saying - Dead men tell no tales.

I believe that there is a conspiracy to keep Trump out of office, no matter what the cost. I told my wife several months earlier,  as the lawsuits against Trump were failing, "Killing Him is all they have left now."

I'm old. I have lived through the JFK assassination. I witnessed all the things our government tried to hide from the American people.

I remember paging through Life Magazine, looking at all of the "stills" from the Zapruder film. The pictures were all numbered.

"Why are some of the pictures missing?" I wondered. Hmm.

So, what does all this have to do with Jesus, you might ask?

The Pharisees didn't like Jesus just like the left hates Trump. They didn't want to see Jesus "come to power" either. So, what did they do? They plotted to kill Him of course. And they were successful.

Romans 1:30 tells us that we are "inventors of evil." I believe that. If you need convincing, read the news. There are plenty of examples.

The Roman government invented stories to cover up Jesus' resurrection back then. They paid off the guards. And said that the disciples took His body. Then there was "The Swoon Theory." They said that Jesus didn't really die on the cross. He just passed out. Really? And then walk 7.5 miles to Emmaus? Uhh, I don't think so.

The point of all this is don't trust anybody. Don't trust Trump or Harris or even your kid's baby sitter. Trust God, trust His Word. Don't trust your feelings. Seek the truth. And remember, Jesus IS the truth.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life." - John 14:6

"Stop trusting in mere humans." - Isaiah 2:22

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

When Jesus was confronting the Pharisees He said this:

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

Trust God. In Him alone we find the truth. He IS the truth!

Seven Miles - Matt Chandler

Angel Lies

A lot of people think that, when we die, we all go to heaven and become angels. Both of those beliefs are false. Not everyone will go to heaven. And we DO NOT become angels.

It troubles me when I hear people, even alleged Christians, say these things because I know they are believing a lie. And where do lies come from? Satan. Satan is "the father of lies" according to Jesus.

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

Only those who have trusted in Jesus get to go to heaven. "Admit, Believe, and Forever Receive" is what we taught the VBS kids last week. If we have not repented, admitted our sinful nature, we don't get to go to heaven. Peter lays it out pretty clearly in the Book of Acts.

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38

Now, regarding angels. Do we turn into angels when we die? Let's see . . . How can I say this gently?

NO!!

We do NOT turn into angels. Angels are created beings who serve God. We do not turn into angels. Yet a lot of people believe that, for some unknown reason. It's a lie. (See previous paragraph re: Satan)

Truth be told, we actually do get new bodies.

"It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body." - 1 Corinthians 15:44

So, to sum up, not everyone gets into heaven and we do not turn into angels when we die.

The Bible must be our sole source of truth, not our feelings or movies or what someone else has said. Jesus told us that one of the signs that the end of things is upon us would be deception. We are living in those times right now.

"Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4

"Do not be deceived." - Galatians 6:7

"Don’t be deceived." - James 1:16

Many are being deceived right now. Don't be one of them. Trust in God alone.

Who Will Go To Heaven? - Gotquestions.org

Do We Become Angels When We Die? - Gotquestions.org

Gaslighting

Gaslighting is defined as "psychologically manipulating someone over a period of time." Examples of gaslighting would be something like "our border is secure" or "the president just had a bad day."

Of course, KJP had to be the featured picture for today's story about gaslighting. She does it so well.

These lies, repeated over and over again, become truths in the minds of the gullible.

Our best weapon against gaslighting is called discernment - doing our own investigating to find out whether or not something is true.

We need to use discernment in our daily conversations, while scrolling through social media, and even while sitting in a church pew.

Jesus warned us about false teachers.

"Watch out that no one deceives you." - Matthew 24:4

Jesus knew that false teachers would come. And He said that it would be a sign of His coming and "the end of the age."

When the Berean Jews heard the disciple's teachings, they went home and examined the scriptures to see if they were true and the disciples commended them for it.

That is the key. We must constantly be going through the Bible, imprinting its truth on our hearts, so that when we hear some strange teaching or story, we will recognize it for what it is. A lie.

It's a sad thing when our government lies to its people. It's even worse when lies and half-truths come from the pulpit. Don't trust anyone. Like Jesus said, "There is no one good. No, not one."

For as good as Karine is at gaslighting reporters and the American people, there is still someone better. Her boss. No, not Joe. Although he too is pretty good. I'm talking about Satan.

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

Know the truth. Live the truth. Speak the truth.

Ping!

First, this is not a political post. And although you might recognize the woman in the picture above, this isn't about her either. Today's story is about technology and how we are never really alone.

Fanni Willis is the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia where she is prosecuting former president Donald Trump. During the proceedings her relationship with Nathan Wade came into question.

They admitted to a romantic relationship beginning in 2022. But then evidence came to light proving that that was a lie. And that is the REAL story here:

"Nathan Wade’s phone has been tracked to District Attorney Fani Willis’ home late in 2021, well before the pair claim they were a couple, according to a bombshell new court filing." - Newsmax report

Wade's phone was traced, in 2024, back three years ago to 2021. They were able tell where he was three years ago! Today!!

I have several questions. What kind of records do our phone companies keep on us anyway? And how can authorities even track our phones to begin with?

Last question first. There are apps available that will "ping" your phone. If your phone goes missing, or you want to find out where your kids are, there's an app for that.

What does all of this have to do with God?

God knows exactly where we are and what we are doing every single second of our lives. He sees everything. He knows everything. Yet somehow we think we can get away with things? I don't think so.

"O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!" - Psalm 139:1-6

We need to remember whose we are at ALL times. Someone, it seems, is always watching. Ping!

"The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching." - John Wooden

Oh, and regarding the first question: What kind of records do our phone companies keep on us? Whatever they want. We signed the user agreement when we bought the phone.

Have a nice day! 😳

False Prophets

"When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." - Deuteronomy 12:8

This was God telling Moses how to recognize a false prophet. We can use a similar criteria to recognize the false teachers of today.

If a pastor says something that does not align with The Bible, they are a false teacher. Why? Because the Bible is true. It is God's Word. And God cannot lie.

Here's a partial list of today's false teachers:

Benny Hinn, Joel & Victoria Osteen, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Jessie Duplantis, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Hagin, Creflo Dollar, Paula White, Larry Huch, Myles Munroe, Jan & Paul Crouch, Fredrick Price, Mike Murdock, John Crowder, John Hagee, Sid Roth, Rod Parsley, and Rob Bell.

Example of false teaching: "You see, Jesus was a man until God touched him, and put the spirit of the living God on the inside of him." - Victoria Osteen

Is that true? No. Jesus IS God. He always was God, from the very beginning.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8

We can know who false teachers are by KNOWING God's Word and comparing the two.

When the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). Jesus said this:

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

Are you being deceived?

I encourage you to watch the following video. And read the Bible. Don't be deceived. That was a command from Jesus, not a suggestion. 

False Teachers Exposed - Justin Peters 

Disconnected?

There is a problem in the church today - a disconnect if you will. We can have all the information we need to have about Jesus, but if this one key ingredient is missing in our "faith," our faith is useless.

"When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see." - Matthew 11:24

Jesus wanted John's disciples to hear and to see what Jesus was doing. In other words, Jesus was inviting them to "see for themselves."

"Doubting Thomas" wanted some proof of the resurrection after Jesus was crucified. Jesus told him this:

"Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” - John 20:27

Basically, Jesus said, touch me and see me. Feel me. Examine and then believe for yourself.

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." - Psalm 34:8

Do we simply go to church on Sunday and THINK we're Christians? Or, do we LIVE the Christian life, ACTING OUT our faith?

"Don't THINK you can, KNOW you can." - Morpheus, The Matrix

Our faith is something that must be worn, like clothing. Clothes cannot serve their purpose by hanging in a closet. They must be worn. Put Jesus on today and wear Him proudly.

The Brackish Truth

When a river flows into the sea there is an area where the two waters meet. It is part fresh water and part salt water. The term for this type of water is 'brackish.' It's somewhere in between.

When we watch the nightly news, we are watching something that is brackish in nature. Someone, a human with their own world view, reports on what THEY think is the news. Is it really the truth? Or is it a "version" of the truth?

Right now, the hot topic is baby formula. There is a nation-wide shortage of it. So, what's a mother to do? What did we do before the invention of baby formula? Mothers made their own.

If you search for 'making your own baby formula' recipes you get two types of results - 'wonderful, safe recipes' and 'dangerous recipes.'  Which is correct? What is truth? What is opinion?

There are several rabbit holes we could go down in the 'truth vs opinion' scenarios. Sexual identity, Republican vs Democrat, pro-choice vs pro-life, cats vs dogs, the list is endless. I'm here to talk about Jesus, The ACTUAL Truth.

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

Even Christianity has differing views about who Jesus really is - His attributes, His character. In my opinion, not knowing the truth about Jesus is EXTREMELY dangerous. But that's just MY opinion. One thing's for sure, your eternity depends on your getting the 'Who is Jesus' question answered correctly.

Jesus wrote letters to seven churches in the Book of Revelation. Each church had a flaw or two. The church in Laodicea was neither 'hot nor cold,' The Ephesian church had 'forgotten their first love.' Only the church in Philadelphia got God's seal of approval.

As with anything in life, seeking the truth should be paramount in our quest for knowledge. Jesus Himself told us that the truth will set you free.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” - John 8:32

Always seek the truth in everything you do. It truly WILL set you free.

Disinformation

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

Recently the U.S. Department of Homeland Security decided to create a "Governance Board" to deal with Disinformation.

Perhaps we should pause for a moment and contemplate that last sentence. The Department of Homeland Security . . . we'll just call them "The Government" for ease of typing and ease of my souring stomach has decided that there is too much disinformation out there. Where? Social Media, News Media, etc.

According to whom? Who gets to decide what is true and what is not? Apparently, a board of humans, placed in their positions by the current reigning political party. What could possibly go wrong?

Why am I not believing that our government tells the truth? Or acts in the truth?

Experience is a great teacher.

Jesus told us in the opening verse that HE is the truth. Let me ask you this question: Would you trust Jesus to tell you what is true? Or the government? ANY government. Republican or Democrat. 

Jack Nicolson once yelled, "You can't handle the truth!"

A perfect example of our government deciding what is true and what is not. We don't have a problem with the truth. We have a problem with liars.

Talking to the Pharisees, the religious rulers and scribes of Jesus' day, Jesus said this:

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

We The People are made up of human beings. We are sinners and liars by nature. Sin is our problem. Jesus is the truth. Where do we get our answers when seeking the truth? The nightly news? Social Media? Or do we obtain truth by reading God's Word, knowing that God cannot lie?

"It is impossible for God to lie." - Hebrews 6:18

And that's the truth!

The Curse of Jeconiah

In the first chapter of Matthew, we can read about the genealogy of Jesus, The Messiah. This written lineage goes all the way back to Adam and concludes with Joseph. There's only one problem. Verse 12 of Jeremiah, and The Curse of Jeconiah.

Jeconiah, or Jehoiachin, was the last king of Judah to sit on the thrown before Israel was carried away to Babylon. There was never another king after him.

God cursed Jeconiah in the 22nd chapter of the Book of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah.” (Jeremiah 22:30). How can that be? JESUS is one of his descendants!

Although Jesus was listed in the genealogy of Jeconiah, Joseph was not the father of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was. The royal blood line came through Mary. Mary was a descendant of David. You can see Mary's genealogy in the Book of Luke.

It's amazing that, no matter how many times people question God's Word, God always has proven Himself true. Trust in the Lord!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-4

The world is filled with people who doubt God, who think the world is really billions and billions of years old. They tell their children that Santa Claus is real. The Tooth Fairy exists and that they're going to heaven because "that's where EVERYONE goes when they die."

Later on, our kids find out that both Santa and the Tooth Fairy and fake news. And they also find out that Mommy and Daddy are liars. And that it's okay to lie as long as our motives were right. No!

The curse of Jeconiah was proven true through May's family tree just as the curse of Adam (sin) has been proven through our family trees.

We have a choice to make. We can keep on living like Jeconiah or we can repent of our sins and live like Jesus. It's a simple choice yet it has proven so difficult for so many. Make the choice today to follow Jesus. Read the Bible. Live your faith out beginning today. Otherwise, we are living a lie if we don't.

Perfect Love

Many people have certain fears in life. Some of them are rational. Real. Some of them exist only in the minds of the beholder. Phobia's they're called. What are YOU afraid of?

There is a lot to be afraid of these days. Turn on the news. The media live-streams fear 24 hours a day, every day of the week, every week of the year. It's almost like they WANT you to be afraid.

Yessss . . . But that's not why we are here.

Are you afraid of death? Of catching the Covid bug? Are you afraid of people who wear masks? Who DON'T wear masks. Are you afraid of terrorists? Guns Global warming? Spiders? Snakes? Politicians? But I repeat myself.

We should fear none of these things. A Christian should fear nothing . . . NOTHING.

The reason why I, and many other people like me in this world, 'fear nothing' is found in The Bible. It's not a secret. But most people simply won't believe it. They can't believe it's true either because they don't believe in God / Jesus or the truth of God's Word. And so they fear.

I would like you to read something. If you can read this one thing, and understand it, fully, you will know why we should not fear. Are you ready?

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you

    from the fowler’s snare

    and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

    nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

    ten thousand at your right hand,

    but it will not come near you." - Psalm 91:1-7

Now look, Covid-19 is very real. In a small percentage of cases it is deadly. I could catch it tomorrow and die from it. But I will not fear it. I fear the Lord! That word fear I just used doesn't mean that I am afraid of God. It means I love Him and trust Him. It means I honor Him above all else. It means I obey Him and never deny him. And it means I trust Him with my very life.

Here's a couple more verses for you . . .

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1"We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." - 1 John 4:61-21

Have you experienced God's perfect love? If you have you would fear nothing. If we still have fears, have we fully surrendered everything to God?

If there is something that you still fear, surrender it to God. We need to examine ourselves my friends. What haven't we surrendered yet?

Do you remember that old song "I Surrender All?"

Well....? Have you?

Truth Or Lie

There are lots of words floating around out there these days. Most are false. Some have actually been proven true. So, how can we separate the truth from all of the lies out there? How can we know, with certainty, that what we perceive and believe is actually the truth? Trust.

Maybe we should trust our leaders then. Hmm. There are lots of lying politicians out there as well.

Who do you trust to never lie to you? Your two-year old? Your spouse? Your best friend? Your doctor? Your pastor or priest? It is difficult to come up with any kind of lengthy list because so few people actually qualify.

We think we can trust our pastors to be truthful yet we hear stories about sexual abuse of children amongst their number. We think our government leaders should be truthful but, quite honestly, they are amongst the worst offenders when it comes to telling the truth.

God had a good way to tell the difference between and actual prophet of God and a false prophet. Everything a true profit spoke actually came true.

I don't trust any of the major "news" networks. Nor do I trust any politicians. They all have agendas they are trying to promote. At least it seems that way to me anyway. I want someone who is actually truthful at ALL times and in all situations.

This is the point in my story where I tell you about Jesus and how you can trust Him. The Bible says He cannot lie. He is God. It is against His nature. But don't believe me. I'm just a human. Read the Bible for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Some say that the Bible was written by men and therefore cannot be trusted. That statement is a lie in itself. It was written DOWN by men but the text was dictated to man by God. But don't trust me. Read it for yourself.

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." - Psalm 25:5

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies." - Psalm 34:13

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him." - Proverbs 30:5

Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac

In God We Trust

Four little words - In God We Trust. One simple question - Do we?

The United States of America has this 'In God We Trust' slogan printed on its money. But do we really trust in God. I'm not sure all of us do. Some want to remove this slogan from our currency. Atheists, to be sure. They worship only themselves.

We, as a nation, celebrated our independence yesterday. Our independence from what? Well, the British, who tried imposing their religious beliefs on an entire nation. Our nation was founded on religious freedom.

Now, however, we are beginning to see our nation entertaining ideas contrary to our religious beliefs. It has gotten so far that our law makers are making laws against these religious freedoms. Thankfully these laws have been ruled unconstitutional by our nation's Supreme Court.

What will happen when your nation's highest court becomes "packed" with liberal minds who oppose religion? As president Ronald Reagan once said, ""Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

Amen to that!

So, is it time for another revolutionary war? Not quite yet, I think. You see, we who believe have the Lord God Almighty on our side. What do we have to fear concerning mere men?

Still, it is disheartening to see God's will for us contradicted and removed and then the opposite instituted in our society as law.

President Obama once said that we are "no longer a Christian nation." Sadly, I think he is right. We have strayed from the plan our forefathers envisioned - "One nation, under God. Indivisible."

We ARE a nation that has become divided. God is mocked in places He once was worshiped in. SO, what do we do? Are you willing to fight? Our answer to that question should be 'no.' Are we willing to die? Our answer to THAT question should be 'yes.'

There is one true God. He is not Buddha, He is not Allah. He is God, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Let us celebrate our independence from the lies being held up as truth. Let us praise and worship our risen King. The truth will set us free. And, one day, we shall be free indeed.

"Everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

39“Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41You are doing the works of your own father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:34-44

Roomba Christianity

Are you a Roomba Christian? We should be . . . I think. It all depends on which way we're going.

Climbing aboard the Christian faith can be a lot like riding a Roomba. We start off going in one direction, believing certain things in our faith, then, just when we think we are right on track, we hit something - a verse, a sermon, a tragedy in life - and our faith becomes changed.

The cat in the picture is just cruising along. Life is good, right? What happens when he hits the edge of the carpet or an open stairway? I don't know about Roombas but in our faith we can become stuck or we can loose our faith all together. We need to keep out eyes focused on where we are going.

"Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." - Proverbs 4:27

We must constantly assess our direction in life. Does our faith line up with the Bible? Are we headed in the right direction?

The Roomba's job is to pick up whatever is in its path - dust, M&M's, cat hair. That can be good but it also can be bad. What happens when your pet leaves a little smelly gift for you on the floor and the Roomba gets to it before YOU do? A total mess! Christians must also be cautious with the direction we take in our faith.

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." - Matthew 6:31-33

Being a Roomba Christian is good but WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING!! Read the Bible. Our only source for checking the direction of our faith.

The Shadow of Turning

When I was in the Boy Scouts, many moons ago, we learned how not to get lost in the woods. We also learned how to find our way out if we DO get lost. Both lessons can save your life.

The first lesson is pretty simple - Be Prepared. That's the Scout motto actually. Anytime you are going to be hiking cross-country - be prepared. Take a map, a compass, water and some snacks. Basically, prepare yourself NOT to get lost. But also prepare yourself in case you DO get lost.

Know your surroundings. Know what direction you are hiking in. Know that there is a road to the east and a lake to the west for example. If you are hiking south and your feet start getting wet, turn left!

There is another way to guide yourself through the woods - the sun. If it's noon and you see your shadow straight in front of you, you're walking north. Pretty simple.

The Son, Jesus Christ, can guide us in our daily walk as well. If we walk through life with an open Bible in our hands, it's hard for our hearts to get lost. God's Word never changes. As the old hymn says, "There is no shadow or turning with thee."

Everything we encounter in life is an opportunity to check our bearings. Watching the news, what we hear at work and at school all offer directions to take in life. Are they right? That depends on what we are using for a compass?

The best compass we have at our disposal is God's Word - The Bible. But are we using it? It doesn't do us much good if it is sitting at home on the shelf while we are lost in the wilderness of sin.

Be prepared by reading the Bible.  Know your surroundings by discerning truth from lies. The best way to know what a lie is is to KNOW the truth. Anything else will just get you lost.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Chris Rice

Picky Eaters

Do you have any picky eaters in your house? How about in your church? Instead of devouring God's Word they pick and choose what verses they want to consume and leave the rest on their plate.

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." - 2 Timothy 4:3

Picky eaters don't want to taste the perceived yuckiness on their plates. Picky eaters in the church don't want to adhere the verses they don't like. and therefore ignore them . . . yet still professing faith in Christ.

"Inconvenient Truths" I heard someone once call them and that's just about right. We want to follow God's rules but then we come across those verses that rub us the wrong way so we just ignore them.

Being a picky eater when you are a kid is forgivable. Not so with Christians who pick and choose which verses they like.

"The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." - Isaiah 29:13

There are "gay-affirming" churches. There are Christians who will vote for abortion. Why? God's Word is pretty clear in those areas.

There is a list of "seven abominations" to the Lord in Proverbs 6. Number 3 is "hands that shed innocent blood." Abortion is the law in our country. Do you think the fact that abortions are legal makes God angry? I'll wait.

We are ALL picky eaters of some sort. Are we picky about anything that goes against God's word? Perhaps we should pick up our fork, swallow hard and do what is right in God's eyes.

Moms and dads might punish their picky eaters. God punishes those who only obey parts of the law. His punishment is eternal. However God has provided a way out for all of the above. His name is Jesus. He is the president of the Clean Your Plate Club.

Beliefs

We all have things we believe to be true. Social media is filled with people stating their particular belief system - often opposing another's beliefs. So who is right? Is anybody?

What we believe to be true comes from deep within us. That's why we get so defensive when someone opposes our beliefs.

Some people think burning the American flag is wrong. Some believe it is a freedom of speech to burn it. Who is right?

The wearing of masks is another hot button issue these days. Some say we should wear them all the time while others say we should not wear them at all. Who's right?

We form our individual belief systems as we grow up. It's kind of like grocery shopping. We start out with an empty shopping cart and we walking down the aisle of ideas and start filling it up with things we believe in.

In this age of Covid-19, contact tracing is a big thing. Trying to go back in time to trace where someone may have caught the virus, and looking sideways to see who you may have given it to.

If we take each of our beliefs and contact trace them back to their origin, where do our beliefs come from?

In the case of wearing masks perhaps it is the CDC or the government that is at the root of our beliefs. We trust them. On the other side of the coin perhaps it is an individual freedom issue or a belief that most masks don't keep you from catching the virus. It's what we believe.

Where does our belief in God come from?  The Bible says we are drawn to Him. It also says we are called by God. Some people say we have no choice in the matter of our faith. That's called predestination. Others say we must choose to follow God, a free will stance.

We humans sure like to complicate things.

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

Jesus has said that HE is the truth. Is that even possible? He also says that we must believe in Him or face certain death. And if we believe in Jesus we will receive eternal life. Is that the truth or a bribe?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

The contact tracing of our faith takes us back to the Bible. That is where God speaks to us. It says in the Bible that God cannot lie. Lying is a sin (9th Commandment). God cannot sin. Therefore, everything God says is true. "The truth" is an amazing place to start a belief system.

We had a discussion this week about baptism - infant baptism vs believer's baptism. Which is right? The answer is neither. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is what matters. How can I say that? How do I know that is true?

"I (John the Baptist) baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one (Jesus) who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." - Matthew 3:11

We MUST base our belief system in the truth. Otherwise we will be living a lie. We must be sure we are standing in the truth. Then we must stand firm. Jesus IS "The Truth" and the Truth (Jesus) will set us free. You can believe THAT!

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

Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac

Bend The Spoon

Each of us lives in a world that is OUR reality. We each perceive the world through our own eyes and in our own way. But what happens when we find out that OUR reality is not really the truth?

I lived most of my life believing that I was master of my own domain. It was MY world and I was in charge of it. One day, however, I discovered that there was a bigger force in the universe besides my own free will. And my perception of reality changed.

We receive input into our reality all the time. Through our relationships, through the television, through social media. Are we sure the things we are inputting are true? Or is it just an opinion that we WANT to be true.

Everybody has an opinion about wearing masks. Some say yes, some say no. Should the schools open up? Should they stay closed? Are the protests peaceful? Or are they causing harm? Is there a God? Or do we just like to think there is?

The apostle Paul had his own world view. He was a rather staunch believer that what he thought was right, was right. Until he met someone on the road to Damascus. He met Jesus and his life was forever changed. His beliefs were changed. Why? Because he was confronted by the truth. Jesus.

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

We must always seek the truth. Otherwise we will be living a lie. And Satan is the father of lies. Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus said this.

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - John 8:44

Always seek the truth no matter how life changing it becomes. Remember what Jesus said about the truth.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32

There Is No Spoon - The Matrix

The Rebel In Me

What is it with us humans? Half of us want to do whatever the government tells us to do while the other half want to do just the opposite. How to tell what is right and what is wrong?

One thing that always gripes my cookies is when someone tells me what I can and cannot do.  We live in America - the land of the free for goodness sakes! We are free to make our own choices and, as long as they don't infringe on anyone else's rights, we should be free to make them.

This whole stay at home thing for example. Our governor here in Wisconsin has now decided that we all need to stay "safer at home" until the end of May. That's ridiculous. I understand where he's coming from. He wants to "keep everyone safe." But what about our sanity?

The biggest topic of discussion I have heard talked about during the past several years has been mental health. Heard anyone talking about that lately? No. The news is all corona virus - 24/7. What happened to mental health? Locking someone up in their homes for two months with no income and zero social interaction is mentally depleting.

I'll go out on a limb at predict that there will be an a huge spike in domestic abuse, suicide, depression, alcoholism, and any other "ism" you can think of during this month and next. Why? Because were all cooped up in our homes. We're slowly going crazy! So much for mental health.

Do you remember this Bible verse?

"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" - Mark 12:17

Jesus spoke those words. We, as followers of Christ, are to obey our government's laws EXCEPT when they conflict with God's laws. For example, abortion. It is a lawful thing to do in our country. We are to obey that law. Yet God says "do not murder." It's one of the ten commandments. So what do we do? God wins out. Therefore I personally will oppose abortion so should any Christian. Those who perform abortions will answer to God one day. So will those who support it.

What about the stay at home executive order? I think that we should obey the governor's wishes as much as possible. I also feel that "his wishes" are very close to violating our constitution and Bill of Rights. The Constitution say "we have been endowed by certain unalienable rights." By whom? OUR CREATOR! I therefore have decided to stay inside . . . except when I feel the need to go out and exercise my rights. Freedom of assembly. Freedom of worship.

We should be smart but we should also be wary. There are too many politicians lurking around with agendas of their own. Many are not interested in what God thinks, only in what THEY think. And that's where the rebel in me says, "Enough!"

Be smart! Think! But do what is right in God's eyes. We are His. He is our King. Read that verse again. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." We belong to God!

Look, I will stay inside. But if there is a church service somewhere, where everyone is worshiping within the social distancing guidelines set up by Caesar, I am going! No matter what Caesar says.

Come, Now Is The Time To Worship - Phillips, Craig and Dean