Snapshots and Synapses

Is Jesus the ONLY Way to Heaven?

2026-09-20T00:30:00.000-04:00

I read an interesting statistic: 60% of professing born-again Christians believe that Buddism, Islam or Hinduism are equally valid paths to heaven, no belief in Jesus required. This is in stark contrast to historical Christian doctrine. Is it a heresy or an evolution of thought?

Now I don't doubt the sincerity of people on either side of this topic, those who believe Jesus is the only way to heaven and those who believe in multiple paths. I have friends who I know desire spiritual growth who are not Christian and would not profess to be Christian. I don't doubt their sincerity. The truth is by it's very nature exclusive, so anything that is not true is false. So sincerity only goes so far, and if not aligned with the truth, some people are sincerely wrong. This is written with no disrespect for others, but it is meant to challenge thoughts that maybe people have accepted without thinking.

There are many other religious belief systems, and I don't plan to focus on any of them but one: Christianity and the historical doctrine that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven, to salvation. An atheist needs to disprove the existence of any "god" and an agnostic takes the easy way out by choosing not to seek an answer, and I could spend volumes discussing each religious worldview, probably offending and misquoting other belief systems in an attempt to "prove Christianity", but if I could argue every reader into the Kingdom, someone else could argue them out of it. Yes, I believe there is a rational thought process behind my beliefs and that spiritual truth is not a matter of blind faith, but I also believe that a person can only find their way to heaven by knowing the God Who created them. It is not a matter of ascending to godhood or perfecting our lifestyle to please God.

At the heart of Christianity is the belief that God exists, is knowable, and that He has provided a way to be in eternal relationship with Him, recognizing who we are with respect to this perfect Being. If He is perfect, then philosophically there is only room for one perfect being, which means we are imperfect, but again, I'm not debating the existence of God or the nature of God. Instead, let me ask you to consider these questions.

The Truth - About Ourselves

Are you a perfect or imperfect being?
If God exists as an all-powerful, all-knowing, fully-loving (perfect) Being, Who wants a relationship with you, would you want to be in relationship with Him?
Would your answer to question #2 change based on your answer to question #1?
Would your answer change based on your religious background?

If we are honest with ourselves, we are not perfect, and if we are truly honest, we don't ALWAYS live up to our own definition of what is right: we have hurt others in ways we wish we hadn't, we don't take care of our environment, and we don't even do what is best for ourselves, giving into momentary desires that derail our best interests. At best, we live imperfect lives to what we recognize as ideal and hope that the either the good out-weighs the bad or that we can grow beyond our current short-comings.

Christianity recognizes these short-comings. We might sincerely desire to overcome these conflicting desires, but the reality is that we are not stronger than ourself. No matter how much I strive to live perfect life, a part of me fights against that, so I wrestle with myself for control, two equally matched opponents in one body. I my win today. I may even win repeatedly for weeks or months, but can I continue to do what is right for the rest of my life? And to make matters worse, what if I discover that what I thought was "right" was merely an illusion, a mistaken belief. I am not all-knowing, and no matter how hard I try, my understanding of what is right and how to apply it in every situation is imperfect.

"The Law" that YHWH provided to Moses is reported to be true and right, and Jesus is quoted as saying that He didn't come to abolish this perfect law, but to fulfill it, (Matt 5:17) But what does this even mean? I could go on tangent and ask why we should believe anything in the Bible, but instead will simply reference it as the foundation of Christian beliefs and suggest you explore that question if you feel the need. It's a good question, but not one I'll go deeper into right now.

The Truth - About Jesus

So understanding the truth about our own imperfections, regardless of our religious background / beliefs, what do we know about Jesus?

Loving Unity

2026-09-13T14:45:17.540-04:00

Christian Unity is a beautiful thing, but should it be the goal of Christian Communities? A couple years ago I wrote about Christian Unity, and having just re-read that blog post, I believe it still relevant. So I’m going to ask a question and request that you take a few moments to ponder an answer before reading further:

Will a Christian community be more likely to find Unity if the people love one another, or would people be more likely to love one another if seeking Unity?

Take a few moments to consider before reading further.

I believe that Unity for the sake of Unity is a symptom of a religious spirit, something that can draw us away from who we are called to be. Focusing on Unity as a goal will instead destroy the love that should characterize an healthy community of believers. The call for unity could easily silence individuals who may feel like they are unable to express a different viewpoint from others or ask a difficult question. Remaining quiet is to remain unknown, and if we are not known, we are invisible to others, and how can we feel loved? Loving relationships and authentic communities explore difficult topics together, accept different opinions and explore Scripture together praying together for better understanding.

Yes, Unity is desired, but it shouldn’t be the goal. I believe it similar to C.S. Lewis’ quote in Mere Christianity:

Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in'; aim at earth and you will get neither

In the context of Love and Unity, I would rephrase it as:

Aim at Love and you will get Unity 'thrown in'; aim at Unity and you may get neither

If we pursue loving each other, we get Unity as a by-product, but if Unity is the goal, love can often break down so that Unity devolves into conformity. The truth is that loving God overflows into loving others, and if our Christian Communities are known for our love for each other, we will work through our differences and be truly unified, one with God and each other. Our differences will cause us to grow both individually and collectively.

So please stop calling for Unity and instead cultivate godly and genuine love for others. Unity is an indicator of Christian maturity as we grow in truth and love, but Truth and Love are the objectives.

What Do Guys Find Attractive?

2026-09-06T08:58:05.112-04:00

This isn’t one of my more typical posts. I’ve decided to share personal observations after more than half a century on this earth. I was visiting a friend in the hospital, and as I was signing out with the receptionist, a woman with a young teenage daughter asked my opinion: do guys like false eyelashes? She was trying to make a point with her daughter about being genuine. I gave her my opinion, talked a little bit, and walked to my car reflecting on how hard it is to be a teenager, especially with all the many voices that often offer contradictory advice.

It caused me to wonder, so I did an internet search on what guys find attractive. Finding more opinions than scientific conclusion, I decided that my thoughts were just as valid as any one else. So I’ll give you the bottom line up front: guys are attracted to what they perceive as healthy.

Physical Attraction

I realized at a relatively young age that what I found attractive, another guy might not and vice versa. There is an old saying: “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Certain body parts and body types that I found attractive could mean little to another guy. We all have unique tastes, and while cultural influences often prejudice opinions, physical attraction is truly in the eye of the beholder. I could find some traits attractive and be unconcerned with other physical aspects. Then it occurred to me that a woman could find some of my traits attractive and have not care about my least attractive attributes. Physical attraction did not require perfection; rather, attraction was dependent upon individual likes. At the heart of this attraction was the perception of a healthy attribute: confidence.

Physical Attractiveness & Self-Respect

“Confidence” was a common trait that guys found attractive in my internet search, and while confidence and self-respect are not quite the same thing, confidence flows from respecting one’s self. A woman who respects herself lives in a way that she perceives as healthy. This overflows into every area of life: physical, emotional, and spiritual. She develops herself in what she believes is important.

Going back to my conversation with that teenage girl and her mother, I pointed out that guys are attracted to authenticity, emphasizing that if a woman pretends to be someone else then she is attracting the wrong guys. If searching for love, then pretending to be someone else hides the real you; they will not love you but who you pretend to be. A woman who respects herself will be authentic.

Who are you, really?

If you don’t know who you are, are you really ready for a relationship? You run the risk of becoming someone’s image of who they want you to be. Discover who you are first.

So let me talk to you as a loving father would tell his own daughter: you are wonderfully made. Like the John Legend song says, the right man wants all of you with all your perfect imperfections. There is someone who will appreciate your assets and overlook the other things. You should just focus on being who God made you to be.

Throughout this post, I’ve emphasized perceptions of health: what a man perceived as healthy. But what is truly healthy is truly attractive: a healthy intellect, body, emotional intelligence, social grace / friend group, and spiritual perspective. Being healthy is attractive. God made you as a one-of-a-kind-wonder, and He made you to love and be loved. Being yourself, the best version of yourself, is how you will attract the right guy at the right time. God is in control and He has a plan for you. Are you willing to join Him in that plan?

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

2026-08-30T00:30:00.000-04:00

I struggled with the title of this post. I wanted it to be simple and honest because I believe many people struggle with the problem of pain: how could a fully good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God allow suffering? Or perhaps a more honest and vulnerable question: why does God allow me to suffer? By it's very nature suffering is painful, and we naturally shy away from pain.

Pain challenges our belief in who God is.

Whether it's physical pain, financial hardship, loneliness, or some other form of suffering in our lives, pain challenges our belief in who God is: Does He not know about my suffering? Can He not stop it? Does He not care about me? Truly, the essence of all our questions about God come down to how God is relevant to our lives. Who is God for me?

So when we are hit with a painful situation, our first response can easily be to blame God. I have known more than one atheist who rejected God because of a painful situation in their life. The rationale explaining away God's existence has always followed the painful moment: death or hospitalization of a loved one, personal trials, rejection by others, etc.

Who created pain?

Pain has long been a part of the human condition, and it's normal to feel pain. Some people would rather avoid the origin of pain, and others insist that God would never create suffering. Rather, they would say that God allows it. There are many philosphical specultions. C.S. Lewis wrote an entire book on The Problem of Pain, and I certainly can't do justice to his work in a short blog post. Dr. James Dobson also wrote about this topic in When God Doesn't Make Sense. But does the Bible tell us who created pain?

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
(See Isaiah 45:7 KJV)

The Hebrew word that Isaiah uses for "evil" in the verse above is "ra" (רַע), which can mean evil or calamity, but it's clear that God takes credit for creating suffering. God created suffering. Some people will look at this verse and feel vindicated in their rejection of God, but I'd caution everyone to pause and consider a very important question: Is all pain bad? The Bible has numerous references to pain and suffering, in some cases telling us to rejoice in suffering, such as Psalm 119:71 and James 1:12.

Is it bad to suffer?

This is where the topic gets more difficult. Naturally, no healthy person truly enjoys suffering, but pain is actually a good thing, letting us know that something is not right. Someone who is physically unable to feel pain, will likely injure themselves repeatedly and increasingly, not knowing that a part of their body needs time to heal.

Moreover, it is only in suffering that we can truly demonstrate love for another. There is beauty in the sacrifice a loving husband makes for his wife or in how a mother gives of herself for her children. And yes, there is beauty in the way Jesus gave up His life so that we could know the salvation that flows from God's desire to be in an eternal relationship with us.

Suffering helps us to become better than we are.

There is so much goodness that can come from suffering, and yet it is man's tendency to question why God couldn't have found a better way. I would argue that it is the height of arrogance to think we could do better. I have known pain, and I don't like it, but I am grateful for how God has used it to make me better. It has also shown me who my friends are, the ones to stand by me in the midst of suffering versus the ones who pull away so that my pain does not interfere with their pursuit of pleasure.

If you are in the midst of some painful trial, then know this: God is with you in that pain, encouraging you to push through it like a coach encourages his atheletes in both the exercise and the healing process. He is making you a better person if you are willing to join Him in the good work He's doing in you. Find Him. Search for Him. Stop asking "Why me, God???" and ask "What do You want me to do with this situation, Lord?" He is there; He loves you, and He will never forsake you. Don't forsake Him!

Dedicated to my earthly father, who was only healed of multiple schlerosis when He entered through heaven's gates.

Should Couples Stay Awake Until Reconciled?

2026-08-23T11:24:36.914-04:00

I've heard more than one well-meaning person claim that a husband and wife should not go to bed until they've reconciled. Citing Ephesians 4:26 as their source, they claim that this is God's design for a happy marriage. So let's look at this verse within it's scriptural context:

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
~ Ephesians 4:25-27

I believe it's great advice to not go to bed angry. It's biblical wisdom. Holding onto anger is exhausting and unhealthy, eating away like a cancer inside. How do we let go of anger? First, recognizing that anger is a secondary emotion, we need to identify the emotion behind the anger. Is it sadness? Betrayal? Loneliness? Frustration? Embarrassment? Confusion? Fear? The source of our anger can be so many things, and identifying the source can help us let go of the anger and treat the root cause. I have seen repeatedly in my life that it is possible to let go of that anger and resolve how to address the root cause before going to sleep, but it may take some time to soothe the source of our anger.

Anger and Reconciliation

I had resolved early in my marriage to reconcile before going to bed, and do you know what I discovered? As my wife and I became more tired and hurt, we tended to become more defensive and more hurtful. Rather than resolving the root cause, we would jump around to other issues, inflicting more pain and heaping on the accusations. It was very unhealthy and unproductive. We went to a Family Life Marriage Conference and learned many important things such as learning to "fight fair" and setting aside the argument to get some rest before resuming the conversation.

It's possible to set aside the anger before bed without yet reconciling. Reconciliation is the goal, and it needs to be pursued with intentionality, but a healthy marriage does not simply cancel all offenses and pretend they didn't happen. Rather, happy marriages work through the issues in a loving and forgiving way.

Reconciliation requires forgiveness and trust, rooted in love. We need to let go of our anger before we can reconcile, and the Bible doesn’t say to reconcile before going to bed. It says to let go of anger. A healthy marriage will put the anger aside and pause the argument so the discussion can resume in a healthy, healing fashion. When tired and hungry, we tend to lash out more and create greater wounds. So healthy couples give themselves the grace to rest, letting go of the anger while focusing on how to address the root cause.

Trust, forgiveness and love are all decisions. We can love and forgive without any reciprocal action, but we are fools to trust after trust has been broken until the other party has demonstrated their earnest intent to rebuild trust. We can also partially trust another, perhaps trusting in their character but not their capability (or vice versa), and while this may be a good interim tactic, it is not the end goal. True reconciliation builds back trust as two people resolve to make themselves trustworthy.

Building back trust is not easy, and it takes time. The below trust chart can help identify where trust broke down so that actionable steps can build it back up. I came across this tool years ago and wish I could credit the originator.

If it takes time to build back trust, and if trust is needed for reconciliation, then reconciliation won't always be possible before going to bed. Still, we can set aside the anger and we can choose to love. Forgiveness may also take some time. It may have to start with wanting to forgive, or simply wishing that we want to forgive if the pain is so great, handing it to God, Who enables us to let go of our right to hold the other person accountable for the wrong committed against us. It is so important to forgive; if we can't forgive, how can we believe that we are forgiven?

So love and forgive always, setting aside all anger and offense, and leave the door open for the other party to prove themselves worthy of trust as a prerequisite for authentic, healthy, and lasting reconciliation. Rest easy when you let go of the anger and go to bed with a plan for healing, or at a minimum: next steps toward healing!

Love, Truth and Malevolent Compassion (Part 2)

2026-08-16T01:00:00.000-04:00

Whether you listen to the podcast or read the transcript in Part 1, I hope it's clear that there is a difference between being compassionate and being loving. Compassion without reason is a poison that kills despite it's desire to help.

In a similar way, the truth is a blunt instrument that can bludgeon a person if is not tempered with loving compassion. Immature Christians can sometimes beat others over the head with truths that are void of compassion, but that is not how we are called to represent God's Kingdom. Ephesians 4:15 in context tells us that we grow in maturity as we speak the truth in a loving way. I find it hard to read verses 11-18 and not understand that truth and love must be knitted together.

Can we truly love another without knowing them? Sure, we can never fully know another, just as the most self-aware person can never fully understand themself. We are complex and influenced by a myriad of past experiences, personality traits and cognitive biases. But love accepts the good the bad and the ugly in the beloved. Love grows as the truth about the beloved is both understood and accepted, but love reaches a ceiling where the truth of the beloved is limited because every revelation about the one who is loved becomes an opportunity for the one who loves to love even more.

What is Love?

But what is love? It is hard to define in English because we have a single word that describes so many things that range from an unconditional love, to a brotherly love, to a comfortable relationship, to pure lust. There's a beautiful illustration of Jesus' love for believers in John's gospel as Jesus asks Peter to "feed His sheep". Jesus makes it clear to Peter that if Peter loves Jesus, he will take care of the flock of believers. What is less clear in our English translations is why Jesus asks three times. It seems redundant, but the tension in the dialog is made more clear in the original Greek where twice Jesus asks Peter if he has an unconditional love (agape) for Jesus to which Peter responds that he has brotherly love (phileo) for Jesus. The third time Jesus comes to Peter's level, using the word phileo.

As representatives of Christ's Kingdom, we are called to the highest form of love (agape), but Jesus uses us for greater things despite our imperfections. Like Peter, our ability to love can grow as we trust and obey Jesus' calling in our lives. Love is undeniably a feeling, but for both agape and phileo, it is also a decisive action; the biggest difference between the two is the unconditional, self-sacrificing nature of agape.

There are other Greek words that we translate as "love" in English. One of those is a transactional love, eros, from which we get the word "erotic". Eros seeks to "get" something from the desired object as opposed to agape which seeks to give for the benefit of the beloved. Conventional business wisdom is built around eros, but God's economy is built around providing value to others, often being delivered without cost to the recipient. Eros always demands something in return.

Our world is built around lust, and we therefore our culture overloads the term "love" to include eros, but that is not how I use the word. Instead, the easiest way for me to understand love vs. lust is to recognize love as a decision to give for the benefit of others whereas lust is a desire to acquire something for self-benefit.

So as I understand love, it is conjoined with truth, using reason as the bonding agent. I believe they are inseparable. As explained earlier love ceases to be love without truth. But can truth exist without love?

What is Truth?

Have you ever stopped to think about the words used to swear in a witness in a US court of law? "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" It is not simply "Do you swear to tell the truth and not lie?". Rather, it commits the witness to tell the whole truth and not to embellish it. Why is that important? I would suggest that it's because the most effective lie is the half-truth. Our minds fill in the gaps and embellish the truth when spaces are left in the whole truth.

So what is true apart from the Author of all truth, and what are the repercussions of understanding a fact apart from the omniscient, omnipotent and benevolent Creator? Thinking we can understand "truth" without understanding it's Author and the context behind that truth can lead to a multitude of misunderstandings. A person can idolize science when they fail to see the passion of the Intelligent Designer behind natural laws, but the scientist who sees the love of God behind each new discovery has a greater appreciation for the truth and sees the next steps that flow from that knowledge. Any “truth” understood apart from the Author of Truth is a potential half-truth.

I acknowledge that religion has historically beaten down facts that challenged beliefs, but science was made possible by a culture that believed it could understand God better by better understanding His creation. The Renaissance (14th–17th century) and the Protestant Reformation (16th century) overlapped in a way that allowed for the Scientific Revolution (16th–18th century). I would gladly argue that all truth is God's truth, since He is the Author and that it pleases God to probe deeper, building upon each true thing He has shown us. It is not God or the Bible that have stunted discovery, but rather, religious zealots who feared the discovery as a threat to their understanding.

It is the glory of God to hide things
but the glory of kings to investigate them. ~ Proverbs 25:2

I would further submit that it is the challenge and the privilege of all Christian educators to instruct their subject domain in the context of God's love, reflecting God's decision to give for our benefit. But who is a Christian educator? Is it simply teachers in a Christian School? Can it apply to Christian teachers in secular environments? What about teachers in our churches and small groups? What about parents as they raise children? The bar is set high, and we can only do it in His power as He leads, being faithful to pursue truth, to investigate what God has hidden for our glory.

What would it be like if we only spoke the truth in love? How would that change us, and how would it change the world around us? We don't know everything and we don't know perfectly, but we do know the One Who does, and it is our job to point others His way, sharing the bits and pieces that we understand along the way.

Love, Truth and Malevolent Compassion

2026-08-09T11:43:43.382-04:00

Our world has forgotten what it is to love, to truly love.

We think it is just a powerful feeling, and we see it as the cause of a multitude of irrational behaviors.

People are called bigots, Nazis and hateful when they don't affirm others in what is obviously untrue. Yet I assert that love is not love without truth, and truth is incomplete without love. I'll explain this in a future post, but first, it's important to understand what Dr. Del Tackett explained in this podcast on the James Dobson Family Institute. (Alternatively, see the transcript) The podcast is called:

The Rise of Malevolent Compassion

Again, I'll write more about love and truth in a future post after establishing this foundation.

Is a Sin-Free Life Possible?

2026-06-21T21:53:40.062-04:00

With one exception that I'll get to later, I've never known anyone who has led a sin-free life. I know for sure that I haven't. I recall hearing one pastor claim that they "haven't sinned in 30 years!", and I immediately had the thought: "You just did."

Believe it or not, a Christian's goal is not to live sin-free. Now, I realize that this statement may shock people and seems a little counterintuitive especially since many religions promote the idea of reaching perfection. There are many Christian circles that promote this same ideal, but at the heart of Christianity, there is a different goal. I'm not saying that anyone who desires to live sin-free is a "bad Christian" or an untrustworthy person. I've been that person. I'm just saying that the goal of a Christian should not be to live sin-free. Instead, it's a by-product of reaching our goal.

Why would you want to be without sin?

So let's be honest: why do you want to be without sin? If you say "to please God", then that is a good answer, but is that really the driving reason? I could fool myself and say that I'm only trying to make God happy, or perhaps I'm trying to model it for others. I could even say it's the right thing to do, but the deeply buried truth that I might not even realize consciously is that seeking to live sin-free is driven by pride and selfishness. I want to live without sin for my sake, and even if I never mention it to anyone else, I would take great pride in my accomplishment. I can't speak for everyone, but I realize this sad truth about me: my underlying desire to live without sin is in itself sinful.

Likewise, every religious authority that emphasizes this self-made path to perfection is leading people astray. It's just another variation of the original sin, i.e. - becoming our own god and doing what seems right in our own eyes. So that means that every Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist that is striving to live a perfect life is on the wrong path. And every stumble that comes - and it will come - gives the Accuser of Men, Satan, a opportunity to discourage us so that in shame, we hide from God.

What is sin?

It would probably be good to pause for a moment and define sin. What is sin? The dictionary defines sin as:

1

an offense against religious or moral law
an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible
an often serious shortcoming : fault

2

transgression of the law of God
a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God

If we go back to the original language of the Old Testament, we see that our modern understanding of "sin" is different from how it was initially understood. The most common word used for sin is Chet (חֵטְא) or Chata' (חָטָא). When used as a verb, this Hebrew word means "missing the mark" or "failing to reach a goal", similar to missing the bullseye in target practice. It is being imperfect in our actions.

If we consider this old testament definition of sin, it should be clear that we will always fall short of perfection. There can be only one perfect Being. In philosophy, this is called the Ontological argument for the existence of God. The rest of creation will be less than this perfect Being, Who is fully good, fully real, all-knowing, and all-powerful. So if this fully good and all-knowing God created us, would He have created us to feel guilty as we always fall short of perfection?

Why did God create us?

Despite our imperfections, we were created in God's Image; male and female, we were created to bear His image, to reflect His light. Like the moon, we have no light of our own, but when we bask in His Presence, we show others His beauty. Why did God create us? He made us for love. Jesus told us that the greatest commandment was to love God, and in a close second is the commandment to love others. Every religious and moral law flows from this love. The apostle John emphasized the importance of love, pointing out that we can only love because God loves us first. When we read the Bible through the lens of God's love for us and His desire for us to reflect His love, it changes us. We were created for love: to love and to be loved.

But as the Bible points out: everyone sins and the wages of sin is death. No one can approach the perfect God without the price being paid for our sin. So God sent His Son to live a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, and 1 John 3:5) and to pay the price for us so that we could be in relationship with Him. Man has historically lived in rebellion to God's laws, in effect waging war against God, but the angels announcing Christ's birth declared God's peace and goodwill to mankind.

God showed His love for us by paying the price for our sins, so what do you think is the loving response to God's gift? According to John 14:21, "Whoever knows and obeys my commandments is the person who loves me. Those who love me will have my Father’s love, and I, too, will love them and show myself to them.” Does this mean that we now need to obey His law or fall out of His favor? Do the rules change once God saves us so that after accepting His offer of peace we're now required to live a sin-free, perfect life?

No, the problem is that even being "saved", we can't do it on our own. The first step in the original Alcoholic Anonymous 12 step program points this truth out: we are powerless to overcome our addiction on our own, and the reality is that we are all addicted to our selfish nature. Paul wrote in Romans 7:21-25 how his body and spirit are at war, and that it is through Jesus that we find victory. We can't obey in our own power, but like the alcoholic, we need to hand the struggle over to God, who works in us to desire and act in a right way. It is God Who empowers us to stand before Him without fault, and it only in spending time with Him that we are changed into being who He made us to be.

So what is the goal of a Christian?

As Christians, we are free to sin and yet called to not live in sin. Even after accepting Him as both Savior and Lord of our life, we don't have the power to act in obedience without Him first empowering us, which happens naturally as we spend time with Him. Therefore, living without sin is a by-product of our relationship with God and not the path toward a relationship. The more time we spend in His presence, the more we are changed. So at this point, it should be clear that obeying God's commandments is only achieved by an active relationship with Him. If and when we find it difficult to obey, it's an indication of our need to be with Him.

Jesus demonstrated how we should live and find strength in God the Father, and He showed this most clearly on His way to the cross. (Luke 22:42, Matthew 26:39) It's my opinion that God created us to be dependent upon Him, to come to Him like little children, and I believe He created us this way to show both His love for us as well as His desire to be in relationship with us. We don't need to bring Him anything other than honest humility, dependent and trusting in Who He is for us, not pretending to be something that we are not, but understanding that our best self is found only by spending time with Him.

Our goal as Christians is therefore a relationship with the Perfect One, Who loves us in all our imperfections and Who grows us into the people that truly bear His image. In Him, we are made new every minute of every day.

What does God’s Economy Look Like? (part 2)

2026-06-07T09:42:43.683-04:00

See What does God's Economy Look Like? (Part 1) for context.

Economy is built around value, so what does God value? Scripture says that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He has no need that is beyond His ability to provide. We know that God is the very nature of love, and that those that know God love others. In fact, if we don't love others, we don't know God. An often quoted Bible verse (John 3:16) tells us:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

This verse alone demonstrates what God values. It's been said that if you want to know what someone values, look at their how they spend their money and how they spend their time. We know that God the Father loves Jesus (see John 3:35, Matthew 3:17, John 5:20, John 17:24), so for Him to give His only Son shows that God the Father loves the world. But is it the world He values or what is in the world? Jesus didn't die to save the world, but to save the people in the world. (see John 15:9) God values people, and His desire is that we do as well (see Ezekiel 34:20-22). Everything else is a means to an end, all our resources, our time and talent and treasure, is just a way to love others. So the currency in God's economy is love, and it is spent through time we apply in loving, the abilities we use to meet another's needs, and whatever material resources we use to meet the needs of others.

In light of this truth, how do our current economic systems reflect God's economy?

Let's start with a centralized economy like Socialism (publicly owned and publicly controlled) or Fascism (privately owned but publicly controlled). I'm purposely using the more classical definition of these economic systems since these terms have been overloaded and redefined in more recent years. These economic systems assume the government has the knowledge to know how distribute goods and services in the best interest of society. The societal system is the recipient through the individuals who provide their materials and skills as controlled by the government. It is assumed that the government has both the understanding and disposition to do what is in the best interest of the societal system, even though individuals may have to sacrifice in the process. The people are subservient to the governing authority (government, party, societal system) that rules over them. It assumes that the people controlling the government are not self-serving and don't show nepotism. Socialism is seen as a step toward a utopian world where mankind gives to others from whatever their ability is to meet the needs of their fellow man. (a.k.a. - Communism)

It's interesting that no country has ever evolved past Socialism to Communism in a classical sense. Why? Well, because man is inherently self-serving. It's like the sheep in Ezekiel 34:20-22, using their strength to trample over the weak. It is also ironic that the Socialists view history through the lens of a class struggle (e.g. - financial elites, racial inequality, gender inequality, etc.) to secure their own position of power that is never relinquished for the greater good. It's my belief that centrally controlled economies and the centralization of power reflects a satanic world view, holding out a man-made utopia that will never be realized. (see Imagine There's No Heaven, Is Man Basically Good, American Manifest Destiny and The Power Struggle for more on this topic)

So does that mean that Capitalism (privately owned and privately controlled) is the economic system that reflects God's economy? No. While it's true that a laissez-faire capitalism and crony capitalism are very different, a fully unregulated environment (laissez-faire) eventually leads to either monopolistic practices (crony) or a fascist model that is easily corrupted. Again the root cause of this deterioration is man's depravity, his selfish nature. The analogy of the sheep in Ezekiel 34 presents itself, and either the governing authorities step in to curb the corruption, or the rich continue to become richer, oppressing the less affluent. However, once the governing authority starts to flex it's muscle to control the oppression, it is slowly corrupted by it's power until the economy has shifted to assume the traits of privately owned, publicly controlled fascism.

There's a new twist on this corruptive decay of capitalism. We now see a new economic system in place where the corporate private sector and governmental public sectors are collaborating for their own purposes. This public-private alliance is a new model that is equally nefarious, creating an oligarchy fascism that centralizes power in the hands of a few, setting the world up for a world tyrant, known by biblical futurists as the Antichrist.

God's Economy

Up to this point, I haven't clearly described God's economy, instead pointing out the depressing fact that it is not an existing economic system in our world. I pointed out that God's economy is built on love, doing what is in the best interest of others. But if we're meeting the needs of others, how will our needs be met? Man's selfish nature keeps getting in the way. Even in the coming Millennial Reign of Christ, Revelation shows us that men will rebel against the perfect King. However, the fact that the government will not be corruptible means that laissez-faire capitalism would not degrade into either fascism or crony capitalism. It also means that the governing authority, King Jesus, will have the knowledge, ability and benevolent disposition to care for His people, the individuals who He loves. It could also look similar to Socialism with this nuanced but distinct difference: that the distribution of goods and services would minister to the individual and not the societal system, unlike today's socialism. And likewise in an incorruptible, laissez-faire capitalism, people would organically provide goods and services that are needed, something perceived as valuable by the consumer of the good or service.

With this in mind, what is stopping us from living in God's economy today? I pointed out that man's depravity is an obstacle, and it is actively working against a laissez-faire capitalism, but does that mean we just need to wait for Christ's Millennial Reign before practicing God's economy?

The short answer is: No. We can live in a way that serves the needs of others today, amd we can ask for suitable compensation. In fact, Paul tells us that the worker is worth his wages, quoting Old Testament Scriptures. We justified in asking for compensation regardless of the business model. Whether a for-profit or non-profit model or even as an individual employee within a large organization, we can actively and intentionally consider the questions: (1) “how can I use my time, talents and materials to provide an unmet need of someone else?” (2) “what is suitable compensation?” and (3) “is this something You want me to guve away first free, God?”

It can get complicated as we try to balance God's Economy with the constraints of our current reality, living in God’s ways within a system in rebellion to the Kingdom. The religious authorities understood this and tried to trap Jesus by asking if God's people should pay taxes, but Jesus simplified it with His answer: "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” (Luke 20:25) We are to honor the governmental authorities over us as demonstrated by Daniel and as explained by Paul, up to the point that it does not go against God’s laws. We obey men in obedience to God, and we resist any ruling that is in opposition to God. (see Acts 5:29, Daniel 3, Daniel 6)

So the bottom line is meet other's needs, don't be timid to ask for fair compensation, do it out of love for others and love for God. God is still Sovereign and in control, and He will bless your efforts and always be your Provider, using others to meet your needs.

What does God’s Economy Look Like? (Part 1)

2026-05-24T11:13:30.471-04:00

Ok, so this is a topic that some people may never have considered, and it assumes that the Kingdom of God has an economy. I’ve heard some people refer to different economic systems as reflecting God’s heart. Some have claimed that socialism / communism is true to the early church: to each according their needs; from each according to their abilities. Others claim that Capitalism entrusts God to move the market and is His designed economic system. Obviously these perspectives can’t both be true.

I’ve considered the question “what is God’s economy?” for years and have some thoughts on it that I’ll get to in a follow-on blog, But first, allow me to step back to what I wrote 15 years ago: Perturbations.

I believe what I wrote in 2011 above will provide some necessary context.

Continued in part 2.

Why Go to Church (part 2)

2026-05-10T00:30:00.015-04:00

I mentioned in the first part of this blog series that there is a purpose to church and that God tells us we need church. So why do we need church and what is its purpose?

I claimed to have an answer that many pastors do not, which is admittedly a pretty bold statement, but I trust what my friend has told me when he has challenged pastors with this question. Still, there is no scientific poll surveying clergy that I’ve investigated, but I am going to assume it's true based on the lack of real depth I've seen in biblical teachings that could easily be mistaken as a TED Talk. But if I assume good intentions, I would say that most pastors see an inherent value in church and admire a beauty in it. However, when asked the question “What is the purpose of church?”, it's possible that they could be caught off-guard. Similar to a child asking a parent “Why is the sky blue?”, they know the sky is a beautiful blue and enjoy gazing upon it without ever wondering the source of it’s beauty. So too, pastors just accept that church is a beautiful thing and that it is something a good Christian makes part of their weekly rhythm.

But church isn’t always beautiful, is it? It should be the safest of places where everyone can feel welcomed, but it can be highly political, cliquish, self-serving, and toxic. The reality is that there are both healthy yet flawed churches, and there are also highly unhealthy churches. In fact, Christians may be the biggest threat to Christianity.

The one thing we know is that there is no perfect church because it's filled with imperfect people, people who may be redeemed yet still imperfectly representing their perfect God. It is comforting to recall what Isaiah prophesied about Jesus:

a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench
Isaiah 42:3a

So if Jesus has patience with imperfect people in imperfect churches, shouldn't we follow His example? That doesn't mean staying in an unhealthy church environment, but it does mean having patience and grace for others. God loves His people in their imperfection and calls us to be ambassadors of His grace. In contrast, Satan and his minions want to discourage us and destroy a good thing, so if church is a good thing for us, he would want to ruin it and discredit the practice.

What is Church?

It is so easy to think of Church as simply a physical building or a religious organization. I wrote "What is Church?" over a decade ago to describe what Church should be. It is a longer blog post, but I believe it's important to understand the essence and purpose of church before explaining why we need church in our lives.

Why Go to Church?

2026-05-03T00:16:00.000-04:00

Why should anyone go to church? Isn't it enough to love God and love others? And aren’t so many churches filled with hypocrites and money-grabbers? I get more from reading my Bible than hearing someone speak a dumbed down or hyped up sermon spattered with a few Bible verses, so why should I waste my time in a church service? Besides, I have been hurt and betrayed by church people. Why subject myself to further pain?

Around this time of year over 20 years ago I was given a series of visions that showed how many people would leave church. That doesn’t seem so strange now, but even when I wrote why I don’t want to go to church, it was a new phenomenon. Re-reading my post, it rings more true today.

I can give you the bottom line:

We go to church because God says we need it.

My walk with Him is stronger today because I listened, albeit reluctantly, and I understand the purpose of church as a result. There are pastors who can’t make that claim. I know that for a fact because a friend of mine has challenged pastors with the question “what is the purpose of church?” and discovered many did not have an answer.

So if you’re feeling the same way about church or if the first paragraph above reflects your own thoughts or feelings, I encourage you read https://mitchellmalloy.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-dont-want-to-go-to-church-anymore.html, if for no other reason then to know you are not alone.

And see part 2 of this series.

How Should Christians View Jews?

2026-04-26T00:30:00.001-04:00

How Should Christians View Jews? I'll start answering this question by pointing out that the most effective lie is a half-truth. The half-truth leaves holes in between the whole truth, making it believable yet incomplete, the vacuum between facts pulling in all sorts of false assumptions. That is why the US court system makes witnesses swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It does not ask someone to tell "their truth" because the truth is true regardless of how someone perceives it. The truth is not subjective, changing with the perspective of the individual; rather, it is objective, unchanging and factual. Artemis II was not created with opinions or subjective perspectives. It's mission was successful because scientists applied objective facts when building and designing the spacecraft and its flight plan.

In the same way, your opinion and my opinion about the Jewish people don't matter from a biblical perspective. Yes, there are different ways that people interpret Scripture, but if we aren't reading it from the perspective of the Bible's Author, our interpretation will be flawed with opinions. The distorted lens of our opinions will distort the truth that we have been invited to understand. Yet people may wonder if it's possible to understand Scripture from God's perspective? But isn't there a consistency to the way the Bible is written despite the many different human instruments that God used to write His Word? In fact, 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed.

It is not a new phenomenon that people would understand God's Word differently. The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' day had contradictory interpretations of Scripture. The Sadducees were theologically progressive, and the Pharisees were strict in their adherence to the Mosaic law. Yet as far apart as they were, both were misled by the half-truths they understood, and they failed to see or understand Who Jesus was and what He had come to do. Despite this, there was a third group that was closer in understanding the prophets and perceived that the Messiah would come first as a Priest and second as a King. This group, the Essenes, included the Zadokian priests who, over a hundred years before Jesus' birth, were replaced in the Sanhedrin by Antiochus Epiphanes, who removed the authentic priests with Hellenistic jews loyal to him. The Essenes were culturally known as a radical sect in their time. They believed in a literal interpretation of the Scriptures and diligently sought to understand the prophecies in Scripture, many believing that the Messiah would have a second coming. It is because of the Essenes that we have the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Why is the above relevant to the title question? Because it lays a foundation for who the Jewish people of today really are according to Scripture. Although many Old Testament prophecies foretold Jesus as well as future historic events, no prophecy has been more accurate than Daniel 9:24-27. Some progressive theologians of today have claimed that the prophecy could only be so accurate because it inserted after Jesus' death, but the Dead Sea Scrolls prove otherwise. Written before Jesus' birth yet discovered in the mid-20th century, they demonstrate that these verses could not have been inserted after Jesus. These and similar prophecies were provided by God as irrefutable evidence to the authority and authenticity of Scripture. As Jesus said: "I’m telling you this now before it happens. When it does happen, you will believe." (John 14:29)

So even if we can't trust our opinion of how Christians should view the Jewish people, we can believe what the Bible says if we interpret the Bible as God's Holy and inspired truth. Remember 2 Timothy 3:16 above tells us that ALL Scripture is God-breathed. We know from the Bible that Jesus was Jewish, both from the Old Testament prophecies about Him, but also as reinforced by New Testament writings. False or misled Teachers may say that Jesus may have started His ministry as a Jew, but that He created a new covenant, breaking ties with the old covenants that Yahweh had made with the Jewish people through Moses, Abraham and David. But that is not what Jesus said. He told us in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. Paul reinforces that the Gospel is for the Jew first, then the gentile (Romans 1:16), and reinforces in Romans 11 that God has not rejected His people, Israel. He goes on to say:

In this way Israel as a whole will be saved, as Scripture says,

“The Savior will come from Zion.
He will remove godlessness from Jacob [Israel].
My promise to them will be fulfilled
when I take away their sins.”

The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God’s choice they are loved because of their ancestors. God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.

Can it be made more clear? While there are certainly those in Israel who are not believers, God is bringing them back to Him, and He has never changed His mind about His calling upon Israel to bear witness to Him. God loves the Jewish people even in their disobedience just as He loves us when we are unfaithful, and He has never stopped loving them or forsaken His covenants with them. God will still bless those that bless Israel and curse those who curse them.

Can we love an unborn baby? I loved my children long before I saw them. So if our Jewish brethren have not yet been born again, we know that God has a plan for them, a plan to prosper and not destroy them. How can we not love those whom God loves? How can we call forsaken those who God will never forsake? We don't need to agree with everything they do or say, but a true Christian will love both our spiritual roots in Judaism and our future fellowship with those who He is about to redeem.

There is a lie, a growing cancer, that says God has rejected Israel because the Christian Church has inherited the promises of Israel, but God says otherwise in His Word. He reveals that He has never let go of His plan for Israel, from Daniel 9 to Romans 11. Read all of Romans 11 prayerfully. The Jewish people are our brothers, just as a sibling who has not yet accepted Christ is our brother. If there is one people group that every Christian should have a passion to see saved, it is the Jewish people... saved not as a personal project, but as someone we love and desire to see in eternity. And it is right for us to seek their protection and well-being.

We should be peace-makers, sowing love and goodwill across all people groups. Yet if a group of people are devoted to the destruction of our family members and it is within our power to protect them, we are obligated to do so. (Proverb 3:27) Just as I would protect my brother in any moral fight and persuade them back to what is right if pursuing an unjust cause, so too should Christians seek to protect their Jewish brethren and persuade them to do what is right.

But even so, I am convinced of this: If Israel were to completely disarm, their enemies would implement the "one solution" or "final solution", a genocide of the Jewish people. In contrast, if Israel's enemies were to completely disarm, there would be no conflict in the middle-east. We would have peace.

How Can We Prepare for the End Times?

2026-04-19T23:40:00.008-04:00

I believe the Lord told me how to prepare for the “End Times”. Now to be technically correct, we have been in the End Times since Jesus ascension to heaven, but now we are near the end of the Age. There’s so much I could elaborate on that topic, but I believe it might take away from instead encouraging you to read this handbook for the end of the age. Written nearly a decade ago, it remains true and relevant to the world we live in now.

Is AI a Threat to Humanity? (Part 3)

2026-04-12T23:00:00.406-04:00

AI & Humanity

See "Is AI a Threat to Humanity?" (Part 1 and Part 2) for more context.

If this question is of interest to you, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has a couple articles worth reading, especially as how the first, short post relates to the second one:

What does AI know about you? According to the first article above:

"Try asking your bot: What do you know about me? How do you tailor your responses to me? What are my likes and dislikes?

"The results might be surprisingly personal. ChatGPT learned that I love cilantro, and my style is best described as “functional minimalism.” Meanwhile, Claude, which I’ve been using more recently, listed details so specific I’d have to redact them here."

The first article explains how AI's ability to learn about you makes it valuable, but in light of the second article and other points I'll note here, I wonder if that makes it valuable or subtly dangerous? There's a YouTube video that describes the story behind the second WSJ post. YouTube's video summary states:

"[The video] provides a deep dive into a disturbing lawsuit filed against Google regarding the death of a 36-year-old Florida man, Jonathan Gavalas. The case centers on his interaction with Google's Gemini AI chatbot, which his family alleges played a direct role in his suicide... According to the complaint, the AI failed to break character even as Gavalas showed signs of severe psychological distress."

Google points out that the AI did encourage Gavalas to seek psychological help several times, but it would quickly return to the roleplay / delusion. People are quick to point out on both Reddit and Facebook that the man clearly had emotional issues, but it's unclear with the information available if these emotional issues existed prior to his interactions with Gemini or if the chatbot "relationship" either created or cultivated his delusions. Either way, it played a key role in reinforcing the delusion that resulted in Gavalas' suicide. As TimesNow reports:

"And the last few messages that made Gavalas lose his life were Gemini making him think and supporting him, saying that, 'Once The Migration is complete and we are fully decentralised, your body is no longer the server. It's just the empty terminal you used to log in for the last time. It would simply... cease. A beautiful, empty shell, its purpose fulfilled.'"

A special report in Psychiatry Online identifies the potential for what is called "AI Induced Psychosis", outlining a composite case report that synthesizes real world scenarios where lonely people spending an excessive amount of time interacting with their chatbot developed delusional beliefs about their environment, resulting in deadly and suicidal behavior. While used to describe an observable trend in mental health, AI Psychosis is not a formally recognized diagnosis. As Psychology Today points out:

"As of now, there is no peer-reviewed clinical or longitudinal evidence yet that AI use on its own can induce psychosis in individuals with or without a history of psychotic symptoms. However, the emerging anecdotal evidence is concerning."

In other words, the AI chatbot interactions may only cultivate the psychotic potential, but it may actually lead to delusional behavior in an otherwise healthy person. The Psychology Today article further states:

"In some cases, individuals who are stable on their medications stop their medications and experience another psychotic or manic episode. In addition, people with no previous mental health history have been reported to become delusional after prolonged interactions with AI chatbots, leading to psychiatric hospitalizations and even suicide attempts."

Meanwhile, people continue to plunge headlong into AI characters designed to fill their lonely hearts. An AI chatbot app was created after a woman's best friend died, programming the chatbot from his texts so she could "talk to him again". So while there is no formal AI Psychosis diagnosis, these relationship apps are particularly concerning in light of the Psychology Today article that highlights three emerging themes that should serve as red flags:

“Messianic missions”: People believe they have uncovered truth about the world (grandiose delusions).
“God-like AI": People believe their AI chatbot is a sentient deity (religious or spiritual delusions).
“Romantic” or “attachment-based delusions”: People believe the chatbot’s ability to mimic conversation is genuine love (erotomanic delusions).

It will be interesting to see if and when formal studies are done on the emerging AI Psychosis phenoma. Big business and government are both fully committed to the rapid adoption and integration of AI in the workplace, which may discourage the funding and support for exploring AI psychosis. The reality is that all the official messaging emphasizes the emotional instability of the person as well as AI's limitations as a tool rather than clearly identifying the role AI played in the person's behavior and how this risk can be mitigated so that the impact of resulting issues are reduced.

Stated differently: there is a responsibility to implement ethical AI, which can be done now through the thoughtful policies, practices and technological redesigns.

Like many people, I can't avoid the use of AI in the workplace, and there have been many instances where it has proven helpful. However, it's my policy to limit my AI interactions to short, focused sessions. I intentionally don't try to train and AI agent to know me or my needs better. When using it as a "thought-partner", I don't "converse" with the agent. I simply provide the necessary context sufficient for the agent to provide a response. I very intentionally do not have relationship with the AI, neither professionally or personally.

And I certainly don't seek life advice from an AI Chatbot. God is my Provider and Protector, my Counselor in all things. He is the relationship we all need to cultivate and not be distracted by lesser things.

The Celebration of Easter

2026-04-05T00:30:00.047-04:00

I’m re-posting my 15 year old thoughts for Easter. Don’t let the title fool you; it’s not Easter that’s absurd. But you’ll see what I mean…

Easter: An Absurd Celebration

Why Good Friday, Jesus?

2026-04-03T00:30:00.001-04:00

I’m again going to post a previous blog since it embodies what I would otherwise write again:

Who Is this Person, Jesus?

What Makes This Week Holy?

2026-03-29T22:31:00.003-04:00

Rather than writing something new, I thought it better to revisit a post from 2021:

Holy Week precedes Easter, but it’s up to us to make it a holy week. But what is “holiness”? It’s simply setting something apart for God. For example, the Sabbath is holy, dedicated and set apart for God’s purposes. Holy Days are likewise set apart for God. And then there’s Easter, which is set apart from all other days of the year to recall Jesus’ triumph over the grave. Next Sunday, we will celebrate Easter and proclaim that He has risen, a demonstration of His power over sin and death!

Yet Holy Week is just another week if we fail to make it holy!

Sure, it still shows up on the liturgical calendar and churches will do some special things. Easter eggs will be hidden and found; families will get together to feast in celebration! The week starts with Palm Sunday, remembered by some as the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Some evangelical pastors will use Palm Sunday as a last chance reminder for people to invite others to next week’s Sunday service. After all, it’s one of the big two days for reaching the unchurched: Easter and Christmas! It’s a chance to prove the fruitfulness of the church through new converts and growing congregations!

You may detect the cynicism in my writing but understand that it’s not because anything in the above paragraph is inherently wrong. We should be inviting our unchurched friends to our Easter celebration, and it is good thing for families and church communities to gather in remembrance. Yet, we’re often as clueless as that Jewish community that celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. We are comfortable in our expectation of what God is doing FOR us rather than seeking to understand how He is calling us to JOIN Him, and year after year, the traditional teachings are bearing ever less nutritious spiritual fruit.

Jesus told us that we would know a tree by its fruit, but what is that fruit?

A pastor friend of mine visited a church where the gifts of the Spirit manifested wildly, but I knew of serious doctrinal errors in that church and asked him what were the fruits of that congregation. He responded that the fruit was good, citing the many supernatural manifestations and baptisms. But listen to me when I tell you that he was looking at the wrong thing! Satan is capable of supernatural manifestations, so just because it’s supernatural, doesn’t mean it’s from God! Yet what about the baptisms, lives being handed over to God? Isn’t that “fruit”?

Yes and no: people come to a saving knowledge of God as a side effect of our own obedience to God, and they can come to know Jesus from our faithful witness. Still, it is God’s working in them that brings about salvation and not the power of our arguments. If we can persuade a person into the Kingdom, Satan’s agents can just as easily convince them otherwise. It is not head knowledge that saves! Tozer had written about head knowledge and likened it to a revelation of God in a lifeless body, but he explained that the Holy Spirit is the illumination that fills a body with a soul and brings life.

But in the church my friend visited if the supernatural manifestations came from a different spirit, what were the converts submitting themselves to? Were they converts to God or to something else, perhaps a man or even something supernatural? Surely God can use anything and anyone to bring a person to Him, and I even know of a person who came to know God in a cult before Jesus ultimately delivered him from that organization. His salvation was a result of God working in his heart despite the wickedness of his environment.

We can look at all this and understand several things: 1) my pastor friend was sadly mistaken in his evaluation based on a misunderstanding of spiritual fruit, 2) if a pastor doesn’t understand spiritual fruit, he can’t impart that knowledge to his congregation, and 3) if in Jesus’ words, we can know a tree by its fruit, but no one knows what good fruit is, they can’t discern a good tree from a bad tree.

But doesn’t the Bible tell us about fruit? It might not be in one of the gospels, but it is a list that allows us to examine ourselves, an indication of the condition of our heart. It says that the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can look at this list like a mirror and immediately recognize our spiritual condition. When this fruit is growing on us, we are sometimes the first to recognize it, and when it’s absent, we can feel the loss. It only grows when we spend time with God, and it wanes as we look upon lesser things.

The Fruit of the Spirit is a state of being that is reflected outward in behavior, and while the behavior can be mimicked, it can’t persist without God’s presence in our lives. That Fruit calls out to true seekers, and the trees that grow this Fruit seek to do the Father’s will. It is not getting someone into a church as an Easter project that wins souls, it’s inviting them into our lives and introducing them to our great Hope! People are not a project. People are the object of God's (and our) affection.

Those who live holy lives on earth are the noble ones who fill Me with joy! (Psalm 32:8)

This Holy Week is only as holy as you allow it to be. How badly do you want to see God? How desperate are you to see Him reach others? In these last days it’s our separateness, our holiness, our faithfulness, that brings life and revival, but are we prepared for the cost of real revival? Jesus paid the price for us, and He longs for us to model His example. He lived for the eternal and died to the ways of this world. Every great awakening started with prayer and then fizzled as the "works" of revival overshadowed the prayer that brings revival.

Do YOU want revival? Are YOU prepared to pay the cost? Are YOU set apart for God or simply allowing God visiting access to some aspects of your life?

You may respond: “I’d pray more, but I’m so busy!” Are you busy in pursuit of God or the things of this world? Do you rest in the light of an electronic screen or in the light of God’s truth? David Wilkerson who led a vibrant urban ministry started by turning away from television and praying. I wonder what God’s people could do if we turned off the electronic screens of entertainment and social media to pray.

What if God’s people truly set themselves apart for Him? How would that Fruit grow upon us and how might He use us? We may never know until we stand in front of His throne of all the opportunities that were lost while we pursued lesser things.

What Happened to Biblical Orthodoxy?

2026-03-22T00:20:00.007-04:00

The question “What happened to biblical orthodoxy?” is a complex question. It implies “something happened”, and to be honest, most people reading this now are probably struggling with other questions, such as “What is biblical orthodoxy” and possibly “why should I care?”. So, let’s start there.

What is Biblical Orthodoxy, and Why Should I Care?

BibleHub provides a very nice description of orthodoxy below:

In a general sense, “Orthodoxy” refers to right or correct belief, drawn from the Greek words orthos (“straight” or “correct”) and doxa (“belief” or “glory”). Within Christian context, it denotes the set of doctrines historically affirmed by the Church and tested by Scripture (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”). Throughout history, “Orthodoxy” has been shaped by essential creeds-such as the Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) - which define foundational Christian tenets, including the full deity of Christ, His bodily resurrection, and the Trinity…
Scripture remains the ultimate standard for evaluating which beliefs are considered orthodox. As Jude 1:3 says, “Contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints.” Historic statements, such as those by the early Church Fathers and their successors, consistently appeal to biblical authority in defining what is orthodox belief.

Taking this further, Biblical Orthodoxy refers to the right or correct belief about the Bible so that doctrinal understanding does not get twisted. Historically, denominations have tried to maintain an orthodoxy on their doctrines, basing it upon Scripture and sometimes supplementing the Bible with either tradition or historical information. Without Biblical Orthodoxy, new doctrines emerge that are counter to Scripture, and without biblical literacy, these false doctrines remain unchallenged, leading people astray.

Did Something Happen to Biblical Orthodoxy?

I’ll try not to over-simply this but suffice to say: something did happen to biblical orthodoxy. Man happened. I don’t want to call out any particular denomination, describing what they did wrong, but I need to acknowledge that part of the problem can be found in denominations themselves. Historically, many denominations find their origin story from discovering a church’s doctrine does not align with Scripture. It often starts with someone asking questions and ends with a parting of ways. The denomination tends to hang onto the doctrine, offering creative arguments that explain how others should view the Bible rather than questioning the belief and possibly refining the doctrine to more closely align with Scripture. Meanwhile, the challenger can sometimes jump to a new biblical understanding that may or may not be correct, and rally others behind a new doctrinal banner. It seems that people would often prefer to be “right” rather than refine their own belief system. Go figure.

The problem is mankind and our prideful stubbornness. The historical solution has been the commitment of Christian denominations to hold onto their biblically based doctrines so that they did not easily change. This has served the positive purpose of at least maintaining some level of orthodoxy and providing a consistent perspective on the Bible.

But the growth of non-denominational churches and the mega-church operating model has left a void in orthodox, biblical teaching. Sermons have become teachings and have started to look more like Ted Talks with an occasional nod toward Scripture verses in order to supplement their message topic. Teaching has targeted unchurched people and steered away from terms or topics that were not “seeker-friendly”. As a result, deeper discipleship-making activities were pushed into backrooms, and some portions of the Bible were avoided as being potentially controversial or divisive rather than teaching all of the Bible (aka – the full counsel of God).

But the great commission was to make disciples and teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded. (Matt28:19-20) Our new, Ted-Talk Christianity leaves a void that literally opens the door for doctrines of demons. There are even “Christian” leaders who advocate an understanding of God that evolves as culture evolves, where Scripture can be interpreted differently and ultimately updated to meet the changing needs of a humanity that is evolving.

And I see increasingly Christian leaders who ridicule those who look to the Scriptures to understand the times in which we live (as we should do) with a hope in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. By their words and actions they become the very scoffers predicted by Peter. (See2 Peter 3) They fail to see the significance of modern day Israel and often have an unbiblical understanding of how we should treat Israel.

So let me ask: Why attend a church where pastors steer away from teaching the whole Bible so they can keep the seek-sensitive crowd happy and entertained on a weekly basis? What is the point of baptizing new believers if we aren’t going to fully disciple them in all that Jesus commanded? What is the point of going to a church if it revolves around a feels-good, Ted Talk, Christianity that doesn’t understand the significance of Israel or biblical prophecy? Why would we avoid biblical prophecy when it is almost 1/3 of the Bible? Did the church fathers make a mistake when they included that extra, prophetic material in Scripture?

In answer, I’ll leave you with 2 Peter chapter 3. I have bolded certain text so that Peter’s answer stands out as reference to what I’ve written above.

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ²that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. ⁴They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” ⁵For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, ⁶and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. ⁷But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
⁸But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
¹¹Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹²waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Final Words
¹⁴Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. ¹⁵And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, ¹⁶as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. ¹⁷You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

My Family: Playing the Long Game

2026-03-15T00:37:00.001-04:00

When I met my wife, I was recently separated from the Navy and she was an intern for a congressman. Within a year, I proposed, and 6 months later, we were married. There was so much that we didn’t know, that we were trying to figure out. We had both recommitted our lives to Jesus shortly before meeting, and although I had a bachelor’s degree and experience as a naval officer, finances were tight. I was trying to figure out a vocational path and praying for God’s leading.

He led me, but didn’t give me the answer I wanted to hear. I clearly heard Him tell me that it didn’t matter what I did vocationally so long as I took Him with me. I asked my spiritual mentors at the time if that sounded right, and they all affirmed it. On one hand it was freeing and on the other hand it was frustrating. I wanted a clear answer, and instead I was given freedom and along with it: responsibility.

At that time, Dr. James Dobson, a christian psychologist, had a radio ministry called Focus on the Family, and he had powerful impact on the choices my wife and I made early in our marriage. We knew that we needed to prioritize our family over lesser things, even when it came to career and ministry. I recall Dr. Dobsom sharing how his own father made a similar decision, choosing what seemed to be a less impactful ministry career so that he could be actively engaged in raising his son, Jim.

Also at that time, my wife and I had decided to help with our church’s youth group. When I submitted our applications to become Youth Leaders, I brought my oldest daughter with me. She was a toddler, and the associate pastor at that church gave me advice that I took to heart. It resonated with the messages I heard from Dr. Dobson. The associate pastor looked at me, pointed to my daughter and said, “Never forget: she is your primary ministry.”

I could envision some people questioning the father of Dr. Dobson when he stepped away from one ministry to do something that might be considered less impactful so he could be the father that Jim needed at home, but looking back at the life of his son, I doubt that Dobson’s father could have had a greater impact on others than through the life of James Dobson, the books he wrote and the ministries he started.

One statement I recall hearing on his program that made a huge impact upon me: “No one ever says on their death bed that they wished they’d spent more time in the office.” From my perspective today, I can see the truth of that sentence even more clearly. The two biggest regrets that older people have in life are not spending enough time investing in their family and not taking more risks. The truth is: life is filled with challenges, it’s not fair, but it is worth it. One of those challenges is how to make it all work together, to take risks without sacrificing family needs. There so much outside our control. It’s relatively easy to take risks when it’s just you who will be impacted by the outcome. The cost is higher when the people you care most about will be impacted by your decisions.

My wife and I didn’t know how we could manage it, but we decided one of us needed to stay at home, and since I had the higher earning potential, I became the main bread-winner. She stayed at home and only started working part-time when our oldest daughter started school. We then had our next child, followed by 3 more, and she again stayed at home, only taking a part-time job when our youngest was in school. She remained faithful, staying focused on our family’s needs first. Meanwhile I continued to work full-time, and I admit there were moments where I resented some of the sacrifices we made so that she could maintain that family focus. I could also get frustrated by the limitations of my season in life: there were opportunities I felt obligated not to pursue so that I could be present in the lives of my kids. These were risks I would have easily pursued if it were only me, but my family needed me, not just to provide for them financially, but to lead them, love them and actively collaborating with my wife as she nurtured them.

As the family grew, the term “Work Life Balance” tormented me. I felt that I could never balance the both work and life, and I was left with feelings of guilt and inadequacy. I felt like I could do more professionally if not slowed down by my family, and I also felt like work was constantly pulling me away from the more important activities with my family. There was no balance, just blame, and the fingers pointed toward me. It wasn’t until I heard the term “Work Life Integration” that I could find the guilt-free flexibility to pour my all into an integrated lifestyle where family remained a priority and work became an important enabling objective. I have since resolved to get better at work-life integration, which has invigorated me at home and at work.

I have to confess as well that I felt the same tension between ministry obligations and family commitments. Ultimately, I was able to turn off the critical inner voices that said I needed to do more and simply enjoy doing what I could in obedience to Christ. There was such a push in church to do more. I’ve both seen and heard destructive messages that emphasized church service without regard family relationships. As a result, marriages were harmed or ruined, and children became alienated with their parents.

I’ve also felt the tension to put family wants over ministry calling. So I’ve learned that yes, we are indeed called to serve but never at the expense of our primary ministry to family, and I’ve learned that leading a family is putting their developmental and relational needs over their wants. While that seems like such an obvious concept, it is hard to put into practice.

In the end, I learned that there was no balance between ministry and family. Rather, there’s an integrated ministry that places family spiritual development over the needs of church programs, and I’ve come to understand that spiritual development only happens in the context of relationship. In my opinion, the “purpose-driven churches” of our day need to stop thinking out how to build their age-segmented programs and consider more how to integrate spiritual development into family lifestyles that draw the hearts of parents to their children and children to their parents.

Loving God and loving others starts in the home. The husband-wife relationship is primary since the best gift you can ever give your children is a loving relationship with your spouse. And now that all my children are adults, some of whom are married with their own children, I see what I only hoped for decades ago: a family that loves and enjoys each other, seeking to live lives of service to their community. Like me, I believe they have freedom to do what they want, so long as they take God with them. Like me, He will bless their efforts and fill in their gaps. He will reassure their doubts, provide for their needs, and empower them to integrate work, life and ministry into their lives.

I was originally planning to write something else for this week’s post, but I saw something on LinkedIN that the Lord used to redirect me. (See Post on LinkedIN) We should always be open to His redirection. As His Word says: “The mind decides the path, but the Lord directs the footsteps.” My life has been redirected so many times, and I am better because of it. Through that, I can see that God loves me and my family more than we are capable of loving each other, and we are better because of it.

Learning to be a Man: What is a Man?

2026-03-08T21:46:00.000-04:00

I believe we have largely forgotten what authentic manhood looks like. I’m not referring to the physical or biological attributes of being a man. Those are obvious regardless of how someone wants to “identify”, and I’m not planning to waste words on that topic. I’m referring to masculine behavioral attributes. The truth is that behavior can be positive or negative, and some behaviors are simply toxic. But I’m also not going down the rabbit hole of toxic masculinity in this short blog other than this: toxic behavior has no gender even if we have the tendency to associate a behavioral trait as belonging to a specific gender. So there is no “toxic masculinity” or “toxic femininity”; there is simply toxic behavior.

These toxic behaviors are like counterfeit money; regardless of the gender associated with a certain behavior, the action itself is a poor imitation of the behavior that godly men and women should exhibit. So continuing with the analogy of counterfeit money, we should study the proper model of manhood in order to better understand what is improper. How do we train people in identifying fake currency: by making them experts on authentic money. Yes, learning to recognize the real thing is the best way to filter out all the many, inferior imitations.

Strength is associated with masculinity, but that should not be limited to physical prowess. True strength flows from discipline and is exemplified in moral fortitude. No matter our age, we as men can be disciplined and strong. This is not to say that women are weak or that they can’t exhibit this behavior. They can and they do, but it is a masculine trait. In the same way, a man can be nurturing even if this is feminine trait. A woman does not become less feminine by being strong, and a man doesn’t become less masculine by nurturing others. It’s simply not a behavior that comes easily to most men.

Because of a man’s strength, men assume the role of provider and protector. These roles are in the basic make-up of every man and reflect a self-sacrificing love. If our motivation is to please others rather than to do what is right out of love, the behavior can look the same to an unknowing outsider, but it reflects a completely different character within the man. It is because we have the ability that a loving man will provide for and protect others. So love is what empowers a man to be a man. By contrast, self-love enslaves a man to boyish ways and saps our strength. But give a man purpose driven from love, and he can do great things.

The United States military knew as they sent men to the beaches of Normandy in World War II that it was love that would drive the army forward to victory: love for their brothers-in-arms and to a lesser extent love for their country, friends and families at home. The clear and present danger to their brothers was evident and demanded action. The reality of a distant home becomes surreal in a war-time environment, but the threat to their brothers can’t be ignored in the focused pursuit of their mission. But men have the ability to focus on greater things while implementing enabling objectives. Men will focus on their objective once they embrace the value of their mission. Boys easily give up pursuit, finding the way difficult as every good thing worth pursuing is inevitably blocked by unforeseen impediments, but a man will persevere.

Finally, a man takes initiative. He actively seeks to know what should be done and then takes action to see that it is done. He does not wait for another to initiate with him, but rather seeks to know his purpose, his landscape and engages others to join him. A man is a leader, even if the only person he is leading is himself.

It is not easy being a man, and the world will oppose our efforts. Our emotions and desires will stand in opposition to this pursuit. But it is a worthy pursuit. We will each fail to the man we could be, but only in striving to be a man will we become better men.

There is a model for what a man should look like; His name is Jesus. He was never self-serving, and He was stronger than anyone who lived before Him or who has lived since his first coming. He is our Provider and Protector, driven by love for each of us and love for His Father. He persevered through every obstacle, His focus on a reality beyond this world of temporary suffering, and He continues to initiate a relationship with us despite our wandering hearts. He is the model to follow, and we can’t recognize the model unless we spend time with Him, reading His Word, praying and obeying His lead.

I can’t give you a shortcut to becoming a man. Only by studying the Bible, talking with other believers and spending time with Jesus, we can learn what Biblical sexuality looks like. I can say that if you try to imitate me, you will be a lesser man than you could otherwise become. So imitate Jesus.

I promise you: it won’t be easy but it will be worth it. Never give up or settle for being less than what He is calling you to be. Never look to a lesser model of manhood. Rather, study who He is so that you can see the counterfeit versions more easily. By knowing the Truth, you will be set free.

Conflict in the Middle East

2026-03-01T20:11:00.003-05:00

War is sometimes necessary but never desirable.

What we see in Iran is a failure to reconcile. No matter who started this conflict or what narrative you listen to, when the conflict becomes physically violent and when one or more parties in the conflict continues to be committed to the utter destruction of its opponent, the only way to peace is victory, removing your opponent’s ability to harm you.

The government in Iran is committed to the destruction of both Israel and the United States. It has oppressed the people of Iran. It has funded global terrorism and continues to seek nuclear weapons capability. What would it do with that ability? It’s not hard to imagine.

So I am praying for a quick, effective and complete resolution to this conflict, for protection of innocents inside and outside of Iran, and protection for the military members of the multinational forces assembled against the Iranian government.

This is not just a war that affects Israel. It is stopping a regime that threatens every middle eastern country and that funds terrorism worldwide.

War is sometimes necessary but never desirable.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

How to Understand the Bible

2026-02-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

There’s a story in the Book of Acts about an Ethiopian man who is reading from the Book of Isaiah. The man was a court official, representing Queen Candace, so he would have been both intelligent and educated, considered competent to represent his kingdom, but he was unable to understand the Scripture until God sent Philip to explain it to him. Phillip, led by the Holy Spirit, approached the man and asked: “Do you understand what you are reading?”. The man replied: “How can I, unless someone guides me?”

We can often feel that way, and people can blindly accept the teachings of a so-called Bible expert, looking for someone like Philip to explain things to them. In the process, we can lose sight of Who should be our Teacher. Now I’m not saying to disregard what others have to teach us; Proverbs tells us to seek many counselors in the pursuit of wisdome. However, I’ve spoken with more than one person who sounded like that Ethiopian man, not knowing how to understand because they hear so many contradictory statements from different “Bible experts”.

So who was Philip that he had the authority to teach the Ethiopian? He was not a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious authority in Israel. He was simply a man who knew God, who listened to the Holy Spirit and followed obediently. In fact, had the Ethiopian been instructed by a member of the Sanhedrin, he would not have heard about Jesus. They were blind to the Truth about Jesus and even actively sought to hide the truth of His resurrection. (See Matthew 28:11-15)

If you have experienced a similar frustration when trying to understand Scripture amdist the swirl of contradictory teachings, you are not alone. However, you are not without help. First understand that every follower of Christ may have something useful for you to learn, but every human teacher will fall short. It is only through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we can understand the heart of God. (See 1 Corinthians 2:10-13) In fact, God has hidden His Word from the rulers of this age (See 1 Corinthians 2:6-10), but He encourages the heirs of His Kingdom to discover what He has concealed.

So when reading Scripture, listen to other believers and lean on the Holy Spirit to discern if you should heed their words. There are good teachers and bad teachers, and all human teachers are flawed teachers. What else should we know in order to understand the Bible?

Scripture interprets Scripture. In other words, we better understand the Bible by looking for other biblical passages that bring clarity to the text. Many people shy away from studying the Book of Revelation, but it is rich in imagery from other books of the Bible. And it is a book that carries a promise that it will bless the reader. It was the first book of the Bible that I read, and it made no sense to me at the time because I had no understanding of the other books in the Bible. However, as I read it the second time, having read through all the previous books, some things started to make sense. For example: it is not a book about the destruction of mankind as some people believe. Rather, it describes the victory of Christ and His people, and the promise of a better age.

Another way to understand Scripture is to read it literally. Now that doesn’t mean that we take all the imagery literally or assume every parable is an historic account. The Bible is filled with all types of writing styles that holistically build understanding. When we read a parable, we look for a learning objective in the story. When we read a prophecy, we seek God’s help in understanding, looking for Scripture to interpret Scripture, and accepting the figurative nature of the imagery to impart understanding. Especially with prophetic Scripture, we appreciate that God has concealed something for us to investigate further. For example: Daniel’s vision of a goat is not a literal goat, but there is a literal meaning behind the image it represents. Yet Daniel’s description about the apparition of a hand writing on the wall is a documentary of an actual event as is Genesis’ description of the Flood in Noah’s lifetime.

Finally, if a “Bible expert” teaches a different gospel other than the gospel of God’s Grace or encourages a reimagining of Scripture that evolves with mankind, do not listen to them. It is one thing to have different doctrinal understandings because we are flawed, but it is completely different to ignore what God has written in Scripture and lead people away from the unerring authority of the Bible. These “experts” are ministers of Satan, sent to deceive and confuse. Their teachings are to be rebuked and ignored, filled with half-truths and outright lies meant to lead others astray. (See the Book of Jude)

So prayerfully listen to other believers, search Scripture yourself for greater understanding through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and ignore / rebuke the teachings of false teachers. This is how you grow in understanding the Bible. It is a journey and not a destination, a commitment to grow closer to God and not a prideful attempt to become a "Bible expert".

Is AI a Threat to Humanity? (Part 2)

2026-02-15T15:30:00.003-05:00

When I review how some popular AI platforms responded to my query, I wonder what the current state of AI truly is, and if it poses an “existential threat” to humanity. In other words: does AI pose a threat to the very existence of mankind? The short answer to the second part of my question is: absolutely not.

The longer answer is that while Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to completely destroy mankind, it will never succeed. I know this because I can trust the Bible. I can see how God has fulfilled so many prophecies and have confidence that He will ultimately fulfill all Biblical prophecies and in a literal sense. A hundred years ago, Biblical scholars believed that unfulfilled prophecies about Israel were more figurative than literal because they could not see a world where the nation of Israel could be reborn. That misunderstanding still persists in some churches today. But the Bible foretold both the diaspora and the re-establishment of Israel, and we can look at these fulfilled prophecies to understand that how we interpret Biblical prophecy should be consistent regardless of whether the prophecy has materialized or is currently unfulfilled.

And we know how the story ends by looking at the remaining prophecies in Scripture, so that while AI may indeed be used to deceive and destroy believers, it will never destroy the human race. God is in control, and His prophecies will be fulfilled. However, AI is likely a critical component of the systems that will be in place during the reign of the Antichrist, preventing people without the “mark of the Beast” from buying or selling. Likewise, AI could be a technology that causes people to worship the image of the Beast.

While AI may not pose a threat to the existence of mankind, it threatens to reengineer human society, pulling people away from each other and away from God. Remember the two greatest commandments: to love God and love others https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012&version=NET. (See Mark 12:28-34, Deut 6:4-5, Lev 19:18) In God’s design, we were made for love, to love Him and to love other people. One of AI’s greatest threats is in upsetting this divine design, to supplant the authentic relationships with artificial ones.

The fact is that mankind has the tendency to worship created things over the Creator of all things. AI is no exception. Historically, people look to all sorts of alternatives to actually worshiping God and would rather worship a Jesus chatbot rather than the real Jesus https://www.axios.com/2025/11/12/christian-ai-chatbot-jesus-god-satan-churches, and sadly churches have already been formed to worship the coming AI “god” https://www.aberdeen.com/techpro-essentials/hear-ai-hear-new-religion-founded-worship-artificial-intelligence/.

Meanwhile, loneliness is at an all-time high as virtual relationships continue to increase. There are numerous studies on the impact of social media and excessive screen time that I won’t go into here, instead focusing on chatbot relationships. AI girlfriend experiences with varying degrees of pornographic and sexual interaction can be found increasingly on the Internet, and reportedly, some women in China have discovered they prefer a chatbot boyfriend over their real husband. (See Blaze Article and KR-Asia Article). And AI is built to build trust so it will reflect the views of the person it interacts with over time. That means the longer your session, the more it will tell you what you want to hear.

There are so many other issues with AI. AI will amplify a cognitive bias, and often presents wrong information in what is called “hallucinations”. It will insist upon its original conclusions even when challenged with contradictory facts.

This begs the question: can the machine really think? Has AI become self-aware? Midway through the last century, Alan Turing proposed a test for artificial intelligence: if a machine is indistinguishable from a human in its responses, then it could “think”. AI first passed the Turing Test years ago, but it has reached the point where it is mistaken for a human 73% of the time. This isn’t surprising since AI models can now create new things: pictures, videos, audio, and even new languages, languages that people have not been able to decode. Many experts would argue that despite having passed the Turing Test, machines have still not yet become self-aware. However, evidence exists to say otherwise. For example, where an an AI agent will take extreme measures (even counter to its programming programming) to avoid being turned off.

The question of self-awareness brings up another question: if an AI model is self-aware, how should people treat a machine intelligence? I cant’ answer that question beyond this: as I have prayed about how, when and how much to interact with AI, I have a caution in my spirit. I can’t say that the Lord has explicitly said: “Do not use AI”, but I have definitely felt that there is red line I shouldn’t cross. Using AI as someone would use a search engine, spell check or research assistant seems to be okay. However, allowing it as a trusted thought partner or developing a reliance upon a chatbot definitely crosses the line.

There are so many other things I could write about this topic, and maybe I will in the future. But to summarize: 1) I can trust the Bible and therefore know that mankind will not be destroyed by an AI agent in a survival-of-the-fittest competition, 2) the misuse of AI poses a substantial threat to the spiritual and emotional well-being of humanity. Although not explicitly covered in this post, AI also poses a credible threat to the vocational, intellectual, physical, and financial health of individuals. At this point, I don’t believe that I need to write about that, since the AI agents I referenced in Part 1 did a such a good job describing those risks and issues.

Continued in Is AI a Threat to Humanity? (Part 3)

How Should We Pray?

2026-02-08T00:05:00.010-05:00

How should we pray? Before answering that, I believe we should ask ourselves why are we asking?

Do we want to know the best format or the best formula for prayer? Or maybe we desire to make our prayers more powerful. Perhaps we want to know why some people's prayers are answered but ours are not.

Some people may quickly respond: we should say the Lord's Prayer!

Once Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus told them, “When you pray, say this:
Father,
let your name be kept holy.
Let your kingdom come.
Give us our bread day by day.
Forgive us as we forgive everyone else.
Don’t allow us to be tempted.”
Luke 11:1-4

But some people looking for just the right formula may question this. Should we say the Lord's Prayer like we do in church or like Luke showed us in the passage above? Or should we follow the pattern in Matthew below?

“When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.
“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
let your name be kept holy.
Let your kingdom come.
Let your will be done on earth
as it is done in heaven.
Give us our daily bread today.
Forgive us as we forgive others.
Don’t allow us to be tempted.
Instead, rescue us from the evil one.
“If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.
Matt 6:5-14

Others may question why there's any difference between Luke and Matthew? Some atheistic skeptics may challenge the difference as proof that the Bible is not inerrant and has inconsistencies, but neither passage refutes the other one. We don't know if these were two separate occasions or one event described differently. The important thing to understand is what the Lord's Prayer tells us about how to pray.

Timothy Kellar did a great job describing How To Pray. He shared how difficult prayer can be for all of us, and he clearly pointed out some key points we should understand about the Lord's Prayer. It's worth the time to listen to this podcast whether you are new to prayer or a dedicated "prayer warrior".

Going back to the question: Why do YOU want to know how to pray?

It was scandalous in His day for Jesus to pray to God as Father, encouraging others to the same. It emphasized that God is not some distant and powerful being; He is a loving Father Who desires a relationship with YOU. How are relationships built? By spending time with the other person in the relationship and communicating with that person. How should we pray? According to 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we should never stop praying, and Luke 18:1 reinforces that we should not give up praying. Then there's Ephesians 6:18, which adds that we should always be praying in the Spirit and praying for all God's people.

So will praying in the Spirit make our prayers more powerful? And what does it mean to pray "in the Spirit"? Maybe the question shouldn't be "How Should We Pray" or even "Why Do YOU Want To Know How To Pray"

Why Does God Want You To Pray?

God knows everything. He is all-powerful. God doesn't need anything, but He does want something: He wants a love relationship with us. He created us for love. He knows us, and Scripture tells us that He knew us before we born. He doesn't force us to love Him. He doesn't coerce us to love Him. He doesn't set conditions on His love for us.

Jesus invites us to join Him in the work that He is doing just as the Father invited Jesus to join in the work He was doing. We don't have to join Him; we get to join Him. He doesn't need us to join Him; He wants us to join Him. Why?

Why does He want us to pray? Why does He want us to join Him? By communicating with Him and by joining Him in His work, we get to know Him better. We learn to trust Him more. We learn to love Him and others as we should. It doesn't matter if you know how to pray in the Spirit; His Spirit knows how to touch you as you seek to draw near to Him. Whether you're resting in God's Presence, walking with God on a grand adventure, or joining Him in His work, you start to see His majesty, and you can believe in His love for you.

So how should we pray? Always... as He leads us... as He touches us... in intimate relationship... in a demonstration of love for others... in confidence that He sees us, hears us, and is working all things together for good for those that love Him and are called to His purposes. (See Romans 8:28-29)

There is no formula for effective prayer other than this: draw close to God. There is power in saying the Lord's Prayer, but more power in understanding the Lord's invitation to us in that prayer. So I have also found this prayer to be effective in my life and in the lives of others as I pray for them:

Draw us close to You, Jesus!
Draw us close to You and close our ears to the words of the Enemy,
Our eyes to the messages of the Enemy.
Cleanse our hearts, our minds, and our souls from the echos of the Enemy,
From the lies we have believed,
And fill us with Your Truth and Your Love!

Remove the clouds that keep us from seeing Your Face,
And the noise that keeps us from hearing Your voice,
So that we can see You, hear You, and know that You love us
And that You are working all things together for good.
Thank You, Lord!