Bible Love Notes

The Freedom of a Slave

2026-04-08T08:37:00.008-04:00

There was a decorative design carved in the floor of the church. It cleverly hid breathing holes for the secret passage below the church...the passage that led slaves to freedom as part of the Underground Railroad.

When my husband and I visited this church twenty years ago, I was saddened that my African-American brothers and sisters had once been denied basic human rights. But I was inspired by their courage and faith.

The slaves who carved this floor trusted Christ in the midst of their oppression.

I wondered why they weren't tempted to blame God when some of their harsh mistreatment came from slave owners who called themselves “Christian.”

Their secret: they didn’t let their circumstances change their view of Christ—they let Christ change their view of their circumstances.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

If we apply this principle to our lives, we will also find the courage we need in the midst of difficult circumstances. We will understand how God can use bad things for our good (Romans 8:28). We'll be able to bless those who curse us and refuse to take revenge (Romans 12:14,17).

Despite our circumstances, we will experience “freedom” in Christ:

“You are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:7

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To read a four-minute devotion I wrote about this church, read Slavery Is a Black and White Issue.

Note: Just as genuine Christians fought against slavery in the past, genuine Christians must fight against the new bigotry of CRT. See Are You Awake to Biblical Teachings or Are You Woke? and Christian Critical Race Theory Isn't Christian.

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Making Sin Sound Moral and Morality Sound Sinful

2026-04-07T03:30:00.240-04:00

Beware of “Christian” rhetoric that makes evil sound attractive (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).

I don’t know if Texas politician James Talarico is simply Bible illiterate or intentionally seeking to deceive people. But his rhetoric is a good example of propaganda.

So let's look at five sentences of a speech he made recently (source):

1.“In Scripture, Jesus befriended people that others called sinners.”

Christ calls all men sinners and wants all to repent and be saved (Luke 24:46-47; Romans 3:23).*

2.“The only people in the Bible that Jesus condemned were religious leaders who used religion to hurt others.”

Jesus said the “world” hated Him because He exposed their evil deeds, and all men are condemned if they reject Christ (John 7:7; John 3:18).*

3.“Being a Christian is about loving thy neighbor, not bullying LGBTQ people.”

Propaganda exaggerates. By “bullying,” he means believing God's Word and sharing God's loving warnings to save people from Hell (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).*

4.“Being a Christian is about loving thy neighbor, not chasing pregnant women across state lines.”

More exaggeration. Christians aren't chasing women to another state so they can kill their babies. Christians are seeking to rescue babies from merciless slaughter (Proverbs 24:11-12).*

5. “Being a Christian is about loving thy neighbor, not harassing librarians, silencing teachers, and defunding our schools.”

More exaggeration. By “harassment,” he means protecting children from porn and drag queens in libraries and defunding propaganda in colleges (Ephesians 5:3-13).*

Talarico's words represent popular rhetoric. Let’s prepare ourselves to discern and refute these lies in disguise!

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We'll discuss another statement from Talarico on Friday. You may ask why I'm spending time on this candidate. I'm simply using him as an example to help us discern fake Christian rhetoric when we hear it. He is certainly not the only one speaking these lies. Nor is this simply about politics...it's about propaganda that denies moral and biblical principles, and it's present in most nations around the world. We must discuss it and learn discernment.

* For each sentence, I offer these devotions below that fully refute Talarico's claims with Scripture, not human opinions.

1. Did Jesus Hang Out with Sinners?

2. True or False: Christ Didn't Call Out Sinners, Only Pharisees

3. Who Determines Your Morals?

4. Satan’s Tactic: Use Lies to Scare People

5. Clean Vision

Also check out The World's Definition of Loving Others and God's Definition.

For a thorough and thoughtful understanding of these issues, check out Lies in Disguise. It will give you the courage and the tools to speak up for God's truth in a world filled with propaganda.

Images of Talarico are Creative Commons.

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Sin Looks Attractive But It Stinks—Like Rafflesia

2026-04-06T08:16:00.007-04:00

Rafflesia is a parasitic plant found in Asia.

It has no stems, leaves, or roots, but it inserts itself into vines and grows a five-petaled flower that smells like rotting flesh.

What a great illustration of bitterness. Bitterness is a parasite that needs a human host. And once it attaches to our soul, everything in our lives begins to stink.

But bitterness is different than Rafflesia because it disappears when we obey God's commands.

The world says fight evil with evil and get even. God says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:17-21

God will punish our enemies in His perfect time and with His perfect knowledge of every human heart.

It isn't easy to overcome evil with good, but we have Christ's power to do it (Philippians 4:13). And we have this wonderful assurance: as we seek God with a thankful heart, He will give us a peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:4-7)!

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You can find a short Bible study based on this devotion at Bite Size Bible Study. And please check out 8 Steps to Overcome Bitterness—Dealing With Offenses Biblically.

And don't forget that you can sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes. Find out more HERE. And please check out these two helpful, relevant books:

WISDOM FOR LIFE: Do you know the story behind my book Wisdom for Life? You can read it HERE.

LIES IN DISGUISE: Check out the subject of each chapter, the endorsements, and the important purpose of Lies in Disguise HERE.

Images: Wiki Commons and Wiki Commons, Steve Cornish

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