When You Pray

Prayer is one of those things that every Christian talks about, yet many of us struggle to understand what it really is. We often treat it as an emergency hotline, something we reach for when life falls apart. But when I read Scripture, I see something much deeper. Prayer is not primarily about getting things from God. It is about walking with Him.

Jesus assumed His followers would pray. He spoke of when you pray, not if you pray (Mat 6:5-7). Prayer is simply the ongoing conversation between a child and his Father. It is where faith stops being a theology and becomes a relationship.

Jesus taught a parable about a very specific part of prayer.

He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

An entire parable built with a singular message—pray at all times and don’t lose heart in it. Jesus thought that was important. Do we?

What strikes me most is that prayer begins with dependence. Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Every time I pray, I am acknowledging that reality. I am admitting that my wisdom is limited, my strength is insufficient, and my perspective is incomplete. Prayer is where self-reliance gives way to God-reliance.

Jesus also taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done" (Mat 6:10). That reminds me that prayer is not about persuading God to join my plans. It is about aligning my heart with His. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, true prayer ultimately says, "Not my will, but Yours be done" (Mat 26:39).

In the end, prayer is less about changing circumstances and more about drawing near to God. It is where worries are exchanged for trust, guilt for forgiveness, and self-sufficiency for dependence. No wonder Paul could simply say, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17). Prayer is not merely something Christians do. It is one of the primary ways we live in fellowship with the God who loves us.

Love Like That

In the upper room that last Passover that Jesus celebrated with His disciples, He had a lot to say. One important thing He said was this:

"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13)

In today’s world with a thorough misunderstanding of the biblical concept of love and, perhaps, our problem of cursory reading, it’s easy to miss what He said. “Yeah, yeah … love each other. Got it.” Yes, but not quite.

Jesus gave them a new commandment. “Love one another.” In that discourse alone, He said it three times. He made it clear that He wasn’t talking about the normal “love one another” where the standard is “as you love yourself.” He qualified it with “just as I have loved you” (John 15:12). This love was something more than our normal version. In fact, Jesus called it the most telling indication that they were His disciples (John 13:35). It is not just “be nice to each other.” It’s more.

What more? Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). “As I have loved you.” He answers that same question a little more clearly in that passage in John 15. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” What, then, is He saying? “I am commanding you to love one another by dying to self for each other.” (See 1 John 3:16-17.) Because He was on the cusp of laying down His life for them.

Christians through most of church history have taken this command seriously. The author of Hebrews describes how those Christians “showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one” (Heb 10:34). They lost their own property while they went to aid prisoners. In the early church, they sold their belongings to take care of each other (Acts 4:32-35). During times of persecution they willingly died not only for Christ, but also for each other. They ministered to fellow believers during times of major epidemics without regard for their own lives. In Communist countries, they accepted punishments for weaker prisoners. Their detractors would comment, “They know how to love each other.” Church history is rich in this tradition of loving in that way.

Jesus didn’t necessarily mean just dying, either. He meant dying to self (Php 2:5-8). He meant precisely the opposite of today’s “looking out for number one” mentality, the “what’s in it for me” idea. These believers, following Christ's example, put the interests of others ahead of their own (Php 2:3-4). That is radical in today’s world. It also seems less visible than it used to be among believers. It’s not about martyrdom, but about self-sacrifice.

Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples.” By what? The kind of love that lays down its life for others. Like He did. How are we doing? Are we living examples of Christ’s self-sacrifice for the best interest of others? I have to say I’m not what I ought to be in that area. To my own shame.

News Weakly - 10/24/2026

Unclear on the Concept
President Trump is at it again. He wants to rename “New Mexico” to “New America.” I think he’s missing the point. We have “New York” and “New Jersey” and “New Hampshire.” They’re named for York and Jersey and Hampshire ... England. They were created as a link with their namesakes, but as distinct and even superior. Why is “Mexico” offensive to the president but York and Jersey and Hampshire not? Hey, we could save time and just name them all “New America.” No, that won’t work. It’s not really new, is it? Oh, I know ... how about something crazy like “The United States of America”? I know ... that won’t work either. False advertising in this not-so-united country. Some people just don't seem to understand that naming something "New" whatever means it is not "Old" whatever.

Not All News is Bad News
In Minnesota this week, a 27-year-old man jumped onto a runaway bus with a driver suffering a medical emergency and saved nearly 20 kids from possible disaster. “I really felt like it was my duty,” he told one news outlet. Good job, man. Not every news item is bad news, right? Giving credit where credit is due.

When Feelings Trump Science
The Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s attempt to restrict “gender-affirming care” for transgender inmates in federal prisons. The court gave no explanation for the decision, leaving me to wonder exactly what there is in the Constitution about “gender-affirming care.” Currently, then, your tax dollars are paying for self-identified “transgender” people in prisons to receive hormone treatments, surgery, and “social accommodations” (like clothing, hair-removal devices, wigs, binders, etc.) for “gender dysphoria” which, from the rational viewpoint, would be better addressed by fixing it rather than encouraging it.

Short one today. Sorry.

By Design

I still remember something my first-semester biology professor told the class. “You will likely see a lot of things in this class that look like design. Just remember, just because it looks like design doesn’t mean it is.” Whether one ultimately agrees with his conclusion or not, he was acknowledging something important: living things often do look designed. The appearance is not subtle. In many cases, it is difficult to study biology for very long without being struck by the extraordinary coordination of life’s various systems.

Take birds, for example. A bird’s ability to fly is not the result of a single feature but of numerous features working together. Its bones are lightweight yet strong. Its feathers are shaped to generate lift and control. Its breast muscles provide the power necessary for flight. Its lungs and air sacs extract oxygen with remarkable efficiency. Its vision allows it to navigate at high speeds and track moving objects. None of these features accomplishes flight alone. Rather, they appear as parts of an integrated whole, much like the various systems of an aircraft are coordinated toward a common purpose.

The feather itself is a marvel. What appears from a distance to be little more than a simple covering is actually an intricate structure composed of shafts, barbs, and microscopic hook-like barbules that hold the feather together. If those tiny connections become separated, a bird can often restore them simply through preening. Beyond flight, feathers provide insulation, waterproofing, camouflage, signaling, and display. The more closely one examines them, the more difficult it becomes to dismiss them as mere biological afterthoughts.

Then there is the avian respiratory system. Birds possess one of the most efficient breathing systems in the animal kingdom. Unlike humans, whose lungs fill and empty through the same passages, birds utilize a system of air sacs that keeps air moving through their lungs in a largely one-way flow. This arrangement allows for exceptional oxygen extraction, enabling many species to thrive at altitudes that would leave humans struggling for breath. It is precisely the kind of elegant efficiency that many people associate with design.

Migration offers another striking example. Some birds travel thousands of miles across oceans and continents, then return to the same nesting grounds with astonishing precision. Researchers have discovered that birds may use the sun, the stars, landmarks, and even Earth’s magnetic field for navigation. The sheer complexity of such systems naturally raises questions about how such capabilities arose and why they work so reliably.

Even the humble egg exhibits a remarkable balance of properties. It must be strong enough to protect the developing chick, porous enough to permit gas exchange, and yet fragile enough for the chick to break open at precisely the right time. It contains nourishment, protection, and an environment suitable for development. What appears at first to be ordinary turns out, upon inspection, to be anything but ordinary.

Bird vision adds another layer of wonder. Many birds can see details at distances far beyond human capability. Some perceive ultraviolet light invisible to us. Eagles can detect prey from remarkable heights. Their visual systems are tailored to the challenges of life in the air, providing yet another example of structure closely matched to function.

Even bird behavior contributes to the appearance of design. Many species construct nests of extraordinary sophistication without attending engineering classes or apprenticing under experienced builders. They weave, anchor, insulate, and protect according to patterns that are often unique to their species. Likewise, their courtship rituals, incubation habits, and parental care demonstrate an intricate coordination of behaviors aimed at the survival of the next generation.

Of course, noticing these things does not settle the question of whether birds really are designed. People draw different conclusions from the same evidence. Some see these features as the product of undirected evolutionary processes. Others see them as evidence of an intelligent Creator. Yet regardless of where one lands in that debate, it is hard to deny that birds exhibit precisely the kinds of characteristics that humans instinctively associate with purposeful design: complexity, coordination, efficiency, and function.

Indeed, perhaps the most telling aspect of my professor’s statement was not his conclusion but his acknowledgment. Before he could urge us not to infer design, he first had to admit that biology often looks remarkably like it. For many observers, that appearance remains one of the most fascinating features of the natural world. As David wrote thousands of years ago, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psa 139:14). David also wrote, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psa 19:1). Scripture clearly falls on the “design” side of the question. Whether one studies the human body or the flight of a bird, it is easy to understand why so many people throughout history have looked at living creatures and seen not merely complexity, but craftsmanship.

The Authentic Christian

Jesus said that the world would recognize His disciples by their love for one another. "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). That statement is often quoted, and rightly so. Love is a defining characteristic of the Christian life. Yet Jesus and the apostles described many other evidences that accompany genuine faith. If we want to know what a biblical Christian looks like, we must look beyond a single trait and consider the broader testimony of Scripture.

A biblical Christian is first characterized by submission to Christ. In our culture, Christianity is often reduced to agreement with certain ideas about Jesus. Scripture paints a different picture. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Obedience is not the means by which we earn salvation, but it is the natural result of a heart that has been transformed by grace. A true disciple does not merely admire Christ; he follows Him.

Likewise, a biblical Christian develops a growing love for the Word of God. Peter exhorted believers, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). The believer recognizes that God's Word is not simply information to be analyzed but truth to be believed and obeyed. There is a hunger for Scripture because there is a hunger for God Himself.

Another identifying mark is repentance. Christians are not people who never sin. Rather, they are people who can no longer make peace with sin. The apostle John wrote, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him" (1 John 3:9). The issue is not perfection but direction. The believer may stumble, sometimes badly, but he cannot remain content in rebellion. The Holy Spirit continually draws him back toward holiness.

Scripture also teaches that genuine believers bear spiritual fruit. Paul writes, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22-23). These qualities are not manufactured through willpower. They are produced by the Spirit working within the believer. Over time, a Christian should become more loving, more patient, more self-controlled, and more Christlike.

Humility is another distinguishing characteristic. The world teaches self-promotion and self-exaltation. Christ taught servanthood. He said, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant" (Mark 10:43). As believers grow in grace, they become increasingly aware that every good thing they possess comes from God. Pride diminishes as gratitude increases.

A biblical Christian also perseveres. Faith is not merely an emotional response or a temporary enthusiasm. True faith endures because God preserves His people. Jesus said, "The one who endures to the end will be saved" (Mat 24:13). Christians experience doubts, struggles, disappointments, and seasons of weakness, but they continue looking to Christ because He is their only hope.

Love for fellow believers is likewise a recurring test in Scripture. John wrote, "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers" (1 John 3:14). Genuine Christians do not merely tolerate one another. They recognize that they belong to the same family, redeemed by the same Savior, and indwelt by the same Spirit.

As believers grow, they also develop a deeper hatred of evil and a stronger attachment to what is good. Paul instructs Christians, "Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good" (Rom 12:9). The things that once seemed attractive begin to lose their appeal when viewed in the light of God's holiness. The believer's values increasingly reflect God's values.

There is also a desire to make Christ known. Jesus told His followers, "You will be My witnesses" (Acts 1:8). Not every Christian has the same gifts or opportunities, but every Christian should desire that others come to know the Savior. A heart that has been changed by the gospel naturally wants others to hear that same good news.

Furthermore, biblical Christians live with an eternal perspective. Paul reminds believers that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Php 3:20). This world is not our home. While Christians should faithfully serve God in the present age, they understand that their ultimate hope is not found in earthly success, political victories, financial security, or personal comfort. Their hope is fixed on the return of Christ and the promises of God.

Prayer also becomes an increasingly natural part of life. Paul commands believers to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17). Prayer is more than a religious exercise. It is an expression of dependence upon God. Christians understand what Jesus meant when He said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). The more mature a believer becomes, the more aware he is of his need for divine grace.

Finally, a biblical Christian is marked by a love for truth. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17). In a culture where feelings often determine beliefs, Christians are called to submit their feelings, opinions, and assumptions to the revelation of God. They seek not to reshape the truth according to their preferences, but to reshape their lives according to the truth.

Taken together, these characteristics paint a picture of authentic Christianity. A biblical Christian is not simply someone who claims the name of Christ. He is someone whose life increasingly reflects Christ. Love may be the trait that the world most readily sees, but it is accompanied by obedience, repentance, humility, perseverance, holiness, devotion to God's Word, love for God's people, dependence upon God, and a steadfast commitment to truth. None of these qualities are present in perfection this side of heaven. Yet they should all be present in some measure and growing over time. As Paul wrote, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith" (2 Cor 13:5). The question is not whether we display these marks flawlessly, but whether the Spirit of God is producing them in us as evidence that we truly belong to Christ.

Accumulation of Errors

One of the realities of construction is that a structure does not usually fail because of one massive measurement error. More often, a wall ends up badly out of alignment because a series of tiny errors accumulate over time. Each individual mistake seems insignificant. A fraction of an inch here, a slight adjustment there, and eventually the finished structure is noticeably crooked. It’s called “the accumulation of error” and the problem occurs not so much because of large errors, but because one small error adds to another which adds to another until there is something really wrong at the end. The same principle can apply to theology.

Most major theological errors do not begin with a direct rejection of Scripture. They begin with a small misunderstanding, an imprecise definition, or a subtle shift in emphasis. Over time, those small errors build upon one another until the resulting theology bears little resemblance to what the Bible actually teaches.

Consider what happens when we slightly redefine biblical love. Modern culture often equates love with unconditional affirmation. If that becomes our starting point, then correction begins to feel unloving. Convicting someone of sin appears harmful. Calls to repentance sound judgmental. Before long, the gospel itself is transformed from God's rescue of sinners into a message of self-acceptance. Yet Scripture consistently presents love as seeking another person's ultimate good, even when that requires correction. "Speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15) and the "faithful... wounds of a friend" (Pro 27:6) remind us that biblical love is far more than affirmation.

Similar problems arise when faith is reduced to a feeling. Scripture describes faith as trust in God's revealed truth (Heb 11:1; Rom 10:17), but many people unconsciously define it as emotional certainty. Once that happens, occasional doubt becomes evidence of spiritual failure. Feelings become more authoritative than Scripture. Personal experiences begin to outweigh biblical revelation. Eventually a person may place greater confidence in what he senses God saying than in what God has actually said.

The doctrine of grace often suffers from this kind of accumulation as well. A small error enters when grace is interpreted as meaning that God makes no demands upon His people. Yet the same grace that saves also teaches believers "to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts" (Titus 2:11-12). If grace is detached from holiness, commands are viewed as legalism, obedience becomes optional, and sanctification fades into the background. The result sounds gracious on the surface, but it is far removed from Paul's emphatic question: "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid" (Rom 6:1-2).

Another common accumulation of error occurs when people contrast a relationship with Jesus against doctrine. The statement sounds spiritual at first. After all, Christianity is centered on Christ, not mere intellectual knowledge. Yet Jesus Himself repeatedly emphasized truth, teaching, and obedience. He told His disciples to teach converts "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Mat 28:20). He also said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Once relationship and doctrine are separated, however, doctrine becomes divisive, theology seems unnecessary, and eventually every individual defines Jesus according to his own preferences.

The same pattern can be observed whenever personal happiness becomes the assumed purpose of God's work in our lives. Scripture certainly teaches that God blesses His children, but His stated purpose is to conform believers to the image of His Son (Rom 8:29). If happiness becomes the highest priority, then suffering appears pointless, trials seem unjust, and difficulty is interpreted as evidence that something has gone wrong. Yet James tells us to "count it all joy" when we encounter trials because God uses them to mature our faith (James 1:2-4). A small misunderstanding regarding God's purpose can dramatically alter our view of suffering, discipleship, and spiritual growth.

Perhaps the most subtle accumulation of all occurs through the changing meaning of words. Every generation inherits language that slowly evolves. Words such as love, faith, repentance, freedom, truth, justice, and even friend often carry meanings today that differ from how Scripture uses them. Without realizing it, people can read modern definitions back into ancient texts. The interpretation changes, then the doctrine changes, and eventually an entire theological system emerges that rests upon definitions the biblical authors never intended. In many cases, people remain convinced they are following Scripture when, in reality, they are following contemporary meanings imposed upon Scripture.

This is why theological error often develops so gradually. Few believers wake up one morning and consciously reject a major doctrine. Instead, a small misunderstanding of sin leads to a misunderstanding of grace. A misunderstanding of grace affects one's view of holiness. A misunderstanding of holiness shapes one's understanding of salvation. Like a building that drifts out of square because every measurement was just slightly off, the accumulated result becomes substantial.

The problem of the accumulation of errors is actually the reference point. Measured from a known, good reference point, a single starting point, the errors don’t accumulate. It’s starting from reference points that are derived from other measurements that causes the problem. Scripture repeatedly warns believers about the importance of precision in handling God's Word. "Every word of God is pure" (Pro 30:5). Jesus declared that man lives "by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Mat 4:4). The solution is not theological paranoia, but theological humility. We must constantly allow Scripture to define its own terms, maintain the balances that Scripture maintains, and resist the temptation to improve upon God's revealed truth. Small errors rarely remain small. Given enough time, they accumulate. The safest course is to keep returning to the text itself, allowing God's Word, rather than our assumptions, to set the boundaries of our theology.

Self-Sufficient

It wasn’t my finest hour. I had a crisis and I was stuck. I did what I should do and prayed. “Please, God, I don’t know what to do. Please … give me guidance.” Almost immediately an answer occurred to me … the right answer. And, to my embarrassment, I heard me tell God, “Oh, don’t worry, God … I’ve got this.” What effrontery! Like I came up with that on my own. I was ashamed.

We all have it in us, this notion that we’re capable, that we're sufficient. Oh, maybe not entirely, but for the most part, right? “I can do this.” We’re taught to tell ourselves that. “I think I can. I think I can.” It’s very human.

Some people have delusions of grandeur. We all suffer from delusions of adequacy. We think we’ve got this … at least sometimes. In life, we can be deists—the notion that God made everything and then stood back and watched. We forget that Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We don’t really grasp the very clear statement “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Rom 11:36). Paul told the Athenians, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He told the Corinthians, “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor 3:5). Even when Paul told the Philippian Christians to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” he told them it was because “God is at work in you to will and to do His good pleasure” (Php 2:12-13).

We are, by birth, self-centered and therefore anthropocentric. We are human-centered. So we naturally believe that it’s all about us—that we are the primary focus. We believe that we’re capable. We believe that we, in our experience and efforts, can determine what is and isn’t true, as if something becomes true simply because we declare it to be true. It’s a lie, a product of a heart deficiency (Jer 17:9).

It’s not true. We are not that good. The only real good in us is the good God produces in us and sustains by His grace. We would do well to remember that and be properly grateful.

When God Isn't Doing His Job

It’s an intentionally provocative title, and we “true believers” will find it pointless ... but ... do we? It seems to me that any of us can get tripped up when we encounter circumstances that we find uncomfortable (or worse) and think this is not what God had in mind. And I think we’re not alone in that. Think about Jesus’s disciples.

We looked recently at the story of Jesus and His disciples in the boat in the storm. His disciples panicked, and it only got worse when they discovered their rabbi was sleeping in the back of the boat. “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus calmed the storm and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). And, of interest, they were scared in the storm, but “filled with great fear” when someone actually stopped the storm (Mark 4:41).

In fact, the running theme of the Gospels includes this idea that the disciples never quite caught on. They knew He was the Messiah (Mark 8:49) but didn’t get what He was doing. He wasn’t acting like the Messiah they expected. He went to Tyre and, when a Gentile woman asked Him to cast out a demon from her daughter, “rightly” referred to her as a dog … and then healed her daughter. He didn’t go down to Jerusalem and declare Himself king, but instead spoke to them of dying. They were … almost outraged. This wasn’t how the Messiah was supposed to act. Dying was not part of the plan. And when He was arrested, they ran. This was definitely not how a Messiah was supposed to act.

Jesus told them that He said and did what the Father wanted Him to say and do (John 14:10). Either He was mistaken, or He actually did. And since He wasn’t mistaken, it’s clear His disciples were mistaken. After three years of literally walking where Jesus walked and learning at His feet, they didn’t get it. Why, then, would we expect to understand so much better than they do?

It’s easy to stand outside of circumstances and situations and nod and say, “He does all things well.” It’s easy to agree that “God works all things together for good” (Rom 8:28) when He's not doing anything unpleasant. But in the heat of it—facing the giants—it’s another thing entirely. That’s where the rubber meets the road. That’s where faith is tested (James 1:2-4). And you should decide in advance whether or not you’re going to let God be God and do what He deems best, or you’re going to be the “wise one” and tell God how to do His business.

Am I In Sync?

One of the greatest dangers facing the church is not open hostility to Christianity or the obvious adoption of pagan religion. Most Christians can easily recognize a false religion when it presents itself openly. We can usually spot the error when Christianity is blended with voodoo, Eastern mysticism, ancestor worship, or occult practices. Those forms of syncretism are relatively easy to identify because the foreign influences are visible. The more dangerous form of syncretism is far subtler. It occurs when Christians continue to use biblical language while quietly adopting the assumptions, values, and priorities of the surrounding culture.

This is not a new problem. In fact, it is one of the oldest spiritual dangers recorded in Scripture. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel continually attempted to worship the Lord while simultaneously borrowing from the nations around them. God repeatedly warned them, “Learn not the way of the nations” (Jer 10:2). Yet they persisted in blending the worship of Yahweh with the practices of Canaan. The result was not a complete rejection of God, but a corruption of true worship. They kept the name of God while redefining what faithfulness to Him looked like.

The same danger exists today.

One example is the tendency to merge Christianity with nationalism. Love for one’s country is not sinful. In fact, gratitude for the blessings God has given through our nation is entirely appropriate. The problem arises when believers begin to see their nation as occupying the same place in God’s redemptive plan that Israel occupied under the Old Covenant. Passages such as 2 Chronicles 7:14 are frequently applied directly to America as though God were speaking covenant promises to a modern nation-state. Yet the New Testament directs our attention elsewhere. Paul reminds believers that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Php 3:20). Peter calls Christians “strangers and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11). The writer of Hebrews says that God’s people seek “a better country, that is, an heavenly” (Heb 11:16). While earthly citizenship has value, the kingdom to which we ultimately belong is the kingdom of Christ, a kingdom that is “not of this world” (John 18:36).

Another form of syncretism blends biblical faith with consumerism and materialism. Modern culture teaches that success is measured by wealth, comfort, possessions, and status. Those assumptions often seep into the church. Prosperity becomes evidence of God’s favor, while hardship is viewed as evidence that something must be wrong. Yet Jesus warned that life does not consist of possessions (Luke 12:15). He instructed His followers not to lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt, but to lay up treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19-21). Paul told Timothy that those who desire to be rich “fall into temptation and a snare” and that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:9-10). Scripture never condemns wealth itself, but it consistently warns against adopting the world’s definition of success.

Perhaps nowhere is modern syncretism more evident than in the influence of therapeutic culture. Our culture often assumes that mankind’s greatest problem is unhappiness, emotional discomfort, or low self-esteem. As a result, Christianity is increasingly presented as a path to personal fulfillment rather than reconciliation with God. Sermons become motivational speeches. Repentance is softened into self-improvement. Sin is redefined as dysfunction. Yet Scripture gives a very different diagnosis of the human condition. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). The heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer 17:9). Jesus said that evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, and other sins proceed from within the heart (Mark 7:21-23). The gospel addresses emotional wounds, but only because it first addresses the deeper problem of sin.

Another subtle form of syncretism is the adoption of radical individualism. Modern culture teaches that personal autonomy is the highest good. We are told to follow our hearts, live our truth, and trust our feelings. That philosophy has increasingly influenced the church. Many now assume that personal experience carries more authority than Scripture. Yet the Bible repeatedly warns against trusting our own understanding. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Pro 14:12). We are instructed to “Trust in YHWH with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (Pro 3:5). Jesus did not invite people to affirm themselves; He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

The danger in every form of syncretism is the same. It leaves biblical words intact while replacing their biblical meanings. The church continues to speak about truth, love, freedom, justice, blessing, faith, and salvation, but those concepts gradually become shaped by the spirit of the age rather than the Word of God. This is precisely why Paul warned the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). He cautioned the Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col 2:8). Syncretism is not minor and it’s not good. "Go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord" (2 Cor 6:17).

News Weakly - 10/17/2026

All the News That's Fit to Print?
A young mother stabbed her son and husband to death at Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark in Pennsylvania. In Jacona, Mexico, three civilians and two police officers were killed in a mass shooting while six others were wounded. In France, police detained a 14-year-old suspect in a school shooting in Aubagne, France. In South Korea, eight people were wounded in a knife attack by a 59-year-old man in a shopping center. Tell me again how guns are the problem and people are basically good. Tell me again ... and I'll tell you that the world needs Jesus far more than gun control or better abortion laws.

Laughter Is Good Medicine
Just for fun, the Bee has a story about the Jenkins family who decorated their house in the scariest way they could imagine for Halloween. They dressed it up as ... gasp ... a data center. It's doubtful they'll distribute much candy this year since very few trick-or-treaters will be willing to approach. In other news, after the backlash about planning to livestream an execution, Trump ordered the Pentagon to cancel the livestream and move it to pay-per-view. “It's going to be a huge moneymaker,” Trump assured the public. Finally, in the wake of a DHS raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's home this week, Democrats are warning President Trump about the dangerous precedent of using law enforcement to target political opponents. Where do you think Trump learned it from?

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

Faith, Hope, and Love

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor 13:13)

To understand what Paul means, we have to read it in the context of the entire chapter. First Corinthians 13 is not a chapter about romance. It is a chapter about spiritual maturity. The Corinthians were fascinated by spectacular spiritual gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and supernatural knowledge. Paul reminds them that even the most extraordinary gifts are worthless if they are not governed by love.

Earlier in the chapter he says that he could speak with the tongues of men and angels, understand mysteries, possess great faith, and even sacrifice his life, yet without love he would gain nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3). The point is that gifts are temporary, but character is eternal.

That is why Paul goes on to say:

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Cor 13:8)

The gifts belong to this present age. They serve a purpose while we see God imperfectly. Paul compares our current understanding to that of a child and says that one day we will see “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12). When Christ returns and God’s kingdom is fully realized, the temporary tools will no longer be necessary.

Against that backdrop, Paul concludes:

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

These are the enduring virtues of the Christian life.

Faith is our trust in God. It clings to His promises even when circumstances seem contradictory. Abraham believed God’s word before he saw its fulfillment (Rom 4:18-21). Faith looks beyond what the eyes can see and rests in the character of God.

Hope is the confident expectation that God’s promises will ultimately be fulfilled. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. It is certainty based on God’s faithfulness. Hope anchors the soul during suffering because it anticipates resurrection, redemption, and eternal life (Heb 6:19; Rom 8:24-25).

Love is the self-giving commitment that seeks the good of another. It reflects God’s own nature, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom 13:10), the evidence of genuine discipleship (John 13:35), and the bond that unites all Christian virtues (Col 3:14).

Why is love the greatest?

Because faith and hope are directed toward things not yet fully possessed. Faith trusts what it cannot yet see, and hope waits for what has not yet arrived. But when believers stand in God’s presence, faith will give way to sight and hope will give way to fulfillment. We will no longer need to trust unseen realities or hope for future redemption because we will be experiencing them.

Love, however, does not come to an end.

Love existed before creation within the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love motivated redemption (John 3:16). Love characterizes the saints now. And love will continue forever in eternity. Faith reaches its goal. Hope reaches its fulfillment. Love never reaches an endpoint because it is the very atmosphere of God’s eternal kingdom.

Put another way, faith is the hand that receives Christ. Hope is the eye that looks toward His coming kingdom. Love is the heart that reflects His character. When all temporary things pass away, the hand will have grasped its object and the eye will see its expectation realized. But the heart transformed into Christ’s likeness will continue loving forever.

So when Paul says, “faith, hope, and love … these three remain,” he is teaching that amid all the changing circumstances of life, all the debates over gifts, abilities, accomplishments, and knowledge, the qualities that truly matter are trust in God, confident expectation of His promises, and selfless love for others. And among these, love is supreme because it most perfectly reflects the character of God Himself and will endure throughout eternity.

Guilty By Association

Have you ever noticed how we tend to lump people into particular groups? It’s not a problem on its own and it’s helpful in some cases. But there is this tendency to lump people into a particular group and then fail to notice that not all in that group fit the group. Not all men are pigs. Not all women are vain. Not all white people are racist. Not all black people hate white people. Broad, sweeping examples, but it’s huge and problematic.

Here are some examples. Consider relationships.

• “All marriages are boring.”
• “All men are emotionally unavailable.”
• “All women are too emotional.”
• “Every married couple eventually falls out of love.”
• “All teenagers rebel against their parents.”

Think about generations.

• “Boomers hate change.”
• “Millennials are entitled.”
• “Gen Z can't communicate face-to-face.”
• “Young people don't want to work.”
• “Old people don't understand technology.”

A big area is religion.

• “All Christians are hypocrites.”
• “All atheists hate God.”
• “Religious people are anti-science.”
• “Churches only care about money.”
• “All Evangelicals only believe what they do because of their upbringing.”
• “Everyone who goes to church is a good person.”

Or consider work and success.

• “Rich people are greedy.”
• “Poor people are lazy.”
• “All politicians are corrupt.”
• “Business owners only care about profit.”
• “Anyone can succeed if they work hard enough.”

Out of the Air Force, I took a job as an electronics technician. On my first day, one of my new coworkers greeted me with, “I hope you’re not one of those ‘born again’ Christian types.” Strange greeting, right? I asked why.

“Oh, you know, Christians are known for the Crusades. They kill in Jesus’s name.”

I thought that was strange reasoning. So, I offered a parallel to see what he said.

“You’re married, right? She loves you? Good. So, one day I show up to work, pull out a gun, point it at you, and say, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ You say, ‘Whoa! What for??’ I say, ‘Your wife told me to.’ Now, your wife loves you and you know she’d never say that, so you call me on it. Why can you see that, based on what you know about your wife, she’d never tell someone to kill you, but if someone says, ‘I’m killing in Jesus’s name,’ you can’t see that, based on what we know about Jesus, He’d never say that?”

You see, he lumped me together with the Crusaders who called themselves “Christians” and perpetrated killing and war in the name of Christ when Christ never would have made such a command. To this coworker, all Christians are homicidal—guilty by association.

It’s a sinister lie in general. Not every American is an “ugly American.” Not every Calvinist is “restless and Reformed.” And so on.

There are reasons for groups and collections like this. They aren’t, by definition, evil. They’re even biblical (think “Jews” and “Gentiles,” for instance). I’m not suggesting they’re bad on their own. But we should always remember that people are individuals, designed by God to be individual and distinct. No two alike. We can categorize some things about people, but when it becomes a judgment, we should be very careful not to assign everyone in the group the same judgment. Individuals are made in the image of God and ought to be regarded with respect, not haphazardly judged guilty by association.

The Truth About The Truth

Megan Woods' song The Truth has resonated with many believers because it addresses something Christians desperately need in an age of confusion and self-condemnation: our identity in Christ. Much of what she says is rooted in biblical truth. Believers really are children of God through faith in Christ (John 1:12; Rom 8:15-17). We really are loved by God (1 John 4:9-10). We really do belong to Him rather than to the lies of the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 Cor 6:19-20; Rom 14:8). For those reasons, I can appreciate the heart of the song.

At the same time, songs, like sermons, should be weighed against Scripture. What is emotionally encouraging is not always the same thing as what is biblically precise.

The line, "I am my Father's child," is wonderfully true for those who have been adopted through Christ. Scripture goes so far as to say, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1). This is not a truth we earned. It is a truth granted by grace. Likewise, the declaration that we are "truly loved by a God who's good when I'm not good enough" points in the right direction. God's goodness does not fluctuate with our performance. While Scripture would speak more in terms of our sinfulness than our inadequacy (Romans 3:10-23), the essential point remains: our hope rests in God's character, not our own.

Where I begin to struggle is with some of the language that reflects a more therapeutic view of Christianity than a biblical one. For example, the song says, "I make Him proud and I make Him smile." Certainly God delights in His people. Zephaniah 3:17 says He rejoices over them with singing, and Psalm 149:4 says that the Lord takes pleasure in His people. Yet the New Testament consistently centers God's pleasure on His Son. At Jesus' baptism, the Father declared, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matt 3:17). We might be able to claim that we please Him at times, but by no means can we affirm that He's pleased with us all the time. And any delight God has in us is ultimately because we are united to Christ. The emphasis of the gospel is not that God is impressed with me. It is that God is pleased with His Son and graciously accepts me in Him.

The line that concerns me most is, "He looks at me and wouldn't change a thing." That sentiment may feel comforting, but it is difficult to reconcile with the Bible's doctrine of sanctification. Scripture repeatedly teaches that God intends to change many things about me. He predestined believers "to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom 8:29). He is transforming us "from one degree of glory to another" (2 Cor 3:18). He disciplines His children precisely because He loves them and desires their holiness (Heb 12:6-11). God's love is not demonstrated by leaving us as we are. It is demonstrated by refusing to abandon us to what we are. God, loving us, would definitely change things—making us better, more like Him, more fulfilled, better equipped. God isn’t confused by our modern, “Love means you embrace everything about the loved one.” God loves us enough to want better for us … and then does it in us.

One of the great paradoxes of the gospel is that God fully accepts those who come to Him through Christ while simultaneously committing Himself to their transformation. He justifies the ungodly, but He does not glorify them overnight. The Christian life is a lifelong process of being made into what we are not yet. To say that God "wouldn't change a thing" may capture a feeling of acceptance, but biblically speaking it misses the reality that God loves us enough to change everything that sin has corrupted.

This reflects a larger trend in modern Christian music. Many songs emphasize affirmation, acceptance, and self-worth, often because those are the struggles people feel most deeply today. Scripture certainly addresses those concerns, but it does so within the larger framework of redemption. The biblical message is not simply, "God loves you just the way you are." The biblical message is, "God loved you while you were still a sinner" (Rom 5:8), justified you through Christ, and is now conforming you to the image of Christ.

So I would say that The Truth contains much that is true and encouraging. It reminds believers that they are loved, adopted, and secure in God's grace. Yet some of its language softens the biblical reality that Christians are both accepted and transformed. The gospel is actually richer than mere affirmation. God does not look at me and conclude that nothing needs changing. He looks at me through the righteousness of Christ, loves me completely, and then patiently begins changing everything that doesn't yet reflect His Son.

That, to me, is the fuller truth of who we are in Christ.

Sinless Perfection?

When I read 1 John 3:9, it appears to argue for sinless perfection. The King James says, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” That sounds a lot like sinless perfection. "Doth not commit sin."

I don't think John is teaching that Christians become sinlessly perfect after conversion. That interpretation would create a direct contradiction with statements John makes elsewhere in the same letter. Earlier he writes, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves" (1 John 1:8), and he goes on to assure believers that "if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). Clearly, John recognizes that genuine believers still struggle with sin.

The key to understanding 1 John 3:9 is found in the language John uses and the broader context of the passage. The verse says, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning" (ESV), while other translations render it, "does not continue to sin" (NIV) or "does not practice sin" (NASB). These translations seek to capture the idea of ongoing, habitual, unrepentant sin rather than an isolated act of disobedience. John is not describing occasional failures but a settled pattern of life.

Throughout 1 John 3:4-10, John contrasts two fundamentally different ways of living. One life is characterized by righteousness, obedience, and repentance when sin occurs. The other is characterized by ongoing rebellion against God. His concern is not whether a person has ever sinned, but whether sin has become the defining mark of that person's life.

John explains this by saying that God's "seed" remains in the believer (1 John 3:9). Whether this refers to the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, or the new life imparted through regeneration, the point is that God has implanted something within His children that changes them. Because they have been born of God, they can no longer be at peace with sin as a way of life. They may stumble, and at times they may fall seriously, but they cannot comfortably remain in sin without conviction and the call to repentance.

For that reason, when John says that the one born of God "cannot sin," I understand him to mean that a believer cannot continue indefinitely in a lifestyle of sin that is unchallenged and unrepented. The new birth creates a fundamental incompatibility between the believer's new nature and a life dominated by sin. Christians are not sinless, but they are no longer characterized by sin.

In other words, 1 John 3:9 is not teaching perfectionism. It is teaching transformation. The evidence of new birth is not that a believer never sins, but that the overall direction of his life has changed. Sin is no longer his master, his identity, or his pattern of life. As Paul similarly writes, believers have become "slaves of righteousness" rather than slaves of sin (Rom 6:17-18). The person born of God still fights sin, but he no longer lives comfortably under its rule.

When Words Don't Speak

One of the challenges in reading older Christian writers, and even the Bible itself, is that many familiar words no longer mean what they once did. We assume we're understanding a statement because we recognize the words, but often we're importing modern definitions into ideas that were built on very different assumptions.

Take the statement, "Jesus is the friend of sinners" (Matt 11:19; Luke 7:34). Today, a friend is often understood as someone who embraces, affirms, and supports us no matter what we do. Historically, however, a friend was someone committed to our good, even when that required correction, warning, or uncomfortable truth. Scripture says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Pro 27:6). A true friend was not merely agreeable. He was loyal enough to seek what was best for us. Under that definition, Jesus being the friend of sinners does not mean He affirmed their sin. It means He sought their good.

Or consider the phrase, "There is power in the name of Jesus." Peter healed a crippled man "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (Acts 3:6), and believers are told to do everything "in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Col 3:17). Modern ears sometimes hear this as though power resides in the pronunciation of a particular word or in the repetition of a formula. In Scripture, however, a person's name often represents his character, authority, and identity. David came against Goliath "in the name of the LORD" (1 Sam 17:45), meaning under God's authority and as God's representative. The power is not in the letters J-E-S-U-S. The power is in the Person whom that name represents.

The statement, "God loves you," suffers from a similar problem. Love today is commonly understood as a warm feeling of affection arising from the attractiveness of its object. Yet Scripture says God demonstrated His love for us "while we were still sinners" (Rom 5:8) and loved us even when we were "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1-5). Biblical love is not primarily a reaction to loveliness. It is a commitment to seek another's good. God's love was not caused by our worthiness. It is displayed in His determination to redeem the unworthy.

Many other biblical expressions are affected by the same kind of drift. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Pro 9:10) sounds to modern ears like terror or dread, but throughout Scripture it carries the idea of reverence, awe, and humble submission before God. Likewise, when Paul tells the Philippian jailer, "Believe in the Lord Jesus" (Acts 16:31), he is not merely asking for intellectual agreement. The biblical idea includes trust, reliance, and allegiance.

The word "repent" has undergone a similar shift. Today it is often reduced to feeling sorry for wrongdoing. Yet when Jesus began His public ministry by saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 4:17), He was calling people not merely to regret but to turn. Repentance is a change of mind that produces a change of direction.

Even words that seem straightforward have changed in meaning. Biblical "hope" is not wishful thinking. Paul speaks of "the hope laid up for you in heaven" (Col 1:5), and the author of Hebrews describes hope as "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Heb 6:19). Biblical hope is not uncertainty but confident expectation based on God's promises.

The same is true of the "heart." Modern people think of the heart primarily as the seat of emotion. Yet Scripture speaks of believing with the heart (Rom 10:10), reasoning in the heart (Mark 2:6-8), and storing truth in the heart (Psa 119:11). For biblical writers, the heart referred to the inner person as a whole, including mind, will, desires, and affections.

The Beatitudes provide another example. "Blessed are the meek" (Matt 5:5) can sound to modern readers like "Blessed are the timid" or "Blessed are the weak." Yet Moses, one of the strongest leaders in Scripture, is described as very meek (Num 12:3). Historically, meekness was understood as strength under control, power submitted to God rather than used for self-exaltation.

Perhaps nowhere is the confusion greater than with the idea of judgment. When many people hear Jesus say, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matt 7:1), they assume He prohibited moral evaluation altogether. Yet only a few verses later He instructs His followers to recognize false prophets by their fruits (Matt 7:15-20). Elsewhere He says, "Judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24). The prohibition was not against discernment but against hypocritical and self-righteous condemnation.

What makes all of this important is that many of these older meanings were rooted in objective realities, duties, character, authority, and acts of the will. Modern usage often shifts the focus toward feelings, preferences, affirmation, and subjective experience. As a result, we can read a sentence written two hundred years ago, or two thousand years ago, and completely misunderstand it while thinking we understand it perfectly.

Sometimes the hardest part of understanding an old text is not translating the language. It is translating the meanings that the words once carried. We think we are disagreeing with what earlier Christians believed when often we are only disagreeing with meanings they never intended in the first place. Before rejecting an old doctrine, it is worth asking whether the doctrine has changed at all, or whether the words through which we hear it have simply drifted away from the meanings they once bore.

Songs That Speak

When Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16 to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly by “teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” he is not envisioning a worship service built on emotional uplift alone. He is describing music that carries weight—songs that instruct the mind, correct the heart, and anchor the church in the truths of Scripture. And when you look across the history of Christian hymnody, you find that many of the great hymns were written precisely for this purpose.

Take Holy, Holy, Holy. This is not a song designed merely to make us feel reverent; it is a Trinitarian confession. Every stanza is catechesis. It teaches us who God is—eternal, almighty, perfectly holy—and it admonishes us by reminding us that all creation bows before Him. Singing it is an act of theological formation.

Or consider How Firm a Foundation. This hymn is almost a sung sermon. It takes the promises of Scripture and places them directly into the mouth of God: “Fear not, I am with thee.” The hymn teaches us to trust the sufficiency of God’s Word and admonishes us to stand firm when trials come. It is not about how we feel in the moment; it is about what God has said, and therefore what we must believe.

Rock of Ages does the same. Toplady wasn’t trying to create a sentimental moment; he was teaching the doctrine of justification by grace alone. The hymn confronts us with our inability—“nothing in my hand I bring”—and admonishes us to cling to Christ alone for salvation. It is theology set to melody.

Luther’s A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is another example. It teaches the reality of spiritual warfare, the power of God’s Word, and the certainty of Christ’s victory. It admonishes us not to fear the enemy, because “one little word shall fell him.” This is not emotionalism; it is formation.

Even a hymn like Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise serves as a theological corrective. It teaches the attributes of God—His invisibility, His immortality, His wisdom—and admonishes us to remember that He is not like us. It pulls our worship upward, away from sentiment and toward the majesty of the God who dwells in unapproachable light.

And in our own day, In Christ Alone stands out precisely because it teaches. It walks us through the incarnation, the cross, the resurrection, and the believer’s assurance. It admonishes us to stand in Christ alone, not in our feelings or circumstances. It is a modern hymn that actually fulfills Paul’s command.

These songs do what Paul requires: they teach us what is true, and they admonish us to live in light of that truth. They give the church a vocabulary of faith that is richer, deeper, and more durable than the language of mere experience. They help the word of Christ dwell richly—not thinly, not sentimentally, but richly—in the gathered people of God.

News Weakly - 10/10/2026

In the Balance
Israeli forces hit Gaza City again, killing five Palestinians. Apparently unprovoked. At least, that’s what the media wants us to believe. The fact that Hamas is not a State army, but civilian, and that Israel keeps shooting down rocket attacks and defending their people, and that Israel is losing less people than Hamas … and, of course, that it’s Israel, the hated people … means that the media gives them the nod and only points fingers at Israel. But I’m sure the media thinks it’s “balanced reporting” … as if they’d know balanced reporting if they saw it.

Making America Grate Again
An American Marine was arrested for murder in Okinawa. The Japanese are outraged. The military ceased operations to address the issue. It’s not good. In fact, from 1955 when a sergeant killed a five-year-old Japanese girl to a gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen in 1995 through a constant stream of crimes committed by American military personnel in Okinawa and elsewhere, there have been too many times that our military has assaulted the American reputation rather than enhanced it. The modern decline of morality in America in general is not contributing positively to that problem abroad.

Bravely Fighting Thin Air
Ethiopian forces recaptured Mekelle after the withdrawal of the Tigray People's Liberation Front. I remember the joke about the high school football team that took on the Blunderfolk team … not the brightest bulbs in the box. The high school team was ahead 64 to nothing and walked off the field in disgust. Three plays later, the Blunderfolk team scored. This story about the mighty Ethiopian forces taking Mekelle sounds the same, doesn’t it? They recaptured it soon after the defenders left?

Still Crazy
A 15-year-old girl stabbed eight people at a school in Istanbul, Turkey. A young girl of 10 died from her wounds. Deemed a “mass stabbing” by the media, Turkey was not so foolish as to try to ban knives. Instead, they’re seeking to ban 15-year-old girls. That’s closer to the real problem, right? (I mean people, not weapons.)

Another ICE Man
ICE has an image problem ... they look bad. This time an undercover ICE agent shot a man in New York City for “not complying with lawful orders.” It doesn’t take a law expert to understand you’re not supposed to shoot someone for failing to comply … unless it’s a dictatorship and you’re authorized to shoot for any reason. In a normal government, you're allowed to shoot if there’s a threat to yourself or others. “Failure to comply” is not a threat in itself. Of course, the media felt the need to overblow the story. They’re outraged that the shooting was with the man’s 5-year-old child in the car … because having a child in the car is grounds for allowing crime without response? And they downplayed the fact that the victim of the shooting had gang connections and prior convictions and arrests. These do not excuse the shooting; they simply point out that the media isn’t playing on an even field.

More Fake News Than You Need
In keeping with his normal overblown ego, President Trump issued an executive order making hurricanes illegal. And the world is grateful. On the terrorism front, experts fear that terrorist activity (actual story) in Minneapolis could very possibly spread to America next. Do we need a border wall in Minneapolis? Finally, liberals this week around the country commemorated the anniversary of October 8, the day Israel attacked Gaza completely unprovoked. “Progressives gathered to hold moments of silence for those killed on the first day of Israel's stunning attack on the peaceful Palestinians living in Gaza.” Kind of brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it? I mean … at how close that is to being possibly true.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

God's Unique Math - Two Become One

Marriage, as Scripture presents it, is never a mere human arrangement. Paul calls it a “mystery,” something rooted in creation and meant to echo the union between Christ and His church (Eph 5:31–32). When I look at the biblical witness, I see that this mystery is not confined to covenant vows or legal recognition; it reaches all the way into the physical union of husband and wife. The act of becoming “one flesh” (Gen 2:24) is not simply a poetic flourish—it is a real joining, something God Himself forges.

Jesus makes this clear when He answers the Pharisees’ question about divorce. He doesn’t appeal to sentiment or social custom. He goes straight back to Genesis and says, “What God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matt 19:6). He is not talking about a marriage “made in heaven” in the casual way we sometimes speak of it. He is talking about the mysterious union that God Himself creates when a man and woman become one flesh. Humans may enter the covenant, but God performs the joining.

Paul picks up the same thread when he warns the Corinthians about sexual immorality. His argument is startlingly direct: sexual union creates a real bond. “Do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?” he asks, quoting Genesis again: “The two shall become one flesh” (1 Cor 6:16). Paul’s point is unmistakable—sexual union is never casual, never merely physical. It is inherently unitive. It forges a bond because God designed it to do so. And because believers are “one spirit” with Christ (1 Cor 6:17), misusing the one flesh union distorts the very image of our union with Him.

This is where the mystery deepens. The one flesh union of husband and wife is not only a personal and physical reality; it is a theological one. It is meant to represent Christ and the church—the covenantal, faithful, fruitful union between the Bridegroom and His bride (Eph 5:25–27). Sexual union, then, is the embodied sign of that covenant. It is the physical expression of a spiritual reality, the seal of a relationship God Himself ordains.

Scripture consistently treats sexual union as whole person giving—a joining of lives, loyalties, and futures. Genesis describes leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh (Gen 2:24). Paul says the husband’s body belongs to the wife and the wife’s to the husband (1 Cor 7:3–4). Hebrews declares that marriage is honorable and the marriage bed undefiled (Heb 13:4). All of this underscores the same truth: sexual union is covenantal, holy, and exclusive. It is the act that consummates and renews the covenant of marriage.

And because it is covenantal, it carries spiritual weight. It is not simply a symbol of personal union; it is the bodily mode of personal union. And personal union, in turn, is the relational mode of the greater mystery—Christ united to His people. The structure is consistent: Christ and the church as the archetype, husband and wife as the image, and sexual union as the embodied sign of that image.

So when Scripture speaks of marriage, it speaks of something far deeper than human convention. It speaks of a union God creates, a union that is both physical and spiritual, a union that images the gospel itself. The one flesh bond is not incidental to marriage; it is central. It is part of the mystery—the way the covenant is expressed, sealed, and lived. And in that mystery, we glimpse the greater reality: Christ giving Himself for His bride, and the church united to Him in faithful love.

Consider, then, the practical ramifications. How does adultery work in this scenario? It can't if sexual union is a real union of God's design. How does divorce make any sense in this version of marriage? Jesus said it didn't. What does it mean in regards to how we treat each other? Paul said we should love our spouse as we love ourselves because our spouse is part of ourselves. How do we handle disputes, problems, disappointments, joys, triumphs—all of life? Not as separate individuals, but as ... one. A mystical union produced by God and performed by our sexual union and a picture of Christ and the church. This is a much more serious version of sex and marriage than most of us realize.

The Command We Just Don't Get

There is a kind of stillness God commands that is not the stillness of inactivity, but the stillness of surrender. When Scripture says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psa 46:10), it is not asking me to freeze; it is asking me to stop pretending I am the one holding the universe together. It is a rebuke to my restless attempts to manage outcomes, fix people, and anticipate every possible threat. Stillness is the confession that God is God—and I am not.

The psalm itself is written in the middle of chaos. Nations rage. Kingdoms totter. The earth gives way. The mountains fall into the sea. In other words, the very things that make me anxious are the backdrop for God’s command. He does not wait for calm to tell me to be still. He speaks stillness into the storm. And He does it because stillness is not the product of peaceful circumstances; it is the fruit of believing that God is our refuge and strength, “a very present help in trouble” (Psa 46:1).

Stillness is also the posture of faith in moments when God fights for His people. When Israel stood pinned between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, Moses said, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exo 14:14). Stillness here is not resignation—it is expectation. It is the quiet stance of someone who knows that deliverance is not achieved by frantic human effort but by divine intervention. God parts seas for those who stop thrashing long enough to watch Him work.

And stillness has a way of exposing what I truly believe. When I am still before God, my fears rise to the surface, my idols lose their shine, and my self reliance is revealed for what it is—thin, fragile, and exhausting. Yet in that same stillness, God’s character becomes clearer. His sovereignty steadies me. His faithfulness anchors me. His presence comforts me. Stillness becomes the place where my soul remembers that God has never once panicked, never once been late, never once been overwhelmed.

To “be still” is to let God be God in the places where I am tempted to take over. It is to quiet the inner noise long enough to hear the steady voice of the Shepherd who leads, protects, and restores. It is to stand in the middle of life’s upheaval with the confidence that the One who spoke galaxies into existence is the same One who speaks peace into my heart.

Stillness is not the absence of movement; it is the presence of trust. It is the settled conviction that the God who reigns over the nations also reigns over my circumstances. And when I obey His call to be still, I find that the world may shake—but my soul does not.

More on Fear

In a follow-up to that last post, there’s another part worth examining. Remember the story (Mark 4:35-41). They’re heading across the Sea of Galilee and run into a big storm. Storms can kill on the Sea of Galilee to this day. The disciples, seasoned fishermen among them, are scared. And they discover Jesus—the one they often refer to as “Master”—asleep in the back of the boat. They ask the scathing question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” I say “scathing” not just because it’s highly critical of Jesus, but because the fact that they ask it reflects horribly on themselves. Jesus awoke, rebuked the wind, and asked, “Why are you so afraid?” When the wind stopped at His command, they “became very much afraid.”

That’s the story. There’s something here I’d like to examine. It’s telling that they asked such a question. “Do you not care?” How could they ask it? But Jesus doesn’t address that. He addresses the storm. And then, He asks why they were so afraid. Is that a problem? Is fear an issue? Is it wrong to be afraid?

Some argue it isn’t wrong, but that leaves us implying Jesus was wrong to call them out for it. There are some who argue it is wrong to be afraid. But Scripture repeatedly warns of the danger of having no fear of God. The author of Hebrews says, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb 10:31). The psalmist wrote, “The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom” (Psa 111:10). The ominous accusation against humans is, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom 3:18). Fear is good and right in its proper place.

So, being afraid in a storm that could potentially kill you is not the proper place? Apparently not. Why? Jesus doesn’t leave the question unanswered. “Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Ah! There is the problem. These men were disciples of the Messiah, the Son of God. They’ve seen Him work. They’ve heard His promises. Their faith should have informed them that, despite the circumstances, there was nothing to fear.

How about you? Do you experience fear when it is necessary? Fear of God, vigilance against sin (Php 2:12), fear of judgment (Heb 4:1)—that kind of thing. But circumstances? We’re told to “count it all joy when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2). We’re promised that Jesus will never leave us (Heb 13:5). We don’t have to fear what everyone else fears.

How about you? Do your fears reflect faith or the lack of it?

What We Have to Fear

In Mark 4, Jesus sets out with His disciples on the Sea of Galilee. He falls asleep in the storm and they’re scared. They actually ask Him, “Don’t you care?” Imagine that? Asking the Son of God if He cares. He stands up and speaks and the storm is calmed. “Why were you afraid?” He asks. And in Mark 4:41, after Jesus calms the wind and sea, the disciples are actually more afraid than they were during the storm:

"And they became very much afraid and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'"

The storm threatened their lives. But the realization that they were sharing a boat with One who commands creation itself shook them to the core.

This pattern occurs throughout Scripture. People often think that if God visibly appeared, the dominant response would be comfort. Yet the biblical record repeatedly shows that a direct encounter with God's holiness, majesty, or power produces fear, awe, and sometimes terror.

In Isaiah 6, the prophet sees the Lord seated on His throne while seraphim cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy."

Isaiah's reaction is not excitement but dread: "Woe is me, for I am ruined!"

Confronted with God's holiness, Isaiah immediately becomes aware of his own sinfulness.

When God speaks from the bush, Moses responds with reverence and fear: "Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God."

Even before receiving his commission, Moses understands that he stands on holy ground.

When God descends on Sinai with thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, and trumpet blasts, the people are terrified.

They tell Moses: "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die."

The people recognize that they are encountering the living God, not merely witnessing a spectacular event.

In Daniel 10, Daniel sees a glorious heavenly being.

His strength disappears: "No strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor."

He falls trembling and must be strengthened before he can stand.

This is especially similar to Mark 4. After Jesus fills the nets in Luke 5, Peter does not celebrate the fishing success. Instead: "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

Peter realizes that he is standing before someone far greater than a prophet or rabbi.

At the Transfiguration when Jesus' glory is unveiled and the Father's voice speaks from heaven: "They fell face down to the ground and were terrified."

The revelation of Christ's true majesty produces fear.

The resurrection narratives repeatedly combine joy and fear.

Mark says the women fled the tomb trembling and astonished. The angelic announcement was good news, but the encounter was overwhelming.

In Revelation 1, John sees the glorified Christ.

This is the same John who reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper. Yet when he sees Christ in unveiled glory: "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man."

Even intimate familiarity with Jesus does not remove the impact of seeing His glory revealed.

What is fascinating is that the fear is rarely the fear of impending judgment alone. It is often the fear that comes from suddenly realizing who is present.

R.C. Sproul used to distinguish between being afraid of something dangerous and being overwhelmed by something infinitely greater than yourself. Scripture portrays God as both loving and approachable, yet also utterly transcendent and holy.

The disciples in Mark 4 illustrate this perfectly. During the storm, they feared the power of nature. After the storm, they feared the One who controlled nature. The sea was dangerous. Jesus was sovereign.

That is why the text says they were "very afraid." The storm raised the question, "Will we survive?" The miracle raised the deeper question, "Who is this?"

And that question echoes throughout Scripture. The closer people come to a genuine revelation of God, the more they are overwhelmed by His holiness, majesty, power, and otherness. Fear is not the opposite of faith here. Rather, it is often the beginning of true worship.

In fact, the progression in Mark 4 is almost a miniature picture of discipleship: first we fear our circumstances, then we discover that the One in the boat is far more powerful than the circumstances, and finally we are left in awe of Him. That deeper fear of the Lord gradually displaces our fear of everything else.

Premises, Premises

The word, “premise,” comes from the Latin, “praemissa,” meaning simply “the thing that goes before.” Simply, and yet, significantly. A premise is a proposition supposed or proved prior as a basis of argument or inference. It is a presupposition. And it is important. You see, if you start from a solid base, you can draw solid conclusions, but we all know how that whole “house built on sand” thing (Matt 7:24-27) goes. Not good.

Every person approaches Scripture with presuppositions. We do not come to the text as neutral observers, but as fallen creatures shaped by our culture, experiences, traditions, desires, and beliefs. The question is not whether we have premises, but whether those premises are true and whether they are derived from Scripture itself. Many misunderstandings of God's Word arise not because the text is unclear, but because we bring faulty assumptions to it.

One of the most common errors is the assumption that the Bible exists primarily to make us happy. If personal fulfillment becomes the controlling premise, then passages concerning suffering, self-denial, repentance, holiness, and perseverance will inevitably be misunderstood. Scripture certainly speaks of joy, but it places God's glory and our conformity to Christ above our temporary comfort. When happiness becomes the lens through which we read the Bible, suffering is often viewed as a sign of failure rather than one of God's tools for sanctification.

Another common premise is that modern culture possesses the authority to determine right and wrong. When cultural values become the standard, Scripture is no longer allowed to speak with authority over human behavior. Instead, biblical teachings must be reshaped and reinterpreted to fit the spirit of the age. Yet throughout history, God's Word has stood in judgment over every culture. The Bible does not conform itself to society; rather, society is called to conform itself to God's revealed truth.

Some approach Scripture with the belief that God exists primarily to fulfill their personal dreams and ambitions. This assumption reverses the biblical order. Scripture teaches that God is sovereign, and we are His creatures. We exist for His purposes, not He for ours. When this premise is forgotten, biblical promises are often transformed into guarantees of health, success, prosperity, or personal achievement that the text never intended.

A particularly dangerous premise is the belief that human beings are fundamentally good. If man is assumed to be basically righteous, then the Bible's teaching concerning sin appears excessive and the gospel becomes little more than self-improvement. Scripture, however, presents a far different picture. Humanity is fallen, separated from God, and incapable of saving itself. Only when we understand the depth of our sin do we appreciate the greatness of God's grace.

Many interpretive mistakes also arise from the assumption that every passage is addressed directly to the individual reader. While all Scripture is profitable for believers, not every command, promise, or circumstance was originally directed to us. Sound interpretation requires understanding what a text meant to its original audience before determining how it applies to believers today. When historical context is ignored, promises made to Israel, kings, prophets, or apostles are often misapplied.

Another obstacle to proper interpretation is the tendency to approach Scripture through a rigid theological system rather than allowing Scripture itself to shape theology. While theological systems can help organize biblical truth, they become problematic when they control the interpretation of difficult passages. A faithful student of Scripture must always be willing to allow God's Word to correct his conclusions.

Modern readers are also influenced by the widespread assumption that a text means whatever it means to an individual reader. This view places meaning in the eye of the beholder rather than in the inspired intention of the author. Yet biblical interpretation is not an exercise in personal creativity. The goal is to discover what God intended to communicate through the human authors He inspired.

Another faulty premise is that the Old Testament is largely irrelevant because Christians live under the New Testament. Such thinking ignores the fact that Jesus and the apostles continually appealed to the Old Testament as authoritative Scripture. The New Testament does not replace the Old Testament; it fulfills and explains it. The story of redemption cannot be understood apart from the foundation that the Old Testament provides.

The book of Job exposes another common assumption: that all suffering is the direct result of personal sin. Job's friends relentlessly defended this premise, yet God ultimately condemned their counsel. Scripture teaches that suffering can result from many causes, including living in a fallen world, God's sanctifying work, testing, persecution, or purposes known only to Him.

Perhaps the most pervasive error of all is the assumption that the Bible is primarily about us. Modern readers often place themselves at the center of every narrative and ask, "What does this say about me?" before asking, "What does this reveal about God?" In reality, Scripture is first and foremost the revelation of God, His character, His purposes, and His redemptive work in Christ. We find our place in the story only after we understand that the story belongs to Him.

Ultimately, every interpretation rests on a foundation of presuppositions. Good interpretation begins by examining those presuppositions in the light of Scripture. Many disagreements about biblical meaning are not really disagreements about individual verses, but disagreements about the assumptions brought to those verses. The safest approach is to begin where Scripture itself begins: God is holy and sovereign, mankind is sinful, Christ is sufficient, and God's Word is authoritative. When those foundational premises govern our thinking, we are far less likely to impose our ideas upon the text and far more likely to hear what God has actually said.

James on Faith

James 2:14-26 is a famous passage about faith and works. Many assume it is James contradicting Paul, a logical impossibility if the Bible is breathed out by God (2 Tim 3:16-17). But that assumption comes from failing to read what James is discussing, and by reading into it other passages and ideas.

James tells us from the start what his topic is. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14). He’s not talking about “saved by works.” It’s just not there. He’s talking, without a doubt, about “saved by faith.” So what is he talking about?

To illustrate his point, he uses an example. “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15-16). James is not talking about saved by works. He’s not suggesting that taking care of people saves you. He’s not even suggesting we take care of the less fortunate. He’s saying, “If you say one thing but don’t act on it, ‘what good is that?’” He’s not talking about works that save, but faith that acts.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). That is James’ point. Genuine, living faith definitely produces works. If it does not, it is dead faith, good for nothing.

He says this in multiple ways and we often miss it. He points out that works demonstrate faith and not vice versa (James 2:18). He points out that demons believe and are scared—the works that demonstrate they believe (James 2:19).

Finally, he points to Abraham. This is the part that confuses so many, but if you’re tracking him it only makes sense. “Abraham was justified by works” (James 2:21). “There, see? Justified by works.” Stop. Keep in mind the aim. “Faith produces evidence. Works demonstrate faith.” That’s what James is saying. He uses the word “justified” in the sense of “proven right” like Jesus did in describing wisdom as “justified” by her children (Luke 7:35). Abraham’s faith was proven to be genuine, real, living—by his works.

What about you? Is your faith demonstrated by a change in your life? Does your faith cause you to be different? If not, you might have dead faith, and that can't be a good thing.

News Weakly - 9/3/2026

Knife Control
In Slovakia a student attacked several people at a school—a mass stabbing. One woman was killed, another injured, and child was injured. The nation is demanding an immediate ban on knives. Oh … wait … that’s not right. Why do people demand that guns get banned but other instruments of murder get ignored?

Another Crisis Averted
The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act. The bill helps enforce a cap on how much teams can pay their athletes, limits athletes to transferring no more than one time without penalty, and other vitally important issues. Because solving real problems for this nation just doesn’t rise to the level of their attention and actually fixing things isn’t in their job description, I guess.

Mission Accomplished
After more than 20 years of American troop presence in Iraq, the troops have withdrawn. The pull-out was instigated by the Biden administration and carried out by the Trump administration. Iraqis celebrated, but I don’t think anyone celebrated more than Iran whose goal it is to eliminate American troops in the Middle East. Iraqis plan to secure the country on their own as allies of both the U.S. and Tehran … like that could actually happen.

Mystery Solved
Now we know why Russia is having so much trouble taking Ukraine. In an incident this week, a Russian Su-35 shot down a Russian helicopter in a friendly fire incident, killing everyone on the helicopter. Apparently Russian weapons systems are effective … against Russian weapons systems. Russia is now seeking Su-35 control for the nation.

Peace at Any Price
Russian President Putin is promising to use every weapon available up to and including nuclear weapons to defend its territory. It’s the least you would expect from the peace-loving Russian president who only wants to get along with everyone.

Your Best Source for Fake News
After recent terrorist attacks, the FBI has assembled an elite team of investigators to see if these attacks might be linked to a common ideology. One theory is a lot of terrorists watched Friends, so maybe they’re on to something. In other news, Trump realized his gambit to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and Lake Ontario to Lake America was the solution to his latest dilemma. In order to win in the midterms, all he has to do is rename Democrats to Republicans and Republicans will win. Genius!! And, just for fun, because I remember these things, there’s the story of the 8-year-old Sunday School kid who showed up all excited, only to face severe disappointment when he discovered “Sword Drills” weren’t quite what they sounded like.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

His Purpose in Our Pain

It’s a common theme in Christian music and Christian conversation. Life is tough. Things aren’t going how we want them to. We’re suffering and we don’t want to. Where is God?

Of course, the answer to that question varies. We might give up and say He’s not around, He doesn’t care, He’s not willing to answer. Or we might comfort one another: “Hang in there. He’ll get you through.” And a broad range of options in between.

The Bible is not silent on the subject. he Bible teaches that suffering exists because sin entered the world (Rom 8:22) and will, one day, be ended. Jesus specifically taught that suffering is not always the product of individual sin (John 9:1-3; Luke 13:1-5), though it is ultimately connected to the presence of sin in the fallen world.

And we know that He’s always there (Psa 23:4; Psa 46:1).

But at this point the Bible deviates from our normal “I’m not going to make it” or “I’ll hang on dearly until He rescues me” positions. James says to “Count it all joy” when we suffer (James 1:2-4). Paul says we can “rejoice in our sufferings” (Rom 5:3-5). Peter says our suffering identifies us with Christ (1 Peter 4:13; 2:21). Paul says in the worst of our suffering we are “more than conquerors” (Rom 8:35-37). God uses everything, including suffering, to shape us into His image (Rom 8:28-29).

Suddenly, both “I’m not going to make it” and “I’ll just hang on as long as I can” prove inadequate responses. The response Scripture is seeking is thanksgiving (1 Thess 5:18) and joy (James 1:2). We are supposed to be shouting our victories in the midst of our trials, knowing He’s winning—knowing He’s doing good things in us.

Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). That sounds like neither “I’m falling” nor “I’m barely holding on.” It sounds like abundant life. Abundant life does not mean a life free from suffering. It means a life filled with God's purpose, presence, and transforming work even in suffering. Maybe we’re missing out when we spend so much time worrying about our suffering rather than watching eagerly for what God is doing at that moment—and every moment.